Page 39 of Abigail
“Hey, munchkin.” Tank moves to the back door of the SUV. Abigail lowers the window so he can speak with her. “I’m sorry about missing out on the fun with your classmates. How about we have a special snack at home? Maybe have the twins can come over, too. It’ll be like you didn’t miss a thing.” Abigail looking over her shoulder to the backseat, sees the little girl’s eyes light up in delight.
“Yay!” Ellie yells excitedly. “Will you play outside in the backyard with us? We can play war again!” Tank smiles at Ellie’s exuberance.
“Sure thing, munchkin.” Tank turns back to Abi’s window. We’ll be right behind you. Stay safe, Abigail.” She nods her agreement, hitting the buttons to roll up the windows. Taking a deep breath, she pulls out of her parking space, heading for home. She sees Tank’s vehicle pull out behind her. Feeling herself relax, she tries to focus on Ellie’s non-stop chatter. She’s got big ideas for the evening. Poor Tank is going to have his hands full with this one and the twins. Speaking of, she should probably call Charlotte to see if she will bring the twins by after school. Activating her Bluetooth, she commands Siri to call Charlotte.
“Hey, Abigail,” Charlotte answers the phone. “How’s it going? Hawk said your ex is being a dick.” Abigail laughs nervously, hoping like hell Ellie didn’t hear or understand what Charlotte is talking about.
“Um, you’re on speaker, and Ellie is with me,” Abigail informs her.
“Shit! I’m sorry Abigail,” Charlotte swears. “Sorry again I shouldn’t have said that either.” Both women chuckles. Abi looks back to see Ellie’s eyes are drooping. Riding always makes her sleepy.
“It’s okay, Charlotte,” Abi replies. “I think she’s about asleep. We are headed home. I picked her up early from school, and she’s bummed about missing out on their special treat today. So Tank has promised her that we will have you guys over this evening with special treats, and games in the backyard. I hope you don’t have plans and don’t mind coming over.” Charlotte laughs at the hesitation in Abigail’s voice.
“We don’t have any plans,” Charlotte assures her. “That girl has Tank wrapped around her little finger.”
“I was just thinking the same thing.” Abi joins her in laughter. “He’s gonna be screwed if he ever has a little girl of his own.” Glancing into rearview mirror again, she sees Ellie’s sleeping soundly.
“For sure,” Charlotte agrees. “What time you want us to come over?”
“Any time after school is fine,” Abi replies. “We are headed home and due to Todd’s erratic behavior, I’ll be on house arrest once I get there, until they find him, again. I swear I’m so sick of that man disrupting my life. Ellie’s life. When will it end, Charlotte? My little girl deserves to have a happy life not living in fear of her crazy father.”
“Oh honey.” Charlotte sighs sadly. “I don’t know why men think they can use and abuse women. I haven’t ever been in that kind of relationship, but I intimately know women who have been through what you are going through now. It is possible to get out, but it’s definitely not easy. Just know that the whole team is behind you and Straw. We love you guys. We will get through this together.”
“Thanks, Charlotte.” Abi feels her eyes beginning to burn. “You will never know how much your friendship has meant to me. I’m thankful every day for Robert and all the friends…the family he’s brought into our lives.”
“Being your friend is easy, Abigail.” Charlotte’s voice is getting strained. Abi can tell Charlotte’s as emotion as she is feeling. “We will see you soon.” Charlotte ends the call. Abi checks her rearview again to ensure Tank is still following. He’s fallen behind getting caught in a light. Abi slows to give him time to catch up. As she checks the mirror again, a silver car suddenly pulls in behind her. Normally she wouldn’t have paid any attention to it, but something about the jerky movements of the car makes the hair on the back of her neck stand up. The turn for the parkway is coming up. Abi is praying to God and all things holy that the silver car doesn’t follow her onto the parkway. She signals her turn and slows the vehicle before easing onto the on-ramp. Her uneasy feeling grows when the silver car follows and Tank is nowhere to be seen.
Once she’s merged into traffic, which is quite light at present, she thinks she should call Robert. She doesn’t want to worry him, but she just knows something isn’t right. The silver car is staying on her ass even though they have plenty of room to pass if they want. As the traffic around them lightens even further, the silver car gains on her. She can just see a glimpse of a black SUV in the distance.Please let that be Tank!
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE
Straw is gaining speed as he heads down the ramp to enter the parkway. Hack is on his laptop, accessing security video from the area, in an attempt to get license plate number for the silver car. They need to know to whom the car belongs. Who the fuck is helping Todd? Straw bangs his fist on the steering wheel in frustration. He’s more than pissed that Abigail is having to deal with this shit again. His phone ringing brings him back to the moment.
“Ford here,” Straw answers not even glancing to see who’s calling. A scream coming across his car speakers sends fear down his spine. “Abi! Abi! What’s wrong sweetheart? Where are you?”
“Oh God! Robert!” Abigail’s fear-filled voice has Straw hitting the gas. Where the fuck is Tank? What’s happening?
“Baby I need you to tell me where you are,” Straw speaks much calmer than he’s feeling at the moment. He knows he has to remain calm to help Abi calm down.
“On the parkway,” Abi calls out to him. “Just passed the Sneed’s Ferry exit. A silver car has been following me. They just bumped me from behind. I have Ellie with me. Why is he doing this to us?”
“I’m sorry baby. I’m close. I’m coming your way as fast as I possibly can.” Straw’s voice cracking with fear and rage. She has to be safe. He needs her and Ellie to be safe. That motherfucker is dead! Career or not, he will take him out. He’d rather live the rest of his life in prison, knowing that Abi is safe than be free and her not be in his life.
As he tops a small hill, he sees Abi’s vehicle just up ahead with a silver sedan on her ass. The scene makes his heart drop into his stomach. The car speeds up to ram Abi from behind. Her vehicle swerves violently, but she manages to regain control. The car speeds up again hitting her in the driver’s corner causing the SUV to cut a hard-right turn and begin to roll over and over in a side roll. Debris is flying into the air.
“Fuck!” Straw shouts as he pushes his SUV to go faster. The silver car has come to a stop next to Abi’s demolished SUV. Straw has to reach Abi before her attackers can. As he approaches, two men, Todd being one of them, exit their car and drag Abigail from her car. Blood is dripping from her head; her hair is flying around in disarray. Yet she is still fighting like a wild tiger caught in a trap. She kicks at the men. Todd wraps his arms around her from behind pinning her arms to her sides. She quickly headbutts him in the nose. Blood gushes from his nose, and he loosens his grip. She pulls away from him. She is screaming at them.
“Leave me alone! I have to see about my baby.” Abi runs back to the SUV.
Straw rolls to a stop, hearing Ellie’s cries coming from the car. His heart is pounding as he exits the vehicle, running toward his girls. The screeching of tires draws his attention. Looking back the way he came, Tank and Virus are exiting their SUV, too.
When Todd discovers they have company, the other man and him jump into their vehicle and flee the scene just as the sound of sirens can be heard in the distance. Straw runs toward the wreckage where Abi has crawled into the backseat of the upside-down vehicle through a broken window. He drops to his knees following her. She is trying to extricate Ellie while still leaving her in the car seat. Straw climbs in the window, but it’s a tight fit as the top has been crushed in. Sensing him crawling in behind her, Abi turns to fight him. Straw manages to put his hand up and catches her fist before she can make contact with his face.
“Abi, sweetheart,” Straw calls out to her as she struggles. “It’s me, Robert. You’re okay now baby. You’re safe.” Hearing his voice Abi relaxes in his arms only briefly. Turning back to comfort a screaming Ellie.
“It’s ok, Ellie; Momma’s here. Are you hurt, baby?” Abigail places a hand on the Ellie’s face as she lays down under her so the child can get a good look at her momma’s face. The little girl stops crying for a second as she looks at her mother.
“I’m scared, M-Momma.” Ellie whimpers and begins wailing again.
