Chapter Twenty-Eight – Liam #2
It hadn’t taken us long to get back to the ranch. The moment the helicopter landed, I went to jump out, but Agent Hollows held me back and shook his head. “We don’t know where he is.”
“We do!” I yelled into the mic. “He was at the main barn.”
Agent Hollows shook his head. “He wants everyone to think he’s here at this spot. Where is Ms. Wilson?”
“I haven’t been able to get anyone to answer my texts. I think they’re all working the fire.”
“Krista!” I heard Chad say. We turned to see Krista, MaryAnne, and Mallory all standing back away from the barn, Howdy next to them with a rifle in his hands.
“That’s Mallory,” I said as Agent Hollows gave the order for everyone to get out. The agents all spread out to search for Jonathon as Chad and I rushed over to the girls.
“Are you okay?” I asked as I looked Mallory over.
“Yes, everyone is fine. Bubba and Larson were able to get all the animals out of the barn, Bubba was here. He saw Jonathon and started to chase him, he said. He ran into the barn and suddenly it caught fire. Bubba texted Billy ‘911 fire at main barn’ and we all piled into trucks and came.”
“I’m glad they didn’t leave you alone,” I said.
She shook her head. “Billy wasn’t about to leave us. He said he knew it was most likely a trap.”
“Has anyone seen Jonathon?” Agent Hollows asked no one in particular.
“No, not since Bubba chased him into the barn.”
“Mallory, this is Agent Hollows. He’s with the FBI.”
Reaching her hand out, Mallory shook it. “Hello, Agent Hollows.”
“Fire’s almost out!” Jimmy said as he made his way up to us. “Volunteer firefighters were here fast.”
“We’re sure everyone and everything got out?”
Jimmy nodded. “Bubba started opening stalls and they all took off running. Not many were in the barn, though, since they were out to pasture. Just three. Larson had already moved the mares and foals to the west pasture barn.”
I sighed in relief. “Quick action from everyone. Thank you.”
Jimmy smiled. “It was Bubba. If he hadn’t insisted on coming to the main barn, who knows what would have happened.”
I turned to Mallory and drew her in for a hug. “It’s okay. We’re going to find him.”
“This probably isn’t the best of times, but is there somewhere we can speak, Ms. Wilson?”
Mallory laced her fingers with mine. “Yes, um, I’m sure Billy and MaryAnne won’t mind us using their house.”
MaryAnne motioned for Agent Hollows to follow her. He gave some orders to the other agents, and asked Jimmy if he could help them and possibly spare another ranch hand since the fire was out. I wasn’t about to leave Mallory, even if I wanted to find Jonathon first and kill him with my bare hands.
We headed back to the house and were soon seated at the dining room table, drinks in front of everyone. Billy was covered in soot and looked like he wanted to take a shower. I leaned over and said, “Dude, you can go get cleaned up. He’s just going to interview Mallory about the kidnapping.”
He nodded. “Thanks, I think I will. I’m going to go out and check with Bubba and the fire department first.”
After excusing himself, Agent Hollows focused in on Mallory. “I’m sorry that we’re meeting like this, Ms. Wilson.”
She gave him a polite smile.
“Would you mind starting from the beginning and tell me what happened, right up until Mr. Sanders found you in his pasture.”
Mallory was about to speak when she suddenly went white as a ghost. “Did you hear that?”
Everyone paused.
“Hear what?” I asked.
“That laugh. It’s him. He’s in the house. He’s in the house!”
Before anyone could say anything, Jonathon appeared. Agent Hollows drew his gun, but Jonathon shot him.
Krista screamed, and Chad grabbed her and held her to him. Mallory stood on the other side of the kitchen, too stunned to move. Jonathon had the gun pointed at her.
“What are the damn odds you’d end up with him?”
His voice sounded full of anger, and when he looked at me, he snarled his lip. He focused back on Mallory.
“I thought for sure you’d know who I was that first day I walked into the house to interview you, but you had no clue.
I could have taken you at any moment, but I liked the little game of hide and seek.
At least until you got your memory back and started to piece everything together.
I knew it wouldn’t take you long to figure out where you had been held captive, and that was going to be a little too close to home for my liking. ”
Mallory quickly looked at me, and I motioned for her to get behind the kitchen island.
Billy was to my right, MaryAnne to my left, and poor Agent Hollows was on the floor.
I was pretty sure he had a vest on, though, but it looked like he hit his head on the chair on the way down. So he was out cold.
One quick look told me Billy had a gun tucked behind his back. Jonathon kept sweeping his eyes around the room, so we all had our hands up.
“That’s far enough, Chad. I’m not going to hurt her, she’s not my type. And besides, you’re my best friend, dude. Do you honestly think I’d hurt you?”
Chad stood facing Jonathon with Krista standing behind him. She had a few tears flowing down her cheek.
“Why didn’t you just run?” Mallory asked. “Why come back for me?”
He laughed and I saw Mallory stiffen.
“Have you looked in the mirror, Mallory? I’ll get a pretty nice price for you.”
She slowly shook her head. “How could you? What did you do with Emily?”
Jonathon’s eyes went to me. An evil grin appeared on his face.
He spoke to Mallory, but kept his eyes trained on me.
“Taking Emily was a spur of the moment kind of thing. I saw her getting gas and I pulled in. Said hi to her, and she acted like she didn’t want to have anything to do with me.
She didn’t like me for some reason, and that pissed me off.
So, I followed her, pulled her over like I was going to give her a ticket.
She was furious with me and got out of her car.
And I just decided I was going to take her.
It was easy, one punch and she was out cold. ”
“You son of–”
“Don’t,” Billy whispered.
“We had fun, me and Emily. I couldn’t bring myself to sell her, though, and I couldn’t let her go. She’d run straight to you and tell you all the terrible things I did to her. So I did what I had to do.”
Rage shook my entire body. Then I saw Randy. He had somehow snuck into the house and was standing around a corner. Mallory turned her head slightly and saw him as well.
Jonathon turned back to Mallory and said, “Don’t think about running. I’ve lost everything because of you, and you’re going to help me get it back.”
I tapped my foot and Billy moved closer to me. I wasn’t sure how in the hell he knew what I was going to do, but he did. He turned slightly, giving me better access to his gun. I needed to get Jonathon’s attention off of Mallory to give Randy time to grab her.
“You killed her?” I said suddenly.
Jonathon looked back at me, confused. “What?”
“You killed Emily.”
“No shit, dumbass.”
“Well, payback is a bitch,” I said as I yelled, “Now!”
Between me grabbing Billy’s gun and Jonathon seeing Randy grab Mallory, he was confused for a split second.
It was long enough for me to aim and shoot him.
The sounds of a woman screaming filled the air as I watched Jonathon’s shocked face as he fell to the floor.
MaryAnne quickly made her way to Agent Hollows as Billy and I got Jonathon.
The front door flew open, and we were suddenly surrounded by FBI agents and police officers.
Once they had control of Jonathon, I rushed out the back door and outside to see Randy was holding onto Mallory, who had her face buried in his chest.
“Mallory.”
She turned and ran so fast, she nearly knocked me over when she jumped into my arms. I held her tightly as she cried.
“Shh, it’s okay. It’s over now. It’s all over now. You’re safe, baby, like I promised.”
##
It felt like it took forever for the authorities to allow us to leave Billy’s house and return to our place.
I wasn’t sure who had driven my truck back to the ranch, but I was thankful.
Chad and Krista had gone to the house and gotten their things and headed back to their place in town.
I couldn’t blame them. Chad was concerned about Krista, and I knew he said they felt safer being all together, but I wished they had gone back home and never stayed.
She wouldn’t have gone through all that stress.
The drive back to our house was silent. I wanted to ask Mallory if she was okay, but I knew it would be a stupid question. Instead, I held her hand and waited for her to speak.
I parked and we walked hand in hand up the steps and into the house. Mallory dropped to her knees and hugged Piper when she saw her. Then she started to cry again. I bent down and picked her up and carried her to the sofa.
“I was so scared, Liam. When he pointed the gun at you, I thought for sure he was going to kill you. They way he looked at you with such hate.”
I cupped her face in my hands and said calmly, “Everyone is okay. Nothing is ever going to happen to you or to me, Chad, Krista, no one. Jonathon is going to rot in jail for all the crimes he committed.”
She slowly shook her head. “I can’t believe the FBI had a tip that it was Jonathon and they were closing in on him like that.”
“Me either.”
She laced her fingers with mine. “I’m so sorry about Emily.”
Lifting her hand, I kissed her wrist. “I am too. I hate that I wasn’t able to save her, and I don’t even want to think about what he did to her. I can only hope she didn’t suffer for long. And I thank God that you managed to get away from him and He brought you to me.”
She smiled for the first time in what felt like days. “I am too.”
Tears started to well up in her eyes again, and I could tell she was fighting to keep them at bay.
“It’s over. You and I get to start a whole new life together.”
Mallory smiled through her tears. “I love the sound of that.”
“How about we go shower and get some sleep.”
Her eyes closed and she nodded. “That sounds heavenly.”
I barely had the energy to take a shower, but I needed to wash away—or attempt to, anyway—everything that happened today.
It wasn’t over, even though I had told Mallory it was.
And I know she knew that as well. There would be a trial, Mallory would have to testify, and most likely, so would Chad. I hated that for him and Krista.
No. It was far from over, but Mallory was safe, my family was safe, and that was the only thing that mattered to me.