Savannah's Curse

by Shelia M. Goss

  “Wanted to be prepared, just in case,” Raymond responded.

  “Well, I need to get back to Savannah,” Troy said. “And Asia.”

  Raymond said, “We need to get something understood first.” Troy halted his step. Raymond continued talking. “What I told you back at Vanna’s needs to stay there.”

  “That I can’t promise you. But if it’ll save Montana’s life, I will do what I can,” Troy said. He didn’t wait for Raymond to respond.

  He got in his vehicle and made it back to Savannah’s in record time. He hoped that he wasn’t underestimating the situation. Montana’s life would depend on it.

  The expression on Savannah’s face when she opened the door made his heart skip a beat. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days. Twenty-four hours ago things were as normal as they could be, under the circumstances. He wished he had insisted that they not leave his place.

  “He called back. He said if I send the cops looking for him again, he’s going to harm Montana.” Savannah sobbed.

  Troy wrapped his arms around her and held her until she felt comfortable letting him go. She led him into the makeshift command station.

  “What I find strange is that he knew we were coming,” Troy said as he retold the events.

  Asia confessed, “I think it’s Uncle Raymond. Actually, I’m hoping it’s him, because I don’t think he’ll do anything to Montana. He probably just wants the disc.”

  Troy thought about it for a moment. “Maybe.”

  Savannah remained quiet the entire time. With her legs curled up under her, Savannah looked to be deep in thought. She said, “Call Uncle Raymond. Tell him that we have a disc Dad left. Give it to him and see what happens.”

  “No, we can’t do that. That disc is important.”

  Asia pulled a disc out of her purse. “She didn’t say the only disc. This should be enough to pacify him.”

  “Are you sure?” Troy asked.

  “Yes. If it means getting Montana back, then I’ll drop the whole thing. Well, at least make him think I’m dropping it.”

  Troy called Raymond. “The girls want to see you right away.” He paused. “No, nobody’s heard from him . . . They have a proposition . . . We’ll be waiting.”

  Savannah asked, “What did he say?”

  “He wanted to know if we had heard from Montana’s abductor.”

  “Like he doesn’t know the answer to that already,” Asia said.

  Savannah stood up and paced the floor. “Asia, let me do most of the talking. Your temper might give us away.”

  “You bet. The more I think about it, the more I want to bash his head in.”

  “I need to make some phone calls,” Troy said.

  “We’re not going anywhere,” Savannah answered.

  “Ladies, hang on in there. We’re going to get her back.” Troy hoped he sounded confident. Right now, he wasn’t so sure about her return, if they couldn’t track down the kidnapper. He had worked on other kidnapping cases and knew time was of the essence. The longer it took to track down Montana’s location, the less chances she would have to survive. If only the kidnapper would ask for something, he could arrange to knock him off during the drop-off. What made this kidnapping different from others? The abduction seemed personal, not money driven. The only person who had something to gain from this had to be Raymond Steel.

  Raymond was at the door by the time Troy was finished with his phone calls. He hoped giving him the disc would be enough. His gut instincts, though, told him that it still wouldn’t get Montana back. But he had to try, for Savannah’s sake.

  30

  “Raymond,” Savannah said.

  “It’s still Uncle,” he responded.

  Savannah handed him a disc in a glass case. “I think this is what your guys were looking for when they broke into my house.”

  Raymond looked at the disc. “What is this?”

  “It’s everything that my dad had on The Agency,” Savannah responded.

  Raymond reached to hug her. Savannah held her hand up to halt him. “This doesn’t mean all is forgiven. In fact, with Montana missing, I just can’t do this. You have your disc; now give me back my sister.”

  “I wish I could.”

  “We gave you the disc, and now you still want to play us,” Asia said. She swung at Raymond. Savannah jumped in front of Asia, and she missed hitting Raymond by a few inches. Troy remained in his seat, observing.

  “Girls, I am doing what I can to find Montana. In fact, I think we have a lead.”

  Troy made his presence known. “Maybe we should take this conversation in the back.”

  Savannah folded her arms. “No. If he knows something, we all need to know.”

  Raymond sat down on the couch while Asia and Savannah remained standing. “We got a few fingerprints off the phone and the chair. I have someone running an analysis now. I’m just waiting on the phone call.”

  Asia commented, “You’re a trip. You must have taken up acting in school.”

  Savannah said, “Asia.”

  Asia turned away from them. “I’m just saying. Acting like he cares.” She continued to mumble until she was out of hearing distance. She left the room.

  Savannah sat in the chair facing Raymond. “You better hope they find something.”

  “I’m glad you trust me to handle this,” Raymond said.

  Savannah laughed. “Trust you. Please. Never again. I just have hope. Hope that Montana comes out of this unharmed.”

  Raymond’s phone rang. He put his hand up to signal them all to be quiet. He answered. Savannah stood up and walked to the mantel. Troy walked up behind her. He started massaging her shoulders.

  “Hey, you’re handling this well,” he whispered.

  “I just feel so helpless,” Savannah responded.

  Raymond cleared his throat. “Excuse me. Don’t mean to interrupt, but we have a few leads.”

  Troy stopped massaging Savannah. They both turned to face Raymond. Troy said, “What do you have?”

  “My men are checking things out. Hopefully, we’ll know something for sure in another hour.”

  “Troy, can you go work with his men? Please,” Savannah pleaded.

  Troy addressed Raymond. “You heard the lady. Give me the person’s contact information who’s in charge so I can go meet him.”

  “We got this,” Raymond said.

  Savannah responded, “If you want us to even consider that you had nothing to do with this, you will let Troy assist.”

  Raymond stopped to think for a moment. “I have nothing to hide. Troy, here’s who you need to speak with.” Raymond wrote some information down on a piece of paper and handed it to Troy. “I’ll call to let them know you’ll be helping.”

  Savannah sighed. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

  “I’ll do anything for you girls.”

  Asia had returned to the room and stood behind him, holding a cup of water. She was holding the cup so hard, it broke. Savannah was glad it wasn’t glass.

  Savannah walked Troy outside. “Do you think he’s not telling us something?”

  Troy hugged her and said, “I’ll know for sure. Keep your phone near you.”

  “I will. Bring her home to me,” Savannah pleaded.

  Troy released her. “I’ll do my best.”

  Savannah dragged herself back into the house. Troy was her only hope. She hadn’t depended on a man since her dad, and she never thought she would have to depend on Troy or any other man for something like this.

  She stood outside the front door and looked into the star-filled sky. For the first time since her Dad had died, she prayed sincerely to God. She prayed for forgiveness for all the thoughts that had run through her mind since her dad died. She prayed to God to protect her sister. For the first time since it all happened, she felt a calm come over her.

  When she reentered the house, Asia was sitting on one side of the living room, and Raymond was sitting on the other side. It would be a long time before she ever
would feel like calling him “Uncle” again. Whether he was guilty or innocent of Montana’s disappearance, he was behind her dad’s murder. She was confident of that. And for that, she could not forgive him. That was something she would have to ask God to help her with.

  Raymond was the first to break the silence. “Come and sit.” He patted the space next to him.

  Savannah sat, but she sat in the chair across from him. She didn’t trust herself not to reach out and hit him. It was for the best they kept their distance.

  “The men I have on this are some of the best. Whoever has Montana will regret the day they thought of the idea,” Raymond assured her.

  “I hope you’re right,” Savannah said. She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms.

  Savannah watched Asia leave the room. She didn’t like it when Asia was silent. Asia was a very vocal person; her silence was frightening.

  “As I was telling Asia while you were outside, I appreciate you giving me the disc. I know it’ll take you a while to trust me again, but it’s for the best.”

  Savannah leaned forward in her seat. “Don’t think it’s a done deal. Granted, you might not be behind Montana’s kidnapping, but what you did to my dad is not forgivable. Once this situation here is cleared up, don’t even think about being a part of our lives ever again.”

  “I know you’re upset with what’s going on, but think about this. I’ve been a part of your lives since you were little girls,” Raymond said.

  “And that’s what hurts and makes this so difficult. But I cannot in good conscience live a lie—a lie that you obviously have been living out since last year. I’m not like you. I can’t hide my transgressions.”

  “When it’s all over, you’ll see that I’m not as guilty as you think I am.”

  “Prove it now. Prove to me right now that you had nothing to do with my dad’s murder and I’ll apologize and make sure my sisters do too,” Savannah challenged.

  “In time, dear.”

  “Time . . . time . . . time . . . In time, you’ll take the disc we gave you, make sure that you eliminate any threats to you, and then throw it in our faces and say, ‘See, I told you.’ Please. We’re not as dumb as you think,” Savannah said.

  “I never said you were dumb. In fact, all of you have your dad’s smarts. That’s why I feel that wherever Montana is, she will survive. She’s a fighter, and I feel for her abductor.”

  Raymond said the first thing Savannah could agree with. Montana was not going out without a fight. The only way the abductor was probably able to get her in the first place was catching her by surprise.

  The phone rang, but the battery on the handset was out. Savannah rushed and answered the phone in the kitchen. Asia came in to let her know that she was using the tracing equipment. Raymond was trying to coach Savannah by writing things on a piece of paper.

  Savannah was going to ignore him, but she thought better of it. The kidnapper now was demanding money.

  Raymond wrote: Ask him for a drop-off place and time.

  Savannah repeated what she read. The kidnapper gave her an amount and date. She had less than twenty-four hours to come up with a quarter of a million dollars. She had money in savings and stocks, but it would take time for the stocks to be sold and money deposited in her account to fulfill the kidnapper’s request. She hung up the phone.

  Raymond said, “I’ll give you all the money you need.”

  Savannah felt relieved.

  31

  Savannah was all he could think about. Finding Montana was a top priority. He could not fail Montana or Savannah. The men he went to meet were checking out several leads. Thus far, everything came to a dead end. He had hoped to have something to report to Savannah by now. It had been two hours.

  His phone vibrated. He answered. He listened to Savannah. “We have one more person to check out. I’m hoping this will be it.”

  Savannah said, “Be careful.”

  “Always,” he responded before he disconnected the call.

  He was disappointed that the last person on the list also led to a dead end. All he could do now was head back over to Savannah’s and prepare to do the money exchange. Raymond might not be behind Montana’s kidnapping—he was more confident about this now—but he would not go unpunished. The disc Troy still had in his possession would be enough to put Raymond and whoever else out of commission. Whether they did jail time or not, at least it would expose them for the crimes they committed. He would make sure the media wouldn’t get all the gory details. He didn’t want the men and women who were honestly doing their job and working in the field to be in jeopardy. He only wanted those who decided to take others’ lives in their own hands, as if they were their Maker, to be held accountable.

  Troy went home and picked up everything he thought they would need for tomorrow’s drop-off. It had to be planned carefully, or it all could backfire. He packed up more surveillance equipment for Savannah to wear and for him to be able to set up remotely. Savannah would probably be watched when she left the house, so they would have to time things.

  “Savannah, I’m outside,” Troy said as he pulled into the driveway. Raymond’s car was no longer there.

  He rang the doorbell. It didn’t take Savannah long to come answer the door. She hugged him as soon as he walked in. The smell of her perfume had his hormones on overload. He knew she was vulnerable with everything going on, so he would not take advantage of her. He wanted her to come to him when she was 100 percent sure of her emotions, not out of need for comfort.

  His body was betraying him as she kissed him. The items in his hands slid to the floor as his willpower was getting weaker and weaker. “Vanna. I can’t,” he said in between kisses.

  “I need you,” Savannah begged.

  Troy didn’t want to disappoint her, but he didn’t want her to have any regrets the next day either. “Baby, I want you more than anything, but not like this.”

  Savannah removed her arms from around his neck and pulled away. “Not even this is working out.” She was sobbing.

  His heart tugged. He was torn between doing the right thing and giving in to Savannah’s emotional state. He had to do the right thing. He picked up the bags, which had slipped and fallen, and placed them on a table.

  Savannah sat with her legs curled up under her in the chair across from the couch.

  “Baby, you need to get some sleep. We have a long day ahead of us and you need to be well rested,” Troy said.

  “I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. Asia’s not talking. I’m just all alone.” Savannah began sobbing again.

  Troy walked to where she sat and bent down on his knees. He took her face in his hands and pulled her head up. They were staring into each other’s eyes. “As long as I’m alive, you’ll never be alone.” He kissed the tears streaming down her face. When their lips locked together this time, neither one pulled away.

  Troy needed her as much as she needed him. “Let’s go upstairs,” Savannah suggested.

  Troy stood up. “Savannah Blake, you’ve had my heart for what seems like forever. I love you, and because I love you, when I go up those stairs, it will be to hold you.”

  “But—”

  He placed his index finger to her lips. “Shh, come on.”

  Instead of Savannah leading him to her room, Troy led her. He pulled back the covers of her bed. He undressed her with his eyes first before using his hands to do the work. With each piece of clothing he took off, his lips pressed on the body part. He unbuttoned her shirt. He kissed her on each shoulder as the shirt fell off. He used one of his free hands and unbuttoned her pants. He let the pants slide down. His lips traced her stomach all the way to her belly button. Savannah sighed with each kiss.

  He lifted each leg and kissed between her thighs as he removed each pant leg. He gently led her to the bed. Before joining her in the bed, he put on a strip show of his own. He got excited seeing the desire in Savannah’s eyes as he removed his clothes. He lay on top of her and kissed her, until
both were moaning as if they had reached an orgasm. All of this happened without them having sexual intercourse.

  Troy’s reserve weakened with each touch, but in the end he did the right thing. He snuggled up with Savannah. “Good night, my sweet.”

  Savannah didn’t protest this time. She responded, “Good night.”

  Troy could feel the rapid beat of her heart. As the stress left her body, the beat slowed its pace and her breathing became even. When Troy was confident she was sleeping peacefully, he closed his eyes.

  When he woke up the next morning, Savannah’s leg was wrapped around his body. His lower member was on high alert. He wanted to show her how much he loved her, and if Asia hadn’t knocked on the door, he would have forgotten his promise to himself and to her to wait.

  “Savannah! Troy’s truck is outside, but I don’t see him,” Asia yelled. She attempted to turn the knob, but, thankfully, one of them had remembered to lock the door.

  Troy nudged Savannah to wake up. “Asia’s at the door.”

  “I’ll be out soon,” Savannah said without even opening her eyes.

  “You’re so cute when you sleep,” Troy commented.

  “Uh-huh. Wake me up later,” Savannah said as she dozed back to sleep.

  “Baby, we need to get the day started. There’s a lot of stuff we need to go over,” Troy said.

  Savannah reluctantly pulled herself out of the bed.

  Troy beat himself up for thinking logically. Savannah looked sexy in her purple-laced underwear. He was glad she didn’t look back, because she would have seen him at attention. He tried to think of other things to calm his member down, but nothing worked. He waited for her to enter the bathroom before he got up and put his clothes back on. He went downstairs and outside to his truck. He brought in his overnight bag and a box with his other gear.

  He used the downstairs bathroom to shower. Asia and Savannah were both downstairs when he exited.

  “I know what you were doing,” Asia teased.

  Troy’s mouth dropped open. He hoped she didn’t know that he just relieved himself of the buildup of the tension he felt for not taking Savannah up on her offer. The guilt on his face said it all. Fortunately for him, Asia didn’t press the issue.