Chapter Fourteen
I could stay as I am, with my face buried in my husband's chest, forever. But, the rational part of my brain know there are things to be done. So I turn away from him and face the half-dozen people that are now looking back and forth between Isabel and myself.
I take a deep breath and slowly begin to tell my story, my voice gaining volume and confidence as I go. I can see their expressions changing from surprise, to anger, to disgust as I talk. Christian is standing right behind me, one hand on my shoulder, and I can feel the emotions radiating through his body as well. It's a wonder that he's holding it together and not combusting on the spot.
As I finish talking, ending with our arrival at the house, I can sense a new energy in the room. Now that they have what they need, the agents - Baylor and Grant and two that I don't recognize - are itching to leave, to move on this before it's too late.
Agent Grant asks Isabel for all of the security codes, and Isabel stands at the breakfast bar and calmly writes down all of the information. Once again, I marvel at the strength of this young girl. I resolve to look out for her and to make sure that she has the future she deserves. A life for a life.
Isabel finishes, and I lean forward to see her work. She has drawn a rough map of the house, indicating the security panels and the codes for each one. The agents nod and thank her, and then - in a swirl of black coats - they are gone.
It's just Taylor, Gail, Christian, Isabel, and myself in the kitchen now. Taylor arms the security system and positions himself in view of both entryways. I can see his handgun at his hip, and - for once - I am thankful for it. He nods at Christian, indicating that things are under control, and that he should take care of us.
"Let's get you in a warm shower," Christian murmurs, his lips close to my ear.
I shake my head. Oh no, I am not going up to the master suite. "The cameras…" I protest.
"As far as we know, there's no view of the bathroom. You can go directly in there, and I'll bring you some clothes.
"Isabel," I protest again. She's just as wet and cold as I am. We are both starting to shiver as the adrenaline wears off.
"Gail will take care of Isabel. She can use the children's bathroom and she'll find her some clothes."
Gail steps over to Isabel and puts a hand on the girl's thin shoulder.
"Okay, Isa?" I ask. "Gail will take care of you. You're safe with her."
Isabel nods and then her eyebrows knit together, and I can tell she's thinking - trying to piece something together.
"Is there something you forgot to tell the agents?" I ask.
"Noo…" she says, "It's just - I mean - wasn't that the crunchy mom?"
xoxox
I make my way downstairs after my shower, dressed in my comfiest sweats with my damp hair hanging down my back. I pause halfway down the stairs, just out of view, and listen to the raised voices in the entryway.
"I want to get my hands on her… on all of them! Take me over there. I swear to God this is the last time that she has messed with my family," I hear Christian ranting. No doubt he's back to pacing and pulling at his hair.
"That won't be necessary Mr. Grey… Elinor - Elena Lincoln - has been taken care of. She no longer poses a threat," a softer voice says. It sounds like Agent Baylor.
"Tell me what you found," demands Christian, trying to keep control of his anger.
"What we saw over there, Mr. Grey… Let's just say that there's some things that can't be unseen."
I shudder at this, wondering what they found, and hope that it's not some sort of torture chamber or - worse - a mass grave. Whatever it is, it seems like the Bitch Troll is in custody. And we will make sure that justice is served.
I want to know what they found, but I can hear one of the babies stirring. A shower and dry clothes were the first thing I needed. And one of the babies will take care of the second. I scoop a fussing Phoebe up and eye my glider, then shake my head. Even if the Bitch Troll isn't watching, I don't need to give the FBI a show. The master suite's also out, so I make my way into Teddy's room, leaving the door partway open so I can be found, and settle into the comfy chair that we use for reading.
I can see him tucked snugly into bed, his copper curls on his pillow, and I feel grateful that the children have been oblivious to all that's gone on tonight. But Elena's voice echoes through my head "... I won't necessarily stop with you. I will work my way through his pretty little family until I get what I want." I shake my head and look down at Phoebe - sleepy-eyed and content. She has no idea that I was nearly ripped from her life tonight.
Oh no you won't, Elena. It's over for you.
xoxox
"Ana?" Christian's head peeks around Teddy's bedroom door. Gone is the pacing, ranting man and in his place is my gentle husband. I suspect, however, that his anger is still simmering close to the surface.
"In here," I say softly.
He comes in and crosses the room, then kneels in front of me and puts one hand on my knee. "It's all over, baby. When you're done here, they want to brief us and then - he checks his watch - it's two in the morning, so we should get some rest." He reaches up and cups my cheek with his hand. "So brave… But I swear to God, Ana… Why in the world would you -" He cuts himself off, no doubt feeling his rage rising to the surface.
"I know," I say. "Foolhardy."
He smirks at this. "I don't know whether I should worship at your feet or spank you."
I smile, and in spite of my bone-deep exhaustion, I feel desire pooling deep in my belly. "No rough treatment for at least another month," I scold. "And then… I think I'll take option two."
xoxox
Fifteen minutes later, we are all gathered around the dining room table. The two agents who I didn't recognize are not present. Presumably, they're dealing with the Bitch Troll and - I hope - her evil spawn. I look around the table at Gail, Taylor, agents Grant and Baylor, and Christian. I smile warmly at the newest addition to our team, Isabel. She's dressed in one of my sweatshirts and her hair looks clean and shiny. She gives me a shy smile back and takes a sip from the mug in front of her. I know without asking that the mug contains Gail's special hot cocoa.
Skipping over formalities, Christian demands to see Elena. "Where is she being held? I want to be taken to her. Tonight."
"As I said before, Mr. Grey, Mrs. Lincoln is no longer a threat. I found her in the basement room with all the monitors… with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head."
I gasp and look over at Christian who is staring at Agent Baylor in shocked disbelief. "And… and was it fatal? I mean, is she dead or… I need to know if this is truly over, because if there's the slightest chance -"
"Mr. Grey," Agent Baylor interrupts, "there was blood and brain matter splashed all over the monitors. It's over."
Christian exhales in relief and his shoulders sag, and suddenly the tension is gone and he simply looks exhausted.
"And the Matteos? And the cameras?" I ask.
"We believe that Mr. Matto installed them - or had them installed - under the guise of doing architectural inspections," explains Agent Grant. "We found the computer that was controlling the wireless camera feeds in his home office. The system has been disabled, and the cameras will be found and removed within the next couple of days."
I nod. "And the Matteos themselves?"
"They were in their garage. Evidently Mrs. Lincoln had tipped them off, because they were in the process of loading their vehicle. They have both been taken into custody."
"And Courtney and Ashley?" I ask.
"We have eyes on them, but there doesn't appear to be any activity. We'll bring them in for questioning tomorrow. Depending on how much information they appear to have - and how cooperative they are - they'll either be detained or released."
"But what about my purse… she said something about it crossing the border." I suddenly remember another detail and look quickly at Taylor. "And did they make you sick? Are you okay?"
"Yes, but it was an unpleasant morning," he says, looking up at Gail, who grimaces. "Someone swapped out one of morning meds with a cyanide pill. I'm showing my age, Ana, and I take a handful of pills every morning that Gail sorts into an 'old-man' pill organizer. Blood pressure, blood thinner, cholesterol... and a multi-vitamin that she added," he chuckles. "As soon as you came up missing, it was clear that poison may have come into play. I was given an antidote, but fortunately I had already vomited most of it up."
Oh Taylor... I owe him and Gail a get-away to someplace warm and sunny. "Okay, and my purse and phone?"
"The tracker in your phone made it easy. We intercepted them at the Peace Arch border crossing in Blaine," says Agent Baylor. "They paid an Uber driver a thousand dollars to drive the car across the border and leave it at a shopping mall in White Rock. Apparently, the kid about shit his pants when agents swarmed the car." His face turns serious. "At that point, we didn't know whether or not you were in the trunk."
"That tracker was meant to track YOU, Ana, not your purse," scolds Christian.
"I know," I say softly, knowing how much trouble was caused by my stupidity. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry.
"Anyway," says Agent Baylor in a lighter tone. "I don't think that kid'll be taking an offer like that again. He got a slap on the wrist and a bus ticket home. We'll get your purse and phone back to you later on today."
"Did the press… I mean, does my family know what happened?" I ask.
"The news will break in the morning," says Officer Grant.
"You know what? There's no hurry getting my phone back to me." I say, knowing it will be angrily buzzing by the time it's back in my hands. Here we go again...
"So - at least for tonight - it's over?" I can practically hear my bed calling me.
"Almost," says Agent Grant. "But we ran into a few little complications at the Matteos' house. Follow me."
She leads us into the living room and there on my couch is one of the other agents with three wide-eyed little boys. Guiseppe, age five, Gian, age three, and baby Gino, not yet six months old. Shit.
"We'll work on contacting extended family, but seeing as it's nearly three in the morning, and that it might take a couple of days to make arrangements -"
"It's fine," I interject. "Of course they can stay here."
xoxox
At three-thirty, I finally crawl into bed with Christian. Gino is tucked into Jane's crib. Thank goodness the twins are still sleeping together. The two boys are in sleeping bags on Teddy's bedroom floor. Gail and Taylor took Isabel to the cabin with them. "You know I should insist that you go to the hospital to get checked out, Ana," he says. "I mean you were drugged… and who knows what else happened while you were unconscious."
I can barely format a coherent thought, never mind a spoken sentence, but I think I manage to mumble something like don't even fucking think about it into my pillow. Christian chuckles and pulls me close, kissing me softly behind my ear.
As I drift, my mind swirls with questions still left unanswered. Exactly how much anger will I be facing in the light of day? I'm fairly certain that everyone's mad at me again. What Marissa, Ellie, and Teddy think when they wake up to three extra children and a teenager in the house? I have a feeling that it won't faze them. Like me, they've gotten used to this wild ride.
The last thing I hear before dropping into a dreamless sleep is, "I'm glad you're home, Mrs. Grey."
Me too. Our life is fifty shades of crazy, unpredictable, wonderful love. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
THE END
Stay tuned for the epilogue, which will be posted tomorrow!
And, as always, thank you for reading! - xo