Chapter 5

Thirteen hours earlier

Faith got dressed. She was ready to meet the family again and this time she would show them the ultra sound photos. If they tried to get too close she would act as if she was having second thoughts, that usually made them back up and be on guard. Tanner had made the payment arrangements and they settled on $20,000 cash, a quarter of it now and the rest when the baby was born. Trouble was the baby wouldn't be born and they would bolt with the five grand. It was an easy plan and the people they dealt with were desperate. Tanner called and told her he had the money and he was on his way. She would catch up to him when the meeting was over. Faith looked at the ultra sound picture again. What would this baby look like now, she wondered, Here it was hard to tell the picture was snowy and not as clear as it could be. She tucked it away and headed out the door "Time for a change in plans" Faith said out loud

.

Natalie picked up the phone recognizing the number immediately it was the one she had bought for Faith in case she went into labor. Natalie was worried. Faith never let her touch the baby inside of her belly and only showed them a hospital release form with her positive pregnancy test, something seemed wrong but Geoffrey had reassured her.

"Tanner is having second thoughts about the baby." Faith had said tearfully into the phone. "I can't have a baby right now, how will I care for it." Faith sobbed for a few moments as Natalie listened thinking her life was coming to an end, they were not going to get this baby after all. She started to cry too.

"Can you please come and talk to him, please!" Faith begged.

"We will be right there, Faith it will be ok."

"No you have to come alone because he will get mad that I called. I beg of you Natalie for the sake of your baby, don't make Tanner mad." Faith smiled to herself that always worked saying 'your baby' they always fell for that.

"Faith maybe it would be better if you got away from Tanner we can have you stay here with us."

"I don't know, maybe. I'll wait for you on I 90." After her plan was set she hung up and walked to the highway she would meet Natalie.

***

Now

Geoffrey Leslie called the police. What am I going to tell them? Oh God where was she? This was not like Natalie to just disappear and she was gone the whole night. He wasn't even sure what to say about where she could have gone because he really didn't know where she had gone. All he knew was she had sounded upset and told him she was going to take care of some loose ends. Whatever the hell that meant. He picked up the phone and dialed 911.

Twenty minutes later he was sitting in his living room explaining what his wife said to him and the last time he saw her.

Malcolm McCann looked at Mr. Leslie, a seed of doubt blooming in his gut as the man talked about a mystery phone call his wife received.

"So you don't know who your wife was talking to?" Officer McCann asked.

"No I don't but the number is on caller ID. I tried to call it but it goes to voicemail." Geoffrey knew that phone couldn't be traced to them. Natalie had paid cash for it.

Malcolm stood up looking at the phone, he jotted down the number. He took the rest of the report and then told Geoffrey Leslie to sit tight and he would get back to him.

Twelve hours earlier…

"Can you pull over here I need to go to the bathroom." Faith said pointing to a row of trees.

"I can stop at a gas station it's only a few miles down the road."

"You don't understand when you're pregnant you have to go right away, you can not wait." Faith squirmed in the seat.

Natalie looked hurt and Faith said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I just don't think when I talk sometimes."

"It's ok, this isn't your fault that I can't get pregnant." She pulled the car over and Faith ran from it.

Natalie felt like she was doing something illegal like robbing a bank and she stood on the outside of the car with it running watching for cars. It was deserted, this part of the highway was always empty, except for a few trucks at night, and no one used it since the new superhighway was built. This lonely two lane road couldn't compare to the six lane expressway that went in last year. Faith came out a few minutes later and she stopped at a clearing overlooking the bluff. Natalie drew near and Faith said, "It's beautiful isn't it?"

"Yes, but we better get going. Who knows what is out here and we have to get back down to the city." She started to walk to the car and Faith took one more look at the city lights.

She walked up behind Natalie Leslie, pointed a gun at her head and pulled the trigger.