Page 80 of Biker's Baby

THIRTY-SIX

Iris

I climbedinto the truck and sat on the front seat with the door open while Abe and Trey spoke with the cops. Glenn gave his statement afterward, but he didn’t have much to offer as he was back with the bikes most of the time.

Paramedics showed up, and some went to gather Joel on a stretcher to put him into the ambulance, while others took Tris from me and examined his arm. He hadn’t been crying since Abe and Glenn had arrived, which led me to believe that he wasn’t as hurt as I feared.

I watched as the cops bagged up the gun that Abe had used to shoot my ex, then I listened as they assessed the building and the situation from their own standpoint. I could tell they weren’t happy with the way things had gone down without them being involved, but I hadn’t had the time to call them when I was in the back of that car.

But I knew better than to chime in with my two cents until they were finished with the other witnesses. They were very systematic in what they did, and I wasn’t going to cause more problems for them to get through this. They needed to talk to who they needed to talk to. It was really pretty simple.

Then, it was my turn to tell them my version of what had happened, as well as provide them with all the evidence they needed to see that it was, in fact, a kidnapping. They took photographs of my wrists where the ropes had burned my skin, as well as the bruises I’d sustained from the way he had thrown me around when moving me.

“I can also provide you with the numbers of more than half a dozen people who will be happy to testify that this guy has been after me for a long time,” I told the officer who was writing down my statement. “Trust me, I want to see him locked up for the rest of his life.”

“Don’t you worry. With the extensive list of charges he has against him, it’s not going to be a problem to put him behind bars. You can mark my words on that one,” the officer said. “Now, I think I have all I need from you. Do you want to take your turn with the paramedics?”

“I don’t need them.” I shook my head. “He didn’t hurt me. I just want to know my son’s okay.”

“He has a mild sprain, but he’s going to be just fine,” the paramedic said as he walked over with Tris in his arms. “Here you go. He’s ready to be put in his car seat. And do you need examined?”

“She declined,” the cop answered for me. That was fine with me. I felt that I was walking around in a fog.

All this seemed surreal. It was as though I was watching myself from somewhere else. Like a dream. But it was over eventually, and they took Joel away. I had a feeling I was going to have to deal with him again in court, but I was happy to say what I had to to make sure he was put behind bars.

That’s all I wanted.

Well, that and to go home with Abe.

Glenn got into the truck as I put Tris in his car seat.

“Do you mind if I sit in the back with him?” I asked. “I really want to hold him.”

“Go for it,” Glenn said. “I feel sorry for the little guy. You two have been through a lot today.”

“Too much if you ask me,” I told him.

He smiled and I slid into the back seat with my son. I held his hand and looked out the window to see Trey and Abe getting on the backs of their bikes. I was so happy Abe had come for me, and grateful to Glenn and Trey for coming with him.

It meant the world to know that there were other people out there who were on my side. Joel liked to tell me that no one cared what happened to me. But these men showed me themselves that they cared about me and my son, and they were willing to put their lives on the line to come after me if that’s what needed to happen.

I would never be able to thank them enough.

I rode in silence on the way back to the house. Glenn seemed to be okay with that himself. He hummed quietly along with the radio, and every now and then he’d check to see where his friends were on their bikes. The bikes were faster than the truck, but Abe wasn’t going to speed off with his family left behind.

He insisted on riding in the back to make sure he could see both of us the whole way back to his house. And I was okay with that. I couldn’t stand the thought of not being close to him right now, and the only thing keeping me from wanting to be riding on the back of his bike with him was the fact that I had Tris with me.

I wasn’t going to leave him, so I would have to be satisfied with just watching Abe through the back window as we made our way down the winding road back to town. It was a pretty drive, and I was glad to be able to see it on the way back down. I never would have guessed that we had gone this remote when I was lying in the back of that car, and I was even more grateful that Abe had been able to use that app to find my phone.

It was the only thing that had led him to me, and I had a feeling if he hadn’t come to get me, I would have wound up dead eventually. There was no way I was going to get back with Joel. I didn’t care what he threatened. I hated him. I hated the way he looked, the way he talked. The more he stalked me, the more I couldn’t stand him, and the more I couldn’t believe that there was a time when he and I were together.

The only way I had managed to make it through the situation was because I knew Abe was out there and coming for me. If he wasn’t, I knew I would have let my ex shoot me before I would bend to anything he was telling me to do. I wasn’t getting back with him, no matter what.

But now, now I didn’t have to think about any of that. He was going to prison, I was sure of it. And I was going home with Abe. I never had to worry about anything coming between us again. I could be with him without anyone stalking me. I could be free.

When we got back to the house, Trey gave me and Tris a hug and shook Abe’s hand before heading back to his own apartment, and I told Abe I was grateful for him.

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to use him now,” Abe said with a shake of his head. “Tad’s going to be pissed that I became friends with the one person I was supposed to use for our own good.”

---