The Chase by Amber Riel (story reading txt) 📖

sure I had a noticeable red hand print on my cheek.  He went to smack me again.

          “Andrew, leave her alone.  Bring her back to her cell and get Bill out of there…. Lock her up and leave her there.  We don’t need her escaping again.”

          “Yes, sir.”  Andrew had kept me in his hold as he dragged me to the cell, through me back in and made sure he helped his brother stand up on his feet.

          “She kicked me in a bad place,” Bill told Andrew as he eyed me with anger.

          They left, closing the door behind them, and I listened as the door locked from the other side.

          I curled up on the bed and pulled my knees up to my face as I began crying again.  I didn’t want to be stuck there any longer than I had been and I wanted to leave as soon as possible.

 

          I curled up into a ball and lay facing the wall on the other side of the room.  My pillow which didn’t really do anything was wet from my salty tears as I continued to cry.  I felt this sharp sheering pain in my head as a headache formed.  I didn’t know if it was from the crying or if the pillow was the caused but my head was sore from either one.

          “SAM!” Louis’s voice called to me.

          I wanted to answer but I figured it was a dream.

          “SAM!” I heard his sweet caring voice call to me again.  “SAM!”  Knock, knock, knock.

          I jolted up out of bed as I heard the noise again and this time I ran to the door.

          “SAM, ARE YOU IN THERE?!”

          I felt relief consume me as I was sure I was dreaming.  “LOUIS?!”

          “SAM!  I GOING TO GET YOU OUT OF THERE!  IF YOUR NEAR THE DOOR, YOU MIGHT WANT TO BACK AWAY!”

          I did as he had demanded and moved under the window.

          BANG!  BANG!  BANG!  The door flew open and Louis stood in front of me.  He was covered in bruises and cuts.  I cried as I looked at him.

          “Louis?” I asked as the tears flew down my cheeks like waterfalls.

          Louis nodded and smiled.

          I ran over and hugged him, trying not to touch his sores or bruises.  “How did you find me?”

          “Long story….”

          I looked up at him as he smiled down at me.  “What did you do?”

          He kind of laughed.  “Let’s see I fought the dragon then came and rescued the princess.”

          I kind of laughed as I remembered the story I had created for Lainie.  “I’m so sorry I had to put you through this…. You shouldn’t have had to do this…. I’ve put you through so much already…. I don’t even know why you would even want to be with me after all of this?”

          Louis laughed again.  “I admit that I was ticked off when I didn’t see you in the car after I told you to stay there…. But you’re worth the trouble…. I’m always going to be willing to do whatever it takes to keep you safe even if I have to fight for you or go looking for you…. Now, I’m not saying that you should go looking for trouble out of stupidity but I’m always going to do what I need to so you could be safe.”

          I smiled as I locked eyes with him.  “You’re hurt because of me though.”

          “Worth it…. Besides, it’s only a few bruises and minor injuries…. Nothing major…. I’ll be fine…. Now we need to get out of here…. We’ve caught the Baker brother’s but the third guy escaped….”

          “The cook….”

          “Huh?”

          “The cook…. The younger cook who works for Ron and Annie….”

          Louis moved his eyes in all kinds of directions, thinking.  “Are you sure?”

          I nodded.  “I’ve seen him…. He’s the mastermind…. He explained everything to me.”

          “Of course…. It’s an inside job…. Why didn’t I think about that before?  The possibly of someone working inside of the house…. I should have at least thought about questioning everyone who worked there but for some reason it escaped my mind.”  He locked eyes with me.  His look had changed from happy to see me to a serious look which meant we needed to leave.  “Thanks for telling me, Sam.”  He kissed my cheek then pulled away from me as he realized that I had a bruise on my face.  “Who did that to you?”

          “Andrew…. The biker looking guy who didn’t have a scar on his face…. His brother tried to force himself on me when I kicked him in a bad place.”

          Louis raised both eyebrows and smiled.  “Good at least I know you can defend yourself.  Now come on you can explain the rest of the story to me some other time which I’m going to see if George will let me give both of the brothers a piece of my mind…. No one hits my girlfriend and gets away with…. Come on.”  He grabbed my hand and lead me down the hall as we met up with Eric and George along with a few other cops.

          “Good to see that you’re alive, Sam,” George told me with a sympathy look.

          “Yea sorry you had to go through this,” Eric replied.

          I kind of smiled.  “Thanks, guys.” 

Back in the Safety Zone

          Louis drove us back to the house.  I wondered what Annie and Ron would say when they had seen me.  I wondered how they were going to react when I told them about the cook who lied to them and only worked for them just to find a way into the house.  I knew that they’d probably be shocked but also ashamed that they had even thought to hire someone like him.  Louis grabbed my hand.  “It’s okay, Sam.  It’s going to be okay.”

          “But I can’t help it…. This whole thing…. The whole situation is crazy….” My tears had dried and my puffy red eyes where itchy from the dried tears I had cried.  “How could that guy do that?  When I told him that Kathleen had died because of that fire, he didn’t even care.  He just stood there as if her death meant nothing.  It didn’t even bother him.”

          Louis sighed.  “Sadly, evil doesn’t care about others…. That’s how it is…. People like him don’t care about anything else but getting what they want no matter what they have to do or how they have to do it…. They don’t care if innocent people get hurt or killed…. As long as they get what they want nothing else seems to matter.”  He shook his head.  “Thing is they don’t realize when they make bad choices then the coincidences grow…. If he doesn’t get what he deserves in this life, then he’ll get it when he dies…. Unless he asks for forgiveness from God but if he don’t, then he’ll suffer….”  He glanced at me then back toward the road.  “But don’t worry…. We’re not going to let him get away that easily…. He’s the last one we to place in prison and then everything will go back to normal as soon as possible…. Well, not exactly normal, but close enough…. Although, you’re not coming with me on the next trip….” He smiled as he locked eyes with me for a brief moment.  “Now you can see why we don’t have a bring your girlfriend to work day,” he said as he kind of laughed.

          I smiled and shook my head although I had to agree with him.

 

          We arrived back at the house and Annie ran out and hugged me after I climbed out of the car.  “I was so worried about you after Louis called and told me what had happened…. I panicked….”

          “I’m fine, Annie….” I replied.  “Although, I am kind of hungry.”

          Annie smiled and nodded.

          “But I think I’m going to shower first.”

          Annie nodded again and led me into the house.

          I looked back and smiled as Louis made his way behind us.

 

          Annie looked back at Louis as we entered into my room.  “Prince charming rescued the princess?” she asked with a warm smile in her tone.

          I felt myself smiling at the question.  “In a way….”

          “That’s all Lainie’s been talking about…. You being the princess and Louis being your prince charming after you were kidnapped although we didn’t word it to where it would be as scary for her to understand.”

          I nodded as I walked over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of sweats and a t-shirt then pulled out a pair of underwear.  I looked at Annie and I sighed.  “I have some horrible news,” I told her as she turned to face me.

          “What’s that?” she asked.

          I sighed and closed my eyes for a moment to prepare myself for what I was about to tell her.  “The young cook…. Well, younger cook who works for you and Ron….”

          “Yes,” she sighed as she kind of nodded for me to continue.

          “He was in on the break in and the fire…. I couldn’t believe it when I saw him myself but it was and he was so evil…. He didn’t even care when I told him about what had happened to Kathleen.”

          Annie fell into a sitting position on the bed as tears filled her eyes.  The shock and confusion where apparent in her eyes.  She shook her head with disbelief.  “Why?”

          “I don’t know…. He said he wanted Ron’s money but that gives him no reason to do what he has done to the two of you…. To Lainie…. I’m so sorry.”

          “It’s not your fault.”

 

          After I had showered, I had walked into the kitchen where I found Ron, Annie, Eric, George, and Louis waiting for me.  “Where’s Lainie?” I asked.

          “She already ate and is in her room, playing with her toys,” Annie answered.

          I nodded.

          “Annie and Louis told me about the cook,” Ron said.

          I sighed and walked over to Louis, sitting next to him.  “I’m sorry.”

          Ron shook his head.  “Nothing to apologize for…. Thank you for letting them know by the way…. It’s a good for the men working on our case to know…. So by you telling Louis is a good thing….”

          I nodded.

          “As for telling Annie it’s good that you let one of us know…. One of his employers…. Good job.”

          I kind of smiled.  Before I could say anything, Annie had a plate of food in front of me.  The smell was a sweet smelling scent which told me it was roasted honey glazed ham and mash potatoes along with some cream corn on top.  “Thanks, Annie.”

          “No problem,” she replied as she handed me a fork and a small butter knife.

          “We’re going out tomorrow to see if we can catch Fredrick,” George told everyone.  “We have a good feeling we know where he’ll be…. We’re going to have quite a few detectives along with the police and we’ll get him.”

          “Sam,” Louis whispered to me, “like I told