Carol picked up her cell phone and opened up the phone app.
“Who are you calling?” Duncan leaned over and looked at the phone.
“Oh, I’m just letting my mother know that we’ll be staying overnight at the ranch.” She put the phone up to her ear. “I won’t tell her we’re going to be moving out of the apartment – not yet anyway.”
“Okay.”
“Hello – Mother? Yes. Well, we’re going to be staying overnight here at Duncan’s work. Yes. Remember? I told you about his boss getting bitten by a rattlesnake? Right. We’re just going to spend the night because it’s getting late. We’ll bring back the car tomorrow. Are you going to be needing it before we get back? I can bring it earlier in the morning if you – What? Who? She did! Oh my God! Well, what did you tell her?”
“What?” Duncan asked.
Carol held up her hand. “You’re kidding! Is she still there? Oh, that woman is just insane! I see. Well, Mother – no now listen – no, I don’t want you to call her! And whatever you do don’t call the police. Yes. I’m sure she would just love to put Duncan in jail again for something else he didn’t do! Now, Mother – I – no, now wait. Duncan and I are going to be staying out here from now on until the babies are born, especially with that wicked witch flying around! We’ll get your car back to you somehow tomorrow that doesn’t involve either me or Duncan going back where she can get him!” Carol hung up.
Duncan looked at her. “What happened?”
“Oh, that Rachel VanderVeen just showed up looking for us,” she said.
“Where? Here in Florida?”
“Yes! She is just obsessed!”
Mrs. Thompson looked back into the rear-view mirror. “Is something wrong, dear?”
“Can you do a favor for us, Edith?”
“Are you kidding?” Mrs. Thompson said. “Of course I can. Anything you want, dear. We owe you both!”
***
Rachel VanderVeen waited in her car just outside of Eleanor’s apartment. She sat and did the daily paperwork that she was required to do by the state of Nevada even though she was here in Florida. Technically, she was on vacation, but she still had to justify her time here. So far, there were no signs of either Duncan Little or Carol Matheson. Rachel took another drink from her cup of coffee and made a face. It was cold. She sighed and yawned, thinking seriously of calling it quits for the afternoon. She stayed up all night long watching for them to show up and came up empty-handed. For both Duncan and Carol to skip state was nearly an intolerable blot on her record. If she could somehow rescue her from that huge abusive Duncan Little and bring her back where it was safe again – then that was worth it.
She looked at her watch. It was nearly 11:00 AM and if Carol was going to come back home, it wouldn’t be until much later if what Eleanor told her was true. Still, she didn’t want to miss an opportunity to nail that man and get Carol back safe again.
An old red farm pick-up truck pulled into the parking lot, followed by another car. They both parked together just underneath Eleanor’s apartment. Rachel stared at them, hoping that it was Carol and Duncan, but it was just an elderly woman who got out of the car and a younger tall, thin man wearing a cowboy hat from the pickup.
Rachel sighed in exasperation and started her car. It was time to find a good motel. According to the radio there was a hurricane coming anyway.
This is a full-length unpublished fictional novel that I’m posting here each week. It’s still a work-in-progress, so you can actually read it as I’m writing it. Not even I know how it’s going to turn out yet! Almost 300 previous pages are here on Facebook if you wish to read them. You can also read sample chapters from my other books at www.aperrinauthor.com Please “Like” my page and come back for more every Thursday night until 1/1/2022. After that date please visit www.booklocker.com.
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