The Cradle Conspiracy, page 16
“I tried to call, but you didn’t answer your phone. I don’t understand.”
“I wasn’t able to come get Colby myself, and I was sure you wouldn’t hand him over to my friend Justin. I sent Justin over to take him back.”
“But that only caused the police to look for you even more. It doesn’t make sense.”
“That’s the way it had to be!” Sweat sprinkled across her forehead. Sienna could see it in the rearview mirror. “I needed to disappear again and make a new life for myself. I didn’t have time for niceties or to wrap up my life here. I had to move, and I had to move right then.”
“But Justin wasn’t able to snatch Colby that night.”
Anita frowned menacingly. “No, you guys had to fight back and mess up everything. So we had to follow you guys, waiting for another opportunity.”
“You left that tracking tile in the diaper bag so you could track us. You must have planned this from the beginning.”
“That tile was always in the bag. It was the cheapest type of insurance I could think of. That way, if anything ever happened to Colby, I could find him—as long as the battery didn’t die.”
“Even when you knew Colby wasn’t with us, you kept following us. You even made up a story about us and told people at that restaurant.”
“We just needed to slow you down until we could figure out a plan. We realized we weren’t getting into that headquarters of Jennings Center without you guys, though.”
“And who is this Justin guy? Your boyfriend?”
“We’ve been together for ten years. He loves me and would do anything for me.”
“You rescued him from the woods when we tied him up?”
“Of course I did. Did you think I’d leave him?”
“So you were there also.”
“I got there late, but yes, I was there. I would have taken you both down, but I had to rescue my Justin.”
“Where is Justin now?”
Anita smiled—a satisfied smile. “He’s in the woods keeping an eye on your friend. I’d hate for him to break his promise.”
A cold shiver rushed up Sienna’s spine.
TWENTY-FOUR
Devin sloshed down the road. Rain pelted him, washing into his eyes and causing his clothing to cling to him. Every time he blinked, he pictured the gun Anita had to Sienna’s head. His gut squeezed with apprehension. Would Anita really shoot Sienna?
He knew the answer.
She would.
The woman was unhinged and desperate. Nothing would stand in her way—not even someone she cared about like Justin.
Devin needed a plan, and he needed a plan quickly if he wanted to save both Sienna and Colby.
No way would he turn over Colby. But no way could Devin let Sienna get shot, either.
He took another step down the dark, desolate road and paused, glancing around. He looked for a sign of anything out of place, anything that his subconscious picked up on as a potential danger. He saw nothing.
Was someone in the forest? Watching him?
It was dark, and the rain was blinding. If someone was there, he’d be nearly impossible to spot.
The unease continued to churn in his gut, but he hadn’t seen anyone. But the rain pelted the ground and the darkness made it impossible to see.
But the sound he’d heard had been a break from the normal noises around him. It had cut through the pounding rain, subtle but it had been there.
There it was again. A crack...almost like a stick had broken under an unseen weight.
What if Anita had Justin out here? What if Devin was being watched to ensure he did exactly as Anita said?
That would only make all of this even more complicated.
Devin didn’t like complicated.
Nor did he like the fact that Anita had a gun to Sienna’s head.
Sienna...his breath caught as he thought about her again. When all this was over, he was going to abandon the strongholds that held him back. Life was too short for that. Devin was going to tell Sienna that he wanted more for his future. That he found her fascinating. That he was beginning to feel the first pulses of love.
He shook his head. No, it was too early for that.
Or was it?
Grace had always said when you knew, you knew.
And, if Devin were honest with himself, he knew.
But he had to deal with that later. Right now Devin had to ensure everyone survived. Otherwise, nothing else would matter.
As the rain came down harder, a realization hit him, something he should have thought about earlier.
If Devin couldn’t see someone watching him, they couldn’t see him, either.
Making a swift decision, he darted into the woods.
Devin was going to circle back around and sneak up on this man.
He reminded himself that he had no weapons. Devin was at a definite disadvantage, but he had to see what he could do here.
Because Colby and Sienna’s lives depended on it. And he wouldn’t lose someone else in his life to tragedy. Not if he could prevent it.
* * *
Cold fear caused a shiver to run down Sienna’s spine as she stared straight ahead, waiting for whatever would happen next. She was keenly aware of the gun on the other side of the seat. Aware that one flinch, one jerk of the finger, and she would be dead.
Her thoughts shifted to Devin. She wondered where he was. What he was doing. What he was thinking.
He was capable and strong. Certainly he’d come up with a plan, and she’d see him again when this was all done. They’d talk things through. Maybe even talk about a future together.
Sienna couldn’t just sit here with her thoughts. No, she had to use this time wisely. Find out what she could. Maybe try to formulate some kind of plan.
Sienna glanced in the rearview mirror. She’d angled it so she could see Anita in the back seat and keep an eye on the situation. But she wondered if that was even wise when she saw the crazy, detached look in Anita’s eyes.
“So now we just wait,” Sienna said, crossing her arms and trying to sound braver than she felt.
“That’s right. Now we wait.”
“And once you have Colby?” Sienna knew without a doubt that Devin would not be bringing Colby here. Even the thought of it was sickening.
“Once I have Colby, I’ll take what’s rightfully mine—this truck—and Justin and I will leave.” Spittle flew from Anita’s mouth as she spoke. “We’ll start our new lives. Except this time, I won’t let any nosy reporter stop me.”
“How did Lisa Daniel discover you, anyway?” Sienna remembered some of the details, but she wanted to find out more from Anita. She wanted to keep her talking. Maybe it would help her keep her sanity.
“She just had to come into the school to do that article.” Anita’s face balled with anger and bitterness. “As soon as she saw me, I saw the flash of recognition in her gaze and knew it was only a matter of time before she put everything together.”
“So the meeting at school was just random, a coincidence?” Sienna didn’t believe in coincidences, but Anita didn’t have to know that.
“Apparently the girl does freelance for a few newspapers and takes whatever stories she can get. Then she works on the pieces she’s really passionate about on the side and sells them. I did all the research on her. She thought she was so smart.” Her voice changed from bitter to satisfied. “But we showed her.”
“By killing her and burning her body beyond recognition and adding your necklace to throw everyone off?” Sienna felt sick to her stomach even thinking about it.
“That’s right.” There wasn’t even a hint of remorse in her voice.
“But I don’t understand why you sent me those messages once I went on the run, trying to protect Colby. Why did you tell me not to trust the police?” It truly confounded Sienna. As far as she knew, the police had nothing to do with this.
“I was hoping if you didn’t get them involved, it would buy me more time. I also figured you might think I was running from an abusive ex or something. It was the most logical conclusion. I needed to give you something to think about and, in the meantime, buy myself more time.”
“You really thought of everything, didn’t you?” There was no admiration in her voice, not by a long shot. Only disgust. It took a truly twisted person to enact a plan like this.
“You have to get ahead and get what you want. This whole putting others above yourself? It’s for the dogs. Look where it’s left you.” Anita let out a demeaning snicker.
“I was trying to help you, Anita.” Sienna’s teeth gritted together as her fear turned into anger. How could Anita be so heartless? Where was this woman’s moral compass? Her compassion? The fact that she had neither of those things was terrifying.
“I know. And I’m saying you only need to help yourself.”
“That’s a sad way to live.” As soon as Sienna said the words, she wondered if they’d been a good idea. But it was too late to take them back. She hadn’t been trying to provoke Anita, but it wouldn’t take much given her current mental state.
Anita suddenly grabbed Sienna’s hair and jerked her head back. Pain shot through Sienna and a burning agony exploded on her scalp as she sucked in a gasp.
“You know what I think is sad?” Anita growled, still pulling Sienna’s hair. “Not getting what you want in life. Having one accident mess everything up for you. How some people are handed everything on a silver platter while others are left destitute. That’s not fair. You wouldn’t understand.”
“You’re right.” Sienna gritted her teeth as she spoke, trying to stave off the pain. “I can see where that doesn’t seem fair. But don’t think I’m one of those people who’s been handed things. My dad worked at a factory, and I had to pay my own way through college. Everything I have, I’ve earned through hard work.”
“Cry me a river. You’re smart. You’re pretty. Guys like you. Me, on the other hand? I’m broken. Overweight. And I have no money. So there you go.”
“That doesn’t mean that your life doesn’t have potential.” She wasn’t going to accept Anita’s explanation. Everyone had choices in life. Everyone.
“Oh, save me the pep talk. I’m long past that, Sienna.” She let go of Sienna, and Sienna’s head jerked forward.
Sienna rubbed the back of her scalp, the seriousness of the situation weighing heavily on her. This could get a lot worse before it got better. If it got better. No, she couldn’t think like that. It would get better.
As Sienna looked up, something appeared in the rearview mirror.
Lights.
Headlights.
A car was coming this way, Sienna realized.
Hope collided with fear inside her. Sienna prayed that no one would be hurt. That help might be in sight. And that Colby would be spared any more dealings with this twisted, heartless woman.
TWENTY-FIVE
Devin paused in the woods and waited for the rain to subside. As soon as the torrents died down, he waited. Listened.
A few minutes later, he heard more twigs cracking under someone’s weight.
The man who was watching him.
Justin Henderson, most likely.
As soon as Devin figured out the direction the sounds came from, he cut back deeper in the woods. He watched his steps, careful not to give away his presence. No, the element of surprise was essential right now.
The sun would soon begin to peek through the morning sky. The realization made Devin move faster.
The ground was soggy, and the rocks he had to cross were slippery from the rain. The last thing he needed was to be clumsy or careless. He couldn’t let a mistake slip him up.
Once he got twenty feet back, Devin paused and peered around the tree.
There he was.
Justin Henderson.
The man crouched near the road, gun in hand. He moved—almost slid along—parallel to the road. And, based on the way he glanced around, his head flickering back and forth, he was confused.
The man had realized he’d lost Devin.
Devin was going to have to make his move soon. The clock was counting down, and every moment Sienna was with Anita was a moment too long.
Moving swiftly but quietly, Devin approached Justin from behind.
The man had no idea he was coming.
As soon as Devin was close enough, he reached his arm around the man’s neck and put the man in a chokehold.
Justin struggled against Devin’s grip, trying to force Devin off him. But the man was also injured with a sling on his arm—probably from the gunshot wound Devin had given him. There was no way he’d be able to fight Devin off.
“Just stop fighting it,” Devin said. “Make this easier.”
The man didn’t listen and continued to struggle, letting out little moans and grunts, like he was trying to respond but couldn’t.
Three minutes later, the man slithered to the ground, passed out. Working quickly, Devin snatched his gun and his cell phone.
As he took the man’s phone, a message appeared on the screen.
What’s going on? Do you still see him?
That had to be from Anita.
Devin considered his response. He had to respond. Otherwise, the woman would get suspicious. Finally, he typed:
Everything is going according to plan. How about on your end?
He waited to see what she would say. A moment later, another message popped up. He wiped the rain from the screen to better read it.
I’m ready for this to be over. Don’t let me down. You know I don’t like it when people disappoint.
What did that mean? Devin didn’t know, but it didn’t sound good. He jammed the phone in his pocket.
He glanced back down at Justin. The man would be out for a while, and Devin had nothing to tie him up with. He was going to have to take that chance.
With that thought in mind, he took off at a fast clip back toward Sienna. As he moved, he used the man’s phone to call Jenson and apprise him of what was happening.
“I don’t like this,” Jenson said.
Devin dodged around a boulder. “We need all the help we can get.”
“I’m sending my men out there now. Try to hold them off until we can arrive.”
“Will do.”
Devin paused at the tree line, and the truck came into view. He spotted two people inside.
Anita and Sienna.
But, just then, another car had pulled up behind them.
A police car.
What? Had Jenson’s guys gotten here already? That didn’t seem possible.
How was Devin going to manage this?
Devin wasn’t sure what was going on.
He glanced at his watch. Anita was expecting him back in forty-five minutes.
He had to figure things out soon.
* * *
“You ladies okay?” the officer asked, pointing a flashlight in the truck.
Red and blue lights flashed behind them, nearly blinding Sienna in the mirror. Anita had muttered threats as the officer approached, making it clear what would happen if Sienna messed up. One wrong move, and there would be consequences. Anita didn’t need to spell out what those consequences would be. She could imagine them all too vividly.
Sienna waited for Anita to speak.
“We’re fine, Officer.” Anita’s voice turned sugary sweet, along with her smile. “The road is blocked, and we’re trying to figure out what to do. Our friend went to check out the options.”
“Where are you headed?” The officer was a small-boned man with a pointy nose. Sienna would guess he was a rookie—maybe only in his early twenties. And he seemed clueless right now.
“The Jennings Center,” Anita said. “My friend here just got a job there, and we’re supposed to be there at 6:00 a.m. on the dot.”
“You were going to be early...” The officer glanced at the tree. “Or maybe not.”
“Exactly. My mom always said to plan ahead. It may not matter in this situation.”
Anita sounded so normal right now that it was unnerving. She was a master manipulator, wasn’t she?
“Well, the Jennings Center is a good place, so I wish you the best.” He pointed his flashlight toward the tree. “But this is going to take a while to move. I’ll call the city in, and they’ll send a crew out. But it will be a couple of hours. If I were you, I’d call in and tell your new boss what’s going on. I hate to make you late on the first day, but...”
“I understand, Officer,” Sienna said. “I think I’ll do just that.”
“Okay, I just wanted to make sure everything is good. This storm has been a doozy. No one expected the high winds.”
Sienna felt her blood pressure rising. The officer was chatty, yet Sienna was keenly aware that Anita had a gun pointed at her on the other side of the seat.
Yet Sienna stared at the officer, trying to send him a subliminal message that all wasn’t well here. He obviously wasn’t getting it.
“You two take care.” The officer patted the side of the door and strolled back to his car.
Sienna released the breath she held. On one hand, she’d wanted the man to help. On the other hand, she’d envisioned worst-case scenarios. Anita could have shot him if the situation escalated. Then she could have shot Sienna.
She really had no idea how all of this was going to play out. But she had to keep the faith.
She had to stay strong and believe that somehow, some way, she could find her way out of this horrible situation. Even if she didn’t, her prayer would be the same as Daniel’s from the Bible—even if God didn’t save her, He was still good.
She only hoped Colby remained safe. That was the important thing.
“You got lucky on that one,” Anita said, her sweet voice disappearing as easily as flipping a switch. “I thought I was going to have to add one more person to my body count.”
