Chapter 29
Reuben saw red!
What he didn't realize was that the red he saw was a lightening flash that hit the small shack he'd been standing near not just a few moments ago. The strike made the kidnapper pause for just a second and that's all Reuben needed.
Reuben left his feet in the flying tackle he'd learned back in high school as a middle linebacker. No one looking at him today would have guessed that he'd been a passable football player, but his leap forward was a thing of beauty to the FBI agents quickly converging on the area.
They watched the manager spring forward and then propel himself over the last few feet with a ferocious growl beginning from deep inside him.
Reuben barely felt the impact of hitting the kidnapper in the middle of his back with his left shoulder. The kidnapper was taller and bigger than Reuben. He also carried quite a few more pounds of muscle than the man who made his living mostly behind a desk or on a phone.
None of this even entered Reuben's mind. He was oblivious to everything but pounding the truth out of the man who had taken Keith.
As soon as they landed with a loud 'woof' of pain, Reuben was already pushing himself to a more upright position. He flipped the stunned kidnapper onto his back with an inhuman show of strength and then proceeded to straddle the guy. He grabbed a chunk of the guy's shirt front and jacket, lifting him off the ground slightly.
Reuben stuck his face within inches of the kidnapper's and growled, "You will tell me where Keith is right now, or you die. Right here!"
The kidnapper swallowed hard and blinked at the mad bull who was breathing hard, directly into his face. "Go to hell." He said with a bravado that was quickly fading.
"After you." Reuben drew back his right fist and punched the guy as hard as he could in the nose. He felt the cartilage crunch under his knuckles.
The kidnapper yowled in pain and brought his hands up too late.
"Talk, you piece of trash or I'll beat you until you'd wish you were in hell!" Reuben threatened.
The kidnapper was too stunned by the actions of a man he'd pegged as a wimp and a buffoon to answer.
Reuben drew his arm back and threw another punch at the kidnapper who was now practically whimpering in pain. This fist made contact with the side of the man's jaw and his head flew back hard enough that Reuben lost his grip on the guy's shirt. Without the support, the kidnapper's head flew back into the hard ground.
As another lightning flash and clap of thunder filled the immediate area, the FBI agents finally made their way to Reuben's side.
The first one there grabbed Reuben's arm which had been drawn back for delivery of another blow. "Mr. Kincaid!" When that did not seem to have an effect, the agent yelled. "Reuben!"
"Let go!" Reuben finally recognized why his arm wasn't following his brain's instructions to beat the filthy jerk in front of him to a bloody pulp.
"Can't do that. We need him to talk." The agent tried to reason with the man who did not want to hear it.
"I'll make him talk. Just give me a couple more minutes." Reuben bargained.
"In a couple of minutes, he won't be able to. Come on, Reuben, let him go." The agent kept his voice calm hoping to break through the angry haze he knew Reuben was currently in the midst of.
"He hasn't told me where Keith is and he isn't here like he promised." Reuben pointed out.
The agent began to loosen his hold as he felt some of the tension leaving Reuben's body. "I know, I know. But, he does know where he is."
"I promised her." Reuben said very quietly and in a voice that was much less emphatic than just moments before.
"We all did." The agent remembered his own promise to the worried family. "We all did."
"I can't go back without him." Reuben let the agent pull him to a stand and let the kidnapper roll away from him. "Oh, God, I've failed."
"No. We've got one of the kidnappers. We've got more than we had just a few minutes ago." The agent assured him as other agents moved in to put the bleeding kidnapper in cuffs. "We'll get him back. We'll find him."
The rain began in earnest as the agents along with Reuben moved quickly toward the cars. The lightening strikes were coming more frequently and none of them wanted to be caught unawares.
The agent who had pulled Reuben off of the kidnapper grabbed the duffle bag of money and followed quickly behind.
xoxo
"Here, put this around your shoulders." At Carol's questioning look, Trey continued. "It'll keep you dry."
It was the first time Carol realized it was raining. "Oh no. It's raining!"
Josh and Trey exchanged concerned looks. It had been raining for a little over five minutes already and she hadn't even noticed that she was already quite wet.
"Yeah, it is." Josh gently agreed, thinking that maybe she was starting to crack. They'd been walking for an hour since she'd stumbled into their camp. She'd rushed them to pack up and then kept them moving at a fast pace toward the ranger station even though she had to be exhausted. They both figured this Keith guy must be pretty lucky to have a girl so crazy about him that she would put his safety above her own.
They knew it was a thunderstorm, but so far the lightening hadn't been very close to them. They'd heard quite a bit of thunder and were happy to realize that they couldn't be more than 10 minutes away from the ranger station they'd left behind several days ago. They'd only been this close to civilization because tonight was to have been their last night camping.
They saw the ranger station looming out of the darkness as they topped a rise. The place was ablaze in light.
"That's strange." Josh commented as he looked at the building.
"Yeah, the ranger should be zonked out just like us. Maybe the storms got 'em nervous about forest fires." Trey said as he saw Carol pause upon spotting the building and then break into a run. She'd heard what Trey had said and was now even more worried about Keith. Not only was he sick, hurt and stuck in the middle of nowhere, but now there was a possibility of a forest fire. It was too much for her to take.
She'd just stepped onto the porch of the cabin when the door flew open and a huge shadow loomed over her. She drew back involuntarily thinking at first that it was the other kidnapper. She froze.
"Carol?" The shadow said in surprise.
"Agent James!" Carol paused for only a second more and then threw herself into his arms weeping uncontrollably and talking so fast that the agent had no idea what was going on. He glanced over her shoulder expecting to see Keith just standing there with his patented grin on his face. Instead Patrick saw two strangers looking at him in surprise.
"Who are you two?" Patrick said as he patted Carol on the back trying to console her.
"I'm Josh and this is Trey. We ran into her…..well actually she stumbled into our camp about an hour ago and insisted we bring her here as quickly as possible. What's going on? She never really did explain." Patrick pulled a still weeping Carol into the cabin and waved the two campers in behind him.
They entered to see several more FBI agents, all in regulation windbreakers and hiking boots. They looked like they were suited up for a long hike. Josh and Trey shuffled their feet nervously. Even though they knew they hadn't done anything wrong, all the official looking agents, wearing scowls and guns could be quite intimidating.
Patrick took Carol to a chair, set her down and handed her a glass of water. "Ok, Carol, calm down. Where's Keith? Can you tell me?"
Carol nodded and then shook her head right after that. She swallowed some water which helped to get her crying under control. "I can't tell you exactly, but I know I could show you."
"Is he alright?" Patrick asked quickly.
"He was in bad shape when I left him. That's why I left him. He couldn't have walked too far in his condition. We thought it would be faster if I went for help." Carol said quickly.
Patrick was picking up hints. Keith was conscious, but either sick or hurt in some way. He figured he better ask more specific questions. "Carol, what's wrong with Keith?"
"He's sick. I mean really sick. He's running a high fever and coughing something fierce. And, then, just before I left him, we were being chased by one of the kidnappers and there was this drop off. I never saw it, but Keith must have because he veered to the side. When he stopped me from falling, he did something to his shoulder. I was too heavy or something. Oh, he was in so much pain." Carol said quickly. "We have to go get him. Right now. He can't get wet."
"Carol, how far away is he?" Patrick exchanged a look with some of the other agents who grabbed some more first aid items and stood at the ready to head out.
"A few hours for sure. I'm not sure how long I was walking before I found these two." Carol waved at Trey and Josh throwing them a grateful smile.
"Ok, where's the kidnapper that was chasing you?" Patrick had to know if they were walking into danger or if there was a possibility that Keith had been recaptured and was now far, far away.
"Dead, I hope." Carol said without pity.
"Oh?" Patrick was a little surprised by her bloodthirsty answer.
"He didn't see the drop off like Keith did." Carol actually smiled at the thought. "I watched him all the way down – well, until just before he hit."
"You're sure he's dead?" Patrick had to know.
"Not positive, but pretty sure. It was a long way down." Carol bit her lip finally remembering once again how close she'd come herself to falling. She would have fallen if not for Keith. That thought had her standing up. "We need to go. Now!"
Patrick watched her sway on her feet. "Now hold on just a second. When's the last time you ate?"
"I don't remember – earlier today, I guess." Carol said finding her balance.
"Got a granola bar?" Patrick addressed the agent behind Carol and then snatched the flying object out of the air as it sailed past Carol's head.
"Here, you eat this while I radio my boss. As soon as you're done we leave, ok?" Patrick smiled comfortingly at her and Carol nodded while ripping open the package.
"I want to thank the two of you for helping her. I don't know if you're aware of it or not, but you've likely saved a life or two." Patrick said as he walked by the two campers. He was loathe to tell them Keith's identity as no one wanted this getting to the press, so he ignored the questioning looks in their eyes. "John here will drive you back to your vehicle. I assume it's in the parking lot at the base of the park."
At their nod, he turned away and headed toward the two way radio. They listened to him radio in and tell them to prep a helicopter for a probable medical evacuation. "I'll let you know where to send it as soon as I have an idea of where you might be able to land." Patrick signed off and turned to see Carol waiting impatiently at the door.
xoxo
The rain woke him from a light and troubled sleep. He shivered and the tremors caused his shoulder to remind him that movement was not recommended. He was absolutely positive that he could not be any more miserable.
He glanced upwards to find that he was actually shielded from the majority of the rain. It was coming down in buckets outside of his little hiding space. He was only being hit by the drops that had worked their way through the canopy of leaves and branches. He was grateful he'd had enough forethought and energy to move to his present location.
He pushed his head back against the tree trunk behind him and shuddered as the urge to cough was building. If he'd thought shivering was painful, he knew the coughing would be torture.
He slowed his breathing as much as possible and awkwardly brought the canteen to his lips hoping the cool water would sooth the urge. He upended the canteen only to find it empty.
"Great. Just great!" Keith mumbled and then regretted it as the coughing fit could no longer be denied.
He coughed…..and coughed……and coughed. When he was done, he was so short of breath that the world around him dimmed around the edges.
When he reopened his eyes, the forest was once again the attic at home. The swaying branches were ghosts and goblins waiting to eat a small boy for lunch. He cowered in fear and closed his eyes tightly. "If you can't see 'em they can't get you." He whispered to his childhood memory.
xoxo
The front door opened just as the sun was coming up. Shirley's eyes flew open from her half reclined position on the chair. She'd fallen down only after wearing a hole in her carpeting pacing in front of the fireplace. Reuben had been gone all night and she was worried sick. Laurie and Danny were leaning against each other on the sofa and had fallen asleep and woken several times. They were just too young to fight sleep.
She had no such hope of finding oblivion in sleep.
Shirley rose quickly to her feet and then froze as she watched Reuben come tentatively into the room.
"Reuben?" The word was barely loud enough for her to hear much less Reuben who had immediately found her across the room and frozen.
He just shook his head and then cast his eyes downward. He'd failed her.
"He isn't….." Shirley let the question fade. This one had been asked in a loud enough voice that Laurie and Danny woke up from their light dozing.
"I don't know Shirl. I don't know." Reuben admitted in defeat.
"What does that mean?" Danny asked as he glanced over his shoulder to see Reuben standing there. The defeat was written clearly in every line of his body.
"Reuben, please. Tell me everything that happened." Shirley demanded as she finally was able to make her feet move.
"I did everything he asked. Everything. To the letter. I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off. And….." Reuben faltered.
"And?" Shirley urged as she put her hand on his arm hoping to draw his eyes to hers. It worked though she wasn't sure she wanted to see the look in his eyes. It was bleak.
"And, I met him to give him the money. He took it never knowing it wasn't all there. He was going to just walk away Shirley. No Keith. Anywhere." Reuben shook his head.
"Please." Shirley needed the rest but didn't know how to ask for it.
"I snapped. I'm so sorry." Reuben paused and looked into her watery eyes once more. He owed her the honest truth. Much as it hurt him, he'd give it to her. "He just took the money and started walking away. He didn't bring Keith. He hadn't told me where he was. I snapped. I'm so sorry. I tackled the guy and punched him. I would have…"
Shirley saw him struggle to continue and quickly intervened. "Reuben you did your best. Did you get him to tell you anything?"
"No, the FBI was there by that time. They pulled me off of him. He eventually told them that he didn't know where Keith was. He'd lost him. Can you believe that? I'm not sure I do." Reuben blurted the last out.
"How can that be?" Shirley asked as Laurie and Danny clutched each other's hands in support.
"He told them that his partner had let them escape. He says they hadn't found him when he came for the ransom but that his partner is still out there looking for them." Reuben answered.
"Out where?" Laurie asked worriedly.
"They were in a cave out by Pinaco Peak. You were close Danny when you said they were at Cronos Caverns. It was caves alright, just the wrong ones." Reuben relayed what he'd heard from the agent who'd brought him back to the Partridge house.
"Oh, so I didn't help Keith at all. In fact I sent them in the wrong direction." Danny said sadly.
"No Danny, it's alright. They didn't just search by Cronos Caverns. They were up in the Picano Peak area too. They'd done their research and knew there were two very good possibilities." Reuben hoped to make Danny feel better by telling him that.
"Oh, that's good." Danny did smile at that hoping that his solving of Keith's riddle may have helped the FBI to be close to his brother when he needed them.
"Now what?" Shirley asked quietly.
"I don't know. They're still out there looking. In fact Patrick James is leading the group up at Pinaco Peak. He feels responsible, you know." Reuben hoped that knowing the man who had been Keith's personal bodyguard for most of the time he'd been under the watchful eye of the FBI was out looking for him in the right area.
"Why would he feel responsible? He wasn't even on duty the night Keith was taken?" Laurie reminded him.
"Guess that's why he feels guilty. I suppose he feels that if he'd been on duty Keith wouldn't have been able to sneak out and….well, he just figures things would have turned out differently." Reuben guessed.
Shirley reached out to take Reuben's hand and lead him to a chair. "Reuben why don't you sit down before you fall down. You look positively beat."
"Ouch." Reuben said instinctively as she irritated the bruises on his hands from punching the kidnapper.
"Oh, Reuben." Shirley said in sympathy as she examined the swelling. "Laurie get Reuben an ice pack."
"No, I don't need one." Reuben didn't feel like he deserved it. The little pain he felt was nothing compared to what he was figuring Keith was going through. His failure to bring him home was causing more pain to this whole family. He deserved to suffer.
Shirley ignored his comments and led him to a chair. She suspected that he felt guilty and was punishing himself by allowing the pain to go on. She almost wished she had some physical pain to take her mind off of the emotional and mental pain she was suffering herself. But, Reuben wasn't to blame and she would not let him suffer because of it.
Once he was settled and the ice pack was gently laid across his bruised knuckles, the door bell rang.
"I'll get it." Shirley said as she patted Reuben comfortingly on the shoulder as she walked away.
She opened the door to find an agent on the other side. He looked hopeful. It was the first thought that came to mind. "Come in." She waved him in.
"I have some news. I hope you think it's good news." The agent paused as he noticed Reuben, Laurie and Danny head toward them. "Carol walked into a ranger station in the very early hours of this morning. She was tired, cold and wet, but otherwise fine."
"And Keith?" Shirley was happy to hear that Carol was alright, but she needed to hear about Keith.
"Carol says he's sick and hurt, but otherwise alright. She's leading them to him now." The agent couldn't hold back the smile and the family around him exploded in screams and cheers of happiness.
Shirley was the first to recover from the happy news. "You say he was sick and hurt? How sick and how hurt?"
"Carol said he had a fever and was coughing. She also said he'd hurt his shoulder somehow. Agent James wasn't overly specific in his radio communication, but he requested a med-evac helicopter to help get him out. We'll know more as soon as they actually get to him." The agent told them.
Hearing that Keith was still out there alone until they actually got to him brought the high spirits down a bit and the smiles started to slide from their lips.
"What about the other kidnapper?" Reuben blurted out before realizing he probably should have pulled the agent aside before asking and worrying the rest of them.
"They suspect that he may be dead." The agent said gravely.
"Good." Danny said plainly. "What, don't tell me you're not happy to hear that too."
They all looked away knowing they couldn't argue with his comment.
xoxo
He could hear her calling his name. He giggled just a little before slapping his hand over his mouth to silence it. Now that he could hear her coming, he wasn't scared any more. He just needed to stay quiet. No sense making this easy for her.
In his delirium, Keith was mistaking Carol's voice for Laurie's.
xoxo
"Keith!" Carol shouted from the spot where she was sure she'd left him. She'd glanced over the side to see what she was quite certain was the body of the other kidnapper.
"Keith!" Patrick yelled next to her. "I thought you said he was hurt and couldn't move."
"He was. If he moved, it was with great pain." Carol bit her lip. She went back to the edge of the cliff and looked down. "Do you think that maybe that blob down there isn't the kidnapper and that he came back for Keith?"
"Some of our guys are headed down as we speak. We'll know shortly." Patrick assured her.
"He has to be close." Carol turned back toward the tree where Keith had been leaning when she left. "Keith! Oh, please Keith answer me!"
xoxo
He was hiding in the back of Reuben's car just trying not to be seen. He was too sick to deal with the paparazzi. He curled into a tighter ball and closed his eyes praying to get through the gauntlet of fans and reporters. 'Just don't let them see me' he whispered 'they can't know I'm here'.
xoxo
He was in the attic. The shapes around him had made him think of all of his worst nightmares. He screwed his eyes tightly shut and muttered, 'if they can't see me, they can't hurt me'.
xoxo
Keith was floating between reality and dreams. He thought he heard Carol calling for him, but he was drifting so close to unconsciousness that his plan to shout in response was quickly swallowed up by the black that was creeping in.
