Through the Storm (The Montclair Brothers) (15 page)

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Tyler quickly ran out onto the balcony and looked down.

"We can't get out of here unless we go through the front door. The cops can stop one of us, but not if we beeline it out of here as a group."

Emma walked over to the door and stared through the peephole. "We can't leave, Tyler. There's someone standing right here in the hallway."

As Emma turned around, there was a knock on the door. "It's Carrie." She let her in.

"Hey," greeted Carrie. "I'm just checking to see if you need anything before I leave."

"No thanks, we're good," replied Tyler. He tried to remain calm, but his insides were in knots.

At that moment Carrie's phone rang. "Oliver," she answered. "What? What are you talking about? I'm right here. No, nobody called in. Don't let anyone in or out of the building unless escorted by a badge on the list." She hung up and quickly dialed another number. "Lieutenant, Oliver here. Is there supposed to be a replacement, either officer or staff, at
Taylor Plaza? Got it." Carrie hung up the phone and turned to them.

"What's going on?" Tyler knew it was something bad.

"Escorts are in transit," explained Carrie. "Get your shoes on. We're moving you!
Now
!"

Tyler's mouth went dry. Had Carrie been gone, and the front desk hadn't suspected something and called to check, they'd be dead.

"Come on people! Hurry it up!" Carrie demanded.

"He's here!" Emma began to breathe rapidly.

"Robert's aware of your location. It's imperative that we get you out of here." Carrie walked to the door and looked out into the hallway. The same officer was standing there as when she'd arrived.

Within five minutes they could hear the rumbling of fast footsteps approaching down the corridor. Carrie's phone rang. "Oliver…Copy." She hung up and turned to face them again. "Let's go. No one strays."

"It doesn't matter if we stray," began Renee in a calm voice. "He'll shoot you first."

Jacob grabbed ahold of Emma's hand as they ran behind Carrie and three plainclothes officers to the elevator.

"We’re going to the basement!" Carrie informed the group. The four officers stepped to the front of the car and drew their weapons.

"We're going to the basement? We'll have nowhere to run then!" shrieked Emma.

"The building is locked down," explained one of the plainclothes officers. "Robert Preston will have to go through many cops to get inside."

Jacob wrapped his arms around Emma and held her tightly. "It'll be okay, Baby. We have to let them do their job."

Once in the basement, they walked past the large boiler, and into an area well away from the door. The officers separated to cover the elevator and stairwell.

Jacob readied himself so he could run towards Robert if he killed the cops. There was no telling what kind of weapons the bastard had in his possession. One thing was for certain, he was going to take the bullets in order to allow the others to make a move.

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Robert lifted his rifle when he stepped into the shadow of the trees.
Just in case those Stupid Ass Cops think of trying anything funny.
He was ready.
Come get your bullets
!
Free
! It was hard not to laugh.

He wished people would control their damn dogs! The yapping was driving Robert nuts. He was tempted to find the backyards where the Mangy Mutts were chained, and blow their ugly heads off. The barking was getting closer. A low guttural growl was approaching, and what Robert hated more than barking dogs, were homeless dogs.
Getting in the freakin' trash.
Robert turned his rifle towards the woods behind him.

As two German Shepherds lunged at him, Robert fired off a shot
to scare the assholes and hopefully hit one of them. They were strong bastards, knocking him backwards to the ground. Tires screeched all around him.

"Roll over slowly!!!" yelled A Stupid Loud Idiot.

Robert rolled over, and was immediately blinded by lights. His rifle was just out of his reach. Right when he thought he could grab it, a Cheap Black Boot kicked it out of the way.
I bet he paid less than a hundred and thirty-nine bucks
!

The stupid cops were rough when they pulled his strong arms around his back and put the tight handcuffs on his wrists. "My arm!!!" scream Robert.

"We don't give a rat's ass about your arm. Get up!" yelled Bully Cop.

All of a sudden, Robert felt like he was light as a feather when he was quickly lifted to his feet and shoved into the back of a squad car.

"How 'bout you shut all of those damn lights off!" bellowed Robert.

"How about you shut your mouth."
Stupid Cop was an Arrogant Asshole.

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They waited in the stuffy basement, not making a sound. Tyler swore he could hear everyone's hearts beating. When Carrie's phone rang, they all jumped out of their skin.

"Thank God. I'll let them know.
Great job out there." Carrie smiled and hung up her phone. "Robert's in custody. Let's get out of here."

The room erupted in cheers, just like fans would do at a ballgame.

"I can't believe it!" Renee threw her arms around Tyler's neck and sobbed.

Emma covered her face with her hands and then slid down the wall to the floor. Jacob picked her up from the cold tile and let her bury her face in his neck.

Tyler hugged his brothers and Brian, and then followed Carrie back to their apartment. For the first time in months, he felt like he could breathe. It was only then that he realized how stupid his idea had been to hunt the psycho down.

Once inside, Carrie closed the door behind her. "I'm going to take off. I have reports to file, but you all are free to leave whenever. You can stay and take off in the morning if you'd like. There haven't been any incidents while you've been living here, so you're not going to have to give any statements to our department. However, I'll need a phone number and address where you can be reached for court dates. Take care of yourselves, because you'll have to be strong when you testify against Robert Preston in court." Carrie waved goodbye, as everyone thanked her, and walked out the door.

Tyler smiled at his friends and family. The stress and turmoil they'd suffered clearly showed in their eyes.

"To sleep or not to sleep?" he asked.

"Let's get the hell out of here," said Jacob. "I'm ready to go home."

Tyler listened as everyone agreed. "Okay, gather up your things and let's hit the road!"

"Ty," interrupted Sean. "We don't have a vehicle."

Everyone turned to stare at Vincent. "Well, it's better than having to get us a gun."

"A gun? What?" Emma's eyes grew big.

Jacob smiled and kissed her lips.

"Wait a second guys," began Vincent as he stopped on his way to the kitchen to get the phone. "My track record with renting vehicles isn't the greatest. Sean, break the cycle and rent us a van."

"Yeah, I'll take care of it." Sean laughed as he walked over to the phone.

"All I'm taking is my purse. I don't want any reminders from this road we've been forced to travel. None of it." Renee looked up at Tyler.

"That's a good idea, Sweetheart." agreed Tyler. "I think we should follow suit and leave this nightmare behind us. Let's just walk on out the door."

A black van arrived within the hour. After Sean signed the papers and handed Tyler the key, they all stood at the curb staring at it. A fleeting look of anxiety crossed each of their faces; Tyler knew it'd take some time to heal.

"We don't need tinted windows anymore,
it's okay now." Tyler's stress level rose right along with theirs.

As they hopped on the freeway, the tension in the van was still noticeable. They continued to look at every car as they passed by. Maybe it was curiosity, but maybe it wasn't. Tyler turned on the interior light and looked at Emma through the rearview mirror. He winked and she grinned. It was the first hint he'd seen of the real Emma Ward in months.

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Emma didn't think she'd ever see Southfield again. All of the familiar crowded streets, the buildings, even the traffic lights that seemed to last forever were making her smile. It wasn't a sign of happiness, but a veil over her sadness, as if she'd been forced to say goodbye to a close friend that day she'd had to flee from her home. She swore she'd never complain about this city again. Emma could sense the uneasiness in Tyler as he slowly pulled into her parking lot. The last time she'd been here, Robert and the crooked cop were sitting right there. She'd chosen to help her friends, out of the goodness of her heart, and ended up having to run for her life. She asked
herself if she'd ever offer anyone a helping hand again. The answer was yes. Emma would always help others, but something had happened to her heart. It felt dark. It felt cold.

"Ems, are you sure about this?" Tyler asked as he pulled the van up to her walkway.

"I don't want you to be alone tonight, Honey. Let me come with you," whispered Jacob.

"I'll be okay. I'll see you at work tomorrow." She smiled and went right out the side door. She knew they'd stay out there for a few minutes, to make sure everything was fine. After turning on all the lights, Emma cracked open her front door, stuck her arm out, and waved
at them. She listened as the van drove away.

Her apartment smelled like death warmed over. The plants were dead, and the odor from something rotting in her kitchen was overwhelming. She stared at the moldy dishes in the sink. Emma got her cleaning gloves out from a cupboard and began to fill the sink up. She poured some strong cleaner in the water, and got out a dishcloth from the drawer.

As Emma wiped down the counter, she came across a grocery list that Brian had written out for her. That was the first night she'd met him.
The first night he'd been off the streets.
Walking into the bedroom he'd slept in, she noticed the pj's she'd let him borrow, folded neatly on the bed which he'd made. Emma sat down on the floral quilt she'd purchased only a month before they'd had to leave.

Was this how all time was going to be measured now
?
Before or after we had to leave…
Brian had gotten the crap kicked out of him the night he'd arrived. For only being a young teen, he was one of the bravest guys she knew. He'd taken a bullet in the back for Renee that horrible night in Castle Lake. He could have been permanently injured or killed.

Emma walked into each room and cracked the windows. She went to fully open them, but something stopped her. Her first thought was
that it'd be too easy for someone to get in.
Someone
.

Robert was no longer a threat, but the ripples he'd caused in their lives were more like tidal waves. Would she drown? She hadn't been shot, but she'd been bathed in the blood of her family. Emma had felt the devastation in the back of the van. She'd never prayed so hard in her life or felt a loss so great.

The horrible smell was starting to leave her apartment. It wasn't because she'd cleaned anything; she had just gotten used to the foul odor. Emma walked to the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair was dry and in total disarray, the dark circles under her eyes made her look like she'd been punched, her cheek bones were way too prominent, and yet, she hadn't noticed any of that until now. Emma removed the brush from the sink drawer, and began running it through the long red strands. When she was finished, she looked at the brush; it was covered in hair.

She used to have a home, but now she didn't. What was once familiar felt foreign, like it all belonged to someone
else.
Maybe I should just go to bed
. But Emma knew there was no way she could sleep. Robert's creepy friends knew where she lived. He'd contact them.
Maybe the cops knew who the corrupt guys were and had already arrested them
.

Emma didn't know how much time had passed. She walked around her apartment in a fog. Her mind was miles away when she heard the soft rapping on her door. Running into the living room, Emma unplugged the lamp, lifted it over her shoulder, and went to the door. She turned the outside light on. Slowly, she lowered the lamp, and unlocked the door.

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Jacob hoped he hadn't startled her. As soon as Tyler had dropped him off, he'd hopped in his Jeep and drove straight back to Emma's apartment. Something wasn't right. He could feel it. He went from living with her and fearing for her safety, to nothing. Now she was out of his sight, and he couldn't handle it. When she walked towards her apartment, she'd reminded him of an empty shell.

"Hi Jacob."
Emma didn't even smile. She simply blinked at him.

"May I come in?" As she stepped away from the door, Jacob walked inside. The smell smacked him in the face like a hard slap.

"Can I get you something to drink? I haven't gone to the grocery store yet." Emma sat down on the sofa.

Jacob felt his heart pull from his chest. She'd only been home about an hour, and had completely crumbled. He quickly looked around for her purse. Spotting it on the
carpet next to a chair, he reached down and grabbed it.

He took Emma's hand and pulled her up from the sofa. She looked at him, half resigned and half lost.

"You're not staying here, Baby." Jacob kept his voice soft and calm.

"I have to. My clothes are here and I have work in the morning. Do you want something to drink?" Emma asked again.

Jacob gently led her out the door and into his Jeep. Whatever it took, he wasn't going to let her fall to pieces. Robert wasn't going to haunt her anymore. If Emma wanted to live on her own, that'd be fine. But she wasn't going to come back to this apartment. The horrible memories must be killing her.

"You passed the store. I need to pick up some stuff so I can pack my lunch."

He didn't have the heart to tell her what time it was. They'd driven half the night to get back to Southfield. There was no way he was going to let her work in the morning. She hadn't even gotten any sleep in days. Hell, weeks.

As he pulled into his driveway, he looked over at her. Emma was staring straight ahead. He put the Jeep in park, and then walked around, picked up her purse, and helped her out. When he opened his front door, she began to aimlessly walk around. He turned the lights on,
and watched her expression shift to confusion.

He was grateful the cleaning lady had been doing her job in his absence. He sat Emma's purse down on the kitchen counter.

"You've made a mistake. This isn't my apartment. I have to go to the store and get some stuff to pack my lunch."

"I'll take care of your lunch, Emma."

His eyes began to water as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest.