Jack of Hearts Page 18

  Jack walked over and stopped next to the open trunk. Inside was the bingo equipment—the hamster ball, the projector, and the screens. But his attention wasn’t drawn to the car; it was drawn to the asphalt, where a dark red spot was quickly drying in the Florida sun.

  “Is that blood?” Alice asked.

  Tia gasped, and Jack reached for his phone.

  40

  That’s Amore

  Ted’s phone played “That’s Amore” and vibrated on the bedside table. He pulled off his sleep apnea mask, rubbed his eyes, and did his best to sound upbeat as he answered. “Hi, honey.”

  But it was a man’s voice that spoke. “Listen very carefully.”

  Ted checked the caller ID. It was definitely Laura’s phone calling. “Who is this?”

  “Come on. You’re a teacher, and that’s the best you can do at following directions? I said listen.” The man’s voice turned hard. “I have your wife. I bet you’re listening now, Teddy. If you ever want to see her again, you will do exactly as I say. Is that clear?”

  Ted stood. “Yes. Don’t hurt her. Please.” His heart began to race, and his breathing quickened.

  “That’s more like it, Ted. She’s fine as long as you do everything I say. Understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “You were napping, but you’re still dressed. Put your shoes on.”

  Ted touched his hand to his shirt. How does he know this? “Let me talk to my wife.”

  “There you go again, not following directions. So, you want to hear your wife?”

  There was a pause, followed by an anguished scream of pain.

  Ted gripped the phone. It was Laura.

  “Ted!” she cried out.

  He felt as if a fist had slammed into his stomach. He doubled over and grabbed the nightstand to keep from falling down. “Don’t hurt her!” he yelled.

  “That’s up to you, Teddy. Are you going to listen now, or do you need more motivation?”

  “I’ll listen. I’ll listen.” He cradled the phone between his head and shoulder. His hands shook as he put on his shoes. “My shoes are on.”

  “Good. Now get the loaded nine-millimeter handgun you keep in the nightstand.”

  The thought of denying he had the gun crossed his mind, but Ted instantly dismissed it. Laura must have told them everything. How else could this man have known he was dressed and had been napping? Dear God, what are they doing to her?

  He opened the drawer. Inside, Laura’s gun lay next to his.

  She hadn’t told them quite everything. Apparently she’d only told them about the one gun. Smart.

  “Do you have the gun?”

  Ted picked them both up. “Yes.”

  “Put me on speakerphone, Teddy. I almost forgot. This way I hear everything you’re doing.”

  Ted shoved the guns in his pockets and switched to speakerphone mode. “Okay. You’re on speaker.”

  “Testing, one, two, three.” The man laughed. “I know how you love numbers, being a math teacher and all. This here is rule number one! You’re gonna love this. It’s an if-then statement, Teach. If you try to call anyone or let anyone know what’s going on, then I put a bullet in your wife’s head. Do you understand this hypothesis and its conclusion?”

  “Yes. Please…”

  “Breathe, Teddy. Breathe. Just do everything I say and everything will work out. Now, go into the living room and get the gecko statue you got in the Bahamas.”

  As Ted walked into the living room, claws sounded on the tile behind him. Lady had come out of the guest bedroom and followed him. When Ted picked up the statue, Lady barked.

  “Is that the freak dog?” the man yelled. “Stupid monster almost bit me.”

  Lady growled.

  “You know what, Teddy? You got that gun, right? Shoot that mutt in the head.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me. Shoot the stupid dog right in its stupid face. Shoot it now.”

  Ted looked down at Lady in horror. Her big brown eyes locked onto his and then glared at the statue cradled in his arm.

  “Shoot the dog or I shoot your wife, Ted.” The man shouted to someone with him, “Break her arm.”

  “No!” Ted screamed. His chest hurt. The gun in his hand shook. He couldn’t shoot Lady. But they were going to hurt Laura. “Th-the windows are open,” he stammered. “The neighbors will hear the shot. They’ll call the police. You want me to bring you this statue, right? If the police stop me, you won’t get it. Let me just bring it to you.”

  The man cursed. “Fine. Get to your car, Teddy. See? I’m a reasonable man. Get here and don’t say nothing to no one, and you and your wife can go on your merry way. But if you try to tell anyone you’re in trouble, then…”

  Laura screamed.

  “Stop! Please!” Ted begged.

  “Go to your car right now and head north. Keep me on speaker.”

  Ted practically ran to the garage, and Lady trotted after him. He thought about leaving the door open and letting Lady run loose, but he couldn’t do that to her, so he left her in the house.

  He got in the car, set the statue on the front seat, and put his gun beside it. He took Laura’s gun out of his pocket and tucked it in his belt behind his back.

  He was drenched in sweat, and the pain in his chest was starting to spread, but he ignored it. He had to focus on rule number one: saving his wife.

  41

  Pedal to the Metal

  “Dad! Dad!” Jack burst through the front door of his parents’ house, with Alice right behind him.

  Lady ran to them and whined loudly.

  “Your mother’s not picking up either,” Alice said, her phone to her ear.

  Jack checked the garage. “Both of their cars are gone. And look.” He pointed at the bare place on the mantel. “The gecko statue is missing.”

  “Did they break in and steal it?”

  Lady pressed against Jack’s leg. “Not with her here,” he said.

  Jack spun to face Alice. “My dad always has his phone with him. Can you tell where he is? Is there some app you can use?”

  “I never turned that feature on for them. I have it turned on for us, but not your parents. He could be anywhere.”

  Jack thrust a hand into the air. “Wait! I know how to find him. If he still has that frog in his car…” He yanked his phone from his pocket and pulled up the app that tracked the dog collar hidden inside the frog statue. “Yes! He’s on Hatherly Drive.” He scrolled the map. “Looks like there’s only swamp out that way.”

  Jack and Alice raced to the car, with Lady on their heels. They piled into the rental, Lady in the backseat, and Jack stomped on the gas.

  “Call the police,” he said. “Report a possible kidnapping.”

  Alice dialed. “You think someone’s kidnapped your dad?”

  “He wouldn’t just wake up, take the statue, and leave.” Jack sped up. “But I don’t know why my mom isn’t picking up either. She’s worried sick about my dad. She’d answer her phone.”

  When the 911 operator picked up, Jack gestured for Alice to hand him her phone. “I need to report a possible carjacking,” he said. “Suspect’s car is a blue four-door Chevy sedan. Florida license plate AV145A2. Vehicle is heading eastbound on Hatherly Drive. The suspect may have an elderly couple with them. The male occupant has a heart condition—” Jack’s voice became strained.

  Alice was holding Jack’s phone, monitoring the tracking app. “The car just turned south,” she said. “It’s heading down Cyprus Meadow.”

  “Suspect’s vehicle is now headed south on Cyprus Meadow.”

  “We’re sending a responding officer that way,” the operator said. “Can you see the car?”

  Jack was practically standing on the gas pedal, which was pinned to the floor. The little rental car was shaking. “Not yet.”

  “How are you aware of the vehicle’s location?” the operator asked.

  “I’m using an app to track it.” Jack saw the turn ahead, hit t
he brakes, slid into the turn, and punched it.

  Cyprus Meadow was accurately named. Swamp trees lined the road on both sides, and tangled vines hung from the branches.

  Jack’s hopes rose when he saw his father’s car up ahead. “I have a visual on the car.”

  “I need you to back off,” the operator said. “The police are on their way. Do not approach the vehicle.”

  Jack hung up and handed the phone back to Alice. Then, like a fighter pilot, he swung in behind his father’s car. His father appeared to be alone. That was good.

  Jack flashed his high beams, but his father didn’t slow. The road was deserted, so Jack moved into the lane for oncoming traffic and pulled alongside his father. As he did so, Ted turned to face Jack. He held his phone up with his left hand and then pressed his index finger to his lips. He looked gray, sick, and terrified.

  Jack felt as if he’d just jumped out of a plane. His stomach churned, his chest tightened, and adrenaline swept through every muscle in his body.

  “What do we do?” Alice whispered. “Why can’t he talk?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Jack looked back at his father. Ted’s eyes were wild. Jack could tell his father was dying to talk to him, but for some reason couldn’t.

  The rear window of Ted’s car rolled down.

  “Take the wheel.” Jack pulled Alice onto his lap and started to shift over beneath her.

  “What are you doing?” Alice said as she shuffled over him and into the driver’s seat.

  Jack grabbed his phone from her lap, stuffed it in his front pocket, and climbed into the backseat with Lady, who reluctantly made room. “Get as close to his car as you can.” He powered down the rear window.

  “You’re not thinking about doing what I think you are,” Alice said as she pulled closer to Ted’s car.

  Jack motioned her even closer. Holding on to the window frame, he pulled himself up so his waist rested against the door and the rest of his body was out of the car. There was still over two feet of distance between the cars. Jack blinked into the wind and checked the street. It seemed to run straight forever, and there wasn’t another car in sight.

  He motioned for Alice to close the distance.

  The gap between the cars shrank to less than a foot.

  Please, God, Jack prayed quickly and then reached for the other car. He grabbed the other window frame and pulled himself forward. Asphalt rushed by underneath him, and for a split second his feet caught the window of the rental car. Then he shot into his father’s car.

  His father coughed loudly to cover the commotion.

  A voice spoke from Ted’s phone. “Knock off the coughing. You’re making me deaf.”

  “I’m coming. Just please don’t hurt my wife,” Ted said.

  Now it all made sense. But it was the last thing Jack had wanted hear. They’ve got Mom.

  He grabbed the passenger headrest so hard it bent.

  “Ted, don’t come here!” Laura shouted over the phone.

  “Shut her up!” the man yelled, and a moment later, Laura screamed.

  Jack clenched his jaw and looked into his father’s desperate reflection in the rearview mirror. Pull it together, Jack. Keep Dad calm. He pointed at his dad in the mirror, pointed to himself, and then gave a thumbs-up. It was the best “we’ve got this” reassurance he could muster.

  Ted reached behind his back, pulled out a gun, and handed it to Jack. Jack took the nine-millimeter and quietly checked the magazine. It was full.

  They passed a rusted metal sign that read Big Adventure Airboats. “You told me to tell you when I passed the airboats sign,” Ted said into the phone. “Big Adventure?”

  “That’s the one,” said the man. “You’re almost there. Just do what I say and you and your lovely missus will be home before supper.”

  Jack texted Alice: Someone kidnapped my mom. At least 2 men. Dad meeting them. Fall back. Call 911. Wait for police.

  “You’re coming up to a turnoff,” the man said. “I left the gate open. Drive down until you see the two buildings, then stop. Before you get out of the car, throw your gun out the window. That’s very important. I’ve got another if-then for you, Teddy. If you don’t throw your gun out the window, then we’ll blow your wife’s head off. I have never liked math so much.”

  Ted glanced back at Jack and pointed to the gun on the front seat, next to the gecko statue. Then he motioned for Jack to get low in the back.

  He turned off onto a dirt road, and the car jostled them back and forth.

  Jack typed on his phone, Do what they say. I’ll surprise from backseat, and then held up the phone so his father could see. Ted looked at it and nodded.

  Jack crouched down on the floor.

  Ted started coughing hard and slowed down. Jack switched his phone to the camera app, and then held it up next to the headrest and used it as a modern-day periscope.

  They were headed toward two sheet-metal buildings that appeared close to falling down. The building on the left was the size of a two-car garage, and the one on the right looked roughly like a ranch house, with a green sedan parked in front. A man in a baseball cap stepped out of the truck, while another man, wearing cowboy boots and carrying a pistol, got out of the passenger side.

  A third man, in a black tank top, walked out of the doorway of the larger building behind the truck—and he had Jack’s mom with him. He had an arm draped around her shoulders, the gun in his hand resting against her chest. In his other hand, he raised a phone to his mouth.

  “Stop the car.”

  They’re not wearing masks. Jack’s mouth went dry. He knew exactly what that meant. A kidnapper who didn’t disguise his identity had no intention of letting his victim live.

  Jack’s father stopped the car.

  “Toss the gun, Teddy.”

  Before Jack could stop him, his father threw the gun out the window.

  “Now drive forward.”

  Ted started coughing again—hard. The sound seemed to come from deep in his chest.

  Jack scanned the backseat. Apart from the frog statue and a canvas tote bag, it was empty.

  “Now stop the car and get out.”

  Ted parked the car.

  “Dad, no. Don’t get out of the car,” Jack whispered. “They’re going to kill you and Mom. I have an idea.”

  Holding his mother’s compact gun, Jack rammed his hand inside the hollow frog statue. Then he covered the entire statue with the canvas tote. The frog statue was slightly bigger than the gecko statue, but at a distance it might fool them.

  “Get out of the car, Teddy!”

  “I have the statue!”

  Jack heaved the rear passenger-side door open and got out of the car while holding his hands up. In his right hand, hidden by the tote, was the frog statue. In his left hand was his phone. “Let my mother walk to the car and you can have it!”

  “I told you no cops!” Tank Top screamed. He dropped his phone, wrapped his hand tightly around Laura’s throat, and pressed the gun against her head. She started crying.

  “I’m not a cop!”

  Jack quickly assessed the threats. Both men standing next to the truck were now pointing their guns at Jack, but the man in the baseball cap was the bigger concern. Judging by his overhanded grip and tucked-in stance, he knew how to fire a gun. Cowboy Boots, by contrast, held his gun gangster-style: one-handed, with the gun turned sideways. With that stance he’d be lucky to hit anything.

  “He’s my son.” Ted got out of the car. “Please let her go.”

  “You broke the rules, Teddy!” Tank Top shouted. “I’m the one making the rules.”

  “You can have the statue!” Jack held the canvas tote higher and took two steps away from the car. “Just let my parents go.”

  Tank Top laughed. “Why the hell would I let you go?”

  “The only reason to kill her is because she can identify you—because you were too stupid to wear masks. But that’s pointless now.” Jack waved his phone back and fo
rth. “I’m live-streaming this. Your faces are all over the Internet now.”

  Tank Top went pale.

  “What the hell?” Baseball Cap shouted at Tank Top.

  Cowboy Boots swore.

  “Drop the phone!” Tank Top shrieked. “Drop it now!”

  Jack let his phone fall to the sand. “The cops are already on the way, and now they know what you three look like. You can go on the run with whatever is in this statue, but if you kill a little old lady, the police will never stop looking for you.”

  “You idiot!” Baseball Cap screamed.

  “You’ll get the death penalty if you kill her.” Jack stepped farther away from the car and his father. “Just let her go, and you can take the statue and run.”

  “That’s not happening,” Tank Top said.

  “What do we do?” Cowboy Boots asked Tank Top.

  Baseball Cap pointed his gun at Jack.

  “Take the statue. Please.” Ted stepped forward. His legs were wobbly. He looked back at Jack. The corners of his mouth were covered in spit, and his face was gray. He grabbed his chest and sank to his knees.

  “TED!” Laura cried. Her face was filled with pain. She looked at Jack, and their eyes locked. In that moment, Jack knew that it didn’t matter to his mother that a gun was pointed at her head—she was going to try to do something to save the man she loved.

  And so was he.

  “Take the statue!” Jack ripped the tote off his hand. The plastic frog began to croak “At the Hop.”

  “What the hell is that?” Tank Top said.

  Everything happened at once.

  Jack pointed the statue at Baseball Cap and pulled the trigger. The frog shattered and fell from his hand. Jack aimed and fired two more shots at Baseball Cap. The man’s head snapped back, and he slumped to the ground.

  Cowboy Boots started shooting before he aimed. Bullets flew wide as he raised the gun, firing wildly.

  Jack shifted his sights and aimed center mass. He hit Cowboy Boots twice, square in the chest, and he, too, fell to the ground.

  It all took no more than two seconds, but that was enough time for Tank Top to shift his stance and respond. He wrapped his arm around Laura’s neck in a chokehold and yanked her off her feet, using her as a human shield, and unloaded his gun at Jack.