“Dad, I’ll walk…let me walk.”
“No, no. It’s muddy and there are sharp sticks and pine cones. This is better, trust me. I’m fine. Just don’t ever let me forget your boots again, okay?”
“OK.” She giggled.
“You still have Cheddar?”
“Oh, yeah.” She held the Beanie Baby in front of his eyes, temporarily blocking his vision.
“Good. I don’t wanna have to go back and look for him somewhere.”
“And I’d make you,” Katy said smartly, momentarily forgetting their circumstances.
“I know you would,” Jake replied.
She grabbed his head and put her lips right next to his ear and said, “I’m gonna give him to Elizabeth when we get outta here. He’s a good-luck charm. I think she needs some good luck.”
“That’s a great idea,” he whispered as he snaked his way through the dense trees. Glancing over his shoulder, he could see Elizabeth with her crude crutch and that the cushion was still on the bottom of the gun barrel.
Jake tried to think through potential outcomes to their situation. He wondered if Mick understood his call for help. He reached into his vest for his cell phone, found it, and punched a key to light it. No service. Damn it! He hated cell phones. He jammed it back in his pocket and kept walking. I should’ve tried to call back from that same spot, he thought, cursing himself. I panicked. Even if Mick didn’t hear enough of Jake’s call to alert the authorities, surely somebody would miss Elizabeth and her boyfriend. They aren’t old enough to stay out all night. Would their folks even know where to look? Probably not, he realized. Just keep walking; it’ll come to you.
Scott Littlepage called the bell captain and had his Toyota Land Cruiser brought down from the parking garage. He was standing outside waiting when it arrived. Throwing the luggage in the back, he left the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino without even checking out. He was in shock, stunned. Kidnapped? He still had too much whiskey in his system.
Plugging his cell phone into the cigarette lighter, he thought about whom he should call. I need to check on the kids, I should try Jake, and I need to call the hospital back to check on Lindsay. I probably oughta call Lindsay’s mother, too-but what do I tell her? I’ll wait until I know more before I call her.
“This is just un-freakin’-believable! Kidnapped?” he said aloud as he clicked on the emergency flashers and punched the gas. Heading west on Interstate 10, Scott drove as fast as he ever had in his life. He then turned north on Highway 49 and into the rolling timberlands of southern Mississippi. He’d be there in a few hours. If he got stopped, he could explain-they could verify his story-he prayed.
After calling information for the number, Scott confirmed that his kids were safe and sound asleep. He apologized, without explaining, for calling at this ungodly hour. That’s a relief. Then he dialed Jake’s cell number from his phone book. “Come on, Jake,” he said aloud, hoping that he had his cell with him in the camper. “The subscriber you have called has traveled out of the calling area. Please try your call again later,” the automated message replied. “Shit,” Scott said, remembering that cell service at the hunting camp sucked. He thought for a second, then dialed the Crosby house.
“Hello?” Morgan replied groggily after four rings.
“Morgan, this is Scott. Is Jake there?”
“No…no…he and Katy went hunting. What time is it?” she replied as she sat up in the bed.
“Morgan, Lindsay was kidnapped. I know this sounds crazy, but I just got a call and she’s in the hospital in Livingston…she somehow got away!”
“What? Who called you?” she asked, jolted awake.
“The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. I don’t know any details. I’m on my way to the hospital. I was in Biloxi when they called me.”
“You?…What?…She?…Where are your kids?”
“They spent the night with some friends. They’re safe,” he replied. “I may need you to pick them up this morning.”
“Sure. I…just…hang on. I think there’s someone outside,” she explained.
Morgan had suddenly become aware that Scout was barking more excitedly than usual. She heard a vehicle pulling up in their driveway and saw the flash of lights through the bedroom window.
“Morgan? They kidnapped her from our house, so be careful. I’m gonna try and to catch up with Jake and get him to go to the hospital until I can get there.”
“What? Scott, I’m sorry…I didn’t hear what you said…hold on…someone just drove up,” Morgan replied, trying to figure out just what was going on.
“Morgan! They kidnapped her from our house! Be careful!” he screamed, but she didn’t hear him.
Morgan was already setting down the phone. “Hold on!” she yelled, running to a window at the front of the house.
Morgan saw two cars in her driveway. Scout was going wild, barking as fast as she could. What’s going on? she thought. Running back into the bedroom, she reached under the mattress and grabbed Jake’s pistol. She pulled the gun from its holster. It felt alien. She didn’t know if it was loaded or even how to check.
A sudden loud banging came from the front door. She jumped and screamed. She could hear voices, but Scout’s barking was so intense she couldn’t understand their words. She quickly grabbed her robe, wrapping it around herself. She peeked around the corner of the bedroom door. Looking down the hall, she could see through the leaded-glass front door. Someone was standing in the shadows. Holding the pistol level in front of her, she crept down the hallway, sliding along the wall. As she got to the foyer, she reached around the corner and flipped on the front porch lights.
“Sheriff’s Department! Don’t shoot!” the deputies yelled, holding up their badges and looking at the pistol pointing at them.
“Please, put the gun down!” they shouted. “Put it down, ma’am!” they screamed with their hands on their holstered pistols. Scout was in a total frenzy.
“Ma’am…we’re from the sheriff’s office, and we need to ask you some questions!” one deputy yelled over the dog’s barking. He watched her lower the pistol.
Reaching for the dead bolt, Morgan took a deep breath and unlocked it.
“Ma’am, can we come in please?” the deputy asked, keeping one eye on the fat black Lab growling at his side.
She looked at both of them, recognizing the one farthest away. His daughter had been on one of Katy’s softball teams.
“Come in. What’s going on?” she replied. “Scout, hush…Scout!” Reaching out to reassure her with a head rub, she said, “Good girl,” and then stepped back to allow the deputies inside.
The two deputies were clearly relieved to be out of Scout’s reach. They took off their hats and apologized for scaring her.
“Mrs. Crosby, would you mind doing something with that pistol? It makes us real nervous,” asked the tall deputy-the one she knew.
“I…I’m sorry. I just didn’t know what was going on…and still don’t.” She placed the pistol on a shelf in the bookcase, next to Jake’s collection of African hunting novels.
“Where’s Jake right now?” the tallest one asked.
“He’s turkey huntin’. He and my daughter-Katy-left last night. Why?” she asked, sitting down on the leather ottoman.
“I can see he hunts,” the deputy said, looking around at the mounts.
“What’s goin’ on? Why are you here? This is weird. I just got a call from Scott Littlepage saying Lindsay had been kidnapped,” she said, furrowing her brow.
The deputies looked at each other. So much for surprise, they thought.
“Yes ma’am, we have a unit over there right now. How would you describe Jake’s relationship with Mrs. Littlepage?”
“Kidnapped? Are you serious? This is like a bad dream.”
“Yes ma’am. Now, how would you describe their relationship?”