Stealing Grace (21 page)

“It would be a good opportunity, and your and Roger’s alibis would be good. Maybe your mom could be next to go?”

“Mom wouldn’t leave, she’s scared. She has lived this life too long and I know it sounds weird but she’s loyal to my dad.”

“Well, someone else then. Amy and I could snatch the first one we can get on our way outta town.”

“It’s too risky. They’ll be taking extra measures for this kind of thing from now on. I have no doubt you could pull it off I just know them, they would be ready. I always knew they would eventually get wise and our escapades would have to end.”

“Ok. Well, is there anything you want me to do while you’re out? Could Roger bring Amy over, maybe?”

“I’m sure he could,” Alex said, smiling. “As far as something I want you to do, relax. You’re too stressed lately. Just watch a movie or something, eat some ice cream. Do...girl stuff.”

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. She wrinkled her nose at his remark but couldn’t help but soften under his kiss.

“I just feel like we’re running out of time or something. Like something’s about to happen and we aren’t going to be ready for it and then it’ll be too late.”

“It’ll be ok, El. We’ll get it all figured out, just please promise me you’ll take it easy, just for tonight?”

“Ok, I promise.” She took her finger and crossed her heart.

* * *

Amy and Elena were lounging on the couches, watching some chick flick on TV. That constituted as ‘girl stuff’. The rain had started again. Amy was trying to catch popcorn in her mouth, unsuccessfully, and giggling in the process. The place smelled of fresh toe nail polish that Elena had bought on her last trip to town with Alex, and hot chocolate.

“What is with the rain? It rains everyday in this place,” Elena said annoyingly, though the rain had once been her cover for Pam and caused a sweet moment with Alex.

She suddenly blushed thinking about it and covered a smile.

A knock at the door startled them both. Elena reluctantly moved slowly to answer the door. She peeked through the safety chain and there she was, dripping from head to toe.

Rachel. Alex’s mom.

Elena gasped as she quickly loosened the chain and flung open the door.

“Is Alex here?” Rachel asked almost whispering.

“No, he’s at the meeting, along with everyone else.”

Elena was absolutely confused, didn’t know what to make of her question.

“Elena. I know. I know what’s been going on.”

“What do you mean?” Elena proceeded carefully, remembering what Alex had said about his mothers’ loyalty to his father.

“Please, Elena, it wouldn’t take a genius for someone who was actually looking to see the truth. Alex called me last night, asking me if I was happy with his father. What did he expect me to say?” She wiped at her face. “His questions and the missing girls; I put two and two together. What are you and him thinking! Don’t you know what they’ll do to him for this!”

“We won’t get caught. It was his idea. Rachel, he doesn’t want this, for anyone. What are you doing here? Are you here to stop us, warn us, scare us, what?”

“I’m here to ask...for your help.” Rachel reached and grabbed Elena by the arms. “Elena, please help me get away from here.”

* * *

Elena scrambled to get her shoes on. Alex kept a small stash of cash in the house in case of emergencies, not as much as he usually gave the girls, but $1100 would have to do, and there was no bus ticket. She would have to purchase one when they got there.

She knew it was risky, but it was his mom. She was the reason Alex was the way he was. She was the reason, the inspiration, for Alex helping the girls in the first place. She had to take the risk. It was worth it.

For Alex.

She grabbed Alex’s sweater, her favorite, and a ball cap from the closet. Alex was running low on hats and outerwear now. Elena and Rachel were running to the truck, Amy stayed behind in case Alex came home earlier than they expected. Elena hoped she could make it back before the meeting was over.

He and Roger had only been gone twenty minutes when Elena and Amy had heard the knock from Rachel’s bony, weary, scared hands. Elena was thinking hard about what Alex said about extra security.

Would he be right? Would this be the time they didn’t make it?

Elena slipped on her ball cap and jacket, collar up, and started the truck. She glanced over to Rachel, looking for an answer in her eyes. Was she willing to take this risk? Rachel’s eyes almost gleamed with anticipation and what looked like relief. That answered Elena’s unspoken question. She threw it into reverse.

* * *

Alex had been right, there were guards, but it was raining a lot and with her disguise no one seemed to suspect. She could see the city limit sign and the truck parked next to it.

Rachel was sitting in the floor, her head on the seat and sweater over her hair. Right before she passed the man, she tipped her hat to him through the foggy, wet window.
Please, Please.

He held up his hand to stop her.
No! No!

“Be still, Rachel,” she barely mouthed.

The guard took his flashlight and glanced in the cab next to Elena through the passenger side and then in the bed of the truck. He must have been anxious to get out of the rain because he quickly ran back to window and saluted an ok for her to go.

Elena nodded and pressed the accelerator, blowing out a sigh of relief. She had been lucky with the guard once, but didn’t have to be twice. She wondered what would happen on her ride home.

Elena pressed the heater button. Where in the world had this cold front come from? She thought warm front’s followed hurricanes, but tonight it was absolutely freezing. Alex’s truck temperature gauge read 36 degrees. Unheard of weather for only having a hurricane a week ago, but it was fall and it was at night. The nights were always chilly here. And being wet wasn’t helping in the slightest.

“Ok, Rachel, all clear.”

“Thank you, Elena. I can’t believe this is happening. Twenty nine. Twenty nine years of my life taken from me. Alex is my only reason for me to be alive, and knowing the man he’s become has given me the peace to be able to move on. Not just from his father but from myself. From allowing this to happen as everyone else has and done nothing.”

“Rachel, there was nothing you could do.”

“I could’ve tried! Do you realize how many women I’ve seen come through there? Not all of them made it, one way or another. I should have at least had the courage to try.”

“Alex is the only reason I’m here. He was the one with the conviction. He saved me from the traffickers. He chose a long time ago, that this wouldn’t be the life for him, but he couldn’t just leave. He said, he needed to save at least one, that he wished someone would have done that for you.” Rachel was sobbing as Elena spoke. “He saved me, Rachel. His plan all along was to take a wife and try to make up with her what his father had done with you. He’s very good to me and I love him.”

“Oh, Elena. Nothing you could have ever said could make me happier. Thank you.”

They continued to drive slowly through the rain and drizzle. Creeping, trying to go slow so as to be safe and not get pulled over or draw attention.

They were almost there. Rachel started crying again. Elena answering Rachel’s questions about her son. Elena wished now she had more time to get to know her but there were more important things now.

She hoped that Alex wouldn’t be upset with her. After all, he didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. Would he be angry with her for doing this? She hadn’t thought of that.

Rachel began to put on the sweater and cap.

“That’s my favorite sweater...of Alex’s,” Elena said, as she pulled into the parking lot.

“I made it for him.”

Elena gasped slightly.

“You did?” she said in awe.

“Yes, a few years ago. It’s perfect that you grabbed this for me. Now I can take a real piece of him with me.”

* * *

This situation was different. Alex would want to know where his mother had gone so he could find her one day. She knew he would, but would breaking her own rules be her demise? Elena decided it was worth it to risk it.

They got out and walked to the ticket counter, Rachel out of camera shot. Elena paid for the ticket and gave the rest of the money to Rachel who took it reluctantly, knowing there was no other choice. They walked over to the roar of the bus, the smell of diesel fumes and stale popcorn engulfing them. Their breath was fogging in the chill of the weirdly cold night.

“Rachel, I wish we could have met under different circumstances. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of him. I promise, we’ll come find you...one day. We just have to work this out first. We have to try.”

Rachel closed her eyes and nodded her head, understanding. She had known when she came over tonight she wouldn’t have been able to say goodbye to Alex. She was ok with that, for now.

They hugged for a long time before Rachel pulled back to look Elena in the eyes.
“Thank you, Elena. You have now saved
my
life. Tell Alex I love him more than life and I will see him again, soon.”

Rachel wrapped herself in her sons sweater and boarded the bus.

* * *

Elena was soaking wet, her pathetic excuse of a jean jacket doing nothing but weighing her down and letting the cold soak into her bones. She walked back quickly to the truck and - flat tire
.
Ah! Of all the nights! Do I even remember how to change a tire?

She looked in the back but the jack had been removed. She ran across the parking lot to a pay phone, even though she had not a cent on her. It was broken. No collect calls to home.

She looked everywhere for another one but saw nothing. Then it started to rain harder, freezing cold hard rain. She was shivering so violently, she could hardly walk straight.

She made her way back to the truck as briskly as she could but changed course towards the ticket counter. She could ask for help from someone, though it would be risky.

The parking lot lights suddenly shut off and she was left in blackness.
Closing time.
She was alone in the dark and drizzle and freezing, not a soul in sight, and then she dropped the keys. She searched with her hands and feet for long minutes coming up with nothing. It was too dark and drenched, she couldn’t find them. Now she wouldn’t even have the heater in the truck while she waited.

She ran towards the counter but by the time she got there it was completely dark and everyone was gone for the night.
Oh no.

She was getting worried, scared of what Alex would do when he came home and found her gone, knowing she did exactly what he told her not to do. He might blow their cover fearing the worst for her and run with guns blazing after her.

Looking around she saw the main street was dark too. Not one business was still open and the rain was relentless.

She realized she couldn’t go home tonight.

She could see Alex pacing the den, worried and upset. She ran back to the truck, locked the doors and lay down in the seat, the cold leather not helping to warm her. She wrapped the wet jacket around herself and curled up on the seat, praying for sleep but finding nothing but numb lips and fingertips along with chattering teeth as she watched the temperature gauge go down.

* * *

Amy was waiting, pacing, worrying when Alex and Roger came back from the meeting. It had been three hours since Elena left with Alex’s mom. She should have been back a long time ago.

“Alex! Oh God! Elena!” she yelled.

She told him in a furious frantic everything about his mother coming, asking for help and Elena taking her to the bus station, too long ago.

“She should have been back by now,” Amy said, wringing her hands. “And it’s gotten so cold and the rain hasn‘t stopped,” she continued to state the obvious.

“Roger, I’ve got to borrow your truck,” Alex said tight lipped, turning and not waiting for an answer.

He knew if she had made it out of town where she would be.

“Hold on, Alex. We’ll come too,” Roger called after him, Amy shutting the door to the house behind them and scrambling towards the truck, jumping in the backseat with Roger.

When they reached the edge of town, Alex saw the guards and stopped at the raised hand indicating for him to halt.

“Hey, Alex, I thought I already saw you come through here tonight?” the guard said, shining his flashlight around the truck bed.

“Nope, sorry, not me. We’ve been at the meeting. Look, we’re in a hurry, Tom. We good?” Alex knew now that Elena had made it at least this far.

“Yep. Hey, be careful, the roads are awfully icy out there, with it being so cold and rainy tonight. Lot of wrecks coming over the wire.” He waved. “We’ll see ya.”

Alex sped but Roger and Amy said nothing, understanding. He was quiet on the drive, saving his questions for later. There was nothing that mattered more than getting to Elena right now. He wondered what in the world could have happened to make her not come home. The thought that maybe she left with his mother crossed his mind and went right back out. No way. Not after the fits she pitched when he brought up that she could leave.

Something was wrong.

He sped up thinking about what the guard had said about it being icy with lots of wrecks. He tried not to think about his truck mangled off in the ditch somewhere with precious cargo inside.

What if he got to the bus station and Elena wasn’t there? What if someone took her? What if the community found out? What if his mother had used her, to trick her at his fathers’ request?

When he rounded the corner he saw the truck parked in the back of the dark lot. He screeched the truck to a stop skidding a little on the ice that he could see on the asphalt in the dim headlights.

* * *

Elena could see lights, waking her from her shivery stupor. When she tried to move she was stiff from being so cold and she felt fuzzy and drugged. He heart was beating so slow and sluggish.

Someone was beating on the window, startling her. She was frightened, trying to decide if it was the cops or something worse. She managed to sit up and wipe a circle in the fog off enough to see Alex’s worried face looking back at her through the drivers’ side window. She reached for the handle and it flew open. Alex engulfed her in his arms.