CHAPTER 7
Beth sat back in the seat, her hands wringing the material of the jacket in her lap.
"A year ago this past July … Craig and I were in Atlanta for … well it doesn't matter why … we
were in Atlanta." She began.
Joe turned slightly in his seat so he could see her and Duncan took a deep breath as he
concentrated on the road and on what she was about to tell them. Richie sat silently beside her
with his arm on the back of the seat behind her head … not crowding her, but offering support.
"We'd been out to dinner and since it was a really nice night … unseasonable cooler for July in
the south .. we decided to walk back to our hotel … that was the worst mistake we could have
made." Her voice was hollow and soft and they could see in her eyes that she was reliving a
terrible memory.
"We were about three blocks from our hotel when we noticed a few men were following us …
getting closer … not bothering to hide the fact they were following us." She continued. "Craig put
his arm around me and urged me to walk faster … and that's when they made their move."
Beth's eyes closed as she remembered what happened next. One man had ripped her from the
protection of her husband's arm while the other two pulled Craig into an alley. They were big
men … and it didn't do any good to struggle. They were at their mercy.
It was only after they'd been thrown up against the wall at the end of the alley that they realized
there was a fourth man … He was bigger and his face and eyes were filled with pure hate. Just
the thought of his face made her shiver and Richie wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling
her against him as she continued.
"The fourth man … he was their leader. He called all the shots. He congratulated them on their
capture and sent two of them to the front of the alley to keep watch … to make sure no one
interfered." Beth recalled. "But before they left, they tied Craig's arms above his head … and
secured him to a pipe that was running down the building. He couldn't move … and the third man
held me … so I couldn't get to him."
Tears streamed down her face as she remembered, and Joe passed a handkerchief over the
seat for her. She nodded her thanks and continued her story, knowing if she stopped now that
she would never be able to finish.
"After the other two men went to the end of the alley, the big man rummaged through Craig's
pockets and then my purse … we had a little money on us … but not enough to make him happy.
Of course now I know it wasn't really about the money … he wanted victims … he wanted to hurt
someone … and we'd unfortunately played right into his hands."
"But what does this have to do with why you were so spooked this afternoon?" Richie couldn't
help his impatience. He felt responsible for doing something terrible to her and he wanted to
know why it had happened.
"The big man … he carried a sword." Beth replied. "It was very wide … and very heavy … and
the handle was curved with the carving of a wild animal or demon or something on it. He used
the sword on Craig" Her voice began to quiver. "He sliced into his arms … his legs … toying with
him … tearing him to shreds … wanting to inflict as much pain as he could until thankfully …
Craig was able to slip into unconsciousness … spoiling his fun … so he ended it by plunging the
sword into his heart."
Duncan looked at her pain-filled face in the rear view mirror. He'd seen this kind of evil first hand
many times. No wonder her eyes were never long without the horror of what she'd seen.
"Dear God." Joe whispered as he listened to her story.
"How did you get away?" Richie asked the question on all of their minds.
"When he was done with Craig … it was to be my turn. I was hysterical and had fallen to my
knees, and he didn't think I would be able to move, much less resist. So he had the man holding
me help him take Craig from off of the pipe … I guess to replace him with me." A shudder ran
through her.
"All I could see was Craig's torn body … his lifeless eyes … all the blood … so much blood …
and then … I saw the sword. He'd set it against the wall while he helped the other man toss my
husband aside. I don't know how I found the strength … but somehow I found myself rushing
over to the sword … I picked it up … " her eyes went vacant and her voice trailed off …
"Beth … Beth … are you all right?" Richie shook her shoulder a little and lifted her face with his
hand. She'd completely zoned out.
She focused on his face and then remembered they were waiting to hear how she escaped.
"You said you picked up the sword … " Richie reminded her.
"Yeah … and then … I don't know … I guess someone had heard the screaming and called the
police … and they were there … and they caught the big man, but his friends got away."
"Oh man … that must have been terrible for you. Thank God the police arrived and they caught
the guy." Joe reached through the seat and placed his hand on her knee, patting her gently.
"I'm sorry about what happened to you … and your husband."
Duncan had been watching her face and expression as she'd told them her story … as much as
he could in the mirror while they drove closer to the stadium. Richie and Joe seemed satisfied …
and he understood for the most part why she'd been upset by the sword play that morning, but
something told him there was more … more that she wasn't telling them … and whatever it was, it
was big.
"So they caught this guy?" Richie asked.
"Yeah … and he was convicted … but they didn't catch his friends, and he made threats against
me … saying that they would finish the job for him." She replied. "That's why I came to
Seacouver. That's why unless they find the others … I can never go home."
"Are you sure you feel up to a game?" Joe asked as they pulled into the parking area around the
stadium, the full impact of what this monster cost her hitting him hard.
"Yeah … " Beth pulled a compact out of her purse and began to dab at her eyes and smooth her
tear streaked cheeks with a fresh coat of powder to hide any trace of her sadness. "I love
baseball … and I need a distraction … and after what I just laid on you guys, you probably could
use one too."
The guys got out of the SUV and let her finish refreshing her makeup without an audience.
"I can't believe what she's been through." Richie said in a low voice as he and Mac waited
behind the vehicle.
"Yeah … she's been through a lot … and she's lost a lot. Most people would crumble under the
weight of it … " Joe added.
Duncan just nodded as he studied the silhouette of the brave young woman through the back
glass. There was another question he wanted to ask … but not now … there had been a reason
why she'd stopped her story where she had. She wasn't ready to tell them more … but one day
she would … and until then, the three of them would watch out for her.
Beth took several deep breaths and pushed the terrible memories as far down as she could
before getting out of the car. Looking up at the beautiful outside of the stadium, she let herself
focus on why they were there. "So this is Pac Bell Park?" she said cheerfully as she linked her
arm through Joe's on one side and Richie's on the other. "Think Barry's got a home run or two in
him today?"
The men laughed nervously at her obvious attempt to lighten the mood. If she could be this
brave, who were they to bring her back down. There would be no more talk of her past today.
The four of them spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening enjoying the game … the hot
dogs … the atmosphere … and the 2 run homer by Bonds in the 6th.
Beth sat back in the seat, her hands wringing the material of the jacket in her lap.
"A year ago this past July … Craig and I were in Atlanta for … well it doesn't matter why … we
were in Atlanta." She began.
Joe turned slightly in his seat so he could see her and Duncan took a deep breath as he
concentrated on the road and on what she was about to tell them. Richie sat silently beside her
with his arm on the back of the seat behind her head … not crowding her, but offering support.
"We'd been out to dinner and since it was a really nice night … unseasonable cooler for July in
the south .. we decided to walk back to our hotel … that was the worst mistake we could have
made." Her voice was hollow and soft and they could see in her eyes that she was reliving a
terrible memory.
"We were about three blocks from our hotel when we noticed a few men were following us …
getting closer … not bothering to hide the fact they were following us." She continued. "Craig put
his arm around me and urged me to walk faster … and that's when they made their move."
Beth's eyes closed as she remembered what happened next. One man had ripped her from the
protection of her husband's arm while the other two pulled Craig into an alley. They were big
men … and it didn't do any good to struggle. They were at their mercy.
It was only after they'd been thrown up against the wall at the end of the alley that they realized
there was a fourth man … He was bigger and his face and eyes were filled with pure hate. Just
the thought of his face made her shiver and Richie wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling
her against him as she continued.
"The fourth man … he was their leader. He called all the shots. He congratulated them on their
capture and sent two of them to the front of the alley to keep watch … to make sure no one
interfered." Beth recalled. "But before they left, they tied Craig's arms above his head … and
secured him to a pipe that was running down the building. He couldn't move … and the third man
held me … so I couldn't get to him."
Tears streamed down her face as she remembered, and Joe passed a handkerchief over the
seat for her. She nodded her thanks and continued her story, knowing if she stopped now that
she would never be able to finish.
"After the other two men went to the end of the alley, the big man rummaged through Craig's
pockets and then my purse … we had a little money on us … but not enough to make him happy.
Of course now I know it wasn't really about the money … he wanted victims … he wanted to hurt
someone … and we'd unfortunately played right into his hands."
"But what does this have to do with why you were so spooked this afternoon?" Richie couldn't
help his impatience. He felt responsible for doing something terrible to her and he wanted to
know why it had happened.
"The big man … he carried a sword." Beth replied. "It was very wide … and very heavy … and
the handle was curved with the carving of a wild animal or demon or something on it. He used
the sword on Craig" Her voice began to quiver. "He sliced into his arms … his legs … toying with
him … tearing him to shreds … wanting to inflict as much pain as he could until thankfully …
Craig was able to slip into unconsciousness … spoiling his fun … so he ended it by plunging the
sword into his heart."
Duncan looked at her pain-filled face in the rear view mirror. He'd seen this kind of evil first hand
many times. No wonder her eyes were never long without the horror of what she'd seen.
"Dear God." Joe whispered as he listened to her story.
"How did you get away?" Richie asked the question on all of their minds.
"When he was done with Craig … it was to be my turn. I was hysterical and had fallen to my
knees, and he didn't think I would be able to move, much less resist. So he had the man holding
me help him take Craig from off of the pipe … I guess to replace him with me." A shudder ran
through her.
"All I could see was Craig's torn body … his lifeless eyes … all the blood … so much blood …
and then … I saw the sword. He'd set it against the wall while he helped the other man toss my
husband aside. I don't know how I found the strength … but somehow I found myself rushing
over to the sword … I picked it up … " her eyes went vacant and her voice trailed off …
"Beth … Beth … are you all right?" Richie shook her shoulder a little and lifted her face with his
hand. She'd completely zoned out.
She focused on his face and then remembered they were waiting to hear how she escaped.
"You said you picked up the sword … " Richie reminded her.
"Yeah … and then … I don't know … I guess someone had heard the screaming and called the
police … and they were there … and they caught the big man, but his friends got away."
"Oh man … that must have been terrible for you. Thank God the police arrived and they caught
the guy." Joe reached through the seat and placed his hand on her knee, patting her gently.
"I'm sorry about what happened to you … and your husband."
Duncan had been watching her face and expression as she'd told them her story … as much as
he could in the mirror while they drove closer to the stadium. Richie and Joe seemed satisfied …
and he understood for the most part why she'd been upset by the sword play that morning, but
something told him there was more … more that she wasn't telling them … and whatever it was, it
was big.
"So they caught this guy?" Richie asked.
"Yeah … and he was convicted … but they didn't catch his friends, and he made threats against
me … saying that they would finish the job for him." She replied. "That's why I came to
Seacouver. That's why unless they find the others … I can never go home."
"Are you sure you feel up to a game?" Joe asked as they pulled into the parking area around the
stadium, the full impact of what this monster cost her hitting him hard.
"Yeah … " Beth pulled a compact out of her purse and began to dab at her eyes and smooth her
tear streaked cheeks with a fresh coat of powder to hide any trace of her sadness. "I love
baseball … and I need a distraction … and after what I just laid on you guys, you probably could
use one too."
The guys got out of the SUV and let her finish refreshing her makeup without an audience.
"I can't believe what she's been through." Richie said in a low voice as he and Mac waited
behind the vehicle.
"Yeah … she's been through a lot … and she's lost a lot. Most people would crumble under the
weight of it … " Joe added.
Duncan just nodded as he studied the silhouette of the brave young woman through the back
glass. There was another question he wanted to ask … but not now … there had been a reason
why she'd stopped her story where she had. She wasn't ready to tell them more … but one day
she would … and until then, the three of them would watch out for her.
Beth took several deep breaths and pushed the terrible memories as far down as she could
before getting out of the car. Looking up at the beautiful outside of the stadium, she let herself
focus on why they were there. "So this is Pac Bell Park?" she said cheerfully as she linked her
arm through Joe's on one side and Richie's on the other. "Think Barry's got a home run or two in
him today?"
The men laughed nervously at her obvious attempt to lighten the mood. If she could be this
brave, who were they to bring her back down. There would be no more talk of her past today.
The four of them spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening enjoying the game … the hot
dogs … the atmosphere … and the 2 run homer by Bonds in the 6th.