Love’s Redemption

by Donna K. Ford

  Morgan’s phone rang again and she grabbed it in irritation. The number was blocked. She ignored it. She was just about to push the button to call the police when a text message appeared. Morgan opened the text and couldn’t believe what she saw. Oh God, no. She stared at the message. Her body went hot as if she was on fire again, but this time it was her rage fueling the flames. She steadied herself and tried to think of a way out of this. She needed to call the police, but by the time they arrived it could be too late. She swallowed the knot of fear and rage swelling in her throat and knew what she had to do.

  *

  “Looks like your girlfriend doesn’t want to answer the phone. I wonder what we could do to change her mind.”

  Rhea snarled, “She isn’t my girlfriend.”

  He grinned at her and shrugged. “It doesn’t matter what you think, I’m betting Morgan thinks different.” He pulled a syringe out of a small black bag he had sitting on an old crate that looked like it had been there since before she was born.

  “Yeah, why’s that?”

  He leaned in front of her and she held her breath to ward off his stench. She flinched when the needle bit into her skin.

  “You think I’m the bad guy here, but you just think you know Morgan. I know the real Morgan, and before this is over, you will too. She likes to make you think she’s all perfect and devoted and pure, but when it counts, she won’t be there when you need her. She’s a coward.”

  “You know so much, enlighten me. Tell me what she did.” Rhea blinked as a sudden rush hit her and she was flooded with a feeling of euphoria that made her want to forget everything. She closed her eyes tight and fought the wave of nausea that hit, as if her stomach had been flipped. Her veins burned as if liquid fire coursed through her blood, and her vision dimmed. Her skin tingled, and she had the desperate need to go to sleep.

  “He’s talking about Ashley.”

  Morgan’s voice came out of the darkness and Rhea’s heart jumped. She was so grateful to hear Morgan’s voice and know she had come for her, but then fear and sorrow washed over her. Morgan shouldn’t have come. But she couldn’t have known what she was getting into.

  Morgan stepped into the dim light. Her face was calm and her jaw was set with determination. Morgan’s strength and unwavering conviction never faltered even when she looked at Rhea. There was compassion and sorrow and anger in her eyes but not fear. Rhea let out her breath and hoped Morgan had a plan. She fought to keep her mind clear. She had to figure a way out of this, or she was going to lose everything.

  “Ah, Morgan, glad you decided to join us. I was beginning to think you were just going to let our little friend here die alone. That’s your thing, isn’t it, like the way you let Ashley die?”

  “You’re right. I failed Ashley. And I’ll never forgive myself for not being there. That’s something I have to live with every day.”

  “Damn right, it was your fault. She was fine before she met you,” Jeff growled.

  Morgan shook her head. “We were only kids when we met. Ashley didn’t start using drugs until after your parents sent her away so we couldn’t be together.”

  “You’re the reason she had to leave. You corrupted her and filled her head with filth.”

  Morgan shook her head. “I failed her. I wasn’t enough to save her, but I wasn’t the one that broke her. You have to forgive yourself for that. We all made mistakes.”

  “You’re the reason she’s dead,” he shouted.

  Morgan looked at Rhea as if she was saying good-bye. What was she up to?

  “Well, you have my attention, Jeff. Leave Rhea out of this.”

  He laughed. “Oh, but Rhea has a very important part to play. You took something I loved, and I’m going to take everything from you.”

  “Ashley loved you, Jeff. All she needed, all she ever wanted was for you to accept her and love her for who she was. She was hurt and confused and she needed her family.”

  “Stop it. You made her think she was queer. She wasn’t like that before you started putting that crap into her head.”

  Morgan shook her head. “I understand your need to believe that, but I wasn’t the first girl Ashley dated. Ashley started using drugs to try to drown out her feelings because your family wouldn’t accept who she was. They kicked her out and she had nowhere to go. She was lost and lonely and afraid. It doesn’t matter how much you punish me. It won’t undo what you did and it won’t bring her back. You have to forgive yourself.”

  “Shut up. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Morgan took a step toward Rhea.

  Jeff pulled out a gun and pointed it at Morgan. “Move away from her.”

  Morgan stopped. “You’re not going to shoot me, Jeff. You didn’t go through all this just to shoot me. I know you’re angry and hurt, but this won’t take that away.”

  Jeff grinned. “You’re right. After what you did to my sister, I’ve got a lot planned for you.”

  He motioned for Morgan to move with a quick flick of the gun. “Over here.”

  Morgan did as she was told but never took her eyes off Rhea. Her face was swollen and bruised and blood crusted at the corner of her mouth. She had to get Rhea out of this.

  “Sit down,” Jeff demanded.

  “No,” Morgan replied. She wouldn’t let him think for a minute that he had control.

  Jeff pointed the gun at Rhea. “Sit down or I’ll shoot her.”

  Morgan’s stomach lurched, and she fought the urge to scream. She shook her head. “No, you won’t. If you shoot her, it’s all over.”

  Rhea had gone pale and Morgan knew she was scared. She needed to do something, send some signal that she wouldn’t leave her, that she would be all right.

  “You never did know what to do with strong women. Did you really think you could just come here and wave a gun around, and I’d just do anything you want?”

  Jeff grabbed Rhea by the shoulder and pulled her to her feet. He wrapped his arm around her throat and squeezed until she whimpered. He licked his tongue up the side of her face and sneered. The look of horror and disgust on Rhea’s face almost broke Morgan. She’d beg if he wanted her to, anything to make this stop.

  “Come on, Jeff, we both know she’s not what you want. She’s a good soldier. She shouldn’t have to pay for our sins.”

  Rhea’s eyes brightened and Morgan was certain she’d understood the message.

  “You were the one who destroyed the horse feed and the tack room and set the fire. You blew up my studio, didn’t you?”

  Jeff grinned. “That was fun. I didn’t expect you to be there, though. That was a bonus.” He laughed. “You flew through the air like a rag doll. Man, that was a rush.” He planted a kiss on Rhea’s cheek. “I thought it was all over right then, but our girl here had to swoop in and save you. But not this time, no one’s walking away this time. I’ve had a lot of fun around here these last few months. I thought for sure you’d drown your fool self after I lured that calf into the mud. You actually thought he just wandered out there all by himself. I knew then I had to send a better message, play with you a little bit. Then Rhea here gave me the perfect idea. It was easy making everyone think it was her after that little stunt she pulled at the diner and everyone found out about her. Everyone already knows what a hothead she is. It won’t be hard to believe when she snaps and kills you.”

  “So what’s your plan? What is it you want from me that you think will atone for what you did to Ashley?”

  Jeff pushed Rhea down in the dirt and closed the distance between them in two swift strides. His fist caught Morgan in the jaw, and her head snapped to the side. She took a staggered step back, then straightened.

  “Is that all you’ve got? If you wanted to hit me, you could have done that a million times in a million places. I would’ve thought you would’ve wanted someone to see that.”

  He shoved Morgan against the wall and pointed the gun to her face. “I’m going to watch you die, Morgan. I’m going to watch the
last breath bleed from you. But first I’m going to show you exactly how Ashley died. And this time you’re going to be there. You’re going to watch the whole show.”

  Morgan clenched her jaw and stared into his soulless eyes as the realization came to her and she understood what he planned to do.

  *

  Rhea slid the knife open with a flick of her thumb and worked the small blade along the plastic gripping her wrists. She was having trouble focusing and she didn’t have much time before he got tired of playing with Morgan and moved on with his plan. She focused on the feel of the blade sliding between her wrists and felt the plastic give with a faint snap. The rush of relief nearly took her breath away, and she almost fell over. She steadied herself the best she could. She couldn’t tip her hand yet. She had to play this smart.

  He held the gun to Morgan’s head and pressed the barrel against her cheek. “Your little girlfriend and I have already started. I didn’t give her too much to start though. I didn’t want you to miss anything.”

  “I’m okay, Morgan. Don’t listen to him,” Rhea said in her most defiant tone, but despite her attempt to control her voice, the words came out slurred.

  Jeff laughed. “Oh, she’s okay all right. And a little more of this and she’ll let me do whatever I want and won’t even care.”

  Morgan prayed the police would be there soon. She didn’t know how much longer she could draw this out without him hurting Rhea any more than he already had.

  Without warning, Jeff punched Morgan in the gut and pushed her to the ground.

  All the air exploded out of Morgan’s lungs when he hit her. She clutched her injured hand to her chest as she gasped for air.

  “Morgan,” Rhea cried. “Leave her alone, you stupid fuck.”

  Jeff grabbed another syringe, fisted Rhea’s shirt in his hand, pulled her to her knees, and reached for her arm. The instant his focus shifted, Rhea struck out and slashed the back of his hand with her blade. He let her go, and before he could react, Rhea drove the knife into his thigh.

  Morgan ran at Jeff and threw her shoulder into him the moment he released Rhea. They crashed into the wall and searing pain lashed through Morgan’s neck and shoulder as the tender skin was ripped open. She heard a grinding crunch, and Jeff wailed and hit the floor.

  “Soldier, attack,” Morgan yelled.

  Soldier leaped out of the darkness and hit Jeff in the chest. He closed his powerful jaws around Jeff’s hand and shook his head as if wrestling one of his chew toys. Jeff screamed and let go of the gun.

  Morgan scrambled to her feet and stomped the syringe into the floor.

  Jeff wailed. “Get him off me. Oh God, make him stop.”

  “Down, Soldier,” Rhea muttered.

  Soldier stopped and moved to Rhea’s side.

  Rhea stood over Jeff and Morgan holding the gun pointed at Jeff’s face, but she didn’t see him. Time had shifted and she stood in her father’s study, shaking with fear and rage. She just wanted him to stop. She couldn’t let him hurt them anymore. She gripped the gun in her hands so hard she couldn’t feel her fingers. All she had to do was pull the trigger and all the pain would stop. He wouldn’t hurt them anymore.

  Morgan crawled to her feet. “Rhea,” she whispered. “Give me the gun, sweetheart.”

  “I have to make him stop. I can’t let him hurt you.”

  Jeff held his bloody hand to his chest and whimpered. He scooted backward on the floor, trying to get away from Rhea and the gun pointed at his head.

  Morgan stepped closer to Rhea but didn’t touch her. “He won’t hurt either of us anymore. You can let go now.”

  A sob gathered in Rhea’s throat. “I can’t.”

  “Yes, you can. I’ve got you. I promise you, he’ll never hurt you again.”

  Morgan gently wrapped her hand around Rhea’s on the gun. “Give me the gun, Rhea. It’s okay now.”

  A tremor ran through Rhea, and her finger ached from not pulling the trigger. She wanted to believe. She wanted the nightmare to end. The hand on hers was tender and comforting and Rhea wanted so much to trust. She was so tired of being afraid. She shifted her gaze and found the gentlest eyes she’d ever seen, staring back at her with promise and hope and love. Morgan? How did Morgan get here?

  “You don’t have to do this, Rhea. Trust me. I won’t let him hurt you.”

  Perhaps it was the tenderness of Morgan’s touch or maybe Rhea’s own willingness to let the past go, but something inside Rhea changed. It was as if the past lost its grip on her soul and she was able to let go. Rhea nodded and released her grip on the gun.

  Morgan swallowed hard and took the gun.

  Jeff laughed. “Bad move, girly. Didn’t I tell you Morgan’s a coward?” He pushed up and stumbled to his feet. Blood oozed from the wounds ripped in his flesh by Soldier’s teeth and trickled from the stab wound in his leg. When he stood up his hand was clenched around a steel rod. “I told you you’d know the real Morgan before this was over.” He sneered at Rhea.

  Soldier growled.

  “What are you going to do, Morgan? Can you shoot me? You should have let Rhea do it. We both know you don’t have the balls.”

  “I don’t want to hurt anyone. It’s over,” Morgan answered.

  Rhea’s hand slid into Morgan’s and their fingers entwined as much as the cast around Morgan’s hand would allow. Morgan felt some of the tension around her heart lessen.

  “Don’t do this, Jeff.”

  Jeff drew back his arm and lunged forward.

  “Morgan,” Rhea screamed.

  Morgan drew the gun and fire erupted from the barrel. Jeff hit the floor.

  Morgan stood with the smoking gun in her hand. Her head rang and her body was rigid as stone. She stared at Jeff lying on the floor and felt something settle inside. She felt no pleasure for what she’d done, but there was no regret.

  Rhea threw herself into Morgan’s arms and cried.

  Morgan wrapped her arms around Rhea and held on as if her soul depended on it. Rhea was all that mattered.

  Rhea looked up at Morgan. “I can’t believe you did it. You stopped him.”

  Morgan stroked Rhea’s hair and kissed her head. “Sometimes if you don’t fight back everyone loses.”

  Rhea smiled up at her. “He was wrong about one thing. I do know the real you.”

  Morgan pulled Rhea closer and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and gave thanks to heaven for their lives and her new understanding of the thin line between right and wrong.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Rhea heard the sirens as soon as they stepped outside. “You called the police?”

  “Yeah. But I was beginning to think they weren’t coming.” Morgan frowned. “This might take a while to clear up. You should probably put Soldier in the house.”

  Rhea nodded. “Come on, Soldier, nap time.”

  Morgan swallowed the lump of dread growing in her throat. This wasn’t going to be easy. She placed the gun on the ground and waited. She motioned the police and EMTs into the wine cellar and explained what had happened. The young officer she’d talked to at the vet clinic escorted her to a patrol car and asked her to wait. A few minutes later Rhea was back, and the tight feeling of dread squeezing her heart eased.

  “Is Soldier okay?” Morgan asked, sliding her hand into Rhea’s.

  “Yeah, he seems to be.”

  “Good.” Morgan tightened her grip on Rhea’s hand. “I don’t want you to be afraid. Everything’s going to be okay now.”

  Rhea clung to Morgan’s hand as she watched the medics and two police officers pull Jeff out of the old wine cellar on a gurney and put him in an ambulance. He might not be able to get his hands on her now, but she knew the threat wasn’t over. Her skin itched and the hairs at the back of her neck stood on end. She looked around to find Officer Sims eyeing her suspiciously, and she knew it was only a matter of time before he came to question her. She knew no one would believe her story even with Morgan’s account of what happened. She
’d been through this before. People would believe what they wanted to believe. She was the outsider, and she was certain Jeff was spinning his own story to put doubt in everyone’s mind about her. This was far from over.

  As if reading her mind, Officer Sims walked toward her. His voice was cold and his words clipped when he spoke. “Ms. Daniels. Ms. Scott. I have a few questions.”

  “Sure,” Morgan answered.

  Rhea didn’t say anything. She didn’t trust Sims. He was the kind of guy who made up his mind about someone and then built a case around his theory. He had an agenda and it didn’t involve the truth.

  “Ms. Daniels, if you’d come with me please.”

  Rhea tensed, and Morgan’s hand instantly tightened around hers.

  “Is that necessary?” Morgan asked.

  “It’ll only take a few minutes. Officer Jones will be over to take your statement in a moment.”

  “Can’t you just talk to us together? We haven’t done anything wrong.” Morgan kept her tone light, but she was uneasy. She didn’t want Rhea to be put through questioning like she was a criminal.

  Officer Sims rested his hand on his sidearm and sniffed. “Well, a man’s been shot on your property, Ms. Scott. I’d say that’s a bit out of the ordinary, and we need to put together what happened here.”

  “What happened here is that Jeff was trespassing on my property, abducted Rhea, and was going to kill me and Rhea too, and have her blamed for everything.”

  Morgan was losing her patience. Officer Jones approached just as Sims stepped up and pointed his finger at Morgan.

  “That’s what you’ve told us,” Sims said, “but we have Jeff telling us a different story, a much more likely story. See, we have to assume the possibility that Rhea invited Jeff here, maybe they had an argument, and things got out of hand. Then again, maybe she lured him here with plans to kill him. You see, Ms. Scott, there’s still a lot of unanswered questions, and we need answers.” He shifted his weight and spread his legs, broadening his stance as if preparing for a fight. “Now if you have a problem with that, we have to assume you have something to hide. At the very least, I can charge you with impeding a police investigation.”