Chapter 14
2459 Words
Dean inserted the bobby pin into the keyhole of the handcuffs. He turned it in all directions in an attempt to make it click opened."Is there any way to break the handcuffs or dismantle the bed?" Allie whispered, inspecting the bed frame.
"The frame's welded shut," said Dean.
"Please, don't leave me. He's kept me here for months," cried the teen.
Allie cupped the boy's jaw and pressed him down to her shoulder. Although he was significantly taller than her, she felt as if he was one of her boys.
"We would never leave you here."
"Or you can all stay," Steven appeared by the door.
Allie shielded Kai with her torso. Dean let go of the handcuffs and shoved the pin in his pocket.
"You both must be feeling awful, seeing such a young boy imprisoned," Steven continued.
"Steven, we're going to release him and then we're going to walk out the door," Allie swallowed and held Dean's hand.
"Remain calm my friend. I reckon we've known each other for a long long time. You know I'm not a man of violent means."
"Give me the key," Dean demanded.
"Sure," Steven crossed his arms, "but first, Allie, you should know that I'm not the good guy here, but I'm also not the bad one. You more than anyone understand what it's like to have nothing. I was born in a very poor household. My mother was a hooker and my father was her pimp. I never met them because my father, Mr. Childan Senior, shot my mother in the head then killed himself. Everything I've got, I've worked hard for. But unlike you, I didn't have an inheritance to magically appear in my hands. That's why, when I met your mother, I had to grab on to this life.
When your grandfather died, she took over the Wellington estates, including the money laundering business."
"My mother knew everything," Allie confirmed her suspicions.
"Oh, she paid her lawyers hefty sums for their silence, including me. But that was only a small percentage of all she had and this bird ain't happy with crumbs," he pointed at himself. "The problem was that Olivia Clarke had the same idea as me. I'll accept that adding that clause about your marriage to your inheritance did present an obstacle at first. But that got me thinking, if I become the face of Wellington Family Farms that would put a big target on my back. And of course, Olivia's personal issues with the Wellingtons turned her into a psychopath. I think Helen saw that toward the end of her life."
"My mom was not a psychopath," yelled Kai.
Steven sighed with an upside down smile. "My child, you have so much to learn. That woman you called your mother never loved anyone."
"You're lying!" Kai kicked the wall and pulled on his handcuffs.
"Allie," Steven continued his speech, "I would never take your company or hurt your family. I was the one who told you about the inheritance and warned you about Olivia. I chose to do the right thing."
"You chose to make me your puppet," blurted Allie.
"You're misunderstanding. Yes, I did want you to be C.E.O. of Wellington, so that I could manage the other business behind the curtains. But that's only because at some point I wanted us to work together. I can offer you so much. I know that you are not one to love money, but I'm sure you enjoy being in a position of power. What if I told you that you and Dean won't have to work for the rest of your lives? All you have to do is continue to be the face of the company."
Dean and Allie glanced at each other. They didn't have to think much about it. "Neither me or my husband are afraid to work."
"Sugar, you can have whatever you want."
Outside the room, there was a wracking sound and the barrel of a long pistol hovered inside. Steven scurried behind Dean as Grayson walked into view.
Dean took a step forward and dragged Allie behind him.
"Grayson—," said Dean.
"Shut up," Grayson's voice thundered. "I don't care about you. I want my son and I'm taking the old man with me."
"Dad, I'm trapped here," Kai showed his father the handcuffs.
"Give me the keys," Grayson pointed the gun at Steven.
Allie and Dean raised their hands and moved behind Steven. The small man slid his hand into his jacket and pulled out a silver piece.
"Uncuff him," the desperate father aimed the barrel at Dean this time.
Dean took the key and set the boy free.
"Dad!" Kai embraced his father.
"Let's go," Grayson kissed his son on his forehead, then jerked the weapon in front of Steven.
"It's not very smart to take me as a hostage, Grayson," Steven raised his arms up to his shoulders. "We were going to accomplish many things together."
"You kidnapped my son in Lithuania, you stole all of my money, and then you blackmailed me."
"Your cousin Wayne was out of control. Didn't ya'll think I was going to find out about ya'll's scheme with Dean's little nerd friend? One way or the other, I was gonna come back for my money and I was gonna make you pay me back."
"By killing people for you 'cause you ain't man enough to do it yourself. Have you told them?" Grayson glanced at Dean and Allie. "Have you told them how you ordered us to kill that cop who was after you and how you made us deliver death flowers at Allie's door?"
Allie's facial muscles expanded away from the center of her face.
"The irony," Grayson laughed at Allie. "Just now he was wanting to be your business partner. Yesterday he ordered my cousin to shoot you."
"Grayson...that cop...what did you do?" Allie asked, fearing the worst for Meryl.
"Grayson, she was an FBI agent. If you don't tell us where she is, you're gonna be in big trouble," said Dean.
"They're telling you that because they're working with the FBI," said Steven. "The agent was Dean's ex-girlfriend. If I talk to the cops, I have a lot to lose, Grayson. They...they want you in jail. They want to take you away from Kai, your boy. He's the only thing left from your family. Your sister's son. Didn't you tell her you'd take care of him when she died?"
Grayson's lower lip trembled. He looked down at Kai, then back at Dean.
"Grayson, don't do anything in front of your son that you'll regret later," said Dean.
"You two are coming with me," Grayson transferred the barrel from Steven to Dean and Allie.
Steven lowered his arms and crossed his hands behind his back. He made a half smirk and sauntered out of the little room.
***
Dean observed his wife's expression as she stared at Grayson from the back seat of his car. Her hands were tied behind her back and they were being driven to an unknown place, but she didn't look scared. She pressed her lips together while clenching her jaw.
The husband imagined breaking the zip-ties around his wrists, fighting the kidnapper, and becoming a hero to his wife. What he did to her would be forgotten and he'd carry her bridal style back to their home. But his heartbeats sped out of his chest. He was a failure. All he did to protect her led to this moment.
"Dad, why do we have to bring them with us?" asked Kai.
"Because they'll tell on us, Kai. We can't let them do that," Grayson squinted at the dirt road in front of them.
"Grayson, you have your kid," said Dean. "All you need to do is stop the car and let us go. We will never say a word."
"Like hell, I believe you," the criminal sniggered.
"I'm sure you know I have kids, too. All we wanna do is get back to them. We don't care about anything else."
Grayson turned the steering wheel multiple times and the car drove into grass.
"Exactly, I choose to protect my son over anything else. I mean, before this, I was in f*****g Lithuania living a f*****g good life."
"I don't think it was that good of a life," Kai lowered his head.
His father frowned and glanced at him twice.
"What? Getting kidnapped was better?"
"No, but I didn't like what you and my uncle were doing to those girls."
Grayson extended his arm to his side and patted his son on the shoulder. "You might not understand anything that I'm doing, but I promise you, it's all because I'm working hard for you to have a good life."
The boy nodded and hugged his knees up to his chest.
An old cabin appeared within the woods and the car came to a stop at the skirt of a hill.
"Do you really think this is a good life for your son, Grayson?" asked Allie.
Grayson grabbed his gun from the cup holder and aimed the gun at the back seats.
"Here, open the trunk," he handed the car keys to his son. "Get a knife and bring it to me. They'll need their hands free to climb up to the cabin."
***
Allie rubbed her left wrist, then held Dean's hand as he pulled her up to the top of the heel.
"Walk," Grayson kicked Allie's shin, "I don't have much time. Got a plane to catch."
Dean ran at him with tight fists, but Grayson raised his gun.
"I'd kill you right here but I want to make it fun for the cops to find your body," grunted Grayson.
Allie rubbed her shin and pulled Dean toward her. They all took heavy steps toward the cabin. The putrid smell of death violated their noses. Three dead rats and a large cobweb received them at the door.
They all covered their mouths except Grayson, who kept shoving the couple inside with the barrel of his gun.
They entered what looked like the remnants of a living room. Scattered around the floor were rotten pieces of furniture and rusted coil springs. A brick structure once served as a fireplace. Under it laid the naked body of a woman.
"Meryl," Allie dashed toward her.
"Don't move," Grayson stepped between her and the bloody figure. "Your time has come Allie Anne March. For me to be free, you have to die."
"Dad, please don't," Kai panted with swollen eyes.
"This is how we stay together, Kai," Grayson jerked his trigger finger slightly.
The frozen body moved. Meryl opened her eyes, grabbed onto Grayson's foot, and bit the back of his heel. The man howled in pain and fluttered his leg. As he got distracted, Dean punched him on the stomach, while Allie pushed his hands up and tried to remove the gun.
Kai's eyeballs moved everywhere. His feet scurried far from the scuffle.
Meryl's weak muscles couldn't hold any longer and she had to let go of Grayson's foot. Dean continued to strike the criminal's upper body while Allie beat his arm against the fireplace until the handgun fell off his hand.
With a free hand, Grayson easily launched Allie over the broken furniture. The girl's ribs and elbows absorbed the impact. Immense pressure covered her torso but she got up again to her husband's aid.
"Kai, pass me the gun," Grayson showed his son his hand as he struggled against Dean. "Pass me the f*****g gun!" He yelled.
Before Allie reached for the firearm, Kai leaped toward the fireplace and snatched it up.
"Stop it!" he held the weapon with both hands. Hos hands trembled. "Back off," he pointed at Allie then at Dean.
Dean had no other choice but to raise his arms and step away from Grayson.
"That's my boy," Grayson panted and curled his fingers at Kai.
The shaking boy brought the gun to his father and stood beside him.
"On your knees," Grayson ordered Dean and Allie.
"Grayson, please," Dean lowered down to the floor.
"Babe," Allie cried and held her husband's hand.
"Grayson, wait," the husband continued to addressed the thug. Every one of his muscles trembled uncontrollably.
"Nothing you'll say will save you, but I do enjoy seeing you plead for your life, f**k boy," Grayson smirked.
"Then, if this is the end, let my last words be to my wife."
Grayson grunted then jerked his head in approval.
Dean swallowed and slowly reached into the front pocket of his shirt. He made a fist and opened his hand in front of Allie.
"Oh, my God," Allie whispered and her tears turned into waterfalls. She stared into his eyes. They were a million times more beautiful than the wedding ring he was sliding onto her finger.
Her being ached, knowing that even during the last moments of his life he was thinking about her.
"I love you. I love you. I love you," she sobbed and brought their foreheads together.
Without hesitation, Grayson fixed his aim and pressed the trigger.
Allie gasped. There was a high pitch sound in her ears. She still felt alive. She looked down at Dean. He seemed calm.
"Sweetheart?" Dean blinked.
"I'm okay," she whispered.
They both turned their heads to the side. Grayson came down to his knees as his son held his chest. Blood began to pour through the back of his shirt.
"Why did you do that?" Grayson went into shock. "Why would you step in front of the gun?"
Kai coughed and looked down at the hole in his chest. "I just wanted a dad."
Grayson placed his son on the floor.
Allie hurried toward the child and pressed her hands onto the wound. Dean took off his shirt and placed it over the boy's chest.
"He might live if we take him to the hospital," Allie addressed Grayson.
"I can't go to the hospital. I'll get put on handcuffs as soon as I set a foot there," Grayson replied.
"We'll take him," said Dean, "but you'll habe to let us go."
The crying father aimed his gun at Dean again.
"Promise me that you'll help him."
"I give you my word," Dean slid one arm under Kai's back and the other under his legs and picked him up.
"I'll get Meryl," Allie turned a weak Meryl around and hailed her arms. "Come on, girl. It's time to live."
Meryl whined as she used the last of her strength to drop her arm around Allie's shoulders. She started crying as they limped outside.
***
Dean looked down at Kai. As his eyelids began to shut close, there was a gunshot behind them. They all stopped and turned to the cabin, but the sounds of police sirens encouraged them to keep walking.
"How did they know where to find us?" Allie thought out loud, watching police officers gather at the bottom of the hill.
"I texted Saayid before Grayson took our phones. He must have tracked the signal."
Saayid moved within the the police cars and ran up the heel.
"Meryl!" He took off his jacket and covered his wofe with it.
"Baby, I'm sorry I'm so stubborn. I love you," she mumbled. "You have to know what they did to me. They, they—"
"Shh, your stubbornness is what made me fall in love with you," Saayd kissed his wife on the cheek and carried her toward an ambulance.
- Writer
