“I heard it's beautiful there. Listen, babe, I know we just started seeing each other, but I don't want you to think I don't care. Starting over after a bad breakup is difficult, especially after you see them happy and in love with someone else.”
There was silence between the pair for a few seconds, and then the caller said, “I understand. I just hope you're over your ex and not just stringing me along.”
The abductor smiled and said, “Once my business is taken care of, I'll be all yours. I'm glad we got to spend some time together before you have to leave again.”
“So am I, and I like the way that sounds, babe,” the caller replied as Neariah let out a wail from the other room. “Is that a baby crying?”
“No, it's the TV. Sorry,” the abductor replied. “Have a safe trip and call me when you land. I can't wait to see you when you get back.”
“That's a date,” the caller replied before hanging up the telephone.
The abductor went back into the bedroom, where Neariah continued to cry.
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At the hospital, Ramsey's peaceful nap was interrupted when Luke, Roman, Genesis, and Malachi unexpectedly arrived, and they were not happy. While the brothers greeted and consoled Keilah, Ramsey stood out in the hallway with his father to give them some privacy.
He looked him in his dad's eyes and asked, “You called them, didn't you?”
Marion folded his arms and said, “I sure did. You should've done it from the beginning. I taught you better than that.”
At that moment Luke stepped out in the hallway and got in Ramsey's face. “Ramsey, I'm so angry right now, I don't know what to do. You were wrong for not calling us when this first happened. I know you thought you were doing right by bringing Keytone out here instead, but you were wrong.”
Still emotional from the events of the day, Ramsey replied, “I apologize, but it was my call and I didn't want you to worry unnecessarily. My plan was to have Neariah home by now.”
Luke got in Ramsey's face and said, “I love you, Ramsey, and know you're hurting just as much as we are right now, so I'm not going to beat you up about the decisions you made. Neariah's safe return is our main concern right now, but if you ever hide anything like this againâ”
Ramsey lowered his head and said, “I don't want to hear that right now, Luke. I get it. I'm sorry.”
Luke pulled Ramsey into a strong embrace, and with tears in his eyes he whispered, “We'll find Neariah, because we're not leaving here until we do. So what's next?”
“I'm going to kick in the door of every person I suspect could have anything to do with this.”
Marion stepped in and said, “No, son, you're way too emotional for that. You need to let the police do their investigation, and I think you need to raise the reward.”
“Your dad is right, Ramsey. I think a hundred-thousand-dollar reward for her safe return is too low. Raise it to five hundred thousand dollars.”
Tears filled Ramsey's eyes, and he said, “I just want my daughter back. I'll pay anything.”
Luke hugged him again and said, “We all do, and don't worry ... We'll get her back. Now, go comfort your wife.”
Chapter Twenty-five
Andria pulled into the parking lot of a local hotel and shut off her car. She exited the vehicle, trying not to draw attention to herself, but it was hard not to notice her tall, shapely frame and trendy clothing. She knocked on door number twenty-five and waited for an answer. Seconds later Rico Tanner, her childhood friend, cracked the door. It was clear that she had disrupted his sleep, because he could barely open his eyes.
“What's up?” he asked.
“Aren't you going to invite me in?” she asked as she pushed past him.
Andria entered the hotel room and found empty liquor bottles and food containers strewn around the room. She moved some clothing out of a chair and sat down while Rico went to the bathroom.
“This place looks like a tornado hit it. You need to clean this place up before they kick you out of here. What have you been doing?” she asked as she continued to observe the pigsty.
He lay across the bed, hung over, and mumbled, “Partying. What else? What are you doing here, Andy?”
As a kid, Andy was the nickname she inherited because she was somewhat of a tomboy, until she couldn't deny her adolescent curves and embraced her feminine side.
“Can't I come visit you?” she asked.
He laughed and said, “I know that look on your face. Are you here to talk about Ramsey some more? I don't know why you waste your energy on him.”
“I was pissed off at him but didn't know you were going to do what you did.”
He rolled over on his back and said, “You said you wanted him to hurt, and I helped you make it happen. Are you saying you're not happy?”
She touched his leg and said, “I'm not satisfied yet, but I will be soon.”
Rico propped himself up on the bed and said, “You're becoming a pain in my ass, Andy. You're so damn wishy-washy. One minute you hate Stone, and the next you act like you're still in love with him.” He lit up a cigarette.
Andria immediately snatched the cigarette out of his mouth and put it out. “I don't want to smell that nasty smoke. You need to quit, anyway, before it kills you.”
“Damn! Do you know how much cigarettes cost?”
“Yes, but I'm going to get you a box of nicotine patches instead, and you need to stop thinking you have to be my knight in shining armor. I love you, Rico. You're like a brother to me.”
He looked into her gorgeous face and said, “I love you too. That's why I'll do anything for you, but you need to forget about Ramsey Stone. The man doesn't want to have anything to do with you. What's up with that dude your dad introduced you to?”
With her voice cracking, she touched his face and said, “He's nice, but it's taking me a while to warm up to him.”
Rico walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a can of beer and opened it. After taking a sip, he said, “You should try harder, because I don't want to hear the name Ramsey Stone around me ever again.”
“Done!” she answered.
“You full of shit, Andy. You're obsessed, but on a serious note, I need you to hook me up. I've done a lot of shit for you, and I want to get out of this hotel and into a permanent place. I also need some wheels, nothing fancy.”
Andria stared at him and said, “We've been down that road before. You got evicted from your apartment for partying, and you totaled your car, not to mention that you thought it would be cool to steal that Benz.”
He pointed at her and said, “I got that for you.”
“I never told you to steal a car. I said I wished I had that particular model.”
He looked at her, and with a big grin on his face he said, “Like I said, I got it for you.”
“It's time to grow up, Rico, and you need a job.”
Rico laughed and said, “Ain't you the pot calling the kettle black. I want to be my own boss. Maybe you could help me start my business.”
“Maybe,” she said as she stood. “Now, put on some clothes and pack your bags so we can get you out of here. Housekeeping is going to be pissed when she sees this room.”
“Cleaning is what she gets paid to do,” he replied.
“You know you can be an asshole sometimes,” she answered as she laid a fifty-dollar bill on the nightstand to tip the housekeeper.
“Calm down, Andy. I'm just playing,” Rico grunted as he headed into the bathroom to take a quick shower. He got dressed and packed his bag in record time, and within minutes they were out the door.
As they walked out the door, Andria turned to Rico and said, “I need you to do me a huge favor.”
“Whose car do you want to key now?” he joked.
“I'm serious, Rico. I need you to deliver something back to Ramsey and his wife and send them a message once and for all.”
“Cool. I'm in as long as I get an apartment and my own car out of the deal,” he said as he buckled his seat belt.
She sighed as she climbed behind the wheel of her car and said, “Okay, but, this is the last time, Rico.”
“Me too,” he replied before watching her drive off.
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The kidnapper felt that the Stones had gotten the message and decided it was time to return the child to her parents. A cab pulled up, and the kidnapper climbed in with Neariah covered to shield her from the cold air. The driver looked in the rearview mirror and noticed his passenger had a hat pulled down over his eyes and a scarf around his neck and mouth.
He asked, “Where to?”
“Lanham Severn Road in Bowie, Maryland.”
“Right away,” the driver answered as he put the car in drive and pulled away from the cottage.
It took nearly twenty minutes for the cab to reach its destination. The kidnapper paid the cabdriver and stepped out of the cab. Neariah was still asleep as she was carried into the large cathedral. When they entered the foyer, the kidnapper could see what looked like hundreds of candles burning on the altar. Scattered about the large sanctuary were approximately fifteen people. The kidnapper made a note to keep the hat and scarf in place as he moved toward the front of the cathedral. After he sat down, the large replica of Christ on the cross seem to stare down intensely at him, so he moved into a confessional for more privacy. Within seconds a priest entered and took his spot.
The kidnapper lowered his head and said, “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It's been too long since my last confession. Since then, I have committed mortal sins, for which I am deeply sorry.”
“What brings you here, my child?”
The kidnapper took a breath and said, “I have a child that I need to return to her parents. The child is fine and has been well taken care of, and I only took her to make a point, but I wanted to ask for forgiveness before doing so.”
“Kidnapping is a serious offense, but if you honestly repent and do what's right by returning the child, there's always forgiveness in the eyes of God,” the priest replied.
“Thank you, Father.”
“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good,” the priest recited.
“For His mercy endures forever,” the kidnapper recited. “I appreciate you listening,
Father, and I would be grateful if you would wait until I've left the church before you come out. You'll find the child inside the confessional. Make sure she gets back to Ramsey Stone and his wife, Keilah.”
“Go with God, my son,” the priest replied. “I'll continue to pray for you.”
The priest did as he was asked since a child's safety was at stake. When he found Neariah, the priest cuddled her in his arms, then took her back to his office, where she woke up and began to cry. He handed her over to one of the nuns, who prepared a bottle of milk for her while the priest contacted the authorities.
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Andria pulled out her cell phone and dialed Rico's number, and after three rings he answered.
“Yeah?”
“Where are you?” she asked, her voice quivering.
“In the wind, and I suggest you do the same. It won't be long before the police come knocking on your door.”
Her hands were trembling as she held the phone up to her ear. With tears running down her face, she asked, “Where you are so I can pick you up? We can go up to our house on Long Island for a few days, until this thing plays out.”
“I don't know, Andy. I think it would be best if we went our separate ways for a while.”
With tears continuing to run down her face, she said, “Please. I'm worried about you. Tell me where you are so I can at least give you some money.”
“You don't have to give me any money. I'll make do,” he announced.
“That's what I'm afraid of. You're family, Rico. Let me do this for you,” she pleaded until he couldn't take it anymore.
He sighed and said, “Stop crying and I'll tell you.”
Andria wiped away her tears and said, “Okay.”
“I'm at the IHOP on Annapolis Road in Bowie.”
She pulled a tissue out of her purse and wiped her eyes. “I'll see you in twenty minutes. Do not move.”
“I won't, but hurry up,” he stated as the waitress sat a plate of eggs, bacon, and pancakes in front of him, along with a cup of coffee. “I'm getting ready to get my grub on, and then I'm out.”
As Rico waited for Andria to arrive, he felt sorry for her and what her life had become. She had always had the perfect life, with plenty of money and status in Washington's high society. He, on the other hand, had grown up middle class, with just enough to get by, but he was able to rub elbows with D.C.'s elite by being associated with the Rockwells, even though he knew he never really fit in. What he loved about Andria was that she never made him feel inferior or beneath her. They really were like family, and he would do anything to protect her.