Opening the book, she found the inscription: To my niece Georgia inside the book.
Shiloh closed the book for a moment. She knew these were the thoughts and feelings Donna had written down on the journey they had embarked on after they left Chicago. She remembered seeing Donna write things in this book. When she asked Donna about it one time, Donna said she would understand it when she was older. Now Shiloh was older and she didn’t know if she could break into and read the stuff her aunt had written. It seemed like an invasion of her aunt’s privacy somehow.
Then Shiloh realized Donna left the book for her to read. Somehow, that thought didn’t make it any easier but Shiloh opened the book anyway.
Chapter Seventeen
Shiloh checked the first date in the book. The first passage was written four days after the murders of her parents.
The last few days have been so hard, harder than I imagined. Leaving Whiskey Bend for the unknown has thrown me for a loop. We’re in a motel near Kansas City, Missouri. Georgia is finally sleeping now. She’s still not talking yet. Poor baby, she hasn’t said a word since we found her.
I hate to think what would have happened to her if the killer had discovered her that night. Charlie Boone, the officer that found Georgia told me to take the baby and run, so that’s what I did. I hope it was the smart thing to do. I’m supposed to call him tonight and let him know where we are. I hated leaving without seeing Mike and Dana buried but I wasn’t going to give this murderer a chance to get to Georgia. By now, he knows she’s still alive and she is a witness to what happened the night her parents died.
I know it was Simon who called me early this morning. He’s trying to freak me out, but all he did was get me motivated. Charlie has been such a help. The police told me it was going to be hard to prove Simon murdered my sister and her husband, even if I know for a fact he did it. Charlie said, knowing something in the pit of your stomach isn’t evidence you can take into court. He’s trying to find the evidence we need to take Simon to court. I hope he can find something, otherwise Georgia is next.
The next entry was a few days later:
I did as Charlie suggested and changed our names. Not legally of course but I told Georgia her new name would be Shiloh. Dana and I always liked that name. If the new baby was a girl, Dana was going to name her Shiloh. I found a job, in a daycare. I know it’s not much but I can’t afford to let Georgia out of my sight. She’s still in shock, at least that’s what the doctor’s in Chicago said it was. She still doesn’t say anything.
Six months later:
I have a creepy feeling that someone is watching us. For the last few days everywhere I go, I see the same man. I saw him again today at the park when I took Shiloh there to play. Yesterday, I saw him at the grocery store and the pool. I think we’re going to have to leave Kansas City. I’d rather not take the chance that one day I’ll open my door and see Simon standing there with a gun in his hand.
Four days later:
We had to leave in the middle of the night. I was so terrified. After I put Shiloh to bed, I was taking out the trash and I saw him again. This time, he was sitting in a car watching our apartment. Luckily, I had parked my car in the back of the building. I was able to pack and get Shiloh out the back door before he knew we were gone. I drove north and we ended up in Des Moines. I have a feeling this is going to be our life for a while. Damn Simon Pratt and his evil ways.
Shiloh skimmed over the next few sections. They had been in Des Moines almost a year when Donna wrote,
Damn, he found us again! My boss Marie said someone has been asking about me at my daycare job today. She said he showed her a picture and said he was looking for his wife and daughter. She didn’t tell him anything about us but she also said she didn’t want any trouble. That this was the first she knew about me being married and on the run. I told her I wasn’t married but we decided it was best if I left anyway. I wouldn’t want to bring any trouble down on the kids.
Things were just getting back to normal. Shiloh is starting to open up again. She’s finally talking and she made a friend here. About four months ago, one of the kids in the park was doing something with her hands and Shiloh began doing it too. I asked the child’s mother what they were doing and she told me her little girl was deaf. She and Shiloh were signing each other.
Dana mentioned she and Georgia were taking classes but I didn’t understand how much it meant to her. Shiloh and I were just starting to speak to each other and now we have to leave here. She’s still not talking but we are able to communicate with each other. I hope Shiloh understands but she’s still so young.
The next entry was a few days later.
We made it as far as Cheyenne, Wyoming. I found a job and a school for Shiloh. I have her enrolled in a deaf school as that is her way of communicating with the world right now and I am working in the kitchen. She seems to be adapting well to this move. She’s comfortable with the signing more and more. Maybe it’s her way of coping but whatever works for her, I’m happy with.
Charlie called me last night. He says the investigation is stalled for the moment but they are keeping an eye on Simon’s activities. He’s coming out to see us next week. He says it’s to make sure we’re ok but I think he’s got another motive in mind and while I’m beginning to care a lot for him, I’m not sure I could drag him down with me.
Shiloh closed the book briefly, her fingers were holding the spot in the book she was at. She had to smile a little. She always knew Donna had feelings for someone even if she never knew his name. It had been Charlie all along.
She realized something else. Donna had kept the truth from her, so she could have as normal a childhood as possible. She opened the book again.
Charlie was here a few days ago. He gave me something to think about. He told me about hypnosis. I asked around at work and Carol Anne said Phoenix had a clinic specializing in that method of medicine. I checked it out and I think I’ll take Shiloh down there. Maybe if the doctors can unlock the memories she has of that night we can stop running.
A week later:
Shiloh remembers everything down to the last detail of the night she saw her parents murdered. It was so hard for me to sit there and listen to her recall everything. It was even harder for me to ask the doctor to block it from her again. God almighty that was the hardest thing I’ve ever done but I had to do it. I don’t want her to remember that night yet, she’s still so young. I don’t think she can handle the truth yet. I’m a grown woman and I don’t know if I can handle it. Shiloh is only six. Remembering now would ruin what’s left of her childhood and I don’t want her to slip back into the awful void she was in when I first took her away. My heart would surely break then.
Shiloh felt tears welling in her eyes as she read her aunt’s words. She finally understood the reason why but not the fact that Donna never brought it up again. She put a small marker in the book and went to the kitchen. Demon had made a pot of coffee and she poured herself a cup and sat down at the table with him.
“What were you reading?” Demon asked.
“My aunt kept a journal of sorts about our lives after we left Whiskey Bend.” She took a sip of the hot brew and sniffled away the last bit of tears. “She had a difficult task, keeping me safe. I never knew about it until now.” Shiloh glanced at the clock. Charlie had been gone for a while now and she was getting concerned. “I wonder if Charlie is having any luck?”
Demon got up to pour another cup of coffee, when he came back he told her, “Charlie hit the motherlode. He found the room you described earlier and it contained enough of the items smuggled into the states to make a great case against Simon. He said he spoke to Thomas and he’s coordinating with his office to arrest everyone involved.”
“Wow, all this happened in the little while he’s been gone?”
“Apparently, Thomas and his crew have been keeping very good records, they just could never find the transfer place. Now that they have, everything is falling in place. Charlie is t
ransferring all the items in Simon’s back room into police custody. When Simon opens up his little vault and finds everything gone, he’s going to be very upset.”
“When do you suppose that will be?” Shiloh asked.
“Funny you should ask,” came a voice from the doorway.
Shiloh turned to find a grinning Thomas standing there.
“We put a tap on Simon’s phone earlier today and the tap revealed Simon making a bunch of calls to other suspected fences. We know of at least two people flying here in the morning to take most of the stuff back with them. One is flying in from Denver and the other one is coming in from Dallas.” Thomas turned to Shiloh. “Thank you my dear for all your help in this. We are shutting down one of the major smuggling rings in the world.”
“I didn’t do anything. This is happening because my father discovered it, not me.”
Demon’s cell phone began to ring and when he answered it, they all could hear loud noises on the other end. Charlie’s voice was shouting as he told them, “We could use some help down here. Simon surprised us. We’re taking fire.”
“Damn,” Demon swore. “I’ll call it in.” He swiped the screen on his cell and called the station. When he placed his phone down, he looked worried. The next few minutes were nerve racking as they waited for word on what was happening.
Finally, twenty minutes later, the phone rang again.
“Hello.” Demon growled.
“Hello to you too,” Charlie answered.
“Are you guys all right?” Demon demanded.
“Yeah, for the most part anyway. Jeff Beane is on his way to the hospital. He took a round in the shoulder. We have two of Simon’s men in custody but Simon escaped when he heard the sirens coming. We’re just finishing up here and then I’ll be over. Thanks for the support, it came in handy.”
When Demon tapped the phone, he looked over at Shiloh. He could see the tears in her eyes. “He’s okay, Simon got away, but Charlie is okay.”
“I know, but now Simon knows we’re after him. He’s bound to move his timetable up now and take what he can and run.”
“Then we’d better be ready for him hadn’t we?” Demon seethed. “Charlie isn’t taking any unnecessary chances. He’s waited too long for this. He’ll get here before Simon does.”
“I hope so,” Shiloh whispered. She had a feeling the night wasn’t over yet. She busied herself by tiding up the living room. She didn’t want to lose any part of the package her aunt left her, so she put it all in a safe place.
Chapter Eighteen
Shiloh found the waiting the hardest. One minute seemed to take forever.
Forty five minutes later Charlie knocked on the front door. When Shiloh opened the door, she saw he wasn’t alone and she looked at the two men with him with distrust.
Her eyes went from Charlie to the two men behind him. “Who are your friends?”
Charlie smiled. “Tim Raybourne and Frank Long a couple of Whiskey Bend’s finest.” He paused and said, “I thought we could use a little help tonight as long as Simon is still out there somewhere.”
Shiloh moved to the side to allow the men to come into the house. When Charlie crossed her path, she grabbed him and hugged him. “I’m glad you’re back safely.”
Charlie hugged her back and whispered, “So am I. If Demon hadn’t called for help, I don’t think I would have been. Simon and his men completely surprised us.”
They turned to go into the living room. Tim and Frank were waiting for them. Demon and Thomas were already there.
“What’s the plan boss?” Tim asked.
“The plan is to make it through the rest of the night. Simon Pratt is on his way here at some point and we have to stop him.”
“What’s here that he wants so badly?” Frank asked.
“About two million in gems and Shiloh,” Charlie told him. “Shiloh is the only witness from a murder twenty years ago and we know he’s been trying to get back some gems Shiloh’s father took from him a long time ago. Simon is trying to get everything he can get his hands on before he leaves town. We have to bring him down before he can get out. Simon knows that somewhere in this house is a safe with millions of dollars’ worth of items inside. Only Shiloh knows where the safe is and how to get into it. He’s coming here to get her to open the safe and I don’t think he’s going to let a few police officers stand in his way. He’s desperate and he’s got help, so be prepared for anything.”
Tim and Frank nodded and then left to watch the different areas of the house. Thomas looked at Charlie. “We’ve managed to rush our positions and in four hours we can start the round up, both here and in Europe. Simon has two buyers flying in from Chicago in the morning and we’ll be ready for them. I’ve got two teams at the airport and they will be picked up before they can alert anyone else.”
Shiloh walked over to the couch and patted the seat next to her. Charlie came over to the couch and sat down.
Demon sat down in the chair and waited for Shiloh to ask, “So what did you find in the locked room?”
Charlie grinned, “We found a ton of contraband. At least five million dollar’s worth of blood diamonds and other rare jewels, four vases from Iraq, well known vases that were stolen from Saddam’s palaces, fourteen gold bars, and several other rare antiquities. All of which was taken into police custody. Once Thomas’s team picks up the members smuggling ring, we’ll be able to track down the people responsible for the stuff. It’s just another piece of the pie.”
“That’s an impressive haul,” Demon said.
Charlie shrugged. “I guess Simon thought no one was on to him or knew about him being involved in the smuggling ring.” He paused to take something out of his pocket. He threw it at Demon. “I think you’ve been looking for this.”
Demon stared down at the small green book in his hands. He looked up at Charlie.
Charlie grinned. “I took a chance and went up to the office while we were at the store. I found it in his desk.”
“He must know I’m back in town by now,” Shiloh said.
Charlie turned to her. “Don’t worry, he won’t get anywhere near you. That’s why I brought the extra men. You’ll be safe here tonight and in the morning, we’ll pick up everybody involved and after that you can have your life back.”
Shiloh was silent for a moment and before she could say anything, the house was plunged into darkness. She screamed but her scream was cut short when Demon clamped a hand over her mouth. He slid her off the couch onto the floor and together they moved over to the nearest wall. He whispered to her, “Stay here.”
Shiloh could hear people rustling around the room. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness around her, she began distinguishing shadows moving through the house. She saw a small flash of light and she heard someone fall to the ground. Her heart leapt to her throat and began pounding in her chest. She knew she couldn’t stay where she was.
Moving very slowly and using the furniture as cover, she made a bee line for her old bedroom. When she got to the foyer, she bumped into a body lying on the floor. She was trembling as she patted down the body to see if she could see who it was. When her hands touched, a sticky spot she knew whoever it was he was hurt or maybe dead. When she touched the man’s face and felt the facial hair, she knew it was one of the men Charlie brought with him tonight. Tim Rayboure had a moustache.
Shaking badly, Shiloh wiped her hands off on his shirt and moved on. She would move a little then wait and listen. Finally, she was at the doorway. Reaching up, she found the handle and turned it slowly. When she heard the soft click, she paused and listened again. When she didn’t hear anything else, she opened the door enough to slip inside the room.
Once inside, she turned to peek back out into the interior of the house. She couldn’t see anyone near her but she could still hear someone moving around out there. She closed to door almost shut, leaving only a small crack to peek out of, she froze when a shadow blocked her view. She hardly dared to breathe as the shadow paused
for a moment. She could hear a strange clicking sound but she didn’t know what it was. Then she heard another sound. It was the soft ping of a gun being fired through a silencer. She heard someone cry out then she heard silence.
The shadow finally moved away from her door. Very carefully, Shiloh closed the door until she heard the soft click. Breathing heavily, she tried to remember the room. She needed a place to hide. She couldn’t hide under the bed or in the closet, those two places would be the first ones checked. Then she remembered the storage area under the window seat. Moving slowly as to not make any noise she made her way over to the window seat. Peeking outside she thought she saw someone pacing back and forth out in the yard. Trying not to attract any attention, she slid the cover up and slipped inside.
Lowering the cover, she didn’t close it all the way. If someone came into the room looking for her she wanted to be able to see who it was before they found her. No one knew the window seat was a storage area too, and that fact was keeping her safe tonight.
The waiting, alone in the dark, for something to happen was the worst. Time dragged on and Shiloh was scared to death. She hadn’t heard any other noise inside or outside the house in a long time.
Then she heard the door to her room open slowly. She lifted the lid of the window seat just enough to peek out there. She saw a shadow standing in the doorway but she couldn’t see the man’s features. She held her breath while he looked around the room. As he turned to go back out of the room, she saw the shadow of a gun in his hand. She looked at the outline of his face again and frowned. He seemed to be wearing something around his eyes that looked strange. Not knowing what it was she carefully lowered the lid again.
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