Letting Go of Us (Anchored Hearts Vol. 3) (27 page)

James,

I’m not feeling well and
just need some time

to myself. If you could
bring the groceries

I need tomorrow morning,
I’d appreciate it.

OJ

Eggs

Bacon

Fruit

XO,

Cassidy

“
Jesus Christ.” I threw
the notepad down as Smith and I ran out the door. She’d managed to
write a note and remembered the trigger word Smith had put in
place. Bacon. She was in danger and I knew who it was. “I let my
guard down. This is my fault.”

Smith looked back to me as
we ran down the stairwell to the garage. “We all let our guard
down.”

We barreled through to the
garage as Paul pulled by. He stopped, his window already down.
“What’s going on?”

“
Dan has
Cassidy.”

“
WHAT!”

Without thought, I jumped
into Paul’s SUV and Smith jumped in my truck. Ryan came running
through another set of doors and jumped in with Smith. Smith and I
were on the phone as he told me where Cassidy’s car was. Thank God
I was so overbearing and had a tracking system installed. I just
hoped it wasn’t a diversion.

“
Smith, did you call the
cops?”

“
Ryan’s talking with them
now. Her car and phone are still together. They’re near all the
abandoned warehouses on Canal Street. The cops may beat us
there.”

When we pulled down the
street, there was a squad car pulled up behind Cassidy’s mustang.
We all jumped out and Smith told me that her cell tracker was on
the move.
Shit!
Her car was empty. The cop didn’t want us touching anything
because it was a suspected crime scene. That was when we heard
banging coming from inside the trunk.

Frantically, I pulled out
my keys, her spare fob on my keyring and popped the trunk. Melissa
was there, holding her head. Smith helped her out of the car as we
all started questioning her.

She looked to me and tried
to keep her composure. “I’m sorry. I tried to negotiate with him.
He wouldn’t listen.”

“
Where did he take
her?”

“
I, I don’t know. It was
an older car, silver I think, maybe a Buick.”

“
James, her cell is
heading north. He might be taking her back to the townhouse. He’s a
good five to ten minutes ahead of us, easy.” We left the cop with
Melissa as the four of us hopped back into our two vehicles and
sped off. The cop yelling at us the whole time that we should let
the authorities handle it. Fuck them.

Paul used his phone to put
Smith on speaker in his SUV as I tried calling Cass on my cell. I
tried over and over again, sent some text messages and got nothing.
Finally, she answered and all I heard was her screaming.

“
Cassidy!”

“
JAMES! I’m at home. Dan’s
here…”

“
Cassidy? Cassidy answer
me.” I listened as I heard a scuffle before the phone went dead.
“FUCK! Dan has her, they’re at the townhouse.” I knew Smith heard
me as Paul floored it. We were doing ninety on the freeway, headed
toward her townhouse, Smith right behind us.

“
How did this
happen?”

“
Paul. Don’t start with
me.”

“
Sorry, I
just.”

“
I let my guard down. I
fucked up. Don’t you think I know that?” Smith confirmed over the
speakers of the SUV and I directed my next words to all three of
them, but specifically Paul. “Whatever happens, you get her out and
to safety.” Paul looked to me and understood the gravity of it all.
“No matter what.”

“
I got it.”

“
I’m talking to all of
you.”

“
We got it.”

Too many minutes passed
before we were burning rubber down her street. I spotted a car
swerve and saw her red hair in the passenger seat as her desperate
eyes met mine. Paul spotted them too and turned the wheel as he
slammed on the brakes. We were turning to follow them as Smith
pulled down the street and followed suit.

“
Ryan, he’s got her in the
passenger seat. Call everyone you know.”

“
He’s already on it.”
Smith responded as we drove with more caution than Dan was
exhibiting. We’d be lucky if he didn’t get in a car accident, of
course maybe that was his plan all along.

We were driving for far too
long. He was taking her to the country and dread settled over me.
“He’s taking her to the old Reynolds Bridge.” Smith and Paul both
questioned me. “It’s the bridge her mother died at all those years
ago.”

“
Jesus Christ.”

“
You don’t
think…”

“
I, no, I can’t, Ryan tell
the cops.” I put my head in my hands as I thought about what that
sick motherfucker had in mind for her.

“
We’ll get
her.”

My phone rang and it was
her. “Cassidy!”

“
James, I’m so sorry. I
love you, please know that. I choose you. It’s always been
you.”

I tried talking to her, but
it was clear she couldn’t hear me. Her voice was garbled and then
the connection was gone. It took everything I had not to break
down. I just looked to Paul, dread filling me. It was a goodbye
call because she was convinced she was going to die.

“
Do you have your tools?”
He pointed to the back seat as I grabbed anything I thought might
be useful. We had to stop him before Dan did something
crazy.

We lost sight of his car
for a few moments and found it as we approached the bridge. Paul
floored it again once we hit a straightaway and gained on
them.

“
You don’t
think.”

“
No, I know.” We watched
in terror, nothing we could do as we witnessed the car fly through
the side of the bridge and into the water. “Paul, drive to the
embankment. Remember what I said. You get her out.”

“
What happened?” Smith
came through the speakers and Paul answered him.

“
The cars in the water…”
Their voices faded away as I waited for Paul to get close
enough.

Once Paul pulled a ways
down the embankment, I jumped out of the SUV. I grabbed a crow bar
and ran toward the water. Paul was right behind me with a piece of
pipe in his hands. I prayed that the cops and Smith were close
behind. The car was at least fifty yards away as it disappeared
under the water. Before diving in, I turned and saw Smith. He knew
to stay put, the cops would need to know where the car went
under.

Paul and I began swimming
out. Once we were above where the car went under, we took deep
breaths and went under. My eyes burned against the filmy water, but
I could see the car. The water wasn’t extremely deep and it was the
only thing I was thankful for. We swam to the passenger side and
all we could see was her green dress. It had swallowed her whole,
but she was banging on the glass. We began smashing on her window
and it finally broke. I grappled for any part of her I could reach
and pulled her out. Dan’s body came into view and I was determined
to finish it.

Paul grabbed onto her other
arm and started pulling her to the surface as my body was tugged
back violently. I was becoming fatigued, trying not to inhale
water. I found him tugging on my leg and I smashed his face with my
fist before wrapping my hands around his throat. There was no way
he was making it out of that lake alive.

His eyes were bulging as
something heavy smashed against my head. I couldn’t hold on much
longer. I needed air. I started to become disoriented and as his
body went limp, eyes wide, I pushed up with my feet and hit my head
again and my thoughts went blank as my lungs caved and sought
breath, finding murky water instead.

~<>~<>~<>~

When my eyes opened I was
aware that I was in a hospital room. A gorgeous redhead in scrubs
was leaning over me, calling my name. I looked around as a few
people began standing around my bed. Smith and my father were there
and another nurse walked in. What the hell was going on? I tried to
sit up, but my head began pounding when I tried that.

“
James. Thank God, you’re
awake.” The redheaded nurse was being a little inappropriate as I
pulled my hand from her.

“
What’s going on? What
happened?”

A doctor in a white coat
came over as the redhead moved aside. Smith stood close to her and
I wondered who she was. “James, you’ve been in an accident. Do you
know where you are?”

“
Clearly. I’m in the
hospital.”

“
Yes, that’s correct. Do
you know the people here?”

I looked to the faces I
recognized, “Smith, Dad,” my eyes went back to her as I drew a
blank.

She stepped forward and
whispered my name, “James? It’s Cassidy.”

“
James, do you know who
she is?”

I laughed, uncomfortable
and confused. “I, sorry, I don’t.” She stared at me as Smith and my
father flanked her.

“
She’s your wife,
son.”

Scrunching my eyes, I
looked to the doctor, Smith and my father before my eyes went back
to her. My wife? I took in her appearance again. No, I never
planned on getting married. This had to be a joke.

"Haha, guys. Seriously.
Who's the redhead? Where are the cameras? We all know I'm not the
marrying type."

C
hapter
17
~
A
mnesia

~ JAMES ~

The redhead
gasped and turned into my father’s arms as they
stepped further away.

“
James, do you know what
day it is, what year?”

My attention back on the
doctor, I thought about his question. “Umm, yeah.” I racked my
brain. “August 2011.” The doctor took a breath and asked to talk to
my father and the redhead in the hallway.

Smith stayed with me.
“Smith, what the fuck is going on?”

“
Maybe we should wait for
the doctors.”

“
Tell me what’s going on.
Who’s the redhead?”

He moved closer, running
his hands over his face. It was then I noticed he was wearing
scrubs, too. What twilight zone had I stepped into? “She’s your
wife, Cassidy.”

“
No, I…what?” I shook my
head. “What happened, what day is it?”

Smith told me and I was
shocked. It wasn’t August and it wasn’t 2011. It was July 5, 2014.
What the fuck happened to me? The doctor came back in and confirmed
what Smith had told me before I could ask more questions about the
redhead, my wife.

“
You need to rest. You’ve
been through a trauma. Can you do that?”

“
Can I get something to
eat? I’m starving.”

“
Sure. I’ll have your
nurse bring you something.”

Everyone walked out of the
room, leaving me to my thoughts. I closed my eyes, not sure what to
think, say or do. Several minutes later, the redhead walked in with
a tray of food. She set it on the table by my bed and avoided eye
contact with me. She was extremely nervous and I couldn’t blame
her. I was still trying to wrap my brain around everyone telling me
that I was apparently married to her.

“
I went to the cafeteria
and got a few things I thought you’d like.”

“
Thank you. You didn’t
have to do that.” She looked to me briefly and smiled. She had
beautiful blue eyes and it was evident she’d been crying. It was
then I noticed her bruised face. Had she been in the accident with
me? I heard her own stomach growl and smirked. “Are you hungry? I’m
sorry, what was your name?”

The emotion flitted across
her face as she tried to keep her composure. “Cassidy, my name’s
Cassidy. It’s ok. I can eat later.” I placed my hand on hers and
insisted she eat, too. “Ok. Do you want the pizza or the
lasagna?”

“
No matter to me.” She
took the pizza and sat on the edge of the bed by my
feet.

I pulled the bedside table
over and started eating. She seemed quiet and reserved and
definitely submissive. That explained a little bit. But married? I
still couldn’t wrap my brain around it. I caught her staring at me
as the door opened again. A nurse came in and asked to take my
vitals. She then asked Cassidy if she was staying
overnight.

“
Um. I, that’s up to
him.”

“
I imagine you probably
want to sleep in your bed and not here.” The nurse looked at
Cassidy sympathetically before leaving the room. “I’m sorry. I’m
not quite sure what to do here.”

She attempted to smile,
assuring me it was ok. “You’re right. I’d prefer my own bed. You’ve
been through a lot and need your rest.” She looked around the room
and then gazed at me stating, “I’ll be back tomorrow,” before
walking out the door.

~ PAUL ~

I got dressed and headed
out without waking her. She’d tried so hard at the bachelor party
to be a friend and I’d pushed her away. I reached out to her later
on and told her I couldn’t be more than friends. Well, that quickly
turned into friends with benefits and she knew she wasn’t the only
one warming my bed. If that’s all we were, why did I feel bad about
sneaking out? Probably because I knew she deserved more.