White Wedding for a Southern Belle

by Susan Carlisle

“I’m sorry,” she mouthed to him.

  He nodded and turned back to his patient.

  Marko leaned against the wall where he could see both of them. “Get busy.” To his driver he said, “You go watch outside.”

  The guy left.

  Ashley went to a door that she guessed led to a bathroom. It turned out to be a small kitchen area and there was a bath off that. The place was nasty. Apparently someone had been living there for a few days, if not longer. Open food packages were everywhere. How was she supposed to find anything in here sanitary enough to hold water? Searching under the sink, she located a mop bucket, and pulling it out, she put it under the sink faucet. The water ran brown.

  “Yuck.” She jerked the bucket out from under the tap, emptied it while leaving the water running, then waited for the water to turn clear.

  Marko stuck his head in the door. “Get busy.”

  “I am. Everything in this place is nasty. Marko, let us take your friend to the hospital. He’s going to die if you don’t.”

  “No more talking. Get busy.”

  The water had started to run clearer and she shoved the bucket under the faucet again. Using her hand, Ashley washed the bucket the best she could. With it full, she carried it back to Kiefer and set it down next to him. He glanced at her as he continued to apply pressure to the patient’s abdomen. “Good girl. I need you to go around to the other side of the bed.”

  It had been moved into the middle of the room.

  “Take my bag. Pull that chair up close and put the supplies on it.” He indicated the wooden straight-backed chair behind a metal desk.

  This could be her chance. If she could just figure out some way to use the phone. Glancing at Marko, she then looked at Kiefer. His expression said clearly that he trusted her. That he knew she would do what was necessary. She wouldn’t disappoint him. Wouldn’t let him down this time. Ashley went to her knees beside the bed and started pulling supplies out.

  “I’m going to need the scissors first and the bandages.”

  She removed items until she found what Kiefer had requested. Her fingers brushed the cell phone as she pulled a box from the pack. Could she push numbers without Marko noticing? No, the time wasn’t right. She’d have one chance and she would need to make that count. She handed Kiefer the scissors and bandages.

  “I’m going to need a suture kit and the bottle of saline.”

  As he cut away the man’s shirt and started to clean around the wound, Ashley continued to unload the backpack. Thankfully she had Kiefer and the bed between her and Marko. If she could just slip the phone out far enough to touch 911... Her heart beat faster as she reached into the backpack again. Her fingers circled the phone. Her hand shook. She gave a quick glance at Marko. He was still glaring at them, watching too closely. Not yet. She laid the backpack flat on the floor, setting the phone close to the zipper opening.

  “I’m ready to suture. I’m going to need your help. Put some gloves on,” Kiefer said.

  Ashley did so. Her fear must have shown on her face because he reached across and squeezed her hand. “We’ll get through this.”

  “Stop all the talking and get going,” Marko said, shifting impatiently.

  Kiefer put a hand on their patient’s shoulder. “Jorge, I don’t have any way of making you more comfortable. I’m sorry. This is going to hurt.” He said to Ashley in a resigned tone, “Please open one of the suture packages.”

  Over the next hour she watched as Kiefer meticulously closed the wound. Jorge groaned through the first few stitches then passed out. Kiefer said little other than to occasionally tell her to move a finger here or dab a bandage there as he worked. If she hadn’t known he was a good doctor already, she had no doubt of his abilities now.

  Kiefer looked back at Marko. “That’s the best I can do under the circumstances. He needs antibiotics that I don’t have. If he doesn’t get them soon I can’t promise what will happen. We’ll just have to wait and see. If you really care about Jorge you would take him to the hospital.”

  Marko snorted, “And go to jail. That’s not going to happen.”

  Ashley started cleaning up the area. There were a few supplies left to pack away. Pulling the backpack to her, she was careful not to knock the phone out of the bag. Bumping the chair, she caused what was left of the supplies to fall off. Leaning over, she acted as if she was gathering the supplies. She pulled the opening of the pack back and touched 911.

  “What’s the deal over there?” Marko commanded.

  She reached under the bed. “Nothing. I’m just getting a box.”

  Ashley’s breath caught in horror. She hadn’t changed the volume. Opening the bag, hoping Marko thought she was storing the box, she found the phone again. Fumbling, she searched for the buttons on the side of the phone and pushed the bottom one.

  “What’re you doing? Give me that.” Marko headed in her direction.

  Ashley palmed the phone.

  Kiefer took that moment to stand, bumping against Marko. It gave her time to push the phone under the mattress.

  “Get out of the way. I should kill you.” Marko pushed Kiefer.

  Pain swamped her. She wouldn’t survive if something happened to Kiefer.

  “Give me that.” Marko pointed the gun toward the backpack. “What do you have in there?”

  “Nothing but the supplies the doctor told me to put in here,” she said as evenly as she could.

  Marko jerked it out of her hand and dumped the contents on the floor, kicking them around. “I said not to try anything.”

  “Look for yourself. There’s nothing there.” Kiefer came around the end of the bed and offered her a hand.

  She slowly rose, her knees stiff from being on the concrete floor for so long.

  “What’re you doing?” Marko growled.

  “Helping Ashley up. We both need to stand. We’ve been kneeling a long time.” Kiefer gave Marko a defiant look. “So what’s the plan now? The police will be looking for us. Jorge shouldn’t be moved. You’re stuck. You need to turn yourself in. Why don’t you let Ashley go and get help?”

  Kiefer was still trying to protect her. She appreciated it but she wouldn’t leave him. This was all happening because of her. Why couldn’t she have accepted Kiefer’s warnings that Marko was a threat? She’d give anything to turn back time, make this go away. Have her and Kiefer returned to the intimacy they’d shared. If they got out of this she would do everything in her power to make it up to him.

  “No more talking. Get over there and be quiet. I need to think.” Marko pointed to a corner.

  Kiefer held her hand as they moved to the farthest spot from the door. They stood against the wall. Her knees were just starting to recover.

  The driver of the car came in and Marko conferred with him too low for her to hear, glancing at them a couple of times.

  Kiefer turned slightly, putting his back to them. His mouth came close to her ear. “Phone?”

  Ashley nodded briefly as she watched Jorge. Kiefer’s brows went up in question. She mouthed, “Under the mattress.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  KIEFER SLID DOWN the wall to sit on the floor. He tugged on Ashley’s hand, encouraging her to join him. She did, coming shoulder to shoulder with him. They were both tired physically and emotionally. Fear had fed an adrenaline rush. Now that it dropped, exhaustion took over. Neither extremes were healthy.

  They needed to get to the phone somehow. Finding the right time was going to be the tough part. If Marko would only leave the room. Getting Ashley to safety was his top priority. There was no way of knowing if her 911 message had gone through. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

  Ashley looked up at him with those big eyes full of misery. “I’m so sorry I got you into this.” Emotion was thick in her voice. �
��I should’ve listened to you when Marko came into my house. I thought I saw him that night I was shot but I didn’t say anything.”

  She was such an idealistic soul. That was part of the reason he loved her and yet shouldn’t. It didn’t matter now. He gave her shoulder a squeeze and kissed her temple. “We’ll get out of this. We’ll be fine. Hang in there.”

  “I hope so. I owe you big-time.”

  He gave her a wry smile. “And I plan to collect.”

  “Shut up, you two! I need to think.” Marco pulled the chair out from around the bed and put it in front of the closed door.

  “It looks like we’re going to be here awhile,” Kiefer whispered. “We might as well get some sleep.” He stretched out his legs.

  “Thank you for all you have done. You were amazing.”

  “Shush. Sleep.”

  Ashley laid her head against his shoulder. It wasn’t long until she was breathing evenly. He was glad to have her in his arms again but this wasn’t the way he’d wanted it to happen.

  Somebody kicked his foot, jiggling him awake. Kiefer didn’t know how much time had gone by but he guessed it was in the early morning hours. He looked over at Ashley. Her eyes were open. Fear filled them.

  “Tell me what kinds of antibiotics Jorge needs,” Marko demanded from above them.

  “Jorge needs to be in the hospital, getting intravenous ones,” Kiefer said.

  “That’s not going to happen. What’re the names?”

  Kiefer named off a few common antibiotics. “They won’t be strong enough to keep the infection under control. He needs to be in a hospital.”

  Marko’s face became distorted and he pointed the gun at him. “Shut up about the hospital. He’s not going. Do. Not. Say. It. Again. Stand up. Both of you.”

  Kiefer stood and then helped Ashley to her feet. Marco reached behind his back and pulled out plastic wire fasteners. “Turn around.”

  They did as he instructed. Marko fastened Kiefer’s wrists together behind his back and did the same to Ashley’s. He then used another band to attach them together at the hands, so that they were back to back.

  “I’ll be back.” With that he kicked the chair out of the way and left. The door clicked shut behind him.

  Kiefer whispered. “Let’s wait until we’re sure he’s gone.”

  They stood not moving. Waiting. Listening.

  “Let’s check the door first then go after the phone,” Kiefer said. “I’ll walk forward if you can go backward.”

  There were a few missteps and a wobble back and forth until they found a rhythm. They made it to the door.

  “Turn sideways and slide up next to the door and let’s see if we can get our hands on it.”

  Ashley did just as he asked. Kiefer managed to reach the knob. It didn’t open. “Okay, let’s go after the phone. You forward this time and I’ll follow.”

  Skirting the bed, Ashley led them to the spot where she’d left the phone.

  “I don’t know how we’re going to do this,” she said.

  “Back up as close to me as you can. We’re going to push against each other as we squat down. I want you to reach out and get the phone.” This plan had to work. He needed to get Ashley out of there.

  “What about Jorge?”

  “He’s passed out. Even if he wakes he’s too weak to move. The best way to help him is for us to get out of here.” Urgency filled him.

  Kiefer waited until she’d pressed her back against his.

  “On three let’s go down. One, two, three.” Slowly they moved toward the floor. Ashley pulled on his arms. His right shoulder strained to a painful point before she said, “I have my fingers on it.”

  Thump. The phone hitting the floor told him she had at least removed it from under the mattress.

  “Okay, let’s go up. Push hard against me and take small steps backward.” They worked themselves to a standing position.

  “Now we have to get it off the floor.” Ashley moaned. “Marko could already be on his way back.”

  “Let’s not worry about that. Let’s go down again and this time I’ll reach for the phone. The more you lean on me the easier it’ll be for you.” He waited until she pushed against him. “Go.” They worked their way toward the floor. Kiefer’s thighs burned as he went into a squat. Ashley groaned behind him. “Just a little more. I almost have it.”

  Relief filled him when his fingers circled the phone. “Let’s go up. Not too fast or we’ll fall.” It was a slow process but they made it to a standing position again. “Swing your arms to the left.” Ashley did as he asked. Looking over his shoulder, he touched the screen of the phone. It still remained black. Disappointment washed over him.

  “The battery is dead.” The words were a cry of anguish from Ashley as she looked back.

  “Well, we can’t depend on that. We’ve got to get out of these handcuffs then out of this room.” He swung the phone so that it landed on the bed at Jorge’s feet. “Let’s go see what we can find in the kitchen. Lady’s choice—do you want to walk backward or forward?”

  “I’ll take forwards. You ready?”

  “Lead on.” At least he’d got a small chuckle out of her.

  They shuffled their way into the kitchen.

  “Okay, let’s start with the easy stuff and look through the drawers first,” Kiefer said. They slid sideways to the counter. “Let’s get it open.”

  It took some maneuvering but they soon had a drawer open. Nothing. They shuffled to the next one and then the next. It wasn’t until his face and body were pressed against the wall and they had the last drawer open that there was a sliver of hope.

  “I’m touching something.” The excitement in Ashley’s voice made his optimism soar. “I think it’s an old dinner knife.”

  Kiefer held his position. “Get it out but don’t drop it, whatever you do.”

  “I’ve got it. I’ve got it.”

  He felt the metal across the top of one hand. “Let me hold it.”

  “You don’t trust me?”

  There was the old Ashley he knew so well. He trusted her more than anyone else he knew. “Yes, but I want you to cut your strap off. How sharp is it?”

  “Not very, but it does have some serrations.”

  “That’s better than nothing. Get started.” He held the knife while she worked her hands into position.

  Moving her wrist back and forth, she pushed against the knife. “This is taking too long.”

  “Just keep at it. We don’t have a choice.”

  After an agonizing amount of time, the plastic finally broke. Ashley’s hands were free.

  “Now I’ll do you.” She had already taken the knife from him.

  “No, it takes too long. We need to look for a way out of here. Go see if you can open the door.”

  She hurried out of the room and he followed. Ashley pulled on the doorknob. It wasn’t budging.

  “Check the bathroom. See if it has a window to the outside.”

  Again Ashley rushed from the room. Kiefer stood looking at the structure of the door. The hinges didn’t have pins. They were stuck.

  “Kiefer, come here. There’s a window.”

  He hurried to her.

  “It’s not a very big one but I think I could get through it.” She was already standing on the commode, pushing at the window.

  “You need to break it out. Pull off your jacket and wrap it around your hand. Pull your shirt over your face so that you don’t get hit by any glass.”

  She did as he said and started striking the glass. It broke with a large crash.

  “Now make sure all the edges are gone.”

  Ashley worked her material-covered hand around the window frame. She stuck her head out the window. “It’s to the outside.” Excitem
ent filled her voice. “Now let’s get your hands undone.”

  “No, you’re going through the window. I couldn’t get through it anyway. I need to stay with Jorge.”

  “No, Kiefer. No!”

  His look met hers. “You’re going after help. Now stop complaining and get moving. Climb up my back and wrap your arms around my neck. Then I want you to put your feet through the window, otherwise you would be going headfirst and I don’t want you to hurt that pretty head.”

  She reached up and cupped his face, pulling his mouth to hers. Kiefer’s heart jumped. He’d missed her kisses. Thirsted for them. He pulled back. “Quit taking advantage of a man with his hands tied behind his back and get going.”

  Ashley gave him a weak smile then stood on the commode to get into position. Kiefer backed up and straddled the commode. Ashley put her arms around his neck from behind and pulled herself up his back. Kiefer leaned forward as her body weight pushed against him. She lifted her feet, putting them through the opening.

  She was halfway out the window when he turned around. “Run for the nearest lit area. I’ll be right here waiting when you get back. Now, get.” His gaze held hers until she dropped out of sight.

  He wanted to say so much more but they were running out of time.

  * * *

  Ashley sprinted until her breaths were deep and her side hurt. Her blouse stuck to her in the warm, muggy night. Her feet throbbed from running in her pumps. She was in the warehouse district of the shipping area of Savannah. There was no life around, only the occasional dim security light. If Marko returned to find her gone he’d come looking for her. Surely kill Kiefer. A sick feeling filled her. That wasn’t going to happen.

  She ran again. Surely she would find someone soon. Wouldn’t let herself think any differently. Headlights came toward her.

  Joy made her heart jump. Help!

  She stumbled and fell, pushed her way up again. Waving her hands back and forth above her head, she signaled for them to stop. A sick feeling hit her. For a second she dropped her arms. What if it was Marko? But what if it was help and they passed her by because they didn’t see her? She had to take a chance.