Chapter 31
Thirty-One
“ A lright kiddo. I think it’s time to call it for playing in the bath.”
“Nooooo! I not ready!”
Katy had the most adorable bubble beard splashed across her face and was about ten minutes into a mermaid play she insisted Abby partake in too. After the first night fiasco, their new routine fell into place and everyone seemed more settled as the days went on. But with John gone to his first night shift since Abby moved in, she was feeling a little more nervous as bedtime neared.
“I know it’s so much fun to splash around, but we need to get our jammies on, brush our teeth, and get tucked into bed.”
“No brush teef.”
“Katy.” She wasn’t above giving her a little incentive to follow the nighttime routine. Although Abby had put Katy to bed before, it had always been with John there. She was probably picking up on Abby’s nerves. “I tell you what. Let’s get our pajamas on, brush our teeth and then we’ll send a video to your dad of you being such a good girl all tucked in for the night before we read our bedtime story. How does that sound?”
“Otay!”
Thirty minutes later, Katy was tucked safely in her bed and Abby had sent off the video they’d made after bath time to John. She should probably work on unpacking the rest of her boxes. Things were moving fast, but that didn’t mean it felt wrong. Quite the opposite. She felt settled for the first time since coming home to Bell Ridge.
Abby glanced over at the living room and heard the couch calling her name. Eh, she could always finish unpacking and organizing in the morning. Abby grabbed the book she’d been reading off the counter and sat down on the sofa. All she needed was a bit of background noise and she’d be set to read for a few hours before heading to bed.
She landed on some cake decorating show. That was light and funny, nothing too scary should pop up. The last thing she wanted was to feel frightened or wake Katy up screaming from a nightmare when John wasn’t there to help.
The book kept her attention until her eyelids grew heavy and she let her eyes close for a moment.
A ringing pulled her from her sleep. Shit. She was still sitting up on the couch, the TV now scrolling through pictures of John, Katy, and his family, her book held tightly in her grasp. She set the book down and grabbed her phone off the arm of the sofa, answering without looking at the caller ID.
“Hello?”
It was absolutely silent, except for rapid breathing on the other side of the line. What the hell?
Abby pulled the phone away from her face to see the name on the call, but there was no information. Had someone butt-dialed her? Was it a prank call?
“Is anyone there?”
She was about to hang up when a voice replied, sending her heart up into her throat. “You think you got away with it, whore? I’ll see you again soon.”
Abby ended the call and ran as fast as she could from the living room down the hallway to Katy’s room. Securing the door quietly behind her, she moved to the window, making sure it was locked. Then she checked on Katy, who was fast asleep in her bed.
God, she needed her heart to stop pounding. She should lock Katy’s door, too. What if someone was sitting outside the house? Or what if they were in the house already?
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Shaking hands were making it impossible to pull up John’s number.
Her fingers finally found the keypad and she held down the speed dial John had assigned to himself.
John had been assigned to patrol Silver Springs early in his shift, and that’s where he still was even though it was well past midnight. That was okay. The sleepy little down didn’t have anything on the radar over the last few weeks, other than that string of break-ins by local kids. He was parked on Ford Avenue watching the handful of stores that hadn’t been targeted yet. Hank wanted him there in case they caught the little shits who shredded Abby’s tires. So far, all he’d done was demolish half the meal Abby sent with him while he watched the video she’d sent of her and Katy at bedtime about a hundred times.
Closing his laptop, John rubbed his eyes. It was the first time in a really long time he felt pulled to be home instead of out on patrol.
As if she could hear him thinking of her, his phone rang with a call from Abby.
“Hey beautiful, everything okay?”
“John…” the fear in Abby’s voice had his senses on high alert.
“What’s wrong?”
“Katy’s okay.”
“Okay…”
The line sat silent for what seemed like an eternity.
“Baby, are you?”
“No,” she whispered.
“Do you need me to come home?”
“Please.”
John started his vehicle and pulled out of the parking spot he was sitting in.
“I’m about thirty minutes away. Can you tell me what’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I g-got a weird phone call.”
“Who was it from?”
“I don’t know. No one said anything at first but then this voice…”
The way her voice shook had him pressing harder on the accelerator.
“What, baby?”
“He told me he would see me soon. I’m not sure what’s going on. I don’t know if someone is outside the house, or inside… I don’t know.”
Shit. John turned his emergency lights on, trying to think of a plan to make sure she and Katy were safe.
“Are you with Katy?”
“Y-Yes. I fell asleep on the couch, but I ran right to her room and locked the door. She’s still asleep, that’s why I’m whispering. I should have gone to our room first. I should have gotten the gun. I’m so stupid, John. What if someone tries to come in? I don’t have a way to protect Katy.”
“Listen, I don’t want to hang up the phone, but I need to, okay? I’m going to call one of the deputies in Bell Ridge to come over to you.”
“No. Don’t bother someone else. What if this is nothing and I’m just being insane?”
His chest rumbled with displeasure at hearing her say something so negative about herself.
“Stop, Abby. You aren’t being crazy. You’re alone with Katy and your gut is telling you something is wrong. I won’t send a deputy, but I’m going to call Jackson and have him come over to check things out. He can be there in five minutes.”
“I-I’m sure I overreacted. I just needed to hear your voice.”
“Nothing is more important to me than you and Katy and making sure you are safe. Even if I go eighty, I can’t get to you right now. So I’m going to call him, and he’ll be over.”
The phone line was silent for what felt like an eternity.
“Baby?”
“Okay.”
Who knew one simple word could make the pressure in his chest fade to a manageable level.
“Everything’s going to be okay. Just stay in the room until you hear Jackson. He’s got his own key, so he’ll come in and call out to you, okay?”
“Yes. I love you, John.”
“I love you too, baby. I’ll see you soon.”
Fuck. He ended the call with Abby and immediately dialed his brother’s number.
“Hey. I thought you were at work tonight?”
“I need your help.” There wasn’t fucking time to talk about anything other than getting his brother to check on his girls.
“What’s going on?”
“Abby just called me. She got a weird phone call and it’s freaking her out. She’s locked in Katy’s room. Can you go over and check on her? I’m in between Silver Springs and home right now. I’ll be at least twenty more minutes.”
“Yeah, okay. I’m on my way now.”
“Bring your weapon.”
“I always carry it. I’ll have it on me when I get there.”
“Good. Call me the minute you’ve got eyes on her and Katy.”
“I will.”
Jackson hung up before John could. The worry in his stomach was churning acid up his throat. At least the highway between the two towns was relatively quiet. He was pushing the safe limits going as fast as he was. The last thing he needed was to wreck, but his nerves made time feel like it was dragging on, waiting for the call back from his brother.
Finally, when he was still five minutes away, his cell rang.
“Is she okay?”
“She’s fine.”
He blew out his breath. “Are you sure? Katy, too?”
“Katy’s fast asleep. Abby is shaken up, but she’s okay. Just get here safely. I’ve got your girls until you do.”
“I’m just a couple minutes out.”
“See you then.”
John turned off the flashing lights as he pulled into his driveway. The curtains in the large window fluttered, likely from Jackson verifying it was his vehicle that had parked outside the front door.
As he bound up the front steps, the door swung open and Abby rushed into his open arms. Her face smashed into his chest, and he could feel the tremors running through her body.
“You okay, sweetheart?”
“I think I overreacted. I’m sorry. I just didn’t know what to do.”
He found his brother standing behind her, shaking his head. She hadn’t overreacted. And John needed to know what Jackson had found.
“I’m so glad you went to Katy and called me. Let’s get you back inside and you can tell me what happened.”
“There’s nothing really to tell other than what I told you on the phone. Maybe it was just a student from school doing a prank call.”
“I’m not sure I’m willing to just go that route right away, baby. I want you to tell me again what they said. What did they sound like?”
John took her hand and guided Abby over to the sofa. He sat, pulling her down onto his lap. It only took a second for her to curl into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her back protectively.
“I’ve got you. I’m sorry I wasn’t here right away.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“Tell me what the person said.”
“He didn’t say anything at first. When I said hello a second time, this deep mechanical voice came on the line. You know in movies how people can scramble their voices? That’s what it sounded like. He asked me if I thought I got away with it. Called me a…”
“Called you what, baby?”
“He called me a whore and said that I would see him soon.”
“What the hell?” Jackson sat in the chair across from them.
“I didn’t love being called that, but I don’t think I would have cared about it if he didn’t say the other part. Got away with what? I was all alone here with Katy and I don’t want anything to happen to her.”
“You absolutely did the right thing calling me, baby.” John placed a kiss in her hair. “I need to see your phone.”
“It’s in the kitchen.”
“Are you okay to go get it?”
“Yes.” She pressed her head into his chest for a moment before releasing her hold on him.
“Can you make a pot of coffee while I talk to Jackson? I could use a cup.”
“Of course.”
When John could hear Abby opening the cupboard next to the sink where he kept the coffee, he turned towards Jackson.
“Okay. Tell me what you wouldn’t say in front of Abby. Quietly.”
“There was a car sitting in front of the house when I pulled onto the street.”
“What?”
“They drove away with their headlights off. I’m not sure if I spooked them or what, but there was definitely someone parked out there.”
“Fuck. Did you get a description?”
“Couldn’t see anything in the dark. I tried speeding up a bit, but they were gone by the time I pulled up. I wanted to get inside and check on Abby and Katy. I wasn’t sure if whoever was in that car had been inside or not. The door was still locked when I got here, though. I used my key to come in.”
“She didn’t say anything about seeing someone out there?”
“No. Gave me a great big hug when I came in, told me about the phone call, and then we just sat here waiting for you.”
Abby walked back into the living room but leaned against the wall instead of coming back over to be near him.
“The coffee is brewing. Here’s my phone.” She pushed away from the wall and dropped the device in John’s open palm. “I need to use the bathroom. Excuse me.”
John watched Abby leave and then turned to his brother.
“You think she’s going to be okay?” Jackson asked.
“Yeah. I’m going to make sure she is. But first, I need to call in a few favors and see if we can get any information off her phone.”
“Whoever it was probably used a burner. She mentioned it came up as an unknown number on her screen.”
“I’ve got to try. I’m starting to think her tires the other day weren't just some random thing.”
A creaking board in the hallway signaled Abby’s return. John swallowed thickly as she walked back into the room.
“Why did you change out of your pajamas?”
“I’m going to run.”
“Abby.” John stood and pulled her into his chest.
“It’s not what you’re thinking, John. I need to, yes, but I’m not out of control. I’m just scared. I know I’m not going to be able to sleep, and you have that treadmill downstairs, so I’m going to use it. You’ll be up here with Katy, so there’s no reason I can’t while you finish talking to Jackson.”
“I’m staying. But you don’t have to worry. You’re safe here.”
“I’ll see you when I get done with my run, then.” Abby pushed back trying to break free from his embrace, but he kept holding her. “John. Please let go of me.”
“Not until you tell me why you feel like you need to run at one in the morning.”
“I just told you! I’m scared! That phone call was creepy. And he was clearly using a device to distort his voice and when I heard him, I couldn’t breathe. I felt him here, John. I could tell he was watching me. I’m the one that got away from him. Marco’s coming back for me, and I put you and Katy in danger! I shouldn’t be here.”
“Whoa, that’s a big leap your brain just took there.”
“It’s not a leap! You told me I wasn’t being crazy earlier, so don’t you dare try to make me feel like I am now,” she lashed out. “Shit. I’m just… I’ll run back to my apartment.”
Abby dashed to the front door, pulling her keys off the hook. She patted the waistband of her leggings.
“Give me my cell. I’ll text you once I’m there.”
“Baby, nothing is out of control right now. You just need to breathe. I hate to tell you this, because I believe in you being able to make your own decisions, but there is no fucking way I’m letting you run right now. Not in the basement. Not to go back to your apartment.”
John wrapped his hand around her arm and guided her into the living room.
“Moving in was a mistake.” Abby turned to Jackson as a pit grew in John’s stomach. “I know it’s late and you’ve come over in the middle of the night, but since John won’t let me run, would you mind giving me a ride back to my apartment? I’d drive myself but I’m a little shaken up and don’t really trust myself to drive right now.”
“Abby…”
“No! No, John. I won’t put Katy in danger.”
“You think I’m going to let you go back to your apartment? Alone? In the middle of the night after someone made you this upset?”
“I don’t expect you to let me do anything. Jackson?”
He wasn’t about to let his brother answer. “Don’t fucking answer her. I’m thankful you came, and I appreciate you looking after my girls until I got here, but we’re good. Tell Grace I said sorry for stealing you in the middle of the night.”
“She’ll just be happy to hear everything’s okay. Expect a few texts or a call from her in the morning, Abby. She’ll want to check in.”
“You’re not going to give me a ride?”
Jackson shook his head. “I actually agree with my brother. It’s not smart to make decisions in the middle of the night after something scary happened. And don’t think this is a new stance I have. Grace tried to pull the same thing when she came back to town pregnant with Jack. Being scared can make you only see one way out, but you’re safe here with my brother. He would never let something happen to you or Katy. So stay. You guys can figure out whatever happened together.”
Abby sighed, pushing up from the couch before walking back towards their bedroom without another word. Fuck. John raked his hand down his beard before turning to face his brother.
“She needs you.”
“Yeah, you fucking think?”
“Don’t let her leave, John. If this is something Marco related, she’s going to need more protection, not less.”
“It’s not Marco.”
“She feels like it is. How can you be sure?”
“Seb and I talk.”
Jackson pulled his jacket on. “Yeah, no shit, we all talk.”
“No. We talk about Marco.”
“You do?”
John nodded. “I knew Seb would have people who he kept in contact with that would feed him info about where the FBI was holding Marco, and he’d be the first person to know if anything happened. We talked yesterday. The fucker is still in a black site. Hopefully rotting slowly to death.”
“So, who else would call and say those things to Abby? Who would be disguising their voice and creeping on your house while you’re away at work?”
“I have no idea. Shit. I need to call Hank and tell him what happened. I can’t go back out tonight. Again.”
“He’ll listen. I’m off the next few nights if you want Abby and Katy to come stay with us.”
“I’ll think about it. Thanks.”
“Anytime.
“Stop.” His voice held more bark than he’d been meaning for it to. But she was fucking packing a bag, shoving her clothes into it while it sat on their bed.
“No. I’m going. What if Marco is going to try to take Katy? You know the Santoros traffic women and children.” She pressed her hand to her stomach and shrank down into herself.
“Baby, that doesn’t make sense. He’d go after Emma and Addie. But it’s not him.”
“It makes perfect sense, John. If he takes me, he gets to finish what he started. Emma said I’m the first person to ever survive an attack from him. And you saved me. If he takes Katy… he takes your whole world away from you. Oh my god. That’s his plan. He’s going to take her.”
“Baby, look at me.” John placed a hand on each side of her head and waited until her eyes met his. When they did, he saw the pure panic racing towards the surface.
“I-I can’t… John…”
“Breathe, Abby.” John stepped towards her, moving so her back was firmly pressed against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. “It’s just a panic attack, sweetheart. You’re okay. Everything is going to be okay as long as you just breathe.”
“He can’t hurt h-her. Or y-you.” She was hyperventilating. Her breaths were coming so short and so fucking rapid that he knew she was going to pass out if he didn’t get through to her.
“It. Is. Not. Him. Do you hear me? Do you understand? It’s not Marco, and I’ll call Sebastian right now to have him confirm that. So just breathe.”
Abby clawed at her jacket, and John pressed her hands down to her sides before reaching up to pull the zipper down. He didn’t just lower it past her neck. He kept going until the entire thing was undone, and he was able to pull her body free from the fabric. When she was out of it, Abby turned and buried her face into his chest.
They fell into silence, but John never stopped stroking his fingers over her exposed skin, letting her soak up his calm until her breaths elongated and returned to a normal rhythm.
“How can you know?” she whispered. “How can you know for sure that it’s not him?”
“Seb calls me with updates. When you were recovering from your attack and they caught him, I made Sebastian promise to keep me in the loop with updates about Marco. We talked yesterday. Yesterday, Abby. He’s still in custody. It’s not him.”
“I didn’t know you did that.”
“I didn’t want you to know, baby. I don’t ever want you to have to think about him.”
She nodded, her head returning to its place on his chest. She reached up and massaged her head. He was so fucking thankful he hadn’t taken off his jacket when he’d gotten home or in the time since then, because he was able to reach into his pocket and get something to help her without having to let her out of his arms. He uncapped the vial and the familiar scent of peppermint filled the room. With a little of the oil on his fingertips, John began to massage her temples.
“You don’t have to?—”
“Abby. I know your head hurts. Just let me.”
His fingers slid over her skin as he continued to gently massage the oil into her temples, before he moved down her jaw and onto her neck. “You are too good for me, John,” she whispered. “So sweet. Your touch saved my life, and here you are using it to heal me, too.”
“We should get to bed.”
“I just… if it wasn’t Marco,” she whispered as John helped her stand. “Then who the hell was it?”
“I don’t know, baby. But we’re going to figure it out. Together.”