Chapter 22:
"Matthew, you know I'd never do anything to hurt you. Plus, why would I want to hurt Destiny?" Clint exclaimed placing his hand on his chest.
Matthew worked with Clint long enough at BE to tell when he was spewing bull on the fly. He learned his lesson the last time Clint duped him into turning on his parents. "I don't know but you're gonna wish you NEVER involved her in your schemes. All this time you're still pursuing a vendetta against my parents? Almost getting my Mom raped and killed wasn't enough for you?" Matthew squeezed the bars his knuckles turning white.
"Matthew this is preposterous..." Clint shook his head.
Nora interrupted "See Bo, I told you not to put anything past Clint. He's gone insane!"
"Bo, little brother, you don't believe this nonsense do you?" Clint admonished.
"Pa would be absolutely ashamed of you. Attacking your own flesh and blood...a young pregnant Destiny.?" Bo reprimanded Clint seeing him with renewed eyes.
"Bo, Nora, Matthew Buchanan you are free to go." The guard came in rattling his keys in the lock.
"What?" Clint barked angrily.
"How?" Matthew asked perplexed.
After releasing them from their cells the officer turned to Clint, "Whoa, hold your horses cowboy. You have the right to remain silent..."
Clint struggled, "Unhand me! Do you know who I am?"
The officer explained all that transpired between McBain, Brody, Shaun & Eddie Ford escaping with Destiny.
"Where's Destiny?" Matthew yelled grabbing a fistful of Clint's shirt.
"I want my lawyer." Clint replied staring defiantly into Matthew's eyes. Matthew bolted for the stairs "I'll find her then deal with you UNCLE."
Matthew raced upstairs to retrieve his possessions, then took a cab to the hospital where he left his car. He charged his phone, desperate to reach Shaun. Unfortunately, his voicemail came on "Shaun, it was Clint that kidnapped Destiny. Eddie Ford is still alive and I know where he's taken her- Blair Cramer's lodge. It's the only other cabin connected underground to the Lord and Buchanan properties." The creepiest part was knowing that Victor Lord was twisted enough to even think of having the underground passages in the first place. There was a time when all three estates belonged to him.
"She used to be married to my grandpa a long time ago and I used to play in those tunnels as a kid. I know it like the back of my hand. Look, the charges against me have been dropped, I'll be there in a half hour tops." Matthew hung up speeding the Impala to his Destiny.
Destiny was being dragged through the underground tunnels by Eddie. There were intervals of light approximately every thirty feet, where bulbs were still operational. In between were stretches of eerie darkness. The tunnels smelled of turned over earth after a rain shower. It filled her nostrils, the taste of it on her tongue.
She struggled and screamed at the beginning, hoping someone would hear her. Eddie shut her up by squeezing her wrist causing her to whimper in pain.
It felt like they walked for hours. She was fatigued from overexerting herself after months of bedrest. "I can't walk any more." Destiny panted slumping against a wall.
Eddie pulled on her arm "Oh no, Princess! I am not getting caught because of you! Get up NOW!"
"I am pregnant, I can't walk anymore! Everyone knows you're alive! Clint sold you out, how else would the cops know where to find you?" Destiny yelled back. "Just let me go. You won't get far dragging me around."
"HELL NO! You're my insurance card. Even if Clint ratted me out, I still have my money," he patted his knapsack, "with you in tow, I can get a hefty ransom from your rich boyfriend. One can never have enough money." Eddie smiled.
"D-E-S-T-I-N-Y!" they heard a faint voice yelling from behind.
"SHAUN! I'M HERE, SHA..." Eddie clamped his hand over Destiny's mouth.
"Get up!" Eddie pointed his gun at Destiny.
Destiny's eyes widened as she obliged. She didn't know Eddie had a gun in his bag. She began to cry afraid now that even if Shaun and the others found her they'd just get hurt or killed.
Matthew parked his car in front of the Cramer lodge after speaking to his Dad. Just in case Shaun didn't hear his message someone would know where they were. Bo wanted him to wait for backup but he couldn't just sit there.
Matthew grabbed the tire iron from his trunk before creeping up to the cabin. He looked through the windows but all of the lights were off. He didn't hear anything so he figured he must be the first one there. Matthew used his elbow to break through the glass of a side window, unlatched the lock and crawled in. He knew the entrance to the underground tunnel was near the front door since all of the lodges had the same setup. He used the flashlight function on his phone to navigate to the coat closet. Matthew had a clear view and could get the jump on Eddie from there.
"SHAUN! I'M HERE, SHA..." Shaun turned to glance at the officers with him, "That's Destiny! C'mon we're close!" They all increased their pace. I'm gonna snap that guy in two Shaun thought angrily.
Destiny was surprised when Eddie finally announced that they had arrived at their destination. She was confused because she didn't see any stairs leading out of the tunnel. Eddie pulled her to the wall pushing on it in different spots, searching for the exit. "Eureka." Suddenly, the false wall pivoted revealing the staircase beyond.
Matthew stood up from his seated position in the closet when he heard the fake floor move and voices emerge in the lodge. He got his tire iron ready anxious to introduce it to Eddie Ford's head. All of this time he'd been torturing himself believing he was a murderer, and for what?
He left the door slightly ajar viewing through the slit when Eddie hit the light switch on. Destiny was leaning against the couch crying, he could see the tears glistening on her cheeks. She was directly across from him but didn't see him. Eddie walked into view, he had his back turned to Matthew. He turned sideways tucking his gun into the back of his jeans.
"You move one muscle and I'll make sure your body is never found, capiche?" Eddie threatened.
Destiny looked at Eddie with pure hatred "Why would I run around in the woods at night?"
"Good girl. I'm gonna raid the kitchen." Eddie walked away slamming cupboards in search of food.
Matthew slowly opened the closet door trying not to shock Destiny too much. He placed his finger over his lips when she jumped at the sound of the creaking door.
"Matthew..?"Destiny whispered.
Matthew ran out of the closet grabbing Destiny's hand as they bolted for the door.
"Take another step and it'll be your last" Eddie shouted. Matthew and Destiny turned around to see Eddie, his gun pointed right at them.
Matthew stood in front of Destiny "Don't shoot! Take me hostage instead, let Destiny go."
"I'm the one with the gun! I'll tell YOU what's what, youngblood. Now put that tire iron down" Eddie demanded waving his gun at them.
Matthew didn't hesitate as he dropped it to his side. He reached behind him, Destiny quickly taking his hand. "What's your plan Eddie? My Uncle Clint fingered YOU as the mastermind behind this whole thing. He said the alarms went off on his property so he went online to see his live feed of you with a kidnapped Destiny."
"That backstabbing son of a ... He planned all of this, and is gonna try to get me to take the fall? I don't think so." Eddie fumed taking his eyes off of Matthew while thinking of an escape plan out of Llanview. Matthew tackled Eddie causing the gun to fly out of his hand. "Run Destiny, RUN!" Matthew yelled struggling against Eddie.
"Matthew!" Destiny screamed. She ran for the gun seeing Eddie turning the tide on Matthew. She picked the gun up off of the rug and pointed it at Eddie "Let him go!" she screamed her hands shaking in anger and fear.
They stopped struggling wide eyed Matthew pushing Eddie away. He slowly walked over to Destiny, "It's ok Destiny, give me the gun. Trust me, he's not worth it!"
Destiny glanced at Matthew slowly releasing her vice grip and allowing Matthew to take the gun. "Stand up," he ordered, "after everything you put us through I should pull this trigger again! You KNOW I would."
Eddie slowly advanced on them taunting Matthew, "You panicked before, it doesn't mean you have stones, boy. You know your Mom and girlfriend were both hot for me, if I didn't get interrupted we would've had a good ole time. I don't discriminate, I like chocolate and vanilla shakes..."
"YOU BASTARD!" Matthew pulled the trigger.
"NO!" Destiny screamed, the sound of sirens in the distance.
The Cramer lodge was full of officers as Destiny sat on the couch, Shaun sitting beside her with his arm around her shoulder. "I was so scared Shaun" Destiny wrung his handkerchief in her hands still shaky from her ordeal.
"Don't worry Lil D its finally over. We've given our statements and we're free to go." Shaun assured squeezing her into an affectionate hug. "I'm proud of you Destiny."
"Here's some water" a glass was offered to them both.
Destiny got up as fast as she could engulfing the water bearer in her tight embrace, "Matthew, thank goodness. What did your Dad say?"
Matthew handed the water to Shaun smiling at each other as they both almost got wet, he hugged Destiny back smoothing her hair as he kissed her forehead "My Dad said it was self defense. Besides, Eddie's leg will heal although he screamed bloody murder until the ambulance took him away. After our testimony he'll stand trial and be cellmates with Clint in Statesville ."
Matthew turned to Shaun hand extended, "Thank you Shaun. If it wasn't for you, we would've never found Des."
Shaun put the glasses on the table accepting Matthew's peace offering. "Thanks for calling me but Destiny is the hero here. She practically saved herself sending me that email."
Destiny pretended to buff her nails against her shirt, "What can I say? I'm a modern woman, we don't wait around for Prince Charming anymore." She giggled as Matthew tickled her side, "Oh yeah...?"
"In all seriousness, you guys should head to the hospital and get checked out. Tell McBain I said to stop milking it and get back to work when you see him," Brody joked walking past them to report to Bo.
Shaun laughed turning back to Matthew and Destiny, "Those guys were lucky they weren't close enough to the lodge to get seriously injured when it exploded. Anyway, I'll meet you at the hospital."
Destiny and Matthew glanced at each other both surprised Shaun wasn't insisting Destiny ride with him instead of Matthew. "Yeah we'll see you there" Destiny responded. Matthew smiled content with keeping his mouth shut and accepting the cease fire between himself and Shaun.
Matthew sat in his car fussing over Destiny and buckling her seat belt for her, "Are you sure you're comfortable? How's the baby?"
Matthew's hand was placed on her belly, "Feel for yourself, the baby's kicking again. I think he recognizes your voice" Destiny marvelled.
Matthew smiled widely "So you think it's a boy huh? Buchanan boys.. I heard they get in loads of trouble. I can actually picture a little Destiny running around" he teased.
Destiny pulled Matthew's face close to hers as she kissed his soft lips, "Boy or girl, we'll both have you wrapped around our fingers."
Matthew kissed her back "Sounds like heaven to me." Matthew started the car letting the engine run, "You realize we only have four months left? Not much time at all..."
Destiny looked over at Matthew, "I know we lost a lot of time but we'll make it up, I promise."
Matthew smiled "That's not what I meant Destiny, but I'll hold you to it. Open the glove compartment."
Destiny smirked "What are you up to?" Destiny gasped when she saw the small light blue TIFFANY box. She put her hand over her mouth "Oh my gosh, Matthew..."
He reached over taking the box, "Destiny I know you don't need a Prince Charming but I won't stop trying to be just that. You're so many firsts; best friend, lover and mother of our future baby. Will you be wife too?" Matthew held the box open revealing her custom engagement ring. The two carat princess cut diamond was surrounded by a border of tiny amethysts.
"Yes, a thousand times yes!" Destiny beamed as Matthew placed the ring on her finger.
Fin.