Tina called Jason as he drove home. “Tina, what is going on? Is Karen with you?” He asked. “Calm down she is. I know you didn’t want her to know about our plan, but I couldn’t help contacting her. I hope you are not mad?” “Not really, although I wish you had told me first. Did she take Adele’s son?” “Yes, the brat is here.” “Tina that is kidnapping! She could be in big trouble! Why did you get her mixed up in this?” “Relax, no one is getting into trouble. We are going make money from this. I needed her help to pull it off.” “Money? How?” “From the ransom of course.” “Tina this is a bad idea.” “No it isn’t. Just calm down and leave it to me okay?” “Sure, take care of Karen, and please keep in touch.” When Jason got home he sank into a chair feeling tired and upset. He had guessed something was wrong when he tried to call Karen and couldn’t get through, then when he'd come home Marie had told him Karen had packed her bags to go on a camping trip. He had guessed s
The phone call had shaken Adele and Dan, but Rachel told them not to get upset. “Tina is trying to get to you guys, don’t let her win. You have to be strong.” She said. “I'm trying but it isn’t easy,” Adele cried. “Tina is crazy, what if she hurts him?” “She won't, she needs him to carry out whatever evil plan she has. Don’t worry, she will call again.” Two days later, Tina called Chris during lunch time. “Hey Chris, how are you? I'm calling you because you have what I need.” She said. “ You evil bitch! Where is Jay?” “The brat is fine don’t worry.” “If you harm him-“ “Why should I? I need him. I have no intention of hurting him. I just want to make a deal and I will let him go. Having him here is annoying.” “What do you want?” “Money.” “How much?” “I will tell you, but first call Dan and Rachel to your office by 4 pm. I want them to be there when I call. Do not call Adele.” “Why only Dan and Rachel? And why 4 pm? What are you up to?” He asked suspiciously.
“How could we be so stupid?” Dan groaned. He was pacing the living room very upset. “I was the idiot.” Chris said. “I should have known what Tina was up to when she didn’t want Adele around. In fact I should have had bodyguards here the minute this happened.” “It won’t have helped. From what the housekeeper said Tina didn’t rush in and kidnap her she lured her away.” Rachel said. “Jay and now Adele have been taken. What kind of an idiot am I not to have seen this?“ Chris asked helplessly. “Beating yourself up won’t help. We have to find a way to get them back.” Rachel said. “I am going to talk to Jason, he is going to tell me where his crazy wife is hiding.” Chris fumed. “I will come with you.” Dan said. “No. You two stay here and let me handle it.” Rachel said and left. Jason was staring at his dinner when Rachel walked in. “It is time to come clean Jason, where is Tina? Chris is right, you know where she is and you are hiding it from us.” She said. “I am not in t
Tina met Jason the same place she had met Adele. “What took you so long?” She asked suspiciously. “I went by a longer route. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t being followed.” He explained. “Okay, so you have everything?” “Yeah,” he said pointing to his case. “I heard you kidnapped Adele too?” “Yes to increase the ransom.” They began walking to the beach house. “She was the target, I used her son to get her. Tell me about Adele being Chris’ daughter, Claire cheated on you? I am not surprised. She was as useless as her daughter.” “There isn’t much to tell. Chris just told me she wasn’t my daughter, it explained a lot of things.” They got to the house and met Karen having lunch. “Dad! I was so happy when Mom said you were joining us. I hope you aren’t mad I didn’t tell you I was leaving?” “No. I wish you had though. Where is Adele and Jay?” “There.” Tina pointed to a door. “Let me see them.” Tina picked up a bunch of keys on the table and opened the door. Adele and Jay were s
Adele’s Pov “I am letting her go that’s what. What you are doing is crazy Tina! And I won’t support you.” Dad said. “You idiot! I am trying to help you solve a problem!” Tina yelled. “Just like I did with her useless mother.” “What?” I asked wide-eyed. “What do you mean? Did you have something to do with Claire’s death?” He asked. “Yes I did dumbass! What else was I suppose to do. You said you couldn’t be with me because you didn’t want to divorce her so I had to kill her. You mentioned she was going to Palo Alto to see her stupid friend so I waited on a quiet part of the road pretending I had engine trouble, when the fool stopped to help, I hit her on the back of the head and drove her car off a cliff. So your problems were solved.” “How could you be so evil Tina?” Dad asked shocked. “Shut up! I did it to help you. You should be thanking me! Now lock them up and stop being an idiot.” “Never! You have done enough. It ends now. I was an idiot to have had anything to do with you
Adele’s Pov “Thanks so much for your help Miss Taylor.” The brown haired woman said, smiling broadly. “Call me Claire, and it is my pleasure.” I said. “We really appreciate it,” her fiancé said. He also had brown hair, in fact they looked like siblings. “We were so lost as to which design to use then we met you, and now everything is falling into place. You have been a big help.” “I am just doing my job.” I closed the catalog we had been going over, looking at designs for their new home. They stood up and I followed them to the door. “We would like to invite you to the wedding.” The woman said. “Yes please come Claire.” Her fiancé agreed. I hesitated. I hadn’t been to a social event in years and didn’t want to go, but they were my clients, I had to refuse carefully. “It is on Saturday right? I may be busy that day,” I said gently. I saw their faces fall. “But if I am not I will come.” I said quickly. “I promise.” Their faces brightened. They praised me once more then
Adele's PovI was slightly shaken as I half ran to Rachel’s house. I kept looking back, but there was no sign of the man.By the time I reached Rachel’s house I had calmed down. I wasn’t been followed.I knocked on the door. I could hear Jay’s excited voice from inside.“Mommy’s here.” He squealed.The door opened and he jumped into my arms. If it had been daytime he would have been looking out of the window and seen me coming. He would have run outside to welcome me, like I used to do to my dad. I shook off the memory and hugged him tightly.“Hey mommy, guess what? We have a new slide at our school.”“That’s great.” I said.“Welcome Claire. You are just in time for dinner.” Rachel said as we followed her into the house.“Really you shouldn’t have.” I said.“I should and I did. It isn’t fair for you to go home and start cooking after a long day.”We went through this conversation almost every evening. Rachel would have dinner waiting for me when I came to pick up Jay, and I would be
Adele’s PovI felt relived as I opened the door to my apartment. It was two tiny bedrooms, a living room, and kitchenette. Not much, but it was home. And after a long, hectic day, I looked forward to coming home.I put the groceries in the kitchen then got Jay ready for bed.“Mommy,” he said as I combed his hair.“Yeah sweetie.”“Why don’t I have a family?”I froze in shock.“What do you mean?” I asked.“At school today my friends talked of their grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles. How come I don’t have any?” “Well my mom, your grandma, is in heaven.” I explained.“With my daddy?”I swallowed nervously. “Yes.”“What about grandpa?”“He lives in Fresno with your other grandma and your aunt Karen.”“Can we go see them? Please? I want to meet them.” He begged, looking at me with his bright blue eyes.“Okay we will.”“When?” He asked eagerly.“I am so busy now…but I will make time. I promise.”He smiled happily and I felt my heart squeeze painfully.I put him to bed and kissed him g
Adele’s Pov “I am letting her go that’s what. What you are doing is crazy Tina! And I won’t support you.” Dad said. “You idiot! I am trying to help you solve a problem!” Tina yelled. “Just like I did with her useless mother.” “What?” I asked wide-eyed. “What do you mean? Did you have something to do with Claire’s death?” He asked. “Yes I did dumbass! What else was I suppose to do. You said you couldn’t be with me because you didn’t want to divorce her so I had to kill her. You mentioned she was going to Palo Alto to see her stupid friend so I waited on a quiet part of the road pretending I had engine trouble, when the fool stopped to help, I hit her on the back of the head and drove her car off a cliff. So your problems were solved.” “How could you be so evil Tina?” Dad asked shocked. “Shut up! I did it to help you. You should be thanking me! Now lock them up and stop being an idiot.” “Never! You have done enough. It ends now. I was an idiot to have had anything to do with you
Tina met Jason the same place she had met Adele. “What took you so long?” She asked suspiciously. “I went by a longer route. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t being followed.” He explained. “Okay, so you have everything?” “Yeah,” he said pointing to his case. “I heard you kidnapped Adele too?” “Yes to increase the ransom.” They began walking to the beach house. “She was the target, I used her son to get her. Tell me about Adele being Chris’ daughter, Claire cheated on you? I am not surprised. She was as useless as her daughter.” “There isn’t much to tell. Chris just told me she wasn’t my daughter, it explained a lot of things.” They got to the house and met Karen having lunch. “Dad! I was so happy when Mom said you were joining us. I hope you aren’t mad I didn’t tell you I was leaving?” “No. I wish you had though. Where is Adele and Jay?” “There.” Tina pointed to a door. “Let me see them.” Tina picked up a bunch of keys on the table and opened the door. Adele and Jay were s
“How could we be so stupid?” Dan groaned. He was pacing the living room very upset. “I was the idiot.” Chris said. “I should have known what Tina was up to when she didn’t want Adele around. In fact I should have had bodyguards here the minute this happened.” “It won’t have helped. From what the housekeeper said Tina didn’t rush in and kidnap her she lured her away.” Rachel said. “Jay and now Adele have been taken. What kind of an idiot am I not to have seen this?“ Chris asked helplessly. “Beating yourself up won’t help. We have to find a way to get them back.” Rachel said. “I am going to talk to Jason, he is going to tell me where his crazy wife is hiding.” Chris fumed. “I will come with you.” Dan said. “No. You two stay here and let me handle it.” Rachel said and left. Jason was staring at his dinner when Rachel walked in. “It is time to come clean Jason, where is Tina? Chris is right, you know where she is and you are hiding it from us.” She said. “I am not in t
The phone call had shaken Adele and Dan, but Rachel told them not to get upset. “Tina is trying to get to you guys, don’t let her win. You have to be strong.” She said. “I'm trying but it isn’t easy,” Adele cried. “Tina is crazy, what if she hurts him?” “She won't, she needs him to carry out whatever evil plan she has. Don’t worry, she will call again.” Two days later, Tina called Chris during lunch time. “Hey Chris, how are you? I'm calling you because you have what I need.” She said. “ You evil bitch! Where is Jay?” “The brat is fine don’t worry.” “If you harm him-“ “Why should I? I need him. I have no intention of hurting him. I just want to make a deal and I will let him go. Having him here is annoying.” “What do you want?” “Money.” “How much?” “I will tell you, but first call Dan and Rachel to your office by 4 pm. I want them to be there when I call. Do not call Adele.” “Why only Dan and Rachel? And why 4 pm? What are you up to?” He asked suspiciously.
Tina called Jason as he drove home. “Tina, what is going on? Is Karen with you?” He asked. “Calm down she is. I know you didn’t want her to know about our plan, but I couldn’t help contacting her. I hope you are not mad?” “Not really, although I wish you had told me first. Did she take Adele’s son?” “Yes, the brat is here.” “Tina that is kidnapping! She could be in big trouble! Why did you get her mixed up in this?” “Relax, no one is getting into trouble. We are going make money from this. I needed her help to pull it off.” “Money? How?” “From the ransom of course.” “Tina this is a bad idea.” “No it isn’t. Just calm down and leave it to me okay?” “Sure, take care of Karen, and please keep in touch.” When Jason got home he sank into a chair feeling tired and upset. He had guessed something was wrong when he tried to call Karen and couldn’t get through, then when he'd come home Marie had told him Karen had packed her bags to go on a camping trip. He had guessed s
Adele’s pov I couldn’t stop crying. Dan sat beside me trying to console me. Brenda was crying quietly in the armchair and Chris was on the phone, calling everyone he could think of to help find Jay. “This is all my fault,” Brenda said “No it is,” Dan said. “You didn’t get there on time because an accident delayed you, and I am very sure the accident was caused by Tina.” “It is my fault.” I cried. “I caused this. I brought Karen into our lives. You warned me Dan but I was stupid enough to trust her!” “Stop blaming yourself. It’s not your fault she turned out to be a witch, you couldn’t have known.” “Dan is right,” Chris said, None of you are to blame. We will find Jay, and arrest Karen and Tina, I promise.” The housekeeper led Dad into the room. “I got your message,” he said, “what’s going on? You said Karen kidnapped Jay? That’s impossible why would she do that?” “Because she is a psycho just like her mom and she needs to be stopped!” Chris fumed. ‘It is time to come
“Calm down Brenda, there must be some mistake,” Adele said trying to control her panic. “No! I got here and I couldn’t find him!” “Okay, I am on my way,” Adele said. She was trembling as she hung up and told Dan what had happened. “Calm down babe there must be a mistake somewhere. We will go to the school together.” He said. On the way to the elevator, Chris called him. “Dan I need to see you.” “Not now Dad-“ “It's urgent.” “I will wait in your car,” Adele said. Dan almost ran to Chris’ office. The man who had been with Karen was standing next to Chris. They were listening to a recording on a mobile phone on Chris’s desk. “Dad please make it snappy,” Dan said rushing in. “Listen to this.” Chris said. “I am in a hurry dad, tell me what it is.” “I found out where Zoey and her mom are living, somewhere across town. I sent one of my people to them to see what they were up to, and found out they were planning to hack into our company and steal millions, so I sent this guy to
She thought about the lunch and laughed, did the stupid Adele believe she was trying to be her friend?She is dumber than I imagined, Karen thought.She went to her room to wait for her mom’s call. It came an hour later.“Mom, I have been waiting.”“Sorry honey, I wanted to make sure you were back, how did it go?”“Better than I expected, I have the information.”“Meet at the usual place.”Karen hurriedly drove to the beach. Tina entered the car as soon as she stopped it.“I have everything Mom. I went to Adele and pretended I wanted to work with her, the fool believed my good girl act. I was able to get the info you wanted about her son.”“Smart girl! I knew I could rely on you. I have been gathering some information too and now have an idea of his routine.”“But why go through this stress, Mom? Can't we go straight to Adele?”“We can but it’s more difficult. Using her son to get to her is easier.”‘Okay, you said Dad is not to know about it?”“Not yet, till I'm sure he can be of hel
It was past dinner time when Karen came home.“You are late for dinner.” Her dad said.“Yeah I went for a walk. I have thought about what you said and you are right, Adele heading the company isn’t so bad. I want to work with her.”“I am glad you see things my way. I will call her tomorrow and tell her you are coming over.”“I hope we will be able to mend out relationship.” Karen smiled falsely.The next afternoon she walked into Adele’s office.“Dad told me you would be coming.” Adele said.“Yeah. I need a job. Sitting around waiting to hear from mom is driving me crazy.”“I am sorry about what happened. Chris has promised to help if she gives herself up.”“Dad told me. We are grateful. And I am sorry for all the awful stuff I did and said.” Karen said sounding remorseful.“Let’s move past that. I have a job for you in the media department, would you like that?”“Sure. I would love it.”“Okay, you can start tomorrow.”“How about you tell me a little about the job.” Karen said.“Sure.