Jonsie and I are able to turn all of our anger and attention to Peter. “What the hell are you doing taking Gabe out in this storm? The heavens are going to open up any second.” Peters face starts to crumple as he is trying to hold in his tears.
“I know I screw up. An…and I know you’re not gonna believe me.” Peter wipes at the tears while trying to compose himself. His face is red from embarrassment.
Jonsie who is always good with getting people to open up squats next to Peter, and puts his hand on his shoulder. “What’s going on buddy? We can help you if you tell us.”
“He…he saw me with my friends. We were just fooling around in town. I was watching Gabe for Dad. But I wasn’t really paying attention to what Gabe was doing. My friends left and when I turned around this guy had his hand on Gabe’s shoulder, but not in a nice way. He pulled Gabe back hard and it looked like it hurt him. He motioned me to follow him by the side of the post office where there wasn’t anyone. Then, then he said if I didn’t go with him he would hurt Gabe. I told him to leave Gabe alone. He was pushing on his shoulder making him cry. So I said we would go with him. He told me that he would give me fifty dollars if I just stay here with Gabe for a few hours. I’m not supposed to leave here until seven. If I do, he said he’ll come back and hurt Gabe.”
“I don’t wanna get huwt. Bad man not nice.” Gabe says holding both of his hands on Darren’s cheeks. Darren looks like he is going to murder whoever was scaring these boys and dare put his hands on Gabe.
Darren moves Gabe’s shirt to the side to check for any injuries. When he is satisfied that he’s unmarked, he looks up at Peter. “Can you describe what this guy looks like?”
“Yeah, yeah sure. I can do that. He was tall, and he talked funny. He was wearing a suit, and his hair was all gooked up and strange...”
Jonsie stands up and looks at me. “Shit, shit. Logan…”
“On it.” I lifted the phone to my ear and called Laura. No answer. I try again. Still no answer. My eyes lock with Jonsie, “Let’s go.”
**********
Laura
There is a bang on my door. Jenny and I both freeze and look at each other. I stand up hesitantly and walk quietly to the door. Ever so carefully so as not to be heard I look out through the side window. The blood rushes from my face and I feel faint, I place my forehead on the door and look towards Jenny with tears streaming down my face.
“I know you’re in there Laura. I see you. Let Johnny in so I don’t have to hurt your pretty friend here.”
“Don’t open it for this asshole Laura. Call the cops….” John grabs Maggie’s face, hard. I hear her gasp as his cruelty is quieting her.
I quickly open the door and the alarm starts to beep. “Shut that shit right fuckin now. Or I swear I will tear each of you apart.”
I try to shut the alarm, but my hands are shaking so bad it keeps beeping. John is losing his patience. He pulls a gun from behind his back pointing it at me. “Shut it, fuckin now.”
“Give her a break, she’s scared and trying to shut it off. “ Jenny yells coming up behind me putting her hand on my shoulder.
Finally I get the beeping to stop. But I managed to press the zero button two times. Darren told me this was a silent alarm. I hope my fingers didn’t fail me and it worked.
**********
Logan
I look at my ringing cell phone in my middle console praying the display show’s that Laura is calling me. It’s not, Jonsies number that pops up on my display, I look and he is right behind me in his squad car. Putting it quickly on speaker I hear Jonsie, “Logan, just got a call. Silent alarm went off at Laura’s. We know that asshole is there, we don’t know if he’s alone. Your guys from the FBI are on their way. We should get there when they do.”
“Fuck, fuck, FUCK!” I roar. I should have never left her alone. This is on me. I promised her she wouldn’t get hurt again.
“Calm down buddy. She was smart enough to set off the silent alarm, that means she’s ok. We’re five minutes from your place. Let’s park down at the end of your drive and we’ll go around on foot. I’m going to call Darren so he can meet us there. He should be at Joe’s already with Peter and Gabe. Let’s end this and get your girl safe.”
“I can’t lose her Jonsie, I just found the woman that completes my family. I will not lose her to some asshole.”
“You won’t lose her. Let’s go make sure of that. But keep your cool. We can’t go barging in there, this has to be done smart. Let’s take down this fucker once and for all.”
**********
Laura
Maggie’s face is red from where John grabbed her, but she seems more pissed off than scared. I’m worried about Jenny, she’s pale and trembling, I’m scared she may be going into shock. Me, I don’t know how I feel.
“Laura, you know what I want. Just give Johnny the fuckin’ book. I know you have it. Don’t make me hurt anyone else.”
He thinks he can control me. He barges into my house, hurts my friend and makes demands. “You think I trust you. You piece of shit.” Where this attitude is coming from I don’t know, yet I know I will pay for that remark. I’m too angry to care at this moment. What a stupid asshole too, doesn’t he realize that the police have the book at this point.
John moves quickly in front of me and backhands me in the face. My head flies to the side and I immediately taste blood in my mouth. Does he seriously think he can hurt me anymore than he has? I’m numb.
I’ve been hit before unfortunately. But nothing can prepare you for the sting. I don’t give this fucktard the satisfaction to see that it even had any effect on me.
Jenny screams, “Stop it” and goes to lunge for him as John points the gun at her. I gasp. Maggie holds onto Jenny and pulls her against her chest. They stand there enraged, feeling helpless while staring at a gun pointed at them. I need to get the attention off of them and back onto me. I will not have my friends hurt because of this scumbag.
I call his name and when he turns towards me I spit on him. I know gross, but it’s all I could think of. He lifts his hand to hit me again, and I just stare right at him. He lowers his hand. At least his attention is back on me.
“Look what you made Johnny do.” He say’s while pointing at my face. I feel blood trickle down my chin.
“I know what you want. But before I give it to you. Just tell me, why did you have to kill them? You loved Grace once, and Ellie. Beautiful little Ellie. Why? Why kill them? Please, please tell me why.”
I need this. I need to know once and for all why he did what he did. I need the closure. If he does kill me tonight at least my soul will be a peace.
John starts to pace. He looks agitated. Now that I realize it, looking closely, he doesn’t look too good. His hair looks messy, anytime I’ve seen him there hasn’t been a strand out of place. But now it’s like he’s run his hands through it, repeatedly. With the amount of gel he uses, it’s not a good look on him, more like psycho. He has a few days worth of growth on his face. Dark bags under his eyes. Yet still in a suit.
Now it seems something in him snapped, “I just wanted the fuckin book. But your bitch of a sister had to keep it from me. I knew she had it. I asked for it, over and over again. I don’t know where in the fuck she hid it, all I know is I need it. NOW!” He shouts and starts rubbing at his forehead with the hand he is holding the gun in. He looks a second away from losing it. Or maybe I’m wrong, maybe he’s already lost his mind.
I don’t know how much longer I can stall. John has obviously lost his patience. But I am going to try to anyway.
“I said I’ll give it to you. But if you want something from me, I want something from you.”
John looks at me with hatred in his eyes. He lets out a loud manic laugh. It’s scary. He stops and glares at me. “You want somethin’ from Johnny? What the fuck you think this is, give and take? I don’t give one flying fuck what you want. Get Johnny the fuckin’ book. I’m not playing Laura.”
John con
tinues to pace around. He is driving me crazy calling himself Johnny. “I should have taken your boyfriends kid. I saw him but I couldn’t handle it, he’s like retarded or something.”
Well that was it. It was like I snapped. Nobody talks about Cody. Before I know it I lunge. “Ahhhhhhhh.” I run full force at John. I take him by surprise and push him backwards.
“He’s a beautiful boy you fuckin bastard.” I get a good punch in Johns face and then my nails take over and I start to scratch him. I get in one last swipe down his cheeks when I am pushed so hard I fall backwards. My head hits the cabinet and I see stars. The room is getting fuzzy, I grab my head in my hands. Jenny is crying and Maggie is trying to keep her calm. John is now yelling, “Fuck. Bitch. You can never make things easy. Always in the fucking way.”
I swipe at the blood I feel trickle down my neck. I must have a gash on the back of my head. The pain is radiating through my head making my eyes squint, it feels like my head is split open yet I force myself to look up at this asshole. “Yeah, in the way just like my sister and niece were.”
“I was just trying to scare them. I told Grace that I wanted my stuff. She was ignoring me. I made it so she couldn’t ignore me anymore. The accident was unfortunate.” John shrugs his shoulders like it was no big deal.
It’s at this point I realize he has a black soul, and in order to survive this I need to be smart. I look around for a weapon. When I am looking around I see Logan looking in the window. I almost gasp but I don’t want John to know he’s there. He puts his fingers to his lips, but the look on his face is murderous.
I need to get John away from the door and right now his pacing is taking him all over the place.
John points the gun at Maggie and Jenny ordering them to sit on my couch. They look like they want to argue but finally concede and sit down. John grabs duct tape from a black bag that I didn’t notice on the floor. “Tape their hands behind their backs.” He orders me.
“I can hardly see straight from hitting my head.” I try to argue, holding my head that is throbbing, the last thing I want to do is make my friends unable to protect themselves.
“Tape them the fuck up. Or I will. I think you’ll go a little easier than me.”
I comply only because I know Logan is outside and I know he will save us. I just know he will. John throws the tape at me. I drop it and scramble to pick it up off the floor. I go on all fours and pull myself slowly into a standing position with the help of the counter. I wobble slightly; my head and cheek are killing me.
I walk over to the couch and tell Maggie to stand first. I tape her hands loosely behind her back. I try to make it so it doesn’t touch her skin, but I know it will still hurt when coming off. I then do the same to Jenny. The whole time I’m whispering, “It will be all right. You’ll see. Try to hang in there.” Jenny whimpers, and Maggie looks me in the eye with a determined look. She is definitely a fighter. I wonder what her story is. We never got around to her telling us earlier.
When I turn around I see the door knob start to turn. I need to keep Johns attention on me. I know this may not be the smartest thing, but I decide to annoy him. Which I know I do just by breathing. “So tell me John. Is it drugs you sell? Women? I know what you want. I saw the book. Names, dates, locations. I think you can get in a lot of trouble with that.” I sing song.
“Are you fucking crazy bitch? Have a death wish?”
I think I knocked a few screws loose in my head when I hit it. Maggie tries to tell me to shut up. I see Logan’s head through the door. I need to make some noise so he doesn’t hear it open. I start to cough. Which in turn hurts my head even more.
“So you little bitch. You read through my book. You know what that means right? Either I keep you with me,” John looks me up and down staring at my chest a little too long, “or I gotta dispose of you.”
I don’t like either option. John’s attention is focused on Maggie and Jenny. “And what to do with these two? I think I’m gonna get rid of all of you’se.”
Logan gives me a quick once over from behind the wall where he is now hidden. I feel better that he is inside, but hate that John has a gun and not knowing what he is going to do next.
I know Logan does not like the damage that is done to my face as his face is hard as granite. Thankfully John is oblivious to Logan’s presence.
Logan looks me in the eyes and then looks to the side. I don’t know what he is trying to convey. I’m trying to think, but my head hurts. You know how in romance novels or movies that with one look you’re supposed to know what to do? Logan is trying really hard to give me a look – what – drop to the floor? Head butt him? I have no fuckin clue. Ughh. I am going to have to go with my instincts.
“John. You want the fucking book or not. If you’re going to kill me anyway, maybe I will just keep it in my bedroom. I gasp, pretending like it is in my bedroom. The dumb fuck goes for it. He moves closer to me and is face to face with me. “Let’s go get it.” I think this is a good idea, because then Logan can get Maggie and Jenny out of here.
Hopefully he can save me too, but as long as my friends are safe, that’s what matters most right now.
John finally moves the gun and doesn’t have it pointing at any of us and points in the direction of the bedroom. When he does this so much happens at once.
There is an explosion of glass, Jenny and Maggie scream. Johns drops the gun as his hand is shot and blood splatters all over me. My ears are ringing from the sound of the gunshot. Everything seems to happen in slow motion. There are men all over.
John is on the floor with Jonsies knee in his back. There are a few men I have never seen before standing over Jonsie wearing all black with Kevlar vests on.
Logan is in front of me with his hands on my face looking at me and probing the damage to the back of my head. Darren is cutting Jenny and Maggie out of the duct tape. Then everything goes black.
**********
I awake to beeping. I’m sore, and uncomfortable. It all comes back to me in a flash and I sit up quickly. Too quickly. The room starts to spin and a big hand on my shoulder pushes me gently back.
“You’re ok darlin’, take it easy.”
Logan.
“Is everyone OK? Did you get him? He didn’t escape or anything did he? What happened to me, why am I here?”
Logan smiles at me. “One thing at a time baby. Everyone’s fine, well except John. You passed out from all the abuse your pretty head took. Surprised you were able to hold on so long. You’re at the hospital, but before you freak out, I was just waiting for you to wake up and we can get out of here. You don’t have a concussion. I explained that you hate hospitals and they agreed to release you to my care. Not that I’m letting you go anyway.”
“Logan, get me out of here. Please.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Home
I wake up to the feeling of something breathing in my face. I jump back with a little startled scream. When I focus I see Cody’s handsome little face staring at me.
“Hi Laura.”
“Hi my handsome boy.” I smile at Cody.
“Dad, Laura’s awake, she’s awake.”Cody screams out the bedroom door before coming back and sitting next to me.
After I was released from the hospital Logan took me back to his place. I immediately took a hot shower, put on one of Logan’s tee shirts and crawled into his bed. I fell asleep in the safety of Logan’s arms and didn’t wake once.
Logan saunters into the room with a narrowed eye look towards Cody. “Did you wake Laura, buddy? We talked about this. I told you she needs her rest.” I stare at Logan. He is so unbelievably good looking, kind, sweet, and caring. The complete package, and then some. I love him.
“I didn’t really wake her. I want to see her Daddy. Did wake you Laura?”
I reach over and grab Cody pulling him onto the bed and hugging him. “You didn’t wake me sweet boy. I’m glad to see you today. Have you had a good few days? I’ve missed you.”
�
�I miss you too Laura.” Cody say’s with his ever present smile hugging me back. How I love this child.
“Cody, go see if Aunt Zoe needs any help making Laura breakfast will ya?”
“Yeay, ok Daddy.” Cody jumps down running down the hall heading towards the kitchen.
“How you feeling darlin’?”
“Like I was punched in the face.”
Logan’s eyes go dark. He already told me that he’s sorry he left me. He claims he should have known something was amiss. These alpha males think they should know everything. I tried to tell him it wasn’t his fault. But I can tell he still feels guilty about leaving me alone when he knew John could have been in the area.
Logan was not happy when Jenny and Maggie were filling him in on what happened before he got to us. He was even more upset when he heard that I tried to attack John. I tried to defend myself by claiming temporary insanity when I heard him talk about Cody the way he did.
Logan just shook his head like he either couldn’t believe I tried to attack a large man with a gun, or the fact that I did it to stick up for his son. I think it was a combination of both.
**********
After resting all day I was feeling antsy. I looked outside the window to see Maggie petting one of the horses while talking to Jonsie. He hasn’t left her side.
The first full week of equine therapy went off without a hitch. Helen is beaming while talking to Jenny. The sessions are up and running fully now, and children are being enrolled at a steady rate. I am glad it is such a success while at the same time helping children who can benefit from it.
I hear a thud and jump. I look to the left and there is Mrs. ChubbyWubby herself. I think it may take a little while for me to not jump with every loud sound. It’s been a little over a week since everything happened, Logan comes towards me with concern in his eyes.
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