Chapter 14
Ashley
***
I laid on the bed turning the card over and over in my hand with a silly grin on my face. This meant so much to me. That he would trust me like this said a lot. As if the giddiness that still lingered from what we’d shared the night before wasn’t enough, this on top of that was enough to make my heart burst with emotion.
I rolled around on the bed feeling so loved, so cherished, and absolutely spoilt. I didn’t need this gesture to prove his love for me of course. Each time he touched me it was hard to miss. But this, this was another step forward for us I think.
I suddenly realized that I’d never held this much money in my hands at once. Sure it wasn’t actual paper money, but it was as good as. I sat bolt upright in bed. What if it was a trap? After all hadn’t my own aunt just tried to swindle him? What if he’d given me this card to see my reaction?
I looked at the card like it was a snake about to strike. I didn’t come from wealth, not the kind of wealth Simon enjoyed. What if I did something wrong? What if I over spent? Would he see me as just another gold digger? Would everyone else? I’d never cared much about his wealth until now .
When I looked at him, I didn’t see dollar signs. There was so much more to love about him. Like the way he stood with his head cocked to the side when he was listening to me go on and on about something or another. Or the way he rolled the sleeves of his fitted sweaters to just below his elbows. And the way he shoved his hands into the front pockets of his slacks. Or how about the way his hair was wild and all over the place when he awoke in the morning? Would all of that now be overshadowed by doubt?
Panic set in as I tried to calm myself, to get back to that feeling of only a few short minutes ago. Could he be setting me up? I didn’t think so, but already I was buying things in my head. What did that say about me if anything? Did it mean that I was using him?
Inside, I knew that to be false, but what if that was the impression he got? I thought of the beautiful dress that I’d always wanted, the one I’d already priced over the years as trends changed. What if I decided to ditch that since I could now afford something more extravagant? Did that mean I was a user?
My stomach hurt with the implications and what had seemed like a good thing a little while ago now seemed like an albatross. Was it wrong to want nice things, to dream? I’d not given his money much thought until now. But what if he had?
I flung myself from the bed and got dressed in a hurry, calling down for the car. Tony didn’t ask too many questions once I told him I was going to my parents’ house, and I didn’t correct his assumption that Simon knew about my little trip.
Mom would know what to do. I threw the card in my bag and flung it over my shoulder as I ran down the stairs and out the house. Outside, the air was crisp and fall was in full bloom, but my usual joy in the season was tarnished by the thoughts in my head.
If Tony noticed my subdued manner, he didn’t mention it and I was glad for the silence as I tried to bring order to my thoughts. I rushed out of the car with a quick goodbye and I’ll call you when I’m ready and ran inside to my mom.
“Ashley. I wasn’t expecting you.” She was in the kitchen having her morning coffee. The cup stopped halfway to her lips when she got a good look at my face. “What is it, what’s wrong?”
“Oh momma.” I threw myself at her the way I did when I was a child and was hurt by some slight or other that seemed like the end of the world.
“Oh sweetheart, did you two have a fight? It’s not the end of the world.” I shook my head wildly and tried to explain through sobs until I got it all out.
“Oh, don’t be silly. I’m sure he doesn’t think any such thing. Now dry your tears and tell me what’s going on.”
“Momma, I told you. What if he thinks that’s all I want from him? What if he thinks I’m like her?” She rolled her eyes at that and sat me down next to her after cleaning my face. “I’m sure that’s not true. Why all you have to do is look at him to see how he cares for you. I think it’s just all hitting you at once is all and that’s natural.”
“What is?” I’m not sure we were talking about the same thing. She seemed rather relaxed while my whole world was falling apart. “Look honey. Your dad and I have always done our best to give you the things you need. Now you have this man showering you with gifts and giving you a card with no limit, bless his heart.” She smiled and shook her head.
“Of course you’re gonna want to shop, who wouldn’t? But it doesn’t make you a bad person. Did you ask him for the card?”
“Of course not.” I wiped new tears from my eyes and listened. I was already starting to feel better from the soothing tone of her voice.
“Well, there you have it, you didn’t ask and he gave it freely of his own free will. I’d think he’d expect you to use the thing. Besides, as the wife of such an established man you’re going to need to change a few things don’t you think? So what if he wants you to look nice? I think it’s sweet. Your dad gives me money all the time, does that make me a gold digger?”
“No but that’s different.”
“How so? Okay, so your Simon has a bit more in the bank than dad but it’s the same principle dear. I think it shows that he doesn’t think that of you.” She spent the next half hour calming me down and trying to get me to see the light. I felt better for coming and that sick feeling soon evaporated.
We spent the next few hours chatting and going over wedding stuff, but always in the back of my mind was that damn card. I suddenly had an idea and jumped up from the table. “I know exactly what I need to do. Come with me mom I’m going get Simon something nice, it will be my first purchase.” The idea, made me feel a whole lot better.
“That’s a sweet idea but I can’t. Your dad is expecting a package and someone needs to sign for it. If I miss it again he’ll probably shoot me.” She grinned and I hoped that I would still be that warm toward Simon when we’d been together as long as they have.
“Well can I take the car? Tony’s supposed to pick me up when I’m ready so I’ll just come back here when I’m done and have him pick me up.”
“Sure, you know where the keys are, have fun. And no speeding.”
I ignored her, since I do not speed and grabbed the keys on my way out. I was feeling ten times better than I did when I showed up here and my step was much lighter. Of course she was right. Simon loved me. And besides, he’s not the type to make such a gesture unless he meant it.
The morning’s angst faded away as I drove on, my excitement growing with each mile that went by. Now, I could enjoy the air that streamed through the slightly opened window and I even turned up the carols that were playing on the radio. This was going to be a spectacular holiday; I could feel it.
I made it to the mall in record time and was bubbling over with new joy as I parked and got out. The parking lot as was to be expected this time of year, was packed from one end to the next, so I had to park a ways away from the entrance. No bother, it was the middle of the day and I wasn’t planning on being here long. I didn’t see the man that approached until he was right there and then it was too late. I didn’t even have time to scream.
** *
Simon
***
Where the hell is she? I’d taken a much- needed break from my work and she was the first thing on my mind once I came up for air. She wasn’t answering the house phone and her cell went straight to voicemail.
I didn’t panic right away, she could be out in the gardens or in the tub, but something niggled at the back of my mind. I called Tony on the off chance that he was driving her somewhere. “Hey Tony, where’s Ashley?”
“I took her to her mom’s a few hours ago. Everything okay?”
“It’s fine, I didn’t know she was going over there today. I’ll just call her there.” I hung up and searched for the number in my phone. She was probably knee deep in wedding plans instead of studying.
Her mom answered on the second ring and I breathed a little easier. “Hello Ms. Janet, it’s Simon, can I talk to Ashley?”
“She’s not back yet.”
“Not back from where?” Now the panic was beginning to set in.
“She drove my car to the mall I think… ”
“Okay thanks.” I hung up and called Sam right away.
“Sam where are you?”
“Sitting outside her office. She hasn’t moved since she got here this morning why?”
“I can’t find Ashley, she’s at the mall. Get there now I’ll meet you.” I rushed out of the office and headed for my truck with a sickening pain in my gut.
I was probably fretting for nothing, her phone could’ve died or something as simple as that, but better safe than sorry. A million scenarios ran through my head as I made my way to her, none of them good. If anything happened to her…no I won’t let myself think it. No way I was going to lose her now; life wouldn’t be so cruel. There was still so much more we had yet to share.
I pulled into the parking lot just as Sam entered from the other side. It was only then I realized I had no idea what her mom’s car looked like and the place was crowded. Sam saw me and drove to meet me halfway. I was about to call her mother and ask for a description of her vehicle when something caught my eye and I was afraid I’d found it.
The crowd, police and mall security surrounding the still running car told me all I needed to know. “Please no.” I think I screamed her name out loud but it might’ve been all in my head. I threw myself from the truck with the engine still running, and Sam hot on my heels .
I approached with my head spinning and my guts in knots. “Where is she?” There were the only words I could get past the hurt in my throat.
“Sir, who are you?” I barely looked at the uniformed officer who turned to me.
“I think my fiancée was driving this car. What happened?”
An older lady in her sixties approached.
“He just took her. It happened so fast there was nothing I could do, I…”
“Sir, what’s your name and who is the young lady?” I gave him the information and from the look on his face I knew it was her mom’s car and that I’d just confirmed who it was that had been taken. No one knew what kind of car her abductor was driving, the lady who’d witnessed it had only seen a man forcing a woman into a truck and speeding off.
No description, no plate, no make and model. The cops were talking but all I heard was buzzing in my ears as the world went in and out of focus. He’s fucking dead, and if he touched a hair on her head his end will be harsh and swift. Sam caught my attention before I could lose my shit and pulled me aside.
“I have him, the tracker we placed under his truck is moving let’s go.” He headed back for his car and I mine. We sped out of the lot leaving the cops staring after us. They had a job to do and so did I. They probably weren’t through questioning me but my standing around there wasn’t going to get her back and that’s all that I was interested in.
I followed Sam as he left the city and headed into Shelby County proper. We were doing ninety easy and if I got pulled over they’d probably end up shooting me because I wasn’t about to stop for anything.
I grew increasingly nervous as we passed the town and headed for the more wooded area on the outskirts. Nothing but river rats lived in these parts as far as I know, and nothing good could be waiting for us here. Sam stopped up ahead at what looked like a dead end that led into trees and brush. There was a truck parked there and I watched him get out and check the hood as I climbed out.
“Is this it?”
“Yes, it’s still warm he just stopped so they couldn’t have gone far.” Just then we heard the motor of an ATV getting deeper into the woods. I didn’t wait; just pulled the glock I’d grabbed from my safe in the office and started into the brush.
“Should I call for back-up?”
“No.”
It felt like hours had passed when we finally stopped just outside of a small clearing. I’d tossed my jacket a while ago and rolled up my sleeves. My neck and arms were scratched from the brambles but I didn’t feel a thing. All my energy was concentrated on the little wooden cabin that was hidden there.
The place looked like it had seen better days, with one side of the roof hanging down under the burden of fallen branches. The air was still here, as if it had been disturbed recently and just settled again. The red ATV was parked off to the side closer to the back as if the rider had tried to hide it in the brush.
“Wait.” Sam put out a hand to stop my forward movement and I almost shot him. “Let’s go around the back this way. If we go through the front there’s a good chance he’ll see us coming.” He was right of course. My only thought was getting her away from him, but I had to use my head .
Chapter 15
Ashley
***
I looked around the room for any means of escape after he tied me to a chair. My arms and legs were cut and bleeding but that was the least of my worries. How was I going to get myself out of this? No one knew where I was and my phone was still back in mom’s car.
It was the guy from the campus, the one who’d given me the creeps. I saw now that the facial hair was indeed fake and that more than anything sent fear racing through my heart. Why would he need a disguise? It was hard not to let fear take over, and I marveled at the way the mind works, because I was trying to remember every abduction story I’d ever watched on one of those investigative shows mom is so fond of.
Even though he’d kept ranting and raving on the way here, I still had no idea who he was or what he wanted with me. If he was a stalker, he was damn good at it because I didn’t even know he existed until that day he’d approached me on campus. I couldn’t for the life of me imagine who else he could be.
I followed him around the room with my eyes as he kept repeating the same thing over and over. Something about me thinking I could stand in the way of him getting what was his due. I’d stopped asking him who he was or what this was about because he didn’t answer. So instead, I paid attention to what he was saying in the off chance that it made sense and I could talk my way out of this.
He was wild looking today. Nothing at all like the character who’d approached me before. He wondered out loud if anyone had seen him take me, and though it was my only hope, I wasn’t sure anyone had. I thought of Simon and what he’d feel as he stood over my corpse, as I was sure that’s what was going to happen to me.
The morning’s drama suddenly seemed so pointless. Had I not convinced myself that Simon would see me differently, I never would’ve got the bright idea to buy him something first before I spent a dime of his money on myself, and I wouldn’t have gone to the stupid mall. They probably didn’t have anything in there he’d want anyway.
Of course now that I thought of it-it was too late. I was already starting to mourn the life I could’ve had. All the beautiful things I would’ve shared with my Simon and it hurt like a knife slicing through my soul. I made a sound of anguish and he turned angry eyes on me. I wasn’t about to tell him what I was thinking though so I thought of something fast.
“My hands really hurt, could you maybe loosen this a little?” He just glared, but said nothing. My legs were beginning to tremble as he paced the room. What was he going to do? It would help if I knew what this was about, but nothing he said so far shed any light.
I knew that I didn’t know him-had never seen him until that day on campus. So when or how had I crossed him? He stopped suddenly in front of me and my fear factor went up a notch. I swallowed around the lump in my throat and fought not to pee myself.
“Okay, I want you to say these words. I’m okay for now, but if you don’t do as he says he’s going to kill me.” He held a phone out to me and waited. For some reason that pissed me off. I knew what I was supposed to do. I was supposed to do as he said. But if this asshole was going to kill me anyway, why should I make it easy for him? Maybe the longer I held off the longer I’d get to live and somebody just might find me before it’s too late. That was a lot to think about in a short space of time, but I was going on instinct.
“No.” His face registered shock ten seconds before he hauled off and slapped me across the face. I cried out before I could stop myself and that’s when all hell broke loose.
There was a crash at the door and a shot, followed by a yell of outraged pain. Through a flurry of movement, I saw Simon’s pale face as he tore the rope from my arms and legs before lifting me from the chair. I barely had time to notice another man holding my captor at gunpoint as he laid on the floor clutching his arm.
“Let me see you are you okay baby? Did her hurt you?” His palm covered the heat in my cheek from where I’d been slapped and his eyes smoldered. I was too overcome with relief to form words and just went limp in his arms as he hurried me to the car. I had to pee so bad I was afraid I would go on myself but the relief mixed with fear held it locked inside.
“Stay here baby, I’ll be right back.”
“No don’t leave me.” I looked around the isolated place in fear as I clutched at him. Now that I was free, all I wanted was to go home. I didn’t even care what happened to the crazy man who could even now be heard raving like a lunatic.
“You’ll be fine, I promise. Just let me take care of something.” He extricated himself from my arms, which barely had any feeling left and headed back inside. The other man came out and stood guard next to the car as Simon walked in.
Now, I was worried for a different reason. I’d seen the gun in his hand. What if he shot that guy? He’d go to jail for sure and it would be my fault. I started to get out of the car but the door was held shut against me. The towering man who stood there just shook his head at me and went back to keeping watch.
I was a nervous wreck as I strained for any sound coming from the cabin. There was yelling but I couldn’t decipher the words, but I knew it wasn’t Simon’s voice. The shakes started somewhere around the time I heard the first scream. Shit! I flung open the door and made a mad dash for the bushes. The guy started to follow until I stopped just at the edge and threw up. Once I was sure he wasn’t going to follow I hid behind some trees and relieved my bladder. Somehow that was the best damn feeling in the world.
***
Simon
***
We’d been making our way around the cabin as quietly as possible so as not to alert whoever was inside. There was no other vehicle here, but who was to say Jen wasn’t in there as well? I was barely keeping myself in check when we got into position at the backdoor and could see into one of the dusty windows off to the side. The door was flimsy at best with weathered and grey wood that had been weakened by the elements, which was good for us.
I breathed a little easier when I saw that she was still okay and in one piece. She was tied to a chair and a man was walking around and around, pacing, with a gun rubbing the side of his face. The sight of that gun sent shivers down my spine, but I bit back the growl of anger.
I felt helpless as I watched him hold out the phone to her, having a good idea what he was saying. But then he hit her and everything else ceased to exist. I don’t remember crashing through the door, or pulling the trigger to get him away from her. I just remember the feel of her in my arms when I picked her up from that chair, safe, whole, alive.
Once I got her out of harm’s way, I was finally able to think clearly again, which might not be so good for the asshole I’d left writhing on the floor. He’d be lucky if the shot to his hand was the only one he suffered before the day was done. There are a million ways he could find his end out here in the backwoods of Tennessee never to be found again.
Back inside, I had to caution myself not to end him before I had some answers. “Who the fuck are you and what do you want with me?” He was either very crazy or very brave, because all he did was grin at me like I wasn’t standing there with a gun pointed at his head.
“So you don’t remember me huh?”
“Am I supposed to?” I knew for a fact that I’d never seen this asshole before in my life.
“Sure you are. Or do you make it a habit of going around destroying other people’s lives? Other than mine of course.”
“Am I supposed to know what the fuck you’re talking about? Why were you and Jen after me? I’m not your usual mark, so there must be something else going on here, tell me. ”
“You really don’t remember huh. Well that’s just great.” I waited for him to tell me what the hell he was talking about but he just glared up at me with venom. “I need to get to a hospital.” He raised the hand with the hole in it at me.
“We’ll get to that as soon as I get some answers. That is, if there’s anything left for them to patch together when I’m done if you don’t start talking. Now I know you and Jen had some kind of racket going, what I don’t know is why me? You keep inferring that I’ve wronged you in some way but I don’t see how that’s possible, since I have no idea who the fuck you are.”
“Does the name Rosalinda Strait mean anything to you?” It sounded familiar but obviously wasn’t someone I dealt with on a regular basis because I still couldn’t place it. He seemed to become more irate at my blank look, and forgetting the gun I had pointed at his head struggled to his feet.
“She was my mother and you destroyed her with your lies.” Spittle and blood came flying from his lip where I’d punched him when I walked back into the cabin. “Now do you remember?”
“Not a clue.”
“So you don’t remember the woman whose name you dragged through the mud. The woman you destroyed until she slit her wrist in the bathtub of a filthy motel after her family turned their back on her.” I was starting to get a picture but it couldn’t be, could it?
“Are you, was your mother the one who took me in as a teen and treated me and others like me like shit?” Now I was incredulous. Granted he was about three or four years younger than I back then, but there’s no way he didn’t remember what the hell went on in that house.
“Ding-ding-ding-ding, what have we got for him Johnny?”
“You’re just as fucked as she was and if she ended herself all the better. Your mother was a sick twisted fuck.” He charged me, giving me the perfect excuse to put a bullet in his head, but instead I kneed him in the balls.
Maybe if she wasn’t sitting out there scared half out of her mind I would’ve pulled the trigger, but there was no justification for it. Too bad, but I was sure this little prick would suffer even worse behind bars.
“And the judge and the ex-DA worked the case I presume?” Now it all made sense, the connection between me, and them. How long had he been planning this shit? What a fucking waste of life. I remember the family, outside of his demented mother, there was a grandfather I think, and yes they did come from money. He could’ve gone on to become anything, but instead he chose to give his life over to vengeance for a woman who didn’t deserve it. That still didn’t answer the question of Jen and her involvement.
“So tell me, how did you get Jen in on this hair brained shit storm of a scheme?”
“She loves me, she understood. You all had to pay. I lost everything because of you.” He seemed to go off into his own head as he talked it out.
“After the whole mess, grandpa cut us off completely. He’d been looking for an excuse for years since mom didn’t marry up as he’d expected. Instead, she married my dad, a lowly desk clerk who he kept down after they got married just to spite her. But he hadn’t cut her off entirely even then, had to keep up family appearance after all. Couldn’t have his only daughter living below her means.”
“But after the scandal and the trial, he was clear to wash his hands of her, of us. I should’ve inherited everything he had as the only grandson. Instead he left it all to some stupid university and I was left with nothing. But I got my own back though didn’t I?”
He was back in the room and that sick fucking grin was back in place. “Until that little bitch came along and spoiled everything. Jen and I figured it out you know, after that day she followed you in the car and saw her beloved niece. We put our heads together and realized what must’ve happened. But I was going to get mine anyway. All I needed to do was grab her and you’d pay.”
By now, I’d hit record on my phone since I’d decided to let him live. But I needed more if I was going to bury both of them and get them the fuck out of my life. “So you went after Sorenson who was the judge on the case and then Jonas who prosecuted.”
“Yes, and they paid.”
“And what happened to all that money?”
“Why do you need to know that? The money’s safe. No government can touch it where it’s at and you’ll never find it.” He seemed sure of that so I was assuming it wasn’t under either of their names.
“Fine, but what I don’t understand is how you caught them. I can’t see either of them having anything to hide that would cause them to pay out millions to keep it hushed.”
“Oh, that was easy. We both know that even the hint of something foul would’ve tripped them up. Plus they talked a lot. Jen’s good at getting people to talk. They let slip certain things about people they did business with that if it got back to the wrong ears would’ve been devastating. We still have those tapes hidden away nicely in a safety deposit box that you can’t reach. You never know when they may have come in handy again.”
He was very pleased with himself, not realizing it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out where they were. Find the money find the tapes. I’ll let Sorenson and Jonas handle that one. “So you blackmailed them, used extortion to get back at them for doing their jobs.”
“Yes, they deserved it and so do you. I was going to take you for the biggest haul of all. I even gave Jen permission to sleep with you after the wedding. I knew you were going to be harder to shake down, but I knew she could do it. She’s good isn’t she?”
“Not good enough apparently.” I pulled the phone from my pocket so he could see what I’d been up to before hitting end and dialing nine one-one.
“You bastard.” I guess he like my foot in his balls because that’s what he got this time when he charged again.
While he was writhing on the floor in agony I gave the cops the general location of where we were.
It was another hour before they reached us and I spent that time listening to him threaten and rail. I hit record again just for the hell of it and just in case he said something else that would tack on a few years onto whatever sentence he and Jen were gonna get for the admitted blackmail and extortion. I knew fuck all about the statute of limitations on these things, but I was sure the others would know what to do.
We had to answer a shit load of questions but I’d had the presence of mind to call my lawyer to the location so there was no need to head to the station for questioning. I could take care of that tomorrow or the next day.
Ash refused to go to the emergency room so the EMTs checked her out on site and sent us on our merry way. Had I not been in a hurry to get her home behind those walls I would’ve insisted, but I could see for myself that she was just a little shaken and not really physically hurt.
Last I heard, the cops were headed to Jen’s place of business to pick her up and that was the end of that, although her partner in crime swore at the top of his lungs that she had nothing to do with it. I’m sure there would be court dates and whatnot in our future, but for now the nightmare was over.
“Let’s go home sweetheart.” She was beat as I buckled her into the truck and not saying much of anything. All the way home I held her hand as reassurance and apologized profusely for not taking better care with her. Now that the ordeal was over, I thought of all that could’ve gone wrong and wished to fuck that I never lived through another day like this.
I listened to her stupid ass reasons for why she was at the mall in the first place and figured she’d had enough for one day so I’d take her to task later for being an ass. All she got for now was a look that I was sure spoke volumes.