by Elaine Meece
Make up wasn’t allowed, so she squeezed a little brown shoe polish out onto a plate on the nightstand and mixed it with white polish until she had almost a skin tone. Then she blotted it over the bruise.
Bingo.
It concealed the bruise. She wouldn’t bring up the trip into town. She didn’t want to seem too anxious or they might leave her behind.
Megan had always been assigned the detergent and cleaner aisle. They each had a list of items to purchase. That way it required less time in town. The list told her what to purchase. She knew it by heart: two-gallon jugs of bleach, two large boxes of powered washing detergent, dish washing liquid, toilet cleaners, sponges, and various other cleaners.
Dan gave each one of them ten dollars to spend on personal items. It could be to buy their favorite shampoo or female products. Most of them purchased an apple, orange, or banana while there. Their Mormon roots prohibited any carbonated drinks or alcohol. Also, anything with sugar was discouraged. Though the group frowned on it, Megan always bought a candy bar and soda. A rare treat.
In a prayer meeting, she’d made the mistake of glancing Libby’s way. Her daughter flashed a gloating smile. Libby had a rude awakening in store for her.
She wouldn’t always be the princess of the pack. As soon as Joseph Hawkins had her pregnant, he’d move on to the next one.
Megan would willingly take another beating to spare her daughter any of the pain and heartache she was about face. But just maybe, once the reality set in, her daughter’s eyes would be opened.
They had to escape while Megan was pregnant. Once she had an infant to deal with, leaving would be impossible.
At dinner that night, the aroma of freshly baked bread and fried steak filled the large kitchen. She ate but didn’t join in the conversation. None of Dan’s wives liked her. Between his wives, they had a total of twelve kids. Her child would make thirteen.
“You’re on cleanup with Connie,” Ruth said to her.
Megan nodded. “Wash or dry?”
Connie glanced up. “Dry.”
Dan sat at the far end of the table. “You’re staying home tomorrow. You can help with the children.”
Megan’s heart sank. She tried not to show her disappointment. “I’ll give my list to someone else.”
She had hoped to make it into town.
Ruth sighed. “Connie can do it.”
Connie had been the fourth wife and hadn’t earned her place yet. Anything they didn’t want to do, they gave to Megan. If not her, then Connie.
Later that night, Megan’s bedroom door opened. Dan walked in and immediately slipped from his jeans, leaving on his body garment. He slid into her bed. The last time he’d been with her, she’d turned from him and didn’t move while he did the deed.
Megan rolled over facing him. She placed a hand on each of his cheeks, leaned forward, and kissed him. While deepening the kiss, she wrapped her arms around him.
He gasped deeply. “You’ve changed.”
“God has told me to give myself to you,” she lied, then planted little kisses over his chest.
He groaned and pushed her on her back. After propping himself upon one arm, he leaned over and kissed her. His tongue just about choked her, but she didn’t push him away.
She rolled over, pushing her backside to him, and raising her leg. She knew the drill. Now that she was pregnant, he preferred this position.
He thrusted forward penetrating her in one quick motion. She pushed back making him groan in pleasure. She gritted her teeth and waited for him to come. If she wanted to escape, she had to play their game. That meant obedience and total submission.
Once he was done, he rolled over. Rather than remaining with her back to him, she rolled over and snuggled against him, letting her arm rest across his stomach. She kissed under his chin.
Not even an hour later, he took her again, working toward his climax. From what she heard, none of these men ever worried about pleasing the women.
She left the tiny room and entered the laundry room/ pantry area located off the same hall. In back it had a toilet and sink. She cleaned up, then quietly returned to bed, trying not to wake him. While listening to him snore, she prayed he’d let her go to town.
Once she escaped and was safe, the first thing she’d want was a pizza with three meats and all the veggies. This place didn’t do any pleasure foods. Meat and potatoes made up their menu. Junk food was as hard to come by as an orgasm.
♦♦♦
Brice knocked on the front door of his old home. He didn’t notice Uncle Hayden’s truck in the drive.
Shea opened the door, wearing a robe and flipflops. “Come in. They’re finishing up breakfast.”
“Are they packed?”
“Yes, and dressed. When will you have them back?”
“Sunday night.”
“I’ll pick them up. Did you receive an invitation to Don and Vivian’s daughter’s wedding?”
“I did.”
“Are you going?”
“I plan to.” Brice thought she might ask him to go with her and the boys. “Why?”
“It’ll be awkward if we’re both there, since I’ll be with Hayden.”
“Not at all. I’m bringing Annie.”
Her face paled and concern lingered in her eyes. “Oh.”
Her reaction had been priceless.
The boys ran in the room. Gabe wrapped his arms around his legs. Shawn grinned. “We’re ready.”
“Let’s go. We have a plane to catch.”
Shea placed her hand on his arm. “Is Annie going to Utah?”
“Yes, but it’s business.”
His ex-wife didn’t look convinced. “Take care of the boys.”
“I will.”
At the landing strip, Gabe and Shawn freaked out seeing the corporate jets lined up.
“Which one are we going on?” Shawn asked.
“I like the big one,” Gabe said. “Are we going on it?”
“I’m not sure. Let’s find out.” He parked, grabbed their bags, and locked his SUV.
They found the jet with the steps lowered and the door opened. “Are we early?”
Evan poked his head out. “A little. I’m about to do a preflight check.” He studied Shawn and Gabe. “Your boys?”
“Yep.” He introduced them. “Guys, this is Mr. Russell.”
“You can call me Evan.”
Annie’s lime green car pulled up. She climbed out, grabbed two small bags and her purse, then walked toward them.
Gabe shouted, “Annie!”
Shawn waved. “I’ve got a new joke for you.”
“Great. I can’t wait to hear it.”
Gabe tugged on her blazer and showed where he’d lost another tooth. “Tooth fairy left me a dollar.”
“Wow! That’s exciting.”
The copilot’s eyes lit with surprise that Gabe and Shawn knew her. He probably wondered when Annie and his boys had become such good buddies.
Brice figured this might be the time to bring up the wedding date. “I told Shea you’re my date for the wedding.”
“How’d she take it?” Annie asked.
“As I had hoped she would.”
Annie smiled. “Good. I look forward to meeting her and Uncle Hayden.”
Evan stared at her a moment before walking around to the other side of the jet.
Brice winked at her. “I think it’s working. Shea’s blue eyes were shining green this morning.”
“Evan seems a little put out. We’ll keep it up and see what happens.” Annie walked back to her car.
Brice stood in front of the jet. “Isn’t she gorgeous?”
Gabe and Shawn nodded with an expression of wonderment on their faces.
“We’re flying in this?” Shawn asked.
“Looks like it.”
“Awesome.”
“One of the things that makes her special are those aerodynamic wings. They give the jet lift.”
Gabe appeared to be processing what
Brice had said.
Shawn appeared confused. “So, how do they work?”
“Creates low pressure on top of the wing, and high pressure under the wing.” Brice continued explaining how the wings work, trying to put it into terms they’d understand.
Shawn rubbed his head. “So, what does the little wing at the back do?”
Brice chuckled softly. “It’s not a wing. That’s the horizontal stabilizer. It prevents the nose of the jet from pitching.”
Gabe glanced up. “Like throwing a ball?”
Brice sighed. “No, that’s different. Pitching is when the nose of the plane moves up and down. The stabilizer works with an elevator.”
Gabe’s brows drooped. “Like the one I ride at the doctor’s office?”
Brice sighed. “No, it helps control altitude.”
Gabe nodded. “Hayden said I have a bad attitude.”
He sighed. “Attitude isn’t the same as altitude.”
Shawn shoved Gabe. “You, dork. Altitude is how high you go.”
Gabe made a snarly face. “I didn’t know.”
Annie joined them. “That’s okay, Gabe. You’re only six. You’ve got plenty of time to learn about planes.” She glanced at Brice. “See you aboard.”
Cynthia and Tristen Conners arrived in a large SUV. Three girls poured from the large vehicle. They hurried around back and grabbed their bags. The youngest one carried a doll. Tristen glanced Brice’s way and waved. “Hope you haven’t been waiting long.”
“No. You’re right on time.”
“It takes a while to get this bunch out the door,” Tristen said.
Introductions were made. They boarded the jet. Annie stood at the front stocking the small fridge with drinks and setting out pastries and a variety of fruit.
Brice wondered if Sierra could handle the girls and his boys while they toured Komar. He hadn’t planned on leaving them, but they’d have more fun at the hotel than with him.
Gabe showed his tooth to Mallory, the youngest. “See. I got a dollar.”
She opened her mouth and showed him an empty space in her mouth. “Usually, I get a dollar, but the tooth fairy left ten for this one.”
“Wow!” Gabe said, his eyes enormous.
“I know,” Mallory said. “It must’ve been really special.”
Shawn rolled his eyes. “There’s no such thing as …”
Brice interrupted. “As a special tooth. Maybe the tooth fairy was out of change.”
Mallory nodded. “Maybe.”
Gina laughed. “Too bad it didn’t have a hundred-dollar bill instead of the ten.”
Shawn ran up to her. “Knock Knock.”
Annie asked, “Who’s there?”
Shawn grinned. “Annie.”
“Annie who?”
“Hey, don’t you know you last name?” Shawn cracked up laughing at this own joke.
“I don’t get it,” Gina said, looking confused.
“I do.” Mallory offered Shawn her sweetest smile. “You’re funny.”
Gabe also smiled. “That’s your best one yet.”
“Hey, where are all your Barbies?” Annie asked Mallory.
The youngest girl hugged her new doll. It was at least twenty-four inches tall with light brown hair, blue eyes, and dressed in a skirt, leggings, and sweater.
“They’re at home. This is Jenny. She talks.”
“Where’d you get her?”
“She came in the mail. Grandpa John sent it.”
Cynthia added, “Did you write him a thank you note?”
She nodded. “Gina helped me, and Sierra mailed it.”
Evan entered the jet. “Everything checked out.”
Tristen nodded. “Everyone take a seat. We’ll take off soon. The kids scurried to the plush sofa seats.
Annie walked around, making sure each one had fastened their seatbelt. “Once we’re up, I’ll serve breakfast. For lunch, we’re having tacos and burritos.”
All the kids appeared pleased but Gabe. “No cheeseburgers?”
Annie shook her head. “I’m afraid not.”
His boys sat next to Mallory, while Sierra and Gina sat in front. Brice joined Cynthia in back.
Annie sat in the jump seat at the front. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. Yep, their plan to make Shea and Evan jealous seemed to be working. Then something about the idea of Annie with Evan bothered him. He dismissed the silly thought.
After taxiing to the runway, the jet’s engines roared. Brice missed piloting his own flights. When he accepted the position, he assumed he’d be able to fly himself. He didn’t realize Zurtel had its own staff of pilots.
The jet headed down the runway, building speed.
Being excited, the boys giggled and acted silly.
Mallory whispered something to her doll.
Brice could have sworn the doll said something back.
Shortly after taking off and level out, Annie moved about the cabin, offering the children doughnuts and milk.
Mallory took a doughnut from the box, then grabbed her doll and moved back to where Cynthia and he sat. She placed the doll on the seat beside her.
“Mallory, we’re talking business. Go back up front.”
The little girl headed back up the aisle, grabbed another doughnut, and sat with her sisters, leaving the doll behind.
Cynthia sighed. “There is no easy way to say this.”
Brice wondered if she planned to confess about the drone. “Shoot.”
“I couldn’t help but notice the way you and Annie just looked at one another. As CEO, it wouldn’t look good if you’re involved with the employees on a personal level.”
He grinned. “I planned to tell you this morning.”
Her eyes widened. “You’re already involved with her?”
“In a sense. We’re helping each other out.”
Cynthia set her drink in the holder. “How’s that?”
He explained about making Evan and his ex-wife jealous. “I still love my wife, and Annie is interested in Evan. I was going to run it by you.”
“You really think it will work?” she asked.
“Anytime Annie’s name comes up, I can tell Shea is jealous. And Evan’s showing the green-eyed monster as well.”
“Though I think it’s ludicrous, I’ll go along with it.”
Annie came to them. “What can I get you?”
“Diet soda,” Cynthia said.
“Nothing hot,” Brice said. “Maybe a Coke.”
“You’ll never trust me with coffee, will you?”
“Now Annie, you’re a diva with coffee.” He thought of his pants. “Hey, did you bring my pants?”
All the color drained from her face. “Your pants?”
“You know, the ones with the coffee stain.”
“Yeah, I have them.” When she returned with their drinks, she had his pants draped over her arm, still in plastic. “There’s a slight problem.”
“The stain didn’t come out?”
“No, it did.” She jerked the plastic wrapper, removed the pants, and unfolded them. “The cleaners damaged them.”
He stared at the hole the size of a quarter. “Seriously?”
She chewed her bottom lip. “I’m sorry. I’ve ordered another pair just like them.”
“Shouldn’t the cleaners reimburse you?”
“Remember the deal I made with him. I let him off the hook so we could use his back door.”
“I didn’t realize you were bartering over my pants. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Annie shrugged. “I don’t plan to use him anymore. Besides, I’m sure he’s banned me from his store.”
Brice chuckled. “You better watch it. He’ll fax your picture to all the Atlanta cleaners.”
Annie laughed and returned to the front.
“This property was just brought to my attention,” Brice said to Cynthia. “Crammer Industries outside Jackson, Tennessee is in foreclosure. The entire thirty acres and three large buildings will be auct
ioned off. That would be a great location with FedEx located in Memphis, not even a hundred miles away.”
“We want to be there for the auction.”
“Why wait?” Brice said. “Make an appointment with the bank manager and work out a deal. If it goes to auction, you might not be the highest bidder. I know Crammer owes the bank six million. Go in and make an offer. If it goes to auction, it could get pricey.”
“You’re right. I’ll have my secretary set it up for next week.”
“Try to negotiate over dinner at a nice restaurant after a few rounds of drinks,” Brice added. “You’ll walk away with all the property at a good price.”
Cynthia laughed. “This is why I hired you. No wonder the companies you’ve run have done so well.” She cut her gaze to Mallory. “Come get your doll.”
Mallory walked down the aisle not looking pleased. Her forehead creased into a frown. “But Jenny wants to sit back here.”
Cynthia and Brice laughed.
“Jenny doesn’t have a say about where she sits,” Cynthia said. “She’s a distraction. So, take her back up front.”
For just a moment, the doll’s eyes shifted from right to left before landing on Brice. He frowned at the doll, and it closed its eyes.
Mallory sighed. “She’s not going to be happy about this.”
Chapter Six
A chill ran over Brice. The damn doll creeped him out. He’d always found them eerie along with clowns and scarecrows.
Once Mallory and Annie had returned to the front, he pulled up an Excel sheet he’d been working on. “I wanted to run this by you.”
“Sure. What am I looking at?”
“A spreadsheet on the employees in the autonomy lab. I’m almost sure one of them is selling information to Novik.”
Cynthia studied the names. “I can’t imagine any of them doing that.”
“The private investigating firm I’ve used in the past checked into the ones listed.”
“Why not the supervisors?”
“They have a lot more to lose if they’re caught. These people are at the bottom of the pay scale. They don’t have as much time vested in Zurtel. They might want a shortcut to the top of financial bliss.”
“Let’s look at what you have.”
