The Crystal's Curse (22 page)

The certainty in her face shocked Lrence. All his anger and indecision gone, he called Joseph to tell him Joshua and Sara were missing.

When he called Sam to get everyone back, he met resistance. Helen wanted to stay and wait for Sara. He explained that Joseph was calling all Joshua’s friends and would organize a search party if necessary. He reminded her that unless they came up with a cure no one would be safe. He couldn’t do it without her. They compromised by leaving Sam there to man the phones. Maria would come back with Helen to act as a test subject.

Before leaving, Helen got out the pistol and ammunition she kept in the closet and gave them to Sam.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Nathan drove up in front of Frank’s house. Frank’s red Volvo sat in the driveway. “He’s here. That’s his car. What do we do now?” Nathan started to ask, but Joshua was already out of the car and heading up the sidewalk. Nathan got out of the car and hurried after him. “You can’t just barge in, his parents might be home,” he whispered when he caught up with him.

Joshua didn‘t even slow down. “I don’t think so. You think he could just walk past them with a drugged woman?” He didn’t bother whispering. He banged on the door and when he discovered it unlocked, he threw it open and yelled Frank’s name.

Frank had taken off his shirt, removed his shoes, and was just unbuttoning Sara’s blouse when he heard the commotion downstairs. When he recognized Joshua‘s voice, he growled and swore. How did Joshua know Sara was here? Someone must have seen them. He stopped what he was doing, slid his feet off the bed, opened the bedside table, and took out the gun his father kept there. He carefully loaded the gun and pointed it at the door.

Joshua ran up the stairs. He threw open every door until he came to the master suite. It took only a minute for him to see Sara out on the bed. The top two buttons of her blouse undone. Frank, shirtless, sat on the bed next to her with a gun pointed at him. Joshua stopped in the doorway shaking with rage. When he heard Nathan move, he motioned with his hand behind his back for him to stay out of sight. Joshua and Frank just looked at one another.

Finally, Frank said, “What are you doing here?”

Moving forward Joshua growled, “You know why I’m here. What have you done to her?”

Frank raised the gun. “Stay where you are. I don’t know what you are talking about. Sara and I are just having a little fun.
You
weren’t invited. I’d appreciate it if you would just leave us alone. You know the old saying about three’s a crowd.”

“Fun! You call it fun kidnapping and drugging her,” he fumed. At the same time, he was analyzing all possible scenarios, trying to come up with a way to get to Sara.

“I did not kidnap her. She came of her own free will. As for being drugged. She just took something to relax her.” Frank ran one finger down Sara’s arm, never taking his eyes from Joshua. “You’re just mad because she prefers to party with me. Sara’s a real party girl. Sorry, she didn’t know how to tell you that you are a little too straight laced for her tastes. We have been seeing each other behind your back for some time now.”

“That’s a lie!” Joshua shouted. Then taking a deep breath, he looked Frank in the eyes and growled through his teeth, “I’m not leaving here without her.” His fists clinched at his sides.

Calmly now because he knew he had the upper hand, Frank said, “Well now that’s a problem. Maybe you didn’t notice. I’m the one with the gun. I’m a good shot and you’re a pretty big target. Since you broke into my house, I would be perfectly within my rights to shoot you. I’ll tell them I thought you were a burglar.” Then with venom, “Don’t tempt me, Joshua. Just get out.”

Joshua’s phone rang. When Joshua went to reach for it, Frank shook his head and told him to keep his hands where he could see them. The phone kept ringing while Frank thought through his options. He couldn’t just let Joshua walk out of here now. Joshua could call the police. Frank couldn’t afford to get caught with an obviously drugged woman in his parent’s home. He doubted that even his father would consider that a minor indiscretion on his part. However, he hadn’t planned on shooting anyone either. It
was
tempting. Frank hated Joshua. No, not here, not this way. Sara would never forgive him. On the other hand, all he really had to do was incapacitate Joshua for a few hours. He still had two rohynols in his pocket. Maybe he could set it up so it looked like Joshua was the one who had drugged Sara and taken advantage of her. Then Frank could be the one who rescued her from him. He liked that idea. He smiled as he made up his mind.

Joshua watched the emotions flit across Frank’s face. He was confident that Frank wasn’t prepared to shoot him, but he could see he was planning something. If Frank got within reach, Joshua was sure he could overpower him. He prayed that Nathan would stay quiet and let him handle it.

Nathan, standing next to the master bedroom door just out of sight, had heard every word. At first, he wondered why Joshua had stopped in the doorway, but assumed that Joshua could handle the situation, until he heard that Frank had a gun. Now he was torn. Should he just step into the doorway and let Frank know he had a witness? Would that detour him or just goad him into a rash act? He was still trying to decide when Frank spoke.

“Okay, Carson, we’re going to take a little walk. Turn around.” Frank got up from the bed and walked toward Joshua.

Joshua thought, “Great if I can get him out of this room, Nathan can get to Sara and I can take Frank down without risking her.” He turned around and with his hand in front of his chest so that Frank couldn’t see, he motioned for Nathan to move away. Then speaking loudly to cover Nathan’s footsteps he said, “What about Sara? Are you sure she’s all right?”

Nathan backed down the hallway and slipped inside the next open doorway.

“She’s fine. Now move and keep your hands where I can see them.” Frank came closer, but stayed just out of Joshua’s reach.

With his hands now up, Joshua walked through the doorway and down the hall.

Frank was right behind him. “Let’s go in here.” He nudged the gun into Joshua’s side to indicate the next room in which Nathan was hiding.

Nathan moved behind the open door. Looking through the doorjamb, Nathan watched first Joshua and then Frank step into the room. When Joshua had cleared the door, Nathan swung the door as hard as he could into Frank. The gun went flying sideways, discharging a bullet into the ceiling.

Joshua turned, grabbed the door now between him and Frank, and ripped it off the hinges throwing it aside. Then he attacked Frank, knocking him through the open doorway into the hall. Trapped against the stair rails, Frank fought back, but he was no match for Joshua. Enraged Joshua kept punching and kicking, even when Frank slipped down unconscious.

Seeing that Frank was out cold, Nathan finally pulled Joshua off.

Shaking with rage Joshua turned on Nathan.

Nathan stood his ground and said one word, “Sara.”

Coming to his senses, Joshua turned and rushed in to the next room, and gently picked up Sara. Nathan retrieved the gun keeping an eye on Frank, and then followed Joshua as he carried Sara down the stairs and with her cradled in his arms, and settled into the backseat of Nathan’s car.

Once outside, Nathan , threw the gun in the bushes, opened the car door, and started the engine. “Where to?”

“Let’s get her to the hospital. Her breathing seems fine, but I don’t want to take any chances.” Still holding her with one arm, he settled her onto his lap and reached into his pocket with the other hand to pull out his phone to call Lrence. He hesitated when Nathan’s phone rang just as they were pulling out of the driveway. It was Joseph looking for Joshua.

“He’s here with me, sir. Yes, Sara is here too.” Passing the phone to Joshua he said, “It’s your grandfather, he sounds worried.”

As soon as Joshua said hello, Joseph said, “Erik is on his way, you need to get to Lrence as soon as possible.”

“I can’t right now. We’re on our way to the hospital. Sara’s been drugged. Could you call Dr. Whiting and have her meet us there?”

“Of course, are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I‘ll explain everything later.”

“Okay, I’ll contact everyone and let them know what is going on, then I’ll meet you at the hospital.” Joseph hung up and phoned Helen’s house. When Sam answered, he explained what he knew. “I found Joshua and Sara. They’re with Joshua’s friend, Nathan.”

“Did you tell them to go to Lrence’s?” Sam asked.

“Joshua told me something has happened to Sara. They were on the way to the hospital. Joshua said Sara’s been drugged. He asked me to call Dr. Whiting and have her meet them at the emergency entrance of the hospital.”

“I’ll call her. Helen and Maria are on their way back to Lrence.”

“Fine. I’m going to the hospital now. I’ll call you with an update once I get there.”

When Sam called Helen, Maria turned the car around and dropped Helen off at the hospital. Then she swung back to pick up Sam. Their instinct was to rush back to the hospital to check on Joshua. However, when Sam called Lrence to let him know what was going on, Lrence was adamant that being seen with Joshua right now would only endanger him. Reluctantly they drove back to Lrence’s house. They would have to rely on updates from Joseph.

Helen was waiting in Emergency when Nathan drove up. Joshua carried Sara directly into the emergency room and laid her gently on a bed in one of the cubicles. Helen pulled the curtain around them. Since Helen was a doctor, they were able to avoid the normal check in procedures. Helen examined Sara‘s eyes and listened to her lungs.” What had happened?”

Joshua explained
, “When I got to your house, she was gone. Nathan got a tip that Sara was at Frank’s house. I think he drugged and kidnapped her. This was how I found her.”

Helen noticed Joshua‘s knuckles were scrapped and bloody. “I hope you beat him to a pulp,” she said fiercely, leaning down to listen to Sara’s heart.

“He wasn’t moving when I left, but I’m fairly sure he was still alive.” He looked to Nathan, who had just come in from parking the car, for confirmation.

Nathan nodded.

“Do you have any idea what he gave her?” she asked.

Joshua started to say no, but Nathan pulled two pills from his pocket. “I searched him while you were getting Sara. I found these in his pocket.” He handed the pills to Helen.

She took them and said, “Rohynol. I thought so, the date rape drug. That B . . . Do you have any idea how long she’s been out?”

Joshua answered. “Probably not more than a couple of hours. I talked to her about 5:00 p.m. and she was fine and on her way to your house.” Joshua stood on the other side of the bed, holding Sara’s hand in both of his.

Nathan had moved back against the wall in order to be out of the way.

Helen nodded. “Her respiration and heart are doing fine. I don’t think she’ll have any lasting effects. I’ll keep her here and monitor her until she comes to. She’ll probably be out for a few hours.” The nurse came in and informed them that Joseph had arrived and was asking to see Joshua. “You should go. I’ll call you when she comes around.”

Joshua shook his head. “I’ll go talk to my grandfather, but I’m staying until Sara wakes up.”

Helen nodded. She could tell by the set of his jaw that there was no use arguing with him.

Nathan followed him out.

Joshua said, “There’s no point in your staying, Nathan. I’ll get a ride with my grandfather. You better get back to Rachel and let her know you’re all right. Thank you so much. I don’t know what I would have done without you. You’re a good friend. I’ll call you when she wakes up.” They shook hands. Nathan headed for the parking lot.

Joseph stood up when Joshua came in to the waiting room. Joshua motioned for him to follow him outside where they could have a private conversation. It was dark out. They stood just outside the emergency waiting room doors, the light from the windows illuminating the sidewalk.

“What happened?” Joseph asked. He looked Joshua over. He seemed unharmed except for his hands, which were scraped and bruised. Joshua closed his eyes, and ran one hand through his hair. The gesture reminded Joseph so much of Sam. For the first time Joseph was able to look past his resemblance to Harry and see Sam in him. The thought warmed him.

“Frank kidnapped and drugged Sara,” Joshua said simply.

Confused, Joseph frowned. “Do you mean Frank Olson? Why would he do that?”

“Yes, Frank has hated me since that first night we met. He felt he had some prior claim on Sara. He resented me for taking her away from him. I think this was his way of getting back at me for beating him up. I’ll never forgive myself if anything happens to her.” He hung his head.

Joseph was truly lost now. “You’ve been fighting with Frank? When did that happen?”

Joshua raised his eyes to look at Joseph. “My first day of school. Frank, Clay and three of his buddies jumped Nathan and I after school. Frank was livid when Nathan and I won and walked away.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Joshua shrugged his shoulders. “What was there to tell? I thought I’d taken care of it. I didn’t realize his hatred of me would cause him to hurt Sara,” he said bitterly.

This too was just the way Samuel would have handled things, brave and fiercely independent. He was glad Nathan had turned out to be a friend. “You better start at the beginning. What happened after you left the house today?”