Under Duress

by Meghan Carver

  There was also a coin purse with two quarters, a dime, three nickels and five pennies in it. Lily’s life savings? It wasn’t even enough to buy a fountain drink. He reached in again and removed her spy sunglasses. The only thing left was a worn copy of Anne of Green Gables. Reid hadn’t read it, but he’d heard enough to know it was about an orphan taken in by an older couple. Reid’s heart ached for the loneliness Lily must feel, his admiration for Samantha growing at her ardent desire to provide a home for the girl.

  That was it, though. Reid scratched his chin. What about a secret compartment or something sewn into the lining? Maybe Lily was in possession of something desirable and didn’t know it. He ran his hands over the outside and inside of the backpack, but he didn’t feel any telltale bulge. Even a wad of money or a tiny flash drive would be noticeable under that scrutiny.

  He returned everything to its place in the backpack and leaned the bag back in the seat just as it had been. No sense upsetting the girl when her backpack hadn’t provided any information.

  Female voices sounded outside, signaling the return of Samantha and Lily. He checked his watch. It was after midnight, but his relationship with Bump was of the sort where time didn’t matter, neither time apart nor the time of the call. He dialed the number just as Samantha slipped into her seat and swallowed a sip of tea.

  Two rings later, a groggy voice answered at the other end of the line.

  “Yeah, Bump? I need help.”

  * * *

  The iced tea stuck in Samantha’s throat, and she threw her hand up to block her sputtering.

  Bump? Was that someone’s name?

  Lily shot her a quizzical look, but all Samantha could do was shrug her shoulders.

  Reid met her gaze and nodded, as if that would answer all her questions. Into the phone, he said, “We’re less than two hours away. Yeah, right away. Thanks. I owe you.” He paused, listening. “Again.”

  Now what? Who was Bump, and what was his relationship to Reid? Reid had always seemed to be such a loner. She would never have pegged him as someone with a tried-and-true backup. She sipped her tea again, careful to let the coolness trickle down her throat.

  Reid was like a two-thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle with over half the box missing. And she didn’t really like puzzles. Who could he owe? And again?

  He buckled up. “Let’s get moving. It’s time to try my idea of help.”

  The determined look on his face warned her not to ask any questions...yet. But she wouldn’t spend too much time in that vehicle without knowing exactly where she and Lily were going.

  Samantha buckled her seat belt and began her search. Her father had always kept stashes of just-in-case cash in lots of different places, and she had no reason to believe that his practice had changed, so it was just a matter of finding it in this particular vehicle of his. She pulled down the visor but only found the vanity mirror. Nothing was taped under the seat. But the pages of the owner’s manual in the glove compartment revealed two hundred dollars in twenties. Wherever they were going, they had the money for the gas to get there.

  Out of Heartwood Hill, Reid turned north on Interstate 65.

  She gave him twenty minutes of solitude on the highway before she began her interrogation. “So are you going to tell me where we’re going and who this person is you call Bump?”

  He started at the sound of her voice. “Bump is the man who introduced me to the gospel. He’s the reason I’m not the same man you knew in law school. Him and Jesus Christ.”

  “Why do you call him Bump?”

  “You remember back in the day, when those film-developing kiosks still sat in mall parking lots?”

  It stretched the limits of her memory, but she could vaguely remember one. “Sure?”

  “He attempted to bump one over. Armed robbery. He got caught, and while he was doing his time, he got saved. Gloriously, as they say. So now he pays it forward whenever he can, visiting guys who are stuck in lockup overnight waiting for charges to be filed or bail to be set.”

  “So he’s a prison chaplain?”

  “Unofficial. He ministers on the good graces of the officers.”

  Samantha stroked her neck but it didn’t help her swallow over the lump forming. “How did you meet him?”

  Reid cleared his throat and tossed a glance out his side window. “I was one of those guys.”

  Samantha failed to suppress her gasp. “So...you were in prison?”

  “Not prison. Lockup.”

  “It’s still behind bars.”

  Reid pressed his lips together. The silence stretched between them. She couldn’t help but stare at him, interrupted only by what she hoped were furtive glances into the backseat to check on Lily. When he refused to say anything further, she turned her stare to the shadows of stalks of corn rushing past her window.

  Prison? She was riding in a car into the middle of nowhere with her ten-year-old responsibility in the backseat with a man who had spent time in jail? What had he done to get there? She fisted her hands on her thighs as conviction settled on her like the weight of the humidity that hung low over the cornfields. Whatever had happened, it was over and done now. He claimed to have changed, and as far as she had seen so far, he had really and truly changed. He’d been nothing but protective and polite. Gentle, at times. Caring.

  So why was it so hard to see him as anything other than the rebel she’d known him to be?

  In the end, it would be better not to take the risk of knowing him or forming any type of relationship with him, not even friendship. She had her mother and her sister when they came back from the conference, and she now had Lily. That was enough.

  Reid drove about an hour and a half northeast on the interstate. He exited at a sign that was so faded it was barely legible. Only one gas station sat at the bottom of the ramp, and it was closed. Corn and soybean fields stretched for miles.

  Reid pulled the SUV into the far corner of the gas station and cut the engine and the lights. Over Lily’s gentle breathing, Samantha could hear legions of cicadas outside the window.

  She peered into the darkness but didn’t see a thing. “What are we doing?”

  “Thought I saw a tail on the interstate. We’ll just sit for a few minutes to make sure it’s gone.”

  “If we’re staying on the county roads, wouldn’t the tall cornfields hide us?”

  “Could, but they’d also hide a large SUV like we’ve seen those thugs drive.”

  He had a point. Samantha pinched her lips. Maybe it was better if she didn’t ask any further questions.

  Reid started the SUV again and pulled onto the narrow road, heading deep into farm country. Headlights flashed briefly behind them, then disappeared. Samantha turned to peer out the back window, but she couldn’t see even a shadow in the little sliver of moonlight. Had they turned off their headlights? Just because she couldn’t see them didn’t mean they weren’t there.

  There was nowhere else to go. She prayed that this Bump would help them. Hide them.

  The hour on the clock was in the single digits and the night was at its darkest hour when Reid pulled off the paved road and bounced the SUV down a gravel lane. The drive had made Samantha sleepy, and she fought to stay awake long enough to get herself and Lily into a bed.

  An older man, about the age of her father but shorter and wiry, stepped out from the shadows as they approached a house and barn. He motioned them into the barn, jogging ahead to stop them at the proper place. As soon as Reid cut the motor and flicked off the headlights, the man closed the large door behind them.

  Reid opened his door, turning long enough to Samantha to cock his head toward Lily and her door. Then he exited, and the older man she assumed to be Bump enveloped him in a warm embrace.

  Samantha got out and opened Lily’s door, reaching in to shake her awake. The ch
ild roused just enough to grab her backpack and stand, although she swayed on her feet like a newborn calf. Bump came around the front of the vehicle and wrapped them both in a tight hug. Up close, Samantha could see he had thick salt-and-pepper hair. A faint scent of aftershave mingled with the sweetness of hay. Samantha wanted to lie down right there and sleep through the rest of the night, but Bump whispered, “Into the house.”

  The trio followed him through a side entrance, through the darkness in between the buildings and into the darkened house. With much effort moving her feet to follow in her weary stupor, Samantha stumbled down a hallway and into a bedroom, or at least a room with a bed. With the door closed behind her, she kicked off her shoes and fell into bed. She was unsure of the surroundings, but Lily’s slumbering form next to her soothed her into sleep.

  Her next conscious act was to push her face into her pillow to block the bright morning sunshine streaming into the window and piercing her vision. A motorcycle revved outside, and she propped herself up on one elbow to look around. The room was simply furnished, its primary decoration dust at least a quarter inch thick. The quilt on the bed looked hand stitched, a lovely double-wedding-ring design in blues and greens. Apparently, at one point in Bump’s life, there had been the touch of a woman. Samantha swiped her hair out of her face. Bump’s story was probably one she would never hear.

  She tucked the quilt around the still sleeping Lily and searched out the kitchen. It was time to meet Bump properly and see if he could make a good cup of coffee.

  She found the kitchen at the end of the hallway, but not Bump. Reid sat at the white enamel table, sipping from a steaming mug and reading a newspaper. His presence summoned images of domestic tranquility, and Samantha blinked a few times to get her concentration back on the tasks at hand: coffee and getting her life back.

  With one step into the kitchen, Reid looked up and smiled. “Coffee’s in the pot. Cups are in the cabinet just above.”

  “Thanks.” She reached into the white metal cabinet and retrieved a cup, then poured and held it to her nose, allowing the rich aroma to push her eyes open a little farther.

  “Sleep well?”

  “Yes, although I was so tired I don’t think it would have mattered if I had slept sitting up on a hard bench.” She pulled out the chair across from him and sat gingerly, setting her mug on the table. “I was thinking about Lily’s great-aunt Beatrice.”

  “Great-aunt? You think she might be behind this attempted kidnapping?”

  “I doubt it, but she’s the only person I could come up with who would have any interest in Lily.”

  “Why? What’s the relationship?”

  “She’s Lily’s father’s mother’s sister.” She sipped her coffee. “Lily’s father’s aunt. She thinks that Lily ought to be in her charge because blood is thicker than water.”

  Reid snorted into his cup. “What gives you that idea? If she’s a great-aunt, she’s probably physically incapable of caring for the girl.”

  Samantha stiffened at his poke. “Actually, that’s what she said to me. Those words. So I just wondered if it might be her behind all this, trying to get control of Lily since she’s the closest blood relative.”

  “You know all this from the guardianship proceedings?”

  Samantha nodded. “I know it seems like a crazy idea. Beatrice’s health is failing, and she’s in no shape to care for a child. Plus, she never really knew Lily so she has no relationship with her. She lives on the other side of the country. Washington State. If Lily went to live with her, she would never see the people she knows and is growing up with from church and school. It’s not in Lily’s best interests.”

  “Is it realistic, though, that this great-aunt would hire these thugs just to kidnap her great-niece? Why wouldn’t she just dispute the guardianship petition?”

  “She did. That’s how I know of her presence and desires. But Lily’s father had enough foresight to change his will in the year before he died to appoint me guardian.” She sipped her coffee. “I’d thought of calling Beatrice, just to see if I can determine what’s going on. See if she’s crazy enough to hire those guys to kidnap Lily.”

  Reid waved his hand as if to dismiss the conversation and stood, crossing to put his mug in the sink. “Don’t bother. How could it be her? I just can’t see a little old lady engineering all we’ve been through. Some people just want to make a stink, but when push comes to shove, they back off.”

  “Then, we could eliminate her as a possibility.”

  “Look, if it isn’t her, there’s no sense in alerting her to danger. If it is her, then our call could alert her to our location.” He gestured toward the laptop on the breakfast bar. “Besides, I’ve looked a little more thoroughly at the flash drive. I can’t tell who’s moving money, but it wasn’t a great-aunt from the other side of the country.” He turned back in the doorway. “I’m going to find Bump. Catch him up, get a ride and some ammo. Extra towels are in the bathroom across from your room if you and Lily want to shower.” With a goodbye tap on the doorjamb, he was gone.

  Samantha sat back in her chair, holding her cup to her lips. The prior warmth and welcome of the kitchen disappeared with Reid, and she clanked her cup back to the table. So much for the daydream of domestic bliss and the longing for a normal family life.

  FIFTEEN

  Reid stepped out into the late-morning sunshine, a sneeze tickling him as he squinted at the glare off the motorcycle that rested on its stand near the barn. Samantha, her hair tousled from sleep, her face fresh and innocent in the morning light, had been a welcome sight, an instant brightness in Bump’s shabby kitchen. He could definitely get used to seeing her beautiful face every morning.

  Except for when her expression had turned to dismay. Had he been harsh with her? Too quick to dismiss her ideas about this great-aunt Beatrice? But what was he supposed to say? In his experience, little old ladies rarely warranted suspicion of that sort. Beatrice had made her presence known to the new girl in charge of her niece, and now she had laid claim to birthday cards and Christmas gifts and occasional visits. Her position of authority in the family had been established. That was all she wanted, Reid was sure of it.

  He rubbed his neck as he sauntered past the motorcycle and toward the same barn door they had exited in the middle of the night. Reid was sure Bump would be in there by this time of day, caring for his collection of bikes and muscle cars like some men cared for horses.

  Bump was an amazing man, and Reid agreed with him on every subject except one.

  Motorcycles.

  If there was one thing Reid would never do again, ever, it was to get on a motorcycle.

  He stepped inside the barn and latched the door behind him, standing still to let his eyes adjust to the dim interior. The barn had been revamped and cleaned with a cement foundation poured. Still, the pitched roof and the scent of hay lingered. Bump was several yards away with his back to the door, rubbing down the hood of a classic GTO. “Your coffee hasn’t gotten any better, Bump.” Reid raised his hand in greeting as his old friend turned. “Same blend, same pot.”

  “And I guess you remember where everything is.” Bump leaned against the hood as Reid approached. “How you doing?”

  “Could be better, but I’m grateful for your help. Trying to make a normal life for myself, and I end up right back here.”

  Bump nodded, the weight of understanding bowing his head. “What about the woman and her daughter?”

  “Samantha’s up. Lily will be soon.”

  “I’m sure you know, but you probably shouldn’t stay here long. You can get some sleep, get some hot food. But it sounds as though those guys are on a mission and aren’t going to rest until they’ve accomplished it.”

  “I figured.”

  “When you go, you can take a ride. Just not one of my babies.” Bump grinned and winked at
Reid.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it. And I’m not taking a bike.” Reid crossed his arms in emphasis.

  “Now, listen. I know you had that little difficulty with a motorcycle. Well, a few different cycles. But that was a long time ago. And you’re a changed man now. I know. I saw it. I nurtured it right in there.” He nodded toward the door that led to the house then met Reid’s gaze with a steely look. “And in here. You’ll be fine.”

  It sounded like such a sure thing when Bump said it. Reid knew his faith had changed him, so why didn’t he feel different all the time? He let his gaze wander over the several cycles Bump kept. A tremor crept through him at the image of climbing onto one again.

  He grabbed a chamois and worked by Bump’s side, and a comfortable silence settled between them. It felt good to be in the company of a man who encouraged him in his walk with the Lord, and a peace he hadn’t felt in a long time alighted on his spirit.

  The sun had changed position, shifting the beams of light that filtered through the high windows, by the time Samantha and Lily appeared in the doorway.

  They had both showered, and Samantha’s reddish hair looked as if it had just been tousled by a towel. Apparently, she had enough confidence to appear without a bunch of feminine primping and fussing. She was adorable.

  Reid stepped toward her, unable to stop the grin that crawled across his face. “Feel better?”

  She nodded as Bump appeared next to him. She stuck out her hand to shake his. “I’m so sorry for intruding on you, but thank you for letting us crash so late last night. I’m Samantha Callahan. This is Lily.” She nodded toward the girl.

  Bump smiled at Lily then turned his attention to Samantha. “Don’t think anything about it. I’ll do whatever I can to help Reid and anyone he vouches for.” He turned toward Reid and slipped him a wink. “And if he’s told you what he should have about me, you already know I’m Bump.”