Chapter 17
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Nick raced into the house and grabbed the ringing phone. "Hello? Yes, she's here, just a
second." Nick leaned out the still open back door. "Elisha, honey it's for you." Elisha
trotted in from the far end of the yard. "Go back out with the kids okay? The twins just woke
up and Rebecca is determined to put them on the swings!" Nick laughed and zipped his coat back
up as he left the house. Elisha watched him join the children before she answered the phone.
"Yes? What do you mean?" she yelled suddenly. "Why haven't you arrested her yet?" Elisha
pounded her fist on the table. "They have all the evidence that Mandy was the one that kidnapped
my children!" The private investigator tried to calm her down. "That was out of state. The
police here would have to wait for her to try something before they can arrest her here."
"WHAT!?" Elisha screeched. "That bitch has tried to kill me and my husband and she kidnapped
our newborn twins, what more do they need?" "There is a warrent for her arrest in Florida, not
here. I will alert them to her whereabouts and tell them to be on the lookout. That's about all
I can do, at this point." Elisha stood suddenly, knocking her chair backwards. "Be on the
lookout? As she kills us all in our sleep?" She rested her elbows on the kitchen counter.
"Godammit!" She slammed the phone down and held her head in her hands. Elisha tried to get her
temper settled down. She knew if Nick or the kids came in they would know something had upset
her badly. She pushed her hands against the counter and straightened up. "Not this time Mandy.
You are not going to hurt my family anymore!"
The investigator pulled into the motel parking lot a few minutes behind Mandy's car. He could understand Mrs. Carter's worry, for lack of a better word. If he was in her shoes, he would probably be hysterical too. He watched Mandy leave the office and walk to room #8. She pulled a bag from her trunk and entered the room. He noticed the TV flicker on and hunkered down in his seat. It might be a long night, he thought as he redialed the Carter house. Elisha picked up the phone for the second time and nodded throughout the call. "Thank you, I appreciate it." She hung up the phone, smiling grimly. Elisha got her purse from the closet and entered the garage, setting the purse on the floor of the van. Moving around to the backyard she forced a smile onto her face. "Nick? If I feed the twins, do you think you might be alright with the kids for a couple of hours?" Nick looked at her curiously. "Sure, but what's up?" Elisha frantically racked her brains for a plausible answer. "I just remembered that Brian's birthday is very soon, you know, big Brian? I wanted to run into town and pick something up for him and get it mailed. My dates have all been screwed up since the twins came back. You know, I don't think I can remember anything, we forgot your birthday too." She knew she was babbling and stopped herself. "Okay, but we could come with you, you know?" "No, I want to just go and get back home quick." The family trouped into the house and Elisha sat in the big old wooden rocker with Gene while Nick helped Rebecca and Brian out of their boots and coats. Once the twins were fed and contentedly laying on their blanket under the mobile, Elisha prepared to leave. "If 'Becca or Bri get hungry you can make them hot dogs and soup or something easy. I'll try not to be too long." She kissed Nick and hugged the children. "Mommy will be back soon, be good for daddy." As she pulled out of the garage, she noticed their little faces pushed up against the front window. Nick stood behind them with the twins in his arms, pushing their little arms into waves with his fingers. She blew them kisses and waved until they were out of sight. Elisha pulled into the parking lot and scanned it for the man she had hired weeks ago. Noticing his car, she got out of the van, locking it behind her. She knocked on his driver side window. "Mrs. Carter?" he sounded surprised, but, down deep, wasn't really. Elisha pushed her hands into her pockets. "How unscrupulous can you be?" "What?" She held out a roll of bills. "I want you to forget you ever knew me, understand?" He went to take the money from her and she pulled her hand away. "If you take this money, you leave right now and forget my name and my face, right?" She held her hand out again. He nodded and took the roll. It was more money than he saw in a year. "Yes, ma'am" He tucked the money into a coat pocket. "Be careful ma'am. You have a beautiful family and it would kill them if something should happen to their mama." Before she could reply, he started his engine and pulled away from the motel. Elisha secured her purse over her shoulder and dipped her right hand into the bag as she walked to room #8. She knocked on the door and stepped back as it opened a crack. "Hello Mandy. Remember me?" |