Toto and the Boys I: Jackie

Chapter 30

That night, as we drove out of the parking lot, I realized being a getaway car was better than being the rescue vehicle. One reason was that we only had to run away and hide. Second, there was a faint chance that we would be caught if we just knew where to go.

But it was different now. I was the rescue car and my engines were pumping too much gas at the moment they could suffer a big, blast of engine attack. I prayed that wouldn’t happen because I was yet to make sure that Brian would end up dead or imprisoned.

And Jackie girl better be alive.

As we drove away from Collins Corporations, two police cars were speeding toward the building, probably to find out more about Jackie’s disappearance with the help of the stupid security guard.

Dean just replaced his phone in his pocket. “The HR head is sending me Brian’s information in a moment,” he said.

“We have to go to the police,” George uttered with a nod. “Dannie’s been calling me. Can you call her and update her with what’s happening?”

Dean obliged like a lost child.

I knew he was deeply worried and I bet his fears mirrored mine.

Well, I hate to blame you buddy, but I guess a little of what happened was because of you.

Okay, fine, I shouldn’t have said that. But as I said, when it came to the boys, I could be hard. And I could say the wrong things.

As Dean tried to calm Dannie down with the most soothing voice he could muster at the moment, Georgie sped us to the nearest police station.

“She said she called Troy for help and asked if we should alert Jackie’s parents,” Dean said to Georgie.

“Okay, tell her to do that. They would want to know. And they might know something,” Georgie answered.

Dean nodded and relayed the message back to Dannie.

Once it was over, a long silence lingered between the two of them. Georgie focused on driving as fast as she could. Not one of them said a word until we arrived at the police station.

Georgie climbed out and ran to the entrance of the building followed by Dean.

I swear my engines were still pumping gas even though Georgie turned off my ignition. It must be the adrenalin. Okay, fine, I don’t have an ounce of adrenalin in my body--never did, never will--but I hope you get my point.

I heard Georgie shouting inside and a voice telling her to calm down.

That was not a good sign, was it?

Shit, what the hell are they doing in there?

*****

Jackie stayed very still as she sat down around Brian’s dining table. He was busy cooking something, whistling a happy tune as he did so.

Her eyes went back to the door and her shoulders sagged in defeat.

She tapped her finger against the table, trying to remember the message she sent to Georgie. She couldn’t help but think that she did it wrong. Morse code was hard enough and the stress she was under earlier was not helping.

She practiced more messages she could try to relay if ever she could get another chance to call someone in Brian’s presence.

Giving up, she sighed and thought about the things she should and shouldn’t have done.

She should have placed her phone in her pockets.

She should not have stayed late.

She should have asked Georgie or Dannie to help her with her things.