11:40 AM, Friday, June 27th, 2014
The drive over to Morelville was blissfully uneventful. I parked Cheryl’s little escape at the edge of the lot for one of the town’s two little churches and waited until Kris walked by, headed in to work at 12:30. Mel could have brought clothes up to me at the motel but I just had to get out of there for a while and I just didn’t see what it was hurting if I was careful and I snuck back here real quick.
Once I was sure Kris was at the gas station and the coast was clear, I steered the truck down a closed off alley behind the house and parked it back behind the old barn. I’d hoof it the rest of the way up through the back lot on crutches since I didn’t want to park in the driveway and alert anyone watching to a new vehicle at the house.
Approaching from the rear of the house, I thought I’d try the slider off the back deck first before going all the way around to the front door and using my key. The back was far more private and would keep me out of anyone’s view for more than a couple of seconds.
The steps were a little difficult but I did better than when I’d previously tried and I managed them.
###
Mel heard a vehicle door thunk closed somewhere behind the house. She got up from her bed and went to the window. Pulling the heavy drapes back just slightly, she watched as Dana picked her way carefully across the back yard.
Her stomach whirled and she swayed with nausea as she watched her girlfriend trying to be sneaky and do something she shouldn’t have been doing. She thought about going downstairs and confronting her but she didn’t think she could make the trip without upchucking for the fourth or fifth time this morning. Instead, she worked her way back to the bed and sat perched on the edge, waiting and listening.
###
Mel’s truck was in the driveway but that didn’t mean anything. She often drove her County Sheriff’s SUV back and forth between home and work when her official duties were going to exceed a normal 9 to 5, which was often. Still, when I got inside the house, the first thing I did was call out, “Is anybody home?”
Satisfied at the lack of an answer, I went on about the business of gathering up some clothes, meds and toiletries. I couldn’t carry a lot in the backpack and I certainly couldn’t carry a very big tote too with the crutches but just having a few more things would be far better than the little that I had now.
While I was collecting my stuff and deciding what I really needed with me right now I let my phone power up again. I’d hoped that Hannah hadn’t called or texted but, if she had, I needed to know now, before I headed back toward Mansfield.
Hannah: Dana, please call me back. Urgent!
Oh God, I really had hoped everything would be okay... I texted her right back to call Mel’s office line and I left her the number. I shut my phone off and tossed it on the bed.
A couple of minutes later the phone rang. The caller .ID told me it was Hannah’s cell. Relieved, I picked up the phone, “Hannah, I’m so glad you’re okay. I was worried when I got your text.”
“Dana, it’s Hannah...” Fear dripped from her voice.
Uh oh...this doesn’t sound so good...
“I’m in trouble and I need your help.”
Concerned, I hurriedly asked, “Where are you Hannah?” as I snatched up the two little bags and prepared to fly to her rescue.
“Dana, he says if you want me kept alive, you need to pa-pa-pay him.”
“Pay who?” I know who...
“Please stop asking questions. Just listen. He says he wants $50,000 tomorrow and he’ll let me go.”
Troutman doesn’t need $50,000. He wants me. “Hannah is he there?”
“He’s right here.”
“Can you put him on the phone?” The other end of the line was muffled quiet for several seconds. “Hannah, are you still there?”
“I’m he-here. He won’t get on the phone.”
“Is it the guy we talked about?”
“Dana, just please get the money he says that he knows you have and come. He’ll text you the location from my phone when you tell me you got the money.
“Can’t you just tell me now?”
It was quiet on the other end of the line again then Hannah was speaking again, “No Dana. He said if you don’t cooperate, he’s...he’s going to k-k-kill me.” She wailed. “He said no cops. If he sees any cops, we’re both d-d-d-dead.”
“Hannah, I’ll be there. Don’t you worry...” The line went dead.
###
Mel quietly hung up the upstairs extension. Stomach flu or no, she was going to have to follow Dana and keep her from walking into a trap. She knew what Troutman wanted and it wasn’t money.