Chapter Ten

Saturday, September 7, 2002

4247 Maplewood Dr.

2:30 PM

“What are you doing?”

Lee looked up at his daughter. “Watching football,” he said. “What are you doing?”

“Not very much.” Jenna sat down on the sofa beside him, looking at the screen. “So who’s playing?”

“Redskins and the Cardinals.”

“The St. Louis Cardinals?”

“No, that’s a baseball team. These are the Arizona Cardinals.”

“Oh.” Jenna said. “Who’s winning?”

“Well, we’re in the third quarter and right now the Redskins are winning.”

“That’s good, right?” Lee gave her a look. “Of course it’s good,” Jenna said. “Hey, did you know they’re showing the Blues Brothers movie on channel 7?”

“No, I didn’t know that.”

“Well they are—and there’s a guy on there who looks like Dr. Pfaff—or sort of like what Dr. Pfaff would look like if he was younger and had different hair. Isn’t that cool?”

Lee sighed. “Yes, that’s cool,” he said.” Jenna, if you want to watch that movie there are always other televisions in the house.”

“The movie’s over now.”

“Well what about your Mom--or even Christy? I’m sure they’d love to play a game or something.”

“Christy wants to be by herself and Mom told me to come and talk to you.” Jenna said. “So are the Redskins still winning?”

“They’re still winning.”

“But how can you even tell who the winner is? I mean, to me it just looks like they run into each other and fall down and then get back up and run into each other again—”

“Jenna,” Lee turned to face her. “Can you stop for just two seconds and catch your breath?”

“Sure.”

“Good. Now is there something on your mind? Anything you want to talk to me about?”

“Not exactly,” Jenna looked away from him. “I mean, it sounds kind of stupid to say but I guess I’m just—”

“Bored?”

Jenna’s eyes widened. “How did you guess?”

Lee smiled. “It’s more than a little obvious—and it’s certainly nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Jenna shrugged. “I just feel a like I’m being a little selfish. All you’re only trying to do is keep us safe—I have no right to be bored.”

“So suddenly you’re Saint Jenna?” Lee asked. “Look—you’ve been stuck inside this house since Friday—a person would need the patience of a saint to not have a major case of cabin fever.”

“That’s true.” Jenna said. “When is this all going to be over?”

“By tonight, hopefully, if everything goes as planned.”

“And Grandma’s coming to sit with me and Christy?”

“That’s the plan,” Lee said. “And don’t worry—there’ll be guards on the house the whole time. That creep is not going to get his hands on you.”

“What about you and Mom?”

“I’ve told you before—your Mom and I are more than capable of taking care of ourselves.”

“I know that,” Jenna said. “Just promise me you’ll both be extra careful, all right?”

Lee hugged Jenna briefly, kissing her forehead. “I promise.”

SMK SMK SMK SMK

“Christy?”

Wide-eyed, Christy turned around, nearly dropping Jenna’s phone on the carpet in the process. “You scared me.”

“I didn’t mean to,” Jenna looked at the phone. “Were you calling somebody?”

“This is going to sound silly,” Christy said, “But my cell battery is a little low and I was trying to call my Mom back—I called her earlier and she had to let me go because she had company—I’m just a little worried that I can’t get in touch with her or my aunt.”

“That doesn’t sound silly at all,” Jenna said. “I’m sure everything’s fine, though—maybe they went out shopping or something.”

“Maybe,” Christy said. “Yeah, you’re probably right. I just worry.”

“Believe me—I understand worrying,” Jenna said. “Oh, and—before I forget—I just wanted to say thanks.”

“What for?”

“For not helping your Dad—you know—when he wanted to take me.”

“You’d do the same for me, right?”

Jenna nodded.

“The only thing I can’t figure out is why he wanted to take you,” Christy said. “I mean—there’s no possible way you’re connected to this.”

“No, I’m not exactly connected.” Jenna stared down at her shoes as she spoke, choosing her words carefully. “But I mean—um—my parents are involved with the Government— so maybe your Dad thought they would have some influence.”

“Maybe.” Christy sounded doubtful. “I just hope that it wasn’t for some sick kind of reason.”

“No, I’m sure it wasn’t that.”

“How do you know?”

J “I just know, that’s all.”

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” Christy asked.

Jenna looked up at her. “I –ahh—”

“Jenna Leigh!” her mother’s voice floated upstairs. “I’d appreciate your help with this laundry.”

“I’ve got to go—um—talk to you later,” Jenna said.

“Oh sure, the laundry excuse—very believable—we will talk later, okay?”

Jenna grinned. “Okay.”

SMK SMK SMK SMK

Christy listened as Jenna’s footsteps faded away. She was about to call her mother’s number again when her cell phone rang. — the caller ID indicating that it was from home. Maybe her mom was home again. Her hopes rising, Christy flipped her phone open.

“Hello?” she said.

“Hello, gumdrop.” The sound of her father’s voice sent shivers through Christy’s body. “I’ve got someone here that you’d like to talk to.”

“Dad?” Christy asked.

“You sound surprised” her dad said. "Are you having a good time at the Stetsons?"

"How did you--I don't understand."

“You should know by now that you can’t hide from me—especially after what you’ve stolen.”

.“What do you want?”

“Like I said once before, I have someone here who wants to talk to you. Honey—say hi to Christy.”

“Chris?” The voice was weak—Christy had to strain just to hear.

“Mom? Are you okay?”

“Sweetheart I’m—I’m so sorry all of this happened—so many mistakes—'member that I love you— all right?”

Christy swallowed hard, fighting back tears. “I love you too, Mom.”

“Awww—it’s so touching isn’t it?” Dad said. “A daughter’s love for her mother.”

“What’s wrong with Mom? What did you do to her?”

“Well she had to be persuaded to tell me where you were, gumdrop.” Dad told her. “It’s regrettable, but I’m afraid that some of the persuasion was a little on the rough side.”

“Daddy, please—” Christy’s voice broke. “I love you—why are you doing this?”

“You love me, Christy?” Dad laughed. “Love? You disobeyed, you stole from me—betrayed me—people who love one another don’t do that. You drove me to do this.”

“Don’t hurt Mom anymore because of me—at least let her go to the hospital—”

“Oh I might do that,” Dad said. “But only on one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“You bring Jenna Stetson to me.”

“Jenna? But what about the discs I took?”

“You insult my intelligence, Christy—those will have already been turned over to the authorities. What I need to get them back is a bargaining chip.”

“And that’s Jenna?”

“Her life for your mother’s life,” Dad said. “Shouldn’t be a hard decision to make. And don’t even think about getting help, Christy. If I discover that you betrayed me again, I might—well I just don’t know what I might do.”

Christy’s heart was racing, making it hard to breathe. She clutched the phone, fighting to keep her voice calm. “I don’t—the house is guarded,” Christy managed to say. “How will I get Jenna out?”

“You’re a bright girl,” Dad said. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

“Where am I bringing her?”

“Our house— at four-thirty"

“And if I do that Mom will be safe and she can go to the doctor? You promise?”

“Well that all depends on you—on how much you’re willing to cooperate,” Dad said. “Do we have a deal?”

“Yes,” Christy told him. “We have a deal.”

TBC