Eye of the Abductor (37 page)

Fifteen minutes later, they exited on the ramp at the Riverfront
exit, a trip that normally would’ve taken forty minutes.

Ahead the lights from the Hernando de Soto Bridge, stretching
over the Mississippi River, lit the night sky. Her heartbeat raced as they
neared the river. Would they arrive in time?

Brance turned off his siren and lights.“I think an element of
surprise will work in our favor. They're not expecting anyone to find them.” He
killed the engine and let his car roll down the cobblestone toward the river.
He braked and parked. Rows of large boats filled the slips, but only one had
interior lights on. “You promised to stay in the car. Remember?”

She nodded.

Brance removed a gun from his glove box and placed it on the
dashboard. “It’s a .38. Use it if you have to. You just aim and pull the
trigger.”

“Got it.”

He slipped his gun from its holster. “Don’t do anything stupid,
or you’ll get us both killed.” He handed her his phone. “Make those calls.”

“I will. Be careful, Brance.”

Something occurred to her. She trusted him. Not with just her
life, but her son’s life.

He slipped from the car and made his way to the river.

Allison’s spine stiffened as Brance jumped onto the dimly lit
boat.

She first called the FBI agent who'd been posted at her house.
"Agent Hill. Allison Davenport. My son is being held on the riverfront in
a houseboat. Brance is already on the boat." She explained her location
better. "It's on the south side of the new bridge. Please hurry."

"I'm sending someone now. Sit tight."

Rather than call 9-11 and have to deal with an operator, Allison
called Dillon. She explained what was happening.

"Shit. Dumbass will get himself killed. I'll call for
backup. There should be a black and white in the vicinity. I'm leaving now.
Stay in the car, Allison."

She clicked the phone off and stared at the houseboat, hoping
Brance would walk out any minute, carrying Nathan.

A shot rang out.

Her heart plummeted.

Had they shot Nathan? Or Brance?

Another shot exploded into the chilly night air, and Allison’s
body jolted with shock and fear.

***

Brance crept onto the boat. He walked toward the companionway
door leading downstairs. The steps creaked as he inched down them.

Trey and Jill argued from a side room.

Where was Larry?

Brance entered the room. “Put your hands up. Now!”

Trey raised his hands.

Jill and Nathan stared with dumfounded expressions.

The hard barrel of a revolver pressed into Brance's back.

Shit.

No doubt, Larry stood behind him.

“I really hate to add you to the fatalities of this boat fire.
You should’ve left that bitch alone. Move inside.”

Brance dropped his gun and placed his hands over his head. As he
did, Trey relaxed. “Good work, Larry. We'll still have time to make our
flight.”

“My flight." Larry moved across the room, keeping them in
his aim. "I decided I don’t want to split the money. You served your
purpose just like Wilson did. Your time is up.”

“You son-of-a-bitch!” Trey shouted.

“Hand the kid over,” Larry ordered. "I'm taking him with
me."

"You're not getting the kid." Jill flashed a look of
defiance.

Larry fired one shot.

Jill gasped. Blood oozed from the small hole in her chest. Her
face paled and a look of horror masked her face.

Trey cried out. “Oh, God! Jill!”

Nathan closed his eyes and sobbed; his entire body shook.

“Since you want to be with her. Here’s a free ticket to hell.”
Larry fired off another bullet, hitting Trey in the forehead. Then he turned
the gun on Brance. “Don’t move.”

Larry’s expression grew grim when sirens rang out in the
background.

"You won't get away with this," Brance said.

“Yes, I will. I still have the little bastard to bargain with.”
He eyed Nathan. “Get over here.”

Nathan walked over and stood beside Larry. His eyes wide with
fright.

The Lieutenant grinned at Brance. “Now it’s your turn. I’ll be
doing your dad a favor.”

A gun blast echoed through the enclosed space.

Brance flinched.  

Larry’s face twisted in shock and pain. Blood trickled from his
mouth. In seconds, he toppled to the floor.

Allison stood in the doorway with the Smith and Wesson .38 in her
hands. The scent of gunpowder permeated the air.

She handed Brance the gun, then collapsed to her knees and held
her arms out to Nathan.

"Mommy!" Nathan leapt into her arms and clung to her,
wrapping his tiny arms around her. He cuddled closer while sobbing.

Allison stroked his back gently and kissed the top of his head.
“It’s all right, sweetheart. Mommy has you. You’re safe now. I’ll never let
anyone take you from me again.”

An inner joy spread through Brance as he witnessed their reunion.
Things would work out.

Brance checked Jill and Trey for a pulse. MPD officers entered
the room with their guns drawn. Brance flashed his badge. “Get a paramedic in
here. She’s still alive.” He offered Allison his hand. “We need to step out so
they can work on Jill. Trey’s dead.”

“Do you think she’ll make it?” Allison asked.

“I’m not sure. She’s lost a lot of blood.”

Brance escorted Allison and Nathan outside. "The police will
need to speak with both of us. Hopefully, it won't take long. I'll try to hurry
things up.”

***

Allison couldn’t believe she’d killed a man. She reminded herself
that Lt. Bishop had shot Jill and had intended to kill Brance and finally he
would’ve murdered Nathan.

Her hands hadn’t stopped trembling since she’d pulled the
trigger. She could still smell gunpowder.

A police car whipped into the parking lot, lights flashing, and
flew over the cobblestones. It stopped near Brance's car. Dillon jumped out and
approached Brance, then wrapped his arms around him. "You dumbass, you
could've been killed."

"I'm fine."

"What went down? Have Larry and Marshall been apprehended?"

"They're dead. Larry killed Marshall and shot Jill. She's on
her way to the hospital. Allison fired on Larry."

Dillon scowled. "I'm glad." He eyed her. "I'm glad
it worked out, but didn't I tell you to stay put?"

"You did, but when I heard shots. I grabbed the gun and ran
to the boat."

"Good thing she did," Brance said. "She saved my
life."

"Glad your son is all right." Dillon offered her a
smile.

"Me too." She patted Nathan's back as he clung to her.

After speaking with the FBI agents who’d shown up, she and Brance
were allowed to leave.

Brance glanced at Nathan. "Let's go home, sport."

The simple comment touched her heart. It’d be a home that would
always include Brance. There’d be no divorce. Not now. Not ever.

In the car, Brance placed a hand on her thigh. “You all right?”

“I’m fine.” She drew in a deep breath. "Brance, there’s
something I can’t wait a moment longer to tell you.”

“What’s that?”

“I love you.”

He leaned and kissed her cheek. “I know.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, I sort of figured you did. You just needed a little time
to learn to trust me before admitting it.”

“I do trust you.”

“I know that too.”

“Did anyone ever tell you you’re cocky and arrogant?”

“Yeah, it’s been mentioned. But you still love me, don’t you?”

“Yes, of course I do.”

“Good, because I love you. And I don’t think you’ll have a
problem getting custody now. Want to stay married?”

“You bet. Someone’s got to protect you from the badge bunnies.”

“I can’t wait. Let’s go home." He pulled away from the scene
and drove toward Riverside Drive. "We’ll show Nathan his tree house in the
morning.”

Nathan sat up and glanced at Brance. "Tree house?"

"Yep, like a fort but built in a tree."

She nudged her son. “Nathan, guess what Brance is?”

He shook his head. "Don't know."

“He’s a cop, and we’re in his cop car.”

“For real?”

“For real.” Brance turned on the flashing blue lights and
the siren.

Nathan clapped.

Allison smiled at Brance. Love for her little boy and the
man she wanted to spend her life with erupted in her chest. She liked what fate
had delivered behind door number two. A prize worth keeping.

Epilogue

Allison
couldn't tear her gaze away from her son. He chased his new cousins around the
backyard, weaving in and out of the tables set up for Mike’s retirement party.

“Does he cry for Dorothy anymore?” Gramie asked.

“No. She’s really made an effort to help him accept me. Once I
was cleared, she realized she was going to lose him and decided to hand him
over willingly and work with us on the transition.”

“She’s a wicked woman.”

“Agreed, and she’s not happy that Brance wants to adopt Nathan.
But after what she did, she probably won't give us any grief over it.” Allison
bent down and picked up several daffodils growing in the flowerbed.

“I’ve never seen Brance happier,” Gramie said to Allison.

“I’m glad. He’s wonderful, and I’m crazy in love with him.”
Allison hesitated. “Would you really have cut him out of your will?”

She smiled slyly. “Of course not. I just wanted to motivate him
in the right direction.”

“I heard that,” Brance said. “Shame on you, you sly old dog.” He
leaned and hugged his grandmother who sat in her wheelchair.

Allison loved Gramie and hated she wouldn’t be with them much
longer. But the lady had a strong will to live.

“I should roll your wheelchair down the hill and put you out of
your misery,” he teased.

She laughed. “I’ll die when I’m ready. Right now I don’t plan on
going anywhere. Not until I see my new great grandchild.” Gramie turned to
Allison. “Have you found out whether it’s a girl or boy?”

“Girl.”

“Halleluiah. Another great granddaughter. We'll spoil her
rotten,” Gramie stated.

Mike joined them. “We will if I have anything to do with it.”

Allison smiled at her father-in-law. Mike had been wonderful to her
but especially to Nathan, treating him like he was his real grandson.

“Nice retirement bash, Dad,” Brance said.

“Yeah, it is.” He placed his hand on Allison's shoulder. “How’s
Jill?”

“She goes to trial in three months. I plan to be there for her.
After all, she saved Nathan’s life.”

“Only after she realized they planned to kill her too,” Brance
reminded.

“Trey had promised that Nathan wouldn’t be harmed.”

“She’s looking at a very long sentence,” Mike said.

“I’ll write her and send her little things to help her cope. I
was alone and scared. The only thing that made me strong was knowing somehow I
had to get Nathan back.”

“And Wilson's money has been turned over to the proper
authorities,” Brance informed his father.

"Escobar thanked me for exposing the men responsible for
murdering his nephew."

“Old Larry planned to retire and live like a king in paradise on
that money," Mike said. "Life has a strange way of biting us on the
ass."

***

Later, Allison sat on the yard swing under a shade tree. Her back
ached, and sweat moistened the back of her blouse.

Nathan ran up beside her. She leaned forward, allowing him to
wrap his arms around her neck. He hugged her tightly. "I love you,
Mommy."

"I love you too, sweetie."

"Sam and I are playing. Gotta go. He just robbed a
bank." He flashed Brance's badge. "Daddy let me borrow it."

"Don't lose it." She laughed. "Don't be too hard
on Sam."

"I won't." He grinned and ran to find his new cousin.

Brance approached her. "Our son insisted he needed my shield
before he could arrest Sam."

“He’s having a big time.”

Brance sat beside her. “Good. He’ll be out like a light tonight.
That means I’ll have you all to myself.”

“I’m five months pregnant. How can you still find me desirable?”

“Because you’re the love of my life, and the mother of my child,
and I’ll always think you’re the most beautiful woman on earth.” He placed his
hand on her stomach. “Do ya have a name picked out for our daughter yet?”

“Alyssa Nicole Stone. My grandmother's name was Nicole.”

“Okay, but the next one we’ll name after Gramie.”

“The next one?”

“Yeah, I sort of thought we’d keep going while we’re on a roll.
And Allison, I’ll always love Nathan as if he were mine. I’d never treat him
any different from the children we have together.” Brance kicked off with his
foot, causing the swing to move back and forth. “Do you still have our signed
prenup?”

“I burned it. You’re serving a life sentence, buddy. And there’s
no escaping.”

“I love you, Allison. Serving a life sentence with you won’t be long
enough. I will love you throughout eternity.”

“I love you too, Brance.”

Never again would Allison doubt this man or his love. She trusted
Brance completely. He’d given a whole new meaning to the word
cop
. He’d
captured her heart.

The End

Under Currents - August 2012

Caleb smiled.

Scott and Ally were  in bed for the night.

Sweet.

Now he'd have a little downtime with Julie. He'd waited all
evening for the rug-rats to hit the bed. After inner-tubing on the river all
day, they'd sleep soundly.

"Hey, babe, you plan on staying in the kitchen all
night?"

"I'm pouring a glass of tea. Want one?"

"No thanks. There's only one thing I want, and I think you
know what that is."

She laughed. "I have an idea. Be there in second."

Julie walked into the den carrying a glass of tea.