Between Right and Wrong Read online

  The man was silent, seeming to be thinking on what to do. Phil let go of his collar and pulled out his belt knife, reaching between his legs from the back. “Unless you want to be split in two, do exactly as I say. If your nuts aren’t important to you, be stupid.”

  The man was on his tip toes. “Just me an the boss, it’s just us two.”

  “No girl?”

  “In the garage, tied up.”

  “Lead me to RJ” The man took a deep breath, he seemed to know whatever he did, it would not be right. He hesitated and Phil lifted up the knife, reminding him to be smart. The man was shorter than Phil and very stocky, but not fat. His short legs walked awkwardly as he had to keep them spread somewhat because of the knife at his groin. He led Phil out of the large laundry room and through the kitchen to the hall. At every doorway Phil had him stop so he could insure there was no one who could get behind him.

  The man led Phil to the master bedroom at the end of the hall. The house had high ceilings and looked to be professionally furnished with flowing drapes, oriental rugs, leather couches, and crystal. “Unusual place to keep a kidnapped person.” Phil was thinking, wondering if all this wasn’t a trap.

  They stopped at the open doorway and the man knocked respectfully. At the full length mirror was a man dressed in a tuxedo, straightening his tie. “What took you so long? Didn’t I tell you I had places to go,” the older gentleman turned to see Phil holding his henchman securely.

  Without showing much surprise, he continued, “I should have known an idiot like Paul couldn’t be trusted. I hope you killed him. If he was worth a penny at driving a jet ski, this would have been all over weeks ago.” The man turned casually back to the mirror to straighten his vest. “Your girl is in the garage. Take her and go.”

  “You think it’s that simple, Senator?” RJ, retired Senator Ronald Johnson; Phil would not have guessed it.

  “I know it’s that simple. You think I’m going to let some half ass engineer get in my way? I have people that will give you nightmares. No matter what you do, you will have to look behind you for the rest of your life. And I have friends. I didn’t spend thirty years in Congress without connections. No, son, you are way out of your league. You win this one, but the war will get you. No one is as tough as they think they are.”

  “That includes you, Senator.” The Senator never missed a beat, but continued to straighten his shirt and put on the silk jacket which finished his ensemble.

  Add a top hat and he would pass for the Monopoly man.

  Senator Jones, turned to look at Phil. “That fella you have in your arms, now, Brad. He should know his life expectancy shortened considerably. I can understand one small mistake, but two, I can’t tolerate. First he told me not to worry about you. Said he would make it look like a hunting accident.”

  The Senator turned to glance at Phil’s face. He was playing a game, Phil knew, but he believed him when he hinted about who the shooter was.

  “You SOB, RJ,” Brad yelled and tore loose of Phil towards RJ. It took Phil by surprise. Brad took two steps toward RJ then turned abruptly and tackled Phil. They went crashing back into the hallway. Phil was on his back against the wall and Brad was standing over him bent over. Two blows rained down on Phil from this stout man making his head spin and eyes get blurry. Instincts took over and Phil raised his arms to block more blows from connecting to his head. In a second, his senses were coming back. Phil was laying straight out and Brad had a foot on each side of him; Phil kicked out connecting with Brad’s right ankle. He was wearing hiking boots that had good grip and the only give was Brad’s ankle. Brad cried out and went down almost straight on top of Phil. Phil’s knees came up to catch the fall and Brad’s chin landed hard. Phil’s feet caught Brad’s hips and shoved him back and off of him. Rising to his feet Phil realized he was unarmed. He started to glance for his gun but Brad was pulling a hideout from a holster on his good ankle. Phil dove back up the hallway and in the dim light felt his foot kick his gun. He could hear Brad moving to shoot and Phil hit the ground grabbing his gun in stride and twisting to shoot back. They shot together. Brad aiming where Phil was, Phil aiming at the sound. Phil’s bullet found a home in the eye socket of Brad’s head. He fell dead to the floor. Phil checked his gun and moved back to the bedroom. It was empty. The only doors were to the closet and to the bathroom. There must have been a hidden entry because the Senator was gone.

  Phil ran quickly back up the hall and through the kitchen to the door which he supposed entered the garage. He could feel his breath shorten as he neared the door and stopped briefly to listen. He flung the door open and kept to the side. Nothing. Glancing in the room, the sunlight from the sides of the garage door allowed little comfort of the dangers that may be in this room. He found a light switch by the door and flipped it on, stepping back in case there were others that meant him harm. Nothing. Peeking back in, he could see between the boxes and the tarp covered items; the form of a person laying on the floor, body wrapped in a blanket and pillow case over the head. Phil concentrated on the torso, looking for movement, for breathing, for lungs expanding and contracting. Cautiously he approached, remembering how Teresa had attacked him. He got closer and felt fear blanket him like an arctic chill. A fear of losing something that could not be replaced. A precious thing; a part of HIM.

  He placed his gun down beside his knee as he knelt, slowly moving the pillow case to loosen it and unwrap it, to free the person inside. He pulled it slowly to uncover the person inside. As he cleared the shoulders, he could see the ends of the red hair laying softly on her shirt. He pulled softly, gently now more fearful than ever as she still did not move. Her arms were behind her; likely her hands tied behind her back.

  “No blood,” Phil realized he was thinking. He unwrapped her as if a china doll. The pillow case lifted free revealing her neck then her face. As he pulled it off her head, he put his hand under her head to cradle it and keep from hurting her. She was warm to the touch. Placing his hand under her nose, he could barely feel her shallow breathing. He lifted her eyelid. Her pupil did not respond to the light. “Drugged,’ he thought.

  Phil picked up his gun and went back to the door. Listening carefully, to insure no one was coming, he closed the door and set a chair in front of it. Going back to Pam, he reached behind her and untied her hands, then her feet after unwrapping her. There was no telling what they gave her, nor how long ago.

  His phone vibrated and he pulled it out and answered.

  “Yea, she’s here, I need to bring her to the hospital and call her brother.” He continued to give Tom the short story of what happened and with whom. When Tom pulled up in the cruiser, Phil used it to get Pam to the hospital. He tried to call Don but there was no answer, so he asked Tom to go check on him.

  At the hospital, Phil showed his credentials and explained the circumstances. This was Dallas and apparently nothing surprised the medical staff of the Emergency Room. They got Pam in a bed, Phil sitting with her, feeling helpless. The medical staff hooked her up to monitors. The place was busy. The nurse said she didn’t seem to be hurt or hurting and her vitals were good. The doctors were busy with critical patients, so the wait may be long. Phil was determined to stay with her and make sure she recovered from whatever the kidnappers gave her. He sat thinking of the last words they spoke and the sound of Pam’s voice. As the minutes turned into an hour, then another hour; Pam would seem to somewhat regain consciousness, then fall back into that sleep. Phil waited and wondered why he hadn’t seen Tom and where Don could be. Surely Don would want to get to the ER and be by her, too. They made Phil turn his phone off before he could sit with her, so he had no way of talking to them and he dare not leave her side in case she woke up.

  His thoughts moved to RJ and what the boxes could have contained. How could this be worth someone’s life, more than one person’s life? Phil wondered if those men he battled in the building were even aware of what they died for, or for that matter what caused them all that work. He had
experienced many situations where the targets were people that only cared about their own gain or their power and would kill or imprison anyone who got in their way. He understood when his mentor claimed their job was to take out the trash. Phil realized he would always be on the side that tried to protect people. How could Teresa work as a law enforcement officer and see all the carnage but still be part of that mob family? The tattoo seemed to prove she was part of them. How could Tom not know, or did he? He wouldn’t tell her about his past nor Phil’s. He hadn’t trusted her and now that was obvious.

  Phil’s thoughts drifted back to Pam. She was squeezing his hand though her eyes were closed. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, calling her name.

  Slowly her eyes blinked and then she was asleep again. She had been completely still, but now her body was waking up and she squirmed to get more comfortable.

  “Pam, Pam can you hear me. Do you want to wake up? It’s me, Phil, you are ok; you are in the hospital. I am here for you.” She seemed to move as if to waken but then she fell back to sleep.

  The doctor walked into the curtained area and introduced himself. “Has she been awake at all?”

  “She’s trying, but still pretty sleepy.”

  “The blood tests show a strong sedative, did she ingest it herself?” The doctor was writing on a chart and the nurse who had hooked up Pam to the monitor was standing behind him.

  “No, as I told the nurse, she was kidnapped, I am here to protect her, and I know her quite well. I called her brother but haven’t heard from him.”

  “If you are not related, I will need you to step out into the waiting area so I can examine her.”

  Phil nodded, “I will be right outside the curtain.” The doctor started to object, but must have read the stubborn look on Phil’s face and sighed. “We shouldn’t be long, there is a phone at the nurse’s station directly across from us. You are welcome to try to call her family from there.”

  Phil complied. First he tried to call Don. No answer; so he called Tom. “What’s the story on Don? We are still at the hospital.”

  “Can’t find him, Phil. He isn’t at home. Is she going to be ok?”

  “Doc is in with her just now, she’s trying to wake up on her own though. I’ll be here with her if anyone needs me. I can’t imagine Don wouldn’t be worried sick, they are really close.”

  “I can invite myself into their house to be sure, unofficially of course.” Tom was an old pro.

  “Might be a good idea, if they got her, I sure hope, well you know.”

  “I’ll make sure. Mike will want to talk, want me to tell him to leave you alone for now?”

  “We have a lot to do. This RJ guy is slippery but right now, I need to take care of Pam.”

  “Ok Phil, I’ll go to it. We can talk later. If I find him, I’ll get him up there.”

  “Thanks Tom, got to go.” Phil hung up the phone as the Doctor was exiting the curtained area.

  “How is she Doc?”

  “Sleepy. No other wounds, breaks or punctures I could find except where she was given the drug. Whoever dosed her must have known what they were doing. That particular sedative could have easily killed her. She will be drowsy and not able to go anywhere on her own for a day or so. I will keep her for a few more hours of observation then you should be able to take her home. I will need to interview her prior to her release. I know what you told me but I have to hear from her that this wasn’t self-induced; I am sure you understand.”

  “I do Doc, thank you, I will stay with her.”

  Phil went back in to sit with her after the nurse came out. She had put Pam in a hospital gown and raised her head with an extra pillow. As Phil sat with her, he wondered what she would think and say when she woke up. Would she still be frightened? Would she still want nothing to do with him? Could what she must have been through, make her all the more determined to get out of his life?

  He remembered what his father told him as he was going through puberty and the troubled years of trying to fit in and be popular, “Phillip (his father never called him Phil), it’s better to be good and kind and in the right, than popular. The right girl will be looking for someone just like you.” Of course he also would say, usually after he and Mom had a difference of opinion, “Don’t try to figure out a woman, they aren’t from here.” It brought a smile to his face; remembering as a kid, he always wondered, “Where could they be from? “

  She looked so peaceful. She had been asleep for such a long time. He thought it prudent to say a short prayer for her.

  As he finished and opened his eyes he looked up at her face to see Pam looking back at him.

  “Hey,” She said softly. “You found me.”

  It was the most beautiful words he had ever heard.

  “I would have looked for a thousand years if that’s how long it took.”

  “I’d be very old,” She seriously slurred, her brow furrowed. Then she slipped back into sleep, holding his hand a little tighter than before.

  “I was so scared.” The words broke his heart and he never wanted her to be scared again.

  “You must have been, I’m sorry they did that to you.”

  “Not for me,” she was still slurring but getting more awake. “For you, Phil. They wanted to, to, to.” Her voice dropped off into sleep but tears were in her eyes.

  She had her eyes closed but was moving, “They won’t hurt us, not you or me. I promise.” Phil whispered.

  “That’s good,” She was still slurring and fell back asleep.

  She slept. Phil was sitting beside her, holding her hand and leaning on the rail of the hospital bed. Outside the curtain was a bustling Emergency Room, but inside the curtain was just the two of them.

  He could feel her hand running through his hair, her gentle voice speaking his name. Phil realized he had fallen asleep. His exhaustion finally caught up with him. Phil woke in a start, surprised he had let his guard down enough to sleep. His eyes sprang open as he quickly looked around, worried there could be danger close by.

  “I let you sleep, you looked so tired.” Pam still had her hand at his face. “I can’t believe I was scared of you. I know now, things weren’t as they seemed.”

  “Did they hurt you?”

  “No, just the ties were tight. They drugged me at the house, I remember the man putting a rag to my face and the next memory I have is the same guy giving me a shot of something. But before he knew I was awake, I heard them talking about getting you, trapping you.”

  “They failed. They said they had you. I had to find you.”

  “Phil, so it’s over, are they gone?”

  “There isn’t near as many as before.”

  “Oh Phil what have I done? I never wanted anything but a quiet life. I’m so sorry I, I am trouble.”

  “Not you. Not you! Remember there are always going to be people in the world causing trouble. You didn’t ask for it and I didn’t ask for it; but someone has to put a stop to it or it will never end.”

  “Daddy always said, ‘walk softly and carry a big stick,’ I think he got it from Teddy Roosevelt?”

  “Smart man.”

  “You would have liked my daddy, he loved to hunt and fish. He tried to find something good in everyone.” She was still a little loopy from the drugs and her voice dropped off as she spoke.

  “I’m sure I would have.”

  “Phil? I’m starved, do we need to stay here?”

  “I’ll find out. Don’t go anywhere.”

  “You’re funny. Where would I go with all these wires hooked to me?”

  After what seemed like an eternity, Pam was discharged on the condition she not drive for a couple of days. Phil promised her breakfast, as the morning was just dawning.

  “Our first, date. To what fancy eating place are you taking me, Phil?” Pam asked, as they drove down the street from the hospital. She sat close to him, shoulder to shoulder, leaning her head on him.

  “Well, I have to get this right, I guess. I don’t wan
t you to think I am cheap, but if I bring you to a fancy restaurant, you might get the idea I am money bags, so….”

  “Ooh, Look there’s a Denny’s, my fave!” She saved him the anguish of choosing and being wrong.

  It felt right, he thought. He had never felt right with any woman before. The other women he dated had just been acquaintances and somehow he knew, this time he found the right one. This time, this girl was the right girl. It seemed natural. It felt normal. It was comforting. They ate quietly while Phil told Pam what had happened and how he had been recruited. He also told her more about his military service. Phil told her how he felt responsible to help people be safe from the bad people in the world. She sat by him listening while leaning her head on his shoulder as he talked, taking in all the information. When he was finished, Pam sat up to look Phil in his eyes.

  “Phil,” Pam was thoughtful, “you are my hero for saving me. I didn’t know why but I always felt safe when you were near. But let me confess to you one thing.”

  “Somehow, Pam, you have a knack of leaving me on the edge of my seat” Phil chuckled.

  “I told you I always wanted to be a school teacher, but I never told you what I did before we had to move to Texas. I followed my daddy’s footsteps and became a veterinarian. Part of my practice was taking care of the Police animals. You know, the police dogs and the horses. I was sort of adopted as an honorary policewoman and joined the ancillary. So when the policeman got shot out in front of the house, I looked out the window and saw you with a gun and the policeman laying on the street. I freaked out. We lost officers sometimes and grieving for my friends was very hard on me. ”

  “I can see what you mean.” Phil whispered. “From where you were, it must have looked bad.”

  “Oh, Phil, I’m sorry I was so scared and upset. Will you forgive me?” Pam had tears in her eyes.

  ‘Of course, Pam, it wasn’t your fault.” Phil felt strange, helpless, needing to assure her; knowing this situation may be far from over. They hugged for a long time.

  Smiling, he ran his hands through her hair and handed her his napkin to dry her eyes. He cupped her cheek in his hands and gently kissed her lips.