Page 48 of Abigail
“We are family,” Mercury states. “Family doesn’t consider taking a risk as a hardship, Straw. Just like on deployments, we just do what needs to be done so we all come home. This is no different just because we are on American soil and will be acting as civilians. If anything, this is more important than some mission for the government. This is making your family safe. That’s our priority, and that’s what we will do. You have my word.” The other men in the room assert their agreement through words and nods of their heads. Straw is overwhelmed by his band of brothers.
A couple of hours later, they have ironed out the particulars of their plan. Hack, Hawk, and Wallace will be staying with the women taking care of Abigail. Namely Charlotte, Lisa, and Emma. The men decided to split the women and children up so that should Todd manage to get to one, he won’t be able to get to them both. Deadeye, Ace, and Jasper, a man from Hawk’s other team of Raiders will be watching over the children at Ace and Daisy’s home, since they are certain that Abigail hasn’t been to their home in recent months. The belief being the man helping Todd doesn’t know Ace’s address. Now, as to the rest of them, they will be backing Straw up as he hunts down Todd in the forest. The men have all vowed that Todd will not exit the forest alive. If he’s allowed to live, the possibility that he would return to cause Abigail and Ellie problems is too great.
Once the plans have been set, the men agree to meet up tomorrow afternoon around one in the afternoon barring the admiral bringing Todd into custody. They all get up to leave. L.A., Frog, and Merlin, other members of Hawk’s second Raiders team will be standing guard around the house tonight, while the rest of the team gets rested up for the task ahead. Straw packs Ellie an overnight bag and sees her off with Ace and Daisy. After everyone has finally cleared out, Straw heads upstairs to check on Abigail. He needs to update her on the Todd situation. He’s hoping she will understand his need to protect her and not insist on him standing down to let the admiral handle things. He hasn’t forgotten his fear and anger when Todd had caused her accident. The thought of losing her rides him hard as he locks the house up for the night. He climbs the stairs two at a time, hurrying down the hall to their room. He pauses outside the door, willing himself to calm down. She’s alive. She’s here in their bed. For now, that will have to be enough. After a couple of calming breaths, he slowly turns the doorknob to enter their room.
CHAPTERFORTY-THREE
Abigail hears the bedroom door open, knowing that Robert is coming to her. She’s managed a few fitful hours of sleep while he’s been downstairs entertaining their company at her welcome home party. She shifts her position in bed to roll onto her back. Her abdomen catches as she turns causing a groan to escape her lips and her hands to land on her belly. She hears Robert hurriedly round the bed, coming to her side.
“Hey, baby,” Robert coos as he sits on the side of the bed. “I didn’t mean to wake you.” She gives him a partial smile. He moves to help her sit up, supporting her back as she gets comfortable. He grabs some pillows from his side of the bed to place behind her.
“I wasn’t asleep,” Abigail says. “I’ve dosed off and on, but that pain medicine makes me have crazy dreams, so I haven’t slept much. Has everyone left?” She feels bad that she missed most of the party, but she’d gotten so tired. She remembers the women sitting with her until she fell asleep, but how long ago that was she can’t be certain. Glancing at the window, she notes night has fallen.
“Yes, they’ve all gone home,” Robert replies. “I hope you don’t mind, but I let Ellie go to Ace’s for the night. You need a few more days before you’re ready to take care of her full time. Besides the twins insisted she needed to spend the night at Ace and Daisy’s house so they could continue some game they’ve been playing.” Abigail grins, thinking about how close Ellie’s gotten to the twins. The three of them are thick as thieves. That makes Abigail happy for her daughter. Ellie is having the happy childhood, she, herself never got to experience. That makes everything they’ve been through worth it all.
“I don’t mind, Robert,” Abigail says softly. “I’m so happy she has such good friends to play with, and that our friends welcome her like she’s their own. We’ve been so blessed.” Robert’s handsome face breaks into a smile.
“Yes, sweetheart. We are very lucky.” Robert brushes a stray strand of her hair out of her eyes as he leans closer to kiss her. His full lips brush hers softly, tenderly. It’s been so long since they’ve had a moment to themselves since her accident. Eagerly she swipes out her tongue to tangle with his. He scoots his hips closer as he deepens their kiss. It’s not a kiss of desire or lust, but one that conveys their deep love for one another, giving them both the reassurance of their life and their lasting love. When they come up for air, he rests his forehead against hers, catching their breaths. “I love you, Abi, so much.” Robert’s voice breaks with emotion. Abigail understands just how he feels. She can hardly breathe, much less speak. She lifts her eyes to meet his gaze. His right hand cupping the left side of her face with such reverence.
“I love you, too, Robert.” Abigail’s voice wavers. “I…I never dreamed of having all this, having you, Ellie, a real family, but you gave that to us. More importantly, you gave me your unconditional love. You have given me life and freedom in a way I never expected to have before. I need you to know, to understand just how much you mean to me and Ellie.” Robert gently shifts her until she’s sitting in his lap.
“I do know, sweetheart.” Robert soothes her with his words, his hands moving over her back. “You’ve shown me every day just how much you love me, and I hope I’ve shown you the same.” He kisses her again. For several moments, they just enjoy being in each other’s arms, savoring the feel of the other. All too soon, Robert pulls back to look her in the eyes. “I promised I wouldn’t keep anything from you again. Especially when it comes your or Ellie’s safety.” He pauses as if gathering his thoughts on how to say what he needs to tell her. She cups his face in her hands, looking him in the eyes.
“Whatever it is,” Abigail whispers, “We will get through this together. Despite what I’ve been through, I can handle whatever it is that has you so on edge. I can tell you’re tense about something. Just tell me so we can move forward, okay?” He nods.
“Daisy’s brother, Luke, has narrowed down Todd’s location,” Robert informs her. “Admiral Jenkins has asked I give him twenty-four hours to bring Todd into custody. If he can’t, I’m going after him. Please, baby, don’t ask me not to do this.” Robert’s voice hardens as he speaks. Abigail knows it’s not at her but at the situation. “Ineedto know that you and Ellie are safe and free from the worry of him turning up again.”
Abigail can understand his need. She feels it herself. The desire to make him go away so Ellie never has to be afraid of him, like she’s been. She listens as he tells her about Dean giving Todd information about her and Ellie. She’s only meet Dean briefly for a few minutes a few months ago when she was dropping Ellie off to visit at the Jenkins’ while Robert was gone on a mission. Dean looks a lot like his brother, but his personality had seemed different. While Robert hasn’t gotten to speak with Dean about what he’s done, she gets the impression Robert doesn’t think he did it out of spite, but in an effort to help Todd get his life back on track. The problem is nothing is never going to get Todd’s life on the right track. He is mentally ill, and he doesn’t want to get help because he doesn’t believe there’s anything wrong with him. You can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped.
“Oh honey.” Abigail runs her hand down the side of Robert’s face. “I wish this wasn’t happening. I’m so sorry that I’ve brought all this on you.” He starts to interrupt her, but she stops him by placing a finger over his lips. “This is going to sound selfish because it is, but I wouldn’t change a thing. You have made our lives so much better with your love. I love that you are willing to sacrifice your freedom to keep Ellie and I safe. I won’t try to stop you or tell you that you shouldn’t do this because if the situation was reversed, I would feel the same way you do. All I ask is that you do your best not to get caught. Ellie needs her Daddy, and I need my man.” Robert’s face softens, his love for her radiating off him in warm waves. He kisses her deeply once again, holding her close, letting her feel his love.
Several miles away…
In a make-shift camp site, Todd Jenkins stares into the fire. He needs to think, but all the voices in his head are making it difficult. Abigail has ruined his life. He never should have taken in the bitch all those years ago, but she was a good fuck. She’d followed him around like a whipped pup for a long time, but then the bitch had given birth to another bitch, and everything had changed. She’d stopped obeying him. He had known she was about to run, but he hadn’t truly believed she would do it. When he’d checked the cameras that day and saw her packing up the baby’s things, he knew she would leave him. Him. The man who saved her from that hellhole she was living in when they met. She should have been grateful to him. He had improved her life, given her a nice apartment to live in. He got her away from that dead-end waitressing job. All she’d had to do was keep their home clean, cook his meals, and satisfy his needs. Damn bitch couldn’t even manage that.
The snapping of a branch pulls him out of his musings. On hyper alert, he scans the surrounding darkness. His buddy, Michael, is sleeping like a fucking log in the tent. The man doesn’t seem to understand that just because no one has come for them, yet, it doesn’t mean they are in the clear. Todd knows that dick that Abigail is shacking up with now won’t let this go. Todd saw the fury on the man’s face when he exited his vehicle. Todd had been trying to get to his daughter while Michael held Abigail back. Abigail’s man had arrived within seconds of the crash, foiling Todd’s plans on getting his revenge. He’d planned to take both females and then show his fuckingfatherjust who is the man.
His father is badly in need of being brought down a few pegs. He’s been waiting for years to break his father. His father had let Todd’s mother down, leading to her death. The man had lied to his sons smoothing over her death. His father had thought he and Dean were too young and stupid to understand the truth. What the man hadn’t know was, Todd had found his mother. He’d read her note. He’d been sad, depressed for months afterward. Why couldn’t his mother have loved him enough to stay with him, but she’d been weak. She’d ended her own life, because she couldn’t handle the voices in her head.
His father had known she was ill, not well, yet he’d left to go overseas anyway. Todd had heard them arguing the night before he left. His mother had begged his father not to go, but he’d denied her. He’d told her to take her medications, and this episode would pass just like all the others. His father had to have known how much she’d been hurting, suffering, but yet he did nothing to help her. Over the years, Todd’s sadness morphed into anger. Anger at his mother for being weak. His brother for believing the shit his father had spewed. At his father for letting his mother end her life, and then he moved on as if nothing had happened. He’d remarried with a couple of years after her death, bringing, Marla, into their home to replace his mother. He’s been wanting to hurt the man as much as he’d hurt him and his mother.
From everything Todd has managed to pull out of his ‘beloved’ brother, dear old dad loves his granddaughter, Ellie. He’d forgotten that stupid name during the years he’d been locked up, but Dean spoke highly of the child. He’d related how much their father dotes on her. Todd knows it will break the man to watch him wreak his revenge on Abigail, then his daughter. Todd has no love for either of the bitches. So when he kills them in front of his father before he ends his father’s life, he will feel no remorse. Not for any of their lives.
Scurrying noises coming from the forest, draws his attention again. He’s not being paranoid like everyone keeps trying to tell him. He isn’t paranoid. Everyone is out to get him. They’re all jealous of him. His intelligence and ability to manipulate any situation. Just look at how he got all the information from Dean. His strait-laced, by the book, brother caved like a thin sheet of paper. He was so easy to manipulate. All Todd had to do was convince his brother he really does love his daughter and just wants to be a part of her life. He’d laid it on thick. Lamenting the years, he’s lost. Her first steps, first words. Never hearing her say daddy. He’d watched Dean closely as he said all the right things. Dean had melted and given him everything he needed to pass on to Michael on the outside.
He hadn’t really believed Michael would come through for him, but he’d been pleasantly surprised. His buddy had been thorough, getting Abigail’s work location, Ellie’s school, as well as his father’s home address. He’d been impulsive going to Abigail’s home when he’d been released. The voices in his head had convinced him to go, that he could exact his revenge and make them cease their constant chatter. Sometimes the voices overwhelmed him. He’d never admit it to anyone. He rarely admits it to himself. He doesn’t like to accept the fact he is at the will of the voices. Not all the time, but from time to time they gang up on him and force their will on him. It has cost him the element of surprise. His father had placed guards on him constantly, but he’s smarter than his father could ever dream. He’d gotten away from the detail, and if the dick hadn’t shown up so quickly, this would all have been over by now.
More sounds coming from the dark draw his attention. There is someone out there, watching him. The voices are screaming at him to move before he’s taken. He’s not afraid. He’ll face whatever comes his way. He caresses the rifle laying across his lap. The cold metal comforts him. It will never let him down. He reaches down touching the pistol in his ankle holster. He’s more than prepared for what comes his way. Abigail’s dickhead boyfriend needs to think twice before coming after him. He sees movement in the darkness. Raising his rifle to his shoulder, he stands, taking aim at the figure emerging from the darkness.
CHAPTERFORTY-FOUR
Lynnville Jenkins stalks through the forest on silent feet. It’s been years since he’s put his skills to the test. He’d never imagined he’d be stalking his own son, but that’s exactly what’s happening. His son is out of control, and no matter how much he wishes things to be different, they aren’t. He has to get his son secured and ensure he will never hurt Abigail or Ellie again. He has let his granddaughter and her mother down. He’d promised Abigail when she came to North Carolina he wouldn’t allow Todd to hurt her or Ellie. He’d failed. He knows that now. He has to make it right.
A part of him he doesn’t want to acknowledge wants to let Straw get his revenge by ending his son’s life. Jenkins knows that makes him a horrible person. What kind of man would contemplate the death of their own child? Todd is not a normal person. He’s read his son’s psychological evaluations. His son is beyond help at this point. Jenkins has gotten his hands on information that he hasn’t shared with Straw or Abigail. When Todd had ditched his detail and caused Abigail’s accident, Jenkins had gone to the halfway house Todd had been placed. He’d searched his room thoroughly, finding a hidden compartment in the floor under the bed. Todd had often made hidey holes as a child. Todd has always been methodical, writing down his thoughts and plans. Jenkins had known if he could find Todd’s hiding spot for his journal he would gain insight into his son’s plans, and he’d been right. It had all been there in black and white. He shudders, remembering the vile things he’d read.
After reading what Todd had planned for Abigail, Ellie, and himself, he knew without a doubt he had to put a stop to his son. Even if he ruined his stellar career, leaving Marla alone, it has to be done. That’s his biggest regret, but when he’d confided in her what his son had planned, she’d told him to do what was necessary to make their family safe. Now here he is sneaking through the dark night to ambush his son. Mark Olson has his six creeping along behind him. Several other men, hand selected by himself and Olson, as back up, are moving in from all sides. These men are no longer active duty and therefore don’t have to follow rules that Jenkins and Olson should be following but won’t. Jenkins feels some guilt that Olson is risking his career to help him out, but there’s only a few men he can really trust. Olson is on the top of that list.
The plan is to take Todd into custody and return him to a psychiatric facility. The admiral having friends in high places has managed to get the paperwork in order to have Todd committed indefinitely. Todd’s unstable behavior coupled with the journal entries are more than enough evidence to get a judge to sign off on the order. Now it is just getting him into custody without someone getting killed. This is the tough part.
