Finding Freedom (Book 4) (Piper Anderson Series)

by Stewart, Danielle

  “You listen here,” she said, taking five large steps forward and cutting the distance between her very pregnant belly and the man blocking the door to a few inches. “You want to call me a floosy, you want to insult the company I keep? Fine. But you know better than to call my ma any kind of name out here on Main Street. People won’t stand for that. I won’t have it. She’s done more for this town than anyone else I know. Someone doesn’t have enough money for food, who’s bringing them over groceries? A death in the family, my ma is the first one there with a casserole. This store was about to go under two years ago and Ma got everyone in town together and got them to stop driving the thirty miles to the big-box stores and bring their business back to you. So the next words out of your mouth better be, ‘You tell your ma, I’m sorry’ or you and I are going to have a problem, Clint.”

  Willow felt her heart thudding hard against the walls of her chest. Who was this pregnant nut job and what was she about to do? How did they settle things down in a town like Edenville? A showdown?

  “Take that murderer and get out of here,” Clint hissed, leaning down into Jules’s face.

  Seeming completely shocked by his rebuttal, Jules looked as though she planned to turn around and walk away. Apparently though, the twist in her hips was just a means of leverage as she slammed her knee into the store owner’s crotch. The wind that escaped his lungs was an audible huff of pain and he dropped down hard to his knees. The man was whimpering and trying desperately to speak. “Toby, a-a-a-rrest that bitch,” he managed to whisper.

  Toby, looking as shocked as the crowd that had gathered, put his hand behind his back to reach for his handcuffs.

  “Toby Ray Dunderson, if you even think about putting handcuffs on me or arresting me when I am this pregnant I will have my mother call your mother so fast you won’t know what hit you. You really want to see what your mama does to you when she finds out you put me in early labor? Now Clint here seems to have been taken by some kind of fit. You might want to get him some help,” Jules said as she spun on her heels and grabbed pale-faced Jedda’s arm to quickly follow her. As they blew past, Willow ducked her face, though she wasn’t sure why. As they strode away from her at a fast pace, she remembered there was no reason to hide from them. She was going where they were going. Hopefully.

  “Jedda,” she called out as she jogged to catch up with them. They both spun to look at her but only Jedda stopped in his tracks, leaving Jules to tug at his arm.

  “We need to get on back to the house,” Jules insisted, pulling at him again.

  “I-I-I can’t breathe,” Jedda stuttered, putting his hand up to his heart. “My chest. It’s killing me.” The blood drained from his face and Willow’s jog turned to a run.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, letting Jedda brace himself on her.

  “Who are you?” Jules asked defensively standing between Willow and Jedda.

  “I’m his sister.” Willow looked up into her brother’s face, hoping he’d recognize her.

  “Willow?” Jules asked, eying her skeptically. “Well then get in the car. We need to get out of here.”

  Jedda’s breath was rapid and broken as he flopped into the passenger seat of Jules’s car. Willow climbed in the back behind him.

  “What’s the matter, Jedda?” Jules asked as she backed up and raced the car down the street.

  “I don’t know. This pain. My chest. I’m dizzy and I can’t breathe. Something isn’t . . .” The words escaped him as he rested his head against the glass of the car window.

  “We need to get him to a hospital,” Willow shouted as she leaned forward and put her hand on his shoulder. “Something’s wrong.” The thought of reuniting with her brother just to watch him die was a cruel joke she was sure the universe was plenty capable of.

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea. They’ll know who he is. Word’s gotten all over town by now. I wouldn’t trust anyone. But I do know a doctor who I trust with my life. I’ll take you to him.” Jules turned the car around quickly and sped back past the crowd of people who still hovered over a hunched Clint.

  Willow stayed silent for the five-minute drive that was filled with her brother’s labored breathing and sweat pouring down his temples.

  “We’re here. Can you walk?” Jules asked as she hopped out of the car and waited for his reply. Willow marveled at Jules’s nimbleness given the size of her protruding belly. The woman could fight and run.

  “Yes,” he mustered between short breaths and pushed his car door open. Willow was at his side in a flash, supporting as much of his weight as she could. He towered a foot over her, but she was trying her best. Jules raced in the door ahead of them as Willow read the sign.

  “Wait!” she shouted grabbing Jules’s attention. “You can’t be serious. This is a gynecologist.” She halted Jedda from walking any farther.

  “He’s my friend and my obstetrician. He can help. I trust him, now hurry up.” Jules held open the door and waved them in.

  “Josh! Josh, are you here?” Jules called as she blew right passed the receptionist desk and motioned for Willow and Jedda to do the same.

  “Jules?” A handsome young man in a doctor’s coat came flying out of his office. “Are you in labor? Contractions?”

  “No. I need help. This here is my friend Jedda and there is something wrong with him. I think he’s having a heart attack.”

  The man shifted his stare from Jules to Jedda and then back again. “Is he pregnant?” he asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

  “No. Don’t be an idiot, Josh. You see, people haven’t taken very kindly to him being here and I was afraid to take him to the hospital.”

  “I know who he is,” Josh answered quietly. “But I can’t help him unless he has ovaries.”

  “Shut the hell up, Josh. I’ve known you my whole life. Our fathers were best friends. I know you spent ages working in the ER before you picked your specialty. You can help him. So help him,” Jules demanded as she planted her hands on her hips.

  Indignation spread across the doctor’s face; he looked ready to argue, but suddenly that washed away as he took another look at Jedda. “Bring him in here. I’ll do what I can, but if his life is in danger I’m calling an ambulance.”

  Jedda plopped himself down on the examination table and Josh instructed him to lie back. “I’m sure these won’t be necessary,” he said as he collapsed the stirrups and examination light.

  “Do you have any allergies that you know of? Were you eating or drinking any new or unusual things prior to the onset of symptoms?”

  Jedda shook his head no as he gasped for more breath.

  “A family history or personal history of heart problems, murmurs, valve issues?”

  Again Jedda shook his head no.

  “Tell me exactly what you’re feeling.”

  “I can’t breathe and my chest is killing me. Like a knife is in it. Everything is spinning,” Jedda mustered as he leaned back on the paper-covered table.

  “What happened right before the symptoms started?” Josh asked as he pressed his finger to Jedda’s wrist and stared down at his watch.

  When Jedda couldn’t form the words, Willow chimed in. “She was kicking some guy in the junk.” Her finger pointed accusingly at Jules.

  “You assaulted someone?” Josh asked, slipping a thermometer under Jedda’s tongue.

  “No, it was Clint Masterson. That’s more like animal abuse than assault. He was asking for it. He was calling Ma names and a big group had gathered in around us. They were giving Jedda a hard time and I may have overreacted.”

  “Jedda, do you have any history of panic or anxiety attacks?” Josh asked as he set his stethoscope on Jedda’s chest and asked him to try to take a deep breath. “I can’t give you any medication, Jedda, as you aren’t my patient and I could get in a lot of trouble for it, but I think you might be experiencing a panic attack.” Slipping a blood pressure cuff on Jedda’s arm, Josh continued, “Your heart rate is high, you’re sweating, an
d,” he watched the beeping monitor in front of him, “your blood pressure is high as well. But if you’re not experiencing any other symptoms and have no history of heart or health problems, then my gut tells me that’s what’s happening.”

  “Your gut tells you?” Willow asked incredulously with a look of skepticism.

  “If you’d like a more scientific answer then I’d suggest you call an ambulance and have him admitted to the hospital.”

  “No,” Jules said, touching Willow’s shoulder gently. “Jedda doesn’t need any reason to be locked back up, and I would be afraid what would happen if a doctor could call him crazy down here. What can you do for him, Josh?”

  “Nothing.” Josh wrapped his stethoscope back around his neck. “Well, not much. Jedda you’ve got to get yourself through this. You need to close your eyes and imagine a place where you feel safe, happy, and comfortable. I’m going to go grab a paper bag for you to breathe into. I know it sounds silly, but it can help.” Josh walked quickly out of the room and down the hall to look for a bag.

  “Are you thinking of a place, Jedda?” Willow asked as she sidled up to her brother.

  “Yes,” he answered, his eyes clenched closed. “I’m in my cell. It’s quiet and I’m sitting on my bed, reading a book.”

  Willow and Jules locked eyes and a sad realization fell over their faces. Prison felt safer to Jedda than anywhere else in the world. That was his happiest place.

  “Okay, here’s the bag,” Josh said as he made his way back to Jedda’s side. He pulled his phone from his pocket and began studying the screen. “I’m going to play you some music. Is there a song that makes you feel particularly calm?”

  Jedda shrugged as he breathed into the bag rhythmically. Willow cleared her throat and took another step closer to her brother. She tried to block out the wide eyes of Jules and Josh as lyrics began to escape her mouth. “Climbing up the highest hill . . .” Her voice was a raspy emotion-filled tremble but its beauty seemed to fill the room. “To the top to get a thrill.” Jedda’s eyes were open now, and he stared at his sister with a gratitude that couldn’t be measured in words. “I’ll be right there to catch you if you start to fall.” Her voice grew stronger and louder and with it Jedda seemed to calm.

  “Keep going,” Josh urged, checking Jedda’s pulse again.

  “We’ll always be together, I’ll be there when you call. You have me as your best friend forever, there’s no doubt. No matter what the trouble, we’ll always make it out.”

  “Your voice is absolutely beautiful,” Jules said, mindlessly stroking her belly, making sure her baby heard the lullaby. “What song is that?”

  “Jedda used to sing it to me when . . . he just used to sing it to me when I needed to hear it.” Willow discreetly wiped away a tear and touched her brother’s arm. “Are you feeling better?”

  “Starting to,” he said into the bag.

  Josh looked down at his vibrating pager. “You need to stay here for a bit and relax. Then, if your symptoms subside completely, I’ll let you go. You should see a professional though. These attacks won’t always be so easily subdued and you won’t know when they will strike. They can be truly dangerous to your health in the wrong circumstances.”

  “Thank you, Josh.” Jules smiled at the man gratefully.

  “And you,” he said, pointing a finger in her face. “You are pregnant. Very pregnant and you cannot go around picking fights, being physical, and stressing yourself out. You’ve got more to worry about than just yourself now and you need to be more careful. I swear you’re the same little girl who I used to have to pull off the other kids on the playground. My dad told me to keep an eye on you when you started school, but I don’t think he understood how big of a job that was. Do I need to call Michael?”

  “No.” Jules hung her head and rolled her eyes like a scolded teenager. “I promise I’ll stop kicking guys even if they deserve it. At least until the baby is born.”

  “Sure you will.” Josh patted Jedda on the shoulder in a gesture of farewell and stepped out of the room.

  “Do you kick a lot of guys in the nuts?” Willow asked as she sat in the chair next to Jedda.

  “Let’s just say it’s been harder for me to give up than alcohol was. It’s not my fault. Every now and then guys just need it. It’s like a reset button for their brains.”

  With that Jedda let out a chuckle and brought himself to a sitting position, taking the bag away from his face. “Do me a favor, if I ever get close to needing a reset, give me a little warning.”

  “Am I that bad?” Jules asked, lighting up with a flattered smile.

  “I spent years in jail and even I think you’re a bad ass.”

  “Oh stop, really?” she asked, blushing and shooing him off with a smile and a brush of her hand.

  “Um, I don’t think he meant that as a compliment,” Willow said as she twisted her face up at Jules.

  “Sweetie, you’re either a doormat or a badass. You’ll never see any boots treading on me.”

  Chapter Four

  “Just so we’re clear,” Michael’s voice boomed across Betty’s kitchen, “no one is ever going to listen to me, right? I know I told you not to make a big deal the night Jedda arrived,” he said, pointing at Betty, who was uncharacteristically meek this evening. “And I told you to wait until Jedda had more time to adjust before you came down to see him,” Michael continued, changing his attention to Willow whose eyes were darting around the room. “And you, Jules, you are killing me. You of all people should listen to me. We’re about to be married, have a baby. You go out assaulting people, parading Jedda down Main Street even though I told you not to. You should know better.” Michael ran his hand through his hair in exasperation, shaking his head in disappointment.

  “Well, Your Honor, in my defense,” Jules began, looking coyly over at her fiancé, “historically I’ve never really known better, or done what anyone has told me to do. So really it’s you who should have known better about me knowing better. If I were you I wouldn’t have taken your eyes off me for a second. My track record speaks for itself. I can’t be trusted. So this is kind of on you.”

  “And as far as anyone heeding your advice, boy,” Betty joined in, “you’re about to marry my daughter who is about to give birth to my granddaughter. That’s a long line of people who will probably never listen to what you say. I’m afraid this is just the beginning.”

  Jedda’s eyes moved from face to face in the room, unable to decipher what was a joke and who found it funny. Glancing at his sister he realized she, too, was wondering the same thing.

  “You are all a giant pain in my ass. You got pretty damn lucky today that you didn’t get arrested and that Jedda was able to bounce back from whatever got him all spun around there. Did you really take him to your gynecologist?” Michael asked, twisting his face, looking half amused and half shocked.

  “The Pap smear was a bit of a shock, but otherwise, he was very helpful,” Jedda said, taking a leap in the direction of humor. Maybe it was too soon, maybe it would result in more scolding, but there was a chance it could break this moment and he wanted to be a part of that. Within a second he had his answer. Betty howled a loud laugh as she slapped her knee and Jules broke into a giddy fit that had her doubled over her big belly. Even Michael and Willow were stifling their laughter.

  “You got lucky today,” Michael repeated, trying to stiffen his lips to fend off a smile. “No more taking chances like that. Are you sure you’re feeling better?”

  “Josh recommended I get back into a routine. I’m going to start my workout again tomorrow. That was a big part of my day and always helped me feel focused. I’ll have to improvise for workout equipment but I know it will help.”

  As everyone nodded in agreement, the screen door squeaked open and Bobby and Piper stepped into the kitchen, both looking solemn.

  “Hey,” Bobby said, forcing a smile. He scanned the room and fought shock as he addressed Willow. “You are here? I mean you’re here alr
eady. Good to see you again.” He crossed the room and she stood to hug them both.

  Bobby jammed his hands into his pocket and turned his attention to Michael and Jedda. “Can I talk to you two outside for a minute?” The question seemed to carry with it the obvious note of trouble and tension.

  Michael rolled his eyes, “I already know about what Jules did today. Are they pressing charges, is that what this is about?”

  “No, they’re too scared of Betty and their own mothers to do anything. But speaking of that—Jules, cut the crap. You’re going to put yourself into labor. Now guys, come on outside so I can talk to you two,” Bobby repeated, pointing at Jedda and Michael.

  Jedda felt a rock sitting in his stomach as he stepped onto the porch. Every step felt closer to bad news: one moment away from being told he was heading back to prison. He didn’t know what was more frightening to him, the fact that prison felt more like home than anywhere else he’d ever been, or that he could be sent back and never be let out. Both ideas were suffocating.

  “When did Willow show up?” Bobby asked in a hushed voice as he leaned himself against the porch railing and crossed his boots over each other.

  “She was downtown just in time to see the show Jules was putting on. I guess she took the bus. Why?” Michael asked, and Jedda took note of the fact that he seemed to know his friend well enough to read that something was the matter.

  “I got a call today. It was from a detective up in New York. He was looking for her. He said something about the assault charges being dropped. Honestly it felt more like a threat than a call of concern. He was trying to find her.”

  “Did you tell him she was here?” Jedda asked, feeling heat roll across his body.

  “No. I didn’t even know she was here, but I could tell from the start something wasn’t right. I wouldn’t have said anything even if I had known she was in Edenville. Has she told you why she’s here early? Anything about some trouble she might be in?”