Author's note: I know I started writing this in present tense and am not writing it in past tense. It's not a mistake; it's a conscious choice on my part. I will be going back to edit the earlier chapters to reflect this change. Thanks for your understanding - Majik
Part 7
Abbie walked through the park, enjoying the sights and sounds of the carnival. A large sign proclaimed that all the proceeds of the day would be donated to the Charles Street Foundation and the Mary Mae Ward House. Abbie wasn't sure what either of those two things was, but she certainly didn't mind dedicating money to a cause. Especially when she got some cotton candy out of it. Making her way through the crowd, she stopped occasionally to play a game. Arms full of the various prizes that she had one, Abbie paused for a minute to consider her next course of action. She spied a group of young children sitting on blankets in front of the band stand where a large sign proclaimed 'Free Concert 1:00 p.m.' Abbie walked up to them and passed out the small trinkets that she had won and then continued her meanderings.
Just then, a hand reached out and tapped her on the shoulder, spinning around, arms upraised, Abbie prepared to attack.
"Hey wait a second Abbie, it's me."
Hearing her name caused her to pause and look. "Oh Jason, I'm sorry," she gasped. "You startled me. Hi Sonny," she said looking past Jason to the other man.
"Hi Abbie. Jason, you better watch out for this one, no sneaking up on her in the kitchen late at night," the handsome mobster joked.
"Very funny," Abbie groused. "What brings you two to a carnival of all places? No offense intended, but neither one of you strike me as the merry go round type of guy."
"The Charles Street Foundation and the Mary Mae Ward House are both great charities and I like to donate money to them," said Sonny.
"Yeah, and see that guy over there," Jason said pointing to a tall and handsome African American man who was sitting in a dunking booth. "That's my cousin Justus Ward, he's the councilman for this ward and on the board of the Mary Mae Ward House."
"Oh, cool," said Abbie after a moment. "Want to go try and dunk him?"
"No," laughed Jason as the three started walking. "We're more of the large anonymous cash donation types."
The three continued to walk around the park when Abbie caught sight of a vendor with a bunch of balloons. "You two go ahead," she said. "I'm going to go buy a bunch of those balloons and pass them out to some of the kids.
"Here," said Sonny reaching for his wallet. "Make sure you buy them all. We wouldn't want any little kids not getting a balloon."
Abbie stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks Sonny, you are too cool," she said and then she rushed off to stop the balloon vendor.
Sonny and Jason watched Abbie make her purchase, shoving all the money into the hands of the astonished vendor and then grab the balloons and then starts handing them to nearby children.
"She is something else," Sonny said with a grin. "I don't think I've ever met anybody so full of life before. Has Benny been able to find out anything about her yet?"
"Not as of last night he hasn't," answered Jason, "But he knows to call me as soon as he does."
"I don't think he's going to," said Sonny. "She's hiding something, but I can't figure out what it is. Whatever it is, she's good, I'll give you that."
"What do you want me to do about her?" asked Jason.
"Nothing. She's hiding something, but I don't think it has anything to do with our business. As long as she's not a danger to us, she can keep her secrets," replied the older man. "Besides, I kind of like her. There aren't too many people who can go a few rounds with Carly and come out ahead."
As the two men talked, Abbie went around a bend in the path and disappeared out
of site. She happily passed out her
balloons unaware of the danger that lay up ahead. Without realizing it, the path she took, led her away from the
festivities to a rather deserted area of the park. As she walked pass a large stand of trees, two men came up from
behind her and shoved her off the path behind some bushes. Abbie struggled to get away, but the two men
were much stronger. One held her from
behind, while the other grabbed her by the shirt with one hand and covered her
mouth with the other. She kicked and
struggled, but was unable to free herself.
"Cut it out you stupid bitch," said the man in front of her. "We got a message for Jason Morgan, and you're gonna deliver it."
At the mention of Jason's name, Abbie stopped struggling, but glared at her assailant with hate filled eyes.
"Good girl," said the man. "You tell Morgan that Mr. Burns has a message for him. Tell him to back off of the new docks project or else. You got that bitch?" He relaxed his hand a bit as he prepared to remove it from Abbie's mouth, but before he could, she bit him hard enough to draw blood.
"Oh, the stupid little bitch bit me," he said. He drew his hand back and punched her in the jaw. The goon behind her who had been holding her let go, and she tumbled back, twisting her leg beneath her and hitting her head on a rock as she fell. As she hit the ground, the balloons, which had still been tangled in her hand drifted free and floated up into the air.
Sonny and Jason resumed the walking. They bumped into Bobbie Spencer, Sonny's mother-in-law who had brought Michael, Carly's son to the carnival.
"Uncle Sonny, Uncle Jason, see what Grandma bought me?" crowed the little boy as he ran up to them waving a balloon.
"Hey, that's really nice Michael," said Sonny as he bent down to hug the young boy. "Did you thank your Grandma?"
"Well, I didn't really buy it for him, a very pretty young lady was giving them away," said Bobbie.
"Abbie," said Sonny and Jason at the same time.
"You know her?" asked Bobbie.
"She's sharing my apartment," said Jason.
"Oh, that's her," said Bobbie knowingly. "She really had a big impact on Carly, I'll tell you that."
"Look up there!" yelled Michael, "Look!"
Bobbie, Sonny and Jason looked to where the young boy was pointing. In the sky, a rainbow of balloons floated into the air.
"Oh, your friend must have let all the balloons go," said Bobbie. "It sure is pretty."
"Something's wrong," said Jason. "She wouldn't just let them float away. She was having too much fun passing them out. I'm going to go see what happened."
"Go," said Sonny. "I'll get Bobbie and Michael out of the park and catch up to you. Jason, be careful!" he called out to the younger man who took off in a run."
"Max, come her," he said, motioning to the bodyguard who had been following at a discreet distance. "Take Ms. Spencer and Michael to the penthouse and stay with them. Contact Joe and tell him to stick like glue to Carly, and have the others get to the park and start looking for Abbie."
"Sonny, what's going on?" asked Bobby, worried.
"I don't know, but stay with Max. Michael, you be good and listen to your Grandma and Max, ok?"
"Sure Uncle Sonny."
Sonny gave the small boy a quick hug and took off in the same direction as Jason. Within a few minutes, he was out of site of the carnival, and could hear Jason calling for Abbie. Sonny also began calling for the younger girl when he heard Jason shout out. He quickly located Jason who was kneeling down next to an unconscious Abbie. "Sonny, get an ambulance, she's unconscious. She needs to get to a hospital."