Back To Me (32 page)

44

Billy

              I watched the sky turn shades of orange and red as the sun rose in the distance. I sipped coffee from the ceramic hotel mug, hoping I’d be home in the next few days. I was anxious to get this over with and back to my angel. That is if she would still have me. The way I left her alone in that hospital bed, with no correspondence, left me wondering.

              I’d yet to hear from Blake, but it was still early so I wasn’t worried. I was anxious to learn what Blake had found out about Tom’s whereabouts, but I’d have to be patient.

              I sat back in the uncomfortable chair, propping my feet on the edge of the bed and leaned my head back. I took a deep breath and then another, trying to work out in my mind what needed to be done next. I no longer cared about Raul, though I did care about the girls he was harboring.

              For now my main focus was Tom. He’d lied to us. Used us. Put me and Blake in harm’s way purposely. That was more than enough reason to want to get my hands on him, but the driving force was vengeance. Revenge for what he’d done to Heather; leaving her when she was only a little girl to pursue his dream career, as her mother always said. And then, attempting to kill her!

              I’d put Heather back together years ago, but I was afraid this time would be different. Learning that her father had been living under her nose for all these years had to be a terrible blow. Knowing that he could have tried to make amends, but chose money and power over his daughter
again
had to cause even more pain. Tom was a sorry excuse for a man. I couldn’t begin to imagine all that must have gone through her mind when Lauren told her the truth, but I couldn’t think about that right now. I had to keep a clear head going into this. It might be my one and only chance for redemption. Redemption for having left her rather than telling her the truth and riding out the storm at her side.

              I took another sip from my cup, but it was lukewarm. I listened as my heartbeat kept a steady rhythm with the water dripping from the faucet in the bathroom. The hum of the air conditioner drummed right along with the pounding in my ears. Sweat started to bead on my brow as I studied how to take Tom out once and for all. Part of me wanted to make it quick. Just be done with it so I could leave this hell behind. The other part, the
old me
, wanted to drag it out. I wanted Tom to suffer for what he’d done to Heather. I wanted him to feel the pain she’s felt all these years. I wanted him to hurt just as I hurt when she left me alone in the hospital. For losing our baby, and for whatever damage he would do; what I
knew
was coming. After I’d taken him out, Blake could have Raul to do whatever he wanted. But Tom…. he was
mine.

             
As I was musing over the million ways I could torture Tom, my cell phone started vibrating on the table next to me. I picked it up and noticed it was an unknown number. Cautiously, I answered. “Willis.”

              “Hey, man. Blake.”

              I pulled the phone away from my ear again to check the number. There wasn’t one. Why isn’t Blake calling me from his number? Alarms started firing in my head. Before I had a chance to ask, he answered.

              “I’m calling from a prepaid cell. Untraceable,” he explains.

              “Yeah,” I agreed.

              “Look, we got a problem.” I heard Blake sigh lowly, which was never a good sign.

              I sat up straight in my chair, letting my booted feet fall heavily to the floor. “What?” I demanded.

              “Tom’s MIA,” he said, regretfully. “I’ve had eyes on the place all morning. He’s a no-show.”

              “So?” I questioned. “Maybe he’s just sleeping in. It’s still early.” Even I knew it was a weak theory, but I thought Blake might agree. He didn’t.

              “Billy, listen. He’s gone. He’s always here by this time. I even checked where the girls are. He’s not there! Raul and Sergio are already going over today’s plans, and they’re expecting me. I gotta show, or they’ll know somethings up. Call home and check with Luke. Stay put at the hotel. I’ll get in touch as soon as I can.”

              I started to argue with him, but he shut me down. “Just call him, Billy. Keep your phone on you and I’ll call when I can.” With that, the line went dead.

              I’ve been in this business long enough to know that if it stinks, which it definitely reeked of something, then shit’s about to go down. My gut was telling me something had already happened and it wasn’t good.

              Reluctantly I lifted the phone again, quickly scrolling through my contacts. Finding Luke’s name, I hit the send button and waited for my fears to be confirmed.

45

Heather

              I thanked Randy for dropping me off at Billy’s and then raced inside. Thank goodness I’d had the foresight to slip his house key off Lauren’s keychain days ago. Something told me I’d be needing it, though at the time I didn’t know why. Being back here was haunting, but I pushed it down, assuming it was because
he
wasn’t here with me. I had the urge to curl up in bed, pull the covers over my head and never get up again, but I couldn’t do that. I had to get things done and be ready to bolt at the first sign of light. I only had one shot at getting away before everyone came looking for me. Randy had agreed to keep my secret, giving me exactly one day to get my
shit together
, as he called it, before he sent the cavalry in.

I looked around the damp, dark house and nausea immediately set in as I remembered the last time I’d been here. Tom.
My father
. He’d poisoned me and I could have died.  That’s what he wanted, but luckily he hadn’t succeeded. I had an acute feeling that my time was limited, but what Daddy dearest didn’t know was that I’d already made peace with that. My life wasn’t worth anything anyway. Billy was gone. I had no home and no future.

Billy had felt a need to protect me and he’d always done a good job
,
though I never convinced his stubborn ass otherwise. He’d felt guilty about the baby. He’d felt guilty about Tom. He’d felt insane rage that I’d been poisoned. He’d gone ape shit and then off the walls, and then just
gone
.

I had a few pangs of doubt about his motives for leaving.  Even to the point of wondering if he felt responsible in some way for what had happened.  A touch of paranoia hinted that he didn’t really love me, but I had to put that out of my mind. Deep down
I knew he did.
He’d said the words and I’d said them, too.

I knew where he had gone and what he was doing. He was on a mission to avenge me. To get revenge for what had happened; what
might
have happened, but this time was different. This time it could cost him his life and that was something I would not stand by and watch. 

              I’d made myself a promise when I snuck out of the hospital. I wasn’t going to let Billy spend another day feeling responsible for me. I wasn’t his
job
, and I damn sure wasn’t a helpless damsel in distress anymore. Tom was
my
fight.

If I lived through what lay ahead then we’d see if we had a future together. But for right now, I was leaving the pity party and never going back. I’d had enough pity to last me a lifetime. I was sick of it. I was sick of being the pathetic little girl my mother always accused me of being. I was tired of feeling weak, and alone. Most of all, I was tired of people assuming I was too stupid to do anything right. I was pumped to take care of things on my own and make sure Billy wasn’t harmed in the process.

              I was also so tired of
father.
That word just made me sick!
To think I had spent so much time, as far back as I could remember, praying he would come back into my life. I dreamed about him often and I was always promising to be a good little girl, begging him to come home. Many times I awoke and ran to the window to see if his car was in the driveway.
Maybe he’d show up for my graduation
I’d tell myself; unannounced and unplanned, but I’d notice him clapping and cheering louder than anyone. There was always a little bit of hope…and now it was all gone.  Momma always told me he left because his career was the most important thing in his life. Well if that was the case, why didn’t he just leave me alone to live my life?  Instead he’d tried to kill me! Hell, he’d tried to kill Billy, too! This man, my
father,
had to be dealt with on his own level. I knew what I had to do.  

              I threw some odds and ends in a lightweight gym bag I found beneath a pile of sneakers in Billy’s closet. Traveling light was key. I needed to stay as inconspicuous as possible. I grabbed a small flashlight, a dark hat, and a pair of gloves. I chuckled to myself as I threw the items in the bag. I could only imagine if Billy were here he’d be laughing, too, once he got over the yelling and being pissed off part, of course. I hadn’t a clue what I was doing really, but I figured I’d wing it once I got there. All I needed to do was get Tom to myself; I’d take it from there. Somehow. If I made it out alive and Billy didn’t want to be with me, he could go back to his old life if that’s what he chose to do. I didn’t know how I would survive if that happened, but at least he would be safe. Right now I couldn’t think about the outcome. I had to stay focused on the mission. I’d learned that from Billy.

              I walked down the hallway, dropping the bag by the front door. I rummaged through the kitchen, knowing Billy hid a wad of cash in one of the canisters. I felt bad stealing from him, because let’s face it that’s exactly what I was doing, but I reminded myself that it was for a good cause.
Bingo!
Two-hundred and thirty-two dollars. It would get me there, and possibly back, though I wasn’t totally confident things would turn out that well.

              Shutting off all the lights, I stretched out on Billy’s bed, inhaling his scent one last time. I allowed a few stray tears to fall before deciding that I couldn’t lose it. I had to hold it together until all of this was over and then, if possible, I would let them all out until there was never another tear to cry.

              I closed my eyes and drifted into a fitful sleep. Sometime hours later, or maybe it had only been a few minutes, I woke up coughing. Something was choking me, but my eyelids wouldn’t cooperate enough for me to find out what it was. It was so hot, scorching hot in fact.
Was I still dreaming? Surely not
, I thought to myself. It wasn’t until a loud crash sounded that I bolted upright from the bed, seeing all of the smoke and flames surrounding me. The house was engulfed in fire, and this was definitely
not a dream.

             
I tried remembering the basics;
stop, drop and roll
, but fear was paralyzed me. I couldn’t will myself to move as I scanned the room, looking for a way out. The doorway to the hall was already ablaze, so that was a no-go. There were two windows in the bedroom, but both were dangerously close to the fiery-red flames.
Shit!

             
My brain was scrambling, trying to think of an escape route when I remembered the large picture frame window in the bathroom. Thank God, Billy had the foresight to put that monstrous thing in when remodeling the house.

              I stepped backwards with caution, though I’m not sure why the hell I wasn’t bolting quicker. The flames had nearly destroyed everything, and the ceiling looked like it was ready to cave in at any moment, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away. This was
Billy’s home.
Everything his grandmother had ever worked for, and he was so proud of it. This fire was just another reason for him to hate me, and I knew it. I scrambled my brain, trying to think if I’d left the stove on, or lit a candle that I’d forgotten to put out, but there was nothing. I hadn’t done anything except come in, pack a few things, and steal some money. You know, your everyday things.
That’s when it hit me.
This had to be arson. Either someone knew I was here and was trying to kill me, or someone took a shot in the dark, and destroyed Billy’s home for revenge. Either way, the thought crippled me. My mind immediately went to
my father.
This had him written all over it. By now he had to know the poison hadn’t killed me. I wasn’t sure if I’d be any safer outside, but when the roof collapsed onto the bed I knew I didn’t have much choice.

              I finally got my feet moving and ran into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. I stuffed towels under the door in a futile attempt to keep the smoke at bay. I was coughing profusely, trying to regain my breath, but each time I inhaled there was less oxygen than before.

              I could hear screaming outside and the rustling of what I thought was the bushes, but for all I knew it was the relentless flames bristling against the door. I saw faint lights outside, but the thick, billowing smoke made it hard to tell. Someone had come for me, I just didn’t know who.

              “Heather!” I heard a man scream. Luke perhaps? “Heather! Where the hell are you?”

              I climbed over into the claw foot tub and wrestled with the window. In my haste, and because I was pretty certain I was about to lose consciousness, I couldn’t get the damn thing open!

              “I’m in here! I’m right here!” I screamed through bouts of coughing. I beat on the window, praying someone would hear me.

              “Move back, Heather! I have to break the glass!” he shouted. I saw a faint silhouette, and then the dark hair.
It was Luke
. Oh, thank God!

              “Please, hurry!” I shrilled. I could feel the heat from the fire even though the door was closed and I was still a good 15 feet away. I felt it hovering over me and around me, and in just a few more minutes I’d be consumed.
Dammit!
I was
not
gonna go out like this!

              I could hear yelling beyond the glass, which was now completely covered over with thick, black smoke. I knelt down, covering my mouth with my t-shirt. It was thin and useless as protection, but I didn’t dare remove a towel that I had shoved under the crack of the door. I lowered my head to my knees and prayed. I prayed right then and there that I’d be okay. That whoever was on the other side would save me, and not be hurt in the process.
Why in the hell had I come back here?
Oh, right. Because I’m a strong, independent woman who can take care of herself. What a joke.

              I heard the
thud
of something heavy, but no glass breaking.
Was the damn thing shatterproof?
Probably so knowing Billy. Several moments later, I laid over on the tile floor which was stuck to my soot-soaked skin. It was so
hot.
I closed my eyes and took one last breath. Then I heard the shattering of glass.

              “Heather! Where are you!?” There was more than one voice, each one sounding further away than the next.

              “Heather!” The other voice shouted, even louder and with more panic.

              I tried to lift my body, my arms….
something
, but it was no use. The smoke was too thick, and I was too weak.

              “Where the hell is she?”

              “Maybe she got out another way?”

              “Nah, man! That’s impossible! The whole damn house is nearly gone! If she tried to go another way, it’s not gonna be good!”

              I could feel the vibrations of feet moving across the tile, each step a jolt to my ear that was pressed to the floor. Soon I felt a kick, albeit accidental.

              “She’s here, man! I found her!”

              The gentle giant reached down and scooped me in his arms in one fluid movement. I was jostled about as the large figure surged forward, but I wasn’t complaining. In this moment I had hope.

              The gentlemen kept coughing, all the while trying to soothe me. “I’ve got you, Heather. You’re gonna be alright. You hear me, dammit? You’re gonna be just fine!”

              I felt the cool night air hit my skin the moment we stepped outside; a drastic change from the blistering heat I’d been trapped in just moments before.

              “Bring her over here!” someone commanded.

              I saw the flickering of bright flashing lights through my closed lids and I knew it was emergency vehicles.

              “Is she okay? My God, Heather! Are you alright?”

             
Lauren.
Lauren was here and scared to death. I imagine they all were. I had been so foolish sneaking out of the hospital and lying to Randy. Then there was my plan. My plan was the worst of all.
Who was I?
Nobody, that’s who. These people shouldn’t be making such a fuss over me, of that I was sure.

              My hand reached through the air, trying to grab ahold of someone,
anyone
. I just needed to know I wasn’t alone, though I knew I wasn’t. It sounded like there were more than a few people around, all here for me even though I’d done nothing to deserve their kindness.

              “I’ll ride with her.” I recognized his voice as the man who’d carried me out, but I had no idea who he was. I thought I’d met everyone there was to meet, but apparently not. At least I wasn’t
alone.

             
“We’ll meet you there,” I heard Luke shout, just before the doors of the ambulance closed.

              I could feel people poking and prodding around, but not much else. Everything still sounded so muffled, and I struggled to breathe. An oxygen mask was immediately placed over my face, and I welcomed the help. It didn’t feel like it was doing much, but I was grateful nonetheless.

              The unknown man was sitting up near my head, stroking my hair and whispering reassurances in my ear.
You’re gonna be just fine. Billy’s on his way. Don’t worry, Heather. We’ve got ‘cha.