Mosquito Chase (28 page)

He loved me.

What a cruel joke.

It was like securing a spot on the last lifeboat from the sinking Titanic and finding a hole in the bottom. I could sink or I could swim. Either way, there was no avoiding the cold, chilling water.

Even asleep, Caleb could feel my anxiety. He drew his arm up and around me, not letting go of my hand all night. I melted back into his body and let his warmth console me. My eyes remained on the clock. I shed a tear for every minute that went by.

Caleb had whispered his love to me last night, over and over until he fell asleep. I wanted to say it back, but I couldn’t. He knew. Just because I didn’t say it back, didn’t mean it wasn’t true. I didn’t have to tell him. I didn’t want to put him through anything else. He had my heart; he’d won it long ago, probably before I had even realized it.

He squeezed my hand again and I turned in his arms, burying my face into his chest. He pressed his lips to the top of my head. This would normally be the time he wished me good morning, but there was nothing good about this day. I had my peace knowing that my son would soon be in Caleb’s arms. I’d witnessed the strong love everyone showed my son. I was not worried about Simon. He would be taken care of. I only prayed that I could find my way back someday. I hadn’t prayed much in the past, not since my father was taken from me, but right now, all I could do was pray.

I pulled my face away from the shelter of his body and stared into his blue eyes. I wanted to remember that color perfectly: blue with flecks of grey. I reached my fingers up and glided them down his face, memorizing his strong jawline and the stubble on his chin. I traced my fingers across the pout of his bottom lip as mine began to quiver. I tucked it inside my bite and let my hand fall away, still staring into his blue grey eyes.

“I wish we could have had more time.” My eyes dropped down to his neck, and then his chest.

He reached his hand up between us, grazing the back of his fingers down my cheek. “How much more time would you want?”

I gazed up, searching his eyes. How could he not know?

“Forever,” I sighed. “I want forever with you.”

I didn’t wait for his lips to find me. I pressed mine to his and kissed him as if it were our last time. It probably would be our last time. My heart hurt. I begged, I pleaded, I prayed … please let this not be our last time.

• • •

I sat on the edge of the bed fully clothed, wearing tennis shoes, yoga pants, and my coat. The heat filled the house, but nothing could warm the cold away, not even Caleb. He stepped out of the bathroom and headed into the closet, strapping on his holster and securing his gun. As he slipped into his jacket, we stared at one another, longing for more time, but time was the devil on New Year’s Eve. The countdown was inevitable.

“Just take care of our son,” I said, never pulling away from his eyes.

He knelt down in front of me, not as cautious with his ankle as he had been the night before. He held my face in his hands, forcing me to keep looking into his eyes – like I would ever turn away.

“Do you trust me?”

I nodded, my eyes filling with tears. “I never trusted anyone more.” I covered his hands with mine, needing to touch him.

“You will not spend one second of the New Year without me or your son. You hear me?”

I nodded again, silent tears pouring out.

“I promise you. I promise you everything, even things I can’t even promise, but this promise I intend to keep. I will get you out. I swore to protect you the day you showed up on my doorstep, and I will never stop protecting you … or our son.”

I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer to me. My chest hollowed and ice ran through my veins. I’d never experienced this form of fear before. I had been devastated and destroyed several times throughout my life, but never once had I ever felt so scared. It was like watching the worst horror movie where the villain was Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, and Hannibal Lector all mixed into one. I was the girl in distress. I was their prey. But I would not be their victim.

“I know where they are, baby. There’s one of two warehouses we believe was purchased by Neil Lucas. I’m going to find you. I want your son safe first.” He leaned back and grabbed my hands. “Can you be strong for me? I need you to be tough.”

I nodded and pulled one hand away to wipe my tears.

“You know I am.”

He wiped at a lonely tear that escaped down to my chin.

“It’s just one of the many reasons why I love you. I will never stop loving you. I will never stop telling you how much I love you.”

“Tell me again.” I wrapped my arms around his neck.

“I love you, Angela Butler,” he whispered against my lips. “There isn’t a word strong enough to tell you how I feel. I love you. I adore you. I cherish you. I worship you. My life was nothing until God gave me you. No one will ever take that away from me.”

A knock rapped against the wooden door. Caleb rested his forehead against mine as the door creaked open. I knew who it was without having to look and so did Caleb.

“It’s time, bro.”

Caleb gripped my hands and kissed my knuckles. He peered up at me, raising his hand to my face. His thumb gently brushed my cheek and he pulled my lips to his. I trusted him. This would not be the end. This would not be the last time I would kiss him. I believed in New Year’s and the hope of a new life.

As I stared into his eyes, my fear vanished. Determination replaced any anxiety I once felt. He could read it on my face and smiled in acknowledgment. I nodded and stood, never letting go of his hand.

We followed Paul out of the room. I stopped for a moment and looked out into the foyer. My mother stood beside Paul’s parents; Ellie fidgeted next to them, holding her arms around her waist; Tom pressed Jordan close to him, her face pale and her eyes rimmed red; Lance stood closest to me, his hand clutching Katherine’s. The room filled with dread as children’s laughter echoed from upstairs. I passed by everyone, stopping in front of my mother. I let go of Caleb’s hand and embraced her.

“I won’t be gone long.”

I wouldn’t say goodbye. This wasn’t goodbye. If I believed it, then I would make damn sure everyone else did. I stared into eyes that mirrored my own and squeezed my mother’s hands before turning back to Tom and Jordan.

“Thank you for letting me stay here.”

Tom nodded. Jordan remained still, not knowing what to do. I turned back to Lance, and then to Katherine. “Take care of him.”

Her cheeks pinched in a sad smile and her chin dipped into a slight nod. I glanced back at Lance once more and turned to Ellie, giving her a hug.

I stepped away and opened the door to the cold. Three cruisers were parked behind Caleb’s. I walked around to the passenger side door of his car and climbed in. Caleb stood in the cold a moment longer, collecting himself. Once in the car, we headed out to the highway. It was a short drive; Conley Creek wasn’t too far from here.

“What’s the plan?” I asked Caleb, trying to psyche myself up.

“The team behind us will hang back about a mile, ready to pull in when I give the order. There’s a baby seat in the last cruiser. Their instructions are to take Simon directly back to Tom’s house.”

I felt relieved. Once Simon was at the farm, he’d be safe. No one would ever come near him.

“Just promise me something, Angie.”

“Anything.”

“If you hear gun shots, just hide.”

“Well, you promise me one thing.”

“Anything,” he mimicked my own response.

“Don’t get killed.”

The lights behind me veered off the road. I straightened up in my seat and clutched Caleb’s hand.

“I promise you, Angie, we’re all going to make it through this. We’re going to be a family.”

Caleb turned into a parking lot and stopped the car alongside a boat launch. A dock peered over the water. I exhaled, trying to breathe, but it was hard to suck in air. We got out of our cars simultaneously and walked over to the dock, staying in clear sight of the road. Fear fought against the determination in my soul. I was scared beyond belief, but I was determined to be strong. I reached for Caleb’s hand. He squeezed it tight. My shaky breath froze in the cold, moist air. What if this was it? I trusted in Caleb and believed he would come for me, but what if something went wrong? What if this really was it?

I turned my head toward Caleb to find him already looking at me.

“There isn’t a word strong enough to tell you how I feel,” I began, repeating his profession of love. “I love you. I adore you. I cherish you. I worship you. My life was nothing until God gave me you. No one will ever take that away from me.” I wrapped my arms around him and stared into his eyes. “I love you, Caleb Harris.”

“I love you, Angela Butler.”

      The roar of an engine came down the road. I gripped his hand tighter and tried to absorb any strength he could give me. I couldn’t breathe.

“What’s going to happen to me, Caleb? What are they going to do to me?”

“Nothing. You’re going to be fine, Angie. Believe in me. Trust in me.”

“Always.”

The car stopped and two men stepped out. One was cradling my son to his chest.

My eyes watered, but I refused to shed a tear. “I love you, Caleb. God, I love you so much.”

“I love you, baby. So damn much.”

The men walked toward us, both wearing ski masks. “Hands on your head!” one hollered.

Caleb and I looked at each other and squeezed our hands together once more. We let go and slowly raised our hands, placing them on the top of our heads. I watched the two men move in closer to us. The one without Simon stopped walking and held up a gun. Simon made a noise in the man’s arms and I had to fight the maternal instinct to run to him, to make sure my baby was okay.

“The cop stays where he is,” the one holding Simon said. “Girl, come here.”

“I love you,” I whispered once more then placed one foot in front of the next, drawing closer and closer to the two men – closer to seeing my son. When I was close enough, I peered down at my son’s little round face and relief filled my heart. He was okay.

I felt the cold barrel of a gun press into my back.

“To the car,” the gunman ordered. “Move!”

I did as instructed, the gun in my back forcing me towards the dark car. I opened the back door, but the interior light didn’t turn on when it opened. I was shoved inside, scraping my knees as I fell through the open door. Rough hands grabbed me and pulled me up in the seat.

“There’s my Scarlett.”

His rolling accent threw me. It was
him
. In the darkness of the car I was barely able to see the outline of a face before a cloth was pressed against my nose and mouth.

“Be a good girl and breathe deep.”

Outside, a gun fired. I tried to scream, but the cloth only pressed harder against my face.

And then, everything went black.

A crack and pop echoed in the distance. My head pulsed. Another crack and pop shrilled, pain splitting my head in two. When I opened my eyes, everything was pitch black, and I wasn’t sure if I had opened my eyes at all. Another crackle and pop.
Gunshots.
My eyes widened when the pops became more rapid.
Simon. Caleb. Masked men. New Year’s.
A screeching whizz ended with a pop; the sound of fireworks. They always rang in the New Year over Lake Hickory. Was it already midnight or was this the pre-show? I remember going out on a boat with my parents once when I was a kid to watch the fireworks. My life had once been perfect then. It could be perfect again. There was a hope of a perfect life, a life I wanted with Caleb. I needed to get out of here.

A pillow supported my head, soft fleece brushed underneath my fingertips, but these did nothing to disguise the hard ground pushing against my back. I turned my head to the side and continued to blink, trying to get my bearings. I couldn’t tell where I was. A closet? An empty room? The air felt open, not confining. I assumed I was in a room, but I didn’t know how big. I kept blinking until my eyes finally caught a faint light creeping from under a door, much farther away than I had figured. I pushed my palm down on the hard fleece-covered ground and eased my body up slowly. My head screamed the way it used to after a night of having too much fun with a bottle of whiskey. I tried to swallow, but it was like my mouth was full of cotton balls. I crossed my legs underneath me and concentrated the muted ray of light, hoping my eyes would adjust.