Young Kidnapper Part 3

Young Danny Thomas had driven the Honda Civic about ten miles before he pulled over on the roadside. He realised that the car was a little low on fuel and he wasn't sure how far it would take him and Jennifer. She still slept soundly in the passenger seat beside him. If he could get to a gas station it wouldn't be so bad. He could explain everything to the attendant there and he'd call for the police and then he and the girl would be safe. He'd probably be charged for underage driving but that wouldn't be half as bad as the trouble he'd be in otherwise.

But he just didn't know where the nearest gas station was. He didn't know this part of the country very well at all. It would be pointless to drive on unless he knew where he was going. There didn't seem to be any houses or anyone around to help for miles. He wished he had been able to get hold of that mobile phone of Frank Malloy's too but it was always locked in his drawer. Then he could call the cops himself and give them an idea where he and Jenny were. Maybe she knew more about this area then him since she had probably spent all her young life here. There was nothing to do but wait until she woke up.

He already knew how angry she'd be when she did. After all, he'd abducted her and brought her to Malloy's house in the first place because he was stupid enough to think it wouldn't go further then that. He wondered what her story would be when the police questioned her about her ordeal. He realised that his fate probably lay in her hands. He wouldn't blame her at all if she told them he had been part of it all, including the plan to kill her after the money for her release was paid. If he could just get her back safely to her parents that was enough for him. He had acted like a criminal at the start of all this and so he probably deserved to be treated like one.

It was several minutes before she stirred from her sedated sleep and it took a little while to take in her surroundings. It then dawned on her that she was sitting in a strange car with that boy who had broken into her parent's property and then given her that drink. She pointed an accusing finger at him and said, "There was something in that drink, wasn't there! Something that put me to sleep! I spent days in that awful cellar because of you, didn't I!" The boy could only agree and nod his head. He felt like the lowest creature on the planet just then.

Danny was not sure what was coming next but it didn't take long for him to find out. Jenny delivered a sharp slap of her hand across his cheek that knocked him backwards in his seat. It would leave a painful sting there for the next few minutes. He deserved that and a lot more, he concluded. He waited for the pain in his cheek to ease before saying, "I had that coming, Jenny, I know! I'm really sorry for putting you through all this but that guy Malloy made me do it. He blackmailed me, told me he'd send me back to that orphanage where he found me if I didn't cooperate. I thought he'd let you go after a couple of days but I found out he was going to kill you so I got you out and put you in this car." The hurt he was feeling in his cheek was nothing compared to the hurt expression on his female companion's face. Boy, how she must have hated him just then!

He went on, "I know there are no excuses for what I did and I know you're angry and you've got every right to be but let me get you back to your folks, it's the least I can do. You can bash me up, give me two black eyes later if you want but let's get out of this shit first. Just trust me now, please!"

"Why should I!" the girl demanded.

"Look, Jenny, " he told her, "those men will be coming after both of us. We can't just sit here and wait for them. I know you don't live that far from Malloy's place. Can you tell me where your house is and then I'll drive you there. After that your Dad can call the police and have me arrested too."

The girl sighed. "You were with him when he took me from my house to his own. You mean you don't know which road he took!" Danny felt such an idiot just then. He had been so wrapped up in the heat of the moment, the task at hand, that he had been completely oblivious of his surroundings. He just had no idea of the location of the Hudson property despite having been there only a few days before.

He replied, "Sorry, I don't, guess I wasn't paying attention."

Jennifer rose from her seat in the car and surveyed the landscape in front of them. After a minute she turned to him and said, "Stupid! You've taken us completely in the wrong direction. My house would be back the other way about fifteen miles. Is there enough gas in this thing to get us there?"

Danny shrugged. "Don't know. I sure hope so!" He turned the engine back on and then swung the car around and began to drive back the way they had come. Had he only gone this way in the first place there certainly would have been enough fuel to get them safely to their destination. He had been so anxious to get away from Malloy and his henchmen that he had just driven off without any real thought or plan. The gas gauge had barely moved so there couldn't have been very much at all.

After he had gone down the road a couple of miles Jennifer told him, "Take the next turning on the right!" The boy wondered why and she just glared at him impatiently and replied, "Just do it unless you want another slap!" The young driver knew better then to argue. He slowed the vehicle right down and then turned it onto a small back road. The two children drove on in silence for a short time.

It was Jenny who finally spoke and said, "In answer to your question this road also leads to my house. I know because my Dad often uses it. It's not any quicker then the main road but if you carried on the other way we'd have passed your friend Malloy's place and we'd probably run into them. Better this way. Don't you know anything?"

Danny was beginning to wonder if he did. He realised how smart this pretty girl was for her age and how dumb he was by contrast. She was so much more mature then him in many ways so it was probably best to leave the navigation to her. After another period of silence he told her, "Malloy's not my friend, not anymore. I may not be the smartest guy in the world but I know now what he's capable of. When I first saw you at your place practising your tennis I really wanted to be your friend but I guess I can't be now after what I did to you. It's just that I had such a lousy time in that orphanage and I didn't want to go back there. You've always had a lovely home and two really great parents who love you. I never even knew my parents, they died in an accident when I was just three years old. All I ever knew was an orphanage and I go and get adopted by a jerk that wants to mess up my life even more. I don't expect you to expect you to forgive me, Jenny, but I hope you can understand why I did it."

The girl looked at him with a hint of sympathy on her face and gave him a nod without saying anything. Well, the boy thought, it's a start. Maybe the ice was melting a little. Just give her some time, she may even get to like him. They drove on and wondered what fate had in store for them.