The lights had come on in the passageway about a hundred yards back. The wooden framed walls and planked wooden floor indicated that they were now within the walls of the house. It was eerily quiet. They walked in silence for what seemed like hours, but in reality a mere fifteen minutes had passed. At last, the passageway dead-ended. Brian was about to lose what was left of his patience when Sam turned to him and smirked as he stuck his finger into a barely noticeable knot and slid the panel to the side, granting them access into a darkened closet. Sam took three steps forward, leaned against the door and listened intently for a moment before slowly turning the knob. Thankfully the door didn’t so much as creek as it was opened an inch at a time, until Sam was confident they could step safely into the hallway.
While he couldn’t afford the time necessary to appreciate the décor, Brian couldn’t help but notice that the carpet was thick beneath their feet, the walls were a neutral shade of butter, and paintings of the English countryside accented the walls for what appeared to be the length of it. They eased down the long hallway until they reached the first door. Sam pointed to show that was their destination. He listened against the door and once again opened it silently. Motioning for Brian to join him quickly, he eased the door closed behind them.
“This is Evan’s room,” he whispered. They moved through the dark room with its navy walls and drawn curtains, searching for any sign that Sarah was there or had been there. The bed had a dark mahogany headboard with four large chocolate leather panels set in the center. The brown suede comforter held the tell-tale signs that someone had lain on it but not under recently. Upon a cursory glance, the room barely seemed lived in, with no personal items of any kind on the nightstand, walls, or matching mahogany desk. Eventually they made their way to the other doors in the room, the first one opened into a magnificent bathroom with dark stone floors and dark granite counters and dark tiled walls. Brian shook his head in disgust. The next door opened into a closet. They were about to turn and exit until Brian noticed how deep the closet seemed to be. Pulling the clothes apart, he exposed a deeper hidden portion that held a series of monitors, a control panel of some sort, and a simple folding chair.
The monitors were off, but Brian felt compelled to turn them on anyway. Sam glanced about concerned, yet Brian was oblivious to everything but the task at hand. The first monitor flickered on and an empty bathroom came into focus. The second monitor showed a hallway that could very well have been the one they just left. When the third and final monitor blinked to life, his breath caught. Sarah was standing in a bedroom wearing only a bathrobe and Evan was with her, pacing about agitatedly. He turned toward Sarah suddenly, a wicked gleam in his eyes. And more than anything, Brian wished there was sound to accompany the picture.
Evan walked slowly towards Sarah with his hands raised. That was the last that Brian saw before racing from the closet and out into the hall. He stood there trying to determine which door they might be behind. He was shaking in fear and rage. Feelings of protectiveness washed over him as he thought of the woman he loved facing down her greatest foe garbed in only a bathrobe. She looked angry, but not nearly as angry as Evan. Brian knew that meant danger, even if she didn’t.
Suddenly, the closet at the end of the hall opened and before he could sneak back into the room, an older man emerged carrying bags of clothes. He could feel the man’s concern, and knew instantly this was the man who had called him just a day earlier. Brian planted himself in the middle of the hall, arms crossed over his chest, and waited as calmly as he could muster to be noticed.
Staring at the floor, James was focused on sneaking back into the house to try to protect Miss Sarah. He had rushed through his errand, not caring what he purchased or how much he spent. His arms were laden down with packages. He thought the walk through the passageway was going to be the death of him with those bulky bags. Now, winded, but determined, he made his way toward her room. Feeling he was being watched, he glanced up and promptly dropped everything he had been carrying. He recovered his composure quickly enough and exhaled.
Brian’s brow furrowed. The man seemed almost happy, which was not at all what he anticipated, even if it was the same man who had called. Yet, before he could speak the man interrupted.
“You came,” he said, his heart racing. “You found the place. I wanted so badly to contact you so many times.” He began wringing his hands agitatedly. “Miss Sarah has been very brave, but she needs you, sir.” He glanced around, knowing he was about to disclose a secret. “She’s pregnant, sir,” he murmured almost inaudibly.
His suspicions confirmed, Brian’s hands clenched into tight fists. “Where is she?” He asked hoarsely. “I have to go to her, now.”
“Follow me, please.” He said scurrying down the hall and around the corner. At last he stopped before a door that had a metal drawer protruding from the bottom.
Glancing around, Brian wondered how something so conspicuous could go so unnoticed for so long in a house that should have been bustling with activity. He shook his head. “Thank you,” he mumbled.
“Wait,” James whispered. “It will be locked.” He fumbled in his pocket for the key-ring he carried with him.
Suddenly there was a loud crash from within, accompanied by angry indistinguishable shouts. James was so startled that he dropped the keys and fell to his knees to recover them. Anxiously, Brian scooped the keys off the plush carpeting and ordered him to stand back. There had to be fifteen keys on the ring. Somehow he would get that door opened. Somehow he would save Sarah. Clenching the keys in his fist, he stared at the lock and concentrated with all his might.
The vase of flowers shattered on the bathroom tile floor as Evan chucked it over his shoulder. With one hand, he tossed the delicate side table across the room, eyes trained on Sarah as the table splintered in pieces. “Do you think that I am someone to be trifled with?” He roared, taking a step closer to her.
Her lips pursed and she eyed him warily as she decided how to respond. “When you are finished with your tantrum we can talk,” Sarah said simply and she crossed her arms to wait patiently. It was the kind of thing she might have said to Chloe, if her daughter had ever put on a display of her emotions.
Evan shook with rage at her words. “Who do you think you are to speak to me in such a way?” He grabbed her upper arms and squeezed until she winced.
Immediately, she closed her eyes and focused her powers. She pictured her arms turning into molten lava. She envisioned the flaming orange bubbling so strongly she could almost hear the searing of flesh and smell the burning skin.
This time it was Evan who winced. His hands felt as though they had been scalded. In a flash he had released her and was staring at his red throbbing palms in disbelief. He could barely move his hands the pain was so great. Yet instead of wanting to back down, his hurt only served to inflame his rage even more.
Sarah was completely oblivious to the transformation in his demeanor. She certainly couldn‘t have known how even more dangerous the beast within him would become. Once wounded, he behaved like any other wounded animal, lashing out and seeking to harm those who drew too near. Confident in her abilities and the predictions made by Brenda so long ago, she drew herself to her full height, took a small sure step closer, and spoke once more, “Who do you think you are trying to bully people into doing what you will?” He was momentarily caught off guard. “You picked the wrong chick and the wrong day.” She inhaled deeply, calming her emotions. It would do the baby no good for her to get all upset. “You will not lay a finger on me, not in rage, and most certainly not to quell your lust.”
Regaining his composure, he laughed. “You think so?” He sneered. Right hand raised, he moved to slap her across her face, a face that had a chin that jutted out defiantly, taunting him to put it in place. Before he could disprove her claim, however, the door to the bedroom blew inward off its hinges and slammed into him, propelling him to the bed. Evan stood slowly, shocked, but otherwise uninjured. He ignored Brian�
��s furious form filling the doorway, intent on reaching Sarah.
She simply stood there torn between cautiously watching Evan and the urge to rush past him into Brian’s arms. Feelings overwhelmed her. She was flooded with relief, knew she was at last safe, at last free, and soon to rejoin her family. She beamed at Brian, who was alert to Evan’s every move.
“Stop!” Brian bellowed as Evan edged closer to Sarah. “You so much as move a muscle and I will finish you.” He walked toward Sarah who stretched out her arms to him. As she raised her arms the robe became untied and slipped open, exposing her tiny belly. He stared and tears formed in his eyes. “So, it’s true.” Taking a single step, he drew her into his chest, one arm around her shoulders, the other planted gently on the bubble just above her bikini panties. “You’re safe now,” he murmured into her hair. “Both of you.”
Love shining in her eyes, Sarah glanced up at him and murmured, “Take us home, daddy.” A shy smile crossed her lips and he held her tighter.
“Not so fast,” a voice sounded from the doorway.
Brian wheeled around with Sarah still clutched in his arms. Suddenly aware of her exposed appearance, he wrapped the robe tightly around her and cinched the belt once more at her waist. “Sam! Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot all about you,” he said sheepishly.
The man’s eyes crinkled as he spoke. “That’s okay, son. I can understand why you would be distracted.” He nodded at Sarah, fiddling with his toothpick. Then he turned his attention to Evan, who now sat crumpled on the side of the bed. “As for you, Mr. Winters, we’re going to head downstairs to await the police.”
Evan’s head snapped up at the mention of the authorities. For a moment he truly looked scared, then his demeanor suddenly changed and he smirked. “My father owns the police. And we have a phenomenal attorney.”
Grabbing his upper arm, Sam led him from the room. “Well, that’s good because you’re going to need one. And while we walk downstairs and let this lovely woman get dressed I’m going to start enumerating the charges you will no doubt be facing. You don’t have to say anything. It’s just a little something I like to do to cheer myself up when a bad guy finally comes to justice.”
Snarling, Evan let himself be pulled from the room. He paused momentarily at the door to address Sarah once more. “Who do you think the police will believe: me or you?” He asked cockily, hoping to intimidate her.
Without hesitation, she responded confidently, “Me. Definitely me,” and watched with satisfaction while his smile faded. Sarah leaned heavily into Brian then, the lack of sustenance and intense emotions having finally taken their toll.
“Let’s get you dressed,” Brian said quietly more than a little concerned for Sarah‘s well-being. “Then we’ll get you some food and let you lie down.” He studied her demeanor for a moment. “Do you think you need to go to the hospital?” He asked, suddenly realizing that medical care might be required.
“No,” she said quietly. She tried to smile as she spoke, “I just have one request.”
“Anything for you, my love,” he said as he snuggled her close. Now that he was finally near her again he didn’t know how he would ever let her go.
“Get me out of this room,” she begged.
Without speaking, Brian swung her up into his arms, carried her to the nearest unlocked bedroom and laid her gently upon the bed. He quickly crossed the room to close and lock the door. With a broad smile he returned to her side where he stared at her for a few moments. She had the same glow his sisters had during their pregnancies. Her breasts were threatening to spill out of her bra, they had grown so significantly fuller. Her hair was longer, the ends in need of a trim. And her body had lost the muscle definition that she had always maintained effortlessly from carrying on with her everyday routines. None of it mattered.
Brian wouldn’t have thought her any less lovely had her hair fallen out in patches and her body gained one hundred pounds. He saw straight through to her heart, the heart that beat for him and ached to hold Chloe once more. “You’re even more beautiful than I remembered,” he said quietly. “God, I’ve missed you. I love you,” he murmured against her temple while he laid a hand low on her abdomen. Just under his palm he felt the slightest flutter and he truly believed he might just burst from sheer joy.
Despite her protest, the police insisted she go to the hospital and receive a clean bill of health before they could even consider taking her statement. In disgust, Sarah had anticipated a lengthy wait in the ER when she really just wanted some alone time with Brian. To her surprise, she discovered that being brought to the hospital by the police helped expedite the process significantly. Using all of her charm and feminine wiles, she even managed to convince the detective to question her while she waited.
The result was that by early evening, Sarah and Brian had finished giving statements to the police and checked into a nearby hotel. They ordered an enormous amount of food, since Sarah wanted everything. “Eating is so much more enjoyable when I know I’m not going to be drugged,” she commented as she filled her mouth with a large scoop of chocolate mousse.
Brian shuddered as he was once again reminded of what she had endured during their time apart. “We need to get you to an obstetrician as soon as we get back.” She nodded happily, the towel turban wobbling on her head and completely at ease in her bathrobe this time. “And we need to decide when you are feeling up to going back to work. Or maybe you want to be a stay at home mom.” He was bubbling over with ideas. She rubbed his leg to calm him down. “Oh, and much has changed since you were taken,” he said seriously. He knew they had to discuss what had happened with Chloe and her house, but he was reluctant to spoil her mood and add to the pain she had already suffered. Was it too much to ask that they get a few undisturbed minutes to enjoy each other’s company?
Thankfully, she, too, seemed reluctant to think about what she had missed. “Not tonight,” Sarah said shaking her head. All she wanted was to relax and enjoy her time with him before she returned home tomorrow to reclaim her life. “We called my mom and Chloe. I had an amazing soak in the tub.” She paused and smiled at him broadly. “Thanks for the help.”
He nodded and blushed at the reminder of how badly he had behaved when she really just needed to relax. It wasn’t even about the sex. He had just felt this overwhelming need to be close to her, to breathe her in, to feel her wrapped around him in every manner possible.
“Now I’m getting to eat whatever I want.” She sighed, a sound of pure bliss. “The only thing I want to do after that is curl up in your arms and fall asleep.” She moved closer to him. “I haven’t slept well in two months.”
“Me neither,” he admitted, while sporting dark circles to attest to his honesty.
“Everything else will work itself out in the morning,” Sarah remarked calmly and with unhesitating certainty. She was amazingly upbeat considering what she had gone through.
“In the morning,” he said while he nodded, although in the back of his mind he felt a nagging concern that he was making a grave mistake.
Their plane touched down in Burlington early in the afternoon. And though the plan was to keep her return low-key, the press was there, along with faculty from the college and a good portion of the student body. Sarah frowned slightly; bothered by the absence of the people she most wanted to see. She scanned the crowd, hoping against all hope to spot a glimpse of her daughter. She closed her eyes, no longer trusting them, and instead tuned into her feelings, seeking Chloe.
A loud whistle attracted her attention. Curious, she opened her eyes and turned in the direction Brian pointed. Happily, she rushed down the plane steps.
“Sarah,” he admonished, “be careful. I don’t know what I’d do…” He paused. After losing her for two months, his very nature cried out to keep her protected and near at all times. Unfortunately, if he did so, he would be no better than the crazed young man who had taken her. He sighed in frustration.
Immediately she slowed and turned to face h
im. His normally calm visage was wrought with angst. His brow was furrowed, his mouth turned downward in a frown. Obviously he had suffered as much as she had during her captivity. She took a deep breath. After months of captivity, she yearned for nothing more than to taste all of the freedoms she had missed, but at what costs? She couldn’t hurt Brian in the process.
“You’re right. I need to listen to you more. I need to take fewer chances. I will even admit that being overly independent has been part of my downfall, so I’ll give that up as well.” She beamed at him more than willing to do whatever was necessary to placate him, took his arm, and together they met the Stratford limousine parked on the tarmac.
Anna, Chloe and Jamie crowded around her the minute she came close enough. In her head she heard the familiar voice of Chloe. I love you I love you I love you, she chanted. Abruptly she stopped and turned toward her mother’s stomach. “And I love you, too,” she said seriously.
“Chloe?” Sarah asked, kneeling before her daughter. Her brow furrowed momentarily as she pondered how her daughter knew. Before she could ask her, Chloe managed to shock her once more.
Second Chances Page 83
