Unexpected Love (27 page)

Seventy-two

She was trying to wake up from a nightmare.  It involved guns and pain and fear.

Maybe it wasn’t just a bad dream.  Sara was bent over her, calling her name.  It was dark and smelly.  The only light was from the windows high up around the wall.  She blinked, trying to make the headache go away.  Or maybe she was trying to make the whole situation go away. 

“Taylor, are you okay?”

Taylor winced, “Silly question, Sara.”

“Yeah, you’re right.  We need to get out of here but the tie is so tight my circulation feels like it is being cut off.”

Taylor sat up, the world spun around her in a cruel gesture. At least they were alive and that meant they had a chance. She put her good arm on the wall and pushed hard to get up.  She struggled but when she was standing she felt a small measure of triumph.  Sean would be proud.  The thought sobered her.  If she saw him again. 

She pushed against the wall.   “Is he gone?”

“Not for long.  I gave him a wrong code.”

Taylor searched for a way to cut the cord.  She limped around looking for anything to use as a cutting tool or a weapon.  She found a steel rod the size of a tire iron so she put it into the back of her jeans.

“I have to get you untied.  At least he didn’t tie me up.”

They found nothing that would cut the ties.  Sara’s wrists were raw and starting to bleed from movement.

She pulled out her cell phone and tried calling Sean, no answer.  Sara called out John’s number and she tried that and still no answer.  She tried Sean one more time and left a message.  “Sean, we are at an abandoned warehouse.  I love you and tell John, Sara loves him.”  She hung up.

“Thank you for saying that.  I do love him and I want to see him again, so let’s try to find a place to hide.”

They could only hope Sean had heard where they were going.   Bu what if Sean didn’t make it in time?  She knew he would never forgive himself.  She might have to save herself and Sara this time on her own.  She tried to formulate a plan, but nothing was coming to mind at the moment.

“Can you walk tied up?”

Sara nodded, “I can hop.  I’ll be right behind you.”

“Let’s try the door and see if we can get out of here first.”  Taylor went to the door they had come in but it was either locked or blocked with something.  Even with Sara’s help it did not budge.

Seventy-three

Moving farther in, it was darker.  Maybe that would work to their advantage.  Taylor searched for a hiding spot and found an opening in the wall.  It looked as if someone had sledgehammered a hole in the wall.  Taylor carefully leaned forward and peered into the darkness, trying not to step on the broken bricks laying all around her.  It had very little light like the room they were in.  It was much smaller than the room they were in but maybe there would be door to the outside they could get through.  Taylor careful put one leg through the hole.

As she tried to step down, her ankle twisted on a piece of broken brick.  “Ouch.”  She fell with the other leg sticking out on the other side.  She dragged her leg in.  Her leg felt scrapped and burning from being dragged across the ragged opening.

“Taylor, are you okay?”

“I think I twisted my…”

They startled when they heard a car.  It stopped and they could gravel spraying against the walls behind them.  Taylor looked at Sara.  They were both scared and they knew it.  They heard screaming.

“Sara.  I warned you.”  Danny came bursting into the door.  He looked wildly around and spotted Sara at the far wall.  He fired his gun.  The bullet just missed Sara. 

“Sara, get in here.” 

Sara scrambled through the hole and helped Taylor up.  Taylor put weight on her ankle and it almost buckled.  She looked at Sara, “Hide.”

Sara stood there looking at her, “I’m not leaving you.”

“Sara, he’s coming and he wants you.  Go.”  She pointed to the wall.

Sara skirted around the piles of junk and pallets.  Taylor hobbled to the other side where there was a tall stack of pallets.  She could see very little, but the windows overhead helped. 

Danny stepped through the hole. Waving the gun.  He was screaming Sara’s name and cursing.  Taylor pulled out the rod from her jeans and held it with both hands and crouched down, waiting. 

Danny was too engrossed in Sara to notice they had split up.  When he got passed the pile she was behind, Taylor swung as hard as she could and hit him in the back of the head.  He went down to knees as Taylor dropped the rod and ran as best she could towards Sara. 

Taylor whispered, “Go Sara.” 

Danny was screaming, “Sara, come back here.”  He fired into the air above Taylor.  The bullet hit the window and glass rained all around her. 

Taylor felt the shards embed into her body as she raised her arms to protect her head.  A larger piece had pierced her thigh and it hurt.  She did not see Danny approaching her.

Danny hit her again on the head and she blacked out.

Sara came out of her hiding spot and put her hands out and pleaded with him.  “Please stop.”

He gestured to Sara, “On your knees.” 

He kicked Sara and screamed at her.  “Don’t move.”

He went back to Taylor and started to tie her hands and legs with binding straps.  He got her hands bound and was trying to tie her legs when she kicked him as hard as she could.  “Forget it jerk.  I’m not dying today, you pathetic crack head.”  She winced inwardly.  Shouldn’t have said that.  What would Sean think now?

Danny was starting to get to his feet.  “What the hell?”

“I know.  I’m more trouble than I’m worth.  You can ask my boyfriend.  He’ll tell you.”

Danny hit her with his gun barrel just as they heard another shout.  “Police.”  He looked wildly around and ran.

Seventy-four

Sean and John saw a figure crawl out of a hole and run along the far wall.  Mayfield motioned them and another officer to give chase.

They did as they were told.  Mayfield had told them earlier that if they promised to act like cops and not a husband and boyfriend, they could come.  They had both nodded in agreement.  Sean needed to be there and he was sure John felt the same way.  He needed to make sure she was safe.  He was praying they made it quick enough to help. 

They heard Taylor and he rolled his eyes.  She was doing it again.  At least if she was talking, she was alive.

The scruffy man held his gun up and fired a round but it came nowhere near them.

“Police.  Drop your weapon.”  It was Clay giving the warning.  “Now.”

Danny looked like a caged animal as Clay tried to talk to him.  Sean and John kept silent.  Neither of them wanted to be involved if he had to be shot.  Especially considering who the victims were.  Sean had no doubts he would if he had to.

Mayfield went with Jackson to find the women.  They called through the hole.  It was darker on this side of the wall but they had flashlights.  He saw Sara first.  Then Taylor lying motionless a few feet away.

He motioned Jackson towards a frightened Sara.  Jackson knew her.  “Sara, it’s okay now.”  He pulled out a knife and started to cut the binds on her wrists and legs.  They were tight and cutting into her skin.  “Hold still.”

Mayfield knelt down to Taylor and checked her pulse.  He examined her and found a large piece of glass in her thigh, smaller pieces all over.  He then got on his radio and called for medical assistance.  “Taylor, can you hear me?” 

No response.

Seventy-five

Mayfield heard three shots and then silence.  Running footsteps.  John and Sean arrived.  Sara threw herself at John.  He held her tight.   “It’s over, honey.”

Sean knelt down and Mayfield handed him the flashlight.  Mayfield could see Sean was pale and shaken.  “She’s unconscious.  EMTs are on the way.”  He wanted to assure Sean she would be okay, but he couldn’t.  Not until the EMTs arrived.

Sean held the flashlight while Mayfield tried to stop the bleeding on her forehead.  “Sean, let’s get her outside where I can see better and can get the first aid kit.  I don’t want her to bleed more if I pull out glass.”  Sean handed him back the flashlight and picked Taylor up.  He carried her outside and carefully laid her down. 

John and Sara had followed.  John looked Sara over. “I’m okay.  Taylor save my life twice today.  Is she okay?”  No one answered.  “Sean?”

Sean answered more positively than he felt.  “Of course she will be.”  He added to himself, she has to be.  He noticed her ring was gone.

Sean looked at the glass shard in her leg.  Mayfield told him they would wait until the EMTS got there.  They could stop the bleeding when it was pulled out.

It seemed like forever before the ambulance arrived.  “Has she been unconscious the whole time?”

Sean shook his head yes. 

They began pulling out the few pieces of glass and bandaged her.

The EMT looked at Sean who still kneeling next to Taylor.  “See if you can get her to open her eyes.  Talk to her.  Anyone know her name?”

Sean replied, “Taylor.”

“Age?”

“24.”

“Could she be pregnant?”

Sean shook his head no.

“Any other health issues we should know about?  Allergies?”

“She was in a bad car accident a few months ago and has muscle atrophy and liver damage.  She’s allergic to penicillin.”  He could feel everyone staring at him.

Sean put his hands on her face.  He noted they were shaking.  “Taylor, I need you to look at me.”

No response.  Sara spoke up, “He hit her really hard with a gun butt twice.  I think she blacked out both times.”  She was clinging to John.

“Taylor, look at me.  I really need you to open your eyes so I know you are okay.”

Taylor heard him.  She tried to open her eyes but it was such an effort.  Her head was pounding hard and her leg was really hurting. 

Sean whispered in her ear, “Please, baby, I really need you to look at me.”

She heard him talking again and forced her eyes open.  Sean got a relieved smile on his face.

“Hey.”  He took her hand.

She whispered, “About time you got here, Officer Reed.”

“Better late than never.”  He was feeling shaken.

“Did you know there is an actual name for a castrated male deer?  How do they get castrated?  Does a vet run around the woods, corner them in some trees and perform surgery?”

Everyone stared at her with concern, but Sean laughed.  “Maybe there’s a male deer clinic hidden deep in the woods.”

Now everyone was staring at him.  Sean felt like kissing her.  She was going to be okay and she was acting normal.  He was so relieved, he almost lost control of his emotions, but he refused to.

They lifted her onto the stretcher.  She grabbed Sean’s arm, “No hospital.”  She said it softly but firmly.

“I’ll go with you.   And you are going.”

She shook her head no but that hurt so she glared at him. 

“Still not going to work.  You might get the look one day but I would practice if I were you.”

She made a disgruntled noise but Sean ignored her.

Seventy-six

Sean held her hand until they got to the hospital.  She was drifting in and out of consciousness, which worried him.  The doctor asked him similar questions that the EMT did and Sean answered them.

“Is this your wife?”

“Soon.”

“That sounds nice.”  They both looked over at Taylor who was smiling at them. 

The doctor looked at her intently, “How do you feel?”

“My head hurts, my leg hurts, my body hurts. Other than that, just ducky.”

Half an hour later, Maggie and Walter arrived. 

Maggie said anxiously, “Is she alright?  We just wanted to make sure.  Do you guys need anything?”

“She’s hurting but she’s going to be fine.”

“Take care of her and let us know if we can do anything.”  She kissed Sean on the cheek and then Taylor.  Sean followed them out and came back quickly.

Taylor looked like she was about to cry.  Sean leaned over.  “What?”

She shook her head no.  She could not say anything.

Sean kissed her cheek.  “I know you hate hospitals, baby.  I’m not going to leave you.”

She swallowed hard, “John and Sara?”

“He took her home although she wanted to stay.  He said they would come by in the morning.”

He crawled over the railing and lay on his side.  “Not much room.”

Taylor giggled, “Don’t think it was made for double occupancy.”  He carefully pulled her into his arms. 

“You have got to stop scaring me like that.”

“All this adventure is freaking me out.”

He smiled at her, “Freaking me out too.  I love you, Taylor.”  He held her tightly. 

She moaned.  “It hurts.”  She looked at him, “I might as well get all the mileage I can out of this.”

Sean laughed.  “Good idea.  Hey, you are going to have a really nice black eye.  You look like you have gone a few rounds in the ring.” he said softly.

She giggled, “That bad?  I won’t need any eye shadow.”

“You don’t wear eyeshadow.”

“That is one thing I like about you, Officer Reed.  You pay attention.”

The nurse appeared and stared hard at Sean in the bed.  Sean was still in uniform but it did not faze her.

“You are not supposed to be there.  It’s for the safety and comfort of the patient.”

“She’s safe and as comfortable as she can be under the circumstances.”

The nurse stared.  “Look, you can stare all you want, but I’m not moving right now.  When they release her, I’ll get up.”

“I can call security, sir.”

“And I can call other cops.  Who do you think is going to come out on top?”

The nurse sighed, “Okay, but I do not see you there.”

Sean gave her a big grin, “See who?” 

After she left Taylor laughed, “What am I going to do with you Officer Reed?”

“Let me make you a cannoli when you are better?”

Taylor rolled her eyes at him.

“I noticed the few choice words you gave him, just like last time.” 

“Oh, you heard that?  Officer Reed to the rescue again.”

He shook his head, “No.  It was Sean going to get the woman he loves more than anything.”

She looked at him.  He leaned over and kissed her, “I thought you knew that already.”  He sniffed and she looked at him.  Was it her or were his eyes watery?

She stared at him.  She had never seen him this upset.  “I was so scared.  I really thought I was about to die.  I just wanted to come home.  But I was sure you would save me.  Again.” 

He gave her a quick half smile, “I was scared too.  And I was going to make sure I got you home.  I can’t lose you Taylor.  Besides, I am so proud of you.  You kept your cool, showed your courage, and did what you thought you had to do.”

He held her and kissed her face, “You are here with me, where you will always be.”

She smiled and he was relieved to see it. 

She whispered, “Is John freaking out?”

“I think he is and I have never seen him like that.  He’s grateful that you saved Sara.”   

She smiled.  “My hero had tears in his eyes.”

“You must have dreamed it, besides that’s different from crying.”  He said it gruffly, “I did not have tears in my eyes.”

Sean pulled her ring out of his pocket.  “I think this belongs to you.”

She smiled, “My ring.  I was afraid he would steal it so I put it in my pocket when we were in the car.”

Sean slipped it on her finger.  “Looks better there.”  He kissed it and held her until the doctor came in.

He said, “I didn’t know those beds could accommodate two people.”  She gave them both a smile.  “I wanted to keep you overnight for observation because of your concussion, but the Officer here said no way.  Does he get to overrule me?”

Taylor giggled, “Yes, ma’am.”