Promise Me Forever (10 page)

She pressed her Dad’s number and got the answering service. “Can you tell my Dad I need to talk to him. We had a visitor today.” The operator asked a few more questions and told her to wait by her phone. She stuffed the phone in her pocket and made her way through the kitchen and out the door.

Abby stomped along the side of the house towards the path to the cottage. Penny walked behind her, the pitter-patter of dog feet making a shuffling noise on the ground. She reached back and patted her head. “It’s okay girl.” The German Shepherd was a part of Abby, she didn’t do a thing without Penny and the dog knew this. She stood beside Abby and waited for someone to answer her repeated knock. “Open this door right now!” There was no way they could leave unless they walked.

That’s when the realization hit her. Jon and her Dad rigged the gate so it would open with a remote or from the inside. Abby was afraid they took off down the road on foot. She grabbed the knob and pushed open the door of the cottage. Penny went in first, her tail stiff and her head up on guard. “Margie? Elvin? Are you here?”

The place was empty. She peeked in to the bedroom to find it askew, as if someone left the bed in a hurry. The sheets were crumbled in a ball on the queen size bed and there was a full cup of milk on the night stand. “I’ll bet they saw the man outside. How long was he out there?” Abby wondered out loud. Her skin prickled at the thought of someone creeping around her house. It reminded her too much of the Martins and how Mr. Martin went about setting animal traps on her property a while back. She shivered and ran out of the house.

“I have to find those two! Come on Penny!” she shouted to the dog. Penny trotted behind her and jumped in the car the moment its door opened. Abby never took the keys out so she started it up and backed around so fast it made her head spin. She gripped the wheel and took a deep breath.

The man looked dangerous. She didn’t doubt he would stop at nothing until he found those two. Abby dug the phone out of her pocket when it buzzed. “Hello! Dad!”

“What’s so important sweetheart?” Abby realized she rambled too fast when her dad yelled. “I can’t understand you. Take a deep breath and start again.”

She did. I came home to the gate open. I thought maybe Elvin went somewhere or Jon was home, although I don’t think I thought it could be Jon.” She sucked in air and kept on, “The next thing you know there is a sinister man standing in my driveway who gets out of a dark car. He shows me a photo of Margie and Elvin and demands to know where they are.” She took a deep breath.

“What did you tell him?”

“I said they were thieves, and I didn’t know where they went, but he called me a liar and said I was lucky to have Penny with me.”

Danny chuckled. “He’s afraid of dogs. Best to remember that Abby.”

“Why? Don’t you think I’ve seen the last of him?” She trembled at the thought of yet another dance with a bad guy.

“What else did he say? Close your eyes and think.”

She did and then opened them wide. “He said they have something of his and he wants it back.”

“What else.”

“I have his license plate.” She repeated the numbers to her Dad.

“Good, let me check on this. It will take a minute or two to find out. We’ll know in a minute who owns the car.”

“I bet it’s a rental. Isn’t that what they do, rent a car so there’s no trace?” Abby was letting her imagination go wild get the best of her. All she wanted to do was plan her wedding, not get involved in more Margie and Elvin drama.

“Got the plates traced. Told you it wouldn’t take long.”

“Who’s the creepy man Dad?” While he was checking the plates, Abby drove down the road to look for the two troublemakers. They couldn’t be too far. She hoped they saw the car leave and made their way back. If they went to the campground for the RV, they were toast.

Unless the RV is where the goods are hiding. Abby had an idea. If she could get the goods, whatever they were, she could find the man and give them back and no one would get hurt.

All Abby would have to do was get to the RV before anyone else. She hit the gas and spun out of the driveway.

Chapter 8

Abby knew the two were on their way to the campground. She searched the side of the road while trying to move through the traffic. It was close to five so more and more cars lined the highway. All she needed to do was go five miles up the road and hope and pray the man in the dark car didn’t know where it was at.

If she could beat him to it then she could find the goods. Except she needed Margie and Elvin to know what the goods are. Abby pushed the Urgent Care Center’s speed dial number but Jon was busy with a client. “Tell him I called,” she told the receptionist.

“I can have him call you right back Abby. He’s almost done and his next patient won’t be for fifteen minutes.”

“No, that’s all right. I’ll call his cell.” She hung up but his phone went right to voice mail. “Jon, I’ve got a mess on my hands. Seems your two favorite people next door stole something that belongs to a man who looks livid and angry and mean. Yes, I think he’s a bad guy. Call my dad and get all the details. I’m going to their RV to find whatever this guy wants. Margie and Elvin are on the run and I’m hoping to find them too. I feel like an amateur sleuth. Oh and more good news about the wedding. Maggie said yes to be the Maid of Honor. I’m so stoked. About the wedding I mean.” She sucked in some air when the voice mail clicked off. Abby shrugged and threw the phone on the console. She needed to concentrate and get through the traffic.

Her phone buzzed again but when she reached for it a car almost side-swiped her as it buzzed by so she ignored the phone. She kept her eyes on the road ahead and when she came to the old campground, she saw their RV still in the same place by the entrance. Abby slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the car, Penny on her tail as if they were on a race for time.

Relieved the RV’s door was unlocked, she entered without another thought. When she stepped inside with Penny right behind, she didn’t know where to start or what to look for. So she peeked inside of every cabinet in the kitchen first. “It’s no use Penny, I have no clue what I’m supposed to look for.” She went to the back bedroom and flopped down on the edge of the bed and pulled open the night stand drawer. Nothing. The drawer was empty. She gazed around the room at the small space and wondered what could be so important a stranger landed on her doorstep looking for the odd pair.

A loud voice rang out close enough to the vehicle it made Abby jump. She knocked the open drawer against her leg and it fell out and on to the floor with a thump. “Oh shoot!” She spotted a small velvet bag attached to the bottom of the drawer. Abby picked up the drawer in confusion. Silver duct tape covered part of the bag, but she could tell there was something inside. Was this what that man wanted?

Abby jerked the bag off the back of the drawer and peeled away the tape. She pulled it open and peeked in. When she couldn’t see anything, she turned it upside down. Two expensive diamonds fell in to the palm of her hand. Abby jerked back as if burned and almost dropped them. “Oh crap!” she mumbled and wondered if they belonged to the angry man? Would he kill for these?

She put the rocks back in the bag and stuffed them down her top deep in her bra. She didn’t know what else to do but this way she had some leverage. This was too much for her to handle alone, she had to get a hold of Jon or her Dad or Mom and get some help right now. “Come on Penny.” They made their way out the door and back to her car when she saw the black vehicle pull up alongside the RV.

“Ah no! This is not in the plans!” The man got out of the car and opened the door. Margie and Elvin almost fell out the back seat. Elvin stumbled, but the man jerked him up and slapped him across the face. Margie yelled, and he grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her.

Abby opened the door and slammed it shut, not considering Penny was still in the car and marched up to the three of them. “That’s enough man and woman handling. You leave them alone.”

He gave her a sinister look while he pushed Margie ahead of him. “I’ll stop the minute I get my goods back.”

Abby blocked the way. “What goods?” She put her hand on her hips. She had enough of this guy. He was hurting an old lady and there was no way she would stand for cruelty.

“You best get out of my way. These two know where they stashed it. Even said so.”

“They’re wrong. Now you leave them alone and I’ll give you the goods myself.”

“Abby, stay out of this. I told him where it is.”

“Margie, you let me handle this. Mister, if you know where the goods are then go in there yourself and let her go. She won’t call the cops, we’ll be on our way.”

He stared at Abby hard.

“What?”

The man let go of Margie and shoved her in to Elvin. The two stumbled backwards against the side of the RV too scared to move. He came at Abby and it caused Penny to go wild inside the car. She barked and howled and scratched at the glass but couldn’t get out to protect her mistress.

“What?” Abby repeated and tried to get his attention but he was staring at her breasts. “What the-” She looked down to see the gold rope sticking out of her top. “Shoot!” She grabbed her shirt right when he did and a struggle began as he tried to push his hand down her top. She kicked and banged her head against his arm but he was stronger than Abby and he kicked and hit her back.

“Someone call the cops!” she yelled and held on to the man’s hand with all of her might. She was afraid she was losing the battle but then heard the sound of a motorcycle close by.
Jon! Thank You God!
He wouldn’t let this monster hurt her. She yelled his name over and over as the man punched her in the stomach.

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When Jon listened to the message Abby left, he ran out of the urgent care without a word, jumped on his bike and slammed it in gear as he made his way around the stopped traffic. This time he didn’t care if he broke any laws, he couldn’t let her handle this alone. What was she thinking to go off again like she did? He rammed the next gear and accelerated more, then slowed down as he skidded on the blacktop in to the campgrounds.

He slammed on the brakes when he saw Abby struggling with the man in question. His hand was down her top and her feet were moving fast as she tried to kick him over and over again. Jon jumped from the bike like a crazy man and ran towards the chaos. He passed Penny who barked from the inside of the car and let his fist fly in to the man’s face. The stranger went down on his knees before he fell on to his back.

The guy’s body jerked back as Jon tried to catch his breath. He bent over as the guy tried to get up. “Stay.” He put a foot over his chest to keep him down and pushed hard. Jon noticed he held a small satchel in his fist, a gold cord hanging from his closed hand.

“You jerk!” Abby screamed as she let Penny out of the car. The two came over to the guy on the ground and Abby bent down. She tried to pry the satchel out of his hand, but he held on for dear life. “Bite him Penny!” she ordered, and the dog took a hold of his wrist and shook it. The guy was so stunned he let the bag drop.

Abby picked it up and stood. “This is what he wanted so bad he had to threaten me on my own property. Well, mister, you’re done.”

“What do you have there Abby?” Jon asked. He was curious now and sure she held some kind of stones in her hands.

“Diamonds, Jon. Of the expensive kind. The kind where they would be worth a lot of money. People will hurt and harm innocents to get their hands on these goods.” Jon almost laughed at the dramatic way she spoke.

He pressed harder on the man’s chest to make sure he didn’t try to move until the cops got there. “You scared me baby.”

“I scared myself, but he came on my property and threatened me.”

Jon pressed harder on his chest and the man groaned out loud. “How did he threaten you?”

“He said I was lucky I had Penny with me. I would say that was a threat, wouldn’t you?”

“It sounds like one.” He knew he couldn’t kill the guy, but Jon wanted the creep to remember him. He looked at Abby and winked. “Do we wait for the cops to get here or do like we always do and dig another shallow grave.”

Abby was smart and sassy. She picked right up on things. “I say we dig the shallow grave and let him suffocate as the dirt covers his body real slow, like the sands of an hourglass. Did you bring the shovels?”

“Nah, they’re still at the last grave. We can load him in the trunk of your car.”

Abby walked over to the car and opened the door. She took out her set of keys and hit the button. The trunk popped open. Penny’s nose was so close to the guy’s head, he quivered in fright. She looked down at the pitiful sight. “My dad was right, he’s afraid of dogs.”

Jon let his foot slip from the guys chest and ordered him to stand up. Penny bared her teeth as she growled and he stared at the dog in fright. They forced him to the trunk of the car and he didn’t hesitate to crawl in. “You called the cops didn’t you?” he said, his sorry voice scared stiff.

“Maybe.” She closed the lid on his face and turned to Jon. Abby slapped a hand over her mouth as her shoulders shook with silent laughter.

“Abby, did you call the police?”

“Didn’t have time. Did you?”

Jon shook his head. “Nope, didn’t have time either. How about you two?”