Page 40 of Her Faithful Protector

Standing alone on the porch, I watch as the door gradually opens with a hesitant creaking sound. Then, it stops, creating just enough space for me to slip through. As I step inside, a hand seizes me, forcefully pulling me in while the door slams shut behind me. I hear the distinct sound of at least two heavy locks being engaged, followed by the sliding of a bar.

Blocking my path stands a man I’ve never seen before. His face is bloated, resembling an overfed raccoon with dark circles around his eyes.

The room is bare, save for a solitary table and chairpositioned at its center. A stack of paperwork and a pen rest neatly upon it as if deliberately arranged for my arrival. Quinton and my ex-babysitter are nowhere to be seen, but a doorway leading to the rear of the house catches my attention. When I arrived here, from the outside, this old wooden house appears large enough to be a three-bedroom dwelling. There is also an outbuilding at the back. If Quinton is here, he could be anywhere.

A figure emerges from the doorway, revealing itself to be Willem’s lieutenant, the bearded man. “Ava West. We meet again,” he utters, his voice exuding confidence as if he owned this estate.

“Where’s my baby?” I approach him, only to be held back by the raccoon man.

“I trust that you came alone?” He brandishes a gun, pointing at me while motioning to his comrade to check the outside. Then he bends down and whispers in my ear, “He won’t find any of those Red Mark bitches out here, will he?”

“I’m here alone!”

Just a few minutes seem to stretch out into an hour when the raccoon man comes back. “She’s clean,” he confirms.

“I’m impressed,” the bearded man says, withdrawing his gun. “I guess a mother knows. Quinton is here. Sit down.”

As the raccoon man pushes me down onto the chair, I strain my ears to catch any sounds that might be coming from the other side of the house. At the same time, I listen intently to Sam’s voice in my earpiece.

“Stay calm, Ava,” Sam assures me. With a microphone discreetly taped behind my shirt, he can hear everything that’s happening.

“Let me see Quinton,” I demand, my eyes piercing through him. “He’s just a baby. If you and your minion here want something, then take me instead,” I emphasize.

I hear Sam’s voice again, “Understood. There are two men present with you.”

Meanwhile, the bearded man shuffles through the stapled papers on the table until he reaches the last page, then pushes it toward me. “Sign it,” he commands, handing me a pen.

I refuse to take it, choosing instead to read the contract from the beginning. It’s an agreement between Willem and me, a document that would strip me of full custody of Quinton, denying me any visitation or contact.

“So he’s not dead,” I mock the bearded man, pretending I didn’t know.

He chuckles, a twisted smile forming on his face as if he’s pleased to have fooled me. “Well, the tale of his death by tea was just a scare tactic. Of course he’s alive!”

My unblinking eyes lock onto his as I firmly slide the paperwork back in his direction. “Tell Willem to go to hell. I’m here to take my baby, not to surrender him.”

He tuts, regretting my response. “Between the two of us, Willem informed me that if you agree to this, he might be willing to negotiate with you. It’s a slim chance, but still a chance, that he might allow you to visit Quinton. On his own terms, of course. And you know, it’s better than nothing.”

I hear Sam whispering in my earpiece, “Ask to see Quinton. The outbuilding is clear, but the windows into the house are all barricaded. I’m just outside, next to the front door.”

I quickly respond to my adversary. “Let me see Quinton.”

With a sneer, he counters, “Sign the paper first.”

“Well, I’ll talk to the coward later if he has the guts to meet me. I’m Quinton’s mother, and I will do anything to get my baby back!”

He casually remarks, “I’ve been warned that you won’t give up easily. Here’s the thing. If you refuse to sign this paper, someone will testify that you’ve been abusing Quinton.”

I stand up, trying to lunge over him, but the raccoon man holds me back. “Don’t you dare!” I move my body in wild motions, trying to break free, but the man’s strength overpowers my will.

“Willem’s death was a trick. But this time, there won’t be any trick. Your babysitter is fiercely loyal to her employer. And I don’t mean you. She’ll do anything to maintain her retainer from Willem and prevent him from revealing more incriminating evidence against her brother. You do know that your babysitter’s brother is in trouble, right?”

“And that will make her an unreliable witness.”

“You’re familiar with court procedures. I’m aware of that, Miss West. However, with the reassurance of a respected man like Willem Botha, who has made significant contributions to the city of Los Angeles, the court will believe her over an unstable mother who took his baby away to disappear in this forsaken land.” He then grabs my shirt collar. “By then, rest assured, you won’t ever see your baby again.”

Jack said yesterday Willem would try to hurt me in the worst way possible. I never thought this would be it. “I won’t sign this paper until I see Quinton healthy and unharmed.”

“Maybe you believe a witness alone isn’t enough to bring the abuse case to court. You think there needs to be proof, right? Perhaps a bruise, a cut, or even a broken bone?”

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