The following night, Popeye woke in the middle of the night to hear someone banging on his door. He jumped out of bed and called out, “Wait just a damn minute! Let me get muh britches on!”

He dressed only in a white tank top and boxers, jumped into his khakis and scurried to the door. When he opened it, he found Brielle on his doorstep.

“Brielle! What are you doing here at twelve-thirty in the morning?”

“Jane didn’t come home from her date. She was supposed to be home at eleven and she never made it. Bruce’s mom called me just before I left and asked if he was at my house with Jane. Apparently, he never made it home either! Popeye, I’m scared! What if something has happened to Jane and Bruce! But I swear, if she’s okay, she’s got a lot of explaining to do and she’s grounded!” Brielle said in a voice of panic.

By the next day, Jane and Bruce had not returned. Brielle drove Olivia and Baby Kennedy to Grandma Bennett’s house. She, Malcolm, Popeye, and Alvin joined Bruce’s parents and the six of them continued to search for Bruce and Jane. Malcolm then called Atticus and Jo and they also joined in the search.

Two More Missing

As Brielle and the others searched through the woods in the bottoms, calling for Jane and Bruce, Brielle’s phone rang. It was Grandma Bennett.

“Hello,” Brielle shouted, still in tears.

“Oh, God, Brielle! You’re not gonna believe what just happened! CPS showed up here just a few minutes ago! They took Olivia and the baby! Lord knows I tried to keep them away from these children! But they pushed me down, Brielle! And the sheriff was with them, and he manhandled me!” Grandma Bennett sobbed on the other end.

Brielle dropped the phone, throw her head back, and squeezed her tear-filled eyes shut as she let out loud groaning sobs. She then went to her knees, looked up at the sky, and let out an earth-shaking scream.

Malcolm, Atticus, and the rest ran over to Brielle and knelt beside her as she groaned and sobbed.

“They took my babies! CPS took Olivia and Kennedy! All my children are gone!” she sobbed uncontrollably.

A Horrifying Phone Call

“Come on, we gotta get back to Grandma Bennett’s house, “ Malcolm told the others.

“I can’t! I just can’t! I can’t even breathe!” Brielle said as she heaved between sobs.

With that, Malcolm lifted her in his arms and carried her through the woods as the others followed him close behind, heading back to the parked vehicles.

Meanwhile, in the bottoms, Kelsey McGregor panicked as she struggled against the hands that drug her out of the van, screaming as her arms flailed about. She didn’t know who had grabbed her and where they had taken her. The only thing she recalled was that while trying to get in her car, she’d heard running footsteps approaching her from behind. And, as she had turned to see who it was that was running up on her, the world around her had suddenly turned black as a dark bag, possibly a pillowcase, came down over her head and several hands had grabbed her. She knew that there was more than one kidnapper.

Abduction 

Then, she recalled how she struggled wildly as she felt herself being tossed in the back of her own car and heard the door slam shut. She then heard someone get into the driver’s seat, close the door, and crank the engine while feeling a second person tie up her hands and feet.

The resulting trip had been a long one, more than likely a few days as Kelsey remember keeping count of how many times they’d stopped to eat and to go to the bathroom. She’d also counted how many times the face-mask-wearing men had fed her and gave her water.

She replayed everything in her mind- the closing the restaurant where she’d worked the evening shift and walking to her car. She then replayed unlocking her car and reaching to open her driver’s side door. That’s when it had happened! Kelsey then recalled stressing and worrying about her upcoming Chemistry test, and she silently admonished herself, thinking,

“Here I am, tied up and God knows where, and I was stressing about something as silly as a freaking Chemistry test? Boy was I stupid!”

Kelsey just couldn’t stop ruminating! She couldn’t stop thinking about what she’d told her mysterious captors.

An Unexpected Trip

“Okay, look! If it’s my car you want, you can have it! Just let me go!” Kelsey cried only to be answered with total silence and the hum of the motor.

She then remembered the car stopping, being drug out and put into what seemed like a larger vehicle, possibly a van, seemingly just a few minutes before arriving to the present and final destination.

Suddenly, the cloth bag was suddenly pulled off her head and she could see again. Kelsey saw the shadowy figure of the man in the night and another dark figure standing beside him. She looked around to see that it was dark and that they were standing beside a van in the middle of the woods somewhere. She could also see, by the light of the moon, a huge lake nearby. Kelsey looked back at the face of the men who had taken her.

“Look, if it’s money you want…” Kelsey began before one of the shadowy men cut her off.

“That won’t be necessary. We have everything we want- everything we need.” The man said in a gruff voice that sounded so familiar to her.

“Oh God! That voice! Who are you and what do you want!” Kelsey shouted.

A flashlight came on and the two men removed their masks. Kelsey gasped as her eyes widened.

Familiar Faces

“Well! Slap my face and call me a son of a bitch! Kelsey McGregor! My have you grown!” Johnny Crabtree gushed with a sinister grin.

“No! No way! It can’t be!” Kelsey said, shaking her head frantically.

“In the flesh, darling!” Johnny said creepily, “So, how’s your mama these days? I hear she wrote another book- and that she and old Bledsoe ended up tying the knot. Hell, I even heard she pinched another kid. A baby boy- with ol’ Bledsoe. Well, well, well! Ain’t that sweet!”

“Go to hell!” Kelsey screamed back.

“Ladies first, sweetheart.” Johnny said with a creepy grin.

“Fuck you!”

“That can be arranged. I like them young!”

With that, several pairs of hands grabbed Kelsey from behind and she began frantically pawing and pulling. Johnny grabbed Kelsey to restrain her as she struggled against his grip.

“Let me go! Let me go, you creep!” She screamed.

Johnny and Jason’s Revenge

Kelsey then began to kick at her captors, as they drug her back into the van. When they got her inside and pulled the sliding door shut, she kicked on of the windows and a crack spidered across the glass. Suddenly, Johnny pulled out a gun, stuck it to her head and cocked it.

“Be a good girl now.” Johnny said.

Kelsey suddenly stopped and got very still. Her breathing quickened and she began trembling as someone cranked the ignition.

When Brielle’s and the McCauley’s court date arrived with CPS, she saw Jane and Bruce among the kids they had taken and breathed a sigh of relief. At least Jane and Bruce were okay. The judge ruled Brielle unfit as a parent. The McCauley’s and Roxie’s, Brenda’s, and Andy’s parents were also ruled unfit. The kids were ordered by Judge Poston to be kept in temporary homes until all the kids could be adopted out to permanent homes.

Brielle snapped in court and was arrested by deputies and taken away, as was Big Bruce when he charged the judge and threw a chair at him.

After court, the kids were all loaded into a van and taken to a holding area inside the courthouse until each were assigned foster homes.

Several Parents Ruled Unfit 

Jane, Olivia, and the baby were ordered to stay with Grant and Misty for a week. During that week, Jane and Olivia were made to do all the household chores and they worked from dawn until dusk in the house and around the Lindsay property. Breanna and her older brother Mason made sure to torment the girls during their stay at the Lindsay’s.

One night, while Jane was in the basement finishing the family’s laundry, Grant crept up behind her and grabbed her while cupping his hand over Jane’s mouth. He then thrusted his pelvis against her buttocks as Jane let out muffled screams and struggled against him.

“Shhh-shhhh! Don’t scream, don’t make one sound or you know what’ll happen to your mama, sweetheart!” Grant threatened, “We’ll have to kill her!”

Jane suddenly stopped and had no choice but to endure such degradation as Grant felt her up. Feeling her buttocks, then snaking his hand around to grab her crotch.

Attempted Rape

“Now, there!” Grant creepily whispered, “You’re gonna do what my bitch wife won’t do for me. You’re not only gonna be our housekeeper and maid, you’re gonna be my little fuck-toy! Anytime I feel like it! You’re gonna give me some of that sweet, young pussy!”

Suddenly, Jane snapped and run the heel of her boot down Grant’s shin, then smashed it down on the metatarsals of his foot, causing him to scream out in pain. Just then, Olivia came up behind Grant and delivered a swift karate kick to the small of Grant’s back, causing him to fall forward.

Luckily, Misty had already gone to bed, Jane and Olivia ran upstairs to the living room. Jane then grabbed Kennedy out of the play pin before she and Olivia bolted out the door. The girls then ran across the lawn and into the woods as fast as their feet could carry them.

During the following week, Brielle began searching for another job and sadly, couldn’t get so much as an interview. However, she and Raina came up with a clever idea and began making advertisements online and through flyers they posted around town for a pet-sitting service. They named the new business, “Paws and Claws Pet Sitters.”

Also, the fire investigation ruled that the Bobtail Bud’s fire was accidental, although Atticus and most others knew the truth. However, there was a bright side to the ruling, which was that Atticus received a quick approval from his insurance company to rebuild the truck stop. But it would be a slow start. It would take time for Brielle and Raina to grew the new pet sitting business and for Atticus to rebuild.

The following weekend, Malcolm took Brielle on their second date. They decided to go dancing at The Blue Sapphire. When Brielle and Malcolm entered the bar, Brielle looked to her left and noticed Bobbie Jo Fox, a memberof the Thomasville PTA, working as the bartender. She had been one of the local parents who detested her. Bobbie Jo glared at Brielle with eyes that shot fiery daggers at her. Remembering all the times Bobbie Jo had tried to provoke her on the street in the past, Brielle was ready for her tonight. She was done taking crap from bullies.

Brielle Runs into Another Enemy

Before tonight, anytime Bobbie Jo would stare her down in town, Brielle’s insides would shake, but not for reasons Bobbie Joe thought. Brielle was sick and tired of drama, and she was afraid of what she might do to Bobbie Jo and of the consequences that would surely follow. Brielle knew that she was already skating on thin ice with the local establishment and she didn’t know what would finally be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

However, she’d had taken drama her whole life and the pressure and anger had already started to build. Even the best of people could only be pushed so far, and her very soul was just plain tired.

Brielle didn’t want to have to fight Bobbie Jo, but she knew that if she had no other choice, she could take her easily.

Bobbie Jo had made it clear that she despised her, which was fine with Brielle because she could not have cared less what the bartender and PTA member thought. Bobbie Jo didn’t own The Blue Sapphire. She was just the weekend bartender who was notorious for drinking behind the bar and showing all the men who were perched on the barstools in front of her, naked selfies she’d taken of herself in her bedroom, which was only proof that Bobbie Jo was a loose woman of low morality.

Bobbie Jo of the PTA

Sure, Brielle had spent a few years in her past dancing around a stripper pole, but she had left that life behind for good.

Brielle often looked back on her years as a stripper. She had had the option of dancing in sexy costumes rather than stark naked. So, she had chosen to only strip so much and still made a bucketload of money- more than the women who did dance in their birthday suits. And those women often wondered why it was that Brielle made so much.

It was because Brielle had the sense to know that it was always best to leave a little something to the imagination- to maintain an air of mystery. It was better to let men wonder what you looked like underneath your clothes than to let them find out. They may not have admitted it but subconsciously, men loved mystery!

Clearing her thoughts, Brielle looked at Bobbie Jo, a fifty-year-old, one hundred ten-pound grandmother who dressed like she was still sixteen. Bobbie Jo looked back at Brielle with steely-eyed hatred, although Brielle had never done anything to her. Brielle just figured that Bobbie Jo was only jealous of her ability to draw people to her and of the friends she had made. So, up until now, Brielle had only dismissed her ugly taunts and insults.

An Intimidating Glare

She then looked straight ahead and saw Atticus and Jo sitting with old friends she had not seen in years. They were Duane, Melanie, Jordan, and Zack and they all sat the table in the far corner. Malcolm and Brielle approached them, and Atticus and Jo stood up and each hugged them both.

“We’re so glad y’all could make it!” Jo told them. Melanie and her husband Duane recognized Brielle and their faces immediately lit up.

“Brielle? Oh, my God! It’s so good to see you! When did you get back!” Melanie said as she jumped up and hugged Brielle, “Good to see you too, Malcolm.”

“Good to see you too, Mel! Lord, I’ve thought about you over the years and wondered if you were still around here,” Brielle gushed.

She then looked at Duane.

“I’ll be damned, Duane! How long has it been?” She said excitedly.

“Don’t get me to lyin.’ My memory ain’t as good as it used to be,” Duane said as he took Brielle’s hand and kissed it, “Pull up a chair and get comfortable, girl! You’re family!”

Reuniting with Old Friends

Malcolm and Brielle each pulled up a chair and sat down.

“Guys, I’d like you to meet Malcolm.” Brielle said as she introduced her new boyfriend to her friends.

“Oh, we already know this clown. And you remember these two doofuses over here- Jordan, and his brother Zack.” Duane introduced with a playful smile and wink.

The two brothers at the table rose and each took Brielle’s hand and planted a kiss on top of it.

“It’s so good to see you again, girlie!” Jordon said.

“It sure is, darlin,” Zack told her.

Melanie smiled and winked at Brielle. She leaned in and whispered in Brielle’s ear.

“Damn, girl! I’d say you got a winner! He’s polite and knows his manners. I’ve always been impressed with Malcolm,” she said.

Brielle smiled back.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m tired of the bad boy. ‘Had enough of those,” Brielle told her friend.

“I hear ya!” Melanie chirped, “So, what are you doing these days?”

“I did work for Atticus but until they rebuild the Double Nickel, I’m at the house helping to homeschool several kids. And me and Raina are starting a pet sitting business,” Brielle said.

Introductions

“Oh, boy! We all know who set that fire, don’t we?” Duane said.

When they heard the intro to Jeff Healey’s “Angel Eyes,” Malcolm stood up and held his hand out to Brielle, she took his hand and stood up. Duane did the same with Melanie.

“We shall return,” Duane told Jordan and Zack before he and Malcolm led their ladies to the dance floor and began slow dancing with them.

A handsome stranger came up to Jo and held out his hand. Jo took it and off to the dancefloor he led her.

Atticus looked at Jordan and Zack.

“Here’s to Louanne and little Amber,” he said as he raised his bottle of beer.

And the three guys clicked their bottles and took a swig.

Brielle sat down at Grandma Bennett’s computer while Grandma Bennett remained downstairs to supervise the teenagers and children. Raina and Kim knelt on each side of Brielle as Brielle frantically searched out Shannon’s social media accounts.

When she found her twitter handle, Brielle clicked on direct message and began typing feverishly.

“I sure hope Shannon gets your message, Brielle,” Kim said.

“Yeah. Being a best-selling author and all, I can imagine that she gets millions of them from fans. I pray to God she gets this one!” Raina sighed.

Brielle wanted to hit all of Shannon’s social media accounts and send the same message. Once she was finished, she rose from her seat as Raina and Kim stood up with her.

“Now, the only thing left to do is pray,” Brielle told them.

Brielle Sends Shannon an Urgent Message

Suddenly, they heard Grandma Bennett’s voice call out from downstairs and her tone sounded more like a warning.

“Brielle! Y’all need to come down here and see this!”

Brielle and her two friends rushed downstairs to find Grandma in front of the television, listening to the same broadcast.

“Repeat! This just in! We have now just confirmed that nineteen-year-old Kelsey Kaye McGregor, the daughter of best-selling author, Shannon Crooke McGregor, has been reported missing. This comes from the Missing Persons Unit of the Tucson Metro Police Department. She was last seen yesterday evening at Amigo Joe’s Mexican Restaurant, where she worked as a waitress and dining room supervisor. We will give you updates as they come in.”

“Oh, Lord, Jesus!” Brielle cried.

Suddenly, they heard a knock at the door and saw Popeye through the window of the storm door. Grandma rushed to let him in.

Missing Persons

“Hey, ladies,” he greeted as he came in, “Have y’all heard the news?”

“Yeah, we were watching it just now. Too many coincidences,” Brielle said.

“Y’all got that right! Way too many!” Popeye agreed.

“Mom, what’s going on?” Jane asked as she came into the living room and joined them.

Brielle put her arm around her curious daughter.

“Nothing sweetie. It’s just a missing person’s case in Arizona that might connect with Thomasville and Glover County. But it happened fifteen hundred miles away so there’s nothing for you to worry about,” Brielle assured lovingly before turning and giving Popeye a look of seriousness.

The senses of foreboding that radiated from the adults in the Bennett House seemed to flood the place like a raging torrent.

The next morning, fifteen-hundred miles away, Shannon and Chris were having breakfast at their home. The morning news was airing on the flat screen that was mounted on the wall in a nook in the huge eat-in kitchen. Chris sat a glass of orange juice in front of Shannon, then sat across the table from her.

“You know? I was thinking.” Chris said, “Those fertility treatments finally paid off and Taylor was born. And now, he’s in kindergarten. Time flies so fast at our age.”

“That it does. But being pregnant at forty-three wasn’t as easy as it was with the other kids. And Taylor ended up being a C-section baby because of the age-related complications. Having a baby really took a lot out of me the last time around. But we did it and he was worth it.” Shannon said.

Suddenly, they heard a knock at the door.

“Who is it?” Chris called out.

Shannon and the Bledsoes, Present Day

“It’s Daniel and Miles!” Daniel called out from outside.

Chris walked to the door and answered it. Daniel and Miles were on the doorstep carrying a big, oblong box. Daniel had one end of the box and Miles the other.

“Shannon! Looks like Taylor’s playhouse just arrived.” Chris called back to her.

He held the door open as his two brothers came in with the box. They then sat it down and propped it against the wall.

“You’re welcome to stay for breakfast. We have plenty to eat.” Shannon said with a smile as she stood next to the counter that separated the spacious living room from the huge eat-in kitchen, cradling Whiskers, the new kitten they’d rescued, in her arms.

“Sure. We can stay and eat.” Daniel said with a smile.

Newsbreak!

As they talked, breaking news aired on the television in the kitchen.

“I’m Gina Hutchins with breaking news. Two prison inmates have escaped from the Bedford-Campbell Federal prison in Bryson, TN. Forty-nine-year-old Johnny Ray Crabtree and forty-eight-year-old Jason Allen Eves broke out of prison just a few days ago…”

Chris paused, then spun around and went back into the kitchen. and Shannon’s mouth dropped open. She then slowly turned around and faced the television. She, Chris, and the brothers continued watching as the news anchor continued speaking.

“…a nationwide manhunt is currently underway as authorities continue to search for the two missing inmates. Tips have been rolling in and a sighting of the two men was confirmed this morning with a tipster claiming to have seen the men just the day before yesterday about twenty miles west of Amarillo, Texas. A previous confirmed sighting was just twelve hours earlier just west of Little Rock, Arkansas.”

Chris turned and looked at Shannon. Daniel and Miles looked at each other, then at Chris.

“Un-freaking-believable!” Miles said in a voice of high concern.

“’You think they’re headed to Mexico?” Daniel asked.

“Through, Amarillo?” Chris asked sarcastically.

“They were seen around Little Rock, then they were seen just west of Amarillo the day before yesterday. ‘Doesn’t sound like they’re going to Mexico!” Miles said.

“I’m going to make some phone calls,” Shannon told them. And she grabbed her smartphone and went down the hall toward the master bedroom.

Brielle Suddenly Becomes Alarmed

Back in Tennessee, Brielle, Grandma Bennett, Raina, and Kim stood in Grandma’s living room, watching the same news broadcast while the teenagers and kids sat at the kitchen table, working diligently on their home school lessons.

“I thought Popeye said that they were headed for Mexico,” Brielle said.

“That’s what I heard too,” Grandma agreed.

“Well, they can’t be headed to Mexico if they were spotted in Amarillo. That’s way up in the Texas panhandle. I came through there coming back home last year. It’s nowhere near the Mexican border,” Brielle said in a tone of concern.

“So, where could they be going?” Raina asked befuddled.

Just then, Brielle paused and got very still. A sobering realization hit her like a mac truck and a look of sheer horror crept across her face.

“Oh, my God! I bet they’re headed to Tucson, Grandma!” she said in a foreboding voice.

“What’s in Tucson that could possibly interest those two creeps?” Kim asked

“It’s not what’s in Tucson. It’s who! Grandma, where’s your computer?”

“Upstairs.”

“Well first news first, Johnny Crabtree and Jason Eves broke out of the Federal pen in Bryson the day before yesterday. They’re on the run. A few radio stations in Memphis have reported it but no one else has said a peep. The television news channels in Memphis are so preoccupied with local politics in Shelby County. They don’t have time to report on little rinky-dink stories like jailbreaks anymore. And the newspapers here in Glover County are hush hush about it because Johnny’s a Crabtree and still has cronies and friends here who would have a fit if they did report it,” Popeye informed.

“Wow! Are you sure, Popeye?” Jo asked.

“Oh, yeah. They broke out and split,” Alvin confirmed, “The word is that they were seen in Little Rock, yesterday morning. Though the sighting hasn’t exactly been confirmed.”

Jailbreak 

“I’m not surprised people are so quiet about it,” Brielle said, “The Crier is owned by the Winchesters, Rita’s dad owns that paper! And the Winchesters are in cahoots with the Crabtree’s, the Lindsay’s, and the Poston’s. The Crabtree’s are bigtime farmers and have a little bit of money. Rita’s family is even richer and it’s the only reason Bobby married her in the first place, because of her father’s millions! Her mother’s side of the family are the Poston’s, who are political figures in this town, so Rita and Bobby have a lot of pull in this town.”

“Yep! And Johnny, he married Corrine Poston and had Stephen, then she died of pneumonia when Stephen was a baby. So, Johnny had to raise the boy by himself and he was pretty tough on the kid, from what I hear. That’s why he was such a danged old bully,” Alvin added.

“So, who’s raised him after his daddy went to prison?” Brielle asked.

Some Background on the Crabtree’s 

“Bobby and Rita,” Alvin answered, “The boy is in college now.”

“Do they know where Johnny and Jason might be headed? And does Bobby know about it?” Jesse asked.

“Oh, Bobby knows about it. He’s just keeping a tight lip. Do you think that crooked bastard would ever turn his brother in? Hell to the no!” Alvin said.

“But do they know where they might be? Or might be headed?” Atticus asked.

“I don’t know. But I’ll see what I can find out when I work my shift at the prison tonight. We usually get a lot of scuttlebutt about the goings on in Bryson from coworkers who have friends working at the Federal Pen,” Malcolm answered.

“Well, I don’t know how true it is, but I was told they were headed west. Maybe to Mexico. There’s a big manhunt underway. But so far, they haven’t found a trace of those two turds.” Popeye said.

An Unsolved Murder

“That’s scary. For all they know, those two could be hiding out right here under our noses,” Eartha said.

“That’s certainly possible. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Bobby was hiding them out. He’s that crooked! The nepotism runs deep in that family,” Kim said.

“Possible but not likely. Those two are too smart to stay here. Chances are, they’re out of the state by now!” Popeye said.

“Oh, it gets worse. I’ve heard many stories about when that Mark Bridges boy was killed years ago, after he got into it with the Conrad boys and the Dix Brothers down at Bulldog’s Bar in the bottoms. A week or two later, they found his body in the trunk of a car they pulled out of the River,” Raina mentioned.

“I remember hearing about that. But wasn’t Mark Bridges almost blind, and kind of slow. Some thought he was mentally disabled,” Brielle said.

“He was. That’s why those boys fucked with him every time he and his friend went to Bulldog’s Bar. The guy was only there to have a good time with his buddy. And because he was different, those Conrad’s and Dix’s was all the time messin’ with him, and finally they killed him. I’ll bet they were the ones who killed that boy. But no one in this county will dare even breathe a word about it. It’s all hush-hush. The whisper is that the Crabtree’s were either involved in the murder, or they knew about it,” Alvin said.

“So, they think Johnny and Jason are headed west, do they?” Grandma asked.

“Yep. That’s the whisper,” Popeye said.

Back at Grandma Bennett’s house, Brielle grew afraid after hearing Jane’s last words before the call was disconnected.

“Jane, what’s going on! Jane! Jane!” Brielle cried before putting her cellphone down and cupping her face in her hands. Malcolm snaked his arm around her and held her as she cried.

Back at the hospital, Misty glared at Jane. Seeing the look on Misty’s face Jane froze with fright.

“How did anyone get this number!” Misty roared threateningly.

“I don’t know?” Jane replied defensively.

“You are not allowed any phone calls nor visitors!” she dominantly demanded, “This by order of the sheriff!”

“This is bullshit and you know it! You’re violating my rights! Surely, you’ve heard of Patient’s Rights!” Jane shot back.

“You’re a smart thang, aren’t you? But the thing is, you’re in county custody, so any rights are automatically revoked!” Misty snapped in a taunting voice.

“You’re full of shit!” Jane snapped back.

Misty pulled out a syringe.

“I’m going to give you something to calm you down a little” she said as she pulled the cover off the needle.

Jane noticed the cloudy, foamy liquid inside and her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

Cut Off!

“No way! I’m not letting you inject me with that! As a patient, I have the right to refuse treatment! County custody or not!” Jane objected.

Suddenly, the sheriff bursted into Jane’s room and stood over her. He glared down at her as he folded his arms across his broad chest.

“You will take this injection, little lady! Or I can think of a litany of other charges to pin on you! I might even make sure that you become a ward of the state and that you don’t see your family for a long time! And before you come back at me with, ‘Well, I’ll get out of juvie eventually,’ let me remind you that we have ways of putting you in situations that just might extend your stay whenever it is that your release date draws near. Shit has ways of happening, you know? Couple of inmates jump you, you fight back with your martial arts, maybe maim one of the inmates? You know, shit like that? Then we make you look like the instigator? Oooh, I bet that’ll go over really well with the system. I’d say it would extend your stay for about six months, maybe a few years.” Bobby taunted evilly, “Imagine being on the inside of juvie with absolutely no privileges. That means no visitors, no phone calls, no going outside for an hour- nothing! That’s an awful long time not to get to see your momma, your grandma, your little friends, Roxie Andretti and those other punk-losers, your boyfriend, and oh! And your sisters, especially that sweet little baby. Oh, now what’s her name? Oh, yes! Sweet little Kennedy?” 

Medical Tyranny

“You’re so creepy,” Jane told him.

“Oh, sweetheart. Do you really think I don’t get that all the time? You are one naïve little firecracker.” The sheriff continued in a voice dripping with arrogance and haughtiness, “Because, you see? We may not be able to take you physically, but we can take you psychologically. We can make your life a living hell. Believe me, honey! We’re well-practiced in the arts of psychological warfare! Physically, you, your mom, and your sister, Olivia could kick our asses all over the county. But psychologically and politically, we hold the power. And, we have guns, bigger guns than your family has! We could wipe all of you off the face of the earth if we had a good reason to, or even took a notion to!”

Suddenly, he leaned down and got nose to nose with Jane. His eyes blazed and face twisted in psychotic anger.

My Body but Not My Choice

“You will! Take! This injection!” He growled with a deeper voice that almost sounded demonic.

Misty stuck the needle in Jane’s upper arm and suddenly, the room began to spin, and her head and ears began buzzing. Any movement in the room began to look strange and she became so weak that her arms and legs felt weighted with cinder blocks.

The shot made Jane feel like a zombie. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, and couldn’t even think. The fog in her brain was so thick it was indescribable. Finally, everything faded to black.

Downstairs, Brielle dialed the hospital and managed to get the receptionist to give her the number to Jane’s room.

Back at the hospital, Jane had just awoken with a gauze bandage wrapped in a crown-like pattern around her head and one wrist handcuffed to the bedrail.

“What the…?” she said woozily as she looked puzzledly at the cuff on her wrist. She struggled against the restraint, pulling the cuffs taut as she made a couple of futile attempts to pull her wrist free. Her eyes then widened as she looked around the hospital room to see if anyone was there.

“Mom? Grandma? Uncle Jesse? Bruce?” she called out before letting out a mixture between a fearful sigh and a groan.

Suddenly, the bedside phone that sat on the bedside drawer began ringing. Jane stretched her body and both arms, fighting against the handcuffs as she reached for the phone. She could barely get her fingers around the earpiece. As the phone kept ringing, she drew a deep breath and make an extra effort to get a grip of the phone, grunting as she stretched as far as she possibly could. Her efforts paid off.

Brielle Sneaks a Call

As soon as she was able to grab the phone, she placed it to her ear, stretching the cord that connected the cradle to the receiver as far as it would stretch.

“Hello?”

“Hey, baby! It’s Mom!” Brielle said as her voice broke.

“Mom! Oh my God, where are you? I need you right now!” Jane said as she began crying, “I can’t get out of the bed! I’m handcuffed!” Jane sniveled.

Brielle began crying.

“Sweetie, that sheriff wouldn’t let us see you! Oh, God, baby! I’d be right there, right now, if there was any way I could! But the cops aren’t allowing you any visitors!” Brielle said as she wept, “Oh, God, baby! I’m so sorry! You don’t know how this is killing me inside! You’re all I can think about!”

“I don’t understand, Mom! Why won’t they let you in here! Why can’t you stay with me!” Jane cried.

Jane is in the Hospital…Alone!

“I don’t know why, baby! But just know that I love you! I love you, so, so much! And I want to be there with you! God knows, I want to be there!”

“Mom, I figured that you were mad at me and that’s why you weren’t here! Mom, the cops say that they found weed in my purse! But I don’t know where it came from! Oh, God, Mom, I swear! It’s not mine! I don’t know how it got there! Somebody had to have put it in my purse without me knowing it! But I don’t know how! I had my purse with me the whole time!” Jane whimpered.

“Baby, I know that weed wasn’t yours and I could never be mad at you for this! What you got is a bullshit charge! Okay! Me, Grandma, Grandma B, we all know it’s a trumped-up charge and that it’s bullshit! Roxie came to the hospital earlier. She, Andy, and Brenda were all at the fair and they saw you and Bruce. They were about to come over and say hi to you when they saw Breanna Lindsay, the sheriff’s daughter, and the rest of those little shits walk past you and Bruce while you were both standing in line. Your backs were turned to them, Jane. Roxie and your friends saw Breanna put something in your purse while your back was turned. She swears up and down on it! Your friends from school called the sheriff and his daughter out in front of God and everyone in that waiting room last night,” Brielle assured.

Brielle Tells Jane about the Set Up

“Oh, my God! Mom, who the hell are these people!” Jane gasped.

“They’re sick people, Jane. And unfortunately, this world has a lot of them! But, baby, I promise you, we’re going to fight this! And we’re going to fight like hell! You just hang on, baby! Be my big, brave girl! Okay?”

Meanwhile, Sheriff Bobby stood beside Room 234, which was Jane’s room. Misty approached pushing the medicine cart with the MAR sitting on top of it. They met at the door. Misty made a quick glance around to see if the coast was clear, then the Sheriff handed her a rolled-up wad of one hundred-dollar bills.

Misty quickly stuffed the wad of benjamins deep in the pocket of her nurse’s uniform before Bobby handed her a syringe filled with a white, cloudy, and foamy substance.

“You know what to do,” Bobby told her.

Misty nodded before entering Jane’s room.

Misty Intervenes

Misty walked in and suddenly flinched when she saw that Jane was on the phone. She also happened to catch part of the conversation.

“I’ll try, Mom. I’m really scared,” Jane sobbed.

“I am too, sweetie. But we’re going to overcome this. I promise. Keep the faith, angel,” her mother’s voice vowed on the other end.

Jane looked up to see Misty coming through the door with the med cart and MAR.

“Mom, a nurse just came in. I think it’s Breanna’s mother!” Jane told her.

With that, Misty left the cart and rushed over to where the phone was sitting.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Jane cried as Misty snatched the phone away, then pushed down the plunger with one finger, disconnecting the call.

Later, all the adults had no choice but to leave the hospital. The powers that be were just too strong. They all met back at Grandma Bennett’s house. As they gathered in the living room, Brielle wiped away tears.

“Jesus God!” she cried as Malcolm took her in his arms.

“Brielle, honey, listen! Now, you have to calm down. It’s gonna be alright! Those brutes finally stepped over the line tonight and, just like old Johnny Crabtree, they’ll get theirs! Honey, The Lord’s got us! It’s going to be alright!” Grandma Bennett pleaded anxiously.

Brielle turned and looked at her grandmother.

“Really, Grandma? Is it really going to be alright? My job is burned to the ground! My fifteen-year-old daughter has had weed planted on her, then gotten into a car wreck with her boyfriend! She’s now in the hospital, and, along with her boyfriend, about to be charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell. And the law around here won’t let me see her! They won’t let me be with her! My daughter is in the hospital…alone! But they won’t let me see her! And all this shit has happened in one night! One night, Grandma! CPS and the Truancy department have been breathing down my neck over my homeschooling the kids and accusing me of keeping them out of school when they know damned well that they’re in an accredited home school! They’re looking for any reason- any reason to take away my kids!” Brielle went on pitifully as her voice continued to break, “And you stand there and tell me that it’s gonna be alright! Well, I don’t think so!”

Brielle’s Faith is Shaken

As Brielle talked, tears streamed down her face. Grandma Bennett calmly continued.

“Honey, you read the book, they did the same thing to Shannon McGregor. They took her kids too, but she got them back, Brielle. She got them back, honey!” Grandma explained.

“Yeah, she did, Grandma! But I’m not Shannon McGregor, Grandma! I don’t have the money that she had! Hell! I’m not rich! I’m just a middle-class, divorced, single mother busting her ass, trying to eek out a living to support my kids and put them through home school! And don’t get me wrong, I’m happy that Shannon had the resources to fight for her children and get them out of here before anything bad happened to them! I’m glad she got them all to safety and I’ll never begrudge her for that! But I don’t have those kinds of resources! I can’t pay for some marine warhorse and some ex-CIA guy to come rescue me and my kids! Shannon had the resources and the connections to fight those bastards! I don’t!” Brielle cried, “They burned me out of a job and Atticus out of business! All I have now is a house, a vehicle, and a four-thousand-dollar monthly child support check to keep us all afloat! That’s it!”

“Sweetheart, it could be worse. Just remember that, okay,” Grandma said softly.

“You’re right! It could be worse! And there’s possibility that it could get worse! What if they decide to burn my house down like they did Shannon’s? Yes, Grandma. I’m very aware that things could get worse…a lot worse. And to tell you the truth, I’m bracing for it!” Brielle said as she sat down on the sofa, put her face in her hands, and began silently sobbing. Her back and chest heaved with each sob.

Brielle Realizes that She is Powerless

Marcelle sat on one side of Brielle and pressed her head against her chest as she cried. Malcolm sat on the other side of her and rubbed her shoulder. Grandma knelt in front of her and placed a loving hand on her knee.

“I understand, honey. But pray about it. Just pray, Brielle! Get down on your knees, baby! And pray to The Lord and let Him handle it. Let Him be the One to rescue you and these babies,” Grandma gently suggested.

“I don’t have time to wait on God, Grandma. Sometimes, He runs a little slow! And sometimes He doesn’t act at all! I’ll try my best to believe but that’s all I can muster right now,” Brielle sobbed.

Brielle then leaned forward and put her elbows on her knees.

“They always go after the kids, don’t they? If they hate you, bully you, and can’t get you to bend or break, the next thing they do is come after your babies. They come after the people you love most,” she said as her voice trailed off, her eyes glazed over, and she seemed to drift off into space.

Upstairs, Jesse, John, and Jerome opened the gun cabinet. Jesse took out one shotgun.

Jesse and the Boys Prepare for the Worst

“Here ya go, Dad!” he said as he tossed the shotgun to him, before taking out another and handing it to Jerome. They opened the chamber to see two shells nestled inside, then closed it. Jesse took a third shotgun and also checked the chamber. He also took out a Glock nine and checked it too. He then looked at the other two men.

“I don’t know guys, but I have a feeling things are about to get reeeeal ugly,” he said in a dreadful tone, “we need to stay on guard around our homes at all times. I’m going to go fetch my wife, then be posted at Brielle’s house. Dad, you take that gun and stay with Mom. Jerome, you go get your wife and bring her here. Both of y’all can stay here with Grandma. If you see anybody strange poking around, don’t shoot but watch them. If they do any funny business or come inside any of these houses, you know what to do. But make sure they’re all the way in the house before you blast their ass!”

Jesse looked at the clock. It was three in the morning.

Chapter 11

“They Always Go After the Children”

Not even a minute later, four more deputies entered the waiting room. Aaron grabbed Roxie, forced her hands behind her back and slapped on the cuffs. A second deputy, who was the father of Kevin Hearns, grabbed Brenda and cuffed her and a third did the same to Andy.

“What the hell are you doing!” Malcolm roared.

“Oh, really? Really???” Roxie shouted.

“Really!” Aaron growled, “We’re arresting you for fighting at the fair! You punks damn near caused a riot tonight!”

“That was no riot, and you know it! We were jumped when we tried to go over to Jane and Bruce and warn them about the dope drop! We only defended ourselves, you morons!” Andy shot back.

“Are you kidding me? This is so wrong!” Brenda cried as she was being cuffed from behind, “This is nothing but retaliation because we called out your rotten offspring!”

“Oh, no! You are not going to take these kids to jail!” Brielle shouted as another deputy came in from the hall with Bruce in handcuffs.

“Bruce!” Big Bruce cried as he darted up to his son and put his arms around him. But another two deputies grabbed him from behind and pulled him away.

Bobby Comes Up with An Excuse to Arrest all the Kids

The commotion at the hospital was deafening as the adults clamored to protect the kids.

“You’re a rotten sonofabitch, Bobby!” Jesse growled.

“Pieces of shit!” Big Bruce yelled.

“You’re going to end up paying for this!” Brielle shouted.

“Assholes! You’re not real law! You’re only criminals with badges!” Marsha McCauley yelled.

Bruce’s older brother Ryan and sister Karen tried to step between the cops and the kids but were violently shoved out of the way.

“You better pray that The Lord has mercy on you, come judgement day!” Grandma Bennett told them, raising her voice.

Ignoring the protests of the adults, Bobby looked at the arresting deputies.

“Get those punks outta here!” He ordered.

Then, there was Misty, standing there with a smug smirk, taking in all the drama and seemingly getting her cheap thrills from it all.

The Families Are Powerless to Help the Kids

All the kids were taken away and Marsha burst into tears as did Bruce’s sister Karen. Big Bruce put his arms around both his ladies. Brielle and Grandma also wept as Malcolm held Brielle and Jesse held Grandma.

Brielle suddenly remembered a quote from a history teacher she had admired and gotten along well with when she was in school.

“They always go after the children.”

 And the quote seemed to replay over and over in her head.

“They always go after the children.

They always go after the children

…the children

…the children…”

Brielle continued to sob in Malcolm’s arms.

Why didn’t they just arrest me! Why do they have to go after these kids!”

Misty came into the waiting room and glared at Brielle, then at each of her supporters.

“You all need to leave this hospital right now! There are other patients here and we don’t need this kind of drama in here tonight,” she ordered harshly.

“Oh, don’t give us any bald ass excuses for what you’re really trying to do, Misty! You could care less about the patients, or anyone for that matter. We know what you and the rest of your creeps are doing and rest assured, it’s wrong on so many levels! Make no mistake, we see you- all of you!” Grandma Bennett replied bluntly.

“Damn right we do! And I’m not leaving without my daughter. I’ll take her to another hospital! But I’m staying right here! I don’t care how long I have to wait! I’ll sleep on the goddam floor or in the parking lot if I have to! But I’m not going anywhere as long as Jane’s here!” Brielle swore.

Marcelle stepped up.

“There’s no way you’re getting away with this!” She growled in a low but angry voice.

The Bullies Stir Up the Hornet’s Nest

Suddenly, the door to the waiting room swung open. Brielle and the rest flinched at the noise and looked to see the arrival of Bruce’s parents and siblings.

“Well now! The crowd gets bigger. Oh, well, the more, the merrier,” Sheriff Bobby sneered smugly.

“Where’s my son, Sheriff?” Bruce Sr demanded to know.

“He’s being released right now as we speak,” Misty shot back.

“…into my custody,” Sheriff Bobby taunted with a smile, “as is sweet Jane when she leaves the hospital in a few days.”

“I beg your pardon?” Marsha McCauley, Bruce’s mother retorted.

“You heard him, woman! And you’d best keep a civil tongue! And that goes for the rest of you trash!” Ashton Childers demanded.

“And you’d best watch how you address my wife, Childers!” Big Bruce warned.

“Little Bruce and his girlfriend both are being charged with illegal possession of a controlled substance!” Ashton informed the McCauley’s.

Brielle turned to the McCauley’s.

“Don’t worry about a damn thing! It’s all bullshit! It’s a total setup!” she told them angrily, “These piss-poor excuses for cops are trying to frame our kids because people like us won’t bow down and take their abuse!”

Retaliation at it’s Finest!

“She’s right, Mr. McCauley!” Roxie cried aloud, “Me and my friends here? We were at the fair tonight and we saw Breanna Lindsay walk by and drop a bag of weed in Jane’s purse while hers and Bruce’s backs were turned!”

“Now you wait just a damn minute, you little slut! Breanna is my daughter, and she would never-!” Misty shouted.

“Oh, that’s right, lady! Resort to personal attacks and call me a slut anytime I call out your spoiled, coddled daughter on something she did wrong! That’s the game people like you play! Well, it’s not going to work on me!” Roxie fired back at Misty, “I know what I saw! Jane and Bruce were standing in line waiting to ride one of the rides and Breanna, the sheriff’s daughter Audrey, and the rest of those creeps walked right by Jane and Bruce! Breanna dropped the dope in her purse and Audrey and the rest saw her do it! They were all in on that shit!”

“Little lady, you’re treading on dangerous grounds implicating my daughter!” Bobby warned, shaking a finger at Roxie.

“Yeah? What are you going to do? Arrest a sixteen-year-old girl for calling you and your rotten family out? Hell, everybody knows about how your booze hound granddad killed a mother and her baby years ago because he was out drinking and driving! And the slap on the wrist he got! Everybody knows what pieces of shit the Crabtree’s the Lindsay’s and the Poston’s are! But they’re too chicken to say anything because they’re afraid of being targeted!”

Roxie Continues to Mouth off at Bobby

“Damn straight they are!” Brenda added.

“And you know what I think, Crabtree?” Andy asked bitterly, “I think you’re the one who had them do it! My gut is telling me that you’re all in on it!”

Sheriff Bobby looked at Deputy Ashton and raised one eyebrow.

“I think we’re about to have a full jail tonight. What do you think?” he asked him.

Big Bruce laughed.

“What? You gonna arrest all of us?”

Bobby pulled out his cell, pressed a button, and placed it to his ear.

“Yes, Aaron, bring in the Cavalry,” he said quietly.

The next thing they heard was a loud thud and the explosion of glass and metal as another car T-boned Bruce’s Trans Am on the passenger side.

Bruce, who was still conscious but shaken, took off his seat belt and took hold of an unconscious Jane.

“Jane! Can you hear me? Jane!” he cried.

The occupants of the other car, an older man and woman, jumped out and ran up to the window.

“Don’t move her, young man! Don’t move her!” The man shouted.

Meanwhile, Malcolm and Brielle arrived at what was The Double Nickel to see flames engulfing the entire building and black smoke billowing overhead. The loud roar of the flames was deafening and peppered with sounds of shattering glass and loud pops from the explosions of cans and other combustibles.

FIRE!

A large crowd gathered outside the building as firefighters scrambled and worked tirelessly to battle the blaze. A multitude of sirens blared as more fire trucks pulled in and several more could be heard in the distance.

Jo suddenly ran up to Brielle crying. She and Brielle embraced, and Brielle held her as they both wept in each other’s arms. Atticus trudged up to them, dressed in his usual work clothes and apron. He was sweating profusely, with scrapes, burns, and spots of black soot on his face and arms. Looking pitiful and defeated, he went to his knees and cupped his face in his hands. Malcolm knelt beside him and slowly placed a hand on his shoulder.

“We’re hear for you, Atticus! If you need anything, you know where you can find us, brother,” Malcolm assured.

Another businessman approached Atticus and put his hand on his back to show support. Jo spoke in her brother’s behalf.

“We have insurance. It may take a while. But we will rebuild!” She declared, sniveling and wiping away tears.

Brielle’s phone soon ring again. She answered it to hear Grandma’s low and sad voice on the other end.

Another Scare for Brielle

“Brielle, it’s Grandma, honey. You need to come to the hospital right now. Bruce and Jane have been in a wreck,” her voice said as it broke.

“No! Nooo! Is she alright?” Brielle cried.

“She’s alive. She’s not critical. But she has a concussion, cracked ribs and a bruised lung. They going to keep her in the hospital for a few days. Bruce is being treated and they’re going to release him tonight. Brielle, there’s more. But I’ll tell you the rest when you get here.”

“What’s going on?” Malcolm asked.

“Jane’s been in a wreck. We gotta go to the hospital! Jo, my daughter’s been in a car wreck!” Brielle sobbed as Jo put her arm around her. Atticus walked up and placed his hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t worry about us, Brielle. Go. Go be with your daughter,” he told her.

Finally, Brielle broke the seal of their lips and looked at Malcolm with soft eyes.

“Honey, I’ve got to answer this call. The person keeps trying to call and it might be Jane. What if she and Bruce are broke down on the side of the road?” she said before picking up the phone, and looking at the screen.

“I understand,” Malcolm assured.

The caller ID read, “Grandma.”

“It’s my grandmother calling so this has got to be important. She’s watching Olivia and the baby. One of them might have gotten sick or something,” Brielle told him before pushing the answer button, and placing it to her ear.

“Hello,” she greeted before pausing.

“Brielle! Honey, Jo’s been trying to call you. She finally called here looking for you,” Grandma’s panicked voice said on the other end, The Double Nickel is on fire!”

Suddenly Brielle gasped as her eyes widened with horror. Malcolm flinched.

“What!” Brielle cried in terror.

Suspicious Things

“The truck stop and restaurant, Brielle! It’s on fire! It’s burning to the ground right now, as we speak! They managed to get all the customers and staff out before the fire completely engulfed the place! They think the fire started in one of the hotel rooms where someone left a cigarette burning or something!” Grandma cried.

“Oh, no! Listen! We’re going there now! We’re on our way!” Brielle said.

“The Double Nickel and Bobtail Bud’s are on fire!” Brielle cried before she and Malcolm jumped off the tailgate, ran to the doors of the truck, and jumped in.

Malcolm cranked the ignition, shifted into drive, and floored the gas as they slung gravel, pulling away from the riverbank and heading back toward the main road.

“We gotta get to Atticus and to Jo,” Brielle said as her voice broke, and she began crying.

“Did they get everyone out?” Malcolm asked, afraid for his brother and sister-in-law.

“Yes, Atticus managed to get everyone out of there before the place went up!”

“Thank God!”

When Malcolm finally turned onto the main highway, he and Brielle sped north. In the sky, just above the northern horizon, they could see a reddish-orange glow. Tears streamed down Brielle’s cheeks. Malcolm reached over and rubbed Brielle’s thigh, then her shoulder.

Fire!

“Everything’s going to be alright, babe,” he assured.

“I know.” Brielle said in a raspy, broken voice, “At least they’re all still alive and unhurt.”

Meanwhile, it was late, and Bruce drove Jane home to meet her midnight curfew. As they rounded a curve, Bruce tapped his break pedal and noticed that the car was not slowing down. His eyes widened and he glanced over at Jane. Jane looked at him with a look of concern.

“Uh-oh,” he said in a low voice.

“What’s wrong?” Jane asked.

“My breaks aren’t working as well as they were earlier,” Bruce told her.

“Come again?” Jane asked louder.

They barely made the bend and came to a straightaway. Again, Bruce tapped the brake just to be sure he wasn’t imagining things. Sure enough, the brakes were not working. He then pressed the brake all the way to the floor, the car didn’t slow down. At all!

“Oh, shit! Shit!” Bruce uttered, trying to stay calm and being sure to keep from shouting, “My brakes! They’re gone!”

“It’s a good thing I’m wearing my seatbelt,” Jane said.

“Well, you better tighten it because we’re in for a real bumpy ride!”

Jane continued looking over at Bruce as a look of terror crawled across her face. Bruce spoke again.

“Wait a minute! We’ve got the emergency brake,” he said as he slowly downshifted and began easing up on the emergency brake handle while continuing to press the brake pedal with his foot. The car began to slow but not before they came to a sharp bend. They were still moving at about forty-five miles per hour.

“Bruce!” Jane cried.

Careening Toward Danger

Bruce’s eyes widened as he saw the sharp curve looming closer and closer in his windshield.

“Hang on!” He shouted.

Fortunately, the bend had a guardrail. Bruce turned the wheel in a gallant attempt to make the bend. Sparks flew as the passenger side of the car sideswiped the guardrail, running along it and emitting the sickening, cringe-inducing sound of scraping metal on metal. Jane let out a high-pitched scream as she ducked down in the seat.

Thankfully, Bruce managed to make the second bend.

“Welp, there goes my paintjob,” Bruce resigned.

“Screw your paintjob! Just get us out of this!” Jane cried as she sat back up in the seat.

Just then, they saw what appeared to be a four-way stop just ahead. As the intersection got bigger and bigger in the windshield, Bruce’s face turned red and contorted as he let out a long, guttural grunt, pressing the brake pedal so hard, he practically stood on it, while continuing to pull upwards on the emergency brake.

The car slowed significantly, but not enough to avoid blowing the stop sign and going through the intersection.

“Shit! Hang on to your ass!” Bruce shouted.