He walked to her bed and knelt down beside her. “I know, Michele. And I’m so sorry. I know I’ve been selfish, and I promise you if you give me another shot I’m going to make up for it. I don’t know how all of this is supposed to work out, but I know now, after everything that happened today, that I want to try. When I saw you lying there like that, I swore to myself, to whoever would listen, that if you were okay then I’d do whatever it took to make it right. So that’s what I want. I want to make it right, and I want to start making you happy.”
“Oh, yeah? And what about your wife?” Michele frowned.
“I’m going to give her the divorce she wants. Look. I know that it’s what I should’ve done all along. And I know what you’re thinking. I know that I don’t have the best track record, but I’m asking you to give me another chance to get it right, if not for me then for our child. Don’t you think we deserve to give this a fair shot for it?”
Michele wiped the tears from her eyes. “For her. It’s a girl, Patrick. We’re having a girl.”
Patrick face beamed. “A girl?”
“Yeah. I had an amnio done a few weeks ago because of my advanced maternal age. They told me that it’s a girl and that she looks absolutely perfect.” Her smile widened.
“Wow. So what do you say then? Seriously, I really think we can make this work, you and I.”
Michele grinned. “I say it’s time we got you a transfer before corporate has a shit fit.”
Patrick climbed in the bed and kissed her forehead gently. He exhaled a sigh of relief, nervously placing his hand on Michele’s belly. “Good, I’m glad it’s settled then.”
The sun was setting, and it was quickly growing dark as Patrick headed back to the house. He wanted to talk to Addison before they released Michele from the hospital and explain that he needed to leave for a few days. He still hadn’t really gotten a chance to talk to her, but he assumed that she should be back by now. What he wasn’t looking forward to though was dealing with his mother. She and Addison together would be pure hell. Still, he figured that Addie couldn’t be too angry with him; after all, he wasn’t stupid. He knew the real reason that she’d gone back to Austin. That said, he probably should’ve warned her about the shit storm she would likely be walking into with his mother.
Making his way through the gate, he nodded at the men waiting off to the side in their SUV. They hadn’t been there when he’d left that he remembered, so he gathered that if they were there now, then his wife was mostly likely back. He had to admit that seeing them there was a little strange; he couldn’t quite grasp just what kind of person needed to have people following them, knowing their comings and goings at all times. What kind of life would that be, anyway? What would this mean for his children? How would that kind of lifestyle affect them? That was something he needed to discuss with Addie. In fact, there were a lot of things that had to be worked out between the two of them. But these talks would have to wait; he needed to get back to the hospital. Sure enough, her car was out front. Taking a deep breath, Patrick stepped out of his car and wrapped his wool coat around him. The temperature had been rapidly dropping after a front had blown in that afternoon. He put his key in and hesitantly turned the door handle, praying he could get in and get out quickly. Knowing his parents, he guessed not. He tiptoed in and listened for a moment before entering the living area. He shuddered when he saw his parents sitting on the sofa opposite Addison. This wasn’t going to be good. He looked from his mother to Addison, who was staring at her hands in her lap before she met his gaze. His father cleared his voice and stood. “Patrick.”
Patrick retreated. “Look. I don’t really have time for this. I’m just here to grab a few things. I really have to head back to the hospital here pretty quickly. Addison, I need to speak to you in the other room, please.”
Addie stood and faced him; oddly enough, he was almost sure that he could detect the slightest hint of a smile upon her face. “Everything okay?”
“Patrick,” Penny interrupted. She huffed before continuing. “Addison, here, assures us that she knew of your situation and tells us that all of this is going to be cleared up amicably, which, of course, we’re very pleased to hear.”
Patrick looked surprised. “That’s always been the plan, Mother—”
“Yes, well your father and I just want what’s best for you, but, honey I have to say—”
Penny was cut off as Addie’s cell phone rang, and she stepped outside onto the deck to take the call. When she came back in a few minutes later, Patrick noticed that her face had drained of any color.
“Patrick, I need to speak to you alone, please,” she whispered, her eyes glazed over.
Penny sighed. “I think it’s best if your father and I get back home now that the children are in bed. It’s probably best to leave you two to it. I’ve got a huge luncheon and still lots yet to put together for it.”
Addison’s face suddenly grew red. “Is there anything else you want to tell us, Penny? Anything else you’ve been working on?”
Penny slung her coat over her arm and stared at Addie, mouth open. “I beg your pardon?”
“How long have you been working with Scott Hammons, Penny? HOW LONG!”
Penny shifted. “I’m sorry, but I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
“Mother—” Patrick started.
“Tell him, Penny. Tell him what you’ve been up to. Hell, for that matter, why don’t you tell us all because . . .” Addie paused and crossed the room, placing herself directly in front of her mother-in-law. “Because my sources say that they’ve seen you coming and going from Scott Hammons’ residence.”
Penny scoffed. “Well your sources must be mistaken.”
“Mother, is what Addison’s saying true? I mean . . . Come on, Addison, I really don’t think my mother would—”
“Here,” Addison said, thrusting her phone in his direction. “You tell me. Does that look like your mom in the picture to you?”
Patrick glanced at the phone and then glared at the phone and then at Penny. “Well, yeah, actually it does.”
“Penny, what are these two talking about?” Mr. Greyer finally chimed in.
“It’s nothing, okay? Nothing. I was just taking him some food.”
“Why on earth would you be taking that man food?” Patrick and his father asked in unison.
Penny opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out until Addie’s phone rang again, breaking the silence.
Patrick tried to hear what the male voice on the other end of the line was saying but was unable to make out exactly what was being said. He could only tell that he was speaking in a hurried manner and that the more he said the grimmer Addie’s face grew.
“What is it now?” Patrick sighed as he watched Addie make a sudden start for the stairs.
“That was Carl. There’s been an incident at the gate with security. They’re advising us to stay inside with the doors and windows locked until further notice.” Addie replied rapidly.
She made it halfway up the stairs before stopping. “Penny does Scott know that I’m . . . that we’re here?”
Penny placed her hands on her hips and stared wide-eyed at her husband, but she didn’t reply.
“Mother! This man tried to kill my wife. Now, I don’t know what it is you’ve been doing messing with this man, but this is serious. Damn it! Answer the question!” Patrick demanded.
“Yes, I think he does,” Penny finally relented.
Sixteen
Addie made her way into the room where the boys were sleeping. She checked on them, kissed their heads, and covered them up. Although the room was on the second floor of the house, she checked the windows to make sure they were locked.
Sinking down on the floor, she pulled her cell from her back pocket and texted Carl.
What’s going on down there? Shall I contact the police?
She waited, and after a few minutes with no response, she dialed William, but her call went straight to voicemail.
She was about to dial the police when Patrick quietly opened the door. He came in a knelt in front of her. “Hey. What’s going on?”
Addie motioned toward the door and stood quietly, tiptoeing out into the hall. “I don’t know. I can’t get a hold of anyone, and I’m worried.”
Patrick frowned. “I’m sure it’s nothing, but, hey, I really do need to get back to the hospital. They’ve decided to release Michele just as soon as someone’s there to pick her up.”
“Your parents said she and the baby are okay. I’m glad to hear that, but, Patrick, I really don’t think leaving right now is the best idea, at least until I get ahold of security and see what the issue is.”
The lights flickered and then went out. “What the hell?” Patrick cursed.
Addie’s stomach sank. She reached for her cell and pressed the number to dial Carl.
Patrick headed down the stairs. “I’ll check on my parents and grab some flashlights from the kitchen. You figure out what in the hell is going on.”
Still no answer. Addie panicked and then remembered the gun William had given her down in her overnight bag. She ran down the stairs, past Patrick, who was helping his father light candles. As she rounded the corner into the bedroom where her overnight bag was, she noticed Penny out of the corner of her eye, sitting on the couch, her head in her hands. God, she wanted to kill that woman. She rummaged through the dark, using the flashlight on her cell phone until she found her bag and the gun. Throwing on a hoodie, she checked that the safety was on and tucked the gun inside her pants then dialed 911 and willed it to ring. Nothing.
She moved closer to the window and tried again. Still nothing. It was then that Addie heard the commotion coming from what sounded like the front of the house. Shoving the phone in the pocket of her hoodie, she started off running for her children but only got as far as the living room when that deep voice she knew so well stopped her in her tracks, causing a lump to form in her throat.
Addie stopped and let her eyes adjust to the candlelight. Suddenly, hyperaware of her surroundings, she noticed Penny pleading with Patrick at the door as the voice spoke again, but it took her a moment to process what was being said.
“Do not open the door. Whatever you do, do not open that door.” William urged.
Penny gasped, nodding at Patrick. “Son, we have to. He’s killing him.”
Addie surveyed the chaos around her. She looked from Penny to Mr. Greyer, who appeared to be trying desperately to dial out on his cell phone, and back to Patrick again. “STOP,” she yelled, the hard voice that came out surprising even her.
She moved between Patrick and Penny and peered out the small window next to the door. What she saw nearly brought her to her knees. Her gaze met William’s and her breath caught. He was bloody and beaten, and Scott Hammons was standing directly behind him, holding a knife to his throat.
Addie put her hand on the gun and slowly turned the lock.
“Don’t do it, Addison.” William pleaded as Scott delivered a blow that could be heard even through the thick wooden door.
“Okay, STOP. I’m opening the door.” Addie paused, quickly turning to Patrick, and whispered. “Go to the kids and take them and hide. You know this house better than anyone.”
“Patrick eyed her with a deer-in-the-headlights look. “I don’t think I should leave you.”
CRUNCH. Another cursing blow came from outside the door.
“GO!” Addie shouted in a hushed voice.
Addie stared at Penny who was wild-eyed and sighed. “Go.” She nodded.
“What does he want?” Mr. Greyer asked, moving in close to Addie. “Money? We can just write him a check.”
Once Patrick had cleared the top of the stairs and Penny had started out the back doors onto the deck, Addison slowly turned the lock and opened the doors.
Scott thrust William, who was barely standing, through the door. “Hands up!” he shouted, throwing William to the ground. When Addie started for him, Scott kicked William so hard in the stomach she immediately backed up. “I said, put your fucking hands up!”
Addie did as she was told and watched as Scott took two pairs of handcuffs from his jacket pocket. “You little whore, cuff the old man. Take him to the sofa. And then crawl to me on all fours or your little lover boy here gets tasered again.”
She did as she was told but stopped at the sofa. If she gave him what he wanted now, she was in trouble. Addie met his gaze dead on. “I’m not crawling to you, Scott. If you want to kill him, do it.”
Addie flinched as he stuck the Taser to William’s neck.
“Do what I fucking said! Get on all fours, you little bitch.” He pressed a button, and Addie watched in horror as William convulsed.
She steadily but slowly moved her hand towards the gun, pretty sure she had a good shot.
“Wait! Stop!” Mr. Greyer demanded. “Is it money you’re after, son? Because I can get you whatever it is that you need.”
Hammons spat. “Does it look like I need money? You rich fuckers . . . You’re all the same—so goddamned stupid. Did it ever occur to you that if I wanted money I would’ve gotten it from this dirt bag here?” He hoisted William up, and Addie lost her clear shot. Forcing him to stand, Scott demanded William place Addison’s arms behind her back and cuff her. William trailed his fingers down her arms in a way that gave her chills. She glanced back at his bloodied face and inhaled deeply, trying to fill her lungs with air when it had become too difficult to breathe.
“Shh.” Was all he managed to get out before Hammons was behind them, barking orders. “Where are the others?” he demanded, placing zip ties around William’s wrists.
Addie remained silent. “I asked where the others are.” He hissed, placing a Glock to her temple. “And I’d better start getting some goddamned answers before someone dies here. Now, look. No one’s calling out thanks to this here cell-phone jammer.” He called out, waving the device in the air. He laughed and continued. “And no one’s going out the gate—at least not in a vehicle anyway—BECAUSE I’VE DISMANTLED THEM ALL. Oh, and those pathetic jokers you call your security team? Well, they’re indisposed. SO! Hopefully no one’s been silly enough to go outside because with the temperatures as they are they’ll freeze to death by morning.”
“Scott.” William winced as he spoke. “Let’s handle this like men. Leave everyone else out of it.”
Scott grabbed William by the hair and sucker-punched him. “You mean like that?” He laughed, releasing William’s hair, watching his head fall and hang.
He sat down between William and Addison on the love seat and placed his arms around their shoulders. She moved away as much as she could before Scott hugged her back in. “This is going to be so great. We’re all going to become so fond of one another. Sure, some of you are going to have to die, but the more you’re willing to cooperate, the fewer of you that will be.” He paused and turned towards Addison. “So . . . tell me where those beautiful children of yours are.”
What kind of a person would just leave her children and grandchildren in the hands of crazy man, Penny wondered. Scared out of her mind and out of breath, she forced herself forward, stumbling in the dark. She’d run out the back door so fast that she hadn’t even stopped to grab her coat. Unfortunately for her, that’s also where her cell phone was, in her jacket pocket. It was damp and frigid out, and Penny could barely see in front of her as she continued to put one foot in front of the other. Once she’d gotten as far away from the house as she could, she perched down beside a bush several hundred yards from the house and tried to catch her breath. Shivering, she rubbed her hands together and then breathed into them, trying to warm herself. Realizing that she needed to figure something out quickly, she weighed her options. Penny gathered that she either needed to try and get to the road in order to try and flag someone down or find a way to get to the nearest neighbor in order to call for help. Or she could go back to the house, which she really wanted to do. She really did, but at the same time, she was well
aware that her family was trapped there and that she was their only ticket out. Panting, Penny sank all the way down to the damp ground and considered what it was she should do. Most of the homes in the area were summer homes, and their occupants weren’t usually around much this time of year, so she’d likely have to break into one of them in order to call for help. But the chances of someone being out on the old farm-to-market road this time of night were probably even slimmer. When Penny began shivering harder, she decided it was time to move. First, she’d head towards the gate and see what happened to the security guys Addison had mentioned and then figure out which way to turn once she got there.
The drive up to the main house was long, nearly a half a mile, and although Penny couldn’t see much, she tried to follow the length of the road while staying far enough off the path that she wouldn’t be seen. Every step of the way was a struggle. One minute she willed herself to keep going, and the next she played mind tricks to keep herself from turning and going back. Everyone she loved in this world was back there in that house. Everyone she had worked so hard to protect was now in danger. All she’d ever wanted was to keep her family from the unnecessary evils in life. Yet, look where it had gotten her this time.
Scott couldn’t believe his luck when he stumbled upon that shiny car on the side of the road. Back in the day, the pre-William Hartman days, he had been quite the car collector, so of course he would have noticed that kind of car anywhere. Upon further inspection, he’d noticed not only William but also Addison sitting inside. All of a sudden, it was clear that this was a sign from the angels; they’d placed them there on that road for him to see. What were the odds of that happening?
He’d worked so hard to evade the men who’d been camped out down the street. Of course, he had to wait until the dead of night and then hightail it out the back door. He’d had to scale three fences and haul butt to the rental car place and then wait six hours for them to open. But he’d done it. Everything had gone according to plan until now. He had no idea that he could possibly get them so effortlessly, that the angels would hand deliver his targets to him. Scott passed them up then turned around, headed back in the opposite direction, and parked the far enough down the road so that he was out of sight. From there, he traveled on foot along the edge of the woods, just far enough back off the road so as not to be seen. As he sat and watched the two of them there in the car, he considered how he might get close enough to throw off the two members of Hartman’s security detail. He just had to move fast enough to get to them before they took off.
Breaking Bedrock (Book Two) Page 13
