With that, Kelly went back out the door and turned toward the fellowship hall, which was next door.
Alison opened the door of the sitting room that was always used for the bridal party at weddings. Yes, it looked just like it did when she was in here for Kelly. She had had no idea back then that she would be in this room again so soon and it would be her getting married this time.
She sat on a love seat and just smiled. She was so happy. But she couldn’t sit still though. She began to walk in a circle around the room.
When the door opened behind her, she said, “That was quick Kelly.”
When Kelly didn’t answer, she turned around to see Spencer locking the door behind him. When he turned around toward her, she saw that he had something black in one hand that was about three feet long and in the other hand, he had a gun that was pointed at her.
As he advanced on her, she backed into the corner. He smiled at her but it wasn’t really a smile. It was more like a smirk and it wasn’t friendly. “You don’t think I’m going to let you marry that cop do you Alison? You are mine and you always will be. But first, I need to teach you a lesson. All those others, they were just practice for when I finally came to you.”
What did he mean? Did he instead of Wilson attack those other women?
Even though he was trying to keep his voice low, there was enough hysteria in it that she hoped it would carry to someone outside the door.
Spencer laid the black hose down on a table between them and pulled out a bandana. “Hold still, Alison, so I can get this on you.”
She saw that he meant to gag her. She’d just gone through that a few days ago and didn’t want to do it again, ever. He advanced on her and placed the gun near her left ear. “Don’t move or make a sound or I will pull the trigger. If I can’t have you then nobody will.”
Alison believed him. His eyes had that much hysteria in them. There wasn’t much she could do, as he rolled up the bandana and placed it in her mouth. When he finished tying it behind her head, she almost fainted. Everything was all so surreal just like when Wilson had done the same thing to her. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her again.
Spencer led her over to the window and opened it. She could see that the screen was gone. He must have removed it earlier from outside.
“All you have to do is just step over the window sill. The ground is almost even with the floor in here.”
He gave her a shove and she raised her leg and straddled the sill, which was no problem since she was still in her jeans. When her foot touched the ground, she pulled her other leg through and tried to start running away.
Spencer was through the window too quickly and had both of her arms behind her so tight that it was hurting her shoulders.
He switched his hold until he had both her wrists in one hand and the gun in the other. “Start walking toward my car over there. You know which one it is. You’ve ridden in it enough times.”
Alison didn’t know what to do, but she knew she had to humor him at least for a while and hope that Kelly would alert the others when she found the door locked.
* * *
Stan and Grant had just arrived at the church after picking up their tuxedos and were standing near the men’s room not wanting to put on those monkey suits on just yet when Kelly came hobbling up to them as fast as she could shouting.
“Come quick, the door’s locked and I don’t think Alison is still in there.”
Grant grabbed his wife by the arms and said, “Calm down Kelly, what are you talking about?”
Kelly took a deep breath and started again. “I left Alison in the sitting room to go get the flowers, and when I came back the door was locked and she doesn’t answer when I call to her.”
Stan was already running down the hallway toward the foyer and Grant was right behind him. When he arrived, he tried the handle then pounded on the door calling out to Alison. When she didn’t answer, he threw his weight into the door and it popped open to an empty room.
Grant was right behind him when he rushed over to the open window. Stan could see Alison’s blond hair bobbing as she walked in the parking lot. Grant saw her too.
They looked at each other. Grant spoke first. “That’s Baldwin with her and it looks like he’s got her gaged and is holding a gun on her.”
Stan nodded. “You go out the front and around from that side of the parking lot and be ready to distract him. I’ll go out the side door and come around from the other side. My truck is right there. I’ll pick up my backup weapon on the way. See if you can distract him long enough for me to get up behind them.”
Grant only nodded and ran out the door with Stan on his heels. They separated and started running.
* * *
Alison was more frightened that she had been the other night. She knew then that Wilson didn’t want to hurt her until he got her to Mexico. But Spencer apparently wanted to beat her like he had the other women. He also had a gun sticking in her back as they walked toward his car.
She looked up from concentrating on where she was walking in time to see her brother duck behind a car on the other side of Spencer’s car. That gave her hope. She knew that if Grant was in front of them, then she could be equally sure that Stan had to be behind them. What could she do to help them? Maybe she could fall to the ground so they could get at Spencer. But how would she know when to do that?
They had reached Spencer’s car and he was reaching around her to open the passenger side door when she heard a loud whistle behind her. It took her a moment to remember that whistle. Stan had always used that whistle when they were kids playing games. He would whistle when they were supposed to do something they had planned earlier.
She knew what he wanted her to do. She dropped to the pavement and as she did, two shots rang out. Spencer grunted and fell on top of her.
Grant and Stan were there immediately and had cuffs on Spencer before they even pulled him off her. She couldn’t move until they did though. They laid him out on the pavement next to her. She didn’t want to look at him now.
She looked up at Stan as he reached down to pull her to her feet. That was when she realized she had blood all over her t-shirt. She saw the panicked look in Stan’s eyes.
“No, Stan, it’s not my blood. I’m all right.”
He pulled her into a tight embrace in spite of the blood on her shirt. When he leaned back, he smiled that crooked smile she loved so much. “Well, Alison, it looks like our wedding is going to be delayed a little while.”
She reached out a hand and rubbed his cheek and he pulled her into another hug.
This time, it was Alison who leaned back and said, “It may be delayed a little, but nothing is going to stop our wedding. We’ve both waited too long for this.”
She knew that very few others would understand that statement, but she also knew that Stan did. They had been meant to be together all along, but both had been too blind to see it.
She smiled at him and said, “We will still get married today!” Then she kissed him as sirens began to approach from all directions.
About the Author
T. E. Killian has been an Army Medic, high school English teacher, pastor, hospital chaplain, crisis counselor, police chaplain, and pastoral counselor.
All of these occupations have helped him to understand how men and women build and keep relationships. He also knows how they repair or destroy those relationships. He has also observed how people interact in all kinds of situations.
They also give him firsthand knowledge of how people live and act within each of those types of situations.
Therefore, his characters take on the characteristics and personalities of people who work in all of the occupations he knows so well.
Having been in many crisis situations over the past thirty plus years, he can write about them realistically.
He and his wife, Ann, live in Cottonwood, Arizona, where he writes fulltime and still serves as a police chaplain.
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He would love to hear from his readers. Each of his novels has a Christian message in it. If you have any questions or comments on those messages, he would love to discuss these with you via email.
If you would like to contact him or if you would like to be added to his mailing list which is only used to announce the publication of each new book, please send him an email at: tekillianbooks@hotmailcom.
Also please check out his webpage at: www.tekillian.com
Look for all the uplifting Christian novels
By
T. E. Killian
The Sycamore P.D. Series
Lost Memories
Accepted Memories
Resolved Memories
Crowley County Series
No Easy Solution
A Better Solution
The Only Solution
Another Solution
Clear Creek Series
Ryan’s Ruin
Chase’s Return
Hunter’s Revenge
Walking Together Series
Walking Straight
Walking Away
Walking the Line
Accepted Memories (Sycamore P.D. Series Book 2) Page 25