Page 58 of The Fragile Truth
Ian’s throat tightened as he jogged down the steps of Sadie’s porch and over to Dave. He pulled out his phone and typed Lizette Laramie’s name into his search browser. When her image popped up, he held the phone out to Dave. “Was this the woman you saw?”
His glasses were attached to a lanyard around his neck. He put them on, peering at the screen. “Yep, that’s her.”
Ian’s stomach lurched. “Is there anything else you can tell me?”
Concern streaked over Dave’s lined face. “Is Sadie in trouble? She seems like a nice girl. Keeps to herself, but nice.”
“She’s great,” Ian asserted. “And yes, I believe she’s in trouble.” Urgency pulsed through him as his words came faster. “Is there anything else you can tell me?”
Dave rubbed his thumb back and forth across his white whiskers. “I was in the kitchen, making a cup of coffee when I saw them. I heard a dog bark, so I looked out the window.” He paused. “Come to think of it, there was something odd. The redhead woman was dressed casually, but Sadie had on a dress. Also, they were walking close together.”
Ian’s chest squeezed. “Was Sadie walking in front?”
“Yeah, she was.”
He surmised that Lizette was holding Sadie at gunpoint.
“Sadie got in the driver’s seat.”
“One more question. What time did you see them leave?”
Dave’s bushy brows darted together. “I reckon it was a little after eight.”
“Thanks.” Not wanting to waste another second, he took off jogging to his truck.
“Let me know what happens,” Dave called after him. “I hope Sadie is okay.”
“Me and you both,” Ian muttered.
He jumped in his truck and drove off, his mind spinning. Fear ate away at him, making him nauseous. He got a few blocks away from Sadie’s house when he realized that he had no idea where to even go or what to do. He pulled his truck over to the side of the road, desperation engulfing him. He pounded the steering wheel with the palm of his hand, tears gathering in his eyes. He couldn’t lose Sadie! He tried to think. He had no way of knowing where Lizette had taken Sadie.
He stared into the distance, his mind roaring. Finally, he closed his eyes and did something he’d not done in a very long time. He prayed for help, begging for clarity on the situation.I care about her, Lord. Please help me to know how to save Sadie. Please forgive me for being so angry and stubborn. Please bless me with insight greater than my own.He squeezed his eyes tight, his innermost desires bubbling to the surface.Please keep her safe. I need her. Please, help me!He begged as he ended his prayer.
He opened his eyes and sucked in a ragged breath. The dark curtains of his mind parted, filling him with a warm, comfortable peace. Tears trickled down his cheeks as he hastily wiped them away. He realized at that moment that through all the heartache and turmoil, the Lord hadn’t deserted him. He’d been standing at the door the entire time, but Ian had refused to let Him in. His heart ached with regret, and yet he couldn’t deny the strong sense of strength that filled him. The next second, an idea drifted through his mind. It was a dot of light that pierced the darkness. Suddenly, he knew exactly what he needed to do.
He reached for his phone and scrolled through his contacts. When he reached a particular one, he pressed the button and put the phone to his ear.Please answer.
“What do you want?” a man demanded on the second ring.
Ian swallowed. “I need your help.”
17
After driving a little over an hour on narrow, winding roads at gunpoint, Sadie’s shoulders were tense to the point of hurting. Several times, she’d tried to prompt Lizette to engage in conversation, but she kept rigidly insisting that all would be explained when they got to the cabin. Then, she would scream for Sadie to shut up. Lizette’s body was so jittery that Sadie could almost believe a live current was constantly running through her. Several times, she’d glanced over and noticed a peculiar glint in Lizette’s eyes that made her wonder if the woman was going in and out of lucidity.
It was beautiful countryside with thick groves of trees and rolling hills. At one point, a river with white water rapids had run along the road. Sadie couldn’t help but wonder what dark plan Lizette was spinning in her head. A few times, her jaw had quivered, and Sadie got the impression that she was fighting back tears. Lizette was distraught and desperate—a dangerous combination.
Sadie glanced out at the passing landscape, noting the spots of yellow and orange on the leaves. On the coast, summer was still in full swing. However, up here in the mountains, it was evident that fall was just around the corner. The bright sun streamed down, trailing her playful fingers through the trees. It seemed incongruent that they were driving through such a picturesque, peaceful place and about to face whatever ugliness was sure to come. Lizette obviously planned to kill her. Otherwise, she would have blindfolded Sadie so she wouldn’t know the location of where they were going.
Sadie’s thoughts wandered to Ian. She wished there had been some way to leave him a clue, letting him know what happened. Her phone was still in Lizette’s pocket. It had rung several times, but Lizette ignored it, not even bothering to pull it out to silence the noise. Sadie could kick herself for not sharing her phone location with Ian.
Just outside the small, quaint town of Boyd Springs, Lizette ordered her to turn onto a gravel road. They drove for a good half mile or more with the trees crowding in so close around them that it obscured the sun, casting gloomy shadows. Finally, the woods cleared, giving way to a sunny patch of land as a cabin came into view. Surrounded by a thick carpet of green grass, it was well kept with nice furniture arranged stylishly on the spacious front porch. There was a large stack of firewood off to the side of the structure. This wasn’t some fisherman or hunter’s cabin but a weekend retreat. Sadie wondered if Lizette and Carter owned the cabin.
“Take your hands off the wheel,” Lizette hissed, her eyes narrowing to dark slits.
Sadie did so slowly, wondering if it had been a mistake to let Lizette bring her here. They were wrapped in isolation, and she still had no idea what Lizette was up to.
“Open the door and get out slowly.”