AS MARIE PREPARED something for them to eat, she prayed for her friend, asking God for His wisdom and protection.
Sheila waited for Bess, thinking about the different scenarios she could employ to see her children. All had their problems.
I could ask Bess to contact Stanton, let him know what happened to me and have him bring the girls to me. But, is that safe? What if he tells someone and it gets back to Braxton?
Maybe I could return home disguised? I know I’ve changed these last ten years, but probably not enough. I’d have to change my hair color from blonde to a dark brown or black and wear those brown contact lenses I have from the costume party. With my hair cut short, no one’s going to recognize me, I hope. I could stay with Bess, just for a couple of days or so. Just long enough to see the girls. But if I stayed in Brandon Creek, someone might recognize me. His whole family’s there.
It’s so dangerous! What am I going to do? What if something goes wrong?
She eventually tired of worrying and resigned herself to whatever was to come. The only thing she knew for sure was that she was going back. Nothing was going to keep her from her children.
The ring of the phone startled her from her thoughts. Quickly she answered, “Hello?”
“Mrs. Smith?”
Sheila was caught off guard for a second by the strange name, then realized that her friend was either joking or she was still being cautious.
“Hello, Bess. It’s so good to hear your voice. You’re alone aren’t you?”
“Yes, but I’m not comfortable talking openly about this, not even here at the house. I don’t know why. It’s just that I’ve always felt watched, even after all this time. I’d feel better if I could come and see you, to tell you about the last ten years and talk to you about the best way to see the girls. I thought I’d tell Dr. Bishop I need a few days off to see a Helen Smith, a sick friend from college and that I would only be gone over the weekend. Exactly where are you?”
“I’m in Fort Meade. Are you sure you want to come all this way? I could meet you in Idaho Falls. We could talk there,” Sheila offered.
“No, don’t come here yet. Let me talk to you first. When I thought he had killed you both, there was nothing I could do because both of you had vanished. There was no evidence of a crime, according to the police. But Sheila, Pastor Andrew is still missing. Who knows what happened to the man. And we’d be foolish not to be careful.”
Sheila shivered at the thought of her pastor and friend meeting a violent end.
Bess continued, “I thought he was just making a show, pretending to be upset when you disappeared. But, now I know he wasn’t. He went crazy, going door to door looking for you. He drove the pastor’s wife crazy, demanding the whereabouts of her husband. She had to get a restraining order issued against him for a while, before she left town.”
“Peggy’s gone?”
“Yes. And Braxton stalked me for months. I’d see his car hidden, watching more often than I care to count. Gosh, it frightens me now to know he was serious! He might have hurt me to find you if he thought for a second I really knew!”
“I know we have to be careful, but nothing’s going to stop me from seeing Jodi and Candice. They need me. I know they do,” Sheila told her friend.
“Don’t talk about it now, not on the phone. I’ll make all the arrangements and call you back as soon as I can. Don’t worry. I’ll be there as quickly as I can. We can talk then.”
“All right, I’ll meet you at the airport. Just tell me when.”
“Please don’t,” her friend said cautiously, seriously. “I’ll rent a car and meet you wherever you say. I just want to be sure I’m not followed. He’s settled down now, doesn’t drink as much, but his silence is so eerie. It’s like he’s watching, waiting, and biding his time. He’s back in his butcher shop enjoying what he does too much. It gives me the creeps to watch him. No, I’m not taking any chances. He might follow if he knew I was leaving, or he might get someone else to do it. I just want to be careful. I know he’s not over it! He’ll never be over it. He’s not the type.”
“I know… I know only too well,” Sheila said, her heart beating with the old fear she had lived with for all those years. It was coming back, like water from a fire hose. But she wouldn’t stop! She wouldn’t back out, not now.
Bess suggested, “You decide on a place you want to meet and let me know when I call back. Make it a public place, and I’ll walk around until we find each other. Okay?”
“All right,” Sheila agreed, her heart fearful from the peril she felt awaited her out there, but she wanted this over with and her children back.
How’s this going to turn out? I hope I’m not endangering the girls or anyone else. But I can’t leave it this way, I just can’t.
* * * *