Broken Hearted (17 page)

Trey thought for a second, then said, “Her key was
blue, Cody, her key was from Chicago Hearts Hotel. Who's listed
there?”

“
Mr. Moore is in room three-ten,
Trey. I hope you're right. We’ll meet you there.”

Eli broke in, “I’m the closest one to the hotel, no
one make a move without me saying so. Do you hear me guys. I mean
it!”

Even Trey said, “Yes, sir.”

Trey jumped in the car leaving Katie behind. Telling
her to lock the doors and wait. The blood was racing through his
veins like fire. If anyone hurt Faith he knew he'd kill them
himself. He prayed the whole way there Faith would be all right and
that she'd play everything smart. Because she's a brilliant
detective and he’d seen her work before, but this time, he's not by
her side. She's without her back up again. Trey was so afraid he’d
lose Faith again. He felt like they had just found each other and
now she might be gone again. He's not sure where Cash fit into this
picture, however, he knew it couldn’t be good. Cash had only been
trouble for Faith in the past. She's not a young teenage girl
anymore. She's a brilliant, beautiful woman who wouldn’t let him in
her life again. Trey just wished she had waited for him to go with
her. He knew he had to get there to save her before danger struck
again.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Faith's heart almost stopped a beat as she knocked
on the door to room three three-ten. She had the key, however, she
couldn’t bring herself to slide it into the door. From somewhere
far away, she seemed to hear Trey say, “I love you Faith. Please be
careful.”

 
She instantly reached up and
unhooked the latch to her knife case under her bra. She unsnapped
her holster to make sure her gun was ready. She took a deep breath
as the door opened to Cash standing there with his shirt off in
only his sweatpants. She couldn’t help but think how handsome he
was right now.

Shaking her head as if to clear her mind, she said,
“We need to talk, Cash. May I come in?”

“
Sure, Faith, I've been waiting for
you all night darling.” He reached for her but she pulled
away.

“
We have to talk, Cash. I know you
know where Eve has been taken. Please find it in your heart to help
me.”

“
Faith none of what is going on is
my fault. I love you and I want to have you back. All you have to
do is tell me where the information about Mr. Moore's family is at
now. We know Trey’s men will find out everything is inside your
teddy bear. We're not stupid Faith that's the only place Mr. Moore
didn't look years ago.”

 “
In my bear that my father
gave me? I didn’t know that Cash. How will Trey’s men figure it out
if I didn’t? Cash how long have you been working for Mr. Moore? I
thought you really loved me. All this time you wanted me for the
information I could give you. And if Mr. Moore thinks the
information is in my old teddy bear. Why didn’t he just go to the
storage locker and get it? He didn’t need me for that Cash. He has
a key to that locker himself.”

“
No, Faith that's not true. I
didn't get involved until this time. I owe Mr. Moore big time. And
he didn’t know about the teddy bear until tonight. When Roni said
she overheard someone mention a teddy bear. Sloppy work on
someone’s part. I’m sorry I had to make a deal with Mr. Moore,
Faith. He has someone I need and love really bad and I have someone
he needs really bad too. I owed him a lot of money for a gambling
debt. I couldn’t pay him back. So we made a deal. And I'm sorry
that you are the payment, darling.”

Faith was stunned by what Cash was telling her. Roni
overheard them talking but how and when. They hadn’t figured out
that the information was in the teddy bear. Unless Roni was close
to Ty or Eve. Oh, God! This had to stop now.

 
Cash reached out and brushed
the stray hairs from Faith's face. Faith stepped back out of his
reach as the adjoining door opened to the other room next to them.
In walked Mr. Moore and Roni. Mr. Moore was smiling his evil and
despicable smile. Faith realized she's outnumbered and no one knew
where she's at right now. She took a deep breath blowing it out
slowly. She remembered the ring she had on her thumb that Trey gave
her. It’s time to use the ring. Faith started to rub the ring as
she talked to Mr. Moore.

She decided to ask Mr. Moore, “Why did you have to
murder my parents? My mom didn't know anything and my dad wouldn't
have used that stupid information anyway. He wouldn't put me or my
mom in that kind of danger.”

Mr. Moore laughed. “He did put you in danger by not
giving it to me when I ask him to, Faith. That's why they both died
and you should have too. But that stupid kid couldn't pull the
trigger on you.” Then he pulled out his gun and said, “However, I
can!”

Faith hoped Trey was in time to help. She felt the
ring getting warm on her finger. Thank goodness it worked.

Mr. Moore said, “Oh, Faith, are you afraid of me?
You know what I can do before I kill you if I want to don't you?
All you have to do is call Trey and tell him to bring the teddy
bear to me and Eve will go free. However, you will never go free.
You're going to die tonight!”

Roni started to cry. “Daddy, please let Faith go.
She's been my friend since we were little kids. Please let her
go!”

Faith glanced at Roni and said, “Roni, leave while
you can. Please get out of here now.”

Roni started to back out of the room and Mr. Moore
pointed his gun at her. Questioning her, “Where are you going,
Roni? I knew you didn't have a backbone. Now you get to watch Faith
die.”

Cash ran his fingers through his hair. “Please,
Faith, call Trey and have him bring the bear to us. Please do as he
asks you to. I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I just want everyone
concerned to be safe.”

Faith saw a shadow from behind the door Roni was
standing in. Faith knew Trey, Ty, and Cody were here already and
probably Eli too. She must let them know who she's going to shoot
first. Faith told Mr. Moore, “Don't point your gun at Roni, you'd
better point it at me.”

Quickly, Faith grabbed her gun from behind her back.
She shot Mr. Moore in the chest and he fell backward and fired a
shot. Shots continued to fire. Cash pulled his gun out pointing it
straight toward Faith. She had no choice. She fired first and drops
to the ground, rolling beside the bed. She felt the heat of Cash’s
bullet hit her side, but knew she had to try to help Roni. She
crawled into a ball and came straight up into Trey's arms.

“
Hold it, Faith, it’s me, Trey.”
Grabbing her gun he pointed it straight up and then took it out of
her hand.

Faith fell into his arms saying, “I tried, Trey. I
tried to find out where Eve's at but Mr. Moore was going to kill
me. I shot! I shot Mr. Moore then Cash turned his gun on me. I shot
Cash! I know I killed him. Why would he want to kill me? I thought
he cared for me. He kept saying Mr. Moore had something he loved
and cared for. What do you think he was talking about?”

“
We’ll never know, Faith. You’re
alive and that’s what matters most. We’ll get you help. You’re
going to be alright darling.””

Trey cradled her in his arms as she cried. Ty comes
in and kneeled beside her saying, “There's more than one bullet in
each one of them Faith. We'll never know who killed them.” Faith
knew he's saying that to make her feel better. She knew testing the
guns would prove who was killed with her gun. Eli walked in
announcing that the ambulance was on its way. He grabbed a towel
from the restroom holding it to her side.

Faith asked Trey, “What happened to Roni?”

“
She's alive Faith. I grabbed her
and pulled her back into the other room when we stormed this room.
Of course you know she'll go to jail for kidnapping and a lot more
charges by the time we’re done.”

Faith shook her head in agreement saying, “I'm glad
she made it out alive, Trey. Maybe she will stop using drugs and
get her life straightened out and what about Joey?”

“
We took Joey down in the alley
trying to get away. He shot Cody in the arm, but it was only a
flesh wound. However, Joey didn't make it. Eve is safe now, Faith.
She's in the hospital for the night, but you know how Eve is, she
wants us to bring her some food so she'll be fine. Mom and Dad went
over to pick up Katie, they'll all meet us at the hospital. Dad is
furious as we didn’t tell them sooner. Faith, I love you. You
scared me to death. I know what you were thinking, but from now on
you have no choice. You will run everything through your husband
and partner before you do anything. Please say you'll marry
me.”

Faith looked up into Trey’s tear filled eyes and
said, “Yes, yes, darling, I'll marry you. But you have to know,
Trey the old man I told you about came to me tonight.”

“
Ssh baby, please rest until the
ambulance gets here.”

“
No, Trey, you have to understand.
He came to me twice but not the third time. When he comes the third
time, someone I loves dies. Please don’t let me fall asleep! He
can’t come to me again. Cash is already dead. I love you and you
can’t die. Please don’t let me fall asleep.”

Faith woke up after surgery wondering where the old
man was and why he didn’t come back. She’s happy he didn’t but it
doesn’t make sense. Trey kept trying to convince her it was somehow
the stress of the night that brought her dreams of the old man on.
She knew they weren’t dreams now. She knew he came to guide her
through that horrible night. She would never understand it but it’s
a relief to know someone was out there who would always be there to
help her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

One Month Later

Faith turned around to face Ty who was going to walk
her down the aisle instead of her father. She asked, “Will he think
I'm beautiful?”

“
Yes, he'll probably run down the
aisle and pick you up and carry you up to the altar. Faith, he
loves you and so do all of us. Mom and Dad are crazy about you. And
they can't wait to have grandbabies.”

“
Hold on now. First things first.
Get me married.”

They turned walking down the aisle, Faith saw Trey
smiling at her. This day couldn't be any more beautiful. When the
minister turned them around and said, “I now present to you Mr. and
Mrs. Trey Branson.” Faith looked down the aisle to see a man who
seemed so familiar to her yet scary at the same time. She leaned
into Trey’s neck.

“
Do you see that man, Trey, who is
he?”

By then he's gone and Trey said, “It's okay, Faith,
to be a little afraid right now. After everything you've been
through, that's why we’re going on our honeymoon first and then
having a big reception later.”

 
They grabbed hands and ran
down the aisle straight for the limo outside. However, first Faith
had to stop and hug his mom and dad goodbye.

They arrived at the airport to find the Branson jet
fueled and ready to go. Faith and Trey both had hurriedly changed
in the limo to more comfortable clothes. Someone took their bags to
the jet. As Faith and Trey walked up to the jet the man Faith saw
at the end of the aisle was there to greet them.

“
Hi, Mr. Branson. Paul came down
with the flu, however, he called me because he didn't want your
plans to be delayed. He didn’t want to ruin your wedding
day.”

Trey said, “That's funny, I really thought he would
have called my brothers so they could take care of that for
us.”

“
Well, you can wait and called
them, but Paul said you'd be thankful that I could change my plans
and be here for you two.”

“
Oh, we are thankful now. Faith,
it's off to Italy we go.”

Faith pulled him back saying, “Trey, that’s the man
I saw at the end of the aisle at our wedding.”

“
Honey, it can't be. He couldn’t
get here and fuel the plane and be in uniform ready to take us to
Italy. Think about it darling, let's go!”

The pilot smiled as he thought to himself. “Paul's
lying dead in the hanger after he prepared all of the plans. All I
had to do is slip this jacket on when I got here. I had to be at my
half-sister Faith’s wedding. It's a shame our father couldn't give
the bride away today. However, I shot him and his wife that night
for Mr. Moore. I couldn't bring myself to shoot my little sister. I
hated our father. So when Mr. Moore came to me with the idea, I had
no problems with pulling the trigger on him. He treated me like I
wasn't even his son. He never came to see my mother or me. He
wanted nothing to do with us. No one could ever know he had been
unfaithful to his wife eight years before their precious Faith was
born.

“
What am I going to do now? I don't
know yet. Mr. Moore is dead and the only one who might recognize me
is Faith. I think I'll take them to Italy and get to know her
before I decide if she must die too!”

To Be Continued…

ABOUT
THE AUTHOR

C.H. Carter is a Contemporary Romance author who is
composing a series called Chicago Hearts. Her first novel in this
series is Broken Hearted. When she’s not creating her love scenes
or intriguing us with her murder mysteries, she’s writing short
stories for her first children's book.

C.H. Carter is a wife of thirty-three years and a
mother of four who lives in a small rural community in Southern
Indiana. She enjoys reading, writing, and being with her beautiful
grandchildren. When C.H. Carter isn’t writing, she has been
providing love and care for her invalid mother for the past twenty
years and working full time. She has been inspired to write all of
her life, however, had to put it off because motherhood, family,
and making a living had to come first. Now she is at a point in her
life where she is going to pursue her dreams.