Carrie
Carrie
C arrie felt like a fool. She had blown up and pushed everyone who loved her out of her life. It wasn’t her finest hour, telling Evan that she needed time because it took her all of two minutes to figure out that she had made the biggest mistake of her life. All she really wanted to do was call Evan and tell him that she was a fool. She wanted to tell him that she was in love with him, and no amount of time would change her feelings.
She had tried calling Evan over a dozen times, her calls all going straight to voicemail. Maybe she deserved to be ignored. Maybe it was his way of letting her know that he was finished with her, but something still felt off. There was no way that she was going to call Alex after the way that he spoke to her, but she knew that Rod would give her advice on what to do next, and she could really use some advice right about now.
Luckily, Rod answered her call right away. “Hey, Carrie,” he said, “what’s up?”
“What’s up is that I’m an idiot and I can’t reach Evan to tell him that?”
“I’m pretty sure that he knows you’re an idiot,” Rod teased. “He left here a few hours ago, saying that he was going to sit outside your door to keep an eye on you. Did you check your hallway?”
She quickly made her way over to her front door and looked out of the peephole to find her hallway completely empty. “He’s not in my hallway,” she said. “I’m really worried,” she admitted. “All of my calls go right to voicemail, and no matter how mad he might be at me, he wouldn’t just leave me hanging like that.”
“No, he wouldn’t,” Rod agreed. “Before he left here, he read Alex the riot act and then swore to protect you and your baby no matter what. He even admitted that he had fallen in love with you, but I’m not sure that I was supposed to tell you that part.”
“No, I don’t suppose that you were,” Carrie teased. “But he said that—really?”
“He did, so I don’t think that he’d ignore your calls after proclaiming to be in love with you. Something’s not right.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” Carrie insisted. She knew that Evan would never give up on her, no matter how terribly she had treated him. “Will you help me find him?” she asked.
“I will, but I don’t want you to leave your apartment,” Rod insisted. “You might not like to hear this, but Alex sent two guards after you when you left here. They are watching your place and apparently, your ex has some guys watching your apartment too. We need you to stay put. It’s safe for you there if you stay in your apartment.”
“Alex sent guards to watch me?” she asked.
“He did,” Rod admitted, “he might be an ass, but he’s just that way because he cares about you.”
“I know that. You both are the brothers that I never had, and I love you for wanting to help me. Right now, I just need to find Evan so I can tell him how sorry I am.”
“We’ll find him. I’m sure that he just got sidetracked on his way over to your place. I’ll call Luke Tracy now and ask him to locate Evan. I’ll let you know when we have news,” Rod promised.
“Thanks, Rod,” Carrie said. She ended the call and looked back out of the peephole to see that the hallway was still empty. It was going to kill her to follow Rod’s orders and stay in her apartment, but she wouldn’t put her baby at risk. She knew Alastair, and if he had guys watching her place, he would show up again sooner or later, and she wasn’t about to let him get his hands on her or her baby.
The soft knock at her door just before bedtime startled her. She wasn’t going to be able to sleep anyway, since she had no news from Rod or Alex, but she at least planned on laying down to rest for a bit. She pulled on her robe and looked out the peephole to see Luke Tracy standing in the hallway. Carrie quickly pulled the door open, fearing that Luke was there to give her some bad news.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, opening the door to him.
“I’m not sure,” Luke admitted. “I got a call from Rod a few hours ago that Evan wasn’t answering his cell phone and I stopped by his place, but his car isn’t there and no one seems to be at home.”
“Where is he then?” she asked. “Does anyone know where Alastair is?”
“No,” Luke admitted, “unfortunately, we lost him, but I picked up three of his guys in the parking garage downstairs and they are being questioned by the local authorities. I also questioned one of Evan’s neighbors and they said that they saw him come home from work early today. Then, they said that a man with long, dark hair drove his car out of his garage hours later, but there was no sign of Evan.”
“Oh, God,” she breathed, “that sounds like Alastair.”
“I thought so too,” he said. “So, I showed Evan’s neighbor a picture of Alastair that Alex sent me when we found out that he was in town. She confirmed that it was him. I’m sorry, Carrie, but we just don’t know where Evan is right now.”
“Has anyone gone into his house?” she asked. “If he wasn’t in the car, maybe Alastair left him there and took his car when he realized that I wasn’t there.”
“My cop friend is getting a warrant to search Evan’s house. We can’t just break in, even if we do believe that there has been foul play.”
“Right, but can you let yourself in with my key to his house?” she asked.
“I can,” Luke admitted.
“Great,” she breathed, pulling her purse from the hook by the door. “Here is the key and you have my permission to go in, but only if I can come with you.”
“Not a chance,” Luke said. “Alex will kill me if I let you go with me. If Alastair has set a trap and I’m walking into it, I don’t want you with me.”
“I’m not safe anywhere that I go,” she insisted. “I just need to know that Evan’s all right. Please.”
Poor Luke didn’t seem to know what to say to her pleas. “Fine,” he sighed. “You can go with me, but you will do exactly what I tell you to do—got it?” he asked.
“Yep,” Carrie agreed. “I will follow your instructions to the letter.”
He shook his head at her and smiled, “Get your coat so that we can get out of here.” She didn’t even bother to ask him if she should change. Carrie didn’t want to waste the time doing so. She pulled her jacket over her robe and put her purse up onto her shoulder.
“Ready,” she said.
“You sure?” he asked, looking over her crazy outfit.
“We’re wasting time,” she grumbled. “I’m not going to change my clothes while Evan might need us.” She was sure that time was of the essence and getting over to his house was going to be the only way to help him—she just felt it in her bones.
“Stick close to me,” Luke said as they pulled up to Evan’s house. “And if we encounter anyone besides Evan, you stay behind me. Got it?”
“Yes,” she agreed, “don’t worry, Luke. I’m not a hero and I’d never do anything to put my baby in danger.”
“Good to know,” Luke said. He pulled his gun from his holster, and she gasped.
“Is that really necessary?” she asked.
“Completely,” he said, “Alex didn’t want me to tell you this, but Alastair shot one of my men.”
“Oh, God,” Carrie breathed.
“He’s going to be all right, but your ex has really stepped up his game in trying to find you. Unfortunately, we’re not dealing with a stable man. Alastair has gone crazy trying to find you.”
“I’m sorry that this has caused you so much trouble, Luke,” she said. “But I appreciate your help.”
“No problem,” Luke said, “let's get in there and hopefully find Evan.” She said a little prayer that they would find him inside, alive and well, but she had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. If she had lost her chance to tell Evan how she truly felt about him, she’d never forgive herself.
Carrie followed Luke into the garage, sticking close and staying behind him as he ordered. He pointed to some drops of blood on the kitchen floor, and she covered her hand over her mouth to keep from crying out. He put his finger to his lips as if telling her to keep quiet and she nodded.
She noticed the light coming from the basement and pointed to the door. Luke nodded and started to pull it open when maniacal laughter filled the kitchen. She would know that laugh anywhere. “Alastair,” she breathed, turning to find him holding a gun pointed right at her belly. Carrie covered her hands over her tummy as a sob escaped her chest.
“Drop the gun,” he said to Luke, “or I’ll kill both her and the baby.”
“Luke,” she sobbed.
“It’s okay, Carrie,” Luke assured.
“How about you do as I’ve asked, Luke, and we’ll all walk out of here unscathed?” Alastair offered. Luke dropped his gun and Alastair told him to have a seat in one of Evan’s kitchen chairs. He pulled out a pair of handcuffs and handed them to Carrie. “Chain him to the chair,” Alastair ordered.
“You won’t get away with this,” Carrie spat.
Alastair chuckled, “I’d really love to say that it’s good to see you, Carrie,” Alastair taunted, “but you did run away from home and took my unborn child with you.”
“I did what I had to do to keep my baby safe. You’re not the man I thought that you were,” she sobbed.
“I’m exactly whom you thought I was. You just couldn’t change me, and that’s why you left,” Alastair insisted.
“What do you want from me?” she asked.
“I’d like for you to come home with me. You, the baby, and me—we can be a family,” Alastair said.
“You don’t want me,” Carrie said. “Once the baby comes, you’ll find a way to get rid of me.”
“That’s not true,” Alastair insisted, “our baby will need his mother. As long as you cooperate, you will be necessary, and I’ll allow you to stick around.”
“And if I don’t cooperate?” she asked.
“I’ll have to find AlastairJr., new Mum.” The thought of anyone else raising her child made her sick. There was no way that she’d allow her baby to be alone to be raised by Alastair.
“What happens if I don’t agree to your terms?” she asked.
“I’ll kill Luke there and then; we’ll head downstairs where I’ll finish your new boyfriend off. He’s been waiting for you, honey,” Alastair taunted.
“What did you do to him?” she whispered.
“Oh, he didn’t cooperate, so I had to rough him up a bit, but he’s still alive if that makes you feel any better.” It didn’t, but she wasn’t about to tell him that. All she wanted to do was go down to find Evan in the basement, but she was sure that Alastair wasn’t going to let that happen.
“So, what’s it going to be?” he asked. “Will you be coming home with me willingly or do I need to leave a few extra bodies behind for your cousins to find?”
“They won’t let you get away with any of this, Alastair,” she said. She knew a little something that her ex didn’t—her cousins were standing behind him and they were both armed. She liked her odds of being right about Alex and Rod never letting her ex take her anywhere.
“Well, they’re not here to stop me, so there’s that,” Alastair taunted.
Alex cleared his throat behind him, and Rod pushed his gun into Alastair’s side. “Surprise, asshole,” Rod hissed. “How about you drop the gun so that we don’t have to leave your body behind?” he asked. Carrie felt as though she was holding her breath waiting to see what Alastair would do next. It came down to if he wanted to die or live at this point and she really hoped he wanted the latter.
“You won’t stop me from coming back here for my baby,” he said to Rod, handing over his gun to Alex.
“Sure we will,” Alex said. “You see, the local authorities are on their way here and they’ll be wanting to talk to you about shooting one of my security guards and holding my cousin and two business associate’s hostage. I’m betting that you’ll be staying in America for a while—but it will be behind bars.”
“Evan’s down the basement,” Carrie said as Rod uncuffed Luke and the two led Alastair out into the garage to wait for the cops. “I don’t know if I can go down there. What if he’s hurt, or worse?”
Alex nodded, “I’ll go down first. You stay here.”
“Where’s my father?” she asked.
Alex turned back to smile at her, “He’s at my house, playing with my kids. He says that he’s practicing for your baby.” She choked back her sob and nodded. Because of her cousins, her baby would have his or her grandpa to play with now.
“Thank you, Alex,” she whispered.
“Any time, cuz. Now, let me go down and check on Evan. When the paramedics get here, send them down.” She nodded and watched him disappear down the stairs and when she heard Evan’s voice answer Alex’s calls, she cried out to him.
“Just stay up there,” Alex ordered. He’s in pretty bad shape and will need help to get up the stairs. As if on cue, the paramedics rushed into the kitchen and she pointed to the stairs, unable to tell them anything else.
It felt like hours, not minutes before they brought Evan up, Alex bringing up the rear of the rescue party. Carrie wasn’t sure if she wanted to throw herself on top of him or stay out of the way. “Carrie,” he whispered, reaching for her. She knew that she had to go to him. It wasn’t something that she’d be able to keep from doing.
“I’m so sorry, Evan,” she sobbed.
“This isn’t your fault,” he insisted. He looked like someone had beaten the hell out of him. Dried blood coated the side of his face and he moaned when they sat him up on the gurney. “Did you get Alastair?” he asked Alex.
“We did, and I’m betting that he’ll be going away for a very long time,” he assured.
“What did he do to you?” she asked.
“He did a little batting practice with my head, but I’ll live—right?” he asked one of the paramedics. The man nodded and asked Carrie if she wanted to ride with him in the ambulance.
“Is that okay?” she asked Evan.
“Of course,” he agreed. “We have a lot to talk about, honey.”