Broken is the Grave

by Candle Sutton

  A squad car pulled up to the curb and two uniformed officers stepped out. Someone pointed her direction.

  Zander.

  She needed Zander here. He’d understand the bigger picture of what was going on.

  “Ma’am? I understand someone…” The female officer’s eyes shifted between JJ and the two younger children as she let the sentence hang.

  “Please. Call Detective Zander Salinas. Tell him it’s Bethany. He’ll understand.”

  The officer arched a thick eyebrow but reached for the communicator clipped to her shoulder and radioed in the request.

  Okay, yeah, it was a little cryptic.

  But her brain was on overload and she couldn’t think any clearer than that.

  After a few formalities, the female officer knelt next to JJ. “Can you tell me what happened?”

  “The man grabbed my arm and pulled me. But I fought him, like mom always told me.”

  “You were very brave.” The officer gave an encouraging smile. “Did you know the man?”

  When JJ shook his head, she asked, “Had you ever seen him before?”

  Another head shake.

  “Did he say anything to you?”

  That’s right. It looked like the man had spoken to JJ before grabbing him.

  JJ nodded. “Yeah. He asked if I liked ice cream and said there was an ice cream truck around the corner and he’d buy me whatever I wanted. It sounded good, but mom always told me never to go anywhere with strangers so I told him no.”

  “Your mom is right. You were smart to do what she told you.”

  The next half hour passed in a blur. The officers questioned her, questioned JJ some more, questioned the man who’d gone after the kidnapper.

  No one, not even JJ, had gotten a great look at the man. Vague descriptions of a white man who “wasn’t old”, with good muscular toning, were as specific as they got.

  But she knew in her heart it was the same man who’d gone after her twice.

  Now if only they could figure out who he was.

  “Bethany?”

  She whipped her head around to find Zander approaching, his partner two steps behind.

  The responding officer brought Zander up to speed.

  Zander looked at the officer. “Can you take charge of the kids for a few minutes?”

  At her nod, he extracted Bethany and led her a few feet away.

  Once they were out of earshot, she locked her gaze on him. “It was that guy, Zander. The one who attacked me. Now he’s going after my kids!”

  Zander didn’t deny it. “And you still don’t know why?”

  “No. They already stole the flash drive. James didn’t leave me anything else.”

  “Okay.” Zander clapped a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s get you back to the boat.”

  Zeke had promised she’d be safe on the boat. As much as she wanted to believe it and had no reason to doubt him, she couldn’t quench the nagging thought that she and her kids weren’t really safe anywhere.

  ₪ ₪ ₪

  The boat was a haven in the storm. And if the boat was a haven, Zeke was her anchor.

  When that had happened, she wasn’t sure, but he’d become the most stable person in her crumbling world.

  It was amazing the peace that came over her as she stepped onto the deck. Good thing, too, because she felt half dead. Her head pounded, her unsettled stomach threatened mutiny, and tremors rocked her hands.

  At least her kids had bounced back.

  What an afternoon.

  After leaving the school, Zander and his partner had taken her and the kids to the police station to get formal statements before taking them home.

  At least the kids had thought riding in the back of the police car was cool. Although the car was unmarked, she’d felt a bit like a criminal.

  Zander had even put the light on top and hit the siren a time or two. The kids had really liked that.

  Walking into the cabin, she inhaled the rich scent of fresh baked bread and tomato sauce. She had no idea what had been prepared for dinner, but it smelled great.

  Elly met them in the door, greeting Zander with a brief kiss before turning to Bethany. “Zander told me what happened. I’m so glad you all are okay.”

  Not trusting her voice, she simply nodded.

  Elly squatted to be eye level with the kids. “I bet you three are hungry after the adventures of today. Dinner just came out of the oven.”

  No other words were needed. JJ and Pete bounded down the stairs. Becca followed as quickly as she could on her much shorter legs.

  Elly reached for Zander’s hand. “Come on. There’s plenty.”

  “Always is.” He grinned as he pulled her toward him.

  Bethany turned away, her gaze flitting across the clock mounted on the wall.

  7:10. Where had the day–

  Oh no! She was supposed to have been at work ten minutes ago.

  Digging in her purse, she found her phone and brought up her boss’ number.

  She stepped out of the cabin. The air was calm tonight and twilight wrapped her in its dark embrace.

  Her boss answered on the second ring.

  “I’m so sorry. I just saw the time and I was at the police station because–”

  “Are you missing work? Again?”

  The irritation in his tone made her pause. “S-Someone tried to kidnap m-my son–”

  “Look, Bethany, I’ve cut you a lot of slack. But things aren’t getting done and it hurts the school and the whole team.”

  She swallowed, her throat closing around the lump forming in it.

  “You’ve missed too much time lately.”

  Her boss’ words dropped like a bomb while her own words failed to respond.

  “And you know the attendance policy. You signed it when you were hired.”

  No, no, no! She needed this job! “My husband was just murdered. I didn’t ask for that.”

  “I know and I’m sorry. But the school holds me responsible to make sure it looks clean and maintained.” The pause lasted for what felt like years. “I have to cut you loose.”

  If his words were a bomb, they’d just exploded, flinging shrapnel into her shredded life. “Please. I-I haven’t missed that much time before now. What about bereavement leave? Or-or FMLA?”

  “You used your bereavement time already and FMLA doesn’t apply here. Besides, you did miss four days last month and two the month before that.” He sighed. “It’s not just the absences. You’re bringing your drama into the workplace. The school is still cleaning up after the other night.”

  “That wasn’t my fault!”

  “The guy was after you. How is it not your fault?”

  “Please. I need this job.” She drew in a shuddering breath. “I came in when my kids had the flu. When I had bronchitis. I’m always there. Those days I missed, I was so sick I couldn’t get out of bed.”

  “This is not a discussion. You can turn in your keys tomorrow.” His sigh drifted through her phone. “I’m sorry, Bethany.”

  The line went dead.

  Fired. She’d been fired.

  She sank down onto one of the cushioned benches.

  What was she going to do?

  “Bethany?”

  She turned to find Zeke approaching, backlit by the glow of the cabin.

  “Are you okay?” He sank down onto the bench beside her, radiating peace and security.

  How she’d love to lean into the stability that surrounded him. But she was too much of a train wreck to bring him down with her.

  Still, she felt the words bubbling to her lips, no matter how much she wanted to hold them back. “I lost my job.”

  “I’m sorry.” He picked up her hand and cradled it between both of his. “I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”

  At least he didn’t offer empty platitudes.

  Even if part of her really did want someone to tell her everything would be okay.

  James.

  This whole thing was his
fault.

  It was his fault she had to work when she should be raising their kids, his fault that JJ had almost been kidnapped, his fault that she’d been attacked twice.

  “I hate him.” The words slipped into the silence between them.

  Zeke’s brow furrowed. “Your boss?”

  “James. He’s ruined my life. My kids’ lives. I hate him.”

  Silence extended between them. He was probably wording his lecture. About how it was wrong to hate. About how she needed to forgive.

  She’d been in church enough to know both those things.

  “He also gave you your kids. And loved you enough to leave when his addiction became too much for him.”

  What?

  She pulled back and stared at Zeke. “What do you mean?”

  “I’m not saying it was right. He should have gone into a treatment program or something. But maybe he thought that leaving would shelter you and the kids from his drug use.”

  “No! He chose the drugs over us.”

  “He did, and I’m not saying he made the right choice.” He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close. The warmth radiating from his body melted her resistance. “But think what might have happened if he’d stayed. His behavior would have gotten more erratic. Your kids would have witnessed it. They might’ve even gotten their hands on some of his drugs and taken them. There might have been danger coming to your front door. Drug dealers or other users, for starters.”

  He was right. Things could have been so much worse if James had stayed.

  But things had been pretty bad after he left, too. Leaving had ripped a huge, gaping hole in JJ’s heart. In Pete and Becca’s hearts as they grew up never knowing their father. In her heart.

  Not to mention that he’d left them in financial ruin. What kind of man did that to his family?

  “I don’t understand how he could do that to us.”

  “I don’t either.” He pressed a kiss into her hair.

  She turned her head and raised her lips to meet his. The kiss, soft and gentle, soothed her heart in a way words never could.

  When he pulled back a moment later, his dark eyes searched hers.

  “Bethany.”

  How could one word feel like a caress?

  “This-this is all new for me. I’ve never felt…”

  “Isn’t there love where you’re from?” How could there not be? If the place was perfect, wouldn’t it be all about love?

  “Yes. But it’s different.” He turned to stare at the sea. “It’s agape love. Selfless, unconditional. Obviously, we have romantic love, too, but it’s not like it is here. Here, that love is casual. It comes and goes and very few people expect it to be permanent. In Hephzibah, it’s forever.”

  Forever. The word lodged in her mind as the implications of his words permeated.

  If he loved her, and it sounded as if he was saying he did, then he wasn’t messing around. He would choose her for the rest of their lives. No abandoning her, no divorce, no infidelity.

  How she longed for that kind of love.

  But could she give it in return?

  As much as she liked Zeke, was she sure her feelings for him were that deep? Because if he was all in, he deserved to have someone return that same depth of commitment.

  Was she even capable of it?

  It was too much to think about tonight.

  “I actually came out here to see if you were ready for dinner. Everyone else is already eating.”

  Once again, he seemed attuned to what she needed. Not that she was hungry, but she needed time to think, to absorb, and to determine if what she was feeling for him was a worthless crush or something far more precious.

  “Let’s go.” She stood. “Before JJ eats it all. I’m amazed how much food that kid can pack away.”

  Yet another concern, now that she was unemployed.

  “He’s a growing boy.” Zeke also rose. “May I offer something for you to think on?”

  He had to ask?

  Must be serious. She nodded.

  “Hate hurts the one doing the hating most. If you want to be free from the burdens James placed upon you, ask God to help you let it go.”

  ₪ ₪ ₪

  Zander checked his phone one last time before turning out the light. Still no reply from Rafe.

  Weird. Rafe had never failed to get back to him. Never.

  The mattress was too firm beneath his back as he willed sleep to come. He saw nothing in the darkness around him, but his imagination conjured up all sorts of images with which he didn’t want to contend.

  Rafe shooting up. Rafe being beaten by thugs. Rafe with a bullet in his chest. In a hospital with tubes coming out of him. On a slab in the morgue.

  The images assaulted him, one after the other.

  Why didn’t Rafe text him back?

  Was it because he couldn’t text him back?

  Enough! He was going to drive himself back to drinking if he didn’t stop. And he’d sworn he was done with alcohol.

  He’d promised Elly. More than that, he’d promised God.

  Elly would tell him to pray.

  Hey, God.

  The whole thing felt weird. Not natural like it was for Elly and her brothers. That probably only came with time.

  God, could you watch out for Rafe? And make him text me back?

  He wasn’t sure it worked that way, but it couldn’t hurt to ask, right?

  He prayed for Rafe a little longer, followed up by praying for Bethany, and ended with Elly. Sleep claimed him as he thought of her.

  ₪ ₪ ₪

  “Where’re you at with that password?”

  Tobias clenched his fist, glad that Isaac couldn’t see him through the phone. “His wife’s the key. If I can get to her, she can give us the password.”

  “I know that, you imbecile. What I don’t know is why it’s taking you so long to get her.”

  “Working on it.”

  He couldn’t, wouldn’t, tell Isaac how many times the woman had slipped through his fingers. First the alley, then the art school, and now today, with her kid.

  Not that it was his fault, of course, but he was supposed to be better than that.

  He was better than that.

  “This is taking too long. I want results before I get back.” A hint of warning deepened Isaac’s words.

  Yeah, well if he thought it was so easy, maybe he oughta try extracting the information himself.

  Tobias kept the words inside. Isaac tolerated insubordination about as well as he tolerated excuses. “Don’t worry. Enjoy yourself.”

  “Do not let me down.” Isaac terminated the call.

  Tobias tossed the phone down with a curse. Time was running out. If not for the woman, then for him.

  He had to separate her from the people around her. More than that, he had to convince her to give him the password. Only then could he make her suffer.

  Fourteen

  Bethany’s eyes felt weighted as she pulled herself from nightmares filled with blood and missing children.

  Silence surrounded her. Becca must still be sleeping.

  She looked at the bed beside her.

  Empty.

  Bolting upright, she glanced around the room. No sign of her daughter.

  She looked at the clock. After seven!

  How could she have slept so late?

  She’d already decided to keep JJ home from school today so at least she didn’t have to worry about getting him there on time, but still… seven?

  A shower would have to wait until after she knew where her kids were and what they were doing.

  She threw on some clothes and hurried out of the cabin. The door to the boys’ room across the hall stood open. She peeked in, not surprised to find it unoccupied.

  The kitchen was empty, the living room beyond it dark.

  Voices drifted down the stairs, including Becca’s cheery chattering.

  Her heart rate slowed.

  Of course everything was f
ine. It wasn’t like she was living here alone. There were three other adults, all of whom had shown nothing but love and concern for her and her kids.

  Still, she’d feel better once she saw her kids with her own eyes.

  She hurried up the stairs.

  All three kids sat at the table, eating a breakfast of fruit, eggs, and toast. JJ had dark rings beneath his eyes, but Pete and Becca seemed unaffected by yesterday’s trauma.

  JJ was the one she was most worried about. She’d have to talk to him this morning and see how he was really doing.

  If he’d tell her.

  He’d already started to adopt the “I’m fine” attitude so prevalent in boys. As if admitting he wasn’t was some sort of deficiency on his part.

  Zeke glanced up briefly, shot her a smile, then returned his attention to Becca, who was saying something about horses and monkeys.

  After a shower and a quick breakfast, she asked JJ to join her on the deck.

  She waited until he’d sat on a bench before sitting beside him. “How are you doing?”

  He shrugged. “Fine.”

  “It’s okay if you’re not fine, you know. That was a scary thing yesterday. It scared me.”

  “Is that why I didn’t go to school today?”

  “I wanted to keep you close for a day or two.” Maybe more. She wasn’t sure how long it’d be until she let him go back to school.

  She’d like to keep him out until the man was caught, but who knew how long that might take?

  “Why did that man try to take me?” Wide blue eyes locked on her.

  She saw James in those eyes. Except for the vulnerability. James had never shown anything resembling weakness.

  “I don’t know, sweetie.”

  Sure, she had her suspicions, but she’d never tell JJ it was because of his father. It was bad enough that James had walked out of JJ’s life and died before seeing his son again; the last thing she wanted was to give JJ any more reason to hate his father.

  “Is he gonna come back?” A slight tremor shook his voice.

  If James was still alive, she’d pummel him.

  How could he put them in such danger? Had he even considered the consequences?