The Haret (The Haret Series) (22 page)

             
“Where is she?”

             
“I’m right here.” Felicitas raised her hand slightly fearing a rude order to keep it in place.

             
“You two on your feet now! Keep your hands on your head.”

             
Felicitas and Sharon stood up; Felicitas leg nearly gave out being wobbly from her injury and fear of the moment.

             
A rifleman approached each one of them and hustled them off to the side.

             
The officer scanned the group and then yelled at Esther.

             
“Who are you?”

             
“I’m Felicitas best friend Esther Goodban.”

             
The officer ordered her to stand up and walk over to Sharon and Felicitas. Once she was out of the way the riflemen moved in and handcuffed Ian, Grant and Sheriff Edwards separating them from the girls. The entry officer pulled his radio and relayed the news that they had secured the area and were heading back. The chopper cut its beam of light and flew off leaving them with only moonlight and high beam flashlights.               They split the two groups up and ushered the girls on through the forest keeping a great distance between them and the men. Felicitas hoped Grant heard what she told him about Ian but wasn’t sure because the deafening roar of the chopper.

             
The mood was somber and when Esther opened her mouth to say something one of the riflemen told her to shut up. Felicitas could tell it infuriated her. She wasn’t used to backing down to anyone. Felicitas was surprised Esther had shown up and even more concerned that she had shown up with Ian. They hadn’t had a chance to really talk since her arrival other than the usual are you okay questions. Felicitas and Esther were so close, kindred spirits as they always put it, that Felicitas could always read her demeanor and know exactly what she was thinking. It wasn’t that way tonight and Felicitas heart ached because of it.

             
An hour later the trees lessened and Felicitas could see the light from Rosie’s house and hoped her swollen ankle could make it just a little further. The closer they came she saw more lights other than the ones glowing through the kitchen windows. She strained her eyes trying to see what was ahead. Emergency vehicles sat parked on the side street and in Rosie’s front yard with their rotating lights flashing blue and red blazing up the night sky. Firemen, paramedics and unformed officers were milling about or standing beside their vehicles sipping hot coffee in white Styrofoam cups. A helicopter flew overhead circling the area; the logo painted on the side associated it to a major network news station out of Nashville. The entry officer told them to stop, then he pulled his radio and relayed a message that they were coming out. Felicitas watched everyone scramble. Cups were tossed aside littering the ground, the police pulled their guns and positioned themselves behind their cars, and paramedics grabbed their kits and gurneys and got into position while reporters dashed in front of their cameras.

             
As they were led from the woods Felicitas could see her dad and sisters straining their necks to see. Relief flooded her sister’s faces when she made eye contact with them. Hayley began to cry when she saw her mom.  Her dad however wore a scowl and did not look the least bit relived at their arrival but more displeased at the inconvenience they had caused everyone.

             
The riflemen led them to the paramedics who insisted they take a trip to the hospital for observation. Sharon declined saying she just wanted a hot bath and something to eat but was overruled. Felicitas overheard her dad tell her mother she looked a mess and hoped the cameras hadn’t been able to get a good shot of her. Then he said something to the fact that if she had just been submissive and come home yesterday instead of being defiant and staying the night then all of this could have been avoided. He was rambling on about how he hoped the fact that drugs were involved would not cast a negative pall over the church’s reputation when Sharon volunteered to take the ride to the hospital after all. She smiled when the paramedic slammed the doors closed in front of Melvin.

             
A bustle of activity erupted as the second group of riflemen marched the guys from the forest. The police held their positions aiming their guns into the clearing. Felicitas overheard a reporter saying the suspect who drugged the young girl in her sleep and impregnated her was being led from the woods by the SWAT team. She couldn’t believe how blatantly they reported a rumor as the truth. Watching Grant being escorted to the police cruiser handcuffed and blood stained made her heart sick. If they only knew who they were hauling off to jail they would stop immediately and let him go, begging his forgiveness, He was a good man, a prince, risking his own life to save his world.

             
Grant turned his head and made eye contact with her. He smiled despite his swollen lip, and gave a slight nod with his head. The rifleman behind him yelled and told him not to look at her but he kept on looking and gave a wink before he was butted in the back and shoved into the cruiser. The reporters went wild asking their camera men if they caught the perpetrator winking at his victim. She could only imagine how many times that footage would-be played over in the days to come. It didn’t matter to her; she was relieved that Grant had definitely heard what she said.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

             
“So what do you think up or down?” Felicitas held her auburn tresses in her hands lifting them higher on her head to get Esther’s opinion on what to do with her hair.

             
It had been two weeks since the accident and things were beginning to return to normal at the Rebold home; at least that is what Felicitas wanted her father to think.

             
Once she was released from the hospital she went home and became the dutiful daughter again. She submitted to the authorities and answered questions although she never wavered on her story and remained adamant that the pregnancy occurred in the dream and that the man they had in custody was completely innocent. She agreed to counseling since Melvin relented on sending her to County but instead insisted she go twice a week for therapy. She agreed to drug testing and was angry when the reports came back inconclusive.

             
As she predicted the footage of Grant smiling at her had been played at least a hundred times on the news and one evening while her dad was channel surfing they heard Nancy Grace discussing the story on her show.

             
Felicitas had refused every interview offered to her but Catlin on the other hand had become quite the celebrity appearing on Good Morning America discussing Felicitas and the infamous Nocturnal Journal. There were rumors around school that Catlin was being considered for a reality TV show.

             
Felicitas broke up with Ian and wanted nothing to do with him much to everyone’s surprise  which only confirmed everyone’s suspicion that her involvement with the mystery man was of her own will. Even Esther seemed perturbed that she had broken it off with Ian after he had so valiantly proved his love for her by trying to rescue her from Grant. Most everyone pitied Ian and thought Felicitas had hurt him more than anyone ever could. No one had seen him either. He had sort of disappeared and there were rumors he had left the band. She often wondered who Ian really was and how he was able to get so close to her and deceive her. She shuddered to think of all the times they had been alone together now that she knew how evil he really was. The truth known Felicitas was terrified of him and the memory of the mysterious night in the woods haunted her thoughts continually and she found herself jumping at every noise and shadow. 

             
Going back to school had been one of the toughest things she had ever done. People either treated her like a celebrity or avoided her altogether. There had been rumors that she had been pulled from the homecoming court but Vice Principal Merk dispelled them immediately and insisted she was still in the running for the crown although Felicitas doubted she would get enough votes to win and really didn’t care. It all seemed so trivial now to her anyway.

             
“I think down.” Esther said. “It gets cold out there and you’re wearing a strapless gown so your hair can help keep you warm.”

             
Felicitas agreed and let Esther twist several strands and pin then securely in place. She was glad Esther was with her and that they were getting ready for homecoming together. Their near perfect friendship had seemed a little strained since she had shown up in the woods with Ian. Although Esther never admitted to it, a spirit of doubt grew within her and she was much quieter than her usual outspoken self. But, she was here with Felicitas tonight and that was all that mattered.

             
Reed had not asked Esther to homecoming. She hadn’t made too much of it but Felicitas could tell she was greatly disappointed. Instead of going with the love of her life, she was going with Danny because when he asked her it was the first time he had smiled since David had been shot and tonight’s homecoming was dedicated to him as he continued to lay in a comma recovering in a small hospital almost two hours away.

             
Esther helped Felicitas her into her dress. It was a strapless baby blue gown with a sweetheart neckline that drew attention to her round breast. Felicitas chewed on her lower lip as Esther laced up the corset in the back. Although her stomach showed no signs of pregnancy her breast seemed to be growing and she looked more sensual than she should for a high school homecoming dance. Esther noticed too and gave a sly smile and as she struggled to lace the corset. The dress cascaded into a full A-line tulle skirt and when Felicitas slipped on her blue heels and twirled around Esther said she looked as if she walked out of the pages of a fairy tale book.

             
Esther remained true to her dramatic side and chose a short dress. It was purple and strapless with a sweetheart neckline covered in black polka dots and embellished in tiny beads. It too had a form fitting bodice that bloomed into a short flirty skirt. She wore black high heeled boots and Felicitas thought she looked stunning.

             
Fearing they wouldn’t hear the doorbell all the way up stairs in her room; the girls headed downstairs to wait for the limo. Sharon and Melvin took Lisette and Hayley to dinner and planned to meet up with Felicitas later at the game              

The girls decided to meet their dates at the game since both Danny and Zach were on the football team and had to be there early and in view of the fact that they were in formal gowns Felicitas didn’t want to arrive sooner than necessary. The presentation of the crown was at half time so Felicitas ordered the limo to come so they would arrive sometime during the second quarter. She and Esther weren’t planning on dinner until after the game and right now they were both starving and decided to raid the kitchen while they waited.

              Felicitas sliced some cheese and pulled a bowl of grapes from the refrigerator. She grabbed a box of water crackers and made a fancy appetizer tray for them to enjoy. She pulled to tall wine glasses from cupboard, filled them with sparkling cider and handed one to Esther. She lifted her glass in a toast.

             
“To David’s full recovery.”

             
Esther smiled and clicked her glass against Felicitas goblet.

             
They took a drink of the tart cider and then Esther raised her glass.

             
“To the worst date of Reed’s life. May whomever he is taking annoy him to the point of tears and have the worst hair day of her life.”

             
Felicitas laughed. “Hear hear I’ll drink to that.”

             
She took a swallow and the sat her cup on the countertop.

             
“Do you know who he asked to go with him?”

             
Esther shook her head and popped a grape into her mouth.

             
“No. I never found out. All I know is that it wasn’t me. He’s been sort of avoiding me since the night we were at your grandmother’s house. In fact he’s been acting like a recluse he gets to first period right when the bell rings then he leaves right after school and he hasn’t been to Gourmet Mudd in two weeks.”

             
“Maybe his parents grounded him for driving out there that day.”

             
Esther laughed, “I seriously doubt that. But that would be kinda lame huh and so uncool and embarrassing for him.” Esther cocked her head to the side and smiled.               “Come to think of it I hope that is it. I hope that’s why he didn’t ask me and why he’s been avoiding me. He’s just too embarrassed and doesn’t want me to know.”

             
Felicitas smiled and took another sip of her cider.

             
“Esther, I know all the drama with me has been weird and traumatic and well….I know you aren’t sure anymore, you know about me getting pregnant in my dreams and I know Ian kind of convinced you otherwise…”

             
Esther tried to interrupt but Felicitas held up her hand.

             
“Wait let me finish. The fact of the matter is you are here with me and right now I need a true friend more than anything and to be honest I am terrified of going tonight and walking out on that field. I am afraid of all the boo’s and laughter and cameras and news crews….”

             
Esther sat her glass on the counter and took Felicitas hand.

             
“Taz, you’ve been my friend since third grade. I love you and yes all this is crazy but whether your right or Ian is right the fact of the matter is you are pregnant and I’m gonna have a God child and we will be friends forever no matter how it all happened. I stand by you Taz.”

             
The doorbell chimed interrupting their sentimental confessions.

             
“Limo’s here.” Felicitas said. “They’re early; I’ll tell them to wait.”

             
Her heels clicked across the marble entryway as she scurried across the floor like Cinderella leaving the ball. She opened the door expecting to see their chauffer instead to her horror she stood face to face with Ian.

             
She swallowed hard trying to regain her composure so not to show Ian the fear she felt inside. He looked much different now and darkness seemed to shroud the boyfriend she once knew.

             
“What are you doing here?”

             
Ian gave a sneering look eyeing her breast instead of her face.

             
“I came to take you to homecoming.”

             
Felicitas continued with the charade hoping Ian couldn’t tell she feared him.

             
“Ian we broke up. Why don’t you take Catlin since you two seem to get along so well? You can spend the evening reading my diary and if you play your cards right she could get you on her new TV show, you and your band could get their big break. Now leave. My limo will be here any minute.”

             
Ian motioned his head to a limo sitting in the driveway with a hulky man like the ones who attacked her two weeks ago standing beside the door.

             
“It’s already here.”

             
Her pulse raced and her heart skyrocketed into her throat. She slammed the massive door shut and slid the bolt lock into place then turned and ran back into the kitchen barely able to speak.

             
“We’re in trouble!”

             
Esther looked shocked.

             
Felicitas kicked off her heels and hurried across kitchen. She didn’t know if the door to the outdoor breakfast nook was locked. It wasn’t most of the time. Esther followed at her heels bewildered by her behavior.

             
“What’s the matter? I thought I heard Ian’s voice.”

             
“You did. He’s here.”

             
She secured the door then rushed across the house heading toward the family room. She had been dating Ian for a year now and he knew almost every inch of her home.

             
She stopped suddenly when she saw the double French doors standing open and the brisk October wind blowing the dried leaves from the deck into the house. She backed up and grabbed Esther’s hand just as the lights when out.

             
Esther screamed and Felicitas hushed her.

             
She backed out of the room still clutching Esther’s hand and bolted for the staircase. She pulled up the hem of her dress with her free hand taking the stairs two at a time. When they reached the top of the stairs she pulled Esther along toward her parent’s room. It was the one room in the house Ian had never been in and the one she felt would give them the best advantage.

             
They ran inside and Felicitas shut the door softly not wanting to give away their whereabouts. She slid the lock into place and then scanned the room. Esther’s bewildered expression was the first thing she saw.

             
“Oh my God. Taz, It‘s only Ian. Why are you so scared?”

             
“Sh-sh-sh” Taz held her hand up. “Lower your voice. We can’t let them hear us. Ian is here with some drakes. He is bad Esther, really bad. They will kill you and then take me…I’m not kidding and I don’t have Grant here to help me now so we are on our own. You have to do what I say.”

             
Esther nodded and Felicitas hoped she would trust her.

             
She scanned the room for an idea. The master bedroom was larger than most small apartments. There was a comfortable sitting room with a fireplace, a small kitchenette an enormous bathroom and a walk in closet to rival a quaint boutique and for a moment Felicitas panicked when she realized the drakes could be anywhere hidden within the darkness of this room and she’d never know it.

             
She ran into the sitting area and picked up the land line phone to call out for help but there was no dial tone. She looked at the purse in Esther’s hand.

             
“Call the police.”