by Emma Easter
Taylor laid Bree, who had fallen asleep, on one of the sofas, but Keith and Rachel insisted that he put the kids to bed in their room, especially as Josh was already nodding off as well. Taylor agreed. When Lily stood up and offered to take one of the children to the room, Taylor shook his head as he lifted Josh into his arms and told her he would manage. But when Rachel stood up and carried Bree from the sofa, he did not object.
Lily felt incredibly hurt but tried to press the hurt away. Two minutes later, Rachel and Taylor came out to the living room again.
Taylor sat on the sofa beside Keith, facing both Lily and Rachel, and Rachel began to narrate everything that had gone on over the past nine months. Taylor had already told Lily some of it, but not the details. Lily listened in amazement. When Rachel told them how she and some of the other women had bound Mike Cadwell up so he would not escape, and then brought him to the Restoration House to place him under house arrest, Lily laughed loudly.
“Lily!” Rachel shook her head and smiled. “It’s not funny, Lily. We didn’t know what to do with him, but we knew we couldn’t hold him forever as a prisoner in the House.”
“I’m sorry,” Lily said, still giggling. “I can just imagine how you all tied Mike up and how much he would have complained about being held prisoner.”
“So, what did you do with him?” Taylor looked at Rachel and Keith. “Is he still here?”
“No,” Rachel said. “We finally handed him over to the police in Prospect. We told them he’d threatened the lives of the women in the House, which he had, because he was raving like a lunatic when we brought him here. I know they won’t be able to keep him for long because we have no real charges against him, but I hope they keep him for as long as possible. At least until Keith and I know what to do. I’m sure he’ll make a lot of trouble once he’s out, especially about Emily.”
Lily leaned forward. “You have Emily now?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, Rachel! I’m so happy for you! After being separated from her for so long, you finally have your daughter with you. Where is she?”
“She’s sleeping in her tiny room opposite the one where we put Josh and Bree. The truth is, I’m still afraid. When Mike is released from custody, I don’t know what he’ll do, but I’m sure he’ll try to take Emily back.” Rachel turned to look at Keith with a sad expression on her face. “The truth is that we might have to leave Fallow Creek for Emily’s sake. So that Mike doesn’t try to take her back.”
“But you can’t leave Fallow Creek,” Taylor said. “You told me God told you to stay here. Besides, if you run away with Emily, Mike might be able to prove in court that you kidnapped her by separating her from her father and running away to a place where he wouldn’t be able to find her.”
“Yes, Rachel,” Lily said. “Besides, you’ve worked so hard to change the Restoration House and the town in general. God has used you to change the lives of many of the women here. You can’t just leave when you still have so much to do.”
“I would leave it all in a heartbeat for my Emily,” Rachel said. She looked at Taylor. “Mike has surrounded himself with armed men that he hired from who-knows-where. If he tries to take Emily by force, we won’t be able to prevent it from happening.”
“That’s serious,” Taylor said. “You might have to go to the police station in Prospect and find other crimes that Mike can be charged for so they will keep him in custody. With Mike Cadwell, that can’t be difficult. I’ll probably have to hire a lawyer for you both.”
Rachel looked at Keith and then back at Taylor. “I don’t know if we’re supposed to hire a lawyer for Emily. Remember I told you about the word Lord gave to Keith and me before we came to Fallow Creek? He told us not to go to court to fight for Emily’s custody. I thought the Lord would give Emily to us quickly, but it didn’t happen until recently. But I’m glad the Lord has finally done it, and we have to not let Mike take Emily away again.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to hire a lawyer?”
“For now, I’ll say no,” Rachel said, and Keith nodded.
“Okay, then. But tomorrow I’ll go to the police station in Prospect and try to see if they can hold Mike in custody, at least until you think of what exactly to do.”
“That’d be very helpful,” Keith said. “Thank you.”
They changed topics and talked about the changes Rachel had made in the Restoration House. Finally, the conversation shifted to tracking down Lily’s parents and sister.
Rachel said, “I’ve asked many of the women in the House if they know where your parents and sister moved to, Lily, but none of them do.”
Taylor said, “I have someone around who might know where they went. He might not divulge what he knows willingly, but I might be able to get him to talk.”
Lily frowned in surprise. “Who?”
Taylor turned away, but not before Lily saw a strange look in his eyes. He waved his hand dismissively. “Just some guy who lives near here. He probably doesn’t know, but I’ll still ask.”
“Okay. Does he live in Fallow Creek?” Rachel asked.
“No,” Taylor said quickly.
Lily stared at him. What was he hiding?
He stood up. “I think it’s time to go,” he said. He looked at Lily. “We have an early day tomorrow.” He left the living room to go and get his kids.
Rachel stood up and followed him, while Lily stared after them. Taylor had assumed that she was going with him. But she wasn’t going to. She was tired of feeling lonely, tired of him ignoring her, and tired of being treated like an enemy, an intruder who had come to take the place of a beloved wife and mother when that was far from the truth.
Are you sure it’s the right thing to do?
She was sure it was. She would not go with him. He was determined to spend time alone with his kids, and all she’d done was come between them during their time together. There was no point going to his house with him. She would stay here with Rachel. Besides, she had missed Rachel, and her fun camaraderie made her feel less lonely and much happier. Tomorrow, early in the morning, she would go to Taylor’s house, and then they could talk about ways to look for her parents and her sister. She didn’t need to live in his house for that.
He came out to the living room holding Josh’s hand, and Rachel came out behind him carrying Bree. “So we will see you both tomorrow.” Taylor hugged Rachel and then Keith. He didn’t even look at Lily. He began to walk out of the apartment and then turned around when Lily remained seated on the sofa.
“Lily, aren’t you coming?” he asked her.
Josh grumbled, and Lily sighed. “No, I’m not.”
He looked surprised. “Why?”
“Because I want to stay here with Rachel. I’ll come to your house early tomorrow morning.”
“Okay.” He shrugged and then turned around and left the apartment with Josh. Rachel followed behind him with Bree in her arms.
She felt alone, hurt, and angry. Most of all, she felt disappointed.
Why on earth do you feel disappointed? You’re the one who doesn’t want to go to his house with him.
She sighed silently. Yes, she didn’t want to go back with him because he had ignored her, but she wished he’d at least tried a little harder to get her to come. Then again, Josh had grumbled, showing that he hadn’t wanted her to come along. His father probably agreed. He didn’t seem bothered at all that she was supposed to be his children’s nanny and yet had chosen to stay here with Rachel and Keith.
“So, Lily, Rachel told me you grew up together and were best friends when you were kids. Can you tell me how Rachel was as a child?”
Lily smiled, glad that Keith had asked her a question to distract her from how she felt. She looked up thoughtfully and began to tell him stories about her and Rachel’s mischievous antics as children. Soon Rachel came back and joined in their conversation. They laughed as they reminisced about their childhood. Lily was happy for the distraction and for being with people who actually wa
nted to talk with her and didn’t ignore her. But a small part of her still ached at how Taylor had been acting toward her, and even though he had left no longer than thirty minutes ago, she already missed him.
Chapter 16
Mike stood in front of the Restoration House and pounded on the gate. He raised his voice and yelled, “Open the gate this minute!” He had come straight here after being released from jail. Those stupid police officers had released him because they had nothing on him. Rachel and Keith would pay for how they’d humiliated him. And he was going to get his daughter back no matter what.
Two women came to the gate. When they saw him, they fled back into the House, and he cursed them. He pounded on the gate again, but no one came to open up for him. He laughed harshly. So neither Rachel nor Keith was going to come out to face him and answer for how they had humiliated him and handed him to the police. They were such cowards.
He stalked away, walking all the way to his house. He got to his house and began to pace his living room, thinking about what to do. Rage swallowed him. Olivia and Davina had left, taking his boys with them. If they thought they could just leave him like that, they had another thing coming.
A light entered his eyes as an idea came to him. Why was he here pacing his living room when he should be doing something about the humiliation that had been heaped on him? Even though Rachel was now the so-called leader of this town, he had more power than she did. He might as well be the leader. The real leader and owner of Fallow Creek. Because Rachel actually belonged to him and not to that Keith, and as his wife, what was hers was his. Now that Dennis Hamilton was dead, there was nothing stopping him from taking over. Fallow Creek would belong to him, and he would also take everything else that belonged to him: his family.
He opened the door and left the house. He walked to the leader of his guards and glared at him. “Alan, you allowed those two into my home when I expressly told you not to!”
Alan frowned. “Who?”
“Are you dumb? Who else did I tell you to keep away from my house? That whore Rachel and the man she now lives with.”
Alan shook his head. “Your wife came and threatened us. I thought they were your guests.”
“My wife!” He glowered at the leader of his guards. “And when did you start taking orders from my wife?”
“I’m sorry, sir,” Alan said.
“Keep your apologies to yourself. Gather the men. We’re going to pay Rachel and her horde of whores at the Restoration House a little visit.” He grinned. “You and your men might even be able to sample what that House full of harlots has to offer if you don’t bungle this assignment.”
Alan grinned lustfully. “We won’t fail.”
“Go now,” Mike ordered. “We leave immediately.”
The bell at the gate rang, and Rachel looked at Lily. They had just finished having a light breakfast and were chatting on the living room sofa. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was just a few minutes past nine o’clock. “We’re not expecting anyone,” she said. “It’s probably Taylor.”
When someone began to pound on the gate continuously, she frowned. “Who on earth can that be?”
“That definitely can’t be Taylor,” Lily said. “He’s usually mild-mannered. Maybe it’s one of his kids.”
“It certainly can’t be Bree.” Rachel smiled. “Those tiny hands couldn’t pound the gate that loud. It’s Josh, no doubt.” She stood up from the sofa, and Lily followed her. Keith was in the bathroom giving Emily a bath. She had asked to do it, but he’d insisted that she needed to catch up with Lily. She had smiled gratefully and left him to take over their joint morning routine with her. They’d been so excited since Emily had finally come to live with them. Rachel wanted to spend as much time with her daughter as she could. Tonight, she would read Emily a bedtime story with Keith once they tucked her into bed.
She walked out of the apartment with Lily and walked down the hallway. As they descended the stairs, Rachel’s eyes widened in surprise. Mandy, the petite brunette who worked as an assistant for the cook, threw the front door open, her eyes wild with terror. Rachel’s heart began to pound at the look of dread on Mandy’s face.
She hurried down the stairs just as Mandy reached her. “What is it? Who’s at the gate?”
Mandy shook her head and pointed toward the door. “They... he... there are many…”
“Mandy,” Rachel grabbed her shoulders. “Please calm down and tell me what’s wrong!”
“Outside. Mike Cadwell. He’s outside with about six men holding guns. He told me to send you a message.”
Lily gasped audibly while Rachel took Mandy’s hand. “What message?”
Mandy bit her lip and said in a trembling voice, “He said... he said I should tell his wives, Olivia, Davina, and you, to come out with his children right now, or he and his men will storm into the house and shoot everyone they see.”
Rachel blinked. “What?” The room began to sway. She felt weak with fear. She held on to the staircase to steady herself. Her hands trembled, and she took deep breaths to keep herself from hyperventilating.
Mandy began to whimper, while Lily placed a hand on her shoulder. They both walked to the window, and Rachel opened the curtains slightly. That insane Mike still believed she was married to him. Now he wanted her and Olivia and Davina to come out, and he wanted Emily, too, not just his boys. There was no way she was going to bring the kids out for him. Especially with his men out there.
Lily looked out the window. “That Mike Cadwell is plum crazy.” Another loud bang sounded at the gate, and then a gunshot rang in the air. Rachel started, while Mandy screamed. Several women in the house shrieked, and some of them began to run down the stairs to see what was happening. Rachel said sharply, “All of you, get away from the door! We have an emergency!”
Some of them still stood at the door, clearly frozen, while the majority stepped back.
“Get back!” Rachel ordered again.
They all moved back, dread etched on their faces. Keith rushed down the steps, Emily in his arms, and looked at her. “What was that?”
Rachel told him what Mandy had said. He opened his mouth just as another loud pounding on the door started. It sounded as if the gate had been crashed into. All the women in the common room screamed, and Rachel went to the window again. Her heart raced with fear as one of the armed guards walked in through the gate and stood just in front of the house. He yelled, “Listen, Mike Cadwell is giving his wives Olivia, Davina, and Rachel half an hour to come out of the house with all his children. If they’re not out by then, he said his wives will be to blame for whatever happens to the women in this house.” The guard turned around and left the property again.
The women screamed and sobbed. Olivia walked up to Rachel, holding her son’s hand. “Rachel, I think we should go out.”
Keith screamed in outrage, “He can’t do that! He can’t ask you or Rachel to come out. You aren’t his wife! That man is insane!”
Rachel felt like her heart would burst out of her chest at any moment. She turned to Keith. “Calm down, honey. We have to think about what to do.”
Olivia placed her hand on her forehead. “All this is my fault. There’s nothing else to do, Rachel. We have to go out there and meet Mike. I know what he’s capable of doing. We have no choice.”
Another gunshot sounded, and Rachel gasped.
Daniel strode out to the common room as women scampered about, screaming and looking confused. He said, “Nobody’s going out there.” He brought out a gun from his waist and cocked it. “I’ll fight them all off if I have to.”
Davina rushed up to him and shook her head. “You can’t do that, Daniel. There are about six men outside, and I saw more at the back of the house. Mike and his men will kill you without batting an eyelash. And then we will have no one to protect us here.”
Rachel said to Daniel, “Davina’s right. What you can do right now is help me get all the women to their rooms. Let them hide anywhere. Und
er the beds… in the closets. Anywhere they can hide.”
Daniel gazed angrily at the door.
“Please, Daniel,” Rachel said. “Please go now and do as I say.”
Daniel looked at her for a few seconds and then turned around and began to gather the women and lead them away from the common room.
“So, what are we supposed to do now?” Keith asked Rachel. “Because there’s no way I’m going to let you out of this house to meet that madman.”
“There’s nothing else to do!” Olivia yelled. “We have to go out now!”
“And what if he hurts you or your children?” Keith looked at her. “Rachel isn’t married to him. She can’t go out and meet him. And I won’t allow Emily to, either. Mike seems like he has finally lost it. I mean, he was crazy before, but now he’s become a psychopath. There’s no telling what he’ll do to all of you if you go out to him.” Keith looked at Rachel, Olivia, and Davina. “I’m sure he’s furious now because of what we all did to him.”
“I doubt that he’ll hurt his own children,” Olivia said, looking frightened. She looked down at her boys, who were looking at her with bewilderment, clearly not fully understanding what was happening. She looked at Rachel, Keith, and Lily with confusion in her eyes. Emily was bouncing in Keith’s arms, completely unaware of the terrible danger they were all in.
“How are you sure he won’t?” Rachel asked Olivia. “Even if he doesn’t hurt his children, what about you, Olivia, or Davina, or me? After what we did to him at the house and how we brought him here, are you really sure he won’t hurt us?”