A Beautiful New Life (23 page)

“That’s the resort.” She whispered to Jordan. “Do you think we could drive your car out of here?”

“I’m not sure. Stay here.” He pulled her behind a tree.

“No I want to come with you.” She argued.

“No, it will be easier if just one of us go. Just stay here. I’ll be right back.” He grabbed her and kissed her hard. “I love you.”

He ran off through the woods toward the camouflaged road. She could see his silhouette dance from tree to tree and then he was gone. She crouched down, behind the tree
peaking
out waiting for him to return. The minutes crawled by. The trees
waved
in the wind. A storm was coming. She could feel the temperature dropping. She was moments from panic. Where did he go? Did he leave her?
Did he get
caught? No
,
he would not leave her.
W
here did he go? The questions swam in her head like sharks in the ocean and it was giving her a headache. She pondered heading in the direction he had went when she saw movement ahead. Was it
he
? Was it som
eone else? She held her breath, standing f
rozen behind the tree.
She p
eak
ed
out between the branches
,
w
atching,
as the silhouette
got
closer
, n
o longer dancing behind the trees just a straight shot for her.

“Oh my god Jordan.”
She darted out from behind the tree and ran to him when he came into clear view.

“
Quiet
. The road ends at a gate that is guarded. We’re close so they might hear you.” He pulled her close to him and led her further away from the road. “I want to see what else is around here. Maybe we can come up with a different plan.”

They continued to walk through the woods staying in the thicker part so
any passersby would not see them
. The afternoon sun was disappearing
fast
and with the thick trees
,
they soon had to feel their way.

“Maybe we should head back and come again tomorrow.” Louise suggested. After
unseen branches
slapped
her
in the face
,
she was worried about walking into someone that would do much worse harm.

“No, wait look.” They crept along toward the thinning trees, where the light shown. Just beyond there was a parking lot.

“It looks like it’s not gated
. If we can get our hands on some keys to one of the
cars,
we could leave from here.

“Why not take my car? We know where the key is.”

“Good idea.
Stay here.” He kissed her and ran off before she could argue.

“Damn him.” She hid behind a tree as she did earlier and waited for his return. He was not gone as long this time or it was just she had occupied herself by thinking of finally reuniting with her boys.

“Okay there’s definitely no gate. Let’s head back, it’s getting late.”

They headed back out to the main road
being slapped
by branches again in the dense dark forest. When they finally made it to the
road,
both Jordan and Louise looked like hell. They were bleeding from scratches on their face and hands. Louise had taken off her wig to prevent it from
being
tangled
in the trees and was now pulling it out of her jacket and putting it back on.

They took each other’s hand and walked back the half mile to Jordan’s car. The wind had picked up and the temperature dropped
. Typical weather to
be expected
for early spring. Winter was holding its grasp on the world and was not giving up easily. Jordan started the car, turning on the heat and they headed for home.

They sat in silence during the drive home. Each in their own thought about the recent development. They arrived at their house. Jordan had given his place up long ago and they moved into a house together. She still felt guilty since she was married to Arlin but the fact that he put her here soon dissolved that guilt and
was replaced
with determination to get out of here. Of
course,
she loved Jordan
he was everything to her.

They both headed straight for the shower and soon they were undressed letting the hot water run over them while they caressed each other. Jordan took the soap from her
and lathered her all over taking
extra care on her breast
s
. He traced the suds sliding down her navel. They rinsed off and without bothering to
dry,
he picked her up and carried her to bed where they made love again. He could not get enough of her. He could not fight the feeling that had been building for weeks. He feared the worst and as much as he tried to prepare
her,
she refused to believe that anything bad
would
come between them.

Chapter
Twenty-One

The days dragged on like a train climbing a steep grade. They decided they would leave the third Friday in March, during
lunchtime
. Jordan said that would be the best time. Everyone would be watching the basketball games, rooting for their favorite teams.
He had actually heard Vince say
once
that if anyone was ever so stupid to try and leave
,
that March would be the time to do it.
Louise wanted to leave immediately but Jordan needed to make sure they had thought
about everything that could go wrong and plan for it
. They needed to get the key again for Louise’s
car
. They also needed to know what Louise was going to do once she got home. It was not
like
she could just walk in and take her life back. Arlin would never allow it. He paid good money to see her gone.

“Can’t I just call the police?” Now that the time had finally
come,
she did not want to wait another minute.

“Really Louise?
Think about what you just asked.
Weren’t
you the one who told me they
have people on the outside
? Did you get to check out everyone from your hometown to make sure who was or wasn’t a part of this organization?” He was raising his
voice, which he did not like to do,
but she was not thinking rationally which could cause problems.

“I know…I …I just want to get home to my boys.” The tears flowed. Lately that was all she did was cry.

“Hey now.
Stop that.” He pulled her into his arms. “Look at the time. What do you say we go grab a bite to eat
?
”

“I don’t really want to go out. Would you mind going out and picking something up?” She gave him the puppy dog eyes even though she knew he would do anything for her if she asked.

“Yes, I’ll go get something. What
do you
want?” He was still holding her brushing her hair with his hand.

“I don’t care. Maybe some of Patsy’s chicken.” She turned to him and kissed him. “Thank you.”

He returned her kiss. “
I will be right back.” He got up from the couch and walked out the door. He was only gone a few minutes when the doorbell rang.

“What did you forget your wallet again?” Louise yelled as she walked to the door to answer it.
“And obviously your keys too.”
She pulled the door open and took a step backward.
“Oh!
” She did not invite
the visitor into the house.

“Hi, I haven’t seen you in a while and thought I would stop by
to see you
.” He reached for the
screen
door to open it.
Louise did not want him in her house so she pushed the
door
open and
stepped
out
on
to the porch.

“Well that was a lie.”

“Excuse me. What was a lie?”
Startled by his frankness, she
wondered if she should have stayed in the house with the door between them.

“I actually saw you just the other day. Yeah where was that?
”
He stood there with his hand on his chin
.
“
Oh, I remember now.”

“Jordan will be home any minute now. I think
it would be best if
you go.” She turned to go into the house but
he
grabbed her by the arm.

“Not until you tell me what you were doing in the west woods.” He grabbed her arm tighter as she struggled to get free.

“I don’t have to tell you anything. Now let me go.” She pulled trying to free herself from his grasp.

“I hope you aren’t planning something stupid.” He held on tighter as she struggled.

“I don’t know what
you mean
.”

“Oh I think you do.” He pulled her close to him. She could smell the whiskey on his breath. He forced her to turn her head toward him and he planted his lips on hers. She struggled
, t
rying to pull away. He held her tight. “I won’t tell but it is going to cost you.”

He
opened
the door and pulled her inside. He threw her on the couch and ripped her shirt open. “I have waited too long for this.”

“NO! NO!
STOP!”
She scratched
at
his face
. He
grabbed her hands and held them behind her head. The weight of his body held the rest of her down. His mouth was now on her breast. She squirmed under him trying to get out.
“STOP!
HELP!”

He pulled away from her. “You would be smart to just give in to me.” His face dripped with blood from her scratches. Outside they heard the crunching of gravel as someone pulled in the driveway.

“You haven’t seen the last of me yet.” He kissed her hard on the mouth, rubbing her crotch. Then he pulled away and ran out the
back
door. Moments later Jordan came in and dropped the food he had been carrying
,
on the floor.

“Louise what happened?” He ran over to her as she lay
half-naked
shaking.

“It…it.”
Sobbing.
“MARK! It was Mark.” She sobbed uncontrollably.

“I’ll kill that bastard.” Jordan pulled away from Louise and headed for the door.

“NO! NO! Wait. He knows.”

He stopped dead in his tracks. “What do you mean he knows?”

“He saw us or… I think… just me in the west woods. I think he knows something.” She buried her head in her hands and continued to sob. “I…I’m never going to get home to my kids.”

Jordan came back over to her.
“
Shh
now.
Hey.” He put his hand on her chin and tilted her head up so she would look at him. “Hey. I promise you. I promise you’ll see your kids.”

He pulled her up off the couch and walked her to the bathroom. He sat her down on the toilet seat and grabbed a cloth to wash the blood off her face.

“What are we going to do about Mark?”

“I don’t know. What did he say exactly?”
He wiped the blood off her face, while she
told him what he had said.
It was vague, what he had said,
and since he had not mentioned seeing Jordan
,
she did not think he had.

“What did you tell him you were doing there?” He now handed her the cloth to clean off her chest. He did not want her to think he wanted to take advantage of her right now.

“I told him I didn’t know what he
meant
.” She got
up, washed out the cloth,
and hung it off the side of the sink to dry. She turned to Jordan. “Do you think he knows?”

“I don’t know.” He sighed but his shoulders remained tense. They walked out to the living room and Jordan went and picked up the bag of food he had dropped. They went to the bar and sat down to eat. Louise sat picking at her food.

“Are you okay? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?” Jordan just sat there wanting but afraid to touch her.

“No, what am I going to say? Oh I’m planning
to
escape and this idiot saw me and tried to rape me to keep him quiet.” She slammed her fist on the counter.

“I guess that wouldn’t be a good idea.” He reached for her again but held back.
“I…I… just.
I just
don’t
know what to do.
I…I.”

She turned to
him, took his arms,
and wrapped them around her. “Just hold me.” They walked to the bedroom and Jordan held her as she slept hoping his secure arms w
ould
keep the bad dreams at bay.