Losing Faith (15 page)

Seth took a step forward. “Why don’t you back off!”

Tuck pointed the gun at Seth’s face. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a hero.” Tuck pulled back the hammer. The tiny click stopped Seth’s heart. He held his breath and closed his eyes. This is it, he thought.

“Listen up, everyone. Because I’m only gonna say this once.”

Seth opened his eyes to find the gun’s barrel pointed at the ground. His first instinct was to lunge, tackle Tuck to the ground, and beat the bully senseless with his own gun. It was too risky though. The gun could go off, and someone other than Tuck could get shot.

“I’m running out of patience. I simply want my money, and then me, Trista, and the little brat will be out of your hair. Now I apologize that she,” he said, pointing the gun at Trista, “put you all in this very uncomfortable situation. In fact, I don’t think it would be too big of a request to ask her to apologize for her behavior.”

Seth looked at Trista. Her jaw had tightened, but she was silent.

Tuck leaned in closer to her as if unable to hear her. “We’re waitin’, darlin’.”

Still she said nothing. The room fell silent.

“I want you to know that you’re bringing this on yourself.” Tuck grabbed Savannah by the wrist and yanked her toward him. She let out a shriek, and Frank lunged forward. Tuck sent an elbow into the side of Frank’s face, knocking him backward onto the couch.

“Let her go!” Trista demanded.

“There’s the voice of my sweet girl.”

“Tuck, please. I’m begging you. Please don’t hurt her. You can have the money, but please, don’t hurt her.”

Tuck used the barrel of the gun to push the hair from Savannah’s face. “You must look like your father because you certainly don’t look anything like your tramp of a mother.”

Savannah’s lips tightened, and she spat a mouthful of saliva at him. Seth watched in horror as Tuck closed his eyes, slowly wiping the dripping saliva from his nose. “But you sure do have her manners, don’t you?” Tuck brought back his hand and held it suspended in the air. Savannah closed her eyes and braced herself for the blow.

“Stop it!” Trista screamed.

“Say the magic words!” Tuck yelled back.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Her words trembled through her tears.

“Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Tuck released Savannah, and Trista quickly wrapped her in her arms, both of them sobbing uncontrollably.

Seth wanted nothing more than to be back home with Faith safely in his arms as they rocked back and forth on the porch swing, watching the day pass without a care in the world. He’d had enough of this psycho. It was time to end it. “What is it that you want?” he demanded.

“Finally, someone who actually has some sense about him. Doesn’t listen too well, but at least he has some common sense. What I want is—”

“Your money.”

Tuck smiled. “Well, well, well. Looks like someone was paying attention after all. That’s right, pretty boy. I want my ten thousand dollars, and we’ll be out of your hair.”

Trista shook her head. “We’re not going anywhere with you.”

Tuck cocked his head back in feigned surprise. “You don’t really mean that, do you? Surely you wouldn’t want to deny me my request. When we get home, we’ll patch all this stuff up and get back to our lives. You know, the way things used to be.”

“It’s not happening, Tuck. Be reasonable.” Frank’s voice boomed from behind Seth, surprising him and reminding him of a drill sergeant barking orders.

“Who the hell are you again? I don’t think you’re in any position to tell me what is or isn’t happening. In fact,” Tuck took a few steps closer to Frank, “I don’t like you. You remind me of my father.” Tuck put the gun up to Frank’s face. “And we didn’t get along.”

“Stop!” Savannah shouted.

“I’ll go with you, Tuck,” Trista told him. But please, leave Savannah out of this.”

“Sorry, baby. But family’s family.” He turned to Savannah. “Even if she is a pain.”

“I’m not leaving you, Mom.”

“Isn’t that sweet?” Tuck looked around the room. “Now where’s the money?”

Trista pointed to the bed. “It’s over there in a suitcase beneath the bed.”

“Why don’t you get it, baby.” Tuck turned to the side, keeping his eyes on everyone as Trista pulled out the suitcase and then dug out the oversized envelope.

“Here it is.” Trista held it up, her hands shaking.

Tuck snatched the envelope and looked inside. A large smiled formed on his face. “There it is.” He rolled it back up and tucked it under his armpit. “Looks like it’s time to go.” Tuck pulled out a roll of duct tape and handed it to Trista. “Go ahead and wrap Gramps up first.”

“What?”

“Do I have to explain everything to you?” Tuck pointed the gun at Frank. “Stand up.”

Frank stood up and looked at Seth. Seth could tell he had an idea. He just wished that he had the ability to read minds. “Now turn around and put your hands behind your back. Trista, baby, go ahead and tape ’em together.”

Tears streamed down Trista’s cheeks as she taped Frank’s hands. She whispered, “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Frank said. “Everything is going to be fine.”

“That’s enough talking, you two. Now it’s your turn, pretty boy.”

Seth knew he had to do something. Once that tape was on his hands, Tuck would be free to get away, and Trista and Savannah would be stuck with that psycho. “Wait!” Seth shouted.

“What now?” Tuck asked. He sounded annoyed.

“I’ll make you a deal.”

Tuck considered this. “This sounds interesting. What kind of deal?”

“I have twenty-five thousand dollars in the trunk of our car. You can have it if you let Savannah and Trista go.”

Tuck smiled. “Pretty boy, what are you doin’ with twenty-five thousand dollars?”

Seth flashed his stage smile. “Don’t you recognize me? I’m Seth Storm, the famous country singer.”

Tuck turned to the side as he eyed Seth. “You know, you do kind of look like him.”

“That’s because I
am
him.”

Tuck laughed then. “You may be him, but if so, I know you don’t have thousands of dollars. I repo’d Seth Storm’s car a month back. Your car, if you are who you say you are. You’re as broke as a joke, pretty boy. But nice try.”

“I
was
broke,” Seth countered. “But then I received a contract deal for my next album. I’m actually heading up to Detroit now to work on my next music video. The song’s called—,” Seth paused, struggling to come up with a song title. Then he thought about his Mustang, and it hit him. “My old Ford.”

“If you’re that famous guy, then why are you here, traveling with a bunch of people you don’t know?”

“I was scheduled to be on the same flight as Frank. But the flight was cancelled, and there was only one rental car left, due to the storm. I really didn’t have much of a choice.”

Tuck studied Seth for a moment. Then he shook his head and smiled. “No. I’m not buyin’ it.”

“It’s true,” Savannah said. “He’s Seth Storm.”

Tuck looked at Trista. “Is this for real?”

Trista looked at Seth, and he gave a slight nod. “It’s true. He’s got a guitar in the trunk and everything.”

“Well, I’ll be. I ain’t never repo’d a car from a celebrity before.”

“So what’s it going to be, Tuck? The cash for the girls?”

Tuck scratched the side of his head with the barrel of the gun. Seth hoped the idiot would accidentally pull on the trigger, but knew it was too much to ask for. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll leave the brat here. But Trista comes with me.”

Seth shook his head. “No—”

“It’s a deal,” Trista interrupted. “I’ll go with you, and Savannah stays with them.” She shot Seth a please-don’t-argue-with-me look.

“It’s a deal,” Seth agreed.

“Time to tape up the brat.”

Trista walked over to Savannah and placed a hand on the side of her face. “I love you, Savannah.”

Tears streamed down Savannah’s face as she traced a heart in the palm of Trista’s hand. “Please don’t go,” she pleaded.

“I have to. Don’t worry. Frank’s going to take care of you.”

Hatred filled Seth as he watched Trista tape up her own daughter’s hands at gunpoint. He could only imagine what she must be going through right now. He had to do something. Pretty soon they’d be down at their car, and Tuck would find out that he’d lied about the money. Then what? It’s not like he’d just let them go at that point.

Tuck snatched the roll of tape from Trista and tore off a six-inch piece that he used to cover Savannah’s mouth. “Don’t want you gettin’ any ideas about screaming for attention when we’re gone.” Then he tore off another piece. “Your turn, old timer.”

“Seth!” Frank yelled. “Don’t forget what your hands are for.”

Confused, Seth just looked at Frank. But before he could say anything, Frank’s mouth was taped shut. “There,” Tuck said, placing the roll of tape back into his cargo pocket. “That’s better.” He poked the gun into Seth’s side. “Lead the way, pretty boy. If you try anything funny along the way, I’ll put a bullet in your skull.” Tuck put the gun into his pocket and smiled. “All right. We’re just one big, happy family. Remember that.”

They walked down the hall and headed for the stairs. Seth noticed that the number of people moving throughout the inn had increased substantially. Probably getting ready for the big wedding or an intimate Valentine’s Day celebration, he thought. He tried to plan his next move, but all scenarios led to someone getting shot, and he couldn’t let that happen.

“Hey there, cowboy. You checkin’ out?”

Seth turned to find Deana behind the counter. “No,” he said. “We’re just going to get our flat tire fixed.”

“Ah, I see.” She looked at Tuck, who gave her a big smile. She smiled in return and then paused as she looked at Trista. “Are you okay, deary? Where’s the little one?”

“She’s…she’s up in the room sleeping. You know how teenagers are.”

“Yes,” Deana chuckled. “That I do. My little girl would’ve slept through high school if I’d let her. Is there anything I can do for you?”

“No,” Tuck chimed in. “We’ve got it from here. But thank you so much for your hospitality.”

“No problem. You comin’ back for the celebration tonight, Seth? Once the Deebles found out that a real celebrity was in our midst, they couldn’t stop talking about how nice it’d be if you could sing one of your songs.”

Normally Seth would cringe at such a thought, but he’d trade his current situation for singing on a stage in front of a bunch of strangers on their wedding night without a second thought. “I’ll see what I can do, Deana.”

They turned and walked out the front door. Sunlight splashed onto Seth’s face, causing him to squint. The storm was officially gone, but the wind still managed to blow large drifts of snow across the ground, stinging Seth’s skin as the frozen flakes whipped across his face. “So you’re Seth Storm after all. I’ve never met a real celebrity before. Given different circumstances, I’d probably be askin’ you for your autograph or somethin’.”

“I’m honored.” Seth knew he’d have a real problem on his hands once they reached the car and found no money in it. “Over there.” Seth pointed to the rental car, one of the few vehicles not covered in snow.

They trudged through the snow as they made their way over to the car. Seth’s pulse raced faster with each step. He removed the keys from his pocket and stopped in front of the trunk. This was it, he thought.

“What happened to you anyway? Didn’t your wife die or somethin’? And didn’t you go kind of crazy after that and pretty much just disappear from the music world? I don’t know. I mean, you had some pretty good hits.”

Seth’s jaw tightened as he slid the key into the trunk. He stared at the tattoo on his hand and the image of the burning plane flashed into his mind, fueling his anger.
Remember what your hands are for.
Frank’s words came to him, but he still couldn’t figure out what he had been trying to tell him.

Seth turned the key and opened the trunk. He reached in and slid the flat tire to the side, his heart feeling like it was going to pound right out of his chest. Then he saw the tire iron and remembered his conversation with Frank when they were changing the flat.
Remember what your hands are for.
He grabbed the tire iron and gripped it as hard as he could.

“Hey, pretty boy. Where’s the money?”

“Right here!” Seth shouted. He spun around and slammed the tire iron into Tuck’s hand. The gun went flying into the air.

“You son-of-a—”

Trista ran up and kicked Tuck in the groin. He doubled over and responded with a backhand to the side of her face, sending her flying.

Seth sent a right cross across Tuck’s face, but he spun to the side. He tried another cross. Tuck put up his fist and landed an uppercut to Seth’s stomach, knocking the air out of his body. Then Tuck grabbed him by the neck with both hands, choking him against the side of the car. Seth grabbed his hands, but Tuck was strong and held on like a pitbull holding onto a bone.

Trista held the gun up to Tuck’s head and yelled, “Let him go!”

“Oh, isn’t this sweet,” he said to Seth, not letting up on his hold on his neck.

Trista pulled back the hammer, and Tuck finally released him. “Are you really gonna shoot me? Because I don’t think you have it in you.”

“You have no idea what I’m capable of. Now back off.”

Tuck took a step back, and Seth fell to his knees, his breaths shallow and quick. “Are you okay?” she asked.

Seth coughed weakly and rubbed his throat. “I’m fine.”

Tuck lunged for the gun. Trista struggled to hold on, both of them grabbing at the gun. A shot went off, and still Trista refused to let go. Seth stood up and kicked the side of Tuck’s knee, bringing him straight to the ground. Then he unloaded everything he had into one punch, knocking Tuck out cold into the snow.

Chapter 20

Trista

After the gun went off, people at the bed and breakfast went to check out the commotion. The cops were called. Despite the snow-covered roads, it didn’t take the local police long to arrive. Seth and Trista ran up to the room to remove the tape from Savannah and Frank.

Trista rushed over to her daughter as Seth helped Frank. Tears ran down Savannah’s cheeks as Trista fought to remove the sticky tape. As soon as she was free, she threw her shaking arms around Trista, sobbing as she squeezed tighter and tighter. “It’s okay, sweetie. It’s all over now. He can’t ever hurt us again.”