She searched for the number of the Rehab Center then dialed it.
The main switchboard answered.
“I need Grace’s office.”
“One moment.”
A second later the phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Don’t say my name just tell me what’s going on.”
“Where are you? I’ve been sitting here praying for you,” Grace said.
“It’s better if you don’t know where I am. That way you won’t have to lie for me. I’m so sorry for bringing you into this.”
“Don’t think that way. This isn’t your fault. All I’m doing is helping a friend.”
Tears filled Raven’s eyes. “Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me. They claim they have a bunch of emails from you to the senator threatening him.”
“I never emailed him. Ever.”
“They say you did.”
“Do you believe them?”
“Of course not.”
“Have you talked to, you know, my other friend?”
“He wants you to call him at his office. On the office line. He said he’d wait there until you call him.”
“OK. Your car is at the Akron airport.”
“Not a problem. I’ll get it later. Did you jump off the balcony?”
“It was the only way to get out, so I did.”
“Are you hurt?”
“Just a little sore. Did they notice the open door?”
“They did. They walked out of it, but I guess you were gone by then. Thankfully. What are you going to do?”
“I have no idea.”
“I’ll be praying for you.”
“Please do.” Raven hung up and did a web search for the Holmes County Sheriff Department but didn’t hit the icon to dial. She had to think about this. If she called, Hunter would want to come. And if he did that, it could ruin his career. On the other hand, he’d said they were partners and they would figure this out together
The Bible said if anyone wanted wisdom all they had to do was ask for it. God, I need Your wisdom. There has to be a way to stop this monster, but I don’t know what it is. Show me. Show me the way. She laid back on the bed and forced her breathing to slow. One breath. God give me Your wisdom. Another breath. God give me Your wisdom. A third breath…
Raven opened her eyes. She couldn’t believe she’d actually fallen asleep. Her watch showed her it hadn’t been a long nap but it was enough. But she had a plan. Thank You, God.
The plan wasn’t about getting evidence. Hopefully that evidence could be found later. Or not. This wasn’t about court, it was about stopping a monster from becoming the President. She only needed to convict Charles Whitman, III in the court of popular opinion. That was the only thing that mattered.
49
Raven stared out the window of her motel room in the early morning hours. Not quite dawn but not night either. She prayed this day would be easier than the previous one.
She smiled when she saw Hunter’s truck drive in and walked out to greet him. They clung to each other for a few moments.
“Are you sure you’re OK?” Hunter asked.
“I’m fine. Are you sure nobody followed you?”
“Yes, but we should get out of here just the same. We can talk in the truck.”
“Good idea.”
Once they were both in the truck, he asked, “Where are we going?”
“You got a GPS?”
He pointed at the built-in one on his dash. She typed in the address. “It’s all set. Just follow the instructions.”
He looked at the location she’d punched in. “New York City?”
“New York City.”
“Why?”
“I’ll tell you all about it but let me explain everything before you tell me what a horrible idea it is.”
“Apparently, I’m not going to like it, huh?”
“Probably not. But it wasn’t my idea.”
“Really? Whose is it?”
“God’s. So you see, you can’t really argue with God. He always knows best.”
“And exactly how did God tell you His idea?”
“Well, He didn’t actually tell me. But I prayed and prayed for wisdom. Then I fell asleep. When I woke up I had this idea.”
“And that’s why you’re blaming God?”
“I’m not blaming God. I happen to think it’s a great idea. And I think you will, too.”
“OK, let’s hear this great idea?”
“At this point, we have to forget about getting evidence to prove what he did to me in a court of law. The only court we need to worry about is the court of popular opinion. We can’t let him become President. Right now, we have to tell people what he did to me. What he did to Sydney Bartrum, and probably other women, as well. We have to stop them from voting for him.”
“I see what you’re saying. So you’re giving up on making sure he gets prosecuted for what he did to you? And to Sydney Bartrum?”
“Not giving up, just postponing it.” She shrugged. “But the truth is we may never get enough evidence to convict him of his crimes. But I’ll do everything I can to make sure he never becomes President.”
“And that will be enough for you?”
“For now?”
“You may end up being the one to get convicted. The Secret Service is working hard to prove you’re the dangerous one. If you forget about all this, they may forget all about you as well. And you can just live the quiet life you want.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
She grinned. “Because I’m a patriot.”
“Not funny.”
“I sort of thought it was. And it’s not a joke. I don’t want that monster to be president of anything, let alone my country.”
“I’m just telling you it’s not too late to change your mind.”
“My mind is made up.”
50
“Of all people, why would you pick the one woman who was outright rude to you while she interviewed you?” Hunter was maneuvering through the streets of Brooklyn.
“Because of that. I didn’t want to go to the fluffy reporters. This is a real story, and Shanley DeForest has more reach and influence than the others.”
“I suppose that’s true. But I’m surprised she even agreed to meet with you.”
Raven wasn’t looking forward to seeing Shanley DeForest again. “I promised to reveal my name and all the other details, plus an exclusive about my recovered memories. She couldn’t resist.”
“Why not just meet her at the TV station?”
“I’m not sure. It just didn’t feel like the right thing to do. I guess I just didn’t want to deal with all the people there.” Raven’s one condition had been that she wouldn’t come to the station for the interview. Instead, they were meeting at some house in Brooklyn.
Hunter slowed down and then pulled into a drive. “This is it.”
A moment later the garage door opened. A man walked out. “Hey, Shanley will be here any time. She’s notorious for being late. By the way, I’m Ron.”
“Not a problem.” Hunter shook hands. “I’m Hunter.”
“I’m Raven Marks, better known as Jane Doe.”
“I was the cameraman on the first interview. I like your real hair better than that red, curly mop.”
“Really? I sort of liked that look.”
“Stick with your natural hair.”
“Thanks.”
He pointed at a table. “There’s some coffee or juice over there. I made a few sandwiches. Well, my wife did. I thought you might be hungry.”
“Actually, I am.” Raven walked over and chose a ham and cheese.
Hunter did the same.
“Help yourself, I’ll go call Shanley to see where she is.” Ron walked into his house.
Raven looked around. Ron had set up a background screen and two chairs. Apparently, that’s where the magic would take place. She only hoped this would work out the
way she planned.
A car pulled in behind theirs. Shanley stepped out.
Raven felt frumpy compared to her. Maybe she should have dressed up a little more. Oh, well, it wasn’t easy to be glamorous when one was on the run from the Secret Service.
Shanley walked up. “No wig this time, huh?”
“I promised I’d reveal my name and what I’ve remembered so no need to disguise myself.”
“So you’ve remembered what happened to you.”
“In excruciating detail.”
“Tell me about it, and then I’ll know what to ask on camera.”
Raven shook her head. “Let’s just do it all on camera. You ask what you want, and I’ll give as honest answers as I can.”
Shanley squinted at her. “That’s not the way I want to do it.”
Raven met her gaze. “It’s the only way I’ll do it.”
“Why?”
“Because some of the things I’ll tell you will be quite shocking. If I tell you now, you won’t be surprised. And your viewers will be able to tell that.”
Ron walked out. “There you are, Shan. I called but you didn’t answer. Are you ready?”
“I suppose so.” She walked over and took a seat. “Make sure you get a lot of close ups of our…can I at least know your name?”
“Raven Marks.”
“Make sure you get a lot of close ups of Raven’s face. Let the viewers see the real Jane Doe.”
“Will do.”
Raven walked over and sat down. She closed her eyes, praying for the right words and the ability to stay calm through this ordeal. When she opened then, Hunter gave her a thumbs-up.
Shanley smirked. “Praying?”
Raven sat up straighter. “Yes. I’m ready.”
Shanley made a motion to Ron. “I’m Shanley DeForest, and you’re watching a very special edition of A View of the World. As you can see, we’re not in the studio today. We took a field trip to an undisclosed location to talk with my special guest. Raven Marks. How are you today, Raven?”
“I’m happy to be here.”
“Now you probably don’t recognize Raven, but she’s the bestselling author of Unsinkable by Jane Doe. That’s right, folks, you’re looking at the real Jane Doe. Why did you decide to reveal your real identity, Raven?”
“I didn’t have a choice. I’ve remembered most of what happened to me during my disappearance. People need to know what happened and who kidnapped me.”
Shanley’s eyes widened. “Are you telling me you know who kidnapped you?”
“That’s what I’m telling you.”
“Have the police arrested him?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I haven’t told them.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t have any proof, Shanley. I only have my memories, and any attorney could poke lots of holes in that, considering my medical history.”
“Then why come forward at all? Why not go to the police with your…accusations and let them get the proof? That’s their job.”
“I will do exactly that. After this interview. But the world needs to know the name of the man who kidnapped me. Actually, not the world, just Americans. We have an election coming up, and they need to be fully informed about their choices.”
Shanley started to speak and then stopped as if gathering her thoughts. “Are you telling me this person has something to do with the upcoming elections?”
Raven took a deep breath and met Shanley’s gaze. “That’s exactly what I’m telling you.”
“Tell us who your monster is. Yes, I read your book.”
“Before I do that, I want to tell you what lead up to me being kidnapped. I do have that proof. I was contacted by a woman name Sydney Bartrum. She wanted me to do a story about something that happened to her. Before we could meet, she died.”
“Murdered?”
“The official cause says accidental death, but, yes, I believe she was murdered. She died on May fourth in Columbus, Ohio. I was kidnapped on May fifth from the Welcome Center in West Virginia across the river from Marietta, Ohio, where I worked as a reporter. I don’t believe the timing is a coincidence.”
“I must say this story is quite compelling. And you’re saying you do have proof that she contacted you.”
“I do. But it’s a good thing I printed it out because someone has now wiped away my entire cloud.”
“And you think she was killed because she contacted you?”
“She told me she had a secret. And when she was going to come forward with it, she was killed. And then I was kidnapped and was supposed to die, but God intervened. He saved me for a reason. This reason. To not let the monster become President.”
Shanley stared as if speechless. Finally, she asked, “Who kidnapped you?”
Raven took a deep breath and looked directly into the camera. “Charles Whitman the Third.”
Shanley stared at Raven for a moment then made a slashing motion across her neck. “Stop filming, Ron. Stop right now. I can’t use this any of this.”
“Why not? It’s the truth,” Hunter said.
Shanley stood up. “I don’t know if it’s true or not. This could be some elaborate ruse to get your candidate elected. I can’t be a party to something like this without proof. Do you have any proof?” She demanded. “If you can show me proof, maybe I can get the station to run this. Without proof, no way.”
“I have the copy of the email that Sydney sent me. Her sister can verify that she had almost a hundred thousand dollars in her bank account, and no way to account for that kind of money.”
“Can you show that Whitman was the one who gave her the money?”
“Not yet. I don’t have those kinds of connections. The police will have to do that. But I’m willing to take a lie detector test to prove I’m telling the truth. I know he’s the man who kidnapped me because I remember him.”
“A lie detector test isn’t admissible in court.”
“This isn’t about court. It’s about making sure that monster isn’t elected President. That’s what this is about.”
“I’m sorry. I…I just can’t believe this. I’ve met Senator Whitman several times. He seems like an honorable man. A good man. I refuse to be used by some personal agenda you have to nail Whitman as this horrible…”
Nail. Raven’s world turned wavy. And she was back in the barn. Chained. But she had a nail in her hand. She was standing on her tiptoes. Using the nail she’d scratched on a wooden window sill. R-A –she kept scratching— V-E-N. She kept scratching. Her name. The year. Then she was spitting in her hand. Rubbing it in her name. More spitting. More rubbing. The world came back into view.
Hunter’s arms were around her.
Shanley and Ron were staring at her.
Ron asked, “Are you OK? What happened?”
“I…I just had a memory.”
“What was it?” Shanley asked.
“Will you broadcast this? It’s all the truth.”
“I’m sorry. I just can’t. Not without proof. I refuse to ruin a good man because of…” She shook her head. “I just don’t believe it.”
Should she tell Shanley what she’d remembered? It would be proof she needed. But only if she could find the barn where she’d been chained up. Before Charles could destroy the proof that she’d been in that place. “Just remember, you could have broken the story. And didn’t.”
“I won’t be a party to an unsubstantiated witch hunt. You’ve wasted enough of my time.” Shanley looked at Ron. “Destroy that film. I won’t be a party to some sort of vendetta against a good man.” She walked toward her car.
Raven followed, yelling, desperate to convince her. “He’s not a good man. He’s a monster. He kidnapped me and tortured me. Then he threw me off a cliff. He killed Sydney Bartrum. That’s who Charles Whitman is.”
Shanley stopped and turned back. “I don’t believe any of it. Someone’s paying you to make these horrible accusation
s.” She got in her car and drove away.
Hunter walked up to her and hugged her. “It’s OK. You did your best. We’ll think of another way.”
Before she could answer, Ron walked up. “Raven, I believe you. I’ll make sure this gets out on the Internet. I’ll edit out Shanley’s face and just use her voice without identifying her. I can disguise the voice so the public won’t know it’s her. She won’t like it, but there won’t be a whole lot she can do about it. Especially after I get it on the Internet.”
She moved out of Hunter’s hug. “You believe me? You believe he did those things?”
“I do.” He seemed to consider something. “I’ve met Whitman. I thought…well, I thought there was something off about him for a long time. I just figured he was a typical greedy politician. But he always seemed to be hiding behind a façade. More so than most I’ve met.”
“Won’t you get in trouble?”
“Maybe, but I’ll make so much money off of this that I won’t need to work for a while. And in the end, I’ll probably get a promotion. I’ll be glad to split the money with you.”
“I’m not doing it for the money. I just want the truth out there even if I can’t prove it in a legal court. Keep the money.”
Ron pointed at the camera. “OK, I have it on film telling me that.”
“You kept filming?”
He nodded.
She smiled. “Good. Thank you so much. I think I may have a way to get the proof. Do you have a number I can call you if I get it?” She took a deep breath. “When I get it.”
He pulled a card from his wallet and handed it to her. “Do you want me to wait for your call?”
“That’s up to you. I’ll let you decide that for yourself. But I’ll call you either way.”
Once they were in the car, Hunter looked at her. “How are you getting proof?”
“I remembered something back there, but I didn’t want to tell Shanley about it since she doesn’t believe me. But we have to find that barn he held me in.”
“And how will we do that?”
“I think I know someone who might be able to help.”
51
Hunter and Raven walked into the building.
“Oh my. I…I can’t believe you’re here.” Martha Borden looked up from her computer screen. Tears ran down her cheeks. “It’s all over the Internet. And now the TV. All those things you’re saying. About Chuck. They can’t be true.”
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