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Just Before Dawn Chapter 9. (standard:mystery, 6054 words) | |||
Author: Sarah Spenser | Added: May 11 2005 | Views/Reads: 3209/2103 | Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes) |
This chapter takes place after Connor sees the photo of the mystery man. | |||
Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story that you think that Frank Roads, Ben Sams and Jack Shure are the same person? You interrupted my conference for this?” “But, Chief ...” “Listen to me, Cassidy! You're going to bring me something more than hunches and worries about your love sick girlfriend!” with that, Charlie slammed the door to his office. Connor was headed to his office to look up information on Roads when his cell rang. “Connor Cassidy.” “Hi, Connor, it's Grace. Listen I can't do this anymore. I've decided to come clean. Meet me in half an hour my place.” With that she was gone. He knew that Grace was sitting on a time bomb, and it was about ready to blow up. Mark stepped in to the cabin careful not to agitate Blake or Rocco. But there she was, Allison unharmed kneeling down by Rocco nursing his wound. Mark's heart almost stopped when he saw her, but he put the thought aside as he came closer. He could smell the scent of her vanilla perfume, and in spite of himself thought she smelled heavenly. “Allison, come with me.” “Why so you can kill me? What is this kill Allison day?” Mark smiled at her. “No, I don't want to kill you, I want to get you away from ...” just then the door opened and a man entered. Mark had his back turned and couldn't see the man. “Come on, Allison we'll get away we'll go ...” “Freeze!” the man said coldly pointing a gun at Mark. “Dad! Oh, Dad you're all right! Come on let's go! I was so worried about you!” Allison threw herself into Jack's arms in spite of the gun and began to sob. “We're not going anywhere, sweetheart.” Jack said sitting on the couch. His hip was killing him and he knew he had to rest. “Okay, Dad so we'll take Rocco to the hospital and we'll turn Blake in and we'll ...” “Stop talking! You don't understand!” “No I don't. I went to bring you food this morning and you weren't there, then these two men grabbed me and knocked me out. Dad I was so scared! Did they have you? Were you captured? Are you hurt?” “Allison, stop talking!” “What's gotten into you? I know that we've had our differences but waving that gun at me isn't going to help. Is this some sort of joke? Did you have me kidnapped to teach me some sort of lesson? What is going on?” “I'm going to teach you a lesson all right, one you'll never forget.” “Dad why are you doing this?” Mark stepped between Allison and the gun. At least he could die a hero, he thought as he shielded Allison from both the gun and Jack's wrath. “Step away, Mark. You can't save her!” “Come on, Jack come clean with her!. Tell her!” “Tell me what?” Allison asked weakly. “Tell her the truth! Let's all go home and talk this out, Jack. No one has to get hurt!” “Mark, you go home or you're going to die!” “Tell her, come on! You've kept it to yourself for nearly two decades! She doesn't need to die! Just don't hurt Allison okay? Tell her, Jack.” “Dad, what is it? Tell me what?” Jack responded by pointing the gun at Blake who stood frozen. Mark sat between Allison and Jack and waited for him to speak. Half an hour later Connor was at Grace's house. His heart was beating so loudly, he thought that Grace could hear it. He knew that she had information that would unlock the mystery of where Allison was. Grace sat pensively across from him sipping a wine cooler. She swirled the ice in her glass and began to speak softly. “Connor, he said he would kill me if I told. But I can't let another human being die because I'm afraid. Many years ago, I had an affair with Jack. That was the picture that Allison found. It was during his marriage to Marie, but I don't think she ever knew about it. Then he began disappearing, I never knew when he would be back or how he would react when I asked him where he'd been. But one day, I was ruffling through the dresser looking for my earrings and I found a photo album. It said number 1 and it was a picture ...” Grace began to sob and Connor almost felt sorry for her. “A picture of what, Grace?” “A picture of Martha Bernard.” “So what's so odd about that?” “She was dead, Connor!. All the women in the pictures were dead, they were taken just after they had died. When I discovered it I asked him what he was doing with those pictures. He made up some story about how he was hired to kill those women by a friend, but I never bought it. When I threatened to go to the police, he threatened to kill me. I knew about it for a long time, but it wasn't until recently that he started to ask me for favors.” “Favors? What kinds of favors?” “Well, since I knew his secret, he would confide in me about you and Allison and stuff like that ...” “You mean you two were still talking?” “Yes.” Grace said sullenly now ashamed that she had kept Jack's secret. “Anyway, he called me one night and asked me to head over to the hospital. I told him that I had no reason to go there. He said if I didn't do what he wanted, he would kill me and everyone I loved, Connor!. When he was in for his hip surgery, I got an order from one of his men to drug Allison!. I'm the one who put the chloral Hydrate in her coffee.” “You what!?” “I snuck in while she was asleep and dropped it in, when she woke up and took a sip, it was all over. I wandered the halls in a nurse's uniform for a while.” “What else do you know, Grace? Come on the time is now! We have to find Allison!. Where did he take her?” “I don't know!” “Come on! You know everything else!” “I swear, Connor I don't know. That's all I know. I also know Jack's real identity.” “What do you mean Jack's real identity?” “His real name is Ben Sams AKA Frank Roads.” Waves of fear coursed through Connor's body, they were intense and sent a jolt right through him. “Oh my God! Oh damn it we have to find Allison!” just then Connor's cell rang. “Hello?” “Connor, it's Lynn, I just got your message.” “Lynn, meet me at Jack's in ten minutes. Do you have a key?” “Yes.” “Meet me there hurry!” “I'm coming too!” Grace said springing up from her chair. “No you're not! You've caused enough heartache to last a lifetime. Besides your pregnant.” “Oh no I'm not!” she said with an evil laugh. “You're not?” “No it was a scheme to win you back!” Connor turned on his heel and stormed out. Ten minutes later, Connor arrived at Jack's. He paced nervously outside the house as he waited for Lynn to arrive. She pulled up seconds later. Connor quickly explained the story to a stunned Lynn who handed over her key. “Explain this to me again. None of this makes any sense!” “It doesn't make sense to me either, Lynn. But we're going to find Allie! We have to. Why didn't I think of this sooner? Why? I've been trying to get a hold of her all day and I didn't realize that something was wrong!. Oh damn!” Connor swore as he tore open closets and drawers, looking for anything on where he could've taken Allison. “Lynn, where does Jack keep all his personal papers?” “I think upstairs in the bottom drawer of the dresser to the left of the closet. There are two.” Connor raced up the stairs with Lynn in hot pursuit. She couldn't believe any of this was happening, but now it was all starting to make sense. The erratic behavior, the way Jack had been quarreling with Allison, it all started to add up. Connor exclaimed as the bottom drawer came crashing down on his foot. “Are you okay?” Lynn asked sitting beside him to flip through the contents. “Fine. Look at this!” Connor flipped open a photo album, in it were pictures of Martha Bernard, Marlena Swenson and Lila Sacs. Just as Grace had described. “Ooh! Aren't those women dead?” Lynn stammered. “Yes unfortunately.” “What's this?” Lynn asked picking up a book that had fallen out of the drawer. “Read it.” Connor demanded. “Oh my God!” “What is it, Lynn?” “Listen to this: my first victim lived in the rich section. She was the daughter of my former business partner Albert Bernard. I killed her out of ...” “Does it have anything dated today?” “Let's see.” As Lynn flipped through the book, pages fell onto the floor. She picked up the first page that fell and read it aloud. “Things are getting bad at home. Allison will not give up finding out who Martha's killer is. Little does she know it's me. I have to stop her, and the only way to do that is to silence her permanently.” Lynn was unable to continue she was wracked by sobs. Connor took the paper from her and with trembling hands and a shaky voice read the rest of the page. “I contacted my buddy Blake Palmer he used to be my cell mate when I served time in Fallwood Prison. He said he was bringing along a current cell mate of his Rocco Smithers. I have the deed planned for this morning, when Allison comes by to give me food, Blake and Rocco will show up to grab her and then my job will be done.” Connor wracked his brain for where he had heard of Blake Palmer. He worked for Mac's Shack. Connor bolted up and ran for the phone. He dialed Mac's number and spoke quickly. “Mac, Connor Cassidy here. I need to know if you know where Blake was headed to.” “The Palmer guy?” “Yes, it's an emergency!” “Let me see. I'm usually pretty good about keeping track when one of my men takes a vacation. I have to prison policy, you know.” Connor held on a moment while Mac looked up the info. “Here it is Rustic Cabins number 754.” “Where's that located?” “How should I know?” “Thanks, Mac.” Connor slammed down the receiver and called information to obtain directions. Allison waited for her father to speak but he didn't. He couldn't bring himself to tell his little girl what he had done. He had done so many things wrong, even killed Greg Brindle and used Mark as a scapegoat. Allison stared at Jack with those beautiful blue eyes. “Dad? Can you tell me what's going on?” “Oh, Allison, once I tell you I'll have to do away with you. But I'll tell you if you really want to know.” She nodded and he proceeded to explain his story. “I'm a flawed man, sweetheart. Many years ago, I was a partner in the Bernard, Parks and Sams law firm. Back in 1965 I was Ben Sams. A well-respected business man, I decided to steal a little cash from Al and Alan to hold me over for a few days. I promised myself I'd put it back. But I got greedy, and Al and Alan found out about it. I got ousted from the firm. Then I was sent to prison for the murder of Alan's girlfriend Lila Sacs. Lila was a knock out, long legs that went on forever, gorgeous smile, vivacious. The list goes on, well that was to get back at Alan. But I served time for that crime. Well I was supposed to until I broke out. I loosened an air vent and crawled out of prison. I killed Martha she was my next victim. I did that to get back at Al. Even though Martha was 24, and it was several years ago, I still held a grudge. Oh yes, how can we forget Marlena Swenson.” Allison gasped stunned by what she was hearing. “Marlena was my girlfriend while I was married to your mother. But she found out about my little killing spree, my assumed names. I not only had my real name as Ben Sams, which I couldn't use for obvious reasons, but I also had several aliases. Frank Roads and the one you know me as Jack Shure. Well, Marlena had an attack of morals and threatened to go to the police. So I killed her. Then there was your mother.” Allison gasped again not able to comprehend what she was hearing. “No! no! you didn't!” Allison was bordering on hysteria and Mark wanted desperately to hold her and make everything all right again. But he had convinced Jack to tell her the truth. “I'm sorry, honey I did. She found out about my little escapades and my affair with Grace Munson. You were right about that picture of Grace and me. We had an affair, and Grace was with me when I first started my little spree and after. She found the pictures and my little journal detailing each killing. She threatened to go to the police, but I blackmailed her into staying around. I told her I would kill her if she did. When your mother found out, I had no choice, she said no matter what I said I wasn't going to stop her from going to the cops. So I contracted Mark to kill her. I certainly couldn't, I loved Marie too much for that.” Allison was sobbing uncontrollably as Rocco and Blake looked on in disbelief. Blake tended to Rocco's wound while Allison rocked back and forth and sobbed. “I loved your mother too much to kill her, but Grace knew about Marie's death. I blackmailed her into keeping that a secret and then had her drug you in the hospital.” “With the chloral Hydrate? She drugged me with the chloral Hydrate? How? I don't understand you were in the hospital having hip surgery!” “I didn't get attacked like I told you. I had Mark come over and rough me up and it got a little out of hand. He told me to be honest with you. I had to lead you to believe that it was Mark so I ordered him to have Grace drug you.” “I can't believe this! I ... you killed Mom! How could you! How ...” the shock was too much, the person she had trusted more than anyone had betrayed her. She rose unsteadily and fainted. “Allison? Are you all right?” Mark rushed to her side, she was face down on the wood floor. He gently turned her over and looked accusingly at Jack. “You idiot! You did this!” “You were the one who told me to tell her the truth!” “I know, but you could've left out the part about killing Aunt Marie!” “Mark! you told me to tell her the truth and that's what I did. No wonder why Renee kept you away from the rest of the family! You're an idiot!” “I was the son no one wanted!. That's why at 16 I was sent to reform school! And then you used me in your sick twisted games!” “There was a reason that Allison didn't know you were related to her!” “Yeah, so I wouldn't tell her what a slime bag her father is!” “Yeah that to. But when I changed your name it was sort of like an extra insurance policy for me. Besides, I know you're in love with her!” “I'm not!” “Don't try to deny it! That's sick! And incest!” “Oh shut up! You're in no position to judge.” Allison opened her eyes amidst the confusion. While Mark and Jack were fighting, she seized her opportunity. She ran like hell out of the cabin and through the woods. Jack and Blake were in hot pursuit. She quickly took her cell out of her pocket and dialed. Connor was driving to the cabin at break neck speed. A squad of police including a hostage negotiator were following him. Lynn's job was to man the phone in case Allison called. Just then the phone rang. Connor pulled to the side of the road and answered quickly. “Cassidy.” “Connor, it's Allie!” her signal was breaking up and he could barely hear her. “Allie! Are you all right? Where are you?” “I'm fine at cabin 754 by the ...” Jack snatched the phone from her hand and before turning it off fired a single bullet. “Allie? Allie?” Connor shook as the gun shot echoed in his ear. Allison ran as far as she could from her father. Mark was right behind her trying to shield her from his firing. Blake was gaining on her, Allison ducked behind some overgrown shrubs and hoped that would keep them busy for a while. She crouched down low hoping that no one would find her. “Where'd she go?” Blake demanded scouring the surrounding areas for her. “Beats me.” Mark said praying that she could make a clean break. “You're going to find her! Get on it! Or I'll kill you both.” “You need to get Rocco to a hospital!” Blake interjected. “Who shot him?” “Well, Boss ... it was an accident! The gun went off when he and Allison were struggling for it.” “Come on when you find her bring her back to me. I'll be at the cabin.” Blake and Mark scoured the surrounding areas. A branch broke above Allison sending an entire limb careening towards the ground. She ducked to avoid it, but it was too late. Her hiding place had been discovered. Blake was on her in a split second, tightening rope around her wrists and ankles. Mark watched much to his dismay. “The only thing you didn't do was gag her!” Mark said sarcastically. “Wait till we get back to the cabin!” Blake said evilly. Allison was now a prisoner, Blake carried her roughly over the terrain. “Help! Help! Someone help!” “Allison, shut up! Or I'll choke you unconscious!” “You try, Blake and you'll be unconscious before you can lay a hand on me!” Blake raised his fist but Mark punched him. He almost tumbled backwards with Allison but Mark steadied him so he wouldn't drop her. “You lay one hand on her you son of ...” “Temper, Mark!. Remember?” “You lay one hand on her and I'll kill you!” “Oh, I love those empty threats.” Finally, they reached the cabin, Allison was set on the couch and gagged. “Good she'll shut up!” Blake said. Once they were assembled inside, Jack reached for his car keys. “Mark, take Rocco to the hospital.” “But ...” “Take him to the hospital before he dies here!” Mark picked up Rocco and some towels and headed out the door. “Blake, stand guard at the door. My daughter and I are going to have a nice little chat!. Oh that's right you can't talk can you?” Jack laughed evilly. “I'll have a talk with you, Allison. It'll be nice you can't answer me back, or protest.” “You know, sweetheart, I didn't want to do this. I told you to stay out of the Renson case, and I told you to stay out of the Bernard case, but did you listen? No why would I expect you to listen!. You never did, you're just as stubborn as your mother was. I wouldn't have had to do this if you had just stayed out of my business. Then when you found the picture of Grace and me together. Well, that was the last straw. I told you to stop meddling but you wouldn't listen to me. You wanted to be the concerned daughter, the caring sweet person that you are, and look where it got you. I don't want to kill you, I love you. But now you know my secret, so I have to.” Allison tried to undo the ropes that were wound tight around her wrists, but she couldn't. If only she could get her left wrist out, she could undo the other hand. She pondered how to get the ropes off while Jack spoke and prayed that Connor would arrive soon. Mark piloted the car on to the highway. Rocco was semiconscious in the front seat. Mark looked over at him, and hoped he would make it to the hospital. But first he was informing the police of their location. He dialed information and asked to be connected to the Fallwood Police Department. It seemed like an eternity before someone finally picked up, Mark knew that with every second that went by, Allison was in danger. “Fallwood Precinct Detective Rutledge.” “Detective Rutledge, this is Mark Renson. I have some information on where Jack Shure is holding Allison hostage!” “Where, sir?” “754 it's a cabin in the woods by an oak tree and it has a little babbling brook behind it. Can you alert the hospital? I'm bringing in a man that's been shot.” “Sure thing, sir thank you.” Rutledge hung up and dialed Connor. All he could do was think of that gun shot. Was Allie hurt? Did she need medical assistance? Millions of thoughts raced through his mind as he raced to the cabin. When Rutledge had told him that Mark Renson was the one that provided Allison's location, he thought he hadn't heard right. But when he repeated it, Connor was sure it had to be Mark. When they arrived at the cabin, the sniper, hostage negotiator and search dogs congregated in the background. Connor and a few officers occupied the foreground. Connor peered into one of the windows and saw Allison sitting on the couch. He tried to make eye contact with her, but she was focused on Jack. A moment later, Roger Rolling the head of the negotiation team spoke over a loud speaker. “Mr. Sams, I hear you want something from us. What can we give you? Why don't you just surrender Allison Shure to us and we'll talk.” “I'm not talking to you! I want Allison dead! Unless you can do that for me, I'm not coming out!” “Mr. Sams, isn't there anything else you want more than that?” “Like what, Flatfoot?” “Like money, maybe enough to get out of the country?” there was a long pause and then Jack said: “I've been thinking about that, maybe go to Mexico somewhere.” “Well we can give you that, Mr. Shure. Why don't you come out now?” “Because it was all a ploy! Do you people actually think I'm stupid? I wouldn't fall for any of your tricks!. I'm killing Allison Shure and that's all there is to it!” “Can we speak to her?” “She's not able to talk at the moment. May I take a message.” Connor snatched the microphone out of Roger's hand. “Did you hurt her? Because if you did ...” “Oh, Connor you're not helping are you? Threatening me isn't going to help!. Just remember I hold Allison's future in my hands.” “Let me talk to her!. Put her on the phone and we'll call you!” “You're in no position to make demands!” Roger snatched the microphone while Charlie called Connor over to the side of the cabin. “Connor, you're not helping!. You shouldn't even be here. This case is a conflict of interest for you!” “What am I supposed to do just close my eyes and pretend this didn't happen? Allison's the love of my life and I'd die before I'd let anything happen to her!.” “I understand that, Connor but you're only going to make things worse.” Roger was signaling them, quickly Connor dashed over to him. “Okay, he's going to have her answer the phone he just took the gag off.” Connor's heart leapt with anticipation as he heard the phone ring inside the cabin. “Hello?” “Allie! Are you all right?” “I'm fine, Connor. I think you're beginning to wear him down!” she whispered softly. “Ms. Shure, this is Roger the negotiator. He didn't hurt you did he?” “No, I'm fine, still tied up around my ankles but I'm fine. At least he untied my hands.” “Do you want this to end amicably, Mr. Shure?” Jack took the phone from Allison. “Of course I do! She'll be dead and everyone will be happy!” Connor saw Jack get up from the couch. He began to pace around the room with the gun. Allison was frozen unable to move her ankles were still bound and she tried to fall off the couch so she could crawl but it was no use. She was going to watch Jack kill her. Jack continued to taunt her as he waved the gun in her direction. “Where's your hero now? Where's Mark to come and save you?” “Stop! I don't know you anymore, Dad. I trusted you and you betrayed me!. What's the point of this?” “The point is that you weren't supposed to find out any of this!. If you had just done what I told you, Allison I wouldn't have to kill you!” “But why kill me? You can plea bargain and get a lighter sentence.” Although she knew this wasn't true, she thought it might placate him till she could escape. Jack laughed evilly. “With all of the crimes I've committed I'm not getting a reduced sentence any time soon.” He pointed the gun at her, Allison felt the cold metal barrel press into her skull. She froze, she wanted to rip his hands away, but she couldn't move. Meanwhile, Connor against Charlie's warning peered in the window. He positioned himself so he could gain a vantage point to see the exact moment when Jack turned. Then he could shoot the gun out of his hand. Jack turned. When Jack turned his attention toward the window, Connor fired one shot. The bullet echoed throughout the woods and walls of the cabin. Glass shattered, Jack ducked to avoid the bullet and Allison screamed. Then it was deadly silent. Roger tried to contact Jack over the loud speaker and by phone but there was no answer. Connor peered in the now shattered window to see if he could get a glimpse of Allison. “He could be armed, let's wait one more minute.” Roger said. “Allison could be hurt!” “Take it easy, Connor she'll be fine.” They ordered Jack to come out with his hands up, but he didn't respond. They waited another minute more, and then stormed in. A squad of police officers stormed the cabin, subduing Jack who was defiantly lying on the floor. But Allison was a different story. Charlie spotted her first and gasped. The bullet meant to knock Jack's gun from his hand had shot Allison in the chest. Charlie got towels and gauze to stop the bleeding. He wasn't sure if she was dead or alive as he knelt over her. But at his gentle touch, she opened her eyes and looked at him helplessly. “Charlie?” Allison asked weakly looking up at him. “It's me, Allison you're going to be fine.” He untied the ropes from her ankles. Connor's fellow officers were trying to keep him away from seeing Allison. The scene was grizzly, and seeing it brought tears to some of the veteran officers' eyes. “Allie? Are you all right? Where is she?” “Connor, stay here, it's a war zone in there. You don't want to see that.” Charlie said soothingly. “I have to see my Allie! I have to, Chief!. Is she dead?” “No, but it's pretty bad, Connor.” “Let me in, damn it! I have to get to her!” inside, Allison was lying on the floor barely clinging to consciousness. Everything seemed surreal and far away. Paramedics raced in to assess her condition. Connor stood in the doorway trying to get passed the officers that were now escorting Jack from the premises. “I need to see her!” Connor said frantically rushing over to where Allison was lying in a pool of blood. “Allie, I love you, sweetheart.” He planted a gentle kiss on her cheek. She opened her eyes and smiled at him. “I love you too, Connor. Tell Lynn I love her and Scarlet.” “We're just about to load her up on the backboard.” One of the medics stated. “Call the hospital tell them we have a GSW to the chest coming in. Get some type O blood ready. She's going to need a transfusion.” “What about our ETA?” the driver asked. “Tell them ten minutes at the most.” The medic said as he lifted Allison on to the backboard. Connor caught a glimpse of her and almost started to sob. She was swathed in bandages and he could tell she had lost a considerable amount of blood. “Can I ride with you?” the driver nodded and Connor climbed in beside Allison. “Just don't get in our way.” The lady technician said. Connor promised he wouldn't as he took Allison‘s hand. She opened her eyes when she felt his touch. “Connor, I love you. I love you so much!” she said between gasps. “Don't try to talk, Allie, you're going to be just fine. I love you too.” “Connor?” “What is it, sweetheart?” “Don't let go of my hand! Promise me ...” she was beginning to slip into unconsciousness. “Allie? Stay with me, sweetness. I promise you I won't let go of your hand. I love you, sweetheart. You are so brave to face Jack and those men the way you did.” “Dad he killed Mom.” “I know, we'll talk later. Just save your strength.” She was silent for a moment, then she said: “Do me a favor, call Lynn. Tell her I love her.” “I will, sweetness.” Connor fought to hold back the tears that threatened to cascade down his cheeks. He gripped Allison's hand tighter as the ambulance sped along. She gasped for air, but knew she had to tell him how she felt about him. No matter how difficult it was to get the words out. Her whole chest ached, and she felt like it was being squeezed every time she breathed. “Connor, I want you to know how much you mean to me, I love you. You're every breath I take, the light of my life, the sun in my sky. I love you more than life itself ...” with the last word she slipped into unconsciousness. “Allie? Allie? Stay with me, sweetness!” Connor looked helplessly to the paramedics who were hooking all sorts of tubes up to Allison. “She's in V-tach! I'm not feeling a pulse!” Connor's heart sank as he heard those horrific words. He gritted his teeth and began to sob as they tried desperately to save Allison's life. “Is she still in V-tach?” the lady technician asked. “Yes, let's shock her with the defibrillator!” Connor whispered words of love and encouragement to her as Allison's life hung in the balance. Tweet
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