Chapter Thirty-Three
Samantha
Another two weeks had gone by, and we still hadn’t heard from Carrie or Derek. Nav had been keeping tabs on Derek. He hadn’t left yet, and we didn’t know why.
We still couldn’t find Carrie. Wherever she was hiding, she picked a damn good spot. The guys found a hidden driveway in the development.
Somehow, with the way it was designed, you wouldn’t see it unless you were looking for it. Carrie had to know it was there and used it to hide from Mimic. He was still kicking himself for losing her.
Mimic had become my constant shadow. He went everywhere with me and Charlie. Today, Charlie and I were going to the bookstore, and then meeting Beck for lunch.
“Hey, Sammy, what are you all dressed up for?” Jack asked, pulling me against him.
“I told you, Charlie and I are going to The Bookstore to work on the signing. There is just over a month left to get everything organized.”
“We still haven’t found Carrie.”
“I know. Think of it this way. The last time I went there, she showed up outside. Maybe we’ll get lucky again,” I said with a smirk.
“Not funny,” Jack replied.
“Jack, Mimic is coming with me. Ryder will be there, too. Then, I’m meeting Beck for lunch at The Diner. I will only be gone for a few hours.” I kissed him hard, and then went to get Charlie.
“Ryder, what do you think of this?” I asked, motioning for Ryder to come watch a video I put together for TikTok.
“I told you, Sam, you can do whatever you want. I trust you completely,” he said with a smile.
“You are so exasperating. This is your business, Ryder, you should be involved,” I told him.
He laughed at me and walked away.
Ugh!
Shaking my head at him, I got up and went to check on Charlie. Chrissy and Tabby were due to arrive soon with Avery. She was quietly sitting in a chair, looking at books. You would think this was a library with the way Ryder let her have free rein.
The bell of the door jingled, and I turned to look at who came in.
“Rayne! What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I just thought I would stop by and see how things were going? The book signing is getting close. I wanted to make sure you got the things I sent you,” she explained.
“I did. Thank you so much. Every business in town has signs in their windows,” I told her.
“Great. Is Ryder here?” she questioned, biting her lip.
“He is. He just went in the back to get something. He should be out in a minute,” I said, smiling to myself.
Rayne and I talked for a few minutes, waiting for Ryder to return to the front.
“Miss Perry. I am surprised to see you here,” Ryder said, walking around the counter to stand by the register. “Is there something you need?”
“Please, call me Rayne. I just wanted to pop in and make sure you received the shipment of books I sent?”
“Um, yea,” he said, looking down.
“Was there something wrong?” Rayne asked.
Ryder finally looked up at Rayne. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly.
“It was a rather large shipment,” he said.
“Do you not have room to store them?” she asked nervously.
“It’s not that.”
“Then what is it, Ryder? Spit it out,” I pressed.
Ryder turned to me and glared.
“I think you’re overestimating how many people will come to this. You sent a thousand signed copies of your new book, and hundreds of copies of your other five books. This is a small town. I cannot afford to purchase all those books from you, hoping they will sell.”
“I am not asking you to purchase anything.” Rayne smiled sweetly. “Anything that doesn’t sell the day of the signing, I will take back with me. We will sell the books at your price, and you will keep a portion of each book sold. Plus, you will have the sales from anything else in the store people buy.”
“I believe you are overestimating what you will need, but as long as I am not out of pocket, you can do as you wish,” he said, waving his hand in circles.
“Ryder.” I waited for him to look at me. “You are underestimating what this place will be like on the day. You cannot have the girls here. I won’t be bringing Charlie. I am sure Jack will stop in during the event with her, but she won’t be staying.”
“Avery can—”
“No, Ryder, Avery cannot bring the girls in that day. Neither can your parents or Blade and Beck,” I interrupted.
“I am quite capable of taking care of the girls,” Avery snipped, angrily. “How dare you sug—” She stopped, her eyes on Rayne. “Oh, my God. Are you her?”
I looked at Ryder, raising an eyebrow silently saying, see what I mean?
Rayne didn’t miss a beat. She walked forward, holding out her hand.
“Hello.”
Avery just stood there, frozen. Her eyes were wide as saucers. The girls each pulled on her hands, but nothing got her attention. Which meant Rayne just stood there with her hand out. Eventually, she dropped it by her side, realizing Avery was too starstruck.
“AVERY!” Ryder yelled.
Finally, she snapped out of her trance.
“Oh God, I’m so sorry. I just love your books,” Avery gushed.
At the sound of his yell, Charlie came running.
“Chrissy, Tabby, I’s here!” She rushed over to the girls, and she and Chrissy embraced. Tabby stood quietly, holding Avery’s hand and staring at Rayne.
“Hello, beautiful,” Rayne said, crouching down to get to Tabby’s level.
Tabby released Avery’s hand and walked over to Rayne, putting her arms around her neck. Rayne stood with Tabby in her arms, and the little girl laid her head on Rayne’s shoulder.
She stood there holding her like she’d known Tabby her whole life.
I smiled to myself.
Wait until Beck heard about this.
“I’m sorry. She doesn’t usually do that,” Ryder said, moving to take Tabby from Rayne.
The little girl hugged her tighter when she felt her father’s hands and wrapped her legs around Rayne’s waist as best she could. It was at that moment, Beck walked in.
“Hello, what’s going on?” Beck whispered. “Who is that holding Tabbycat?”
“Rayne Perry,” I said smugly.
Beck just smiled and turned in Ryder’s direction.
“Well, well, well. Isn’t this interesting?” Beck said with a grin.
“Don’t you start,” Ryder said pointedly. “Come on, Tabby, Charlie is here to read with you and Chrissy. Let Miss Perry go so she can finish her work.”
He tried to pry his daughter off Rayne, but Tabby just held on tighter.
“I don’t mind, really. I love kids. If it’s ok with you, I could sit and read with her for a bit,” Rayne offered. “And please, call me Rayne.”
Ryder hesitated. I had never seen Tabby act like this with a stranger.
“I am sure Tabby would love if you sat with her and read,” Beck piped up. “Charlie, Chrissy, why don’t you each grab a book, and grab Tabby’s favorite too, and you can all sit on the couch with Rayne?”
“Avery, can you show Rayne where the girls like to sit and read?” I asked, noticing the girl’s eyebrows were pulled together.
I wasn’t sure if it was confusion or a scowl.
Ryder didn’t look much different. Though, I had a feeling they were both scowling. I had seen the way Avery looked at Ryder. I knew she had a crush. But she was a teenager.
Why Ryder would scowl was a much bigger question.
Beck and I worked for the next hour, while Rayne read to the girls. Avery sat in the corner with her nose in a book she clearly wasn’t reading. Her eyes drifted from Rayne to Ryder and back again.
Ryder tried to look like he was working, but his eyes constantly drifted to Rayne. I didn’t think he was getting much work done. I nudged Beck with my elbow as I tipped my head in Ryder’s direction.
I laughed when she looked up and smiled.
“Hey, Ryder, need any help over there? Doesn’t look like you are getting much done.”
Ryder looked at us and held up his hand. Only his middle finger was extended, and Beck threw back her head and laughed.
I laughed along with her and started packing up my things. It was time for lunch, and I was starving.
“Charlie, it’s time to go,” I called.
“But, Mommy, Miss Rayne was gonna read another story,” Charlie whined.
“I’m sorry, baby, but we have plans.”
Charlie pushed her bottom lip out into a pout and crossed her arms, stomping her foot.
“Excuse me, young lady. Do I need to call Uncle Tank and tell him no ponies this weekend?”
Charlie immediately straightened herself up.
“No, I be good,” Charlie promised.
“Ponies?” Ryder asked.
“Yup, it seems Uncle Tank has an affinity for watching My Little Pony . He and Charlie watch them every Saturday morning,” Beck said, trying to hold back her laughter.
“Oh my God, wait till I see him.” Ryder chuckled.
“Ok, we’ll see you later. Rayne, would you like to have lunch with us?” I asked.
Rayne looked at Ryder, who was ignoring her, then at her watch.
“I wish I could. Maybe next time,” she replied.
Beck and I just smiled at each other. I knew what the topic at lunch would be. We said our goodbyes and left the bookstore. We walked to the alley between the bookstore and the bakery to let Mimic know we were heading to the diner.
He chose to stay outside today to watch for Carrie or Derek. When we got to his bike, he wasn’t there. I peered down the alley and saw him lying on the ground.
“Mimic!”
I didn’t hesitate. I ran toward him, my hand still holding Charlie’s. Beck was right behind me. I dropped to my knees beside him and searched for a pulse. Thankful when I found one.
“Samantha.”
I looked up at Beck. Her gaze was locked on something over my shoulder. I turned around and spotted Carrie standing there, holding a gun. I stood slowly and turned to Carrie.
“Carrie, what are you doing?” I asked.
“I am taking my daughter back. You can’t keep her. Charlie, come over here, honey. ”
“Carrie, Charlie is my daughter, mine and Jack’s.”
“Hey, Sam, Charlie forgot her… What the fuck?” Ryder asked, jogging into the alley.
“I am taking my daughter. If I have to kill all of you, I will,” Carrie ranted.
“Carrie, what the fuck are you doing? Put that goddamn gun away. You’re scaring Charlie,” Beck hissed.
I looked over at my daughter. Her back was against the wall of the store. Her eyes were wide. I knew she didn’t understand what was going on.
“Shut up, bitch. My daughter’s not afraid of me. You stole her from me. I’m just taking her back,” Carrie screeched, aiming the gun at me.
“She isn’t yours, you cunt!” Beck barked at her, causing her to swing around back to Beck.
“You’re first,” Carrie said, then squeezed the trigger.
“BECK!” I screamed from my spot.
I turned in the direction Carrie fired, and Beck and Ryder were both on the ground. I only took my focus off Charlie for a second. When I turned back, she was gone.
And so was Carrie.
“CHARLIE!” I cried.
Immediately, we heard sirens. Mimic stirred at my feet. Ryder and Beck were on the ground, and my daughter was gone.
I sank to the ground and cried.
Deputies swarmed the alley. I vaguely heard someone calling to Beck. Mimic was beside me, calling my name.
I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak.
My baby was gone.
For weeks, we had been searching for Carrie with no success. Now, she had my daughter. I would never find her.
“Sammy. Baby, please look at me.”
I turned to the voice.
“Jack!” When he kneeled beside me, I scrambled into his arms. “She took Charlie, Jack. She took our baby.”
“We’ll get her back, Sammy. I promise. ”
“How Jack? She’s been hiding for weeks. No one knows where she’s staying.” I sobbed.
“We will find her. Come on.” He helped me to my feet.
“Beck, Carrie shot her.”
“Beck is ok. Ryder took the bullet,” Jack told me.
“Oh my God, is Ryder ok? And what about Mimic? He was on the ground when we came out here.” I looked around for Mimic.
“He’s ok, baby. A bump on the head, that’s all,” Jack said softly.
“Where are they?”
“Baby, they are already at the hospital. We need to go, too,” he said, leading me to the mouth of the alley.
“No, Jack. We need to find Charlie,” I urged.
“Sammy, the guys are out there looking for her. But, baby, you weren’t responding to anyone for so long. You need to see a doctor.”
“But Jack,” I cried.
“Sammy!” he barked. “You are no good to Charlie like this. You are going to get checked out.”
“Ok, Jack,” I whispered, tears sliding down my cheeks.
Jack loaded me into an ambulance. Before he could climb in, Sheriff O’Rourke, Beck’s dad, walked over.
“She ok?” he asked.
“She wasn’t responsive for about twenty minutes, so she’s going to get checked out,” Jack answered. “What’s up?”
The sheriff looked at me. Something in his eyes told me I didn’t want to hear what he was going to say.
“We just received a call.” He paused and looked at Jack. “Shots fired at the motel.”