Page 50 of Justice Denied

Jetta immediately recognized it as the mate to the one she suddenly realized she still clutched in her hand. “It’s my mom’s.” Her voice wavered and she cleared her throat. “It’s a match to this one.”

All four guards stared at the slipper in her hand, then at the one near the hedge. “It appears to be the other one,” Holly agreed. She leaned forward as if peering through the narrow pathway in the hedge. “There’s a bit of fabric snagged on the branch near the exit too.”

“What does that mean?” Jetta asked the obvious question to which she was sure she didn’t want to know the answer.

“It might mean someone has taken your mother against her will,” Holly said, her voice firm but gentle. “I’m calling this into the police as a possible kidnapping.”

Jetta gasped, bringing the slipper to her chest as she blinked back tears. Crying wouldn’t help them find her mother and would only distract them from their work. While Holly phoned the police, Jetta stood, unable to move her gaze from the slipper resting so peacefully on the dirt.Please God, keep Mom safe!

After she finished her call, Holly addressed her people. “Clive, go back to Ms. Ainsley’s room and shut the door. Then stand guard outside of it. No one goes in or out until the police arrive. Javier, you’ll do the same here—no one touches anything until the cops arrive. Make note of anything you see or hear while you’re waiting. Vicki, you’ll come with me and start reviewing the security footage. Ms. Ainsley, it’s best if you come back to the facility, as the police will want to interview you right away.”

Jetta nodded and trudged behind the two women as they made their way back to the building. Once inside, Holly guided her to a small conference room, assuring her she would send the police to her as soon as they arrived. Alone, Jetta gave into temptation and buried her head in her arms as the sobs engulfed her, the prayer to God for Mom’s safety looping in her mind.

* * *

Emily slowly opened her eyes.The room didn’t spin quite as badly has it had the first couple of times she’d attempted to return to the land of the living. Maybe whatever they’d given her was wearing off. She lay on a thin mattress on the floor of a bare room. Light spilled in from two un-curtained windows, telling her wherever she was, she wasn’t close enough to any other house that they feared discovery. Her head ached like the time she’d drunk too much champagne at a New Year’s Eve party and Jay had to practically carry her home. She’d vowed never to indulge like that again and hadn’t, but she still recalled the awful feeling.

She became aware of pain building in her leg as she continued her inventory. Sweat beads popped out on her forehead and she bit her bottom lip to stem the whimper rising in her throat. The door opened and a figure entered. Fear gripped Emily by the throat, but she couldn’t move her limbs at all, much less try to see who was in the room.

“I see you’re awake.” The voice, muffled by a facemask, sounded neither male nor female. “But you’re in pain. I do apologize for that and brought you something.” The person squatted and set down several prescription bottles on the floor near Emily’s head, along with a bottle of water. She recognized the labels as hers. The thugs who took her must have swiped her pills as well.

“I’ll be back in a bit, once you’re feeling better.” The figure rose and left Emily alone again.

She struggled to sit up, propping her back against the wall. Despite its bare appearance, the room was clean, the linoleum floor dust-free, and the mattress covered in a clean sheet. The cinderblock walls had a fresh coat of white paint, if the faint scent she now discerned was any indication. She managed to snag all of the bottles and took a long drink of water before examining the pills. Yes, these were indeed her prescriptions. She fumbled to open the one with her pain pills and popped two in her mouth, followed by another swallow of water. Then she rested against the wall to wait for the pain to recede.

Emily wasn’t sure how much time had passed, as she must have fallen asleep. She stretched her neck to relieve a crick from sleeping slumped to one side, but at least the pain in her leg wasn’t as sharp as before. The sunlight wasn’t as strong either, leaving the corners of the room in shadows. Jetta must be frantic with worry, as surely her presence must be missed by now. Emily prayed for her daughter’s safety, for someone to find her soon, and for this entire ordeal to be over. Thoughts of her late husband filled her mind. All she wanted was to restore Jay’s good name so he wouldn’t be remembered as someone who’d bilked his company out of millions but as someone who tried to do the right thing. Her older children refused to discuss their father, his fall from grace hitting them harder than it had Jetta.

But given all that had happened, Emily wasn’t sure her quest was as noble as she’d thought. She didn’t think it would put her daughter in danger, much less herself. At least this had brought Seth more into Jetta’s life. Emily had liked the big young man from the moment he’d jogged over to help her move the pile of mulch in her driveway around to her flowerbeds a few years ago. She’d been calling herself all sorts of a fool for continuing the practice of loose mulch that needed a wheelbarrow and shovel to haul rather than hiring a landscape company to pretty up her beds. She hadn’t wanted to admit her body wasn’t up to doing the things it once accomplished with ease. But Seth hadn’t minded, and from then on, he always appeared exactly when she needed brawny assistance.

Her daughter deserved someone who would treat her right. Emily had never liked Kyle, even though she hadn’t met the man in person. What Jetta said—and didn’t say—about her boyfriend had told Emily all she’d needed to know, but she could only offer a listening ear and snippets of advice as Jetta struggled through the relationship. When they’d broken up months ago, Emily had been thrilled. But learning about Kyle’s attack on her sweet Jetta, leaving her pregnant, made Emily’s heart ache.

She wasn’t sure whether Jetta would keep the baby or not, but Emily had the sneaking suspicion Seth wouldn’t mind raising another man’s child. In fact, she was sure he wouldn’t. If only Jetta would be able to overcome her fear of trusting the wrong man and see Seth for the godly man he was, then things might turn out okay for her youngest.

The door opened and the same person came back, this time carrying a tray. “I brought you some soup.”

The scent of chicken broth triggered an answering rumble in Emily’s stomach. She straightened as best she could as the figure unfolded the legs on the tray and set it before Emily. A bowl of steaming soup and another bottle of water rested on the tray.

“Eat before it grows cold.” The person stepped away as Emily picked up the spoon and savored the soup.

When she’d finished, the figure placed the tray by the door before returning to crouch in front of Emily.

“You have been busy digging up the past, despite your injuries.”

Emily stayed silent, waiting for the other person to come to the point of her kidnapping.

“Your husband stole that money, Mrs. Ainsley. All the evidence points to that.”

She could keep quiet no longer. “No, he did not. Evidence can be manufactured, and Jay was gathering proof of his innocence before he died.”

“Maybe so, but that was a long time ago. Why pursue this now, especially as your husband is dead?”

“Justice.” Emily nearly hissed the word, her anger at her captor’s cavalier attitude toward Jay’s tarnished reputation growing by the second. “He was innocent—and I intend to prove it.”

A rough chuckle emanated from the person. “You’re tilting at windmills. There is no proof to exonerate Jay Ainsley because he was guilty, guilty of more than just the money.”

“What are you talking about?” The question burst out of her like a bullet.

“You don’t want to find out. Stop this quest now, or you’ll regret it.”

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