The Broken Road (26 page)

“
No, No No
! You’re coming with me. You get in this car right now. I’m not leaving without you,” she screamed, tears streaming down her face. I choked back a sob and threw my arms around her.

“Mom, I’m going to be with Tommy and Kate. I’ll be well protected, I promise. Nothing is going to happen to me. I swear Momma. I’ll be fine. Just please. Go with Rick. Take care of Penny for me until we get back. And when this baby is born, you can spoil him or her rotten,” I whispered. I wanted her to believe that everything was going to be ok, when   I know deep down, it will probably end badly. I smiled at her through my tears and kissed her cheek.

  “You’re damn right I’m going to spoil my grandchild. And your behind better be home soon. You come home, do you hear me? You come home,” she cried. I tried to pull away, and with assistance from Rick, I was able to step back. Kate and Tommy hurried me over to the other SUV, with my mother yelling behind us, “Tommy! If you don’t bring her back to me I’m hunting you down myself!”

  Kate and I clambered into the back seat while Tommy got into the driver’s seat. “Megan. Remind me when we get through this not to piss off your mom. She scares me.”

  I gave an uneasy grin and wiped away the remaining tears. “Everyone is scared of my mom.”

  Kate helped me into a Kevlar vest and told me to keep my head down and body slouched. We pulled out in front of Rick’s car, gravel from the driveway flying behind us. Unfortunately for us, the town’s Fourth of July festival was going on, and most of the major thoroughfares were full of families and star gazers, intent on seeing a spectacular firework display. Little did they know, the fireworks were just about to start. In more ways than one.

Chapter 22

   Kate climbed into the front passenger seat to use the FBI computer and communications equipment. She was reporting our location to someone, I’m assuming FBI headquarters. Tommy was telling Kate what to relay to headquarters while trying navigate the traffic and the street crowds. He let out a stream of curse words once we hit the open road. We were on the outskirts of town, as we tried to meet up with the rest of the caravan that would take us to our next destination. Our new home away from home.

“Fucking traffic. Reggie really planned this well. He knew full well that we’d have trouble getting out of town,” Tommy grumbled, as he picked up his phone. “Mac. It’s Tommy. I need some help – ”

  Tommy never finished the call. We crossed over an intersection at full speed in an industrial part of town, when I saw a red blur coming from the right of our SUV. Suddenly we were suddenly thrown sideway, rolling over three complete times. My head was thrown against the window. All I heard were the tires screeching, the groaning of metal bending, and screams. My screams, maybe Kate’s. I couldn’t tell. Glass and plastic showered down. A groan escaped as I fumbled for the seat belt. My head screamed in pain, my body ached. It hurt to move and there was blood blocking my vision. I struggled to get up when the door I was leaning against was thrown open. Kate’s face swam into my vision, looking like an angel with her bright blue eyes.

  “We’ve gotta run. We have to get you out of here,” she urged. I could see the fear on her face. With her help, I managed to get out of the SUV. My leg buckled and I saw a large gash in my knee. Tommy was screaming into his cell phone for backup. Kate led me away from the SUV when I heard the
rat tat tat tat
of gunfire. She pulled me alongside a boarded up storefront, looking for a way in. Kate found a wooden back door and shot out the lock. She pushed me inside. “Get in, get down, and stay out of sight. I’ll be right here,” she reassured me. I believed her. The courage in her eyes was quite clear.

  My heart was trying to burst out of my chest. I could barely breathe, let alone take in anything that was happening. I didn’t think, I just reacted. I hurried over to the small counter and crept down. Kate was hunkered down by the backdoor, waiting. I wanted to ask her about Tommy, if he was okay. If my mother and Rick got away in enough time. But the fear silenced my voice. I glanced to my right, and through a small sliver of open glass, I could see the carnage of the crash. More cars were on the scene and the sound of gunfire echoed the sound of fireworks. I wanted to close my eyes and wish it was all a dream, but I couldn’t tear myself away.

  Suddenly, the storefront was blown open. Automatically, I threw myself down and covered my head. Wood particles and flames flew across the room. As if in slow motion, I could see Kate dive to get to me. At the same time she leaped in the air, bright red circles appeared on her t-shirt. She landed two feet away from me, her face twisted in pain. Horrified, I struggled towards her. She had been shot in the neck, back, and stomach.

“Megan. Run,” she managed to shout out, before moaning in pain. A strangled scream came out of my mouth as I crawled over to her. I couldn’t let her die. I couldn’t. I groped her neck for a pulse. Panic stuck when I heard Kate shudder a breath; spasms took over her body and then she went limp.

  “Dammit Kate, no! You stay with me!” I screamed. Adrenaline surged through me and my heart pounded. I needed to save her, to save myself. I had to fight. I started CPR when I heard voice. A voice I will never in my lifetime forget.

“You have been the biggest pain in the ass I have ever dealt with.” The voice. Menacing and dark, my attacker had returned. I quickly scooted backwards, slicing my hands on broken glass, only to stop once I hit the counter. Recognition finally dawned on me. The high school creep that never grew up was the same one that Shane was going to beat down in the club. Dominic. Holy shit. Everything was coming together. That’s why Dominic didn’t fight with Shane. Shane was supposed to be part of his crew. Dominic works for Reggie!

  “Dominic. Why are you doing this?” I asked, my voice coming out hoarse and meek. Desperation filled me and I could feel the hysteria building. The opportunity to run was quickly going away. The only light in the store was coming from the busted window, and it filled the room with shadows. I lightly ran my hands across the floor around me, hoping to find something I could throw at him, I needed a distraction or a weapon. Either one would do. My hand brushed against the cold hard steel of Kate’s Glock. I slowly pulled it underneath my knee, hiding it from Dominic’s already obstructed view.

“Why? Your boy is the reason why. At first, I thought he was alright. Dude was chill. But after that night in the club, I didn’t like him. Once he ran off, without you, we knew something was up. We knew that Shane had talked to the feds and we weren’t having that. We needed to get a message to him. Unfortunately for you, the message was sent. Shane’s dead, and now you’re our only loose end to clean up,” Dominic said, walking slowly towards me. Any hope of Shane being alive sank to the pit of my stomach. He was truly dead and if I didn’t act soon, my baby and I wouldn’t live either. But I was backed up against the counter. I had nowhere to go.

“Dammit Dominic. Just shoot the bitch and go,” demanded another voice. A large man, heavy set and the size of Andre the Giant, came into view. With a shaved head, black menacing eyes and a huge tattoo covering his face, the man had a horrifying presence. With Dominic, I was scared. This man brought a whole new meaning of terrifying. Panic rose and filled every fiber of my being. Scared beyond belief, I struggled to stay focused.

“Look. I don’t know who you are. I really don’t. Just please leave me alone. I won’t talk to the cops… I won’t…” I stammered. Bile was rising from my stomach burning my throat, and the overwhelming need to puke put me in a frenzy.

“Shut the hell up, bitch. Don’t worry, Reggie. I’ll take care of her,” Dominic said, his evil grin spreading on his fat ugly face.

“Like hell you will.”
RAT A TAT TAT TAT

  Dominic’s facial expression didn’t change as he collapsed. Like he was frozen in ice, he dropped listlessly to the floor. The only thing that changed was the three perfectly round holes in the side of his head.

  As soon as the shots rang out, Reggie whipped around his gun and pointed it towards the deadly shadow where the shots came from. I didn’t think. I reacted. Before I could even fathom the thought, Kate’s gun was in my hand. I pointed the gun at Reggie and fired. The recoil pushed me back, but I barely noticed. I couldn’t stop firing. This needed to be over. I needed it over. Screams filled the room.

“Megan! Megan! STOP! He’s dead. It’s okay. Stop!” someone shouted. I could barely hear over the ringing in my ears and the screams that were still echoing in the room. My screams. I turned my gaze to the voice. Tommy was standing there with his hands out to reach for the gun. My hands started shaking and my body started to buckle. Tommy rushed forward and caught me. Terror and fear filled his face.

“Tommy?” I asked helplessly. The chaos that erupted after Reggie went down was beyond deafening. I needed to get out of there and Tommy understood. He gathered me in his arms and carried me outside. Once I was placed on the ledge of the ambulance, I broke down. My body shook violently. I didn’t know what to feel. Relief, shock, fear, guilt all washed over me. I couldn’t form a coherent sentence. I just listened to him whisper to me that everything was going to be okay.

  “Where’s Mom?” I cried out frantically, as I wrestled my way out of his arms.

  His arms tightened around me and softly said, “She’s fine. Rick has her safe and they are waiting for us at the hospital.”

I nodded, then tears formed in my eyes when I thought of the bloody mess inside. “Kate. Oh my God! Kate! Is she ok?”

  Tommy shook his head sadly. “I don’t know. She’s in really bad shape Megs.” My heart broke and the tears became sobs. Kate, a woman that I despised based simply on my own insecurities and ignorance, had become a good friend. A friend that saved my life, whose own now  hung in the balance.
I will never be able to thank her properly.

Tommy put me in the ambulance and sent me on my way. He had to stay behind to write up the report and go over evidence, but he promised to stop by. Although I knew the threat was gone, I wished that he had come with me. I didn’t know how to process everything that happened.

My Kevlar vest came off in the ambulance. When I arrived at the county hospital, with tears streaming down her face, Mom rushed over and grabbed my hand. “Thank you Lord that you’re okay! We saw the accident and Rick turned us around and we went another way. I wanted to come back to you,” she said frantically, her hands running over my face and arms.

“Mom. I’m okay,” I whispered. She hurried alongside the gurney as they pushed me into emergency room. A gentle looking elderly nurse was waiting for me, a clipboard in hand. Another nurse ushered my mother beyond the curtain, stating that they needed to check me and that she had forms to fill out. The nurse helped me out of my blood stained clothes and into a thin gown.

A fetal heart rate monitor immediately went around my waist. The galloping thump of the baby’s heart raised my spirits. Aside from a bruised rib and cuts from the glass in my hand, I was good to go. I was safe. My baby was safe. My family was safe.
The only thing missing is Shane
. As much as my heart broke, I couldn’t cry. I wasn’t ready. My head told me he was dead, but my heart wouldn’t let me believe. I see his body, when I see him laid out in the casket; that is when I will believe it. But until then, I will hold on to the mere sliver of hope that he made it. I had too much to process at the moment. I needed to separate everything that has happened. I needed to deal with the profound emotion of putting a bullet in someone’s body and killing them. I needed to deal with the insanity that has encompassed my life for the last month. I needed to heal.

My mom came back in, sliding the curtain behind her. “How are you doing baby cakes?” she asked gently, pushing back a lock of my hair.

I gave a plaintive cry. “Mom, I want to go home. Take me home.”

Epilogue:

October is my favorite time of the year. The sting of the summer heat makes way for cooler temperatures. The leaves change color. Apples are plentiful and pumpkin spice flavored pastries and drinks make their way into the stores.

After leaving the hospital with a clean bill of health back in July, Rick drove the dogs, my mother, and me back to her house, where we were met  by Uncle Bob and Aunt Karen. The cartel had been losing it’s footing in the drug trade for a while and the death of Reggie sparked a drug war between the cartels. The possibility of someone coming after me was slim and the threat had diminished enough that our protection detail was no longer required. But that didn’t stop Kyle, Adrian, Ryan, and the rest of the guys from watching over us. It stayed that way for about two weeks, before Mom pushed everyone out. I stayed with her for a month, as I tried to mentally heal. But staying with my mother, as much as I loved her, was stifling. I felt constricted, so Penny and I moved back home. The first thing I did was open the windows. The house had been closed up for two months and it was time to do some airing out.

Letting everything air out also meant filling in Adrian and the rest of the guys on the truth of Eric’s and Shane’s death. The shock was mine when Adrian pulled me aside and told me what he knew.

“Megs. I was the only one who knew what was going on. I was helping out Tommy, giving the Feds permission to wiretap the garage, where a lot of deals went down. I was trying to help Shane and Eric. I knew Shane wanted to straighten his life out, and I hoped that if Eric got busted, it would scare him straight. But it didn’t end the way we wanted it to,” Adrian said sadly. I could see this giant monster of a man starting to crumble.

I threw my arms around him and whispered. “I don’t blame you. Does Rachel understand?”

“No. She left me as soon as I told her. I doubt she’ll ever forgive me.” Another casualty because of this mess. The repercussions of this will go on for a long time.

I didn’t go back to work until mid-September. I needed time to mentally prepare myself. I didn’t deal with things very well in the beginning. A lot of sleepless nights, nightmares, paranoia. My roller coaster emotions exploded against the unpredictability of my pregnancy hormones and I was a mess. At the advice of my mom and Kyle, I started seeing a therapist, someone I could vent to without hurting feelings. Someone that could work through and explain the wide range of emotions that I felt; someone who would listen without judgment.