The Neighbor's Secret (Closed)

[BeachBum25]

While sitting down to supper, Will told Malinda about the conversation he had with Ronnie. "That Deputy that stopped here yesterday has been with the department for a few years. He is not someone who was placed here recently, so, I do not think he is a threat. Ronnie said he is somewhat of a pain-in-the-ass, and the other Deputies are constantly trying to get him to knock off his nonsense." Will continued to eat and watched Malinda for any reaction.

"I think if there is going to be any threat, it is going to come from someone moving to the area. I will have to keep my eye out for any new people in the area. I might even stop in and see some of the neighbors and let them know I m back and ask them if anyone new is in the area. I'll just tell them that I want to introduce myself to the new neighbors. I will see if there is anyone new around."

Malinda seemed quiet. Although she had asked him about the books downstairs, she did not seem like her normal self. It wasn't like Will knew her all that well, but Malinda was usually talkative and inquisitive; today she seemed to be pensive.

"So, what did you do today? Anything exciting?" He knew that she wanted to be able to move around and find things to do. Will was sure that Malinda was frustrated and feeling caged in. It was going to be tough for her for the next five months, but if she truly wanted to stay hidden from her step-father, she would be able to push through it.

Malinda really didn't respond to his question. She talked about Lucy running around out back for a little while, but that was it. "Just be careful outside. If someone stops by unannounced make sure you avoid them. Nobody knows we are here, so, there is no reason for anyone to be here. Even with the farm being somewhat abandoned, the farmers know you just don't stray onto someone else's property."

Will got up from the table and cleared the dishes and took them to the sink. After washing and drying them, he walked back over to Malinda. "I have some work to do in the barn, would you like to come out there? You can help if you want, but I would never make a princess do manual labor. If you want to help, however, that would be a different story, and I am sure I can find something for you to do."

He headed out of the house with Lucy bouncing after him. He wasn't sure Malinda would want to do work, but he thought that she would definitely follow Lucy out of the house.

 

[zydrate]

She thought about what Will said about running into strangers. She hadn’t wanted to tell him because of what Roger had said about not telling anyone about their interaction today. Although she knew the old man was probably harmless, she was heeding more on Will’s words than anything. Nothing happened today with Roger. She just wouldn’t do it again. And she wouldn’t talk about it with Will.

Malinda and Lucy had joined Will out in the barn, doing what she could to help. It wasn’t much but she felt a little more useful than before. It was getting late when Will said they could continue tomorrow, and Malinda agreed. She had become more talkative as she was helping, she just made sure to stay off the topic of meeting anyone today.

But the time Will had cleaned up and was heading to bed, the guilt was eating at her. She had to tell him. After all he was doing for her, she needed to let him know… just in case.

The house was dark and using the light of the moon, Malinda knocked softly on the door to where Will had chosen. Entering after he acknowledged her, she walked in and sat on the edge of his bed.

“I know you think I’m bored here but I’m not. And I’m not cooped up. It sounds weird but this is the most freedom I’ve had in such a long time… The books I found today will keep me busy for a while, so I don’t want you to worry about anything….”

She then told him about meeting Roger today and helping him get back his horse who threw him. He was quiet when she was talking and when she was done. She noticed he didn’t say anything, “I won’t go back…” she said, hoping she didn’t cause any more trouble by doing what she did today.

****
“No word on find my stepdaughter?”

“No sir, nothing yet. We are keeping up our efforts and we’ll keep looking of course, but some leads have failed.”

“I do not understand why this is taking so long. Can we increase the reward?”

“Of course, but if this should get out to the news outlets…” the assistant didn’t have to finish his implication.

“Double the reward and make sure she’s not hurt… This is growing tiresome.”

 

[BeachBum25]

Will laid down in bed and was wondering what he could do to help Malinda. Part of him wondered if what he was doing to help her was really being a help. He thought about what he would do if there was a direct threat to Malinda. Would he shoot someone to protect her? He had never thought about all of the different what ifs... he had just reacted to a threat the way his military training told him to. What would he do now as a civilian?

'Hey Malinda, what's up?" He rolled onto his side and looked at her as she sat on the edge of his bed. Listening to what she said, Will was a little relieved to hear that she said she wasn't bored. That changed quickly when she told him about the visit she had from a man on a horse. He sat up in bed and looked at her.

"So, this guy rode into our field? And he said his horse is named Malinda? There is something wrong there Malinda." He looked at her and heard her say that she wasn't going back. "I am going to do everything possible to see that you don't go back." He took her hand in his.

"Tomorrow morning I am going to visit Roger. There is no reason for him to tell you not to say anything. The people around here don't have any secrets."

The next morning Will got dressed and went down the road looking for Roger. He decided not to leave Malinda home by herself, He went to a couple of different houses and talked to the neighbors. He used it as a way to let people know he was back in town and that he would be on the farm fixing it up.

Nobody knew a Roger. Nobody had ever heard of anyone named Roger, and nobody knew of anyone with a horse named Malinda. Will was now beside himself. He did not want to live the next 5 months on the run.

He drove to Ms. May's house. He told Ms. May that Malinda was new to the country and he didn't think she should be by herself during the day, and asked her to help. "Can Malinda just stay here with you during the day while I work at the farm supply store. I just don't feel she should be alone." Surprisingly, Ms. May agreed to let Malinda stay with her.

Will went to work and checked in with Ms. May throughout the day. On his way to get Ms. May, he decided to stop by the farm and check things out. There was a horse standing by the front porch. Will took his gun from under the seat and went into the house. "So, I am betting you are Roger. Do you feel like dying today Roger, or whatever your name is?"

Forcing Roger to the basement, Will tied him to the main support beam for the first floor; making him VERY uncomfortable. "I'll be right back." Will then took the horse and put it in the barn. He then went to get Malinda.

Once they got back to the house, Will said to her, "come down to the basement with me, I have a surprise for you."

 

[zydrate]

Malinda wasn’t sure what Will was planning and she felt like she had gotten poor old Roger in trouble.

When Will had taken her with him to Ms. May’s home, she almost felt like a child who couldn’t be trusted at home alone… and in a way, that’s exactly what it was.

But what could she do. She had made contact with someone Will wasn’t familiar with… why did she think everyone was good?

There really was no way to stop her thinking that everyone had some good in them and Roger hadn’t directly hurt her or said anything to make her feel threatened.

Although Ms. May probably thought Malinda was going to be useless and just in the way, Malinda did what she could to help the lady with her daily work. Malinda asked questions and after a while, Ms. May started to warm up to her, showing her how to do certain things such as cleaning and some baking. It was quite a different way to spend her day rather that home alone.

By the end of the day, Malinda felt Ms. May and her got along great. She had even sent Malinda home with a couple of homemade loafs of bread that Malinda helped her with.

After putting the bread away, Malinda went with Will down to the basement, “What sort of surprise?” she asked but before he answered, Malinda saw ‘Roger’ tied up. She was sure her shocked looked was obvious, “Why is he tied up?! What’s going on?"

 

[BeachBum25]

"Malinda, before I came to get you, I thought I would stop home and check to make sure everything was okay. As I pulled up to the house, this guy's horse, the one he said is named Malinda, was out front and Roger here was in the house. I don't know about either of you, but being in someone's house without their permission is illegal. I should have shot him when I saw him. That would have been easy to explain away... someone was in my house, I felt threatened, BOOM. The only problem with that is that would bring a lot of police around and it would not be good for you in your situation Malinda."

Will looked at the man. Then he walked over closer to him. "You have put me in a predicament. I have told the lady that I would protect her, and I never go back on my word. My choices of what to do with you are very limited. You see, I can't just let you go, because that would put my friend in danger. Also, I can't kill you because that would be murder." Will stopped for a second. He turned around and looked at Malinda. Then, he turned back to "Roger". "Of course, I could kill you and bury you in one of the fields. It really isn't murder unless you get caught, and I would make sure I didn't get caught."

He winked at the man. Then, he turned back to Malinda. "Now you understand why I took you where I did today. I don't know what your friend Roger had in mind when he came here. He wasn't armed, so, I don't think he came here with the intention of hurting you. I'm thinking he came here to gather more information. When nobody answered the door, he decided to come inside and snoop around and see what he could find."

Turning back to the man, "How am I doing so far? Pretty accurate, aren't I?" The look on the man's face told Will that he was right.

"So, here is what is going to happen. Malinda, you are going to go back upstairs and close the basement door when you get up there. While you are upstairs, Roger and I are going to have a little chat. I am going to see what he knows and who sent him here. I want to find out if the person that sent him here knows that you are here, and after I have answers to all of my questions, I will make a decision as to what his fate will be."

Then he turned to Roger. "Oh, and I can be very persuasive in making people talk and giving me accurate information. It was one of my specialties while I was in the military."

Still facing the man and smiling a very evil smile Will said, "Now take Lucy and go upstairs. I will be up in a few minutes... or a few hours depending on how cooperative your new friend is."

As Malinda went up the stairs slowly (he knew she was unsure of the way that Will was acting) Will grabbed an old chair that was in a corner and dragged it over in front of Roger. When he heard the door close, he looked up at the man. "This can go as easy or as hard as you want. You are the one who has control here. I will simply react to what you say and/ or do."

Pointing to a tool bench in the corner, "There are a bunch of tools that have been sitting over there rusting for a lot of years. It would be a shame for me to have to use any of them to get the information I want. You know exactly what I want to know, so, start talking"

The man stood there quietly. He was acting stoically. Will just shook his head, stood up from the chair and walked to the tool bench. He rummaged through the tools that his father had left behind. None of them were any use for working around the farm, but Will was able to think of a few ways to use them in the current situation.

Picking up a rusty ice pick, Will walked over to the man and placed it in his ear. Slowly, he worked it into his ear canal. "Is this really the way you want to play this game."

There was no doubt that Malinda could hear the scream when Roger continued to refuse to answer.

 

[zydrate]

If she wasn’t sure about how serious this was getting, now she knew. And it hurt. It hurt because, all this time, she was just inviting danger into her circle. Of course, this was serious! The proof was downstairs being taken care of by Will.

Another muffled cry penetrated the air, and she should have stopped this. She should have been bothered by it… but the truth was, she wasn’t. This man probably set out to hurt her… if not directly, then indirectly. He supposedly was another pawn in her stepfather’s game.

Would ‘Roger’ answer about who sent him? Did he report anything to anyone?

Malinda took Lucy with her outside the backdoor and saw the horse just wandering around. She had guessed she the tie had come undone so slowly and saying soothing words to the horse, Malinda was able to get to her. Leading the horse to the back of the house, Malinda sat on the porch and was petting the side of the horse’s face, “So, you’re not Malinda? Too bad… the name fits.”

She secured the horse’s halter lead to the wood rail that was part of the back porch fence. Lucy had come up to the horse, not sure of her but surprisingly didn’t bark. Instead, she seemed happy to have a new friend, if even for a short while.

Will still wasn’t out by the time dinner was ready so Malinda didn’t dish any out for him… she hoped he wouldn’t take it as her being mad because she wasn’t.

Just as she thought that the door to the basement opened, and Will stepped out. Malinda jumped up and without reason, hugged him, “What happened? What did he say?”

She listened to what he said had happened and she paid attention. When he was done, she didn’t look at him as she told him she was sorry for causing so much trouble… “I promise, from here on out, I will not be anymore trouble… I’m sorry Will.”

 

[BeachBum25]

The rusty ice pick puncturing his eardrum sent a clear message to "Roger" that Will was not messing around. His scream echoed through the basement and the upper floors of the house. "So, how much are you willing to endure? You can make this much easier on yourself. I am sure her stepfather is paying big money for information, but you have to ask yourself is it going to be worth it if you are never able to enjoy that money."

Will reached into the man's pocket and found a wallet. Inside the wallet was identification and credit cards. "So, you are definitely someone who is in it for the reward money, aren't you William?" Will looked at the driver's license that was in the man's wallet. It had the name of William Stewart with an address on the road behind Will's family farm.

"So Billy, you should probably start talking to me. You see, now I know who you really are and where you live. I am not sure who else lives there with you, but you have now put their life in danger. so. let's start with an easy question, how did you find out that there was a reward for information on Malinda?" While waiting for an answer, Will went over and picked up an old hammer. The man started stammering. "William, I will hurt anyone and everyone you know to get the information I need, but it will all start with you." The man then shared that he had been at a farm conference up in the capital city, because he needed a new tractor. While he was there, there was a man going around asking questions about a girl and asking if anyone had seen her. There were farmers from all over the state that they were talking to.

"Okay, that is a good start Billy. Now, what made you come over here?" William shared that he had driven past the farm the other day and knew it had been abandoned, but he saw a car pulling into the driveway. He decided to go on a ride on his horse and just check it out. He said he thought he could make some quick money and get off of his farm, either that or make enough to buy the new tractor without borrowing money.

"Good, so now you understand how important it is for you to talk to me. Now, who have you told? Include on that list you give me any members of your family or friends you may have told." William said he hadn't told anyone.. not even his wife. He didn't say anything to his daughter either. He shared that his daughter was 21 and had just moved home after graduating from college. "So Billy, here is the deal. Your wife and your daughter's lives depend on you. I now know where you live and who lives with you. They will die before you do if ANYONE shows up unannounced on my farm. You have made yourself Malinda's protector. But here is the thing William... it could be very rewarding for you. Not only will you feel good about doing the right thing, if one year from now nobody has come here looking for Malinda, I will see that you receive the same amount of money as was promised in the reward. So, it is a win... win... win for you. You and your family members stay alive...... you feel good about doing the right thing..... you get paid."

The man nodded his head and agreed to what Will proposed. "Just remember, I know where you live. One slip up and you will watch your wife and daughter die... and trust me, it will be painful. Then the emotional pain you feel will be compounded by the physical pain I will bring you, which I will inflict until you beg me to just let you die." The man's eyes got very wide. "If you think I am fucking with you, just try me Billy."

As Will untied him, he told the man that his eardrum would heal in a week or two. "Nobody is to know about that." Will led the man upstairs and out the back door, making sure he did not see Malinda. "Oh, and what is your horse's real name?" The man said the horse's name was Pepper. "Well, it might be nice if you sent Pepper over as a gift to Malinda... say something like you are giving Malinda to Malinda."

Will went back inside and talked with Malinda. He gave her a full accounting of what had happened in the basement over the last few hours. "Malinda there is nothing for you to be sorry about. You really did nothing wrong. You were simply outside when an intruder came onto our farm. I intend on seeing that you are here on the farm until your 21st birthday. From there, the choice of what you do and where you go will be yours to make. In the mean time, we need to take some precautions. Although, I really don't think your friend is a threat, I am not leaving anything to chance. Tomorrow I am going to get some supplies and build a false wall in the basement. It will give you someplace to hide if anyone comes to the farm while I am not here."

 

[zydrate]

*** 2 months later ***

It was getting colder but Malinda liked it. She looked down at Lucy, who, of course, was getting bigger and more independent by the day was outside with Malinda this early morning. As per usual, Will had left to go to work, and Malinda had remained at home. It was really all OK because she had things to do... Besides taking care of Lucy, Malinda also had Pepper (the horse that Roger had said she could have and Will had suggested they name Pepper because he felt weird calling the horse by Malinda's name) to tend to, along with several chickens. There was room in the barn for more animals but Malinda liked her little assortment. It was cozy. Besides the nights were longer and cooler with fall in full swing. Soon it would be winter and from what she had researched, the snow here wasn't anything to take lightly.

There was still no TV or internet, but only at Malinda's insistence, she didn't require it. All she had asked from Will were books from the Library. She had only been to the small town twice but that was fine. She was content at home.

She hadn't had this much peace in a long time. She and Will were getting along better... she found herself looking at him in a different light and there were times they found themselves in odd... situations. A sort of tension between them that was hard to explain...

As far as she knew, there were no more threats toward her or any talk of anyone snooping around in town looking for her. At least as far as she knew.

Some days she had wished she could stay there but it seemed like the closer it got to her birthday, the more anxious she had gotten.

Malinda felt something was going to happen soon. She knew her stepfather was planning a trip to the States in November. That was soon... it didn't occur to her until she really thought about it, that his trip coincided with her birthday month...

 

[BeachBum25]

When will had set the man free from his basement, he wasn't sure what would happen. Will wasn't ready to commit murder. He didn't deem him to be an immediate threat, so, he let him go. Will did not, however, trust the man. Will had stopped by the man's house one time and introduced himself to William's wife and daughter. He actually became friendly with them,; sometimes picking up items at the farm supply store that they might need. Will would periodically drive past the man's house and wave to William while he was out front working or was sitting on the front porch. It was all to let the man know that there was danger for him and his family if anyone showed up at Will's farm.

Will was working long hours at the store and then worked when he got home. Considering the limited funds that he had, the farm was coming along very well. He had been able to buy a tractor from Ronnie. Yea, it was used, and yes Ronnie was taking money out of his pay every week, but it helped around the farm. He was able to get the grass and fields cut close to the house; leaving the fields on the perimeter high so that nobody could look in. Come spring he would take care of the fields, because Miranda would be 21 by then, and whether she stayed on the farm with him or not, he would be able to start working the fields.

One of the issues that Will had was living with a woman. It wasn't like they were in a relationship, but she was always there. It wasn't a problem though. He actually enjoyed Miranda's company, but there were time... like when he came out of the bathroom after taking a shower and bumped into Miranda as she was walking to her room. The towel, that was tied around his waist came undone, and he was able to catch it just in time or he would have been standing in front of Miranda naked.

They were starting to develop a closeness that was hard to explain. In the beginning, he was just her protector. He still wasn't sure why he had taken on that role; it just felt like it was the right thing to do. His military service had been about protecting those who couldn't protect themselves, and he felt that was what he was doing with Miranda. As time has gone on though, he started to develop an attachment to her... feelings for her. He couldn't explain those feelings, but he knew he cared about her.

He found himself looking at Miranda differently. He started to really notice how attractive she was. She was a beautiful woman who also had a sexiness about her that Will was having trouble ignoring. Yes, she was younger than he was by a few years, which was probably why Will pushed those thoughts to the back of his head. There were still, however, times where they were together that he would innocently touch her arm or her knee, and quickly remove his hand because he felt like he might be touching her in a way that was not welcome.

They talked sometimes about how she was feeling. He wanted her to be comfortable on the farm. He had no idea what her decision would be come her 21st birthday; would she stay or would she leave, but she seemed to be enjoying her time at the farm, especially since they had some animals for her to care for.

At times he saw a depressed Malinda. When he asked her what was wrong, it was always her step-father.. whether it was what he was doing to Malinda or how he treated Malinda's mother.... it was always the step-father. Now, that was a person who Will might kill if he had the chance, because of all the problems he was causing for Miranda.

 

[zydrate]

Malinda felt she was more getting in the way of trying to help Will rather than being productive as he worked on the barn. So, instead, she would read to him from the books she had found down in the basement. It was relaxing for both… at least she hoped so for him. Lucy would like to sit at her feet and lean her head on Malinda’s lap as she read to Will.

She was getting better at cooking dinner. She learned how to follow recipes a little better. And she didn’t mind cooking for them for dinner and preparing lunches on the weekends. It wasn’t like an assigned gender thing; it was just something that made her not feel like she wasn’t doing anything and contributing to the work on the farm.

Some days she would take Pepper out on rides, and she kept to the parts of property where she knew she wasn’t going to be obvious should anyone drive by.

The closer it was coming toward her birthday, the more she worried. There was supposed to be a coming out party for her as well as a marriage proposal mixed it. It was something planned out since she was 18. And she hated it. She knew the closer it got to her birthday, the more desperate her stepfather was getting… if only she really knew…

***
In 6 weeks, Malinda was supposed to turn 21. And still, nothing. No one could find her. Did she realize how expense this was in trying to find her?! Arturo paced his luxurious office. He had a feeling Malinda was still in the US. She had to be. He was going to have the word spread that she needed to be found. She would not only be expected by his side when he did visit the US but she would need to accompany him back to their home.

It was then an idea came to him. What if he were to go about and have some of those American bounty hunters in on the search for her? They always seemed to need money and if Arturo needed more to give, then of course, his dear wife would have no problem giving him more…

****
It was early morning and Malinda had gotten up early to make some coffee. She had learned to get up a little before Will only because she wanted to check on the animals. She never bothered to make sure what she was wearing was appropriate only because she always wore a baggy t-shirt when she slept. Besides, she would get the coffee started and then get upstairs to shower and get dressed…

After the coffee was started, she was still in a bit of a sleepy state as she walked up the stairs and when she reached the top, she ran into Will… it was a sudden action that as they collided into each other, his arms wrapped around her, catching from falling… Malinda stopped and their eyes met… she wasn’t sure if she was still sleepy or maybe it was the tension building up between them for these couple of months that she leaned in slowly and kissed him…

 

[BeachBum25]

Will was working long hours at the farm store, and putting that money right back into his own farm; utilizing the discount to make his money go further. Then he worked around the farm for a couple hours after getting home. He wanted to get the farm into shape so that Malinda could enjoy it and would be able to spend time with the animals... at least until her 21st birthday. Malinda had not talked about any plans since they had been at the farm. Will had no idea whether she was planning on staying after her birthday, or whether she was going to move on.

He had to be honest with himself. He hoped she would stay around. Will really liked having Malinda around the farm. She was easy to talk to, and she certainly was easy on the eyes. Yes, Will had noticed how attractive she was. Well, more than attractive; she was beautiful. Will did not, however, say or do anything that could jeopardize what they had going on the farm. Malinda had given no indications that she was attracted to him, so, he kept their relationship simple; he was protecting her until her birthday.

Something was bothering Will though. It shouldn't bother him, because that was why they came to the farm, but Will felt that it was almost too quiet. Not that he was looking for the wild, wild west in protecting Malinda. It was just that, it was so quiet that Will had a feeling that there was going to be chaos soon. He hoped not. He wanted to stay on his farm. There was this feeling though that SOMETHING was going to happen.

Admittedly, Will liked the new routine that Malinda had for herself now. She was up early and taking care of the animals. Will felt that was good for Malinda because she would have less time just sitting around and being bored. The new routine seemed to have Malinda in a better mood each day.

**************

Will got up and showered and ready for work. It wasn't an extensive process, after all, he was going to work at the farm store where he would get dirty and sweaty.

He walked out of his room on his way to the stairs and suddenly crashed into Malinda as she got to the top of the stairs coming from the first floor. He grabbed a hold of her to make sure she didn't fall. His arms were wrapped around Malinda. Never had they been this close before, although there were times where he thought about her like this. There was electricity shooting through his body having her this close. He knew that once he kept her from falling that he should probably release her, but he didn't.

Their eyes met, and it seemed like time stood still. Then......

Their lips met. It was perfect. The kiss was soft to start out, but got deeper. Will pulled Malinda even closer to him; pressing her body to his. His tongue slid over her lips and searched for her tongue. That really sent the sparks flying.

Will pulled back; loosening his grip on Malinda, but not letting her go. "I'm sorry Malinda. I just.... I mean .. it..."

He didn't know what to say. He wasn't sorry it happened. It was more incredible than he could have ever imagined, but he was also afraid of what might happen.... could it mess things up between them? He was her protector. He didn't want her to think he was trying to take advantage of her situation.

 

[zydrate]

Malinda shook her head, giving him a nervous laugh, but not moving her hands on his shoulders, “No, no... Will, I’m sorry… No, I’m not sorry… it was nice...” She said, her eyes finally locking with his, “I don’t mean to interrupt your morning.” She was reluctant to let go but had to. She didn’t want him to be late for work and she had to get the animals attended to.

With one last look, she ran her hand along the side of his face and gave him a small smile before disappearing in her room to get dressed.

Later, in the barn, she went over what happened that morning between them. Yes, again, she wasn’t sorry about it. She liked him. A lot. She surmised it was bound to happen… those feelings between them. There were feelings, right? That’s when she started to think about it more.

He didn’t push her away when they kissed. He hadn’t gotten upset. Maybe he was just being polite?

What about herself? She initiated the kiss. But again, she wasn’t sorry. She did pull away only because she didn’t want to make him late for work.

No, she wasn’t sorry, and she just hoped he wasn’t either.
***

Later that morning, when Malinda finished with the animals, she was sitting on the counter in the kitchen, drinking her coffee and reading the paper from the day before. Which Will would bring home for her after work. It gave her something to do while on her morning ‘break’. The kitchen as situated so she could see if someone drove up or drove by and Will had said one couldn’t really see in when they drove by…

And just like clockwork at 10am, that deputy drove by the house. Malinda ignored it as per usual since all he seemed to do was drive by, slowing down when he passed the farm. So, it surprised Malinda when she heard someone pull up and then a car door shut.

Immediately Lucy started to bark. Malinda slipped off the counter and crouched down in front of the sink. Why did he get out? More of the fact, why did he stop? The animals weren’t loose. Pepper was in the barn for the time being until after lunch, Malinda would usually take her out to wander around on the property for a bit.

There was a knock at the door. The sudden noise made Malinda gasp and she quickly covered her mouth with her hands. The knocking made Lucy bark even louder and harder. Of course, Malinda tried to calm the overgrown puppy by signaling for her to be quiet… like Lucy understood silent commands.
***

Malinda didn’t move for another 20 minutes even though she heard the car drive off a while ago.

Later that evening, when Will got home, Malinda told him what happened. She had made chicken with gravy and rice. A recipe that she had taken from the weekly cooking articles in the town’s papers.

“Of course, I didn’t open the door but, it was just odd. I didn’t even get to take Pepper out today because I wasn’t sure if I should or not.”

 

[BeachBum25]

He was not sorry about the kiss. Will didn't think that Malinda was either, but he wasn't 100% sure. He watched her walk into her room and close the door behind her before heading downstairs. He poured a cup of coffee, then headed out for work. Will was enjoying work and the physical nature of it. He had missed the physical training from his time in the military, and, although the job provided nothing like the military PT, it was enough to keep him in very good shape.

All day in work, Will kept thinking back to the kiss. It felt so good to have Malinda in his arms. Her lips on his were just amazing. She had initiated the kiss, so, he stopped thinking about Malinda thinking Will was trying to take advantage of a situation.

He wanted the day to go by fast. He wanted to be home with Malinda. He wanted to see if she had anything to say about what happened that morning. Will wanted to see if there was something more than protector/protected between them.

When Will walked into the farmhouse, he was happy to see Malinda. His mood changed quickly when she told him the story about the deputy coming to the door. Not that he wasn't happy to see Malinda, but he felt like he wasn't doing his job of protecting her.

He took Malinda in his arms and hugged her. "You didn't do anything wrong Malinda. I know you are upset, and I know Pepper is probably mad at you." He smiled at her trying to ease the tension and get her to relax a little.

"I am going to have to quit my job, or talk to Ronnie about taking a leave of absence for a while... until your birthday. He probably won't let me just be away, and he'll have to hire someone else to replace me. I have to be here for you. Your step-father is probably getting desperate now. His step-daughter is getting close to being out of his control. He may be putting pressure on people, and he is probably upping the reward money that he is offering. That means anyone could be a threat."

He continued to hold Malinda while he thought about the situation. "There are only two people who definitely know that you are here; Ms. May and the guy you got the horse from, William Stewart." Ms. May would never tell a soul about Malinda, not without being forced to. William Stewart was another story though. He had been out looking for a payday and had stumbled on Malinda. If he found out that the reward money was increasing, he could think that it was worth the risk.

"I think I need to pay a little visit to Mr. Stewart and remind him of our little deal." He looked down at Malinda in his arms. "I am sorry, but I am not hungry right now. It smells delicious, but I need to go see if Stewart has said anything to anybody about you being here. I can't think of any reason the deputy would have to stop here; unless he was trying to check on something he heard from someone."

Will released Malinda. I will be back in 30 minutes. Then we will sit down and have supper together. Deal?"

He went out and got in his car and drove around to where the Stewarts lived. The house was dark. He went up onto the porch and looked in the window. Nothing. The furniture was till there, but there was no sign of any life in the house. "Shit." He ran down off the porch and quickly drove back home. His mind racing; trying to figure out what to do. It had to be Stewart. Will wondered who he would have told. "Fuck, he could have told anybody..... everybody."

He pulled up to the front porch and then ran inside. At first he did not see Malinda. He started to panic, but then he saw Lucy and Malinda come down from upstairs.

"Okay. We may have a problem Malinda. The Stewarts are gone. There was no sign of anyone living in the home for a while. It seems like the animals are all gone. I think Stewart worked out a deal and told someone about you. Hell, he could have told everyone around."

Just then, Will noticed headlights coming up the driveway. "Go back in the kitchen. Leave Lucy with me. If someone comes into the house, go to the basement and do not come out until I tell you to." Will didn't wait for Malinda to move. He walked out onto the porch as the pick-up truck stopped near his car. The high beams of the truck were on, which concealed the identity of the driver.

When the driver got out, Will realized it was Ronnie. "Hey Ronnie, what's up? What are you doing here?" Ronnie waved, then he said, "Will just send the girl out. I need the money. Send her out. I won't hurt her. I just want to make sure that nobody else gets her."

Will reached for the gun he had in the back of his waistband of his jeans. Before he could get it, a shot rang out, and Will felt a bullet explode in his right shoulder. He went down on the porch, and immediately went into survival mode; crawling back into the house. Lucy came running over to him. Will pushed her away. "Malinda, go out the back door, and go out into the fields. Leave Lucy with me, because she will make it easier for them to find you. You do not come out of hiding unless you hear my voice. Understand?" Malinda nodded. "GO, I will hold him off."

Will crawled to the door. He reached around with his left hand and grabbed his gun and fired a couple of shots in Ronnie's direction. Will was tempted to call the police, but he didn't know who was in on trying to find Malinda.

After they exchanged a couple of shots, Ronnie got in his truck and backed away. It was a good thing, because the pain from the bullet wound was getting to Will. He took a second to take stock in his condition. The bullet was through and through. He was losing a lot of blood. He put pressure on the entry wound. Then, he forced himself to stand up. He had to find Malinda and they had to get out of there... NOW

 

[zydrate]

So much changed in so little time. Things were peaceful and both Malinda and Will had fallen into a quiet, level routine. And she liked that. It was something she didn’t know she craved, and she had it run through her mind a few times that she could get used to this.

Now? Things changed so fast.

Malinda saw Will’s bleeding shoulder, of course, she tried to help but he pushed her away and told her to go to the fields.

She knew she couldn’t hesitate and did as she was told. She ran out the back door before Lucy could catch up and go with her. It was extremely dark as the night was cloudy and there wasn’t much visibility, but she knew this property. She knew it because she walked it daily and even if blindfolded, she knew she could walk it if she had to. The sound of tires screeching made her run faster and out of terror, she ran into the bar, scaring the animals as they made sounds… especially poor Pepper. There weren’t many places to hide in the barn so all Malinda could do was hide in Pepper’s stall. Despite being freaked out, Malinda tried her best to calm the horse as she got on the left back side of Pepper and knelt… waiting.

The male voice called for her as he entered the barn. Malinda didn’t recognize the man. All she knew was that he shot Will. She heard him walking closer, telling her he only wanted to take her home to her worried parents. His one downfall was that he kept talking and she could tell when he was near Pepper’s stall. Calming herself the best she could, Malinda closed her eyes for a second before standing up slowly, so as not to spook the horse too soon. Just as she heard him feet away, Malinda slapped Pepper’s thigh and that scared the poor horse as she took off running and of course, running into the man, who Malinda heard screaming as Pepper trampled over him.

There was nothing from the man… no cursing or groaning so Malinda could only assume he was knocked out… at the very least. She walked carefully out of the stall and saw the man laying on the ground… his gun near him. She quickly grabbed his gun and tossed it behind the bales of hay before running out of the barn and closing the heavy doors and latching it closed.

She ran back to the house and – she heard Will calling out for her… he sounded weak. She ran to him and saw him sitting on the steps, “Will…” she felt his hand in hers and it was wet with what she could only surmise was blood. “We need to get you some help!” She looked around and saw the car and could barely make out the tires were shot out…. But there was the man’s truck which still running and the headlights on in the middle of the field “Can you walk? Wait… no, let me get the truck, OK”

Lucy, who thought this was all a game, ran with Malinda to the truck, where before getting in, picked up the golden retriever and put her in the back. Hopefully, she stayed put.

As quickly as she could, Malinda drove the truck up to the house and helped Will into it. They had planned several weeks ago of where they would go in case of anything. But now, Malinda wasn’t sure as she wanted to take him to the hospital.

He needed help.

It took a little longer than she wanted but they had to pass through town in order to get out to the main highway…but instead of the main highway, Malinda saw the signs for the hospital. She turned toward it, knowing this was going to be the end for one of them if she didn’t get him help soon.

At the ER drop off point, Malinda called for help and with it being a small-town ER, no one came running. Instead, she had to run inside and tell the nurse at the nurse’s station that she had someone in a truck who had been shot. That got the nurse’s attention. Almost immediately, they were bringing in Will, calling out orders and giving aid to Will.

Malinda wanted to stay but she knew she couldn’t, it was time to go.

 

[BeachBum25]

He got into the truck with Malinda. "Do not take me to the hospital. You can't take me there." Will kept going in and out of consciousness from the loss of blood. He did not want Malinda to take him to the hospital because they would be required to report it to the police. Hospitals have to report any incidents of a patient with a GSW to the police. Will didn't trust anyone now. He wasn't able to explain why, he just kept saying "no hospital."

Despite what he told Malinda, she took him to the hospital. She probably had no idea what the hospital was required to do. Plus, he was sure she was just trying to help. He remembered them coming out to get him and placing him on a gurney. he said "Go."

He woke up in a hospital bed. He had no idea whether he had been out for an hour, a day, a week, or even more. He looked around, and there was a deputy sitting in the room with him. They made eye contact. Will said nothing, but the deputy went out of the room and Will could see him on his cell phone. Then, a nurse came in and said hello to him and started taking vital signs. Soon after that, a doctor arrived. They were all asking him questions, Will answered none of them.

"I want to get out of here." Everyone told him he was in no condition to leave. Will tried to sit up and realized they were right. He laid back. The deputy came back into the room. "The detectives will be here soon." Will wanted nothing to do with them.

Will's thoughts went to Malinda. Where did she go? She was so close to her birthday. She had almost made it. It had to be that Stewart guy. He had to talk. How else would Ronnie find out about it? Where did Malinda go. Will wondered if he would ever see her again.

When the detectives showed up, they started asking him a lot of questions.... Will gave them only one answer, "I don't remember." They asked who did it. They asked where it happened. Will know that they knew the answer to that already. They asked how he got to the hospital. They asked who the girl was that brought him in. "I don't remember."

He was convincing in telling them that he did not remember. The fact that he had been in a coma helped support his answer. A detective gave Will his card. "If you remember something... anything... give me a call. Will said he would. There was no chance of that happening.

Five days later, he was released from the hospital. During that 5 days, Will found out that he had been in a coma for 9 days. "Damn, 9 days." Will thought about Malinda. Where could she have gone? Did someone catch her? By the time he was released from the hospital, she had been on the run for 14 days.... 2 weeks on her own.

As Will figured it, it was now only three weeks until Malinda's 21st birthday. She was so damned close. Maybe she would be able to make it. He got a cab home from the hospital. He saw his car was all shot up. He saw blood on his porch. Then he walked out to the barn. All of the animals were gone, including Pepper. Will just shook his head. "I guess coming here wasn't such a great idea after all." Then he thought about Lucy. he went into the house, but there were no signs of her either.

Will sat down at the kitchen table. All that was on his mind was Malinda. Well, Malinda and revenge. He wanted revenge on Ronnie. He wanted revenge on Stewart. Hell, he wanted revenge on Malinda's step-father. He started thinking about how to get revenge.... get it without going to prison.

 

[zydrate]

Don’t befriend anyone.

That’s all she had to do to survive these next couple of weeks.

Malinda had long ago gotten rid of that man’s truck. She hated how she had to leave but she did. Will would be OK since he was at the hospital, right? She needed to save herself. The thought of staying at the house was tempting and she knew she could do it, but she wasn’t sure if that man in the barn was alive or dead… if he was alive, would he come back?

Yes, she felt terrible for leaving behind Pepper and the other animals, but at least, she still had Lucy. She only had time to stop at the farm and grab her personal belongings, including her card with her money. At least she had that still. She did leave a note for Will in a book they hadn’t finished and left it on his bed under his pillow. In the note, she told him it was time to leave, and she thanked him for all his help. She didn’t want to put him in anymore danger so that was why she had to leave. She hoped he forgave her…

How she wanted to contact him right now, just to make sure he alright but fought the urge. No, she wouldn’t cause him harm again as this was completely her fault.

Would her stepfather still come after him even though she wasn’t with Will anymore?

“Oh no..” she whispered… yes, he probably would.

Malinda looked down at the burner phone she had gotten earlier that day. She needed to get this out in the open. It was the only way to get back at her stepfather and get him to stop the hunt.

But who would she call? She needed to do some research first and then get some contacts in the journalism world perhaps. Malinda wasn't sure but she'd know a lot more tomorrow. She wasn't going to just sit back anymore. If her stepfather wanted to play dirty then it was time to stoop to his level and get him back for all the hell he made her life so far.

 

[BeachBum25]

Ronnie had to go first. It would look like an accident, but Ronnie was definitely going to pay. Will had not told the police who shot him. He told them it was dark and he didn't see the person. Will was going to take care of this himself. He never saw himself as doing anything illegal. That was going to change.

Will did some recon. He saw that Ronnie was driving a new truck. He also noticed that Ronnie was walking with a very severe limp. he had no idea what happened to Ronnie, not did he really care. Whatever happened to him, Ronnie would wish that was all that happened.

*********************************

Ronnie's new truck was found in a ditch. It hit the tree at a high speed. Having airbags couldn't save Ronnie. The impact crushed his legs. There was internal damage. He didn't die immediately, but, by the time he was found by a passerby driving past and the police and rescue arrived, Ronnie had suffered and then died.

The extensive damage to the truck would hide what the real cause of the crash was.

Will was at the farm when the crash occurred. He saw all of the flashing lights on the emergency vehicles as they went flying past his farm on the way to the crash site. It brought a smile to his face.

*******************************

Stewart was going to be a bigger challenge. Will had no way of knowing where he was. He didn't care how long it took, he was going to find him.

Will started spending time in the room he built in the barn. It had a false wall, so, nobody would know it was there unless they started tearing down all of the walls. In the evenings, Will would go out and walk the fields to get some exercise. He needed to build his strength back.

He bought a small security camera that he could monitor from his phone. He was able to see that the farm had multiple visitors almost every day. One person who visited a couple times each day was the deputy. This guy was going to be a problem. It was obvious that people were coming there looking for Malinda.

Will spent a lot of time thinking about Malinda. He was worried about her being on her own. In addition, he had developed feelings for her. He really liked her, and now she was gone, and he had no idea where. She couldn't get far, could she? She didn't have a car. She couldn't really be out in the open. He hoped she would try to reach out to him. He wanted to help her. He wanted to hear her voice. He wanted to see her.

 

[zydrate]

Two weeks until her birthday and Malinda was missing Will. She was missing the farm and missing everything there. It was a simple life, yes, but it was also what she craved. No ‘royal’ obligations, no having to make sure no traditions were broken, no having to ask permission to do anything.

She had sent a letter to Will just 3 days ago. She had used the city computer and printer to design an official looking envelope, that way no one would suspect anything. At least she thought it looked official. Inside, a letter telling Will that she was OK and that she and Lucy were still on the move. She had phone and gave him the number. Hoping to hear from him.

The waiting was what was taking forever. She had told him to contact her no matter what. If he didn’t want to talk to her, then she needed to know. That way, she would at least know.

Malinda didn’t go out much and when she did, she made sure to be with other people at all times, never to go alone anywhere or take unnecessary short cuts. She always had mace and a knife on her.

Even with Lucy still so young, Malinda was teaching her to attack, even though it wasn’t really in her nature, she would just end up playing. Perhaps in time, Lucy would get the idea. Hopefully it would never come to the point she would need to attack anyone.

Although she knew she couldn’t keep this up forever, Malinda hoped it was long enough so she could see Will one last time…

 

[BeachBum25]

Will tried everything that he could to find out about Stewart... where did he go? Who had he told? Stewart was going to pay.

He had to make several visits to the doctor for follow-ups to make sure that everything was healing okay. The doctor just told him he had to take it easy. Will told him okay, but he was getting antsy. He had to continue with his revenge, and then there was the deputy. He was more of a challenge. That might take some time.

It was driving him crazy not knowing about Malinda. He wasn't sure what happened to her that night. Did she get away? Was she safe? Did her stepfather find her? Was she being sent back to her country to marry the old guy so that her step-father could get wealthier? Will spent a lot of time wondering about Malinda's mother. How could she allow her daughter to be married off like that? Why would she allow her husband to treat her daughter the way he was? There was something wrong there. Was she being pressured in some way?

Rarely did Will check his mail. The only thing that would be sent to him were bills. When he finally did go and check it, he saw an envelope that looked official. When he turned it over to open it, he realized that it had been opened and re-sealed. Someone was looking at his mail. It was someone looking for Malinda.

When Will called Malinda, e let her know that she needed to get rid of her phone. Someone was probably tracking her on her phone. "Malinda, get rid of the phone. You have my number. Call me when you get a new phone. I will meet you anywhere."

 

[zydrate]

Malinda didn't hesitate to answer the call and was relieved to hear Will's voice. But the call was short and he hung up before she could say anything. She stood up from the bed, ran to the bathroom, opened the phone and yanked the battery out and tossed it and the phone into the toilet. She wasn't sure it would help but hopefully it did something.

Then she got dressed, grabbed her things, which all remained in a bag at all times. She got Lucy's leash and fastened it to the dog's collar. "Let's go!"

She had broken one of her rules and took the back exit that was only for employees.

30 minutes later, with no incidents, she had a new phone she had gotten from a convenience store a few blocks away. She sat in a coffee shop and dialed Will's number, which she had memorized before destroying her original phone.

On the call, she told Will where she was. She could get another room some where or meet him somewhere also... perhaps halfway. It wasn't a problem. She'd get a car if needed. All she wanted to do was to see him one more time. Because, she knew they were going to find her soon and she was tired of running.

********

Why couldn't she get rid of that feeling that someone was following her? Malinda hadn't been able to shake that feeling since she had left the farm. All she wanted was that secure feeling back. She had wanted to be near Will. He was the only one who made her feel safe.

It had been over 6 hours since they talked and had made arrangements to meet in the city. She was now at a dog park. A public place. There, she let Lucy play for a bit with the other dogs. It was late afternoon and any minute, Will would be there.

 

[BeachBum25]

Will was relieved to get the return phone call from Malinda. He was happy to hear that she was okay, but he could sense in her voice the stress she was feeling from all of the running. When Malinda said she wanted to see him, he agreed immediately. "I will meet you anywhere, Malinda. Initially, it should be in a public place... somewhere that he could check to see if anyone was following her.

They agreed to meet at the dog park in the city. That was perfect. Will would get to see Malinda and he would also get to see Lucy. He would also have an opportunity to look around and do some reconnaissance to see if anyone was watching her closely.

He arrived an hour before they were scheduled to meet. He found a location in a clump of trees and watched as people came and went. He took notice of the people who were just hanging around. Will wanted to be able to spot anyone that might be following Malinda.

When he saw Malinda walk up with Lucy a little smile came to Will's face. Yes, he had heard her say she was okay. Now, he could see that she was okay; at least, physically she was okay. He was certain that her insides were churning. She was so close to her 21st birthday. Will had to find a way to make sure she reached it before her step-father found her.

Will was not going to sneak up on her. He did not want to scare her. As he approached them, Lucy saw him and came running toward him. "Hey girl, how are you?" Will got down on one knee to say hi to the dog while never taking his eyes off of Malinda.

Standing back up, he walked over to Malinda and gave her a big hug. "I am so happy to see you Malinda. I am happy to see you are okay." He continued to hold her. "I had no idea where you were or what you were up to. I didn't know if you were safe, injured, or taken back by your stepfather. I have been so worried about you."

While hugging Malinda, Will noticed someone watching them. He had not seen the man before. He whispered to Malinda, "get Lucy and let's get out of here. I have a funny feeling that we are being watched. Don't look around. Just get Lucy, take my hand and walk with me."

They walked out of the park moving away from where Will had seen the man who was watching them. He was probably not alone, so, Will was looking around to see if there was anyone else who was pauing attention to them. They wound their way up and down streets; sometimes doubling back just to see if they were being followed.

"Okay Malinda, we need to get somewhere that we can talk and plan our next moves. You are so close. I am not letting them get you now."

 

[zydrate]

When they finally were able to embrace one another, Malinda felt secure. After weeks of hiding, a wave of emotion hit her, and she did her best to hold it in. She didn’t want to let go of Will but when she heard him tell her that they were being watched, she just nodded. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed Lucy’s leash in one hand and Will’s in the other. She gave his hand a hard squeeze, hoping to let him know she wasn’t going anywhere without him.

As they walked, Malinda thought of where they could go. She was at a loss, “I don’t know any more Will. I’m tired of running. I know it’s just a few more weeks and it seems like its never going to get here. I feel like they’re getting closer.”

They crossed a busy street with the crowd. That was the key, stay in a crowd… right? She knew they couldn’t go back to his place… she supposed they could get another hotel for the night and wait it out there? “What about the train? It could take us to the next town?” She was just throwing ideas out there, trying to be as helpful as she could, plus, she was thinking of Lucy as if they took a bus, she knew they wouldn’t let a dog on for such a long trip.

When they were a couple of blocks in, Malinda gasped, seeing that Stewart guy, standing on the next corner, watching them… Malinda was immediately directed down another busy street by Will.

We’re not going to make it… she thought...

 

[BeachBum25]

Will saw Stewart at the same time as Malinda saw him. Without making a scene, Will led Malinda and Lucy along a busy intersecting street. They walked into a busy hotel lobby and then out the back door into an alley that led to a back door of another hotel which had its main entrance on the next street over.

Leading Malinda into the lobby, Will told her to sit down with Lucy and relax. "Just act like you belong here. Don't say anything to anyone. If someone comes up to you, ignore them. If someone tries to take you, start screaming... LOUD. I will only be gone for a couple minutes."

He hated doing that. Will was not happy to leave Malinda alone, but he had to.. for the moment. Will went out the doors of the lobby and headed for the intersection where they had seen Stewart. He was going to move up behind him and have a chat. He knew Stewart couldn't make a scene and would just move slowly after them. It would give Will a chance to catch up to him.

Stewart was standing outside the hotel where Malinda and Will had run into. Stewart was looking through the large plate class window trying to locate them. Concealing the knife he had in his hand, Will walked up behind Stewart and said in a low voice, "Are you looking for anyone in particular?" At the same time, Will pressed the blade of the knife to Stewart's back.

"Don't move, don't yell. If you do, you will be bleeding to death on the ground, and I will be long gone." Stewart started to say something. "No Stewart, save your breath. You are going to need it. You see, you fucked up. Remember what I did to you in the basement... well, I am going to do that to your wife and daughter. I will hunt them down and they will pay for what you have done. The only thing that will be different is that I will not show them any mercy. They will suffer and they will die, and you will get to watch."

Will felt Stewart tense. "Yes, I see that you forgot about those special skills that I developed in the military." Will pressed the knife tighter to Stewart's back; the point of the blade pushing through his shirt. "The only way that your wife and daughter will live is if Malinda makes it to her 21st birthday. Oh, they will still suffer, but they will live. You see Stewart, you pushed me over the fucking edge."

"I want information. Tell me how many people are here looking for her and tell me what they plan to do." Stewart spilled his guts. He told Will that there were 10 men including himself that were in town looking for Malinda. They had found out she was going into the park so they had stationed themselves all around, with one going into the park to have eyes on her. It was just his luck that they had gone in his direction. "Oh, trust me Stewart, it is your lucky day. Now, you are going to lead them away from here and then say you lost us. Trust me when I tell you, I will spend every last minute of my life hunting you and your family down if she doesn't have a birthday drink with me Stewart."

Will slid the knife back into his pocket and disappeared down the street. He didn't trust Stewart, obviously, but he hoped it gave Malinda and him time to get out of town. Yes, he knew she was tired of running, but she only had 2 more weeks to do it.

 

[zydrate]

In the hotel lobby, Malinda was beyond nervous. What if Will didn't come back?

No! Don't think like that... taking a few deep breaths, Malinda looked down at Lucy who could sense something wasn't right. The dog was restless... "I know how you feel girl... just a few more minutes..."

Malinda did a quick look around the lobby. It was busy. That was good. The more people the less of a chance--

That's when she saw them.. 2 guys looking directly at her. She gasped. They weren't coming toward her...yet. She looked around again and saw two more on the opposite side...those are the two that started to move toward her and Lucy.

Damnit...

Malinda stood up and just then, a group of kids came rushing to her and Lucy. They started to get happy about Lucy and asked if they could pet Lucy. The men stopped when the children approached Malinda. Even though she felt guilty about using children as a way to keep the men at bay, she said yes.

Of course, Lucy loved it.

Will... where are you?

 

[BeachBum25]

Returning to the lobby of the hotel, Will realized that his conversation with Stewart had come too late. He saw the men moving in Malinda's direction, and then he saw them stop. Will saw Malinda and Lucy surrounded by a group of kids. Okay, that stopped them for a moment, but it wouldn't last long.

Approaching Malinda, he made eye contact with her trying to get her to relax. He knelt down with Lucy and rubbed her neck as the kids were petting her. Then, he said to the kids, "Do you see those two men over there? They have a bunch of dogs and they always let kids pet them. If you hurry up and go over to them maybe they will let you pet their dogs."

The kids rushed off. They were only going to be a momentary distraction to the men... at least hopefully they would be. Will grabbed Malinda's hand and led her out the front door; right past the two men there. The men had trouble following because of the kids around their legs. It was a short distraction.. would it be enough? He hoped so... for Malinda's sake.

As they turned up the street, will looked over his shoulder and saw that the men were already out of the hotel and following them. He led Malinda into an office building and led her to the bank of elevators. They jumped onto one elevator just as the doors were closing. There were several people on the elevator already; all seemed to be going to different floors. That was perfect.

Lucy was busy trying to make friends as Will squeezed Malinda's hand to reassure her..... or was he trying to reassure himself? Will pushed a button that was in between two floors that others were getting off. When it came to the floor for the button he pushed, Will led Malinda and Lucy off the elevator. He looked around and noticed a bunch of offices.. mostly local offices for large corporations.

Taking a breath, he looked at Malinda. "So, they know where we are. We have to figure out a way to get out of here. Coming up here was not the greatest plan, but I needed some time to think." Will checked to make sure that his gun was in the back of the waistband of his jeans. He walked around and noticed there were multiple stairways. He wondered if they had enough men to cover all of the stairways.

"Okay, here is what we are going to do. We are going to go down one of the back stairways. when we get down to the main floor, we will go out onto the street, not back into the lobby. From there we are going to have to find a way to get quickly out of town. If you see a taxi, hail it down. It might be out best bet."

After making sure Malinda understood his plan (not a great plan mind you) Will led her and Lucy into one of the back stairwells, hoping that it would be one that wasn't covered. They started down the steps, hoping not to see anyone coming up.