The Risk

I know it's been a while since I updated, but I've been blocking or unhappy with what I wrote. I hope you continue to enjoy this fiction. I'll do my best to update more frequently.

I'll always be beside you until the very end, wiping all your tears away, being your best friend. I'll smile when you smile and feel all the pain you do, and if you cry a single tear, I promise I'll cry too.-unknown-


Chapter 22

"Where is she?" Brooke whispered.

"Let's sit." Haley took her friend by the hand and walked over to the secretarial pool, seating Brooke and then herself.

"We're going to put our heads together and figure out where she can be calmly and rationally. Do you know where she keeps her cellular phone? She told me it was left on the charger today."

"It's on the desk in her room."

"Okay, we're going to go get it. On the way, we'll drive by the park and the library. Maybe she just took a detour. You know how kids that age get distracted and loose sense of time."

Brooke nodded, rising to follow Haley out after she gathered her purse and keys. Her dark eyes filled with water. "My little girl…" She plopped down in the passenger seat and Haley took her keys. "I've got to call Marvin," She said passionately, desperate for his reassurance and love right now.

Haley held her hand, communicating a sense of dread and waiting patiently as Brooke searched her bag for her mobile phone to call her husband. Haley started the car and headed for the McFadden's home.

"As far as we know Jersey is fine. She's just late. It's not the first time, she didn't come straight home. She's dependable, but she's still a kid. We won't let our imaginations get the best of us….we won't." She gave Haley a short embrace, tears rising in her own throat. "Maybe she's with her daddy. You know how she loves hanging out at the hospital."

"Anyone seen her?" Haley asked twenty minutes later, Brooke bound down the stairs with Jersey cell and the girls personal phone book in hand.

"No, none of her friends have heard from her. Marvin hasn't talked to her since breakfast. I even called Bevin, nothing. They're both on their way. Oh, Haley." She said clasping her hands together. The blonde held her hands, boosting the pretty mother's confidence. " I know there has to be a simple explanation for her absence. When I find that little girl-" Brooke made a valiant effort to joke.

"That's my girl? Is there anything going on over at the recreation center? What about the middle school? Maybe she's at the arcade at the docks. She loves that place."

"She wouldn't go to any of those places without at least calling? She's knows I worry. Jersey knew I was expecting her home for dinner over an hour ago." Brooke pointed to the full meal covering the range top and part of the counter. "Where could she be, damn it?"

"Sometimes children just don't think and do foolish things. You know that." Haley coaxed, chewing her lip in hopeless anxiety. She had to stay cool for Brooke's sake. It wouldn't serve much good if they both broke into hysterics.

"Thanks for being here, Hales. I'm just having a paranoid mommy moment. Let's call her best friend Greg back. I'm sure he can point us in the right direction on where to find her. If that boy's lying for her, he'll never make it through puberty."

Nathan quickly, but carefully packed his camera equipment as Johnny and Nyathera joined Janne and Nandi at the door of his room.

"Who put a bee in his bonnet?…… If you've got a hot story, share the love, man." Johnny drawled scratching his sexy stubble.

"It has something to do with his bird. He tried giving her a ring and she didn't pick up. Now, he's going bonkers." Nandi tattled.

"I thought it had something to do with that footage we were reading about the child killer, Tim Smith." Janne argued with her friend who looked perplexed.

"I'm in the room!" Nathan snapped. He piled his luggage neatly and pulled his wireless computer from its bag, opening it to search for the next flight to the America. "You're both right."

Now the foursome was really confused. They joined him on the rickety full-sized cot, waiting patiently for him to continue. Seeing that they weren't going away without some real answers, Newspeople were so damn nosey! he gave in. "Haley, my best friend and the woman I love is the daycare owner from Tree Hill, North Carolina whose home that fucking maniac Smith vandalized and he made threatening phone calls to. When I talked to her, I could hear it in her voice, something was wrong. But, I brushed it off to me missing her so damn much. Haley's been strong and alone for far to long. I'm going to protect her this time. I'm going to be there."

They all stared silently at him for a minute. The women wondered exactly what he meant by "this time". The men were waiting for the prank to end, he had to be joshing them, but Scott wasn't one for gags. He was more of a straight-man.

Nathan furiously searched all neighboring airports for the next flight to anywhere in the United States. His eyes never left the screen. That's when they knew he was serious and the situation was urgent.

"She didn't tell you about the break-in or threats, did she?" Janne asked.

Nathan cut his eyes their way, continuing to his search. " She wanted me to finish my job. She's always so supportive. She thinks she's a burden sometimes, but she never is to me. I love her, I've always loved her……..I have had this terrible sense of dread for days. Now I know it's Haley I need to worry about and care for. If that bastard lays one finger on her, I'm going to make him swallow a live mine!"

Scott couldn't find any mode of transportation leaving for the United States for at least three days. It would be after be after America celebrates its Christmas holiday.

"Fuck!" He slammed the computer closed in frustration. How the hell was he going to get out of this god forsaken place?" He paced, ringing his fingers through his hair as he rambled to himself. "I won't let her down again. I can't. I'll be there soon, Haley……I swear." He told himself as the others huddled together in a conference, working diligently on palm pilots, satellite phones and notebook computers. Hours had passed by the time the foursome looked up from their impromptu meeting.

Nathan had left the room and was back in the foyer talking to his secretary on the house phone. He still couldn't get an answer at the daycare, Haley's home or Cooper Lee. Why hadn't he written down Bevin or Brooke's number? Maybe she was at their homes. But he couldn't risk waiting around to find out.

"I can get you on a Red Cross doctor's plane to Geneva tomorrow afternoon. Then you can catch a flight into Atlanta the next day. It's the closest international hub to North Carolina, ja? Then there's a connector to Vilmington. You'll be Tree Hill by Christmas night." Janne stopped, watching Nathan blink hard, the telephone now on the table instead of against his ear. His secretary screaming his name.

The beautiful blond and lovely caramel skinned woman nervously held hands, the men still in Nathan's bedroom working on minor details. They loved and respected Nathan Scott as a fellow journalist and a very dear friend. He had been there to help them out of more than their fair share of sticky situations. Now, when they finally had a chance to return the favor, they hoped they weren't letting him down.

"It's the best we could come up with and if anything changes and we can get you out of here faster, we will. We promise." Nyathera vowed and Janne nodded in agreement.

Slowly, Nathan stalked over to the pair, his steps certain, his lips pursed, his fist clutched and his body rigid. However, once he got close, they could see the tears forming in his eyes as he held out his arms to them, embracing both ladies at the same time.

"Thank you."

The food lay could in the kitchen. No one seemed to have an appetite.

Cooper Lee had come and gone, questioning each of the two woman, Haley more intensely than Brooke. He had even gotten the bus driver to come by for questioning after his route ending by request of sheriff Wallace. The kindly middle aged man was quick to help. They couldn't open a full fledge missing persons or call an Amber alert for the missing child for at least twenty-four hours because there was no proof of foul play.

Felix Taggaro's information only confused and frightened Jersey's loved ones even more. He insisted that she had gotten on the bus less than ten minutes from the time she left Haley at the daycare. He even showed everyone the gift the sweet girl had given him for Christmas, still in it's wrapping. He dropped her off directly in front of her residence. Hattie Johnson and Bubba Mason were two of the five bus rider's that collaborated his story minutes later.

The hours seem to drag on. When the phone did ring, it was one of the many family friends looking for some good news.

Although no one said it aloud, the feared Smith has some connection to Jersey's disappearance. There was no demand for ransom or any clues to the girls whereabouts or reason for his disappearance other than the most dreaded one of all- that Smith kidnapped her.

Marvin paced the den while Bevin and Haley did what they could to reassure Brooke. Skills manned the phone, screening the calls. It was a long, long night.

Haley fought with her own sense of responsibility and regret. She couldn't help but to think it all could have been prevented. If she would have insisted on taking Jersey home herself instead of asking the child if she wanted a ride. She probably would be in the game room right now, playing Madden with her father. Smith wouldn't have gotten to her.

Skills and Bevin took one of the upstairs guest rooms with their son Trevor joining them. This was a time where you just wanted your child near.

Haley stayed overnight too, she wanted to be there in case her close friend needed anything or there was any word or the dear girl. Brook had been there for her during the hard times, when she was establishing the nursery school and since Tim Smith had started tormenting her life. She had never lost faith in Haley or blamed her for hiring the man in the first place.

Ms. James wondered if she might be so kind if the circumstances were reversed. A crisis like this just showed her how much the McFadden's and the Freeman's truly mean to her. They were good people and Marvin and Brooke certainly didn't deserve this kind of heartbreak.

Haley wok warily mid morning. She hoped the others had managed to get some rest. None of them had gone to bed until well after 5am. She tossed the flowered comforter back and padded to the adjoining bathroom. She showered, but was forced to wear her clothes from the previous day.

"It sure smells good in here." Haley sniffed as she stepped into the kitchen where Bevin was cooking and Brooke sat on one of the stools along the island with a plastered smile on her face. "Mornin, Ladies."

"Looks, like the coffee is ready. I'll get you two a cup."

"Haley, I you don't have to.." Brooke stood, but Haley gently pushed her back down by the shoulder as she passed her to reach the full pot of hot steamy liquid.

"I want to. I didn't get to cook." Haley smiled sweetly, pouring two cups of coffee into ceramic mugs.

"Did you get any sleep?" Bevin asked.

"A little." Haley and Brooke replied.

"An Marvin?"

"Not a wink. He's taking this harder than I am. She's our little girl. He adores her. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her, lost, hungry and scared." Brooke burst into tears. "Sorry." She reached in the pocket of her robe for some tissue.

Haley and Bevin fought their own tears. They had to remain strong for Brooke's sake.

Suddenly, Haley and Bevin had sandwiched their best friend holding her tightly. "She'll be fine. She has to be." Haley urged, sniffing.

"I keep telling myself that, but all this waiting is driving me nuts. We called Mouth's sisters this morning. It was so hard telling them, but we couldn't keep this from them."

Now they were all crying. They ran out of tissue before tears. They laughed when a paper towel scratched Bevin's nose.

The threesome sat down to eat, each barely picking at the breakfast on their plates when Brooke started. "Haley, I don't want you to blame yourself for this. It's nothing you could've done."

"How did you know?"

"How?"

"Do you have special powers or something now?"

"I just know how you think, Hales……You're not responsible. That wretched pervert is the only one to blame for this. I bet he took my girl. This town use to be so safe and peaceful until Tim Smith brought us all these problems…..She's so young, too young to really understand any of this. Hell, I still can't grasp why someone would harm a child."

"Oh, Brooke, don't. Don't torture yourself . We're still not sure Smith has her."

"Morning, all." Marvin mumbled, reaching for a coffee cup with one hand and the coffee with the other."

Bevin or Haley didn't need to ask how he was holding up. His blue eyes were red rim along with his nose. His usually neat attire was wrinkled and tussled, even his hair was unruly.

"Take a seat by your wife. I'll get your breakfast." Bevin insisted. "It will give me something to do."

Everyone had barely gotten dressed when the doorbell and the phone began to ring. It was the start of another long day. Time passed at a snails pace and there were no news on the disappearance of Jersey McFadden. Cooper Lee sent a couple of agents over to question everyone again, with he interview a couple more of the bus riders that were on Felix Taggaro's route with Jersey the previous afternoon. The local police put out a national Amber alert, explaining the missing girl could have been abducted by the infamous Tim Smith and he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Skills and Bevin left her home mid afternoon with plans to return in a few hours with the evening meal. Exhausted and disheartened Haley left for home with the vow she would be back in the morning.

It was six o'clock when she parked in her own drive way, waving at the guard parked across the street. Getting out of her car, she took the familiar path to the side door and let herself into the dark house. The wind off the ocean rattled the windows and the partly cloudy sky only added to the dismal situation. It had to be downright terrifying to a young girl out there somewhere. Haley cringed with increasing dread.

"Please God, let her be okay, safe, and unharmed," She prayed softly, shutting off the alarm system in the foyer, she stepped on something, nearly slipping. After getting her bearings, she flipped on the light and bent down to pick up the envelope. It was bright red. Apparently, a holiday card.

She hung up her heavy coat in the hall closet before picking up the greeting card. But inside there was only a single sheet of paper.

Ms. James,

She's safe now, but boy is she beautiful.
I would really like to get to know her a lot better, if you know what I mean.
Wait for my call at the red phone booth in the Days Inn on Main Street. If you ever want to see the girl alive again, no police or FBI! Ten thirty tonight!

After reading it, she let the white stationary fall to the floor. She was shook so bad she had to lean against the door for support. If only Nathan could be here with here.

The worried man quickly took one of the empty seats on the back of the plane after politely thanking the Swiss doctors for the free ride. The drive to Khartoum had been long and bumpy and Nathan wasn't looking forward to the nine hour flight to Geneva. But to get halfway to Haley, he would easily make the sacrifice.

"Just keep her safe for a few more days, God…… Please." Nathan prayed silently as the plane taxied down the runway….

Pamela