Added to that concern, the house felt uncomfortable, as if there was a presence. Nothing she could put her finger on, yet at times when she wasn’t bustling around, she thought she could see a movement in her periphery. When she turned, there was nothing there. Once she wakened by something was scratching on the window. She thought it was a branch, or leaves. But, none of the trees were close enough to touch the house.
Buddy didn’t appear to notice, so it had to be her imagination. She was merely jumpy, not yet settled back into her normal life. She laughed. Wasn’t that an irony?
Her cell phone rang.
Rachel sounded excited. “Hey, I’ve got a proposition for you.”
Susannah held her phone closer and sank into one of the kitchen chairs. “What?”
“Well, come over for coffee and I’ll tell you.”
Susannah eyed her fresh brewed coffee sitting on the counter. “Can’t you just tell me over the phone?”
“Let’s just say it would be better face to face.”
“Is this going to be good news or bad news?”
“Oh. I think the former.”
“You think? Okay, I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
Hanging up the phone, Susannah looked over at Buddy. “Want to go for a walk?”
Immediately the Brittany looked at her with the breed’s typical enthusiasm.
“Well all right then, let’s go.”
They went out the front door, crossed the lawn, and headed along the trail through the undeveloped area to Rachel’s.
“Beautiful morning for a walk, hey Buddy?”
Birds twittered from seemingly every tree and bush. Squirrels scampered in a dozen directions and a few crows cawed from high above. A slightly cool breeze moved through the surrounding foliage, rustling leaves and carrying the tangy scents of pine, sage, and something blooming, but its identity escaped Susannah. The day was warming. Well, they were heading into August.
With Buddy along, she didn’t scan every shrub and bush looking for lurking monsters. He’d alert her if anyone ― or anything ― was hiding there.
Rachel held out a large mug. “Just brewed.”
Susannah sipped. “Perfect. Cream, no sugar.”
Rachel laughed. “You’ve been watching that movie again.”
“Guilty. Meet Joe Black, and Hope Floats, A Walk in the Clouds, Castaway, all of my old friends.
“He’ll come, Susannah. You’ll feel sparks again.”
“Maybe. At least the old Indian says I will.”
“Don’t you believe him?”
“Sort of. Anyway, what is it you wanted to tell me?”
“Let’s sit down.”
They sat on stools at the kitchen bar.
Rachel said, “A month after you left, I gave my notice.”
Susannah eyes widened. “You aren’t working for Aaron?”
“No. You know I had been toying with the idea of changing jobs. I was in a rut and hated what I was doing. After you left, it just wasn’t the same and I had a gut feeling you wouldn’t want to come back, so I decided it was time to look for something else.”
“And you found something?”
“I did.” Rachel laughed and then said, “You won’t believe what I’m doing, but I love it.”
“So, what are you doing?”
“I’m the office assistant for a natural homeopathic shop just down the street in the Lincoln View Shopping Center. Naturally Eclectic is the name.”
“Homeopathy?”
“Yes, the owner, Ginny McCrae, grows medicinal herbs – not that kind, Susannah, so quit smirking. She promotes a healthy life style using all natural foods, medicines, cosmetics and lotions.”
“Interesting.”
“It’s very interesting. It’s a wonderful little company. I should say international company. Ginny makes most of her own products and then ships them to customers all over the world.
“She has a whole line of organic herbs and spices she grows in huge greenhouses on her property. She also sells nature CDs, handmade dishes, candles, and a whole host of things.”
“I see, Naturally Eclectic. Clever name.”
“And Ginny is a sweetheart to work for. I’ve only been there a few weeks, but I feel like I’ve known her all my life. The work is interesting. I don’t just sit at a desk staring at a computer screen inputting data all day.”
“Wow, Rachel I am very happy for you.”
“But that’s not all. Ginny is looking for someone to help in the greenhouses and keep up the shop inventory and displays, and I want you to apply.”
“Greenhouses? I know nothing about growing plants, Rachel.”
“She’ll train you. Besides, I think you’ll like the work. And, the best part about the position, it has flexible hours. You can pretty much come and go, as long as the work gets done.”
“It does sound intriguing.”
“Why not come in Monday and at least talk to Ginny. You never know, this might be exactly what you’ve been holding out for.”
***
Susannah awoke, her heart pounding, her skin clammy. Something or someone was in the room. She turned on the bedside lamp. There wasn’t anyone there. Buddy lay curled next to her, apparently unperturbed. Yet, the feeling still lingered. She wasn’t alone.
Shaking her head, she rose, slipped on her robe, and went downstairs. Even though it was four in the morning, she might as well make coffee since going back to sleep would be impossible. She took her coffee to the breakfast nook and opened her devotional.
The first listed reading was Psalm 27:1, 13-14: “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid? I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord.”
She believed, but was her faith strong enough to dispel whatever it was that had invaded her home?
Chapter Twenty-One
Susannah pulled to the curb and shut off the engine. After days of fussing and scheming, the only workable plan she could come up with anything other than her usual plan. Hopefully that would be enough. What was the saying the old Indian used? Oh yes, with God all things are possible for those that loved Him.
She pulled out her cell phone, checked her reception, and adjusted her earpiece. Okay, she was ready. Well, as ready as possible.
Reaching across to the passenger seat, she patted Buddy. “Glad you came along for company. I am a little nervous about this one. But, surely it’ll be okay. We’ll save the kids and get the bad guys arrested.”
He wriggled his tail.
Right, that was always the plan, but it didn’t always work exactly like that did it? She took a deep breath and let it out to the count of ten. Without any other choice, all she could do was trust everything would work out.
Her mind wandered back to her earlier conversation with Rachel. “So, Buddy, what do you think of the possible job offer? It sounds pretty good doesn’t it?”
He winked. Susannah laughed, rubbed his head, and shifted her attention back to the street.
At least there were plenty of streetlights, so illumination wouldn’t be a problem. Which was even more puzzling. How could these men be so brazen as to walk right up in a well-lit area, break into a home through the front door, and carry off the young occupants? The other pedophiles tried to work in the dark, out of sight. They were dangerous enough. This group was a very different animal.
Oh Lord, give me strength and courage.
A white van pulled up to the house and three men got out.
Susannah took another deep breath and let it out. “Okay, here we go.”
The men walked up to the front door, broke it down with a few well-placed kicks, and went in. Susannah shook her head. Unbelievable.
The crashing and screaming coming from the house was loud even from where she sat in the car. Neighboring houses lit up. People peeked through windows, but
no one rushed out.
Susannah spoke into her mouthpiece. “Call 911”
The dispatcher answered within two rings. “What is your emergency?”
“Three men just broke into a house and are carrying out a young woman and two kids.”
“What address?”
Susannah gave the house number, street name, and cross street.
The young woman fought her captor ferociously, testing the man’s patience. The man holding the little boy pulled a gun and pointed it toward the woman.
Susannah bolted from the car and ran toward the men. “Stop!”
Buddy streaked past her, growling and snarling.
“No! Buddy! No!”
Before the man with the gun could react, Buddy tore into him. Dog and man tumbled to the ground tangled in a knot of legs and fur. Freed from the man’s grip, the boy scrambled off to the side. The man with the little girl drew his gun and aimed it toward Buddy, but held his fire, unable to get a shot amid the blur of body parts.
The young woman took advantage of the distraction and stepped down hard on her captor’s instep, spun, and brought her knee up to his groin. He grabbed his crotch, and dropped to the ground, writhing and moaning.
Susannah slammed her shoulder into the man holding the little girl. They both fell. When he released his hold on the child, the girl crawled away. Susannah rolled off and scooted out of his reach.
Loud voices echoed from the street. A group of angry men and women approached from all directions. A few of the men carried shotguns. Some carried baseball bats. Others held some more creative weapons.
The man struggling with Buddy finally managed to shake him off, and after seeing the angry crowd, ran for the van. The one Susannah knocked down chased after the first. He barely got the passenger door open before the driver smashed the gas pedal to the floor. Tires screamed and smoked.
The man the young woman had nailed with her knee tried to crawl off, but made it no further than a couple of feet before three neighborhood men grabbed him and pinned him down.
Several women huddled around the young woman and the two kids. Sirens grew louder.
Her Bluetooth, where was it? She scanned the ground where she first made contact with the would-be kidnapper. It lay a few feet away. She picked it up, wiped the dirt off on her shirt, and put it back in place.
“Ma’am?”
The dispatcher was still on the line.
Susannah answered. “One man is down. Neighbors are restraining him. The other two have fled. I’m going to follow.”
Grabbing Buddy’s collar, she ran for her car. The van had disappeared, but since she knew where their eventual destination, it didn’t matter. However, as before, she would pretend.
Ten minutes later, she pulled to the curb about a half block down from the warehouse and gave the dispatcher the address. In only a couple of minutes, squad cars surrounded the building, and officers fanned out.
“Well, Buddy. I think our job is done.”
She pulled out, made a U-turn, and drove straight home.
Her hand shook as she made tea, forcing her to hold the cup in both hands to keep the hot liquid from spilling. She sank into her chair in the den and patted her lap. Buddy sprang up, hitting her hard in stomach. She elicited a reflexive grunt.
“For a mid-weight dog you sure pack the punch of a heavyweight, Buddy.” She hugged him, laying her face against his soft coat. “We were lucky tonight. It was only through dumb luck you weren’t shot. Yet, at the same time, you saved that young woman’s life.
“Regardless, we can’t take those kinds of risks again. We have to have a better plan next time. But then, I guess there are so many variables it is hard to plan for everything. I wish I knew more about self-defense.” She rubbed Buddy’s ears. “If I was a martial arts specialist, you could be police dog. We’d be quite the team.”
She laughed. “Could you see me in martial arts? But, joking aside, I don’t want to change you or me. I like who we are. There has to be another way.” She picked up her cup and made a face. She set the cup back down.
“You know, the young girl, probably a babysitter, or maybe an older sibling, sure put her life on the line for those kids. She’d better be touted as a hero.”
The mantle clock struck midnight. Buddy was asleep, his head hanging off her lap at an impossible angle.
“Buddy, I hurt just looking at you, but I sure envy your being able to sleep anywhere, anytime.”
At least it was only Saturday. She’d have two days to rest before she met with Ginny McCrae. What an interesting premise, working in a greenhouse and creating window displays. It actually sounded like interesting work with no computer, no desk, and working with the plants. With the flexible hours added in, it might indeed be exactly what she was looking for.
***
Susannah woke when Buddy unceremoniously jumped off her lap. She glanced at the clock, six hours of sleep in the chair, stiff neck, aching back.
She stretched out her cramped muscles and went to the kitchen. While the coffee brewed, she scurried out to the street and fetched the morning paper. Sure enough, the attempted kidnapping was on the front page.
With the paper tucked under arm, she hurried back into the house, poured her coffee, and settled into the breakfast nook. She spread the paper out and read.
Police found ten youths held in appalling conditions in a warehouse on the northeast side of the city. Neighbors called in a disturbance to 911, alerting police to a home invasion. Three men broke into a home and carried out two children and their teenage sister. A scuffle resulted with neighbors. One suspect was detained at the scene. Two others fled.
An unidentified Good Samaritan followed the other two suspects to the warehouse and notified police. Four men were arrested at that site, and all suspects are being held on charges of kidnapping and human trafficking. Two other suspects are still at large. Anyone with information…
Susannah skimmed down a few paragraphs.
Police speculate they are part of a large international human trafficking organization, spanning numerous continents and are responsible for the disappearances of hundreds of adolescents. Most of the children are sent to overseas markets. A few are sold as slaves to various enterprises, mostly pimp organizations, and a few to individuals.
Susannah sat back and closed her eyes. There were so many dark, perverse souls in the world, not just the ones doing the kidnapping and the selling, but also the ones doing the buying and the torturing. It made her sick.
The task of rescuing these kids and stopping the monsters was daunting. How could she or the other child advocates, ever make enough of a difference?
Starfish.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ginny McCrae, a tiny woman of about forty, had fiery red-hair and an exuberant personality to match. Susannah liked her instantly.
“So, what do you think? Interested?”
“Well, it does sound like a nice change of pace for me, and the wage is ample for my needs. I don’t know a whole lot about herbs, or homeopathic remedies, but I think it is a fascinating field, and I’d love to learn, if you are still willing to teach me.”
“I take that as a yes. Good. Now when can you start?”
“Any time.”
“How about tomorrow? Meet me at the house. I’ll show you a few things to do in the greenhouses and when you are done there, you can come down here and I’ll orientate you with the shop.”
“What time?”
“Eight. I have to be here by nine.”
Susannah stood. “Thanks, Ginny. I’ll see you in the morning, then.”
Rachel stopped her as she exited the office. “So?”
“I start tomorrow.”
“Perfect. Have time for lunch?”
“Sure.”
They walked across the parking lot to the small deli, placed their order, and settled at an outside table under the awning. It was warm, but not stifling, yet, and with the slight breeze, more than pleasant.
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Rachel unwrapped her sandwich. “What are you smiling about?”
“Thinking about the job.”
“Good or bad?”
“All good. I am actually getting excited.”
“I know Ginny is delighted you said yes, and me too. I got spoiled working with my best friend.”
“Yeah, it was kind of nice.”
“Any more thoughts about the home invasion? I don’t know what you could have done differently, under the same circumstances, Susannah.”
“I don’t either, but at the same time, it worries me. So many things could have gone wrong. I don’t have any kind of training. There could be much better ways of handling these interventions, but I am too inexperienced to know the difference, and if I keep mucking around blind, I might cause someone to get hurt – or killed. I just don’t know where to go to get advice, or training.”
“I once heard a man speaking at a neighborhood watch meeting. He said the best thing a citizen can do is be a good witness. Interfering can be dangerous for all involved, but once in a while you must act if someone’s life is in immediate danger.”
“The very thing I worry about the most. How do I intercede effectively and safely?”
“If you looked this guy up, he might offer some kind of course in crime prevention.” Rachel shrugged. “Might help.”
“I’m not sure.”
“Something to think about.”
“Yeah, I’ll think about it.”
The women ate quietly for a few minutes.
Susannah wrapped the last half of her sandwich and laid it aside.
Rachel nodded toward the food. “Not hungry?”
“No.”
“You should eat something. Starving yourself won’t change anything, except make you ill.”
“I know, but right now my stomach is still a bit queasy. Not sure if is just residual nerves or the thought of the sick things those people do to kids.”
“Probably a bit of both. Do you want something else?”
And Then Came A Lion (Lions and Lambs Book 1) Page 16
