Chapter 16 #2
final custody determination. Savannah Webster will have custody on the weekends. Hezekiah Webster is to have no contact with
the child for two reasons. First, Alabama does not permit an unmarried couple to adopt, and it would be inappropriate to give
temporary custody of a child to a couple who can’t adopt him. Second, Mr. Webster’s presence appears to increase the danger
to the child. For whatever reason, all the child endangerment incidents have occurred when he was with Simon. He was the only
one present when the Websters’ daughter drowned, for example. The intruder who pulled a gun on Simon was in Mr. Webster’s
condo. And so on. Finally, when he is in Ms. Webster’s custody, Simon is not to be allowed within one hundred yards of any
body of water deep enough to be over his head.”
The judge and the lawyers moved on to discuss setting a final custody hearing, appointing a guardian ad litem, and other matters. Hez couldn’t focus on what they were saying. He was too stunned. Was the judge right that his presence put Simon in danger? Would he ever see his nephew again?
The scent of flowers in the warm May breeze did nothing to calm Savannah’s agitation as she and Simon walked the dogs along
the field fronting the swamp. There was only one road along the meadow, and it usually had no traffic. She’d hoped the serenity
would ground her, but her insides vibrated with outrage.
It was Sunday afternoon and they should be at their new home. She should be working on the new kitchen with Hez while Simon
explored the house grounds. But her nephew would never be allowed to live there. The judge’s order specifically said he couldn’t
be within one hundred yards of water. Their home was closer than that to Mobile Bay, so where did that leave them? Would they
have to stay in a hotel on the weekends or with friends? It was all so unfair.
Simon chattered excitedly about getting to be with his grandfather. “And my cousins are going to teach me how to shoot a gun
and drive an ATV.”
Savannah stopped short to face him, and Marley plowed into her leg. “Simon, those are not safe activities. Do you know how
many kids are injured and killed on ATVs every year? I want you to be safe.”
He rolled his eyes as only a kid could do. “I can’t wait to be a part of my family. Being with my cousins is almost like having brothers and sisters. And Pawpaw is great! You just don’t want me to have any fun.”
There was no comeback she could make to that. No matter what she said, she only succeeded in pushing him further away. Were
she and Hez being selfish by trying to keep custody of him when he so desperately wanted to be with his grandfather? The Willards
were his family too, and Jess had loved them and spent time with them. But in spite of that, she hadn’t appointed any of the
Willards as Simon’s guardian. There had to be a reason for Jess’s decision. Savannah believed her sister had known the dark
depths in that family and had wanted to protect her son from them.
And Savannah had failed.
Cody squirreled around Simon’s legs, and the boy knelt to pet him. “I’m going to miss my dog, though. Pawpaw doesn’t want
his big dogs to hurt him.”
“Marley is big and he’s good with Cody. Are Michael’s dogs mean?”
“Well, they’re guard dogs, I guess. They aren’t very friendly.”
Not only did she have to worry about guns and ATVs, but she had to fear a mauling. The judge had made the wrong decision,
and there was nothing they could do about it.
Simon threw a tennis ball, and Cody sprang after it. Watching the dog run on those short Chihuahua legs with his Great Dane
ears flopping made Savannah chuckle in spite of her morose mood. “Get it, Cody!” The dog galloped after the green ball toward
the street as a black SUV approached and screeched to a halt.
Three masked men jumped out and came toward them across the grass.
Savannah froze and glanced around for help, but no one else was out here.
Her adrenaline surged, and she reached for Simon, but he wasn’t paying attention and ran toward the dog.
One of the men grabbed Cody by the collar, and the dog yelped and struggled.
Simon sprang at the man and pushed him. “Leave my dog alone.”
Savannah rushed forward and yanked him back from the man, then gave him a slight shove in the opposite direction. “Hide in
the swamp!” She balled her fists and pummeled the guy in the belly as he started after the boy. He wrestled to try to get
her out of the way, but she kneed him in the groin and scratched at his face with her nails.
“Get the kid,” he snarled to the other two. He flipped Savannah around and got her in a chokehold.
No matter how she tore at his arm, bulging with muscles, she couldn’t budge his grip. As her oxygen ran out, she saw stars,
and then his free hand rose with a syringe.
A slight sting pricked her neck before he hauled her across the grass to the SUV and tossed her inside before crawling in
beside her. Savannah tried to throw open the door, but it was locked and her brain couldn’t figure out how to unlock it.
Another man threw Simon in beside her and went around to the driver’s door. Marley growled and snapped at the third man’s
legs, but strong hands grabbed Marley and dragged him away. Savannah’s captor climbed into the passenger seat and shut the
vehicle door. Her vision began to fade.
Stay awake, stay awake. But the drug was swirling in her veins, dimming her senses. She closed her eyes and fell into the blackness.