“Okay, then may I ask a few questions about you?” He would use his second method of getting a story. Cohen wanted to play on this sheriff’s pride. It wasn’t every day that a small town got the opportunity to be a part of the state headlines.
“Sure,” Johnson propped his feet up on his desk and leaned back in his desk chair.
“Tell me a little about yourself.” Cohen had his pen ready to write down anything that would make a decent story. He would honor this sheriff like some kind of hero.
That would cause a stir.
“Well, I’ve been the sheriff here for about four years now. I lost my wife to cancer last year, and my daughter and I are on our own. My daughter handles herself. She’s graduating high school this year…” Johnson babbled some more about his personal life. He was proud of the life he led and talking about it seemed natural.
After Cohen hung up the phone, he realized that he just learned a whole lot about a man who didn’t even know what he was getting himself into by making his life public. The media would have this sheriff watched for every little move he made.
Later that day
“Hey, Dad. I’m glad you’re home tonight. I haven’t seen you much this week,” Melissa said as she dropped her bag by the front door.
“Hey, Princess! How was your day?” Johnson was seated in his favorite recliner reading a crime novel. He had only arrived home an hour before. The stress of the day was beginning to drift away as he buried his nose in a book.
“Pretty good. Soccer practice was much easier without the wind we had yesterday. How has your week been?” She plopped down on the sofa next to his chair. Stretching her arms and legs out, she curled up and prepared for a nice conversation with her father.
“Actually, it’s been pretty exciting. We caught a big city fugitive yesterday and it’s bringing us some nice pats on the back. I’m hoping that the arrest will help us get some funds to help update the station,” he said as he laid his book down on the end table.
“Wow, nothing exciting ever happens here. Good job, Dad.” She smiled lovingly at him. He loved his job and was a great officer.
“So, how’s soccer going? I know you have your tryouts for the state team in a few weeks. Are you getting nervous?” he asked as he smiled back at Melissa.
“I’m really nervous. If I make the state team, I have a chance at a great scholarship for college. That will make it easier for me to pay for school.” She looked thoughtfully at him. “I know you offered to pay no matter what, but I hope to see you retire before you’re eighty!”
“I’ll do anything for you, Honey,” he said. She was the most important person in his life and he wanted to make her happy.
“Thank you, Dad. I’m sorry this conversation is so short, but I need to get some dinner and do some homework. I have to keep the grades up to get into college!” she exclaimed as she rose and bent down to give her father a hug.
“Ok, Honey. I’ll see you later.” He smiled at her as she left the room. That little girl was what kept him going. He couldn’t imagine life without her.
The next morning, the front page of the Dallas Tribune flashed the headline about the arrest in the small town. Everyone picked up a copy and read the story with excitement and shock. Their town was always peaceful, so when something big happened, it would be the hot topic for weeks.
Sadly enough though, the story contained very little about the crime itself. The author featured Sheriff Johnson and his personal information. To the media, Sheriff Johnson and his squad were heroes. It was like everyone was trying to understand what kind of genius it took to catch a gang of criminals that had been running from the law for years.
Johnson groaned as he read about himself. He had talked a lot about Melissa too.
She would be angry about that. How was he going to make that up to her, he did not know. He knew she hated being made the center of attention, and here was a story that talked about his devotion to her and her dreams for the future.
“Sheriff, I have another reporter on the line. She wants to talk to you about the case,” Denise said as she stuck her head in the door.
“No, Denise, I’m through talking about this case to the media. It seems like they’re more interested in me than the case, and I’m not going to put Melissa through that. Tell her that I have no comment.” He slammed his fist down on his desk as the door closed behind her.
Thoughts of turning these men over to the city police flooded his mind. At least he would be able to restore peace in his town and he would be able to save his relationship with his daughter.
Meanwhile on the other side of town.
“They make this so easy!” Jimmy exclaimed as he slapped the front page of the newspaper. He jumped up and began to pace the small hotel room he had rented. As soon as he had gotten the call from Jake, he had headed in that direction so that he could watch the sheriff.
Jake had said to give him something to bargain with. Well, it looked like his daughter would be their best bet. He sure did mention her a lot in that interview. If he had known it would just fall into his hands, he wouldn’t have rushed into the country to set up a spy mission.
Now, how would they use the girl for a bargaining tool? Kidnapping would be difficult because of how well-known she was in the town. Everyone would see who took her. He couldn’t just kill her. There had to be a way to use that girl to force the sheriff to release the gang in exchange for her. That small town sheriff was so stupid, he would have them all out and over the border to Mexico within days.
Sitting down on the bed, he looked at the front page again. She went to the local high school. If many children were to be a part of the bargain, then the community would be able to influence the police department to release the men in return for peace.
A smile spread over his face. He knew what he needed to do…
That same morning at school
“My dad has really done it this time!” Melissa exclaimed in frustration. She hated when her father talked about her to his friends, but now she was mentioned in the newspaper! Not just the town newspaper, but the city newspaper! Even though the reporter didn’t state her name, every person in town knew who she was and that the sheriff was her father.
She groaned as she walked down the hallway and it seemed like everyone was talking about her. Now they knew what she wanted to do with her life; that she was trying out for the state soccer team and that she had a straight A average. She looked like the perfect little angel.
“Mel, don’t worry about it. Your dad is just proud of you. Besides, the arrest is still big news, so hopefully the part where your dad talks about you will be forgotten quickly,” Desiree tried to reassure her. Melissa liked to keep her life private, and that meant not having anyone know anything real about her. It had broken her heart when her mother passed away and the whole town kept telling her how sorry they were. They all knew something about her. She just wanted to blend in.
“Des, I just hate the fact that my dad is a public figure and that puts me in the spotlight sometimes. I like being left alone. Now, everyone is going to ask me about my grades or how the tryouts went!” Melissa kicked a rock that was in her path. She wanted to kick much more than just a rock.
“Why don’t you just take that anger and work it out on the field?” Desiree asked as they walked to the gym to get ready for practice. Redirecting anger could make her feel much better. “Oh, I will. However, Dad is not going to get away with this one easily!” She quickened her pace, and Desiree struggled to follow. “He just loves you!” Desiree shouted as Melissa left her behind. Desiree shrugged and continued to head for the gym on her own.
“So, Jack, I think I’ve got it!” Jimmy shouted over the phone later that evening.
“Man, quiet down! I don’t want everyone to know what I’m up to!” Jack leaned up against the wall and listened to Jimmy’s plan. It sounded risky, but he would do whatever he could to ensure that he would be a free man.
Jimmy quickly told him what he had in mind. If
his idea worked right, the town would make it hard for him to be reelected if he decided not to release the gang members.
“How about it?” Jimmy sounded like he would explode from the excitement.
“Go ahead. Just make sure you have everything in order before you go in,” Jake said. A few minutes later, he hung up the phone and went back to his cell followed by a guard. He had his doubts about the plan, but he wasn’t in any position to tell Jimmy not to go ahead.
That night was one of the worst that the Johnson family had had since Mrs. Johnson’s death. Sheriff Johnson had never seen his daughter so upset. He knew that she hated to be the center of attention, and he had unknowingly thrown her into the spotlight.
“How could you have done that Dad? Now everyone is going to look at me all the time! I’m going to be questioned about the tryouts, and I’m already nervous enough about them as it is! I just can’t believe you!” she yelled.
After she had finished yelling at him, she went to her room to be alone for the rest of the night. He knew better than to bother her, so he figured they could talk a little more the next evening. It would be the end of the week, and they could chat and relax during the weekend.
Melissa, however, wasn’t ready to forgive her father so easily. She couldn’t understand why he would tell the big city reporter so many details about her. Now it would be impossible to have a normal senior year. She lied down on her bed and cried. Frustration overtook her. It felt good to let some of it out.
At the Hotel
Jimmy had spent hours after getting off the phone with Jake trying to pull the plan together. He had called a few more of the gang to drive out there and meet him. If they were going to get this done, they had to move quickly. Who knew if the small town sheriff would give the guys up to the city. If they ended up in the city’s jurisdiction, then they wouldn’t stand a chance of getting free.
Hours later, three more gang members filed into the hotel room. Between the four of them, they had enough guns and ammunition to supply a small army. They would do whatever it took to get their fallen leader and the other members out of jail and safely into Mexico.
“Jimmy, I must say that your plans get crazier all the time. However, I think this one is genius. You’re going to influence a whole town rather than just one person. Good job, man!” Alec slapped him on the back and began polishing his gun.
“Man, we just have to do right by Jack. He has gotten our butts out of a load of hot water!” Jimmy said as he packed the last few items he would need. There was no telling how long this would take.
Early the next morning, the gang parked in front of the school. A couple of the men picked the locks at the rear of the building as the other two brought in the supplies. They had enough to last the four of them a week. It would be like camping. They figured they could set up their operation in the gym. All they had to do was force everyone who arrived into the area. The exits would be easy to keep an eye on and the men could keep the kids in line.
A low murmur of voices drifted back towards the gym a short while later. Jimmy jumped to his feet and motioned to his men to take their weapons and follow him. “Alec, stay in here. We’re going to herd them like a bunch of cattle into this gym. Don’t let any of them out! If you screw this one up, you know what will happen to you!” he threatened. “Jimmy, you know that that was a mistake! Why do you always push that in my face whenever you give me a job to do!” Alec exclaimed angrily. Just a few months ago, he had gotten distracted from guarding a hostage and the hostage had fled the scene and given the police a full description of every member of the gang. “Just don’t screw up!” Jimmy barked as he exited the gym with the other two men at his heels. “Greg, you take the front entrance. Don’t make a scene, but try to get as many of the students as you can at a time to the gym. I want as many people in there as we can get!” Jimmy whispered to the man on his right. “Al, take the rear entrance. I’ll take the side one. I’ll see you when we got our bait!” Jimmy quickly slid down the hallway toward the side entrance of the school as the other two men headed in their assigned directions. A few minutes later, they had their first herd of students headed towards the gym. Using their guns to scare the kids and staff into cooperating, the gang managed to round up most of the student body within a half hour. The low murmur of scared voices filled the room as Jimmy and his men secured all the entrances and faced them. Jimmy smiled with approval. They had at least two hundred students packed into the gym. That would be a good incentive for the police to give them what they wanted. Jimmy decided to make the show begin. He stepped up on the makeshift stage at the end of the room and cleared his throat.
“You all probably wonder why we have brought you here today. Well, I will explain in a few minutes. First, I will lay down a few rules. If anyone breaks these rules, then this is what happens.” He pointed his semi-automatic rifle at the ceiling and fired a round. The staff and students gasped in fear. “First rule. I want all of your cell phones shut off and out of sight. If I catch any of you text messaging or talking on the phone, then you will never use a phone again. Rule two. I want you to keep the noise down in here. I hate noise. If it becomes too much, then you already know the consequences. Rule three. You do as I tell you. I will not take ‘no’ for an answer. Understand?”
Jimmy paced the length of the stage a few times and looked out over the frightened faces. “Good. Then, I will continue. I have brought you all here today so that you can help me. You see, a few of my good friends were arrested by your police department a few days ago, and we really just want to get out of here. No offense, but we don’t really care for the small town life. So, we will keep you all here until your sheriff agrees to release our friends. Any questions?” He smirked out at the crowd.
“Ok, then I have just one more request. Will someone tell me who the sheriff’s daughter is?” His dark eyes scanned the crowd.
Several of the students gasped. Without thinking, many of them glanced back at Melissa by the rear door. Even if they hadn’t meant to, they had just pointed straight at her.
“Come here. I would like to talk to you.” He signaled for her to come forward.
Jimmy was beginning to shake with excitement. This was working out even better than he had hoped.
Melissa took a deep breath and walked towards the man standing on the stage.
Hiding her fear, she held her head high and her shoulders back. She would not let these men think that she was afraid of them. Step by step, she walked toward the stage.
Just that morning, she had been so angry with her father that she had wished that she would never have to see him again. She never would have dreamed that the wish might come true. Everything rested on her now. If she survived, she knew that she could never be angry at her father ever again. It felt so petty now.
Each step she took felt like it was leading her into a place she could not escape.
The eyes of all the students followed her. She just wished her father could be there to rescue her. Desiree stood at the back of the gym and covered her mouth to keep the gasps and sobs from being heard. She didn’t need to be noticed. All she could think about was helping Melissa escape this horrible situation. She wanted all of them to escape. Feeling her phone in her pocket, she knew that when she got the chance, she had to let someone know what was happening.However, the man had warned against the use of the phones. Could any of the people in that room chance being killed to save them all? At that moment, no one tried.
They knew that there had been a few students who knew something was happening at the school and had gotten away. Hopefully, the police would show up soon and save them all.
Melissa finally stood at the edge of the stage and looked up at the man. She tried not to let him see how afraid she really was. So many emotions flooded her mind that she was afraid that she would begin to cry and that the appearance of total composure would be lost. She needed to stay strong. Every person in this room depended on her reaction to be the right one.
&n
bsp; “Hello. I’m so glad that you’re making this easier for us all. Tell me your name!” the man snapped at her. “I’m Melissa Johnson. My father is the town sheriff. What do you want with us?” she choked out in a thin voice.
“Why, Melissa, we just want our friends. I’m sure that you and your friends want your families, so I believe we can make a fair trade.” He smirked down at her. “If I can get my father to meet your demands, will you let us go?” “Of course! I think you’re making this much easier than I thought that it would be!” He seemed almost excited that she was telling him what he wanted to hear.
However, Melissa knew that it wouldn’t be that easy. If her father just let the fugitives go, then he would lose his job and they would be forced to leave town. She knew her father well enough to know that he would work it out so that he totally got his way; both her and the bad guys.
“Well, I’m going to have to talk to my father then. May I have permission to use a phone?” she asked with fake confidence. “In due time, my dear. First, I think that I’m going to have my men here tie you up and keep you where you are.” He motioned for two of the thugs to come and do as he requested.
Melissa knew it wouldn’t do her any good to struggle. For the time, she concentrated on studying the men who held them all captive. The better a description the police had, the better chance that if they got away they could be caught.
The leader of the group was a tall wiry man. He wore a tattered flannel shirt and jeans with the knees ripped out of them. His long hair and beard made him look like he fell off of a tour bus for a bluegrass band. Auburn in coloring, all of his hair hung in long clumps. A shower and a clean outfit would make him look much better.
The other guys were larger and better dressed. At least they looked like they had taken a shower and shaved within the last year. However, they all possessed a hardness in their eyes that made it clear that they were just as mean as the man who did all the talking.
Thrills: Vol.2 Page 7