After a few minutes, he began to move up through the park. The night was warm and a quarter moon offered a small amount of light. He stayed on the grass and moved as silently as he could. Jason figured that Norman probably took Vanessa to the back of the park, but he knew that was just a guess. In truth, he didn’t even know for sure that she was here.
After several minutes, Jason had made his way nearly half way back into the park with still no sign. He slowed to a walk as doubt began to set in. He looked at his watch.
It glowed 3:45 am.
Vanessa had been missing nearly 21 hours. He knew that if he’s guessed wrong about the park, her 24 hour window may be up before they find her. If he was wrong, and it was looking more and more like he was, and Norman didn’t take her to his previous dumping grounds, they will run out of time.
He was thinking of what he would tell Rob when the light in the cab of a truck came on. It was less than 300 yards away and it illuminated two figures. Jason dropped to the ground in a crouch, drawing his weapon.
Was that Vanessa? It had to be.
I’m not too late! Gotta move fast.
The light went back off.
Where was that light exactly?
He pin-pointed in his mind the spot where he had seen it and began moving in a crouch. He circled around to the tree line on the other side of the road and moved up towards the spot where he last saw the two figures.
In the woods, the moon wasn’t much help but it did reveal the truck. As he got closer, it reflected off the hood. He figured they would be in the woods opposite the truck.
Coming up on the back of the truck, he used it for cover and peered into the woods. Not ten yards away, he saw Vanessa sitting at the base of a tree and Norman pointing a gun at her chest.
****
Vanessa looked down at the gun resting on her chest. She didn’t look at the man that was going to end her life. She didn’t want his face to be the last thing she saw in this world.
She could smell the metal and gun powder coming off the gun and thought of what it would be like. Would she hear the gun go off or would things just suddenly go black. She hoped it wasn’t too painful. She had been shot before. A flesh wound really, but it had still hurt like hell.
Vanessa realized that it was taking him a long time to pull the trigger. She looked up to see him staring back at the truck. Her heart leapt.
Was someone there? I didn’t hear anything.
She scanned the darkness as well but didn’t see anything. All at once, the park was filled with noise.
“Police! Freeze!”
JASON!!
The gun left her chest and fired. The sound was deafening and made her ears ring. Norman fired again. She gathered herself enough to understand Norman was firing at Jason.
Oh, no you don’t!
She mustered all the strength she had left and thrust both feet out at the man standing in front of her. She heard a loud crack as his knee gave way. He tumbled on top of her with a scream, his gun dropping to her side.
Vanessa’s hands were still tied and his weight had her pinned. He groaned as he felt around for his gun. She watched in horror as his hand fell on it.
“You twitch, and I’ll blow your head clean off!”
Norman froze. Jason’s gun was on the back of his head. Vanessa watched as Norman slowly withdrew his hand from his gun.
Jason grabbed one arm and pulled it behind the man, putting cuffs on it and then the other. Jason then rolled him off of her. Norman groaned as his knee twisted.
“Vanessa? You okay?”
“I am now.”
He took his shirt off and wrapped it around her. Picking up his phone he called the lieutenant. Within minutes, sirens filled the air, seeming to come from everywhere.
She felt Jason wrap his arms around her. He looked down at her.
“It’s over.”
Epilogue
Jason turned his car into the station parking lot. He had just returned from the preliminary hearing for Norman Lasiter. In the four months since Norman was arrested, very little legal work had gone forward due to his health. Actually, his health was fine but his knee wasn’t. It had required surgery and traction in a bed.
Remember to never get Vanessa Layne that mad at you!
He smiled to himself as he thought of her. She was quite round now and the baby would be coming soon. She had been on desk duty since coming back from her ordeal. The lieutenant had seen to that.
He remembered the first time John Patton had seen her after she was rescued. He had given her a huge bear hug, tears in his eyes. Then he stepped back and pointed a finger at her.
“You’re lucky I don’t kill you myself for not telling me.”
She had smiled and done her best to look sheepish. It had worked.
The lieutenant gave her another hug before smiling back at her.
“Desk duty for you, young lady.”
Jason parked and walked up to the station. Dave was manning the front desk as usual.
“Hi, Dave. How’s Vicky?”
“Hey, it’s our hero! Oh, mean as ever,”
Jason gave him a dirty look. The hero crap was not something he was comfortable with and Dave knew it. Every now and then he would tease Jason.
“That’s cause she puts up with you.”
“Too true, too true. You going up to the party?”
“Yeah. Does she know yet?”
“Not from me.”
“Okay. You make time to come up.”
“I will.”
Jason got on the elevator and got back off at the third floor. He dropped the bag he was carrying on his desk and leaned into the lieutenants office.
“Where is she?”
“Sent her to the evidence room after some file or other. Their setting up in the conference room now.”
Jason left Patton’s office and walked around to the conference room. Streamers had been hung in a hurry and a blue cake was on the table. Vanessa had learned she was having a boy and the rumor was going around that his name was going to be Jason. That had not been confirmed by the parents.
Nina Jefferson was laying out paper plates and plastic forks. There were presents on a table at the far end of the room. As he stood there watching, he thought about the next three months. Nina Jefferson had accepted a position with San Antonio Police and moved down from Austin. She’d been given the dubious honor of being Jason’s partner while Vanessa was on maternity leave. He liked her and she came with a solid record.
While he was standing there, Rob came into the room.
“I gather I’m not late.”
Jason turned and shook Rob’s hand.
“Actually, perfect timing. She should be here any second.”
****
Vanessa leaned against the elevator wall as it rode from the basement to the third floor. Her feet hurt and the little boy inside liked to kick incessantly.
When the doors slid open, she stepped into an empty squad room. She took about ten steps before she realized she was alone.
Where is everyone? Did she miss a memo or something?
She took the file she had in her hand and laid it on the lieutenant’s desk before going around towards the conference room.
“SURPRISE!”
She nearly jumped out of her skin. When she caught her breath, she saw Rob, Jason, and John standing in front of the rest of the squad room personnel.
“What is this?”
Jason was grinning ear to ear.
“Just what it looks like, a surprise baby shower.”
Tears started running down her cheeks.
“What it looks like is a bunch of grinning idiots!” She laughed and wiped at her eyes. Then, softly, she said to everyone, “Thank You.”
****
After the cake and presents, with work having to be resumed by most, Jason found a moment alone with Vanessa.