Seeking Safety (12 page)

Soon after Barry, Michael, and the other men
return to the ranch, Barry and Scoot make a trip to the front gate
to give a statement to the Paparazzi concerning the recent activity
on the ranch. Barry explains to the group that two trespassers were
killed by his security force when they tried to kidnap one of his
guests. He allows them to ask a few questions and then to take a
few pictures to go along with the story. Upon their return to the
house Scoot contacted the FBI and ATF to update them on the
attempted kidnapping at the Rock Springs Ranch.

******

After Barry Farrady and the other man leave
the front gate, Peter Williams, the reporter from Seattle, uses his
cell phone to call Steve Simpson at the compound in Idaho.

"Hey Steve, this is Peter Williams. Farrady
just came to the gate to tell us that two trespassers were killed
by his security force when they tried to kidnap one of his guests.
It sounds like our plan to get the boy was foiled again."

"Damn! What are we going to have to do to get
the boy? That bastard must have found a four leaf clover or
something. His luck is unbelievable. Listen Peter don't forget we
have to get rid of Melanie too. Just getting the boy won't be
enough. To keep the compound, I have to adopt the boy and that
won't be possible until Melanie is dead."

"I understand. We'll think of something else.
I'll stay in touch," replies Williams.

******

Stump strains to hear what Peter Williams is
saying during his phone call. He thinks it fairly telling that he
called someone immediately after Barry and Scoot told them about
the attempted kidnapping being foiled. Once he sees him disconnect,
he calls Scoot.

"Hey, as soon as you guys left the gate,
Peter Williams called someone on his cell phone to tell him the
kidnapping had been foiled."

Scoot replies, "Well, any doubt that I might
have had about why he is here is gone now. It sounds like this may
be a well orchestrated plan. Be careful and stay alert."

Stump replies, "Will do."

Later that evening after the sheriff has
gotten the answers to all of his questions, the Murrays arrive at
the Rock Springs Ranch for dinner. All of the adults will get
together after the meal to go over the day's events and determine
what went wrong to allow those men to get to Michael and to make
plans for the immediate future.

Barry grills hamburgers for everyone out on
the back patio. Virginia and I prepare potato salad and baked beans
to complete the meal. Jana and Jenny Murray are bringing a huge
Devil's Food cake and homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert.

After everyone has finished eating and the
remains have been cleaned up, Dani and Michael head to the indoor
pool for a swim. Bob Kenner and Virginia go along to serve as
chaperones.

Scoot has been on the phone for hours with
the FBI and ATF updating them on the events at the ranch and he
begins the discussion by addressing the group,

"Well, unfortunately, it has become obvious
that the group hasn't given up on getting to Michael. Beth, we
already knew after the break in that it's not safe for you to go
back to New York City. We believe you need to cut all your ties in
the city and plan on moving here to the ranch on a permanent
basis."

I say without hesitation, "No, I can't. I
can't live here permanently." I have already made up my mind to
leave the ranch the following morning. It is too dangerous for us
to stay now that the members of the militia know we are here.

Barry is surprised, "Why not? You're more
than welcome to stay here at the ranch as long as is necessary.
Michael loves it here. No other place exists where you will be as
safe as you are here on this ranch."

I adamantly reply, "I can't stay here. They
... those men know we're here. I know these people. They won't give
up. I've got to go somewhere where they can't find us. It is the
only way."

Jacob interrupts, "Beth, they got to Michael
today on our property, not Barry's. I want you to know that Jason
and I have already decided to build a fence and security system
like Barry's all around our ranch. Our horses are very valuable and
it only makes sense to protect them. The contractor is scheduled to
start work on Monday."

Barry reaches over and takes my hands in his,
"Beth, if you leave the ranch where do you think you can go where
they won't be able to find you? They were even able to track you
down in New York City."

I pull my hands out of Barry's and stand
pacing back and forth across the patio, "I don't know. I hate
this!! I don't understand why they are still after Michael, Darren
is dead!"

Scoot responds, "I think I may have gotten
the answer to that."

I stop pacing and look at Scoot curiously.
"Why?"

Scoot replies, "I found out when I was
speaking to the FBI this afternoon that the compound in Idaho was
solely owned by Darren Calloway. As Calloway's only heir, the
compound now belongs to his son. If they don't control the boy,
they could lose the title to the compound."

I feel my mouth fall open and I take a step
toward Scoot and angrily demand, "What? My son owns that compound?
Why am I just now being told this?"

Scoot clarifies, "Well, not yet, he won't
legally be the owner of the compound until the deed is transferred,
but in reality, yes, he owns it. I don't know for sure why you
haven't been told previously but I just found out myself." He
hesitates briefly, then asks, "Beth, exactly how much has the FBI
told you about Darren Calloway?"

"I haven't been told much of anything, why?
What else do I need to know?"

Scoot shakes his head disgustedly and says,
"Damn! I can't believe they haven't told you! You better sit down."
He waits while I take a seat on the swing next to Barry. I look up
at Scoot, apprehension twisting knots in my stomach.

Scoot paces back and forth across the patio
before stopping in front of me, "According to what the FBI told me,
when Calloway's father died back in 1999, he was the sole heir to a
furniture conglomerate and a huge mansion in Seattle that he sold
for over two hundred million dollars. He used the money to pay off
the note on the land in Idaho where the compound is located and to
finance his militia so the government confiscated it when Calloway
was killed to prevent the other members from being able to access
it. Eventually, after the militia group is disbanded or destroyed
the remainder of the money should come to Michael. The group may
not realize the money was confiscated if they even know about it.
Or perhaps they think that Michael already has access to the money.
It is one more very big reason they may be trying to get to
Michael."

I feel all of the color drain from my face
and my heart is pounding furiously. "Oh God, what am I going to do?
Can't we just evict them from the compound?"

Scoot hurries to answer, "No, we don't want
to do that. While they are living on the compound they are easier
to watch, to track their movements. If we evict them and they
scatter, it would be much harder to keep tabs on them."

"So we will never be free then." A wave of
desperation flows over me.

"I didn't say that, some possible resolutions
are in the planning stages, but I'm not at liberty to discuss them
with you yet. For the time being we just need to worry about
keeping you and Michael safe. The future will take care of itself.
Please reconsider Beth. This ranch is the safest place you can
live. All of us will be here to protect you."

Nervously, Barry asks, "So, you'll stay here
won't you?"

Defeated, I answer, "I'll stay, but only if
you'll let me be the housekeeper or something. I refuse to be a
freeloader. What am I supposed to do about my place in New
York?"

Relieved, Scoot says, "I'll handle that.
We'll pack everything up and have it shipped here. You'll still
need to stay out of sight as much as possible. Jacob, put a rush on
that fence and security system if you can. I want to block off that
logging road too, at least make it impassable by vehicles, that
will give us an advantage. Can any of you think of anything else
that I might have missed?"

******

I am sitting on the stone patio long after
everyone has left to go to their own homes. Michael and Virginia
have already gone to bed and the members of the Drake Security team
have all gone back to their quarters above the barn.

Barry sits down beside me on the wooden swing
and asks concerned, "Beth, are you all right?"

"I'm all right ... I'm just thinking.".

"Do you want to talk about it?" he
inquires.

I look over at Barry and see the concern on
his face. "Well, I don't understand why, if they knew Michael owned
the compound and is heir to a huge fortune, why are they just now
telling me? Why have they been saying he wasn't in any danger for
all these months?"

Barry responds, "Well, I'm not part of the
inner circle anymore, but I do know Scoot and he really didn't
think Michael was in any danger or he would have told you sooner.
He said he just found out himself about Michael owning the compound
and I am sure that is true. Maybe the FBI didn't think the members
knew about the money and that the deed was in Darren Calloway's
name."

"You're very close to these guys, aren't
you?"

"I was part of this team for eight years when
I was in the Marines. We were all very close, our lives depended on
it. We all left the Marines about the same time. In fact, I got my
first role in a movie on a dare by Stump. They all went their own
way for about a year. Then Scoot called them all together and they
formed their security firm. I have invested heavily in the business
and it's been a tremendous success. They work primarily in North
America now, but they still do some overseas work at times. I've
missed the camaraderie we shared in the service. I'm really happy
they have decided to move their office here. At least I get to
spend time with them when they aren't on assignment."

"You aren't anything like I would expect a
famous movie star to be." I am amazed. "You seem too real, too down
to earth. You don't act superior and condescending to the rest of
us like most famous people."

After contemplating what I said Barry
responds, "I guess I would have to say that's because I was a
Marine first. I have seen this less than perfect life from every
angle. I have never really fit in with the regular Hollywood crowd.
I don't attend their parties and I don't agree with their politics
or their lifestyle. I hate all of the Paparazzi and the public
appearances. Frankly, I don't care if I'm ever in another movie.
While I enjoy making the movie, the acting, I don't enjoy all of
the fame and notoriety that go along with it. I want nothing more
than to stay right here in Wyoming on this ranch."

"Didn't I read somewhere that you were
married to some up and coming young actress a few years ago? I
remember now, you were accused of murdering her weren't you?"

Watching my reactions very carefully Barry
answers, "Yes, that's true. I was married to Tina Drake. It was
more of a publicity marriage than a real one put together by our
agent to help her career. We didn't love each other. In fact, we
never even slept together.

"When she died inside my house with symptoms
that made it look like she had been severely beaten, I was accused
of her murder. That's when I first met Jacob Murray. I was lucky
enough to get him to agree to be my criminal defense attorney and
he literally saved my life. The prosecution and the press had the
jury all sewed up. No question I was going to be convicted. Jacob
managed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Tina died from a
rare allergic reaction to a combination of drugs she got while in
the Cayman Islands on location. Taken individually, the drugs are
reasonably safe, but taken in combination, they can be lethal. The
combination of drugs cause symptoms exactly like those you would
see in a person that has been beaten.

"As far as I am concerned, Jacob is a miracle
worker. I never thought I would walk out of that courtroom a free
man. Scoot and the other guys were all furious at the circumstances
surrounding the trial and they helped Jacob uncover some of the
evidence that led to my acquittal. They had seen people die with
similar symptoms down in Central America and they believed the
symptoms were caused by a combination of drugs. They helped Jacob
prove it."

A shiver of fear slides down my spine. "That
must have been awful for you. How did you stand not knowing if you
would live the rest of your life in prison or be put to death? How
did your mother stand that? I wouldn't have been able to bear all
of the uncertainty, the press, and the negative publicity."

Barry answers, "It is certainly not something
I would want to do again. It was very hard on Mom too. I have
worked very hard at keeping her out of the public eye and
especially the tabloids. Until we moved to the ranch, I hadn't seen
her in almost six years. She didn't attend the trial because of
what happened a few years before. I went to visit her once right
after my first movie came out. It was horrible for her and I
promised her then I would stay away. Eventually, they left her
alone. I really love having her here. We were very close when I was
growing up."

"It's obvious you love her very much. Is your
Dad gone?"

"If you're asking if he is dead, I don't
know. He left us when I was only nine. Mom worked three jobs to
keep me fed. We made it though and now it's my turn to repay her,"
says Barry.

"I wish I knew about my parents. I really
regret running away all those years ago, but I can't change that
now. I often wonder if they would ever want to see me again. I
mean, I know I can't go to Seattle until all this is over because I
certainly wouldn't want to put them in any danger, but I dream of
someday seeing them again."