Eleni quickly stored the phone, then listened again to the sounds that surrounded her. She had thought she’d heard footsteps in the distance as twigs snapped and leaves rustled, but now she wasn’t so sure. Was her abductor about to appear? Or was it just the wind and her active imagination? Her mouth seemed dry, and she swallowed convulsively, trying to catch her breath. Even her hands trembled, and she rubbed her clammy, sore palms on her jeans. She’d fallen twice in the dark so far but dared not use the flashlight she’d taken from the cabin, just in case it gave away her location. She was already worried that the noise she’d made with the call had drawn him closer. She listened carefully, hoping that her captor hadn’t discovered what direction she’d fled.
She waited a few moments, but hearing nothing else, she continued her trek. She had been running for so long that her legs burned and felt like rubber beneath her, yet she had to press on. Images of Katie helped her stay focused, yet as she ran, images of Chris also appeared in her mind’s eye. They gave her a feeling of warmth and comfort that she didn’t expect but welcomed. She wanted to see both of them again. The thoughts and images drove her forward, even when she felt like she couldn’t go on another step. She prayed continuously, asking God for the strength to make it to safety and survive this ordeal.
She suddenly heard running water, and was surprised a few minutes later to come across a stream that completely blocked her path. She still wasn’t exactly sure where in Illinois she was and didn’t recognize the area, but she was definitely thirsty, and took the opportunity to cup some water with her hands and quench her thirst. She glanced across to the other bank that was about twenty feet away, looking for any houses or people she could contact, but all she saw was more woodlands. She turned her attention back to the stream itself. The water didn’t look too deep—probably three feet at its lowest point, so she started in, thankful for the tennis shoes she was wearing that protected her feet and gave her a slight bit of traction on the slippery wet rocks. The water was chilly and slowed her down, but also gave her body a chance to rest a little as she tried to choose the safest path across.
People liked living near water. The thought hit her when she was about halfway across the stream. Didn’t real estate prices double if the land attached to a river or ocean? Did she have a better chance of finding help if she followed the water instead of heading back into the woods? It might be slower, but she might also have a higher chance of success if she changed her route. Speed was important, but so was finding someone that could help her. She finished crossing the water, but then slid into the edge of the woods and started heading downstream, hoping that the bushes and other vegetation at least partially hid her as she continued her trek.
She glanced behind her and, thankfully, still saw no sign of the man who had abducted her and brought her out to the woods. She had no illusions. He was back there somewhere, and wouldn’t stop until he caught up with her again. She didn’t know if he was following her on foot, or if he was scouring the countryside in his car, but either way, she couldn’t let him find her. If she fell into his hands and couldn’t escape again, a horrible fate awaited her.
She continued following the stream until her legs felt like gelatin and they just couldn’t carry her another step. She had to rest, if only for a moment, and catch her breath. How long had she been walking since she’d talked to Chris on the phone? One hour? Two? Hearing his voice had definitely given her a second wind, but now she was tiring again, and didn’t know how much farther she could go without a short break. She leaned against a tree for a moment and took the time to study her surroundings.
Was that a farm ahead? She suddenly stood up again and looked downstream more carefully. In the far distance, she saw some sort of light, and the shadows of what looked like two buildings. She squinted, trying to make out the shapes. Yes! There was a house and barn up ahead, and a small clearing illuminated by a light on a pole by the front of the barn. She didn’t see any vehicles beyond a tractor under the light, but there could be something parked in the barn, or somewhere in the yard that just wasn’t visible.
Renewed energy surged through her and she started again toward the farm, praying there was someone at home that could help her. Even knowing an address of the house would be helpful, and she could call Chris again and give him her location.
The woods continued for a short distance, but then thinned and finally gave way to a cornfield with young stalks standing about two foot high. She entered the cornfield, hoping she wasn’t damaging the plants as she made her way toward the residence. The leaves were thick but the rows well-defined, free of weeds, and smelled of earth and freshness.
As she got closer to the farmhouse, she could see that both buildings had seen better days. The barn especially was weathered and leaning a bit to the right, and the house also had peeling paint and an unkempt appearance. Still, the house didn’t seem abandoned. Curtains were visible in the windows, but Eleni didn’t see any lights on inside. Either everyone was asleep, or they were away for the evening. An old porch swing startled her when it moved slightly in the wind, and she noticed two other chairs with faded floral cushions sat nearby, but no signs of life. She exited the cornfield and headed straight for the front porch of the house, hoping that even though she didn’t see a vehicle, there was still someone home. She made it up the stairs and raised her hand to knock on the red wooden door.
“That’s far enough, don’t you think?” the voice was quiet, but was filled with sinister amusement. The tone instantly sent a chill through her and her hands started to shake uncontrollably.
She turned slowly to see the Bears fan who had just come around the corner of the house. He had a malevolent smile on his face. “I figured you’d head here as soon as you took to following that stream. All I had to do was wait. There’s not much else out in this direction.” He took a step toward her. “Did you enjoy your walk through the woods?”
Fear gripped Eleni and her whole body started to tremble. She backed up a step, then another. The porch wrapped around the house, and the man was too close to the steps for her to go back down the way she’d come up. Her only hope was to get over the railing and escape to the barn. She backed up again, then put a leg over the railing and jumped.
Her abductor rushed to grab her, but she slipped away from him, barely dodging his grip. He got so close, she actually felt his fingers graze the fabric of her sleeve.
She ran toward the barn, not sure how she would evade him. She could hear him right behind her as she made it through the sliding barn door. She searched frantically around her, looking for anything she could use to protect herself. Her heartbeat tripled as his footsteps approached. She felt rushed and was close to hysterical. There was no time!
In contrast, her pursuer was calm and self-assured. In fact, she even heard him laugh. “You can’t escape me. There’s no place for you to go. Why don’t you just give up and accept the facts? We’ll enjoy some time together, and then we’ll go for a little ride and you can pick your own burial site. I’ll even let you dig the hole.”
“Never,” she said under her breath. There was no time to hide. She saw some farming implements that attached to a tractor and raced around them, trying to at least keep some distance from him, but she still saw nothing that she could use as a weapon.
“Why don’t you just accept the inevitable?” he sneered. “You’ve made my life more difficult, but you can’t escape your fate.”
She suddenly spied a crowbar amongst the hay and dirt on the ground and reached to grab it, then turned to face him. God, please help me! she prayed silently. He was only about ten feet away now. She knew she probably wouldn’t win this battle, but she was going to go down fighting. And she knew God was with her. Her terror was starting to ebb, and was replaced with an intense fierceness that strengthened her resolve. Regardless of how this turned out, she knew she wasn’t alone. “I don’t believe in fate. God is with me.” She brandished the crowbar, even as he approached her.
“You think that little piece of metal is going to stop me?” he said, his voice rough and odious. “I always liked a challenge. Keep on fighting me. It will make everything more fun.” He took a step toward her, then another.
Beads of perspiration popped out on her brow, and the metal felt slippery in her grasp. He was almost upon her, grinning like a Cheshire cat. Eleni forcefully swung the crowbar at him, trying to ward him off. Her makeshift weapon sailed through the air without making purchase. Then suddenly, she heard vehicles speed up and park outside the barn, then car doors slamming.
“Eleni?”
Relief so strong it was palpable swept over her from head to toe. It was Chris, and he wasn’t alone. Three other FBI agents, all wearing the navy windbreakers with “FBI” emblazoned on the front and back, entered the barn.
Chris’s eyes instantly took in the situation, and he pointed his drawn weapon at the aggressor’s midriff. “That’s far enough, Ramos. Freeze and put your hands up.”
“You’re not going to shoot me,” the kidnapper said haughtily as he motioned with his hand. “You could miss and hit this pretty lady here.”
Chris kept his aim steady and took a small step to the left. “There are a lot of things I’m not very good at, but shooting isn’t one of them.” He tilted his head. “I never miss.”
Ramos laughed, then hurried to close the distance between himself and Eleni as he reached for her.
Two shots rang out, and thin wisps of smoke simultaneously came out of both Chris’s and Caitlin’s barrels.
The kidnapper looked surprised, then stared down at his chest, where two red circles were quickly expanding on his sweatshirt. He dropped to his knees, then fell forward into the dirt, face-first. He wasn’t quite dead yet, and stretched out his arm, still trying to grasp Eleni, but she swiftly stepped back, making sure she was well out of his reach.
Chris rushed up to his side and took the man’s gun from his waistband and secured it in his own, then flipped him over on his side so he could see his eyes. “Who hired you?”
The man didn’t answer and Chris could see that he was fading fast. He gave him a little shake. “Who was it? Who hired you to kill Eleni?”
The man sputtered, but didn’t say a word that Chris could decipher. Blood trickled out of the corner of his mouth and down his chin as he gripped Chris’s arm. Then the light disappeared from his eyes once and for all and his hold loosened. His hand fell back and he died, right there on the barn floor. Chris reached for the man’s neck to confirm his demise and felt for a pulse, but didn’t find one. He readjusted his fingers, just in case, but still didn’t feel a beat. He stood up, wishing things had gone differently, despite Ramos’s violent and horrific behavior. He hated taking a life, but sometimes it was necessary, and the only way to stop someone who was bent on hurting others. He turned to Eleni, who readily stepped into his arms. The air felt thick, and he realized his hands were shaking.
“I was so afraid I’d lost you forever,” he said softly, pulling her close. “Are you okay?”
“I am now,” Eleni whispered back. “How did you find me?”
“We tracked the cell phone you used to call me. It was smart of you to make that call and leave the phone on so we could triangulate your location. I just kept praying that we would find you before the kidnapper did. I was so worried that we’d be too late.”
Eleni tightened her arms around him. “You got here just in the nick of time. He would have hurt me, but he didn’t. And now, I’m right where I need to be.”
Chris pulled back a bit so he could see into her eyes, and smiled at the love he saw reflected there. His own heart was swelling within his chest as the relief swamped him. She was alive. He’d gotten there in time, and she had survived. He said a prayer of thankfulness and enjoyed the feel of her in his arms. She was soft and warm and made him feel whole. He relished the happiness that was budding in his heart for the first time in years. It was so foreign, he hardly recognized it, yet he grabbed ahold with both hands, never wanting to let the feeling, or the woman he was holding, go.
He glanced up around the barn, noticing that both Caitlin and the other FBI agent that had accompanied him had quietly left the barn. He knew they would be sweeping the area, and was thankful they had given him a moment alone with Eleni. He led her away from the body, then gently took her face in his hands so their eyes met once again. He drew his thumbs over her cheeks, barely able to believe that he had arrived in time and she was here, safely in his arms.
“I have to tell you something.” He took a deep breath, then continued. “I thought I could be ‘just friends’ with you, like we talked about, but it’s not possible. I love you. It’s okay if you don’t feel the same, but I had to tell you—”
She reached up and put a finger against his lips. “When I thought he was going to kill me, my biggest regret was that I hadn’t told you I loved you.” She smiled. “I didn’t want to die without making sure you knew that. I love you right back.”
He smiled, then leaned forward, gently placing his lips against hers. It was tentative at first, but then grew stronger as her words really sunk home. She loved him. Pure joy filled his heart until he thought it would burst. He laughed out loud and swung her around until she was laughing with him. God was good. All the time. He had brought Chris this amazing woman in his arms, and replaced the pain from his past with love.