DarkHeart of Hampton House

by Joy Redmond

  Lacy heard sirens blaring, coming closer, then they stopped.

  The front door opened and closed.

  Lacy froze. He got loose. He’s coming back for me. He said it wasn’t over.

  Mrs. Phillips hurried to Lacy’s side. “Are you alright, honey? I saw the police drag out the man whose been cruising the street for the past three days. When he came by and slowed down like he was trying to see what was going on in your house tonight, I called the police. I waited an hour before I called them, thinking I might be overreacting, but I’m sure glad I finally did. I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner. There’s about four other police cars out there now. I reckon they called for backup, you know, like they do on TV.” She sat beside Lacy and whispered, “Did he do anything nasty to ya, honey?”

  Lacy wanted to scream at her nosy neighbor, but she had saved her life, so she kindly answered, “He only choked me. I’ll have a sore throat for a few days, but that’s all. No big deal.”

  Mrs. Phillips patted Lacy’s hand.

  Then they heard a gunshot.

  Lacy ran for the front door, flipped on the outside light and gasped. Lance was lying on the walkway that led to her door. Blood was oozing from the middle of his back. Four officers were running toward him, guns drawn.

  Lacy threw her hands to her mouth. She looked toward one cruiser and saw the back window had been shattered. She looked back down at Lance and noticed the handcuffs were gone. That sonofabitch is unstoppable. I doubt if a bullet will kill him either.

  Lance flipped himself over and growled like a rabid animal.

  Mrs. Phillips yelled at the officers as they reached Lance’s side, “I knew you wasn’t paying attention to him when I came over here. All of you were huddled together, talking and acting like big shots. Disgusting, is what it is. You’re supposed to guard a convict!”

  As Mrs. Phillips put her arms around Lacy’s shoulder and led her back inside, the sound of an ambulance siren pierced Lacy’s ears.

  Just as the two walked back inside, Lacy felt blood running down her legs. “Excuse me, I’ve got to get to the bathroom.” She ran as fast as she could across the living room and down the hallway. She shut and locked the bathroom door. She pulled off her gown and grabbed a towel. I hope this is my period. It’ll be a cleansing of Lance being inside me. I hope it’s a gusher. She opened the cabinet under the sink and grabbed a pad from a box. She quickly dressed in the clothes she had taken off before she took her shower.

  She walked back into the living room and heard the back door open and close.

  “RoJo!” Lacy ran into the kitchen.

  She felt her knees buckle as Officer Dukes and Fred led RoJo over to a chair with Darlin and Beagle on their heels.

  Lacy wasn’t sure her legs would support her weight as she made her way to her husband. Blood was running down his face from the gash on his forehead. She could see his skull bone.

  She grabbed a towel from the oven door. “Dear God. You’ve got to get to the hospital and get stitches.” Tears ran down her face as she wiped at the blood. “I’m so sorry, RoJo.”

  RoJo reached up and took Lacy’s hand. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

  “No. The police got here in time.”

  “I need to get you to the hospital,” Fred said, lifting RoJo under the arm pit.

  “I’ll help you get him to your car, then you follow me. I’ll give you a police escort. We’ll be there in no time.” He looked at Lacy, “Ma’am, you need—”

  Lacy quickly said, “Yes, I need to follow in my car.” She shot Officer Dukes a look that plainly said, Keep your big mouth shut!

  Lacy hurried into the living room and grabbed her coat and purse off the coat rack.

  “I’ll ride with you, Lacy,” Mrs. Phillips said.

  “Mrs. Phillips, please go home. You’ve done enough. I’ve got it from here. You need to go check on what’s going on out front.”

  “I already did. All them police are out there yellin’ and talkin’ to each other somethin’ terrible. It sounds like they’s all trying to put the blame on each other for what happened. Nobody was doin’ their job, if ya asked me. There’s a police sitting in the car that man jumped out of. He’s talking on the radio.”

  “Good. I promise I’ll come over and fill you in as soon as I get back,” Lacy said, and gave Mrs. Phillips a hug. “Thank you. I owe you a big one.”

  “I’ll be waiting up. I don’t care how late it is. You come over and tell me how your husband is doin’, and tell me about that scumbag who busted in here and hurt you.”

  Lacy said, “Please lower your voice. I don’t want RoJo to know about all that, just yet. Go home, perch and wait for me. You can get on the phone and start calling all your friends!”

  Chapter Sixty-One

  Officer Dukes walked out the front door. “What the hell?” He walked over to his cruiser. “Owens, did that bastard escape?”

  “Well, yes and no. He managed to slip outta them cuffs, then he kicked out the window. I was talking to the other guys, and when I heard the glass crash I turned and saw him crawling out. Before I could get to him, he started running toward the front door. I didn’t have a choice but to draw my gun and fire. I shot him in the back, which ain’t gonna look good on my record, but damn, man, he escaped.”

  “Ah, shit. We’re both going to have our heads on the chopping block for this. Right now, we need to give the neighbor an escort to the hospital. Jackson busted the husband’s head wide open out there in the thicket. I’ll tell ya about it on the way. Turn the siren on and let’s roll! It’s gonna be an airy ride.”

  Fred backed his car out of his driveway. “Hang on, pal. I’ll follow as close as I can to the cruiser. He rolled down the window. “Let’s get going,” he yelled over to Officer Dukes and Owens.

  Lacy backed her car out of the driveway and fell in behind Fred. I hope the ambulance is taking Lance to the same hospital. I’ve got a few parting words for him.

  Lacy parked her car and ran across the parking lot and into the emergency entrance. Just as she came through the double doors, she saw a nurse wheeling RoJo away. “Wait,” she yelled.

  Officer Dukes put his hand on her shoulder. “They’ll come get you once he’s stable. Now, come on over here and have a seat. I’ll wait with you.”

  Lacy and Fred took a seat and Officer Dukes paced the floor for a few minutes, then said, “I need to check on something.”

  Fred patted Lacy’s shoulder and said, “I need to step outside for a breath of air. I’m not feeling too good right now.”

  “Go. I know it was hard on you. I’ll be fine.”

  A few minutes later, Officer Dukes came back and sat beside Lacy. “I guess you’ll be happy to know that Jackson guy was DOA. He won’t be bothering anybody again.”

  “Dead,” Lacy whispered. You were wrong, Lance. It’s over.

  “Officer Dukes, I need to know something. I remember you or the other officer saying you’d finally caught him. How did you know who he was?”

  “I might be talking when I should keep my mouth shut, but when your neighbor called in, she gave the dispatcher the license plate number. He ran the number and found out it was rented by Lance Jackson, in Nashville. The name rang a bell with him, and he checked the FBI data. They had alerted all the police departments in Arkansas to be on the lookout for him because they suspected he was headed this way. I expect the FBI will be here soon. Too bad they’re only gonna get a corpse.”

  “The FBI?” Joey did the right thing. He turned him in.

  “Yes, ma’am, the FBI wanted him real bad. I can’t say what for, but they sure were hot on his trail, but he managed to give them the slip every time they were closing in on him.” He smiled and puffed his chest. “Well, he didn’t give me and Owens the slip. We got that—”

  Before Officer Dukes could finish his sentence, a nurse came out to the waiting room and called, “Lacy Jordon.” Lacy jumped up and followed the nurse without saying a word.

  The nu
rse talked as they walked down the long hallway. “You can stay with him. We already got x-rays. He has a severe concussion and the doctor is going to put in a few stitches, then we’ll admit him. He’ll have to stay a few days for observation. He’s one lucky man. Not many people survive a blow to the head like he took. The fact that he was conscious is even more of a miracle. Now, he comes and goes, but that’s to be expected.”

  She pulled back a curtain.

  Lacy ran to RoJo’s side. RoJo was asleep, but Lacy held his hand and whispered, “I’m right here, my darling. I won’t leave you. Ever.” She kissed his hand and RoJo fluttered his eyes.

  “Lacy?” he whispered.

  “Yes, I’m here. You rest. I love you. I’ll love you forever.”

  RoJo smiled and fell back asleep.

  Lacy bowed her head. Dear God, I haven’t talked to you since I was a little girl. I stopped praying when everything in my life was pure hell, and you didn’t answer any of my prayers. So, I’m not asking for anything this time. I just want to say thank you for sparing RoJo and for sparing me. I really think I was on my way to you, but for some reason, you sent me back. I’ll do the best I can to live a good life and make you proud of me. I hope it’s many years before I come through that tunnel again, but I hope you shine that light so I can find you. Thank you for all your blessings, big and small. Thank you for not giving up on me when I gave up on you. I got my proof that you do answer prayers. You just answer them in your time, not mine. Amen.

  The nurse walked back into the room. “Mrs. Jordon. Dr. Myer has called in a special surgeon. We’re going to take him to the OR. It’s going to take a while to get him put back together. If you’ll follow me, I’ll I show you to the OR waiting room.”

  “He’s worse than I thought. Is he gonna be okay? I can’t lose him! I can’t!”

  “Honey, if he’s survived so far, I’m saying he’s going to stay around for a long time. There is more for this young man to do before he checks out. He’s in good hands.”

  Lacy couldn’t feel the floor beneath her feet as she walked beside the nurse. Dear God, I said I wasn’t going to ask for anything, but I’m begging you to save RoJo. Be with the surgeon and help him put my sweet husband back together. Amen.

  Lacy took a seat in the waiting room. She put her shoulder strap purse in the seat next to her and pulled off her coat, realizing she was sweating. She looked around the room. Two other people were waiting to hear about their loved one. She wiped sweat from her brow, wondering how much more she could stand up under in one night. You’re a survivor, Lacy Jordon. You’ll take what comes. You’re in good hands too.

  She took a few deep breaths, then she noticed a payphone on the wall. She grabbed her purse and dug through it, trying to find some change. One quarter was all she had. She walked over to the phone, dropped in the quarter and dialed the operator. I sure hope Joey will accept a collect call.

  Chapter Sixty-Two

  One Year Later

  Lacy and RoJo were sitting side by side on the couch. Christmas music was playing as they gazed at the tree they had just finished decorating.

  “I like the all blue lights. I’m glad you talked me into giving up the multi-colored ones,” Lacy said.

  “You’re not hard to persuade. You’re nowhere near as hardheaded as you used to be,” RoJo said, and kissed her on the forehead.

  “I’ve learned a lot and grown up a lot in the past year. I’m just so thankful for all we have and how far we’ve come. We’ve been so blessed.”

  “That we have, honey. Dad comes into the shop twice a week, and Mom is thrilled to have that little beagle. And how about those Sunday dinners that Mom has been fixing us?”

  “I never thought I’d see the day. I’m finally a member of the Jordon family. They claim me and act proud of me. I always wanted a real family.”

  “They love you, and so do I,” RoJo said.

  “I love all the Jordons. Especially one,” she smiled. “I’m sure Gladys Kravitz will be over here in a minute. We’ve made a lot of trips outside and she’ll go crazy until she finds out what we’re doing.”

  RoJo chuckled. “You are so bad. Stop calling her Gladys Kravitz.”

  Lacy laughed. “I don’t mean it to be disrespectful. I’m glad she keeps an eye out for us. She’s a good person, just nerve-wracking at times. I love her though. I’m waiting for her good cookies and candy.”

  RoJo lowered his head and rubbed the long scar that ran down his forehead. “Lacy, I promised myself that I’d never speak of what happened this time last year, but there’s something that has been bugging me. I have to know.”

  Please don’t ask, RoJo. Please.

  “It just seems strange to me that some nut-bag would randomly pick us to attack. So I’m gonna ask you one time and whatever you say, I’ll never bring it up again.” He pushed his body away from Lacy and look into her eyes. “Did you know that Jackson guy?”

  Lacy stared into his eyes and without blinking, she said, “No. I didn’t know him.” That’s the honest truth. I never knew Lance Jackson at all. Nobody knew him.

  “Okey-dokey. I’ll put my mind at ease. This is gonna be the best Christmas of our lives.”

  “Yes, it is, my love.” Lacy stroked his cheek. “We—” Lacy stopped talking when she heard the familiar sound. “Somebody is awake. He’s hungry.”

  “Yep, right on time. You go get him. I’ll go fix his dinner.”

  Lacy walked into the spare bedroom and walked over to the crib. She peered down into the face of her three-month-old son. “Hi, little Joey Jordon. I guess you’re needing a diaper change and a bottle. I think that’s a reasonable request.”

  Lacy stroked the dark hair and looked into the dark, almond shaped eyes, feeling that as they looked back at her, they saw into her very soul. She rubbed her index finger against the bronze colored cheek, and her heart warmed as she saw a smile quickly appear. “Your smile can light up the darkest day.”

  She picked up her son and held him tightly to her body. “I should call you Little Pill. The nurse said you were holding my birth control pill in your palm when you were born.”

  Joey kicked and let out a soft cry. “I know. Bad joke. I won’t call you Pill.” She rubbed her hand up and down his back. “All those songs I wrote wasn’t for nothing, after all. I’ll sing them to you. And you know what else? Uncle Joey is coming to see you next week. You’re his little namesake. You’ll love him. Ah, my precious, I love you with all my heart.”

  Lance’s last words resounded in her head. It’s not over, Lacy!

  You were right after all, Lance. It’ll never be over. We have a son.

  ###

  About the Author

  After retiring from her career as a phlebotomist, Joy decided to pursue her passion for writing. She lives in Kentucky. She's the mother of three and the grandmother of seven.

  The Dreamer, her first novel, was published in 2011. Anna's Visions, her second novel was published in 2012. Give Me Wings, her third novel was published in 2013. Stolen Lives, her fourth novel was published in 2013

  Joy’s books are available on Amazon.com in Kindle and paperback formats at:

  http://amazon.com/author/joyredmond

  You can also visit her Facebook page for updates on upcoming books, as well as discounts on current books.

  http://www.facebook.com/booksbyjoy