Web of Deceit (22 page)

“I’m sorry, I’m …”

Elliot duct tapes
his mouth shut. “Save it for your lawyer.” He rises to his feet and rushes to
Symphony’s rescue.

*   *   *

Fear and anger
grip Symphony as the shots echo through the desolate basement.
It’s time for
this nightmare to end.

Mrs. Freedman
faces the door. “Howard! Jerry! Clean up that mess and get in here.”

This is my
chance.
Symphony pushes Mrs. Freedman to the ground and runs for the door.
“I’m coming, Elliot.”

Elliot opens the
door, and to his horror spies Mrs. Freedman aiming a gun at Symphony’s back as
she runs toward him.

“I’ve had enough
of your disrespect, girl!” Mrs. Freedman pulls the trigger.

Bang!

Elliot leaps for
Symphony, tackling her to the ground. The force is so strong it causes the back
of her head to smash into the cement floor, knocking her unconscious.

Pleased with the
results, Mrs. Freedman hurries to the back exit towards the garage.

“Symphony.
Symphony. Wake up.” Elliot whispers. He reaches over and nudges her arm.
“Symphony.”

“Elliot?” Symphony
squints her eyes and grimaces. “Man. That was close. Where’s Mrs. Freedman?”
She rises to her feet, holding the back of her head.

“She took off
towards the back door that leads to the garage,” Elliot says in a weak voice.
He tries to stand up. “Ugh,” he groans in pain, and he is forced to remain
still.

“Elliot! You’ve
been shot.” Symphony leans down to aid him. “Put your arm around my neck; I’ll
help you up.”

“No, leave me
here. Captain Aims will be here any minute. I’ll be fine. You have to go after
Mrs. Freedman.”

“I’m not leaving
you alone,” Symphony says determined to get him to his feet.

“The plan was to
meet Beth and Sarah in the garage.”

“That woman is
headed in their direction?”

“Yeah, that’s what
I’ve been trying to tell ya.”

“Don’t worry, I
won’t let anything happen to them,” Symphony says ready to pursue Mrs.
Freedman.

“Hey, hold up for
a sec.” Elliot reaches into his denim pocket to pull out a key chain with two
keys dangling. “Here, take these.” He tosses them in mid-air.

Symphony catches
the key ring. “What are these for?”

“My car, in case
you need to chase after her. I know about those car escapades when you were a
teen. You shouldn’t have any problems.”

“Thanks. Help’ll
be here soon. I gotta go.” Symphony skulks off through the darkness towards the
garage, pursuing Mrs. Freedman.

“Someone’s
coming,” Beth says with her ear to the door. “I only hear one set of
footsteps.” She glances towards the girls, concerned. “You guys better hide,
and if it’s not Elliot, don’t come out no matter what.”

Sarah and Kelly
scramble to find a spot to hide.

“Hurry up. They’re
coming,” Beth says.

“Kelly, over
here,” Sarah says with a quiet voice. “We should both be able to fit.” Sarah
squeezes into a tall wooden cabinet that stands in a corner. As Kelly is about
to join her, the basement door bursts open. Instead of climbing in beside
Sarah, she pushes the door closed and hurries over to Beth’s side.

“Elliot?” Beth
asks as her heart pounds, sensing danger.

“Oh, what a
pleasant surprise, my dear. I was told you were electrocuted.” Mrs. Freedman
closes the basement door behind her.

“What have you
done with Symphony?” Beth asks.

“She will not be
joining you today, and don’t bother trying to stall me. Your friend Elliot will
not be coming to the rescue either.” Mrs. Freedman pulls a set of keys from her
pocket. “It seems you are a better investigator than I thought. And the police
are most likely on their way here. Get in the car, it appears I am in need of a
couple hostages.”

“No … no, I’m not
getting in that death chamber,” Kelly protests.

“It’s OK, Kelly,
stay behind me. I won’t let anything happen to you,” Beth says.

“It will be all
right, dear, you can ride in the front with me. But you must get in the car
now.” Mrs. Freedman commands Kelly with a hypnotic suggestion.

A blank stare
comes over Kelly’s face. She plods to the car in silence, obeying Mrs. Freedman
without question. She climbs into the front seat, closing the door behind her.

“Now it is your
turn,” Mrs. Freedman says to Beth.

“No, I’m not one
of your puppets. You can’t make me go anywhere with you.”

“I have had a very
trying day.” Mrs. Freedman pulls her gun out and presses it into Beth’s back.
“Now move.”

“No.”

Mrs. Freedman
opens Kelly’s door and presses the gun to her head. “Get in or I will shoot her
instead.”

Believing her, Beth
opens the door behind Kelly and gets in.

Mrs. Freedman
presses the garage door’s remote to open it.  After making sure everyone is
buckled of course, she speeds off down her driveway into the night with her
hostages.

*   *   *

Approaching the
stairs, Symphony hears the cranking noise of the garage door opening.
I’m
too late.
She climbs as fast as she can to the top of the steps, making it
in time to watch Mrs. Freedman pull out of the garage.

“No!” Symphony
yells as she kicks a nearby metal tool cabinet.

“Symphony?” Sarah
asks as she comes out from her hiding place. “Is that you?”

“Sarah! You’re all
right.” Symphony runs over and wraps her arms around Sarah.

“Glad to see your
space bubble is deflating,” Sarah says, joking.

“Yeah.” Symphony
searches the room with her eyes. “Where’s Beth?”

“Mrs. Freedman
took her and Kelly. We have to save them.”

“Elliot’s been
shot. You need to stay here with him. Go down that long flight of stairs and
then keep walking. You’ll run right into him.”

“OK, but what
about you?”

“Elliot gave me
the keys to his Vette. I’m goin’ after Mrs. Freedman. He said the police will
be here soon, but I’ll still call 911 on my way.” Symphony spots a four-wheeler
outside the garage and runs to it. “I’ll call Elliot when I find ’em.”

After Symphony
disappears into the dark, Sarah hurries down the basement steps to find Elliot.

*   *   *

As Mrs. Freedman
rounds the last corner of the half-mile driveway, several cars are coming her
way. “Oh look.” She points down the road off to the right. “Here comes the
cavalry. Whatever will I do?” She taunts the girls as she turns left out of the
driveway and escapes unnoticed.

*   *   *

Nearing the end of
the driveway, Symphony is surrounded by six unmarked police cars. She tries to
dodge them but every maneuver is blocked. Unable to get away, she puts the
four-wheeler in neutral, jumps off, and runs toward the lead vehicle.

“Move!” Symphony
loses her temper and kicks the car. “She’s getting away!”

Captain Aims
swings open his door, “What’s wrong with you? Are you trying to make things
worse for yourself?”

“Me? I’m not the
one you’re after. It’s Mrs. Freedman, and she’s getting away with Beth and that
missing waitress!” Symphony says, enraged. “I watched her turn left from the
garage!”

*   *   *

Captain Aims picks
up a radio. “Hey Cary? Are you the one picking up the rear?”

“Yes sir,” Cary
says.

“A gray Caddy
turned left as we were coming up the road. Chase it down and put them in
custody; they may be involved.”

“Yes sir.” Cary squeals
his tires while backing out of the driveway and skids the nose of the car
around. The car’s engine roars as it accelerates onto the blacktop in pursuit
of the Gray Cadillac.

“So who are you?”
Captain Aims asks.

“Symphony. I work
for Beth and Elliot. Elliot and Sarah are in the basement waiting for help.
He’s been shot.”

Captain Aims grabs
his phone. “Where’s that number? There it is.” He presses
Send
.

“Hello?” Elliot
answers.

“Elliot, thank
God. Are you OK?” Captain Aims asks.

“I’ve been shot,
but I’m all right. Sarah’s with me. Let her parents know she’s OK.”

“Yeah, of course.
I’m at the estate. Where you at?”

“I’m in the
garage, and I have a couple guys tied up in the basement,”

“I’m on my way.
Hey, do you know a Symphony?”

“Yeah, she works
for me. I sent her after my Vette. Why?”

“I wasn’t sure
what was up with her.”

“Let me talk to
her.”

Captain Aims hands
the phone to Symphony.

*   *   *

“Hello,” Symphony
says.

“Hey, it’s Elliot.
They won’t let you chase after Beth, so tell them you’re getting my Vette and
then head towards the highway. Mrs. Freedman will most likely end up there.
Call me the minute you see the Caddy, and we’ll send help. I wouldn’t send you,
but I don’t know how to tell who is on Mrs. Freedman’s side and who’s not. So,
be careful.”

“No problem,
Elliot. I’ll drop ‘Precious’ off at your place.” Symphony closes the phone and
hands it back to Captain Aims. “Elliot still wants me to take his Vette home.
It’s past her curfew,” Symphony says with no expression on her face.

“Yeah, all right.
You can go, but one of the guys will take you to the car and make sure you go
in the opposite direction. Is that understood?” Captain Aims asks with a
fatherly tone.

“Yeah, sure,”
Symphony replies.

“Good. Ralph!”

“Yes sir?” Ralph
responds.

“Take this girl to
Elliot’s car. She’ll tell you where to go. The rest of you come with me.”
Captain Aims gets into his car and leads the way to the garage.

*   *   *

Mrs. Freedman
obviously hears the sirens in the distance as she pulls onto the highway.

“Where are you
taking us?” Beth asks as she searches the back seat for a possible escape. “And
what is that horrible smell?”

“You don’t want to
know,” Kelly answers, her voice shaking and filled with fear.

“Huh, I would’ve
thought you would take better care of your vehicle, Mrs. Freedman. A
perfectionist like you should be ashamed of yourself. This seat is ripped to
pieces.” Beth scrutinizes the fabric closer. “Is this blood?”

“Yes,” Mrs.
Freedman answers. “And if you do not cooperate, when this is all done, your
blood will be added to the collection.”

What is taking
them so long? They should have caught up with us by now. At least we’re heading
toward Boston. It will be easier to escape in a town.
Beth focuses on the
rips on both sides of her and puts her hands on them. She gasps aloud.
These
rips are caused from someone’s fingers
!
OK, stay calm Beth. Don’t let
her intimidate you. What to do? Come on, think
!
Oh God , please show me
what to do.
“I don’t understand why you think you can make the world a
better place by forcing change. All you are doing is creating human puppets. In
order for people to truly change, it must happen from within.”

“Silly girl, I am
changing them from the inside.”

“No, you are
merely putting a new coat of paint on them through hypnosis and clothing. The
only one that can create a true change in someone’s life is God,” Beth says.

“Do not preach to
me, girl. I have read the Bible in its entirety, and I know all the rules, and
I enforce them,” Mrs. Freedman says, losing her patience.

“Well, you have
obviously missed something very important. When Sarah talks, all I here about
is how much God loves me and everyone else, despite what we have done. When you
talk, I’m … not feeling the love.”

“You will see
things my way very soon,” Mrs. Freedman says. “Your high standards will make it
easy to convert you to the daughter I have always wanted and eventually my
replacement.”

“Your replacement?
Wow, you really are twisted.”

“Do not disrespect
me, girl, or you will end up like your friends. You are but an expendable pawn
to me.”

“God has opened my
eyes to the truth, and I am free. There is no truth in what you have to offer,
just prison … If death is the alternative then so be it.”

“Fine. Then you
shall have it your way. Checkmate!” Mrs. Freedman raises her voice.

“No!” Kelly says
as Mrs. Freedman reaches for a lever next to the radio and flips it sideways.
“Please, stop the killing!” Kelly flips the switch back, pleading for Beth’s
life.

“It is too late,
child,” Mrs. Freedman says as the headrest on Kelly’s seat swings back, almost
hitting Beth’s head.

Beth’s eyes widen
as a long, sharp razor is revealed. “You’re crazy!” Beth shouts as she
unbuckles her seatbelt and tries to get away from the guillotine. She bends her
head down towards her knees, but it doesn’t help. The giant razor dangles above
her neck ready to drop at any moment.
Dear Lord, what do I do?

“Don’t fight it,
girl, you will only prolong your death.” Mrs. Freedman reaches over and presses
a button.

Beth closes her
eyes and clenches her teeth as a loud clicking noise sounds next to her head.

“The razor is
going to drop! Run!” Kelly unlocks the door for Beth to escape.

Beth grasps hold
of the door and pushes outward. She rolls from the rear of the Cadillac and
tumbles hard onto the icy pavement, just missing decapitation.

Kelly’s door opens
next.

“Jump!” Beth
hollers.

*   *   *

Kelly tries to
escape.

“After all I have
done for you, you have the audacity to betray me like this?” Mrs. Freedman
points her gun at Kelly’s head.

“Jump!” Kelly
hears Beth yell.