CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

The shot to the shoulder sent Ramon falling to the ground and provoked the S.W.A.T. Team to bust through the back door. Otis dropped the gun he’d used to shoot his daughters captor and Ramon was taken into custody and whisked off in an ambulance. Medics attended to Zoe and let her family know that she was being transported to Emory University Hospital for treatment of her wounds. Martha, Pam, and Otis stayed behind to answer all of the officer’s questions. All Martha wanted to do was get to her daughter, but the questions seemed to go on forever. Finally, after about an hour’s worth of explanations, they were permitted to go see about Zoe.

Against Pam’s wishes, Martha allowed Otis to ride with them to the hospital. Martha thought that it was the least she could do and this would give Otis the chance to tell them all why he felt the need to stalk them. Pam opted to sit in the backseat so that she could have a clear view of Otis. He may have saved Zoe, but she still didn’t trust anything about him. For Pam no matter what he did, he’d never be more than an evil monster. The ride was quiet and Pam’s eye’s never left her father. After a twenty minute ride they pulled into the hospital’s parking garage and rushed to the information desk. “What room is Zoe Shaw in?” Martha asked anxiously.

“Take the elevator to the sixth floor and you’ll find her in room 615,” the desk clerk said.

They rushed to her room and both Martha and Pam breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Zoe sitting up sipping on some juice. Thankfully the cut on her neck was superficial and the one to her thigh only required ten stitches. Martha praised God that her baby was going to be alright.

“What is he doing here?” Zoe asked flatly.

“I let him come to see for himself that you were okay. I thought that we owed him that much since he saved your life,” Martha confessed.

“Mama we don’t owe him a damn thing!” Zoe snarled. “Now what are you doing here, Otis? What are you after?”

“I’m not after anything. I’m just here to see for myself that you’re okay. I swear I didn’t come to cause any trouble; my whole point in coming to Atlanta was to apologize to my girls and my wife. I’ve had nothing but time to think about all the ways I did you all wrong and I am so sorry. More sorry than you’ll ever know.”

“Okay, we’ve heard your apology. I thank you for saving my life, but we are no longer your girls and she is not your wife. That life is over and you have no claim on any of us. If you are as sorry as you claim to be, you’ll leave Atlanta and leave us alone forever.” Zoe was very cold, very matter-of-fact in all that she said.

“If that’s what will make you girls happy then that’s what I’ll do. I’ll be gone by the weekend,” Otis promised.

“Yes, that’s what will make all of us happy. There is no room for you in our lives and no part of either of us desires to have you around,” Zoe declared.

“Do you feel the same way Martha?” Otis seemed to hold his breath as he waited for her answer.

“Yes, that’s exactly how she feels,” Zoe answered for her mother.

Pam stayed quiet the entire time. She never uttered a single word, never took her eyes off of Otis. And she held on to her purse for dear life. Zoe kept an eye on her sister, she was worried that Pam was about to become completely undone. But the longer she looked at Pam, the more she realized that Pam wasn’t falling apart, but instead she was growing stronger, staying focused and in control.

“Mama, Zoe needs her rest and we need to get home. It’s time to go,” Pam instructed. “I love you Zoe and I’ll check on you later.” Pam kissed her sister on the cheek and Martha did the same.

“I love you baby. Get some rest and we’ll see to you later,” Martha whispered to her baby.

Outside the hospital, Otis asked if they could give him a ride back to his old truck that was still parked outside of their house. Again, against Pam’s wishes Martha agreed and they all loaded back up in the car. The ride back was filled with Otis’ attempts to convince Martha that he was a changed man. “I’ve never stopped loving you Martha,” he said. “I’ve worked hard to become a better man. I even became a key part of the prison ministry. I got saved baby. I know The Lord now and He’s changed my life.”

“Well I’m happy for you Otis. Now take your new found relationship with God and rely on it to build a good life for yourself. Live positively this time, do something worthwhile,” Martha encouraged.

“Martha I was thinking that since the girls are doing well now and that Ramon character is no longer a threat to Zoe, maybe you could come back with me. We could start all over. You know the way it was before we had the girls. We used to be good together, baby, used to have fun. What do you say, can we start over?”

Martha whipped the car into the drive, threw it in park, and stepped out. She stood there and looked at Otis as if he had two heads. “Otis there is no way I could or would ever go back to a life with you. I don’t even want you in the same town as me let alone the same house. You need to go back home and work on building that positive life we just talked about.”

Pam opened her car door but didn’t get out. She sat listening to the exchange of words and wondered if Otis would take no for an answer and just leave. But the longer they talked the more she realized that he wouldn’t go without putting up a fight.

“Baby don’t you get it? I came back for you. All the changes I’ve made I made for you. My life will be so much better with you in it Martha. I know you still love me, don’t you?”

“Absolutely not! You beat all the love I had for you right out of me. I have nothing for you now Otis, nothing at all.”

“You don’t mean that Martha, now come on and let’s go,” he said as he grabbed her by the hand. “There’s no need to pack anything. We can get you anything you need once we get back home.”

Martha snatched her hand away. “I am home Otis! Now you need to leave.”

“Not without my wife. Now let’s go,” he said grabbing her hand again. But this time he held his grip and wouldn’t let her pull away from him. “I know we can have a good life this time. I promise we will.” Otis was damn near dragging Martha to his truck. She tried to free herself from him but her efforts were in vain. When she was finally able to land a punch and rip her arm free, he turned and punched her in the mouth. “You are coming with me, now get in the truck. Don’t you understand? I won’t live without my wife,” he said as he started dragging her to the truck.

Pam reached in her purse and grabbed the gun she’d purchased after she first thought she’d seen Otis. She knew she wasn’t crazy, that monster’s face was one she could never forget. She jumped in front of Otis with the small caliber pistol drawn. “Let her go now!”

“Pam this has nothing to do with you, now put that thing away before someone gets hurt.” Otis never released his grip on Martha. “Move girl, get out of the way!”

“I’m going to say it one more time, let her go.”

“Damn it girl…” Otis lunged at Pam and without hesitation she pulled the trigger. But she didn’t shoot to injure, Pam shot to kill and that’s just what she did. Otis fell dead in the street just like the dog he was.