“Do you know where they went?”
“No.”
“How long were they gone?”
“About an hour, I think. I was all ready to go and Jamie had fallen asleep, so I sat down and watched television. I watched The Brady Bunch twice.”
“Did they still have the green box when they returned?”
“Yes.”
“Then what happened?”
“We finished loading the car and we left for California.”
“Alexis, did you see what they put in the green box?”
“I know it had ice in it because I touched it once and it felt cold. We left in the night and we kept driving for two days. Peggy and Father took turns driving and sleeping, but neither of them slept very much. Mostly they just argued. In the afternoon, we finally stopped in a town called Phoenix. We got something to eat and then we went to a movie. We never go to movies at home, but it was real hot and they told me it would be a lot cooler driving through the desert at night.”
“What did you do after the movie?”
“We started driving again to California. It was real late and I fell asleep once we started moving, but then we stopped somewhere and I woke up. They were whispering so I pretended to be asleep. Peggy and Father got out and walked to the back of the car. I peeked over the seat, and I saw them moving things off the green box. I almost got caught once, so I ducked back down again. Lying down, I could see through the window in front of me and I saw Father walk away carrying the green box. He was gone quite awhile. Peggy stayed outside, smoking her cigarettes, one right after another.”
“When he came back, did he have the container?”
“Yes, but it was empty. I could tell by the way he carried it. He yelled at Peggy to help him wipe it off. Then they got back in the car and we drove off. Father stopped the car again when we got into some other town. He pulled in behind a big grocery store, and they stuck the box in one of those big things where you put the trash.”
“Alexis, do you know what your father left in the desert?”
Silence ensued for a moment. Alexis said, “I really miss her.”
33
They continued to climb the mountain toward the road. It was steeper than Sabre had anticipated and they were both exhausted. It had been difficult enough walking on flat ground. As they climbed, they had to stop every few steps to catch their breath. They moved along in silence; talking took too much effort. In the darkness, they could hear every noise. Sabre had never realized how noisy the quiet woods could be. She wanted to lie down and sleep, but every noise in the night told her she couldn’t or they’d be an early breakfast for some rapacious animal.
They kept moving slowly but methodically toward the highway, with Sabre encouraging Alexis. Sabre saw what effort it took her, but she never complained.
“Ahh …” Alexis grabbed Sabre’s coat as she stumbled, and pulled her down. Down the mountainside they went, grabbing to hold on to something … anything. Down, down … Sabre finally caught hold of a branch and braced herself against a rock to steady them both. They had slipped back about halfway down the mountain.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Sabre. I slipped.” Alexis began to cry.
“Hey, it’s all right. You’re okay, right? You’re not hurt, are you?”
“Nope.”
“Well, neither am I, so we’re fine. Let’s just rest here for a few seconds, and then we’ll be on our way.” They positioned themselves to get comfortable, hugging each other to keep warm. Sabre couldn’t decide which bothered her most – the cold, the pain, the exhaustion, or the fear. Any one of them was difficult to deal with alone; all of them together made it almost impossible. She couldn’t think about any of that right now; she had to take care of Alexis. She wondered what she would do if she were alone. Would she just lie down and die, or would she keep going? Scarlett O’Hara would keep going. She laughed to herself about the odd things coming into her head. Whatever it takes. Thanks, Scarlett.
She gave Alexis a squeeze, “Ready to move on, partner?”
“Yeah,” Alexis said and stood up.
“Why don’t you lead the way? I’ll aim you in the right direction, okay?”
“Okay.”
They checked the direction on the compass. They were going south, but Sabre caught a glimpse of a headlight every now and then providing her the location of the road. They had to get to the road – away from the animals and hopefully not into the hands of Murdock. She wanted the daylight so they could see better and make better time, but it would also make them more visible and easier for Murdock to spot. Sabre knew if they encountered him, they wouldn’t stand a chance. Sabre had no fight left in her. One step at a time. Just put one foot in front of the other. They kept moving, every step a chore.
“Alexis, look.” Sabre reached her arm across Alexis’ shoulder and pointed toward the road. They could see a headlight on the highway. They reached the road just as dawn broke, offering little traffic on the road. Sabre and Alexis found a spot behind a rock where they could sit unseen until they determined it was safe to flag down a car. Sabre’s mind raced again, trying to figure out the best way to do this. If she attempted to flag a car and it didn’t stop, Murdock might see them. Even if they stopped someone, how safe would it be to go with a stranger? They could be putting their fate in the hands of a serial killer, a rapist, or who knows what.
Sabre saw a car coming around the curve, slowly heading downhill. She stood up to flag it down, then threw herself back down, bringing Alexis down with her.
“What is it?” Alexis asked.
“It’s your father,” Sabre whispered. “Stay down.”
Sabre sat in the bushes, behind the rock, holding Alexis and afraid to breathe. She could hear the engine of the car as it crept along the highway, moving closer and closer. She didn’t dare look for fear they would be seen. The car stopped, though the engine noise remained. A car door opened and closed. It appeared to be about thirty feet away. Sabre turned her head slowly in the direction of the car. She could see the top of Murdock’s head. She stretched up just a little to see what he was doing. She saw the profile of his face, looking out over the canyon with a pair of binoculars. As he turned his head toward her, Sabre slid her body down and wrapped herself around Alexis. She felt Alexis squirm. She whispered in her ear, “Sit real still.” The sun had not yet come over the horizon, and with the sky slightly overcast, Sabre hoped enough darkness remained to keep them safe. As they sat holding each other, Sabre prayed he wouldn’t see them.
Honk! A car sped around the corner, just missing Murdock’s car. Sabre and Alexis both jumped from the noise of the horn as the car whizzed by. She heard Murdock yell obscenities at the passing car.
They sat still again, trying to stifle the smallest movements of their bodies. Even their breathing seemed too loud. She heard footsteps. Alexis gulped. Sabre held on tighter, doing her best to alleviate Alexis’ fear, but certain Alexis could feel Sabre’s heart beating against her back. Finally, she heard the sound of the car door open and close and the car creeping past them. Murdock drove away.
Sabre took a deep breath, let go of Alexis, and peeked over the rock. She could see the rear of the car inch down the hill. She waited until it disappeared out of sight before she let Alexis up. Tears of frustration welled up in Sabre’s eyes. They’d made it this far, but she didn’t know what to do from here.
Alexis saw her tears. “Are you okay, Ms. Sabre?”
“I’m fine, sweetheart.” Sabre forced a smile on her face. “Hey, we’re out of the woods and the sun is almost up.”
“So, what do we do now?”
Sabre summoned the courage she needed to make her next move and to make the right decision. She had to show a decisive front for Alexis. “Here’s what we’re going to do,” Sabre said, still not certain what might come out of her mouth. “We’re going to catch the next car that comes by here and go home.”
About five minutes went by with no traffic. Sabre became more anxiou
s. She didn’t expect Murdock to go far before he came back. She didn’t dare stand out by the road in case he did, so she had to stay behind the rock and jump out when she saw a car come around the curve from the north. She missed the first one. It went too fast and had already passed her before she reached the road. She knew she’d never make it out there in time to stop a car, so she crouched down trying to watch both directions – the south for Murdock’s return and the north for what she hoped would be their ticket out.
Two more cars went by. Sabre waved, but neither of them stopped. The sun shined over the horizon now and the traffic had picked up. “Please, someone, please,” she said, “stop and get us before Murdock does.” Another car zoomed by. Sabre knew she had to do something more. She looked at Alexis, sleeping on the ground behind the rock. She dreaded having to wake her up. She touched Alexis on the shoulder and she jumped. “Sweetie,” Sabre said. “They aren’t stopping for me. I’m thinking if they saw you with me, they may realize we’re in trouble and stop and help. Do you mind?”
Alexis stood up and stumbled to the road with Sabre. Alexis’ eyes only halfway open, she stood next to Sabre waiting for help. Every car in the distance coming from the south prompted them to jump back behind the rock, and every car from the north had them waving frantically. Finally, an old, green, dented Ford Pinto with a red door pulled off the road just past them. They ran to meet it. The car looked like it would barely make it down the mountain. The driver, a man around fifty, reached over and rolled the passenger window part way down, and asked, “You need help, lady?”
“Yes, please,” Sabre said. “Can you just drive us down the mountain so we can get help?”
“What happen?” The man had a heavy Spanish accent.
“Our car broke down and we’ve been out here most of the night. My daughter’s not well. I need to get to a phone.”
“Come in,” the man said, as he unlocked the doors. Sabre got in the front seat and Alexis in the back. They pulled onto the highway, rounded the first curve, and saw a blue car slowly coming toward them. As the cars passed each other, Sabre turned to Alexis, her eyes wide with fear. It was Murdock. They both watched as he drove on, praying they hadn’t been seen.
Within a few miles, Alexis fell asleep and Sabre breathed easier. “My name is Ricardo,” the driver said, startling her. “Ricardo Servantes.” He reached out his hand to shake hers.
“Sabre Brown,” she said, shaking his hand. “I’m so glad to make your acquaintance. Thank you for stopping. We were about to give up hope; so many cars had passed us by.”
“It’s scary to stop. It’s a shame, but there are so many crazy peoples out there. You must be very careful.”
“So why did you stop, Ricardo?”
“I seen you standing there with the little girl. I think about my childrens. I figure you are in trouble. Maybe you have a gun or knife or something. You could rob me, but I don’t think so. I just think you need help. Sorry, my English not too good.”
“Your English is great. In fact, I’ve never heard the English language sound so good.” She smiled.
Sabre asked Ricardo about himself and his family. He told her about his five children and how he had come to California to earn a living. He had applied for citizenship and seemed very proud his children were Americans. His eldest had just begun medical school at the university. He continued to talk about his family until they reached the edge of the city. “Where you want to go?”
“The first place with a telephone will be fine.”
Ricardo stopped at a restaurant. When Sabre tried to thank him again, he said, “I go in and wait for someone to come for you.”
Sabre, though pleased with his offer, did not feel safe yet. She woke Alexis up and they all went into the restaurant. “I wish I could buy you breakfast, or at least coffee or something, but I don’t have any money with me. I don’t have my purse or anything. I feel terrible,” Sabre said.
“No problema,” he said. “You just call.”
Sabre and Alexis went to the phone and called 911. “My name is Attorney Sabre Brown. I have with me a ten-year-old girl, Alexis Murdock. We were abducted from Jordan Receiving Home on Wednesday,” Sabre told the dispatcher. “Please contact Detective Gregory Nelson and let him know where we are.” After some questions about Sabre’s whereabouts, the dispatcher told her someone would be there immediately.
Sabre and Alexis went to the restroom, washed up a bit, and returned to Ricardo, who sat sipping a cup of coffee. Although Sabre objected, Ricardo insisted on buying them each something to drink. “Decaf coffee for me,” she told the waitress. “Alexis?”
“Milk, please.” The waitress stared at Sabre and then at Alexis. Looking nervous, she scurried off.
Sabre kept a close watch on the door, waiting for the police, and watching for Murdock. “Ricardo,” she said, “I haven’t been honest with you. Our car did not break down. I was afraid if I told you the truth, you might not give us a ride.” He waited for her to finish.
“Alexis and I were kidnapped on Wednesday evening. We escaped last night and spent the night in the woods.”
“I know. I seen you on the news. Everyone look for you.”
Sabre hadn’t really thought about that. They’d been so far from civilization she’d forgotten about the real world. It would explain the reaction from the waitress, as well. She looked around the restaurant. Although there were only a handful of people in there, all eyes focused on their booth. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“You don’t need to tell stranger. You say what you want. I listen. I help if I can.”
Within minutes, the place crawled with police, Sabre wasn’t the only one who had called them. Reports from others in the restaurant thought Ricardo was their captor. Sabre, Alexis, and Ricardo walked out with police officers surrounding them, herding them to a police car. A crowd of people had gathered in the parking lot, all straining to see the commotion. Three news trucks from different television stations pulled into the parking lot, all about the same time. Reporters and cameramen jumped out and ran toward them trying to get footage. The police hustled Sabre and Alexis into one car and Ricardo in another and drove to the station.
34
Sabre awakened on Sunday morning, initially confused by her surroundings. She glanced around, and found a small clock radio on the nightstand. It read 9:54 a.m. Surely, that’s not right. I haven’t slept that late since college.
Sabre dressed and wandered out to the living room, looking for JP, Bob’s private eye friend. Finding no one, she stuck her head in the kitchen. She felt strange wandering around someone else’s home, but more uneasy at the thought she might be alone. She spotted the sliding glass door open to the patio and peeked outside.
“Good morning, Sabre,” JP said. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, I did. Thanks so much for putting me up and for bringing my things from my house.”
“My pleasure; I’m glad I could help. Bob told me some time ago he tried to arrange for you to stay with me. Apparently, he feared something like this might happen.”
“I guess I should’ve listened to him, but who would ever expect Bob to be right about anything,” she teased.
“Good point. By the way, is he coming home today?”
“Yeah, he should be here shortly. I left him a message to call me on my cell when he gets home.”
“Want coffee? I’m afraid it’s decaf. I’m trying to cut back on the caffeine, so my second pot in the morning is unleaded.”
“Decaf would be perfect.”
JP went into the kitchen and brought back a cup of coffee, a container of cream, and a couple of bagels. “Sorry I don’t have any cream cheese, but I do have some jam if you want … and peanut butter.”
Sabre’s mind elsewhere, it took her a second to respond. “No thanks; plain is fine.”
“You okay?”
“Oh yeah; I’m fine. Just wondering where Murdock is right now and how long it’ll take to find him. I can’
t stay hiding forever, and I don’t want to take advantage of your hospitality.”
“Hey, America’s finest is looking for him. They’ll get him. Besides, his picture is plastered everywhere. Where’s he going to go? In the meantime, don’t worry about me. You can stay here as long as you need. I enjoy the company, and you’re safe here.”
“Thanks, JP,” Sabre said, just as her phone rang. Bob’s name came up on the caller ID. “Hello, Robert.”
“S-o-o-bs,” Bob said excitedly, stretching her nickname out as he often did when he hadn’t talked to her in a day or so. “Where are you, honey? I tried you at home, but got voice mail.”
“I’m at JP’s house.”
“Where?”
“Your friend, JP. You know – tall, handsome guy, with a beard and a really big …”
“Big what?”
“Gun, really big gun.”
“Pray tell, what are you doing there?”
Sabre remembered they had no television at Bob’s cabin. Apparently, he hadn’t heard about her abduction. “It’s a long story. Can you stop by? I’ll tell you when you get here.”
“Sure thing. See you in a jiff.”
When her buddy arrived, Sabre greeted him with a big hug. They all went out to the backyard.
“So,” Bob said, “you’re back from your mom’s kind of early. How was your holiday?”
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