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Cade
TWO WEEKS LATER, the dreaded Felida Days had arrived, and I hadn’t slept at all the night before. And not in the fun way.
“Hatch has got half a dozen guys on you,” I said as Navy and I made our way to the big top tent where the awards were taking place. Her assistant, Alisa, was hot on our heels.
“Six guys?” Navy stopped walking and faced me.
“Give or take. But I don’t want to hear it,” I warned.
Her eyes narrowed briefly before she turned and continued walking toward the back of the tent.
Until she stopped and faced me again. “Lumpy?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“Any sign of John?”
“Not yet.”
She settled her palm on my chest and raised an eyebrow looking like she was about to say something but shook her head instead.
“What?” I asked.
“I don’t have the time or the energy to argue into the ether,” she said. “I think this is overkill, but I also know you’re doing it because you love me, so we’ll just leave it there, okay?”
I grabbed her hand. “Don’t minimize this, Navy.”
“I’m not. But when nothing happens and we’re home in bed, we’ll have a quick little laugh, then we’ll talk about it.” She patted my chest. “At length.”
“Oh, goody,” I droned.
She rolled her eyes and continued her strut to the area behind the podium where the presenters were congregating.
Keeping her squarely in my sights, I hung back a little to give her a slight sense of autonomy. She may have expected me to leave her entirely alone amongst her business colleagues, but that wasn’t going to happen. The most I was willing to give her was to stand in the back, so long as I could see her, of course.
The group dispersed and Navy made her way to me.
“You good?” I asked.
“Great. I’m up last, so we’re going to be here for a while.”
“I’m okay with that.”
She smiled. “You’re a good man, Charlie Brown.”
“Not sure about that, beautiful. Just want you safe.”
“This will all go pretty quickly, then we can enjoy the carnival. And I want to make sure Hatch’s guys have fun, too.”
“They’re not here to have fun, baby, they’re here to work.”
“They can’t work and have fun at the same time?” she challenged.
“Not tonight they can’t.”
“Navy!” a deep voice called, and we turned as a unit to see her dad and brother walking toward us.
“Oh my gosh, hi!” she squeaked, rushing to greet them. “I didn’t think you were going to make it.”
“I canceled my date,” Reed said.
“For me?” Navy said excitedly, hugging him.
“Well, for Felida Days, but sure, you can take credit.”
“Oh, I will.” Navy laughed, then turned to me. “Do you remember Cade?”
“It’s good to see you again,” Jim said, shaking my hand. “Looking forward to our beer night.”
I grinned. “Me too.”
“You’re having a beer night?” Navy asked.
“He called to get my blessing for your hand in marriage, then we set a night to get a beer,” Jim confirmed.
“You called my dad?” Navy waved her hands in front of her face. “Don’t make me cry.”
“He called me too,” Reed said.
“What?” she breathed out.
“I was a little harder on him than Dad.”
Navy narrowed her eyes. “If you were a dick, I swear to God—”
“He wasn’t, baby. He was just lookin’ out for you,” I said.
She jabbed a finger into her brother’s chest. “Listen up, man child, you need to take some lessons from my fiancé right there. You can keep throwing your dick around like you’ve been doing, but at some point, you’re going to figure out that you’re actually miserable. It’s either going to take a pregnancy scare or twelve, or some whore’s going to give you chlamydia, but you’re going to piss the wrong side of crazy off and suffer the consequences.”
“Looks like I pissed the wrong side of crazy off right now.”
“Dude,” Cade warned, stepping toward him.
“I got this, Lumpy,” Navy said, turning back to her brother. “I get that you make these little retorts because you’re trying to be funny. I also know it’s a defense mechanism because you love me more than you’ve ever loved anyone, and you’re terrified of losing me like we lost Mum. One day, little brother, you’ll grow up and figure out they’re not working for you, though, and you will have driven me away.” She patted his chest. “The one person who’s had your back the entire time and loves you all the way to the moon and back, then back again.”
Reed’s face lost all color. “Navy, are you being serious right now?”
She met his eyes. “You tell me.”
“Okay, kids, I think we need to put a pin in this,” Jim said. “Navy’s got work to do, Reed, so let’s give her the space to do that, hm?”
Reed didn’t say anything, just nodded his head and backed away from his sister. Jim hugged Navy and then he and Reed headed out of the tent.
“Your brother looks like a puppy who got popped in the nose with a newspaper.”
Navy chuckled. “So he should.”
“Would you really let him drive you away?”
She wrinkled her nose. “No way in hell. But he doesn’t need to know that. My little brother needs some tough love on occasion.”
I chuckled, kissing her gently. “Brutal.”
“Navy!” Alisa called. “It’s time.”
“Duty calls.”
I smiled. “Have fun.”
I followed her to the side of the stage, but stayed hidden behind the curtains and waited while she gave her speech. Once the woman of the year was announced and Navy had handed over the award, she headed my way, grinning as she slid into my open arms.
“Good job,” I whispered.
“Thanks, Lumpy,” she whispered back.
Margot Statler gave her speech, then joined us, hugging Navy and then it was time for photo ops which took too much damn time in my opinion, but at least Navy was never out of my line of sight.
“Isn’t this exciting?” Alisa asked.
I glanced to my right. “Ah, sure.”
“All these important people. It’s so great I get to meet all of them.”
“Good for you,” I said.
I mean, what else could I say? Important people in podunk Felida, Washington? This girl needed to get out more.
It finally appeared like the Walmart paparazzi was wrapping up and Navy headed my way.
“You good?” I asked.
“All good. Ready to go play some games?”
“Sure thing.”
Navy turned to Alisa. “Go have some fun, Alisa. Lord knows you’ve earned it.”
Alisa frowned briefly but then nodded and walked away.
“That was weird,” Navy said.
“Do you think she wanted to hang with you?” I asked.
“Hang out with her boss?” She scoffed. “I highly doubt it.”
I forced a smile as I took Navy’s hand, but she pulled it back. “What’s wrong?”
“Sorry,” she said, pushing her sleeve up. “It’s this bracelet. It keeps getting caught in my sweater.”
“Is that the one Cola gave you?”
“Yes, good memory. It’s starting to wear, and the little pins are bending open a bit.” She sighed, removing it, and dropping it into her coat pocket. “I’m just going to put it there for now. I’ll take it in and have everything tightened up and fixed when I have some time. I’d hate to lose any of the shells.”
“Probably smart,” I said, taking her hand again. “Where to, beautiful?”
“Let’s start by the games. Do you want to let Devon know where we’re going?”
I nodded, pulling out my phone and sending off a quick text. “He’s in line for one of the roller coasters with Connor.”
“Okay, well, he can meet us when he’s done if he wants,” Navy said.
I nodded. “Lead the way.”
We headed out of the tent and toward the entrance of the midway where every carnival game imaginable had been set up.
Navy’s face lit up. “Oh, my god. This is so great. Win me something,” she demanded gleefully.
I groaned. “Are you serious? Baby, these games are the worst.”
“Are you saying, good Sir Knight, that you are unwilling to compete in these games of skill? That your queen should go without her prize?”
“They’re all rigged. Everyone knows that,” I challenged.
Navy began to cluck like a chicken.
“You know. It’s unbecoming of royalty to impersonate poultry.”
“The matter is settled, then,” she retorted. “I’ll choose the contest and you shall bring forth my trophy.”
“Okay, but not the one with the goldfish.”
Navy scoffed. “What’s wrong with goldfish?”
“Nothing. But seeing them in those transparent plastic bags filled with water gives me the creeps. Knowing those poor little fishes are at worst, moments away from being left behind on the tilt-a-whirl, or at best, days away from being flushed down the toilet.”
“I never knew you were such an animal lover,” she said, before stopping suddenly. She squeezed my hand and pointed excitedly at an air gun shooting gallery. “That one.”
“You sure?” I asked.
She nodded. “I want that giant panda.”
I chuckled. “Fine, let’s go.”
We arrived at the game, and I watched as the kid behind the counter showed the awaiting rubes how to ‘win,’ firing his air rifle at one of the balloons attached to the back wall, popping it with ease.
“It’s that simple folks. Hit and pop at least two balloons and you win a prize,” the kid barked.
We watched as two young boys took turns trying, unsuccessfully, to pop a single ballon.
I turned to Navy. “See? Rigged.”
She smiled and “flapped her wings.”
“You’re a child,” I said, stepping up to the booth.
“Two dollars for two shots or three dollars for five shots,” the kid said.
“Here’s five,” I said, placing the bill down. “You keep the change and I get one practice shot.”
The kid nodded in agreement.
“How many balloons do I gotta pop for that big-ass panda bear?”
“Five,” he replied with a smirk.
I picked up one of the three air guns chained to the front of the booth and took aim. My first shot winged off at least three inches to the left and didn’t pack enough punch to drive a BB into a slice of birthday cake let alone pop a balloon.
I set the rifle down and gave the kid another five-dollar bill. “Here’s another five for your weapon.”
The kid laughed nervously. “What?”
“Your rifle. I want to use it. These ones are all jacked up.”
“Uh, I can’t do that.”
“Sure, you can,” I argued, before leaning over the counter and relieving the young private of his weapon.
I grinned, lining up my second shot and nailing my target. Navy clapped her hands, and I smiled down at her.
“The big panda,” she said.
“You got it, beautiful.”
I squared up and hit the next target, and the next. By this time, a small crowd had gathered around the booth. Some of the fairgoers, having heard our exchange, and taken an interest in the game. I glanced at Navy who was grinning from ear-to-ear. Three more to go for the big prize. I lined up my next shot and concentrated on the target. Doing my best to block out the noisy distractions around me. My mark was true, and the third ballon exploded, along with the crowd.
“We’re in the championship rounds now,” I said to the kid in the booth, before aiming and taking the last two balloons out in rapid succession to fanfare all around.
I tossed the kid his rifle, and he retrieved Navy’s panda from the top row of prizes with a long metal hook.
“One giant panda coming up. What are you gonna name him, baby?” I asked, turning to hand Navy her prize, but she was gone.
* * *
Navy
As Cade lined up to take his fourth shot, I felt something hard press against the small of my back. “Make a single sound and I’ll shoot,” Alisa hissed as she wrapped an arm around me. Pulling me close to her. “We have Devon. Come with me right now or he dies.”
Something in Alisa’s voice convinced me instantly that she wasn’t kidding so I did as I was told. She quickly pulled me away from Cade before joining a throng of parading fairgoers.
“Alisa, why are you doing this?” I demanded as we moved farther away from the Midway. “Where’s Devon?”
“Do you ever just shut up, bitch?” she hissed, grabbing my arm, and tugging me harder as we moved. “God, working for you has been the worst. You have no idea how many times I’ve wanted to strangle your perfect little neck over the past nine months.”
“You’re working with John Shetner, aren’t you?”
“And here I thought you were a complete moron,” she replied. “Only, I don’t work for John. He’s my fiancé,” she said proudly. “Or soon to be, anyway. Once you’re finally out of the picture.”
“What do you mean?”
“As soon as all this shit between the two of you is over and done with, John and I are getting married.”
“Listen, Alisa. I don’t know what John has told you, but whatever it is, you can’t trust him. He’s a pathological liar and he will use and betray you just like he does everyone else.”
I tried to pull away from her, but she dug her fingernails deeper into my arm and snarled. “I wouldn’t. If you want your boyfriend’s kid to live, you better do everything I tell you.”
I shivered. “Alisa, please tell me what’s going on?”
“All will be revealed soon enough.” She stopped walking for a brief second and I used her distraction to slip my hand into my pocket. “Now, shut the fuck up.”
As Alisa dragged me behind the big top where I could see giant trailers set up, I covertly glanced around, trying to see a way out, but couldn’t find one. Besides, if I screamed or ran, Devon might be hurt, and I just couldn’t take that chance. I knew the kind of cruelty John was capable of.
Arriving at a trailer at the very edge of the property, the only possible escape was to climb the eight-foot-tall chain link fence that backed up to an embankment leading to Salmon Creek, which was especially high this year due to the rain, or to run back the way we’d come. If I saw a way out for me and Devon, I’d figure it out, but I needed to keep my wits about me.
Alisa shoved me up the stairs and pushed me through the door, before shutting and locking it behind me. The room was dark, and it took a second for my eyes to adjust.
“Nice to see you again, Navy. Thank you for joining us,” John crooned. He was dressed in some sort of utility overalls. His natural blond hair dyed black and slicked back. Next to him was a hand truck, and on the floor lay a large black case of some kind. “You look well.”
I bit back the bile threatening to spill as he spoke.
I scanned the trailer. “Where’s Devon?”
“With his uncle, I presume,” John said. “I’m not really sure, actually.”
“But Alisa said—”
“It would’ve been too risky to take the boy as well, but with your warped sense of do-goodery, using the boy as bait was the only way to get you away from those low-life scumbags.”
Oh my god, it was all a lie. Of course it was.
“You’ve made things difficult for me,” he continued. “I had to hire a P.I., considering Alisa was unable to get your address.”
“Yes, well, I keep things really private, due to some psycho not adhering to a restraining order,” I bit out.
“You’d think HR would have that information, though.”
“They have a PO Box,” I said. “That’s all they needed.”
John sneered in Alisa’s direction. “She was useless in the end.”
“Aren’t we all in your opinion?”
“Let’s see if you remember how to do as you’re told,” John said, pointing to the case. “Open the box and get inside.”
I shook my head. “You don’t scare me anymore, John. Now that I know you don’t have Devon, I don’t care what happens to me.”
“You’ve always been so brave. It’s one of the reasons I fell in love with you.”
“I got her, baby,” Alisa said, proudly. “I did everything you told me to do.”
“I see that,” John said, his eyes raking over me. “Did anyone see you take her?”
“No.”
“And you’re sure no one followed you,” he pressed.
“Yes, I’m sure, my love,” she said. “No one. I did everything just like you said. No loose ends.”
He smiled and my blood ran cold. “That’s right, baby. No loose ends.”
Time stood still as I watched him pull a gun from his pocket, complete with silencer, leveling it to Alisa’s head and pulling the trigger.
Alisa hit the floor of the trailer with a hollow thud. John then walked over to her body and shot her two more times before pointing the gun at me.
“Unless you want to join her, I’d suggest you get inside the fucking box.”
I wish I could say that I was brave enough to resist further, but I did as I was told. I lifted the lid but didn’t climb inside just yet.
“She loved you, and you killed her,” I said, still in a state of shock as blood oozed from Alisa’s lifeless body.
“Alisa would have loved a crocodile had it paid her five minutes of attention.”
I sneered. “Instead, she fell for an even worse reptile.”
“My god, I’ve missed you,” he said as he moved nearer, his gun still pointed at me.
“Go to hell.”
“Then I couldn’t be with my angel, and I’ve been without you for far too long.”
“I’m here with people,” I said. “They’ll find me any second now. Just let me go, and I promise—”
“No one is going to find you,” he snapped.
“Go to hell, you sick fuck,” I snapped, slamming my heel into his shin, managing to dislodge myself but only for a brief second.
He grabbed my hair and yanked me back to him, slamming the butt of the gun into the side of my head. “Don’t even think of pulling another move like that, or I will go after Devon. Only I won’t kill him. I’ll keep him alive. I’ll hurt him in ways you can’t imagine.”
He moved the gun from his right to his left hand, then produced a syringe from his coat pocket. Uncapping the needle, he said, “After all we’ve been through, it’s nice that we can finally be so honest with each other. It can’t be a surprise to you that I enjoy hurting people. The more innocent the better. That’s why I love hurting you. And why I’ve been so heartbroken since you left me. Now, for the last time. Turn your head or I’ll make you watch as I turn your boyfriend’s kid into dogfood.”
“Cade will find me,” I said as I relented, exposing my neck for the injection.
“Don’t worry, it’s just a little something to help you sleep while I get you out of here.”
