Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
The sound of Charlotte’s terrified scream split the air and bounced off the damp stone walls, leading her down into the darkness. Ally’s heart lurched painfully in her chest when she saw the gun against her daughter’s temple.
“Ted,” she whispered, stepping closer, careful not to make any sudden moves. “Please, let her go. You don’t have to do this.” Her eyes were glued and Ted and Charlotte. Her sole purpose right now was to protect her daughter from the devil that held her.
Ted looked awful—wild-eyed, unshaven, sweat and snow mixing on his forehead. He looked thinner, almost skeletal. His hands trembled around the gun as he held it.
“You don’t get it!” he barked at her, his voice echoing through the tunnel. “They’re after me. Everyone’s after me. But if I have her, I have you. You can fix this.” He glared at Ally.
“Ted,” she said again softly, trying to reach the man that she used to know, the one she’d once believed had been a good man. “I’ll do whatever you want.”
Charlotte’s little face was red and wet with tears. “Mommy,” she sobbed as she reached out for her. “Please.”
Ally swallowed hard as her own eyes started burning. “You don’t want to hurt her. You want to hurt me, right?”
Ted blinked as if he was slightly confused, then his jaw set again. “Yes! It’s you I need!” he screamed.
“Then, just… let her go, and take me instead,” Ally said firmly, taking a step forward.
Joe’s head snapped toward her. “Ally, no,” he hissed, stepping in front of her.
She reached out and laid her hand gently on his arm, her fingers trembling slightly at their touch.
Would he ever know how much she’d come to love him? Would she get the chance to tell him?
When Joe turned toward her, their eyes met, and she whispered, “Trust me.”
His jaw tightened for a split second and she saw the war behind his eyes, the part of him that wanted to protect her at all costs fighting against the one that knew she wasn’t backing down.
Finally, he gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.
“Protect her at all costs,” she whispered. “Promise?”
He whispered, “I promise.” He swallowed hard and shifted his focus to Ted again.
Ally stepped around him and raised her palms as she kept her voice low and even.
“Ted, please. Just let Charlotte go to Joe, and I’ll go with you.
No one has to get hurt. She doesn’t even have a coat on or shoes.
You wouldn’t get far carrying her. I’m ready, let’s go.
” She motioned to her own coat and boots, which she’d pulled on over the reindeer pajama pants.
Ted hesitated for a moment. The barrel of the gun wavered slightly, then dropped away from her daughter’s temple. “You’ll really come with me?”
“Yes,” she said, forcing her voice to remain calm. “I’ll go wherever you want. Just let her go.”
Charlotte looked between them, sniffling, but thankfully remaining quiet.
“Go on to Joe, sweetheart,” Ally coaxed, holding out her hands. “It’s okay.”
Ted’s breathing grew uneven. Then his grip loosened just enough that Charlotte broke free and with a sob bolted straight into Joe’s arms.
Ted yanked Ally into his arms, and she held in a cry as he twisted her arm behind her back.
“Now you’ll pay, and then we’ll go get what I came for,” he growled into her ear.
The relief that her daughter was safe was overwhelming, raw and shattering.
She’s safe, she kept telling herself. No matter what happened now, her daughter was safe.
Joe was shielding her daughter from harm.
The man was already backing away from Ted, whispering into Charlotte’s ear, no doubt telling her to rush back down the tunnel and hide.
“I’ve got her,” Joe mouthed as their eyes locked. “I love you.”
She held in a sob, desperately wanting to tell him the same, but Ted yanked her back into the darkness.
Ally looked at Joe for a second, memorizing the warmth in his eyes, the strength in his voice.
“Ally!” Joe shouted, his voice echoing as the darkness swallowed her whole.
“What do you want?” she said as they made their way down the narrow tunnel. She could feel the gun in her back and knew better than to try and escape. Yet.
“Access to those offshore accounts,” he said, grunting when his shoulders hit the stone walls.
“What offshore accounts?”
“You know the ones,” he hissed. “The ones I had you open when that brat was born. I moved everything over to them. But the Feds have my computer and I don’t have access.
You do.” His grip tightened on her arm as he dragged her down a few passages, then doubled back as if he was lost. “When we have the funds, we can get out of the country. Together.”
Ally shook her head, trying to steady her breathing despite the cold, damp air in the tunnel and the speed at which Ted was pulling her along.
“I never opened an offshore account, Ted. I never did. Besides, do you think I would hand over anything that would help you escape justice?” She tried to slow their pace, praying, hoping that Aiden and everyone else would catch up with her in time.
His eyes darkened as his jaw tightened. “You think you’re so fucking clever, don’t you?
You were always playing me. You opened the account and took all the money I embezzled from the clients.
All those high-paying bastards that think they own me.
But I will get them back. I will get all that money and be more powerful than they are in this town.
And no one, not even your fucking lover boy or the Feds, can stop me. ”
The wind howled louder as Ted dragged her out onto the snowy beach. Snow whipped around her, stinging her face and making it almost impossible to see. The dunes were blanketed in white; the ocean beyond was gray and angry. Ted shoved her forward roughly.
“I warned you what would happen if you left me.” He laughed.
“I’m not yours, and I don’t have anything for you!
” she shouted over the wind, pulling her coat closer to block the worst of the cold.
“And even if I did have access to whatever money you think I do, you don’t deserve it!
You’re a criminal, a liar, a coward, a horrible father, and a crappy husband.
You’ve hurt everyone you touch! You should be paying for your crimes, not running away! ”
He swung the gun toward her and she flinched, but the cold steel cut through her cheek.
She fell into the snow as the wind blasted her.
Pain shot through her entire face, but she’d dealt with far worse.
She steadied herself after she landed on the frozen beach on her hands and knees.
Ted stood over her. “Don’t you fucking ever talk to me that way! ” he roared.
Her hand went instinctively to her jacket pocket as he moved closer. The kitchen knife that she’d hidden there before she’d followed Joe into the basement was cold and solid in her grip.
“You think you can talk to me like a fucking…” He lurched, reaching for her, and she rolled aside and drove the knife into his forearm with a sharp, desperate motion.
He screamed and stumbled backward, but she didn’t stop. She slashed out with the knife and dug it deep into his chest when he jerked toward her again. She watched him stumble as he grasped at the knife sticking out of his chest.
“Run!” she shouted to herself. Then she jumped up and sprinted through the blinding snow. The cold bit at her exposed skin, and the frozen sand crunched beneath her boots, slowing her escape.
Ted roared from somewhere behind her and gave chase. She stumbled in the drifted snow as her lungs froze, but she pushed forward, desperate to keep the distance between them. Snow was plastered to her hair, to her cheeks, and her coat was slick with frost and was wide open.
Her vision blurred from the snow hitting her face. She stopped running blindly and listened, but she couldn’t hear anything but her own heavy breathing. When she heard footsteps behind her, she turned and saw a dark shadow coming closer to her.
She turned to run away, just as a bright light cut across the darkness, lighting up the snow surrounding her.
“This is the coast guard,” a voice boomed over the sound of the wind. “Ted Garrison, you’re surrounded. Surrender now and drop your weapon!”
For a moment, Ally felt a wave of sheer relief. But then Ted rushed toward her. When he lunged at her again, his eyes wide and crazy, Ally completely froze. She knew this time she couldn’t outrun him.
Just as he reached her, his hands stretched out toward her, a single gunshot rang out. The sound echoed across the snowy beach.
Ted’s eyes jerked up to hers. His mouth was opened as if he’d been screaming at her. He stumbled once and faltered. The light swung around and illuminated his face, which was twisted in both shock and pain.
“You bitch,” he whispered before falling face-first into the snow at her feet.
Ally’s heart was hammering as she jerked back a couple steps. The snow turned red at her feet.
“Ally.” She heard her name somewhere behind her, an echo in the darkness.
Then warm strong arms wrapped around her, holding her, shielding her against the cold as she collapsed.
Charlotte was safe, she told herself over and over. Her daughter was safe. She hadn’t witnessed this. Would never know the horrors.
The bitter taste of adrenaline swirled inside her, and she began to shake uncontrollably.
She sank to her knees in the snow, gasping for air. The wind and waves drowned out every other noise.
The high-pitched buzzing dissipated enough for her to hear Joe whispering, “I’ve got you, baby. Charlotte’s safe. You’re safe. I love you.” He said it over and over.
Then words poured from her chest. Ripped out of her like a madwoman’s rants. She didn’t know what she said. Didn’t care.
He was here. Charlotte was safe.
Ted could no longer hurt them.
“Easy,” Joe said and suddenly she was floating. “I’m taking her back inside,” he said to someone. “No, the tunnels are faster. She’s freezing.”
“She’s bleeding,” someone said, and she felt Joe tense. Was that Aiden? Nick?
“Inside,” he said, and she felt her body lift as her eyes closed.
“J-Joe?”
“I’m here, baby.” His voice was right next to her.
“I l-love you. I c-can’t remember-ber if-f, I t-told you.” She shivered. Her body was shutting down fast, but she needed to say the words. If only once.
He chuckled. “At least a dozen times, but you can tell me again anytime you want once we’re inside. I love you too.”
She felt something brush against her lips just as she sank into the darkness.
She jerked awake when warm fingers touched her cheek.
“Easy,” someone said in a light tone.
She opened her eyes, but her vision was blurry.
“Ally, this is Chrissy. She’s an EMT. She’s going to patch you up. Okay?” Aiden said, standing somewhere beyond her vision.
She moved slightly to nod and winced.
“We’re going to take you to the hospital,” Joe said, and her eyes flew open.
“No.” She shook her head. “I don’t want to go.” She started sitting up. She was lying on the sofa in the living room. Her wet pajamas, coat, and boots had all been removed, and she was only wearing her tank top and underwear under the warm blanket.
“Easy,” Joe said, sitting beside her. “You have a nasty cut and bump on your head. They just want to run some scans.”
“I don’t want to go to the hospital.” She grabbed for his hands. “Charlotte?” She glanced around.
“She’s upstairs with Faye, getting dressed to go with us to get you checked out.”
She relaxed a little. “I’m naked.”
Joe smiled. “Not fully, but Faye is bringing you something you can slip into.” He nodded and then glanced around. “Here she is now.”
Suddenly, Charlotte flew across the room and wrapped herself around her. Ally’s arms held on tight as the two of them cried together.
“I’m so sorry, baby,” she said, meeting Joe’s eyes over her daughter’s head.
“Mama,” Charlotte cried over and over. “Daddy saved us.” She stopped and looked over at Joe. “I wished a good daddy for Christmas.” She smiled at him. “I wrote Santa and all.” She turned to Ally. “Now can he be my daddy?”
Ally’s head hurt too much to laugh, but the look in Joe’s eyes answered her daughter’s question. “Yes, baby, he can be your daddy.”
Joe wrapped his arms around them both and held on while Olaf jumped up next to her and started licking the water from her hair.