by Karen Ward
******
A slow grin sides across Darren Calloway's face. It won't be long now. He is going to kill that bitch when he gets to her. How dare she leave him and take his son! He has fed her, kept her safe for ten years, the ungrateful whore!
She is so stupid she doesn't even realize they have GPS tracking devices on all of their cars. While life at the compound is primitive in a lot of ways, he has made sure they have a state of the art computer network run off the only generator. It's how they spread their message after all. Of course, Melanie wouldn't know anything about that. She has never been allowed in the compound office.
He would have caught Melanie days ago if she hadn't gotten such a big head start. He will give her credit for that. He hadn't even realized she was gone until nearly noon the next day.
No matter, he almost has her now and when he gets her he is going to make her pay. He has decided to rape her right in front of Eric. Then after he gets his fill of her, he is going to strangle the life right out of the bitch. He is going to make that boy watch it all. It is time he toughened up.
CHAPTER 2
Barry leans back in his favorite chair in front of a crackling fire in the massive stone fireplace, sipping hot coffee and thinking back over his life. He is thirty-two years old and has accomplished far more than he ever thought possible when he was growing up on the wrong side of the tracks in that little Georgia town.
His father ran off and left him and his mother when he was only nine years old. His poor Mom had worked three jobs just to keep food on the table and clothes on his back. He studied hard and was a reasonably successful athlete in high school, but not good enough to get him the scholarship to college like he wanted.
With few other options, he joined the Marine Corp shortly after graduation. He flourished in the Marine Corp cementing friendships that will last a lifetime. During his time in the service he sent every spare penny he had back home to Georgia so his Mom wouldn't have to struggle to survive.
When he and the other guys in his unit decided to leave the Marines after eight years, he was stationed in San Diego California. One of his buddies, Stump, dared him to try out for a movie they were casting on the beach. He really enjoyed the drama club back in high school, so he tried out. Much to everyone's surprise Barry got the starring role and his movie career had been launched. Now, six years later with six movies to his credit, his blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and Marine sculpted body are the hottest commodity at the box office in the entire world.
His agent, Frank, was furious with him when he told him he intended to take some time off. He warned him that any time out of the spotlight would cost him at the box office, but Barry doesn't care. He is sick of the spotlight, sick of the Paparazzi, sick of the shallow people in Hollywood. He is ready to get back to living in the real world, on his ranch in rural Wyoming. Thanks to Jason Murray, his investments will furnish him and his mother with more money than they will ever spend even without the residuals from his movies. He doesn't have to work another day in his life if he chooses not to.
He reaches down and scratches his Lab, Ringo, behind his ears. Ringo loves the ranch too. He loves the open spaces to run in and he even loves the cold and snow.
Barry can't believe how relaxed he is since coming to the ranch. He has been here only a couple of weeks, but he can feel the stress leaving his body. He is happy and content for the first time in a very long time.
Barry's Mom, Virginia, got to the ranch a few days ago and he can already see he is going to have to hire a housekeeper or his Mom will end up working herself to death around the huge house. He's not sure how he's going to manage it, but he has got to teach her how to relax. She has never before had the luxury of just relaxing. It will be his goal to see that she learns.
Tonight, they are headed over to the Murray's Rocking J Ranch for dinner. It will be the first time since he left the Marine Corp he has been able to introduce his Mom to any of his friends. He has tried to be very careful to keep her out of the spotlight because it makes her so uncomfortable. That has not been an easy task with the Paparazzi following him everywhere he goes. In fact, until she came to the ranch, Barry hadn't even seen her in nearly six years.
Here in Wyoming, he can have dinner with his friends at their home and not worry about the Paparazzi. The two ranches are joined by a private road and gate that is inaccessible to the public.
He looks up when he hears her coming down the stairs. Wow! For a fifty-four year old woman, his Mom is still a knockout. She gave him his blonde hair and deep blue eyes and tonight she is wearing jeans and a blue silk blouse the same color as her eyes. Her long blonde hair is flowing loose around her shoulders. Bob Kenner, foreman at the Murray ranch, better be prepared because his Mom is going to knock his socks off!
******
When they arrive at the Murray ranch, they are met at the door by a smiling Jana Murray, Jacob's new wife. "Barry, it's so good to see you again."
Barry takes Jana's hand and gives her a warm kiss on the cheek. He says, "Jana, marriage to Jacob obviously agrees with you. You look absolutely stunning."
Blushing, Jana says, "Thank you Barry. You must be Barry's Mom, Virginia. I'm Jana, Jacob's wife. Please come in won't you."
When they reach the great room, Barry makes the introductions. After going around the room introducing Virginia to Jacob, his twin Jason, Jason's wife Jenny, their son Neal, and Jacob's nine year old daughter Dani, he reaches Bob Kenner. Barry grins when he sees the stunned look on Bob's face and he says, "Mom, this is Bob Kenner. He is the ranch foreman here at the Rocking J and surrogate father and grandfather to this whole clan. Bob, this is my mother, Virginia"
Virginia extends her hand to Bob who reaches for it but misses because he can't take his eyes off of hers. "Nice to meet you," she says and smiles as she clasps his hand with hers.
Bob smiles sheepishly, and says, "Virginia, believe me, the pleasure is all mine."
The other adults in the room are all glancing around at each other and smiling. None of them have ever seen Bob clumsy or at a loss for words. He looks completely flummoxed by Barry's Mom.
Dinner is a lively affair with Barry telling everyone about his plans for renovations at the ranch. Before he realizes it Bob Kenner has agreed to teach Virginia how to ride. The barn at Barry's ranch will have to be rebuilt after being damaged by a fire before he can house any horses. That will have to wait until spring so Virginia will come to the Rocking J for her riding lessons.
Sitting at the dining table listening to his friends chatting with his Mom, Barry is so happy. He thinks his life would be complete if he had a wife and children to share it with. A wave of loneliness flows over him. That is the one thing he hates most about Hollywood and being famous. All of the women he has met these last few years are so superficial. He hasn't met a woman in years that he thinks has the same realistic, down to earth values his Mom taught him. He prays that someday he will be blessed with a love like his friends, Jacob and Jason Murray. Both men have found the perfect women for them and are extremely happy.
On the way back to the Rock Springs Ranch after dinner, Barry asks his Mom, "Well, Mom, how do you like the Murrays?"
"They are all very nice people. I'm really glad to know you have some down to earth friends like them, I had begun to worry. Some of the stories I read in those magazines from the grocery store really concerned me."
"Oh Mom, I still have all of the values you taught me when I was growing up. That's why I have never really fit in with the Hollywood crowd. Besides, you know the stories in those tabloid magazines more often than not are completely bogus."
"Well, after that woman you married and then the whole mess with the murder trial and all, I was worried," she says honestly.
"I told you my marriage to Tina was a publicity marriage set up by our agent to help her career. I didn't love Tina. We never even slept together. I am sorry for what happened to her. I thank God every day for Jacob Murray or I might be sitting on death row
right now."
A shiver runs down Virginia's spine. "Tell me again what killed her," says his Mom.
"Jacob was able to prove that she died from a very rare severe allergic reaction to a combination of drugs she had gotten down in the Cayman Islands. Taken individually the drugs are relatively safe. But taken in combination, they can be lethal. They cause the same symptoms you would see in people who have been severely beaten. The allergic reaction to the combination of drugs was something the medical community had never even thought to check for. They are going back now and looking at a number of other similar deaths to see how many can be attributed to a similar reaction. The guys in my unit in the Marines helped Jacob uncover the evidence. They had seen similar reactions with the bruising and bleeding before in Central America and suspected it was related to a combination of drugs."
"That's right," replies Virginia. "Remind me to thank Jacob myself the next time we see him. It was a miracle he discovered something like that. You know, your friends from the Marine Corp are all really good men. I wish they were still part of your life. I miss them. Loyal friends like them are hard to find."
Barry replies, "I miss them too." A wave of loneliness again settles heavily over Barry.
CHAPTER 3
When they walk back into the house after dinner with the Murrays, Barry notices that Ringo is pacing back and forth at the doors leading out onto the stone patio at the back of the house. When he opens the door, the dog bolts out across the back yard and into the pasture beyond. "Ringo!" calls Barry concerned for the dog's safety. Snow has started falling and a severe snow storm is predicted for later tonight.
After a few minutes, Ringo comes back to the door carrying a baseball cap that he drops at Barry's feet. He barks and runs back toward the pasture. Barry picks up the baseball cap looking at it curiously. Where in the world did Ringo get this? It doesn't take Barry long to realize the dog wants him to follow.
He gets back into his truck and follows the dog across the pasture. He has to drive really slowly because the snow is coming down harder now. He can barely see where he's going and he hopes he doesn't run into the river or something. He's still not familiar with the land beyond the yard.
When he reaches the far back edge of the pasture, he sees in the light from the truck's headlights, a dark sedan almost buried in a snow drift along the old logging road that borders the back edge of his and the Murray's properties. Ringo is leading a boy of eight or nine away from the car. Oh my God! What's a young boy doing way out here? Barry jumps out of the truck and goes to the boy.
"Are you all right son? Is anyone else in that car?" asks Barry, concern showing on his face.
The boy answers, "My Mom, she's real sick. Can you help her mister?"
"I'll sure try. You climb up in the truck and get warm. I'll go get your Mom," replies Barry. He opens the back door of the truck for Ringo and the boy.
Barry climbs over the fence and makes his way across the ditch and through the deep snow. Once he reaches the car, he brushes the snow away from the window and peers into the car. His heart is pounding with apprehension. He sees a woman who appears to be barely breathing sitting in the driver's seat. He opens the driver's door and softly calls, "Ma'am, can you hear me? I'm going to pick you up and carry you to my truck."
I open my eyes a little, peering through my lashes, "I can walk. Who are you?" I have been dozing and I'm surprised that it's not Darren standing beside the car. I stare through fever glazed eyes at the man. Maybe I died and he's an angel or something. He is sure pretty enough to be an angel.
"My name is Barry. I live just across this pasture. Come on and I'll help you. We need to get you to the house where you can get warm."
Slowly I slide across the seat, clasping my purse tightly to my chest, and out into the cold. "Is anything in the car you need tonight?" Barry asks. He sees the grimace of pain that crosses her face each time she moves.
"No, nothing," my ribs are hurting so badly I can barely breathe. I am exhausted and the fever is causing my head to pound. I am freezing cold and I'm shaking so much my teeth are chattering.
Barry helps me over the ditch, through the deep snow, and across the fence into the warm truck and slowly makes his way back across the pasture to the house. All during the drive the woman lies perfectly still clasping her purse tightly to her chest watching Barry through her lashes. She grimaces each time he hits a bump. He helps her into the house and seats her on the sofa beside the fire. "Mom," he calls.
I feel myself begin to relax for the first time in days. Sitting on the comfortable sofa so close to a warm fire is heavenly.
Virginia walks into the room and says, "My goodness, Barrett, who are these people? Are they all right?"
"I don't know Mom, Ringo found them across the back pasture. They're freezing. Can you find something warm to feed them?" asks Barry.
"Of course, I'll just be a minute." Virginia says as she hurries into the kitchen.
Barry checks over the boy first. He notices he is looking around the room with a look of wonder on his face. "My name is Barry. What's your name son?" he asks. He sees that the boy has two black eyes and his nose looks puffy like it has been recently broken.
Eric is amazed. He has never been inside a real house, much less one as fancy as this one. He looks back toward Barry. "Eric," answers the boy. "Eric Calloway." He can't believe how big the room is. This one room is bigger than the whole cabin where they lived in Idaho. The fireplace is gigantic! He thinks you could roast a whole bear in a fireplace that big.
"Where are you from Eric?" asks Barry as he is checking the boy's fingers and toes for frostbite.
"We lived at the compound in Idaho," answers Eric, still looking around the room curiously.
The woman interrupts, "Eric, enough!" Oh God, Eric is going to tell this man everything and then Darren will come and kill me. I have got to get away! I begin to try to rise from the sofa but the pain in my ribs is so great I cry out and sink slowly back into the cushions.
Barry places a hand on my arm stilling me. He says, "Easy now. Everything is going to be all right."
******
Eric is startled and jumps when his mother yells at him. What is she mad about? What did he say wrong? He is very worried. His Mom is really sick and she won't listen to him. She can't even get up off of the sofa she is in so much pain. He hates his Dad! He did this to her! This man, Barry, is trying to help them but his Mom is determined to handle this all on her own. He seems like a nice man, not at all like the men at the compound. He wishes she would listen. He is so afraid his Dad is going to catch up to them and hurt his Mom really bad, maybe even kill her. He wishes he could do something to make her listen.
******
Barry turns his attention to the woman. He starts to remove her gloves and boots checking for frostbite. "Stop! What are you doing?" I ask alarmed. My heart is pounding furiously with fear.
"I'm going to check your hands and feet for frostbite," Barry explains patiently. "You're burning up with fever. Mom, bring some ibuprofen when you come back," calls Barry. As he examines the woman he notices a fading bruise on the side of her face and what looks like fingerprints on her neck. Her hands are chafed and rough with thick calluses on the palms. Her nails are broken with jagged edges like they have never seen a fingernail file.
Virginia comes into the great room carrying steaming bowls of homemade beef stew, hot corn bread, hot tea, a glass of water, and the ibuprofen. The boy dives into the food like he is starving.
Barry hands the woman the ibuprofen and a glass of water. Then he asks her as he spoons some stew into her mouth, "Ma'am, what's your name?"
"That doesn't matter, we'll be leaving in a few minutes," I answer after I swallow the delicious stew.
"I don't really think you're going anywhere tonight. A blizzard is blowing outside in case you didn't notice. Besides, you're sick. At the very least you need a good night's rest." He points out spooning more stew into my mouth.
"I
can't stop. He'll find us," I insist taking another bite of the delicious stew, determination ringing in my voice.
Barry notices that she is becoming more alert as gets more food into her stomach. "He who?" he asks spooning more stew into her mouth.
"Eric's father," I explain after I swallow. "He'll be right behind us. I know he won't stop until he finds us." I take another bite of stew.
"You rest here tonight. The heavy snow will cover any tracks you might have left. You should be safe for a few hours." Barry says. When he looks at the boy he sees that his eyelids are drooping. "Come on Eric. I'll show you to a room where you and your Mom can rest awhile." He helps me stand and then places his arm on the boy's shoulder and notices that he immediately flinches away from his touch.
He leads us to one of the downstairs bedrooms. He doesn't think the woman has enough strength to make it up the stairs. When he has them settled he comes back into the great room where his Mom is waiting.
"What do you think is going on with them?" she asks, concern showing on her face. Virginia saw the boy's black eyes and the bruises on the woman's face and neck. She is sure they have been beaten by someone. A shiver of disgust slides down her spine. It's been years but she remembers all too well what it's like to be on the receiving end of a man's angry fist.
Barry responds, "I don't know. I'm going to call Jason and see if he knows anything about a compound in Idaho. They're obviously running from Eric's father for some reason. I'll try to find out more in the morning. Go on to bed Mom. I'm going to sleep down here tonight."
Barry pulls his cell phone out of his pocket and dials Jason Murray's number. "Hey Jason, I need some information." Jason has been back in Wyoming for several years now and is more familiar with other activities around the area.
"Sure, what kind of information Barry?" answers Jason.
