Chapter 6
They were all silent, hoping Alex or Sabrina would say something if they still had their radios on. It occurred to Jake the two men might have taken the radios, and where now waiting to hear what their rescue plan was. He took off his radio and suggested to Elaina she do the same. She leaned over to hear him speak.
"We shouldn't use these, Turner may have Alex and Sab's radio listening in," Jake said.
Elaina shook her head in confirmation. She knew if they were to tell Cody what frequency to change to, they would hear and adjust the radios they had. She got Frank's attention and told him in sign language about the radios. Before Frank took his off, he told Cody and Monica not to say anything over the radios.
"Frankie, is that you?" Collin was using the headsets. "Now how are you going to keep your friends informed?"
"Let the women go, Collin." Frank ordered, signing to Elaina to listen in.
"I don't think so, Frankie. You have to come after them. Maybe make a trade?" Collin said.
"What kind of trade?" Elaina asked.
"Well, if it isn't my darling ex-wife, I heard you married Frankie. He has my son now."
"You gave up all rights to him," Frank said.
"Yeah, too bad I found a way around parole hearings."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Frank asked.
"Ask your wife!"
"Trying to stir up trouble as usual. Who keeps you informed about me?" Elaina said.
"I still have friends in Laurel," Collin replied.
"Lucky you. Did they also help you escape?" Elaina asked, as they got closer to the cabin.
"I suppose you'd like their names next," Collin said sarcastically.
"It would make my job easier," Elaina said seeing the cabin come into view.
Turner came out with Sabrina holding a gun to her head. "Well…you arrived quicker than I thought. I guess you really want your women back, Frankie. Does Elaina know how much you care for them?"
"What do you want to trade for?" Elaina asked, tired of his taunting.
"Well…Darlin', I think I'd take you for these lovely ladies," he answered. "How about it, wouldn't you like to start up where we left off."
Frank turned to her and shook.
"And where would that be? I got it! We left off me holding a gun on you, I'm sure I can start from there," Elaina said, looking down at Turner.
He became angry, pushing Sabrina back into the cabin.
Reese went to the road and landed the chopper near the horse trailer where Monica had come back to with the horses. "Monica, are you okay?" Elaina asked, grabbing the reins of one of the horses.
"I'm okay, just worried about Alex and Sab," Monica replied when Frank came up to them.
When he saw Elaina getting on the horse, he grabbed onto the halter to stop her. "Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm going after Alex and Sabrina. I told you once before never to try and stop me," Elaina replied.
"And I told you, I'd use whatever force I needed to stop you." He kept a tight grip on the halter, so she couldn't leave.
Elaina swung her foot out of the stirrup, hitting him in his wounded shoulder. When he fell to the ground, she took off toward the cabin.
Frank tried to get up onto one of the other horses, but needed help from Jake to complete the task. "I don't know when or where, but she's going to pay for that," he said after thanking Jake.
Elaina raced up the road to the cabin with Frank and Jake close behind. She glanced back to see the pain in Frank's face. She wondered if it was from his shoulder or his hurt pride.
"Okay, Turner, I'm here! Let them go," Elaina called out, approaching the cabin.
"Where's Frankie? I want him to see you come back to me," Collin asked, peeking his head outside to see her.
Frank and Jake rode up beside her along with Monica and Reese riding double on the other horse.
"I'm right here beside her," Frank yelled, then he signed to Elaina, 'You're not trading yourself for them.'
Elaina signed to him, 'I know what I'm doing. I know the risk. They'll get out safe, I promise.'
Frank noticed she said 'they', she had not included herself. He signed 'You had better come out safe, too.'
Elaina looked down at her wedding ring and took it off giving it to him. She signed 'You can put that back on when I'm safe.'
"I'm here, let them go," Elaina said, riding up to the cabin.
"You get down from the horse first," Collin said from inside.
Elaina did as he said then saw Bradshaw come out with Sabrina and Alex. Her stomach tightened, seeing him holding a knife to Sabrina's throat. She knew he wasn't afraid to use it. "Let them go, Bradshaw."
"Walk to the cabin and then I let them go," Bradshaw said, bringing the knife in a little closer.
"I want to see Collin. Where is he?" Elaina asked, still standing beside her horse.
Collin walked behind Bradshaw. "I'm not going to come out, so Frankie and your friends can start shooting. You come in here with me, then they'll be let go."
Frank and Jake where both saying 'don't do it' under their breath when Elaina went to the door. She looked at Alex and Sabrina. She could tell they didn't want her to sacrifice herself for them. "I'm in, let them go."
Alex was let go first. She walked toward the others, looking back for Sabrina. She stopped, seeing Bradshaw stepping back toward the door still holding onto Sabrina. She released the breath she was holding when he pushed her out the door and shut the door.
Collin held Elaina while searched her for weapons. He did more than search…he was feeling her breasts.
"I'm unarmed. I don't think your searching for weapons anyway."
"Give me a break, honey. I've been away from women a while," Collin said with Elaina smacking him across the face. "Well, you certainly haven't changed over the years." Collin rubbed his face where she had slapped him. "You're still the same bitch you were before."
Elaina knew she made a mistake letting her angry get away from her. She decided she had better change her tone with him. "Collin, is that anyway to welcome me? I remember some of the more loving names you used to call me."
"Honey, I can think of a lot of different ways to welcome you." He pulled her close to kiss her. "How's that for a welcome?"
"Not bad, but I've had better," Elaina replied. He hit her across the face and threw her onto the floor.
"I meant you had done better before, you bastard," she said, getting off the floor. "If you want my help to get out of here, you better start by treating me better than this."
"What makes you think I'd trust you to get us out of here?" Collin asked, looking out the window at the team.
"I'm your only way out of here. They will never let you out of here alive without my help," Elaina replied when Collin walked back over to her.
"The lady has a point, Collin," Bradshaw said, looking to Collin. Elaina knew she had easily convinced Bradshaw, but Collin would never trust her.
"How do you plan to get us away from here?" Collin asked, facing her.
"My brother and his helicopter. You think I'd take you out on foot?" Elaina asked.
"Frankie won't let that happen," Collin said.
"You might want to take those radios off, they are listening to every word we say," Elaina pointed out.
"Then how will I know what they're planning?" he asked.
"They wouldn't storm this place with me in it. Frank's in love with me, he won't risk my getting killed. Besides, you have Bradshaw watching them out the window, he'll tell us what they are up to," Elaina said, turning to Bradshaw, then back to Collin. "So are you going to take that off so I can give you my five steps for making this plan work?" Elaina hoped he didn't catch onto her emphasizing certain words while she spoke.
Frank was listening to every word they said, especially Elaina's. He took his radio off and signaled Jake and Monica to do the same, just in case Bradshaw was still wearing one. "Elaina wants us to go in."
"When did she say that?" Monica asked, wondering how he came to that conclusion.
"When she said we wouldn't do it. Reese, get your chopper in the air and buzz them in five minutes," Frank ordered.
"I'm on my way. Frank, if this doesn't work…I'll be your worse enemy," Reese said before he headed for his helicopter.
The team went back through the woods in hopes they wouldn't be seen while they worked around the cabin. Frank went to the back door of the cabin with Alex. Monica went to the bedroom window she had been too before. She quickly looked in to see where Elaina and her captors were. She could barely see them in the main part of the cabin near the front door. She found the window wasn't shut tight so she tried opening it more and succeeded. Jake went to the front staying close under the window. Sabrina was on the other side of the cabin and made her way around to back up Jake.
Elaina heard the helicopter flying around the cabin. She looked at her watch when Collin went over to the door. "Where did they go?" He turned to Bradshaw. "Did you see them move?"
"They went back down the road. I would've seen them if they came this way," Bradshaw answered a bit annoyed.
"They're leaving; you heard the chopper fly over," Elaina said when Collin turned back to her.
"What makes you think they'd just up and leave?" Bradshaw asked.
"What makes you think they didn't?" Elaina said smugly.
"Because you're still here! Frankie would never leave you here without you," Collin said, walking towards her.
Suddenly they heard the helicopter coming in low and fast. Collin grabbed Elaina by her hair and dragged her to the door seeing it right at the front of the cabin hovering. Collin put his gun to Elaina's head, forcing her to wave him off.
Suddenly, Frank broke in the back door with Alex following him in. Frank shot Bradshaw when he was about to throw his knife. Collin turned to shoot Frank, but Jake managed to hit him in the back of the head with his gun. Collin let go of Elaina before he fell to the floor.
Elaina picked up the gun and held it on Collin. Deep inside she wanted him to move, just so she'd have an excuse to shoot him. He had caused her so much pain when they were married all she needed was the slightest excuse to pull the trigger.
Frank walked over to her, taking the gun from her. It was as if he knew what she was thinking. He didn't want her risking her career on the likes of Collin Turner.
There was a shot fired; Alex turned to see Bradshaw falling to the floor again. "Nice shot, Monica."
"The man just wouldn't stay down," Monica replied, walking towards them, pointing her gun at Bradshaw.
Sabrina and Jake tied up Collin, while Monica and Alex checked for a pulse on Bradshaw. "He's not going anywhere." Alex reported.
Frank walked over to the table and sat down. His adrenaline rush was starting to fade. He looked up when Elaina held out her hand. He took the ring out of his pocket and put it on her finger. "This time it stays on permanently."
Elaina saluted him. "Yes Sir. Don't you think we should let Cody and Hank know we're all okay?" Elaina asked. "Sab, you care to do the honors?" Elaina asked, turning to Sabrina while handing her the headset.
"Cody, are you still there?" Sabrina asked.
"Where the hell have you people been? I've been waiting forever to hear your voice…anyone's voice," Cody yelled over the headset.
"If you clam up, Sabrina will tell you everything that happened, or you can wait until we get home," Frank said to Cody.
"I am quiet as a church mouse, Sir," Cody replied, then Sabrina proceeded to tell him what had happened.
Frank and Elaina walked outside to the horses with their arms around each other's waist while Jake and the ladies carried the two men out to where Reese had landed the helicopter.
"Alex and I will ride back with Reese and hand deliver these guys. I have some place I need to go, if you don't mind," Jake said, placing Collin inside.
Elaina knew Jake wanted to get the results of his DNA test. "We'll manage without you, tell Allison I said hello."
"You know her?" Jake asked.
"Yes. She was my secretary for a while when she was getting her degree?"
"Really? She hadn't told me about that part of her life yet."
"Give her time, Jake, you just met her. You have the rest of your lives to catch up."
"If I'm her son." Jake said more to himself than Elaina.
Elaina watched them get in, waving while they flew away. "Does anyone know exactly what today is?" she asked, laughing. "I've lost all sense of time…just haven't had enough sleep, I guess."
"I know today is only the third day of our vacation and it seems like a week has gone by," Frank said with Sabrina approaching.
"It has been a very hectic and interesting three days," Sabrina said, stating the obvious.
"Three days? No wonder I'm dazed and confused. Now that this vacation from hell has ended, maybe we can have some fun," Elaina said, helping Frank onto his horse.
"I don't know about you, but I plan on sleeping for at least two days. But there's one more thing I need to do before I forget," Frank said when Elaina was getting on her horse. Frank reached over and pushed her off. "Payback's a bitch!" he yelled, taking off before she could get back up.
"I'll admit I deserved that," she said while Sabrina helped her.
"I'm surprised you two have stayed married this long without killing one another," Sabrina said jokingly.
"That makes two of us," Elaina said, getting back on her horse. "I'll meet you back at the ranch. I'm going to ride Sahara home. I don't know where Frank went. If he rides back with you in the truck, hit all the potholes, will you?"
Frank came back after circling around behind her. "I heard that. I'm going to ride Sugar back with you."
"Okay, only if you don't pass out," Elaina said, smiling.
"What makes you think I'd pass out? I feel pretty good considering you fought with me yesterday morning, shot me last night, and then proceeded to kick where you shot me," Frank said while Sabrina got on her horse, riding towards the road. "I figure I have at least a good two hours of strength left, before I pass out."
"Only two hours left? There goes the plan I was thinking about."
"And what might that be?" Frank asked, bringing his horse close to hers.
"Well, it did have something to do with you and a bed, but you seem content on only sleeping." Elaina gave him a devilish smile then spurred her horse ahead of his.
He smiled too, galloping to catch up with her. "What about our guests? Aren't you afraid of being embarrassed when you yell out in passion?"
"We'll just have to be discreet. You're the one who should be embarrassed you're louder than I am," she said, teasing him.
"Hardly. You could wake the dead the way you cry out at times," he said, chuckling.
"You want knocked off that horse, Mr. Donovan?"
"No. The only way I want to get physical with you is in our bed." Frank reined Sugar over next to her horse and stopped. "I love you, Mrs. Donovan."
"I love you too."