was."
"Thanks, old man," Needles said, shoving the $50 forward. He shook the man's hand, taking care not to crack it. Like squeezing a sun-dried squid , he thought.
The old man nodded and tipped his hat. Then Needles and Beeks headed back outside and continued down the highway.
Chapter 20
The Call
Ashley watched as raindrops began to hit random targets on her windshield. They developed into a downpour and her wipers were of little effect as she strained to see the road through the chaotic blackness. She was headed west out the old highway with no idea where she was going. All she could think to do was to run, so running she was.
She had the heater in the old Chevy cranked on high, but still she shivered, unable to shake the horrible feeling that she had abandoned her only son to a pack of hungry wolves. But what could she have done? Call out from the top of the fire ladder? I'm here! Come get me, I'm here! She was free to help Aaron, now, and that was a good thing – at least that's what she kept telling herself.
But she had no clue where to begin. Tom's murder was nothing more than a burglary that had gone horribly wrong. She had no idea that the gunman had intended to kill Aaron.
She glanced at the cell phone lying on the seat next to her and recalled that special moment when Aaron had given it to her. How strong and courageous he had been. How grown up. She questioned her decision to follow his orders not to call the police, and wondered if she would ever see him again.
Suddenly an idea occurred to her that might have seemed obvious under normal circumstances. She picked up the phone, took a deep breath, and called her son.
---
Souther was alone in his office when Aaron's cell phone rang. He saw the word MOM displayed on the screen.
"Hello, Ashley," he said, in a cruelly relaxed voice. "My name is Johnny Souther. I have your son."
" Oh my God ..." she thought, a sharp pang of horror sweeping through her. She swerved hard left to avoid sliding off the dark highway.
"Listen carefully," Souther said.
"Where's Aaron? I want to see my son."
"Aaron is unharmed."
Ashley closed her eyes and thanked God for small miracles.
"I want you to listen for a moment," Souther said. "Can you do that?"
Ashley gripped the steering wheel tightly and tried to collect herself. This man had just gunned down her husband in cold blood and he was no doubt planning a similar fate for her and her son.
"Your son's in a safe place," Souther said, "and he'll remain safe as long as you do exactly as I say. Do you understand?""
Ashley began to weep. "Yes," she said.
"Did you call the police?"
No."
"Good," Souther said. "Let's keep it that way. If you call the cops, your son's dead."
Ashley took in a quick breath. That was the first time she'd heard those dreaded words spoken out loud.
"Do you have money for a motel?" Souther said.
Ashley paused, then replied, "Yes."
"Okay. I want you to get a room and stay there. Do you understand?"
She wanted to ask, Why the room? Why not take me now? but didn't. "I understand," she said.
"I have some business to attend to," Souther said. "Your son will be safe until I return – unless, of course, someone does something stupid while I'm gone. I'll contact you with further instructions."
"What do you want from us?" Ashley cried. But the call was dead.
---
Needles's phone rang, and he picked up.
"I just got a call from Ashley Quinn," Souther said.
"Oh, really ..." Needles said, surprised, but interested.
"Any leads?"
"Someone saw her out on the old highway," Needles said. "We'll have her soon enough."
"Good," Souther
"Thanks, old man," Needles said, shoving the $50 forward. He shook the man's hand, taking care not to crack it. Like squeezing a sun-dried squid , he thought.
The old man nodded and tipped his hat. Then Needles and Beeks headed back outside and continued down the highway.
Chapter 20
The Call
Ashley watched as raindrops began to hit random targets on her windshield. They developed into a downpour and her wipers were of little effect as she strained to see the road through the chaotic blackness. She was headed west out the old highway with no idea where she was going. All she could think to do was to run, so running she was.
She had the heater in the old Chevy cranked on high, but still she shivered, unable to shake the horrible feeling that she had abandoned her only son to a pack of hungry wolves. But what could she have done? Call out from the top of the fire ladder? I'm here! Come get me, I'm here! She was free to help Aaron, now, and that was a good thing – at least that's what she kept telling herself.
But she had no clue where to begin. Tom's murder was nothing more than a burglary that had gone horribly wrong. She had no idea that the gunman had intended to kill Aaron.
She glanced at the cell phone lying on the seat next to her and recalled that special moment when Aaron had given it to her. How strong and courageous he had been. How grown up. She questioned her decision to follow his orders not to call the police, and wondered if she would ever see him again.
Suddenly an idea occurred to her that might have seemed obvious under normal circumstances. She picked up the phone, took a deep breath, and called her son.
---
Souther was alone in his office when Aaron's cell phone rang. He saw the word MOM displayed on the screen.
"Hello, Ashley," he said, in a cruelly relaxed voice. "My name is Johnny Souther. I have your son."
" Oh my God ..." she thought, a sharp pang of horror sweeping through her. She swerved hard left to avoid sliding off the dark highway.
"Listen carefully," Souther said.
"Where's Aaron? I want to see my son."
"Aaron is unharmed."
Ashley closed her eyes and thanked God for small miracles.
"I want you to listen for a moment," Souther said. "Can you do that?"
Ashley gripped the steering wheel tightly and tried to collect herself. This man had just gunned down her husband in cold blood and he was no doubt planning a similar fate for her and her son.
"Your son's in a safe place," Souther said, "and he'll remain safe as long as you do exactly as I say. Do you understand?""
Ashley began to weep. "Yes," she said.
"Did you call the police?"
No."
"Good," Souther said. "Let's keep it that way. If you call the cops, your son's dead."
Ashley took in a quick breath. That was the first time she'd heard those dreaded words spoken out loud.
"Do you have money for a motel?" Souther said.
Ashley paused, then replied, "Yes."
"Okay. I want you to get a room and stay there. Do you understand?"
She wanted to ask, Why the room? Why not take me now? but didn't. "I understand," she said.
"I have some business to attend to," Souther said. "Your son will be safe until I return – unless, of course, someone does something stupid while I'm gone. I'll contact you with further instructions."
"What do you want from us?" Ashley cried. But the call was dead.
---
Needles's phone rang, and he picked up.
"I just got a call from Ashley Quinn," Souther said.
"Oh, really ..." Needles said, surprised, but interested.
"Any leads?"
"Someone saw her out on the old highway," Needles said. "We'll have her soon enough."
"Good," Souther
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