Low Country Christmas

by Lee Tobin McClain

  “Oh, let’s just say...fifty thousand dollars.”

  It was the same amount Orin had asked for. Alarm bells were going off wildly inside Cash’s head. “How do you know me?”

  Again came the chuckle, which now sounded distinctly evil. There was no more sound of Penny. “It ain’t you I know.”

  Orin. Without a doubt, this man was working for Orin, and Cash’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his whole body taut with fury. “Let me talk to my father.”

  There was the sound of voices away from the phone, conferring. It gave Cash a moment to scroll back through his calls and see the multiple ones from Holly with new insight. She must be looking for Penny; she must know Penny was gone. Unless she was in on it with Orin? Was that possible?

  “Hello, son,” Orin said.

  “You better get me my child back and don’t you dare touch a hair on her head. Where are you?”

  “That don’t sound so respectful,” Orin said. “Don’t know if I want to talk to you.” There was more conferring, and then the call clicked off.

  Cash checked for other vehicles, did a squealing U-turn and flew back toward Safe Haven. When he got a little command over his emotions, so that his fingers weren’t shaking so badly, he clicked into one of Holly’s calls to return it, but she didn’t answer. Then he tried to redial Orin. That was fruitless at first, but on the second try, his father picked up.

  This time, Cash could clearly hear Penny crying and it felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest. “What do you want? Where can we meet?”

  “Not so fast. I don’t want to meet.” Orin paused, and then the other guy came on the line again. “All you got to do is transfer the money. I’m gonna text you the number to send it to. You can wire it or do a prepaid bank card.”

  Cash snorted as he took a curve too fast. The Tesla’s tires scraped over the median and the screen flashed a warning, and he let up on the gas pedal a little. “I’m not sending you guys money until I have Penny back.”

  “Seems to me you’re not the one setting the terms.” There was a pause, and then Penny howled.

  The sound gutted Cash, but he knew enough about negotiation that he was able to keep his voice steady. “Nope. I have the money, and I’ll get it to you, but in person. You have to bring Penny to me. Unharmed.” Sweat was dripping down his back with the effort to keep his voice steady.

  He could hear the two men murmuring quietly. He took the turn into Safe Haven fast, but there were people on the sidewalks and he hit the brakes, slowing to a less dangerous pace. Unbelievable that people were walking and talking and laughing, buying groceries or going to lunch, when his child was in the hands of a known abuser.

  Holly. He had to get to Holly.

  Orin got back on the phone. “All right,” he said. “We’ll bring the baby to the diner where Choctaw Highway crosses Haven Pike.” Voices conferred again. “You come to the east side and stay there. Bring the money. We’ll bring the baby to the west side and leave her there. You can see her, but you can’t pick her up until we have that money in our hands.” There was another loud cry from Penny, and the call ended abruptly.

  His heart pounded and his mind reeled with fear. What would Orin do to Penny? After all, he’d beaten their mother to within an inch of her life, and she’d been a grown, strong woman.

  His only hope was that Orin knew he wouldn’t get his money if he didn’t produce a happy, healthy baby.

  His mind churned with questions. Was Holly involved in this? Was it some elaborate scam? Had the whole thing been a conspiracy from start to finish?

  The very idea made him nearly double over in pain. But no. He couldn’t fathom it. He could believe, barely, that Holly had known about Tiff’s deception. But he couldn’t believe she’d coldly participate in a deception of her own making, or that she’d collaborate with Orin. He knew for sure she didn’t have a drug problem, which had to be the only reason Tiff had gotten involved with the skunk who was Cash’s father.

  He detoured off the road and pulled into the bank parking lot. It would take a little explaining to put his hands on as much cash as Orin wanted, but he knew the people in the bank and he knew he could do it. He’d start the process now and then consult Liam.

  Liam. He’d never been so glad to have a police officer in the family.

  While he waited for old Mrs. Roosevelt to finish a drawn-out conversation with the teller about her granddaughter’s successes in law school, he sent texts to Liam and Holly. Let them know that he was on his way to Holly’s, that Orin had contacted him and that he was working on complying with Orin’s demands. Most importantly, that he’d heard Penny and she’d sounded upset, but safe.

  If he hadn’t driven off like that last night, headed for his old condo and then for Atlanta, would Penny have been kidnapped? Was it his fault, more evidence of him being a pathetic father?

  Was he just following in Orin’s footsteps?

  He wrestled with the pain of that notion while he explained his needs to the bank teller, got bumped up to the manager and convinced him to do some rule-bending to produce the funds Cash needed by the time Cash came back for them later.

  As he walked out of the bank, thoughts of Holly and Penny and the time they’d spent together played out like movies in his mind. He questioned the notion that he was following in his father’s footsteps. He wasn’t Orin and this was Orin’s fault, not his. Cash was an entirely different person. He made mistakes, and plenty of them, but Orin was evil.

  He hoped his feelings for Penny meant he could be a great father. He’d taken steps in that direction, at least.

  And he wanted to be a great father, wanted it desperately, for the rest of Penny’s life. Not a once-a-month, throw-money-at-it father, but a hands-on, loving one.

  He wasn’t much for prayer, but he sent up a fervent one: please, God, keep her safe and let me be a real father to her.

  * * *

  HOLLY OPENED THE door of her apartment to three couples from the parenting class. Their presence bewildered her. How had they found out? Why had they come?

  Her legs felt shaky, like they could barely support her, but she couldn’t stay still, couldn’t focus on the hugs and kind words. There was barely room for everyone here: Liam and Yasmin, Sean and Anna, Norma and Stephen, Rita and Jimmy. Ma Dixie. Liam had gotten the word out to all local officers and, unofficially, to a couple of state cops he knew. Yasmin filled in the new visitors about what had happened—apparently, she was the one who’d contacted them—and the search they’d begin just as soon as Liam gave the go-ahead.

  “Why is it that we can’t do an amber alert?” she asked Liam again, because she was panicking, and not thinking straight, and she hadn’t been able to listen to him before.

  Liam got a call and his phone was dinging with texts. He held up one finger, telling her to wait, and spoke quietly into the phone.

  Anna touched her arm. “It’s because they think the baby’s father took her.”

  Holly stared at her blankly, and then the words computed. “Cash? They think Cash has Penny?”

  “We don’t think so,” Anna said, and beside her, Sean nodded agreement. “But the cops will. It’s the most likely scenario. And since he’s not an actual risk to the child, they won’t do the alert.”

  “Could he have taken her?” That was Yasmin, joining in. “You said you two were fighting. Was it severe enough that he’d take Penny and run?”

  Holly pressed her fingers to her temples and tried to think, tried to quell the panic fluttering inside her chest like a bird under attack. “He was really angry,” she said. “Angry at me, but his impulse seemed to be to back away from Penny, not take her.” She bit her lip. “I wish he did take her. I’d know she was safe.” No matter how angry Cash was, he’d treat Penny with love and care. That was the kind of man he was.

  There was a pounding at the
door, and Holly opened it.

  And there was Cash, looking like he’d been attacked by vampires. His hair, normally neat, stood nearly on end and his face was white and haggard. “Did you get my texts? Orin has Penny,” he said without preamble. “He contacted me. He wants money, and if he gets it, supposedly he’ll return her to us safe.”

  Holly sagged against the wall, and Sean steadied her on one side, Anna on the other.

  Penny was alive, and only now would Holly admit to herself that she’d feared the worst, thought her dead. She wrapped her arms around herself as a new set of fears replaced the old ones. By all accounts, Orin was a terrible man. What would he do to Penny?

  “We need to make a plan,” Cash said, “because even though he says he’ll give her back unharmed, I worry that he won’t.” He looked over at the parenting-class members, waved his thanks. “He’s my father, and he’s unstable and volatile. I’m afraid he’ll try to keep her to get even more money out of us.”

  “Good point,” Liam said.

  Holly was trying to keep it together, but her chin wouldn’t stop trembling, and the words burst out. “I can’t stand thinking of her scared, without me there. Or of him hurting her.”

  Immediately, Yasmin, Anna and one of the parenting-class moms came over, making soothing noises, telling her it would be okay. She let them try to comfort her, but she couldn’t relax; she had to listen to the plans being made. Had to help Penny however she could.

  “If she’s upset and scared,” one of the dads said, “she’ll scream and cry and make him glad to get rid of her. At least, that’s what our Troy would do.”

  Liam and Sean looked at each other. “You know...” Sean began.

  “No. Uh-uh. We don’t want to make him more upset,” Liam said.

  Cash looked from one brother to the other, his expression bewildered. “What are you guys talking about?”

  She felt his anxiety and longed to go to him, but she couldn’t. She didn’t know his attitude toward her. There was no reason it should have changed for the better; it might have changed for the worse, because he might be blaming her.

  “I know,” Troy’s dad said. “Remember in the parenting class, we talked about creating an environment where our kids could succeed? Calm, good food, lots of rest? Well, what about creating an environment where she—and that jerk—can’t succeed?”

  “You want to deliberately upset the baby so she’s so hard to deal with, he wants to give her back.” Liam shook his head. “Evil.”

  “Penny does have a pretty piercing cry when she’s upset,” Cash said. “But how do we make that happen?”

  “HoHo cries if he’s hungry, or hot, or tired.”

  That was it. The thought of Penny uncomfortable, frightened and without her or Cash to help made Holly break down. She couldn’t hold back the sobs.

  “It’s okay, honey, it’ll be okay. I know just how you feel.” Anna was stroking her hair, and Holly remembered that her two girls had once gone missing, in the hands of their criminal father.

  Everyone still talked about how brave Anna had been. Likewise, Holly had to hold it together. She looked across the room and met Cash’s eyes, while her own streamed with tears. “Isn’t there something we can do?”

  Liam shook his head. “I know how frustrating this is, but to go out searching for her, when someone has taken her away in a car, is just a waste of time. Better if we all stay together until we’ve got more information.”

  She knew Cash was frustrated with doing nothing, too. She wanted him to come over here, to hold her, comfort her, tell her how he’d do everything in his power to get their child safely home. But he’d broken their bond for reasons that paled in comparison to their missing child. If she got the opportunity, she’d try to work things out with him.

  Cash’s phone buzzed to indicate a call, and when he looked at it, his face tensed. “It’s Orin. If everyone can stay totally silent, I’ll put it on speaker.”

  Holly wanted to shout “No!” Someone would screw it up. How could he trust them so much? But no one seemed to share her fears. People nodded and settled into position, and he clicked into the call.

  “Meet me at the diner we talked about. Nobody else better be there, and absolutely no police.”

  In the background, faintly, she could hear Penny’s fretful crying. Her throat tightened painfully.

  “And you’ll bring the baby.” Cash was rigid, every muscle tense, every bit of his considerable intensity focused on the phone.

  “Yeah, but you can’t have her until we have the money.” Orin sounded slimy and Holly felt pretty sure he was going to pull another trick.

  Cash’s eyes narrowed. He must be thinking the same thing, and she could almost see the wheels turning in his head. She knew the exact moment when he came up with a plan and put it into action. “Hey, if Penny’s fussy, it could be because she’s cold. She likes to be wrapped up in a lot of blankets.”

  Holly drew in her breath sharply, but he raised a hand, obviously wanting her to stay quiet.

  “Also,” he went on, “if she keeps on crying, just give her some Coke in a bottle. She loves it.”

  Holly’s jaw dropped. Some of the other women looked shocked, too. But the men nodded and gave Cash a thumbs-up.

  “Yeah, I can have the money in... Hang on.” He tapped at his phone. “Two hours. So meet me at five o’clock?”

  It would be getting dark then, but he probably needed that much time to get the money together. From the way Tiff had described Orin, he was suspicious by nature. He’d surely count every cent before surrendering the baby.

  Orin grunted agreement and then ended the call.

  Cash put a finger to his lips and checked his phone, then spoke to the group. “It’s okay. He’s off the line. And we’re on to meet him at five o’clock.”

  Everybody started talking at once. “Why did you...?” and “That was genius!” and “That baby’s going to be a mess.”

  Holly glared at him. “Why on earth did you tell him she’s always cold when the opposite is true? She’ll hate the blankets. And giving her cola in a bottle is just going to make her crazy.”

  “I’m hoping Orin will realize she’s too much for him to take care of and give her back, rather than continuing to use her,” Cash explained, and the other guys chimed in agreement.

  “I can’t stand to think of it,” Holly said. “She’ll be miserable.”

  “But she’ll be with us.”

  “If all goes well,” Rita said. “What if he just gets angry and takes it out on her?”

  Holly bit her lip, because Rita had put her own fears into words. She swallowed, but couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down her face. She drew in choking breaths, trying to calm herself.

  She had to stay calm to help Penny, get her away from that monster.

  “Mom.” Sean put an arm around Holly. “Did our father ever do anything to hurt us as babies?”

  “I don’t know,” she said, looking helpless. “I don’t remember.”

  “Well, I do. I remember him throwing Cash up in the air and both of them laughing, and I remember him coming home holding Liam, all excited. Cash was jealous, and Orin handed Liam to you and picked Cash up and swung him in the air until he laughed.”

  Rita’s hand flew to her mouth as she gasped audibly. “Was Cash wearing a purple sweatshirt?”

  Sean looked at her, his head tilted to one side. “Yeah. He was.”

  “It’s another memory!” She ran over and hugged Cash. “Oh, honey, it’s just a moment, and no matter in comparison to what we’re doing here, but I just caught another glimpse of you as a little boy!” Her eyes swam with tears. “Oh, my, you were the most adorable thing.”

  “Hey,” Sean said, “me and Liam were adorable, too.” There was a round of nervous laughter, then Sean held up his hand. “Point is, I think Penny’s sa
fe. I think Orin likes babies.” He paused. “It’s adult women he has a problem with.”

  “And don’t you worry about Coke in a baby bottle,” came a voice from the couch. “That’s a time-honored Southern tradition.” It was Ma Dixie. Holly had almost forgotten she was here. “It won’t hurt the baby none.” Ma’s eyes narrowed. “Might make her fussy, but that’s what you want.”

  “I just pray you’re right.” Rita looked over at Holly. “I’m sure you’re right. Now, let’s figure this out because I want to be there when this exchange happens.”

  Several of the men chimed in that they wanted in on it, too, but Liam shook his head. “He’s likely to be watching the place ahead of time. We can’t just have a random bunch of guys go in there. He’ll smell a setup.”

  “No,” one of the moms said, “but a few families would just be normal, right? In fact, Mark and I have gone to that diner a couple of times, with the kids. Why don’t we go, and if help’s needed, Mark can step in?”

  “We can go, too,” Sean said, but Liam shook his head.

  “There’s a risk he’ll recognize you. The only people who can go and pose as ordinary customers are those he’s never seen before.”

  Quickly, the group got organized. Two families were going to go—not with the kids, that was too risky, but as couples. Liam got on the phone with one of his officers, and Cash was talking to the bank when Holly came over. As soon as he finished his call, she gripped his arm. “I want to come with you.”

  He shook his head. “No. Orin is dangerous. I don’t want you at risk.” When she opened her mouth as if to protest, he added, “I need to concentrate on protecting Penny, not you.”

  “But I can help with her. What if you have to drive away fast or something? Who’s going to hold her?” Her spine seemed to sag and she clutched her empty arms in front of her stomach. “I want to hold her.”

  He reached out and pulled her to him, united in grief and fear as only two parents of a missing child could be.