Willow (18 page)

“
Where the fuck are you? Damn it, Willow, we’ve been worried sick.”

She hung up.

~Chapter 18~

Shawn hated his hotel room. It was cheap and ugly. But he felt that he could hide here in relative comfort. But he had to figure out how to get the merchandise back and get it back soon. The Voice wasn’t going to wait any longer and he had until midnight to get it to him or Shawn was dead. He wondered if it was about time he had his dad come in and fix this. And he picked up his phone to do so.

The call couldn’t be placed. He tried six different times to put it through and he got the same message each time. “Please call customer service if you are experiencing difficulty.” he looked at the phone on the end table in his shitty hotel and realized he had no idea what his father’s number was. His first call was to the cell phone company and he knew that number because the bitch kept telling him.

“
I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t give you that information without verification from the cell phone holder. If you can just get him to call, we can talk to him.”

Shawn rubbed his eyes. He’d told this one twice now that he didn’t know his father’s phone number; they’d locked him out of it when their fucking phone stopped working.

“
I can’t call my dad. You have to do it or let me have my service back to call him. I don’t write the fucking numbers down when I store them in my phone.”

The voice on the other end was no longer professional. “If you use that language once more, Mr. Talbor, I will hang up on you and put a note in your—”

“
You think I give a good fuck what you put in a note? Give me back my fucking service.” he waited for her to say something to that. And waited. Then the dial tone sounded. She’d hung up on him. He started to dial the number again when he realized that someone was pounding on his door.

“
Who is it? I’m busy here and I don’t have time for shit today.” Shawn wrenched open the door. “What?”

The man standing there looked like he’d just gotten up. His hair was mussed and his pajamas where rumpled. And he looked pissed.

“
Do you think you can please keep it down? I realize that the walls are thin, but I think I would be able to hear you if we were on separate floors. I have an interview in the morning and I don’t want to have to go in looking like I haven’t slept in days.”

He told Shawn this like he was supposed to give a shit. Before he could tell the guy what he could do with his thin walls and quiet time, he saw her. The bitch was going into one of the rooms across from him. He nearly went after her then, but he had to get rid of this shithole and plan. He simply punched the guy in the face.

“
See if that will help with the quiet you fucking fuck-tard.” The guy staggered back and Shawn slammed the door in his face.

She was here. He couldn’t believe it, the bitch was right here, right now. He walked over to the bed and sat down. Shawn reached for the baggie of his own stash laying there and measured out himself a good hit. He didn’t know why this shit was illegal; it certainly made him think better. He sat and waited for the rush to hit him and closed his eyes and lay back on the bed when it did.

If the bitch was here, she was meeting somebody. If she was meeting somebody, then there might be someone else in the room if he just went charging over there. He had to scope things out first.

Shawn got up off the bed, went to the window, and pulled back the curtain. She was in number seventeen and sure enough, that was her truck out front. He stood there watching and waiting when she came out and went to the truck again. He was about ready to go out and snatch her when she only got something out of her truck bed.

Shawn watched for another twenty minutes and no one showed up. He was ready to make his move. He made sure his gun was loaded and that he had his key. He’d have to take care that no one disturbed them because it was high time the bitch paid. He tried to think where to take her when he realized if she was here then the job site was empty. He’d take her there. He looked out the window again and saw a van pull up beside her.

Shawn was getting to the point where he wanted to go out and kill the fucking family of eleven-hundred that had pulled up beside her room. It wasn’t really that many, he reminded himself. He’d counted. And he’d only come up with six of them, but damn, those people sure were taking their time getting settled, he thought, for the tenth time. How many trips to the vehicle did one family have to make for Christ’s sake?

Finally. After an hour, he was ready to make his move. He moved across the hotel parking lot, keeping close to the walls, when he saw a car that made him nervous. The bitch had called The Voice, he just knew it. Hurrying now, he went back to his room and decided to wait.

~o0o~

Willow was checked into number seventeen again. She didn’t want that room, but it was the only one left, the clerk had told her. She wanted to stay here in this hotel because it was familiar to her, but not in their room. She went inside first to see if it hurt too bad to be there. Then she went out and got her bag. She’d stay, but tomorrow she was going home. She missed the dogs and Marta. And no one was running her out of her house.

Her phone was on the charger now and when she came back into the room after grabbing some dinner, it was ringing. She knew by the tone it was Jared again, so she didn’t even bother answering. As soon as it went to voicemail her phone rang again, this time her brother. She decided to give him another chance.

“
If you say one word I don’t like, I’m hanging up. I have a headache and I just want to be left alone. All right, Alexander?”

She wasn’t sure he was going to answer her and she couldn’t make herself care right now. Just when she was going to hang up, he answered her.

“
Yes, but let me say that he’s sorry for what he did.”

“
He lied to me. And if you think that’s okay between lovers, then I’m not sure I like you all that much right now either.” She sat on the bed and listened to the people next door get settled. “He hurt me. And he lied. I’m sorry if I don’t find that to be all that comforting right now.”

He was quiet for a few seconds and she could hear mumbling. She knew who was with him; she knew his voice as well as her own. Jared was wherever Alexander was. She strained to hear, but she couldn’t make anything out.

“
He wants to know if you’ll talk to him. He said there are things going on that you need to be made aware of and he’s worried for your safety.” Alexander lowered his voice. “I think you should do it, Wills. There’s been a murder.”

Willow knew about the murder at the site. It had been all over the news since early morning. She also knew who they suspected. It didn’t surprise her that Talbor was considered armed and dangerous. He’d been threatening her for weeks. Willow did feel terrible about the policeman who’d been killed, and the girl too. The cop had only been doing his job and nobody deserved to die like that. And the girl…to murder someone in front of people in your own home…well, that was just sick.

“
Alexander, do you have any idea what he did? What he didn’t tell me?” When he didn’t answer her, she went on. “Alexander, I love him. What am I supposed to do with that?”

“
Talk to him. Tell him.” The next voice she heard was Jared’s. Apparently. Alexander didn’t want her to say no. “Are you all right?” She didn’t answer; the tears were threatening to come again. “You’re parents are here…so are mine. None of them are very happy with me right now. Well, neither am I. Happy with myself, I mean.”

“
I don’t—” Someone was pounding on her door and when she went to the peep hole, there was no one there. “Hang on a minute, this door sticks and I have to use two hands.”

She was stalling. Willow knew if she didn’t go to the door then whoever it was would simply go away. She just needed a few extra minutes. Willow set the phone on the dresser and pried the door open. She had just taken the lock off when she was thrown back and hit the bed behind her. Before she could get up and figure out what had happened, Talbor was on her.

His hand was over her mouth as she screamed. And when he bounced her head on the floor twice, she shut up. It was either that or have permanent brain damage. The gun under her chin bit deep into her skin.

“
Now you listen here you bitch. This is what we’re going to do. You’re going to answer some questions, and I’m going to ask them. You understand?”

No!
She wanted to scream at him, but was afraid to move. He had his knees in her ribs and his other hand not holding the gun around her throat. She was beginning to see spots before her eyes and she was afraid if she fell unconscious, he’d kill her for spite. Her head hit the floor again.

“
You fucking hear me, cunt? I’m going to answer some questions and you’re going to…no, damn it.” He moved the gun and before she could breathe, he backhanded her with the gun. “You fucking bitch. You’re confusing me. I will ask you questions and you will answer them.”

She could feel the blood trickle down her cheek and her entire face felt as if it had exploded. Not moving, she watched him sit on her chest and pull out a bloodied notepad. He took out a broken pencil and began writing in it. Willow couldn’t understand all of what he was saying, but it sounded like he was saying she was going to be punished for making him slap her. She sat up and tried to knock him off her.

The pen and pad went one way and he the other. It took everything she had to roll over him and try to get to the door. The gun wasn’t anywhere she could see it and she decided that she didn’t know how to use it anyway. She grabbed the door handle when he smashed her head against the door frame. She felt her head open and blood pour from her forehead. Her scream was cut off by him yanking her around to face him and his fist connecting soundly with her cheek. A moment of pain, intense pain, and that was it.

~Chapter 19~

Jared dropped to the floor the moment she screamed. He could hear the scuffle going on and started screaming for her. He knew the man who had her and he was hurting her. Willow’s father took the phone from him before he could say anything. When he paled too, Jared knew that it wasn’t good.

He sat down hard on the chair and looked at Jared. Edgar gently laid the phone on the table and reached for his wife. Before Jared could ask, Edgar shook his head.

“
I need a moment. Call the police. He has her, he has Willow. I heard…I heard him…he hit her. The bastard hit my little girl.” Willow’s mom, Amanda, and Jared’s mom held each other. In the hours they’d been trying to find Willow, the two older women had formed a bond.

While they waited on the police and the special unit that Edgar had brought in to help, Jared thought about the day. Since he’d come downstairs and found his parents in the kitchen and Willow gone it had been one roller coaster ride after another. First, the fight he’d had with his mom.

“
You didn’t tell her. After sleeping with her, you didn’t tell her who you were. Jared Robert Stone, if you weren’t over six feet tall, I’d beat your ass. How could you?” He started to say something, but thought better of it. His dad, however, didn’t have any problems.

“
You should be horse whipped. That poor girl looked like I pole axed her. Nearly passed out on us. What do you have to say for yourself, young man?”

Jared sat down. “Nothing, sir. I meant to tell her last night, but I got…we… Nothing, sir, I should have told her.”

Jared felt ten years old. He was a grown man and his parents were disappointed in him. Hell, he was disappointed in him. He looked over at his mom.

“
I love her.” Marta snorted and he turned to her. “I do. I know I don’t have any excuses for what I did, but I do love her.”

“
Well ‘bout time one of you said it. Dumb kids now days. Course you love her, and she loves you too. Both of you too wrapped up in getting into each other pants to see it.” Marta set a platter of food in front of him. “Eat. You need your strength. I called her momma and daddy. They on their way. That brother of hers too, Alexander. Don’t you be surprised none if he knocks you on your ass a couple of times either.”

And he had. Alexander came into the door and socked him right in the mouth. His parents had been shocked, then his mom started laughing. He didn’t see the humor in it, but apparently his dad did too. He decided to sit where he was until someone listened to his side. Marta handed him a baggie of ice and a stern look. Jared put the icepack on his mouth and didn’t say much unless asked.

Jared didn’t really have any delusion about what he’d done. He’d fucked up. He knew he should have told her who he was from the beginning, but didn’t want to spoil what they had. Then when he’d discovered he had fallen in love with her, he’d thought, stupidly, he now realized, that he would make her fall in love with him before he told her.

When her parents had arrived twenty minutes later, her mom wouldn’t even look at him. Jared figured she had spoken to Alexander. Willow’s dad went outside in the light snow and played with the dogs for a while. Jared suspected he was trying to curb his temper. Jared knew he would be. When he came inside, he took Jared to Willow’s office, another room he’d not been in.

It was a huge room and bright in the late afternoon sun. The wall that faced the wooded area out back had a door that opened out onto a private deck. The door was surrounded on both sides by large glass panels that were as big as the door but done in leaded glass panels and a stained glass mural over the three of them. The picture in glass depicted an orchard with the trees heavy with fruit and pickers with a truck and tractor full of baskets.