Hey y'all! So the bar exam is FINALLY over! And after a bucket full of sleep and about 3 buckets of coffee, I feel sane enough (not sane, just sane enough) to start writing again! And . . . I have August off so when I'm not lying on a beach somewhere, I'll be writing. Huge YAYS!

I know the chapter is short but I wanted to get something uploaded for y'all while I'm working on the next chapter (yes I've started writing the next chapter)

Enjoy!

Chapter 29:

An hour had passed since Lisa and Darcy had left and we were all still sitting in the living room. Mary and I on the love seat together, our mother in a recliner across the room, dozing slightly.

"Liz are you ok?" Mary whispered to me, probably so that she didn't rouse my mother.

"I'm doing as well as anyone could in this situation."

"No Lizzie, I meant your arms."

"Hmmmm?" I questioned "Oh my arms!" I had forgotten about them in the shock of the news about Logan. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"What happened?"

"I had a little accident last night involving a crystal vase and a fall."

Mary nodded in acknowledgement, seeming to understand that I didn't want to talk about it further.

Suddenly our mother awoke with a grunt. She spotted us on the couch and then appeared lost in thought until –

"I think Mr. Darcy likes Lisa."

"WHAT?" I blurted out.

"I think he likes her."

"What in the world gives you that idea?"

"Well he practically jumped at the opportunity to take Lisa to the police station. He's one of the partner's at your firm, correct?"

"Yes Mom. But Mom, he didn't jump at the opportunity to take Lisa to the police station, he was the only one here with a car!"

My mother made a dismissive noise and waived her hand.

"Nonsense. You don't want to believe it because you don't have a boyfriend and you can't attract the eye of your boss who you see all the time while Lisa did it immediately."

"Mom, you couldn't be more wrong. And besides this is what your worried about? When Logan is being held hostage by some crazy man?"

She made another dismissive noise.

"He's fine. They're going to get him back."

I jumped off the couch.

"YOU DON'T KNOW HE'S FINE! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? YOU AND LISA AND DAD ALLOWED A FOUR YEAR OLD CHILD TO PLAY OUTSIDE IN THE FRONT YARD WITHOUT SUPERVISION. DO NONE OF YOU HAVE AN OUNCE OF COMMON SENSE?" The nerves and thoughts and worry that had been plaguing me for the past several hours finally burst out. My mother's jaw dropped, but before she could answer, the phone rang.

Before anyone could even move, I dashed to the kitchen to answer it.

"Hello?" I answered

"Liz – ie?"

The static on the other end of the line was terrible, but I knew immediately who it was.

"Jane!"

"Lizz – e, I'm c-ming hom-. Is ther- a-y news ab-ut Lo-an?" She asked through the static.

"There was a ransom note. Lisa went to the police. She's supposed to meet the man who took Logan in the park tonight. Hopefully we'll get Logan back then."

"Ok Th-t's pos-tive news. O-r at le-st it-s som-thi-ng. My fli-ht le-ves in o-ne hou-r. I sho-ld be ho-me tom-orrow."

"Do you want to wait until we have more news before you come home?"

"No! My fam-ly is mo-re impor-ant than an-y wo-rk I do he-re."

"Ok. Give me your flight information so I can come out in Mom and Dad's car and pick you up."

"No it-s ok. I w-ill ta-ke a cab. I wa-nt y-u in the ho-use to kee-p an eye on ev-ery-th-ing."

"Are you sure?"

"Ye-s. Se-nd me an e-ma-il wh-en you ha-ve an-y new-s."

"Ok I will. Safe travels Jane."

I gently hung up the phone and, calmer now, returned to the living room to sit with Mary and my mother to await any new news.

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Hours passed slower than they have ever passed before in my life. Nobody came back through the front door. Not my father, nor Lisa, nor Will. We called my father to see what was going on and he said he was still going through the paperwork at the office to see if he could figure out where Wickham was hiding, and no he hadn't heard anything new from the police. Lisa and Darcy didn't call to check in and everyone was afraid to call them, in case their phone were to ring at a really bad moment for whatever they were doing.

So we sat. And we paced. And then, when it became late enough, Mary and I cooked dinner. I don't think we had any intention on eating, however I know that in my mind I felt that I needed to cook, because if they were to get Logan back, he might be hungry and I wanted there to be a home cooked meal ready for him. And then we waited some more.

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At about 5:45 in the evening, my cell phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but answered it.

"Hello?"

"Liz?"

"Yes."

"Hi, it's Ryan Sullivan." He then hesitated. "Um . . . we met last night?"

"I didn't forget who you are." I said with a laugh in my voice (the first one of the day).

"I know this is kind of last minute, but I was wondering if you were free for dinner tonight?"

"Ryan, I'm sorry. I'm in the middle of a big family emergency right now."

"Oh! Is everything ok? Is there anything I can do?"

"Thanks for asking but there's nothing you can do to help."

"Feel free to reject the offer, especially since you don't know me that well yet, but do you want to talk about it?"

I felt his sweetness and sincerity through the phone.

"Not really. I do appreciate the offer, but right now I don't think I'm quite ready to talk about it. Can I take a rain check on dinner?"

"Of course. Would you like me to call you later in the week?"

"I'd like that."

"I hope everything turns out ok Liz."

"I do too."

"Good night."

"Good night." And with that I hung up the phone.

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6:30 came and my phone buzzed again. I looked at the Caller ID. It was Will.

"Hello?" I answered the phone in an anxious, breathy voice.

"Lizzie, we have him. We have Logan. He's safe." Darcy said immediately.

"Really? Oh that's wonderful. What happ-"

"I can't talk right now. Everything is fine. We'll all be back within the hour and will explain what happened then." I heard sirens in the background of his end of the call.

"But what -"

"I've got to go Liz. I'll see you soon."

And with that I heard a click and the line went dead.

Ok, another cliffhanger, sorry :(

But never fear! I'm already in the middle of the next chapter so it should be uploaded shortly. In the meantime . . . REVIEW! : )