Chapter 20
The group had been seated at a large round table in the middle of the main dining room although the term 'dining room' was a bit of a misnomer to describe the casual ambiance at Mel's Diner. The local eatery was the Caffrey family's regular haunt at all times of the day or night with breakfast being their favourite time of day to visit the family style restaurant. Mel and Sonya Bastrado had been running the place as long as the Caffrey family had been living in White Plains and by everyone's reckoning, they could serve you up a stack of blueberry buttermilk pancakes like nobody else.
Not surprisingly, Mozzie had appeared on the Caffreys' doorstep moments before the group had departed and he'd opted to join them to celebrate Neal and Sara's return. The two chairs reserved for Neal and Hope sat empty as the boisterous group consulted menus and chatted. Liam sat between his mom and his uncle Mozzie, smiling away as if he hadn't just lived through the most traumatic experience of his young life - the joys of having the attention span of a five-year-old. Sara kept one eye on him as she chatted; sadly, she knew there would be fallout in the days and weeks to come but apparently not in the here and now.
She wondered how Neal was doing back at the house with his little tête-à-tête with Hope. Despite her fearless exterior, their daughter remained an impressionable ten-year-old who loved her baby brother more than anything. Having been abducted herself at the tender age of six, she would no doubt be projecting all her fears and insecurities onto him. It was their job as parents to remind her that she wasn't responsible for Liam's wellbeing nor could she have kept things from happening as they had. It was uncanny really, how two children could be so different yet so close. They were five years apart with totally different tastes, interests and personality traits that couldn't be more dissimilar. Hope looked out for him and he, in turn, looked up to her, emulated her, wanted to 'grow up' to be just like her. His pure spirit and sweet disposition was in sharp contrast to her boldness and outlandish sense of humour. And yet they were the perfect pair.
Sara felt a tug on her sleeve and looked down at her wide-eyed son. 'Mommy, can I have pancakes and chocolate milk?' he asked, pushing his luck.
'Of course you can' she said, her voice growing unsteady.
'But Daddy said white milk is more healthy.'
She brought her hand to rest on his head, caressing his hair. 'Don't worry about that. I'm sure Daddy won't mind just this once.'
He studied her, wide-eyed and innocent, sensing the worry radiating off her. 'Mommy don't be scared, the man didn't hurt me' he said with a maturity that belied his young age.
She looked away, covering the lump in her throat and exchanged a look with her best friend. Out of the mouths of babes.
On the other side of Elizabeth, Peter was studying the menu although he wasn't really paying much attention. His mind was on Cornyn who was, at last report, still roaming the streets. He'd been receiving regular updates from his team - although could it be called an update when there was nothing new to report?
He felt his phone vibrating in his shirt pocket and sprang to his feet, excusing himself to take the call. He was only mildly disappointed to see it wasn't the office calling; instead, a picture of the Caffrey family popped up on his screen. Neal was calling from their landline.
'What's taking you guys so long?' Peter said into the phone. 'We're starved!'
Instead of Neal, a quiet voice was heard on the other end, barely a whisper.
'Uncle Peter. He's here.'
There was the sound of breathing on the line, quick and halting. 'Hope? Is that you? What's wrong?'
He heard a gasp, a sharp intake of air. 'The man… the man who took Liam… he's in the backyard with my dad. And he has a gun.'
Peter glanced over at the table, everybody was laughing.
'Are you sure it's him?'
'Yes' came her strangled voice.
'Where are you?'
'I'm in my parents' bedroom.'
'Honey, listen to me. I want you to go hide in the closet and stay there. I'm calling the police and I'll be there as soon as I can. Do you hear me?'
She muttered something in response and he hung up, starting back towards the table where Mozzie was entertaining everyone with some crazy long winded tale. He lifted his phone and made a sad face.
'You're kidding!' Elizabeth said.
Sara's eyes grew wide. 'Is it Cornyn? Have they located him?'
He was taken by surprise by her question. He stuttered as he replied. 'We… we might have a lead.' (He's in your backyard holding a gun to your husband's head but you go ahead and enjoy those scrambled eggs and bacon and don't worry your pretty little head about it.)
Lying was not Peter's forte but over time he'd learned to deflect or mislead by omission and he'd learned from the very best. Sara checked her watch. He could tell she was about to ask him if he'd heard anything from Neal so he moved things along before she could pin him down. He leaned down and kissed Elizabeth's cheek.
'Sorry, gotta go hon' he said. 'I'll try to get back if I can.'
WCWCWC
Neal stood motionless on his backyard deck in a face-off with his latest nemesis. He could feel his phone vibrate in his pocket for the second time. No doubt Sara or Peter wondering what was taking them so long. He glanced nervously towards the patio door, his thoughts turning to Hope who was still inside the house. Any minute now, she was going to come looking for him and she would innocently walk right into this crazy shit show. He needed to keep her away from danger at all cost.
'What is it exactly you want from me Cornyn?' he asked, trying to keep his voice even.
The man shrugged. 'Just wanted to look you in the eye, watch you squirm at the thought that your wife and kids are still in my crosshairs.'
He let the gun fall by his side. Neal was no threat to him, standing there unarmed. Anyway, he wasn't planning on staying long - after all, he was a man on the run. 'I want you to pay for making my life hell Caffrey. I haven't been able to go home in days.'
'That's your fault, not mine.'
Cornyn looked around. 'Where's little Liam this morning?' he asked tauntingly.
Neal felt fists forming at his side. 'What kind of lowlife are you anyway, preying on a helpless little boy?' He exhaled, regaining his composure, 'What's the matter Cornyn, afraid to come after me directly? You have to pick on a five-year-old.'
He could tell he'd destabilized the other man with his snappy comeback but Cornyn put on a poker face and came back with a zinger of his own. 'Didn't your son tell you? We had a great time. Sweet kid… nervous stomach though.'
Neal forced himself to smile even though he was seething inside. 'I guess he recognizes scum when he sees it.'
Cornyn looked around nervously, he didn't want to overstay his welcome just in case the police was on his tail. He waved his pistol in the air and Neal cringed. 'Well, I did manage to cut your little vacation short. Bet you and the wife were sweating all the way back. I hear she's a pretty lady… maybe I should take her out for a little drive.'
Neal felt his blood boiling but managed to remain silent. He couldn't wait for this lowlife to be locked up for good. A sound came from the patio door and he glanced in that direction, picking up on a movement out of the corner of his eye. From his vantage point, he saw Satchmo get up and lazily make his way into the kitchen. He thought he saw something else but Cornyn spoke up, drawing his attention.
'You know Caffrey, you're wasting your time helping the FBI. With talent like yours, we could make a killing.'
Neal sneered at him. 'Get off my property Cornyn.'
WCWCWC
Inside the house, Hope felt her whole body shake as she drew closer to the door. The weight of the gun tugged at her shoulders as she awkwardly held it with both her hands glued to the grip. She slipped her finger on the trigger; if she was going to scare this guy, she had to look like she knew what she was doing.
She leaned over to get a better look at what was going on outside. Cornyn was still standing in the grass, at the edge of the deck, about twelve feet away from her dad. His gun was relaxed at his side as he continued to taunt him. But she knew it would take a mere second for him to lift his arm and point it directly at her beloved dad - or at her. She realized that the only thing she had going for her was the element of surprise. The man wouldn't be expecting a kid to burst on the scene carrying a handgun pointed right at him. She needed to make the best of the situation until her uncle Peter came to the rescue, riding on his white horse.
The patio door beckoned. The screen door was open a crack. She could hear her dad trying to reason with the man, speaking softly and standing very still. All she had to do was slip her foot between the open screen and the door frame, push the screen aside and step out with confidence, pointing the gun menacingly at the intruder. She closed her eyes tight, the scenario playing in her mind like a movie scene. She would step out holding the gun skillfully and the man would freak out and run away like a scared little girl. What words should she use to get the man's attention?
'Put your hands up' - she'd heard that on TV when cops stormed in during a bank robbery or a holdup.
Or what about 'I've got you covered'? That sounded fearless but could she pull it off?
'Drop the gun' - another popular line from all those cop shows she'd watched over the years. Yeah, that sounded about right, direct and unwavering with just the right amount of confidence. He would be so taken aback, he'd have no choice but to obey. And then her dad would be safe.
She took one last deep breath, slipped her shoe between the screen and the door frame and prepared to make her dramatic entrance. To her dismay, the tip of her shoe caught in the door and she tripped, catching herself just in time as she stumbled out the door to the great surprise of both men.
'Gun the drop!' she shouted at the top of her lungs as she pointed the gun at Cornyn. The two men looked in her direction, Cornyn with a look of amusement and her dad totally bewildered by her sudden appearance. With a gun in her hands no less.
Her hands shook violently as did the gun. 'I mean… d-d-drop the gun!' she stuttered.
Dwight Cornyn's initial reaction was to chuckle but a gun was a gun no matter who was pointing it at you. It was especially alarming if it was in the hands of a jittery ten-year-old girl. Almost immediately, he lifted his firearm and took a defensive stance, gun pointed at Hope.
'You've got that backwards little girl' the man said.
'Hope!' Neal called out simultaneously, a look of terror on his face. He made a move towards her.
'Don't!' Cornyn shouted as he shifted his aim towards Neal. 'Don't move!'
Hope kept her gun trained on Cornyn who now had her dad in his sights, ready to shoot at a moment's notice. Her hands shook so hard, Neal could see the gun swaying from side to side. Chances are she couldn't hit the side of an eighty foot barn even if her life depended on it. Adding insult to injury, Raffie appeared and began sniffing playfully at Hope legs, tail wagging, ready to play. If the situation hadn't been so damned dangerous, it would have been downright comical.
'Honey what are you doing?' came Neal's voice over the sound of her erratic breathing. He raised his hand and reached out to her. 'Put it down on the deck, just put it down.'
'Shut up Caffrey. You stay right there' Cornyn warned.
Neal stared at his little girl, wondering what kind of alternate universe he'd just walked into. Where the hell had she gotten a gun? Nerves getting the better of her, Hope's eyes began to fill with tears but she managed to keep the gun trained on the man, not that she could see much through the avalanche of tears.
'Get away from my dad!' she shouted, her voice shaky.
Neal managed to take a couple of steps towards her before Cornyn reacted. 'I said don't move Caffrey' he shouted, beginning to lose his composure.
His eyes began to roam the yard, searching for the best escape route. His plan had been to taunt Neal, shake him up a little but a gunfight at the OK Corral was more than he'd bargained for. With his eyes still trained on Hope, he took a few steps back towards the side of the house from where he'd come. Suddenly, his arm dropped to his side and he took off running alongside the house towards the street, making his getaway before someone got hurt, namely himself.
'Put it down Hope, put it down!' Neal urged as he bridged the short distance between himself and his daughter. Hope's hands shook violently, gun still pointing towards the spot where Cornyn had been standing a moment earlier. Her eyes were glassy as if she were in a trance, gaze fixed straight ahead, arms straight out, gun shaking.
'Hope! Hope!' Neal said in desperation as he drew closer.
He came at her from behind, for fear the gun might go off by accident if he walked towards it. He wrapped his arms around Hope's body from the back, letting his hands rest on hers. They shook so hard he couldn't get a firm grasp and her fingers were wound so tight around the gun's grip that at first he couldn't get her to let go.
He spoke softly in her ear as he attempted to pry her hands loose. 'Honey it's okay, let it go. Let it go.'
The sound of voices was heard coming from the side of the house and he looked up to find Peter, arriving with two of his agents.
'You all right?' he called out at the sight of Neal and Hope both standing there, transfixed.
There was a loud thud as the gun hit the deck and Hope's legs gave out following in its trajectory as she momentarily lost consciousness. Neal broke her fall, catching her in his arms and collapsing onto the deck as her eyes fluttered.
'Daddy…' she murmured.
He pulled her into his chest, his breathing loud and irregular. Her body was shaking so violently he thought at first she might be having a convulsion. He held her tight, feeling the trembling slowly begin to subside. His gaze met Peter's who was watching the scene unfold in total disbelief.
'Did you get him?' Neal asked breathlessly.
Peter nodded. 'Yeah, we got him.'
The two men stepped into the house, Neal carrying Hope as they settled on the couch in the family room. Colour was slowly returning to her cheeks. Peter held his service revolver in his hands, checking it over. Hope had set the safety even though it wasn't loaded. Smart kid.
Neal glanced at Peter's hands, recognizing the firearm. 'What the hell was she doing with that?' he asked.
Peter blubbered something in response and Hope looked from one man to the other, getting her bearings.
'How did you know he was here?' Neal asked his best friend.
Peter looked at his goddaughter and smiled. 'I told her to hide in the closet and wait for me to get here.'
Neal exhaled loudly. 'Yeah… I should have mentioned she doesn't always listen very well.'
Hope gave a shoulder shrug. 'I was afraid you were going to take too long' she admitted, eyes on her godfather.
'Honey, I warned you to never touch my gun unless I was sitting right next to you.'
Neal looked puzzled.
'I've been keeping my empty gun up on the top shelf in the cupboard' Peter explained pointing towards the kitchen. 'Hope was curious the other day… I let her handle it and I gave her a crash course.'
'You what?' Neal looked both upset and disappointed. Peter, of all people, knew how he felt about having a gun in the house.
'It's my fault Dad. I asked him to. And it's true, I promised never ever to touch a gun without a grownup next to me. I'm sorry Uncle Peter.'
Her voice had grown shaky again and Peter rose to get her some juice while Neal stared at her, still reeling from the events of the last few minutes.
'Honey… maybe Uncle Peter's gun wasn't loaded but Cornyn's was. He could have shot you - or me.'
Tears ran down her face as the adrenaline finally started to drain from her system. She couldn't believe what she'd actually done. She'd unknowingly put her dad's life in danger as well as her own.
'I didn't know what else to do' she blubbered. 'I was afraid he was going to hurt you… and I didn't know how long it would take Uncle Peter to get here… and then I remembered he kept his gun in the cupboard… and I thought maybe I could…'
'Hey, hey, hey, hey' Neal said soothingly, cutting her off. She was sobbing loudly as she spoke. If she kept this up she'd start hyperventilating any second now.
He pulled her in to him and she melted in a puddle of tears, arms around his neck so tight he winced. 'It's okay baby. It's okay. You're okay, I'm okay.'
'I'm sorry Daddy, I'm really sorry.'
He cradled her against his chest, rocking her back and forth as his breathing finally slowed. He glanced up at Peter who was looking just as terrified as he felt.
'It's okay' he repeated. 'It's okay.'
TBC
