Spring Breakdown

by Melody Carlson

  “No.”

  “And I just saw what could be an unmarked car turning onto the street ahead of us—a slate-gray sedan,” Conner said quickly. “Let’s hope anyway.”

  “Oh, man, will you look at that!” exclaimed Harry.

  “We can’t see a thing!” Taylor shouted back.

  “What’s going on?” cried DJ.

  “They just ran a stoplight,” Conner exclaimed. “Right as a city police car came to the intersection. The black and white’s got his lights on and is pulling them over.”

  “Hopefully the city cop knows what he’s getting into,” said Taylor.

  “But talk about great timing.”

  “Hey, Conner, you better pull over too,” Harry warned. “That cop behind you just put his lights on.”

  “That’s right!” DJ called out. “Don’t get too close—there could be a shootout!”

  “Wow,” said Harry. “This is like a movie.”

  “With less action,” said Conner.

  “Here comes action now!”

  Suddenly DJ and Taylor poked their heads high enough to see from the back seat. Various cars were surrounding the vehicle and suddenly they were coming from every direction, with guns out and commands being given, and just like that the cops had both the driver and Ted outside and flattened out on the ground.

  “That’s more than enough action for me,” DJ said with wide eyes. “Look, that cop looks like he’s going to arrest Eliza.” He had her face forward against the car with her hands up like she was a suspect too.

  “They’re just being careful,” Conner told her. “You know, in case she has Stockholm Syndrome.”

  “Huh?”

  “When the victim feels sorry for the kidnapper and does something crazy,” Taylor explained.

  “That doesn’t seem to be the situation,” Harry said as they turned her around. “She looks like she’s about to go to pieces.”

  “Should we go offer to help her?” asked DJ.

  “It might not hurt,” said Taylor. “Eliza looks pretty rattled. Why don’t you just drive a little closer and we can explain who we are.”

  Conner had barely stopped the car before DJ burst out and ran toward Eliza. The policeman near her looked like he was about to go for his gun. “Hold it right there,” he shouted when she was about ten feet away from him.

  DJ stopped in her tracks and actually put her hands up. “I’m a friend of Eliza’s!”

  “DJ!” cried Eliza with tears running down her face.

  “Is it okay to come over there?” DJ asked tentatively.

  He nodded. “But walk slowly—no fast moves.”

  DJ slowly approached and Eliza literally fell into her arms sobbing. “It’s going to be okay,” DJ kept telling her over and over. “You’re safe now.”

  Before long, they let Taylor and the others gather around her, and after a few minutes Eliza was able to calm down. But DJ could still feel her shaking.

  “We need to take you in to make a statement,” a man in a sports jacket told Eliza. He showed her his badge. “I’m Detective Snyder with the Florida State Police. The FBI have been in contact with us. Do you want one of your friends to come along with us for moral support?”

  Eliza nodded, still clinging to DJ like they were long-lost sisters. “Yes! I want my friend DJ with me. Please.”

  “You’re okay with that?” he asked DJ.

  DJ felt her own eyes getting damp now. “Of course,” she told him. “I’m glad to come. My grandmother Katherine Carter is Eliza’s guardian. She runs a boarding house back in Connecticut. And Eliza’s parents are vacationing in Nepal. We were here for spring break…it was supposed to be fun.”

  He nodded somberly as he led them to the unmarked car. “Your friend was lucky today. This could have gone down a lot differently.”

  “It was more than luck,” she told him. “A lot of people were praying for Eliza.”

  He actually smiled now. “Eliza has some good friends.”

  Eliza continued to cling to DJ as he drove them to a nearby hospital. “Thank you for coming,” she told DJ again and again. “Thank you!”

  It wasn’t easy for DJ to listen as Eliza gave her statement in a private room at the hospital, starting at the beginning, explaining how they met on the plane and how “Todd” seemed like such a nice guy. “He said he was a Princeton student,” Eliza said sadly. “And the way he talked seemed believable. I never thought twice about giving him my phone number.”

  “Maybe you will next time,” the detective told her.

  Eliza went on to tell about his phone call on Tuesday and how she probably told him a little too much about herself. “I was feeling kind of low that day.” She shook her head. “Saying how I might’ve been better off having gone to Nepal with my parents. Then we got to talking about parents and where we lived…and I know now that I said too much.”

  “So he knew your parents were wealthy.”

  She nodded sadly. “Oh, yeah—he knew.”

  She answered more questions, explaining how Todd/Ted hadn’t been what she’d expected when they’d gone out for drinks. “I told him that I thought it was a mistake and that he should take me back,” she said as she continued to wring her hands. “And that’s when it started to get weird.”

  “Weird in what way?”

  “He kept giving me funny excuses and he said he needed to go pick something up from a friend first. And then everything got fuzzy.”

  “Fuzzy how?”

  “Like I’d had too much to drink, but I’d only had one drink.”

  “Do you think he put something in your drink?”

  She nodded. “Oh, yeah, I’m sure he did.”

  “What happened after that?”

  “The next thing I remember I woke up with duct tape over my mouth and my hands and feet were tied.” She started to cry again and DJ reached for her hand, holding it tightly. “I’ve never been so terrified. It took me awhile to remember what happened or where I was. The best I could tell was it was some fleabag hotel room, but I had no idea where.” She used a tissue to wipe her eyes. “It was like the worst nightmare imaginable.”

  “Were both men there the whole time?” the detective asked.

  “I’m not sure. It seemed like they took turns watching me. And I could tell they were trying to put together a plan.”

  “To get ransom money?”

  “Yes. They couldn’t reach my parents because they’re in Nepal. So I gave them the number of the general’s beach house.”

  “Where Mrs. Carter is staying?”

  Eliza nodded. “I didn’t know who else to call for help. I mean, I knew she couldn’t get them the money they wanted, but I didn’t know who else to call.”

  “You did it right,” DJ assured her.

  “Everything was so confusing and blurry. I’m sure they put sleeping pills in my water bottle.”

  DJ handed Eliza a fresh tissue and then got one for herself as Eliza told the rest of the story, how she finally found a note pad with Motel Six on it and how she managed to get her cell phone open. “I was trying to call nine one one,” she explained, “but I accidentally hit speed dial and when I hit nine, I realized it was DJ’s number. I was so rattled I couldn’t even think. But when DJ said to text her, it came together.” She looked sadly at DJ. “Thanks.”

  He asked a few more questions and finally seemed satisfied. “Claire will take it from here,” he told her.

  “We have a doctor ready to give you a full exam and treatment,” Claire told Eliza. “We’ll collect evidence and then I think you will be allowed to go home.”

  “Don’t leave me,” Eliza pleaded with DJ.

  “Don’t worry,” DJ told her. “I won’t.”

  Finally they were done, and DJ had learned a whole lot more about crime and the legal system than she had ever wanted to know. But she kept reminding herself that she was doing this for a friend. And sure, it seemed a little ironic that it took something this horrific for Eliza Wilton to fin
ally acknowledge DJ as her “friend.” But maybe that was partly DJ’s fault too. Maybe she should’ve tried harder with Eliza before things had spun so completely out of control.

  19

  “How’s Eliza doing?” Taylor asked DJ after she came out from her last visit with her for the evening. Things had finally quieted down in the house. The guys had returned to their place, and the general had arrived and was visiting with Grandmother, who seemed to be recovering from her stress as well.

  “Not bad considering.” DJ sighed as she kicked off her flip-flops. “She actually said that she wants to go shopping on Saturday.”

  “No way!” Taylor just shook her head.

  “Casey even volunteered to go with her. They’re in there discussing it now.”

  “It’s probably Eliza’s only form of therapy.”

  “I told her she needs God more than she needs a new outfit.”

  “What did she say?”

  “Just that God probably wouldn’t mind if she got a new outfit too.”

  Taylor laughed. “He probably wouldn’t.”

  DJ went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and Taylor followed. “Hey, maybe we should all go shopping with Eliza on Saturday. You know, as a show of our sisterhood and support.”

  DJ spit and then grimaced at the thought of an Eliza-style shopping trip. “That’s more of a sacrifice for some of us than others.”

  “But you’ll do it, won’t you?”

  DJ nodded and dropped her toothbrush into the glass.

  “Did Casey tell you she broke up with Seth?”

  “Seriously?” DJ was shocked, but pleased.

  “Yep. I had that little talk that I’d been meaning to have with her. I think she saw the light. Or sort of.”

  “Well, as horrible as this whole ordeal with Eliza has been, I think it’s a sobering reminder to all of us…we need to make smarter choices.”

  Taylor nodded. “And it’s weird because I’ve replayed some of the totally stupid things I’ve done the past couple of years. I mean, things that were way more dangerous than giving a guy my phone number. And I realize that I’ve been extremely lucky.”

  “And God was watching out for you.”

  “But not for Eliza?” Taylor fluffed her pillow.

  “Hey, the way we found Eliza today was nothing short of a miracle. Even Marsha said as much.”

  “That’s true.”

  DJ yawned and leaned back onto her bed. “I think I could sleep for about a week now.”

  “I’ll sleep a lot better knowing that Tom Jones isn’t about to kidnap one of us tonight.”

  “Thanks for reminding me.” DJ sat up. “Did you lock the door?”

  “Of course.”

  Eliza wanted to keep a low profile on Friday. Despite Grandmother’s varied attempts to reach Eliza’s parents, they were still in the dark over what their daughter had just been through. Not that Eliza seemed to mind. In fact, at one point she begged Grandmother and the rest of them not to tell anyone about her ordeal. She just wanted to pretend that none of it had happened. Her escape was to hang in her room, watch TV, read fashion rags, eat real junk food, and visit with her “friends.” Just the girls and not the guys, however.

  Eliza made it clear that her room was off limits to any and all males. Even the general, not that he was anxious to see her. But it was funny because suddenly Eliza was acting like all of the Carter House girls were her very best friends. Like they really were sisters and that she would always hold each of them near and dear in her heart. DJ knew that this change in Eliza was the direct result of the kidnapping—a horribly high price to pay for friendship. But at least something good had come out of what was truly evil.

  By Saturday afternoon, when the girls went on their big shopping spree, Eliza resorted back to some of her old ways—like playing the princess—but then she’d catch herself and stop. Like she was actually trying. And she treated them all to lunch.

  Finally, it was Sunday. The guys had already boarded the morning train to take them back to Connecticut, and the girls were getting ready to leave in a few hours too. DJ decide to hit the beach outside of the general’s house, wanting to enjoy one last barefoot walk through the warm sand and maybe find a shell for a keepsake.

  She was surprised to find that Casey was out there too.

  “Hey, great minds think alike,” DJ said as she sat next to Casey on the beach.

  Casey jumped in surprise. “Oh, I didn’t even hear you.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle—” Suddenly DJ realized that Casey was crying. “Are you okay?”

  Casey sniffed and nodded. But then she started to cry even harder.

  “Do you want to be alone?” DJ asked.

  Casey just shrugged and looked out over the water.

  “Do you want to talk?”

  Casey’s lower lip was quivering and DJ could tell something was really wrong.

  “Is this about Seth?” DJ asked quietly. “I know you guys broke up and everything. Are you feeling sad about it?”

  “Kinda, but not exactly.”

  “So…do you miss him, Case? Like maybe you knew a side to him that we didn’t, maybe he was actually really nice to—”

  “That’s not it.” Casey turned and looked at DJ with frightened eyes. “I think I might be pregnant.”

  DJ didn’t know what to say.

  “I know what you must be thinking. That I’m stupid and irresponsible and a totally moronic idiot and why would I let—”

  “No, of course, not, Casey. It’s just that I’m…well, I’m kind of in shock.”

  “Me too.”

  “Are you sure about this?” DJ asked hesitantly. “I mean, that you might be pregnant.”

  “If you’re asking have I done a pregnancy test, the answer is no.”

  “Then how do you know…I mean, what makes you think you really are?”

  “You mean how did I get this way?” Casey looked sadly at DJ. “Even you have to know that answer.”

  “I know. That’s not what I meant.” DJ struggled to think. “I mean, have you missed a period?”

  “No.”

  DJ brightened. “Okay, then you don’t really know.”

  But Casey just shook her head.

  “Okay, but you think you could be.” DJ decided to back up. “What makes you think you could be? Other than the fact that you’ve obviously had sex?”

  “Because things feel different—something inside of me has changed. I can just feel it.”

  “But maybe it’s just because you’re sad about breaking up. Or maybe, like me, you’re emotionally wiped out from the crud we went through with the kidnapping and—”

  “No, it’s more than that.”

  DJ shook her head. “I just don’t understand how you can be so sure you’re pregnant, Casey. Not just because you feel different.”

  “Because I did some calculating,” she said quietly. “And it was the wrong time of the month to have unprotected sex. Does that answer your question?”

  “Unprotected?” DJ frowned. “Casey, why would you—”

  “See, I knew you’d think I was the stupidest girl on the planet.”

  “No, I don’t think that. I’m just surprised.”

  “If it makes you feel better, it wasn’t my idea.”

  “Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.”

  “Seth pushed me—and I gave in.”

  DJ just nodded.

  “It didn’t help that I’d been drinking.”

  She nodded again. She so didn’t want to say something cold and harsh like “I told you so.” Instead, she literally bit her tongue.

  “How could I have been so dumb?” Casey sobbed as she threw her arms around DJ. “What am I going to do? My life is ruined! My parents will kill me!”

  DJ hugged Casey. “Well, first of all, you’re going to remember that you have good friends, Casey. Friends who really love you. And next you are going to hear a good friend telling you something very important.” />
  Casey pulled back and looked at DJ. “What?”

  “That you need God in your life. You really, really do, Casey. I’m sorry if it’s not what you want to hear, but it’s the truth. You need God’s help more than ever right now.”

  “I know.”

  “You know?”

  Casey nodded. “Not that it changes anything.”

  “It might not change the fact that you’re pregnant—if you really are—but it will change what happens next in your life. I mean, if you let God in, if you ask him to help you, Casey, I know that he will. But I also know he won’t force himself on you.”

  Casey nodded and slowly stood. “I probably shouldn’t have told you that, DJ. I mean I could be wrong. Like you said, I haven’t even done a test. Maybe I’m just imagining this whole thing. So don’t take it too seriously, okay? And please don’t tell anyone.”

  “I won’t.” DJ stood and looked Casey in the eyes. “But you better take what I told you seriously.”

  “Yeah…” Casey nodded and backed away. “I’ll be thinking about it.” And then she took off running toward the house.

  DJ just sat there slowly shaking her head. Why? Why? Why? It seemed like some people had to be whacked around and beaten practically into a bloody pulp before they got the sense to ask God for help. Why was that? Was it that some people simply enjoyed pain? Or were they really that thick-headed? Or just plain hopeless? But why did some people have to hit rock bottom before they realized they needed to look up?

  Yet even as she asked these frustrating questions, she knew that God already knew all the answers…and in the same way she knew that she could be part of some answers. Because, more than ever, she knew that God was using her and that he would continue to use her to reach into her friends’ lives. And that was okay. In fact, it was better than okay. It was actually pretty cool.

  Last Dance

  Read chapter 1 of Last Dance, Book 8 in Carter House Girls.

  “I can’t believe it’s only six weeks until graduation.” Kriti groaned then turned her attention back to the history book in her lap.

  “If anyone doesn’t need to worry about graduation, it’s you, Kriti.” Taylor reached for the fruit platter. “You’ve got it made it the shade, girl.”