Hello everyone! Here is the next chapter. There is more! Thanks so much for all the reviews so far. Laura001 you are awesome! I have been working a lot. The story is going to continue in a sequel that I am putting together. Amber
Chapter 10
"Jesus!" Joe murmured as he gripped Frank's shoulder. Fenton took the laptop from Frank's shaking hands. "You've done what you have to do. Now let me and Sam take it from here."
Frank opened his mouth but saw the glint in his father's eye. His heart was pounding all he could see was Callie on that table...in pain. His father wouldn't let him follow behind them; but his girlfriend needed help. Both boys watched as the two men jumped from the van and enter the home. Frank glanced at his mother. She was looking between them calm as a lake. Frank kept his eyes on her silently pleading. 'Please let us go to her!'
Laura saw their faces. She saw determination, courage, fear, and love simultaneously. 'I won't be able to stop them. They are determined to do what they have too. It's a balance, yes she and Fenton were supposed to protect, but Frank needed to be there for Callie. My boys will do the right thing.' Laura opened the door for them after 60 seconds. "Be careful boys. I'll call the police when you give the signal." She had Frank's laptop.
Frank and Joe sprang from the van and sprinted inside. Frank was grateful to his mother and very relieved. Sam and Fenton were at what looked like a bookshelf. Frank of course knew that behind the shelf was a secret door. They were having trouble of some sort.
Scowling Fenton said through clenched teeth. "It's lock is encrypted. The other door too, this panel was easier to access."
Frank pulled out an old iPhone and connected a small wire to the security panel on the door. He muttered, "We don't have time for this."
Fenton watched with both trepidation and admiration as his son effortlessly hacked behind the encrypted lock.
Frank put in another code, they all heard a distinct click. He opened the bookcase; that's when a blood curdling scream was heard. Frank paled.
Joe seeing his brother shoved Frank against the wall so Fenton and Sam could pass. "Not yet brother." He whispered in his ear. The screaming continued and Joe could see the raw emotion in his brother's eyes; the helplessness, fear, anger, grief, determination, and love. 'Just how am I holding him in place? It was like the time with the car bomb, Frank did what he had to...now it was his turn.' You could smell the scent of the wood from the fireplace but there was a hint of copper.
Sam and Fenton went down the steps with their guns drawn. Fenton said in measured firm tones. "Freeze! Miss Holt! We're with the FBI. You are holding that girl against her will."
"Get out of my house! Do you know who I am?" Tabitha shrieked.
Fenton said. "You are Tabitha Holt, age 16. Your father, Preston Holt, died of a drug overdose, your mom CEO…"
"My mother is nothing. She was a narrow-minded, business-oriented lackey."
Sam tried. "Tabitha you need to step away from the girl now. You can't escape. You're going to prison."
"You can't make me!"
At the top of the steps Frank had enough. "Joe let go. I can distract Tabitha as you slip behind her. This house is a duplicate of Callie's. There's another door behind the bookcase in the sunroom. It should be unlocked."
They both moved. Frank went down the stairs. He made sure that his footsteps reverberated downwards and into the room. This was for Tabitha's benefit and his fathers. Frank came through the door. His first instinct was to run to Callie. But he fought the urge. Callie's eyes were full of pain and anger. That settled him just enough. He made eye contact with a girl he had thought was a friend. He hadn't seen what was always there. 'Tabitha played me! Damn it! She's not a victim at all, how did she blind me! Deep breaths, in and out slowly… okay, gotta get closer to her so Joe can make his move.
Tabitha's face brightened. "Frank! You're here! Do you see now? She's a nobody! We're meant to be together! I want to hear you say it!"
Frank calmed his fury with chilling ice. When he spoke his voice to the average person was normal. He stepped closer. "Tabitha everything that is meant to be will be; I promise." Frank's eyes never left her face.
Sam felt the hair on the back of his neck stand right up. Goosebumps covered his whole body. 'His godson was livid and the fury was just under the surface. If Tabitha struck Callie with that sap again or used that torch on her; Sam was certain Frank would break Tabitha's neck.'
Tabitha smiled. "You mean it! You promise."
Frank walked around the table nodding maintaining eye contact with Tabitha.
'Fenton wanted to grab him! This girl was dangerous and his son was angry and emotional. He opened his mouth to try to calm his son.' Another door opened he barely saw it at the corner of his eye. He recognized the blond hair. Fenton with extreme patience held his gun steady and looked at Sam warily. 'When had they lost control of the situation?'
Sam shrugged at his unspoken question.
Frank was two arms lengths away from Tabitha now. "I promise, if you so much as breathe on my girlfriend that I will kill you." His voice laced with fury.
Tabitha's face went from amusement to rage. She started to rush at him.
Joe came from behind her and enclosed Tabitha's arms in a bear hug.
Tabitha started screaming and kicking. Frank ran to her wrenching the sap from her. The flame was still lit and burning his thigh but Frank didn't feel it. Fenton and Sam rushed in to help restrain her. It took all four of them to do so.
Once that was accomplished, Frank turned and took his coat off in one movement. Callie was trembling. "You came...I was praying for a miracle. Frank, you're hurt!"
Fenton wheeled around and saw Frank's jeans. He grabbed his scarf and smothered out the smoke. His son was going to be in a lot of pain soon. He pushed Frank into a chair next to Callie. It was all he could do. His son would not leave.
Frank murmured. "I'm alright, you're safe now, Callie." 'She was covered in bruises and burns; her face was swollen, yet she was worried about him!'
"Get away from her! Don't touch her!" Tabitha shrieked fighting against Sam and Joe. "She's nothing! You're mine! You want me! Look at me!"
Fenton cut the ropes off Callie. He saw that neither Frank or Callie looked in Tabitha's direction. Ignoring her would send the right message. 'That Frank loved Callie. Tabitha meant nothing.' When Callie was free, Frank kissed her lips making Tabitha howl in rage. Frank whispered emotionally with a shaking voice. "Just hold on baby." He stroked Callie's hair. Which had been cut haphazardly and poorly. His blood boiled.
Tabitha screamed. "How dare you ignore me! Get your hands off me! This is my house! I'm not done with her yet!"
Joe none to gently pulled her away from them. He sneered. "You are quite finished, you evil, narcissistic bitch! You messed with the wrong family. In five or ten years I'll send you a copy of their wedding picture while you're in prison." His eyes met Callie's.
Callie trembled wrapping her one working arm around Frank's neck ignoring her pain. The message was crystal. You messed with Frank and we're a united front! She understood exactly what Joe was doing. A part of her said. 'Take that you crazy bitch!' The pain was too intense for her to enjoy the thought for long. She tried to put on a brave face but her tears fell. Sobbing she said weakly. "Frank, it hurts."
Tabitha screamed as Sam and Joe finally managed to forcefully removed her from the room. They were dragging her up the steps and she was not going easily or quietly. Laura Hardy was coming down the stairs with a first aid kit and sheets as she passed the shrieking girl, Laura took her glove off and stuffed it in Tabitha Holt's mouth. "Shut up!" Her voice clearly conveying her rage.
Frank held his girlfriend and did what he could to soothe. "Callie...I'm so sorry." He stood up so he could hold her closer.
Callie gripped his arm. "Not your fault!" She moaned. "Feels cold."
Fenton removed his coat covering Callie as well. "Helps coming Sweetheart. How did you get locked out?"
Callie grimaced. Her father had never hit her before. She didn't want to make things worse. "I went outside to check the bird feeder. The door locked, and it's not like I could break in."
Laura assessed Callie. 'This poor girl who she loved like a daughter had to be in a lot of pain. Just the burns alone!' She had second degree, third degree, and one deep thickness burn. There wasn't much she could do at the moment, so she put a sheet over her, then found some pillows, and raised Callie's legs twelve inches. She tried to be gentle but Callie screamed. "I'm sorry honey! I have to. This is to prevent shock." Laura lastly, immobilized Callie's shoulder. Then covered her again with her husband's coat. With that done she then gave her husband a subtle nod her eyes shifted back to the chair that Frank had vacated.
Fenton nodded his understanding and shoved Frank back into the chair.
Frank still managed to hold onto Callie's hand but seethed. "Dad! What are you doing!"
Laura removed Frank's belt then began cutting the jeans from his waist down his leg off at the very top with medical scissors. She repeated the process with his boxers. Abashed Frank exclaimed, "Mom!" Which was quickly followed by a grimace of pain of his own, he almost fell over out of the chair. His father kept him upright.
Laura was able to pull the jeans back without resistance but received resistance from the boxers. What she could see was quite severe. She saw muscle, and the surrounding areas were charred. Not as much of his body was burned but his was more severe. In full nurse mode now Laura saw that Frank had a grip on the chair and his face was clammy. His father was holding him in place. Callie with her good hand was rubbing his arm. The love was touching. They were so young but it was steadfast and a comfort all the same. They would help each other.
Frank between gasps asked. "When did that happen?"
Laura's fury was evident as she answered. "When you and Joe rushed at that evil witch. Joe was behind her, but you ran right into the flame. You grabbed the sap instead of the torch! This is a deep thickness burn - I can see muscle tissue. We have to move you, son. Do not bear any weight on this leg. Is that clear! Fenton we need to move him onto his back and keep his leg elevated over his heart."
Fenton and Laura each put an arm under one of his armpits. They lifted Frank to a standing position. An involuntary moan escaped Frank's lips.
He started gasping.
Fenton quickly kicked the chair out of the way and he and Laura guided Frank to the floor. Fenton held up Frank's leg as instructed. Laura brought the chair he kicked away so he could sit. Suddenly heavy footfalls were heard. Con Riley was the first down. "What happened here?"
Laura Hardy wheeled around. Con Riley automatically took two steps back as Laura Hardy raged. "That is going to have to wait! Where is the ambulance? They both need IV's the EMS captain needs to have them immediately transferred to New York Presbyterian."
As far as The Bayport Police were concerned. The Hardy's were driving to Callie's house because of Joe's text. They saw the Holt's door unsecured.
Frank and Callie were transported in the ambulance to the hospital. Both were in a lot of pain. Frank wouldn't leave her side. Callie had 4 fractured ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a fractured hip, a fractured cheekbone, and several burns of varying severity. They covered about 25 percent of her body. Both of her kidneys were bruised and her spleen. Callie had to have surgery to repair her hip and cheekbone. Frank and Callie were transferred to New York Presbyterian for burn treatment and rehab. Frank's burn on his left thigh was the size of two hands.
Tabitha was booked for double homicide, kidnapping, false imprisonment, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and it was ruled that she was competent to stand trial, she should have left Frank Hardy alone.