Chapter 12
Mason could not move. He really felt frozen all over, all his body from toes to hair turned into brittle, useless ice. He just couldn''t stand it.
"Julia," he pleaded. "Please. What is it? Is it something my father told you? Any lies on my mother''s part? What is it, just tell me what it is."
Would he start using that brain of his, Julia thought. He knew there was nothing wrong the last time; why didn''t he pick it from here?
But Mason Capwell, of all people, was too ready for betrayal and rejection; he would believe her. She needed to say something so wrong that he''d realize it just couldn''t be. It was risky - Julia did not want the blade to get any further.
"Is anything wrong with the baby?" Mason said. His voice was choked. Wasn''t hers?
Silently, Julia gave a very short prayer and risked it. "Nothing," she said hysterically. "No there''s nothing wrong with it. What can be wrong with it? Just when my career was on the mend, just when I started to really see the results of my work - there''s the baby to ruin it all for me! Nothing, nothing is wrong, nothing ever goes wrong with babies no one wants!!"
Mason kept silent for a second. Julia prayed again, silently, and passionately asked her unborn one to forgive her.
Mason, in his turn, felt knocked-out. For a moment the room around seemed dark, but he controlled himself. He was to say something equally preposterous to have her see he understood.
"Why didn''t you take the money I offered you for an abortion, then?" he said wearily, and Julia''s heart jumped for joy. "I''m tired of those hysterics, Julia. Okay I won''t turn to you for help, ever again."
"So long," she said, and the man with the knife hung up.
"Good girl," he said huskily. "The fellow''s right - you''re a tad too hysterical." He tickled Julia''s skin with his knife.
*
The moment the line was free Mason, with his fingers shaking, dialed Cruz''s number.
"Mason?" Cruz seemed genuinely surprised. "How dare you--"
Mason felt sick with deja vu. "Shut up," he said, "oh shut up Cruz. You don''t--"
"I don''t know what you expected to hear, buddy, after what you --"
"Cruz," Mason yelled. "Just shut up for a moment, will you? Julia''s in danger!"
Cruz digested the information. He needed time to switch into his professional mode.
"How do you know?"
"She is being kept hostage in her own house, or something. I cannot go there. You must get there immediately, Cruz, and save her."
"How many people are there except for her? Are they armed?"
Mason gave a convulsive sigh. "I don''t know, I don''t know. Just go there and save her."
*
"I told him not to come here, and I needed to be convincing," Julia said. "He thought he could be dallying with me - ha!" She paused. "Anyway, it''s between me and Mason, an old story. You wanted him not to turn to me for help; he won''t."
"Good girl," the man said. He took the knife off her neck, and Julia exhaled. "You sure he won''t come asking for explanations?"
"Why, everything''s clear," Julia said. "Who would? Not that vain, selfish bastard."
"Ok. Just be a good girl!"
The blade glistened as the man cut the phone cord; then he was gone. Julia sat down onto the floor and wept with relief.
*
Cruz rushed into the house with a pistol in his hands. It was not at once that he saw the bent-down little figure on the floor.
"Julia? Are you all right?" He knelt by her.
"Cruz!" she turned to him and threw her arms round his neck. "Oh Cruz!"
Cruz saw that, much to his surprise, Mason had not been fooling him. Actually, after all that had been going on in the last few days, Cruz half-expected Mason to be playing another dirty trick, this time on him.
"Julia, what''s wrong?" he said softly, hugging his friend to him.
"It''s about Mason - they did not want me to help him. There was a man with a knife here, right here, holding the knife just like this, and he made me tell Mason awful things, awful things--" she sobbed.
"It''s ok."
"Cruz, go to Mason, you must help him."
"Help him with what?" Cruz smirked. "Don''t think he needs help - anyway, not more than a young pregnant lady here, Julia."
"How did you - know -"
"Mason phoned me," Cruz reluctantly admitted. "He was scared; he said you were in danger."
Julia nodded and closed her eyes for a moment. "Cruz. There''s an extra phone set in my bedroom. A new one, in a box. I''ll get it. Connect it, and let''s call Mason right away."
Chapter 13
Mason was sitting at his desk, waiting. Matt had woken up, had done his crying and was now playing with his toys. Mason wanted to hug his son and hold him tight, but he did not dare.
He was waiting for the phone to ring. Still, when it did, he gave a start.
"Mason Capwell."
"Hey." It was Cruz.
"How''s Julia?"
"She''s all right. You were right, Mason, someone threatened her but they were gone when I arrived."
Thank God, Mason thought. He did not say it aloud. "Where are you now, Cruz?"
"At Julia''s. Want to talk to her?"
"No--"
No one was listening. Julia''s voice made Mason sigh silently.
"Mason - honey, I''m fine now. How are you?"
"Fine. Look, Julia, I need to go away."
"What, now?" she said in disbelief.
"Now. I''ll ask Cruz to come by and pick up Matthew."
His voice was dry, he seemed very distant. Nothing to surprize Cruz, but Julia immediately got on the alert. "What''s wrong, Mason?"
Mason raised his eyes to see the Indian grinning. "Nothing is wrong; why?" he said coldly. "You know I just do not like what is happening; so I need to go to settle the matter. Nothing to worry about."
Julia shuddered. "Mason--"
"Julia," he interrupted her.
She understood. "I''ll tell Cruz to go immediately," she said, her voice lifeless.
Mason longed to tell her everything. He suddenly realized he needed to tell her so much. He just did not know how he could do that, now. They already knew Julia was dear to him; he would not endanger her more by showing just how much he cared.
On the other hand, it was probable he would never see her or talk to her again. Was it fair to leave her to doubt him forever?
After all, he told himself, it was not her that they were after.
"Julia," he said gently, and this time she knew it was really her Mason talking to her. She knew everything he''d say now would be very important.
"Yes?" she exhaled.
"Take good care of our baby. I''ll be thinking of you both. And," he controlled a spasm in his throat, "please take care of Matthew. I''ll be back. Do not believe anything you hear about me. Just wait for me."
The Indian grinned again, and there was menace in the grin. That was all; Mason would not say more.
"Yes Mason," he heard. "I will take care of your kids. And I will wait for you, if it takes forever."
Mason knew that was true. A part of him was happy. A part of him hurt. How could he require this from a woman like Julia? What if he was dead by the end of the day and his body was never found? Judging by the faces of the cutthroats that were around it was most probable.
Still, it was the closest to an oath of love and loyalty he could voice now. And he felt he would need Julia''s love.
Mason raised his hand and felt his forehead was all in cold sweat.
"Amen," he said in a tone that sounded more like his own. "Now tell Cruz to hurry."
He knew Julia felt what was going on in here, so he was not surprised when she did not say she loved him. But he was - disappointed.
"Take care," she said instead.
He smiled. He would fight to come back and marry this woman - if it took forever.
*
---- I mean what did you expect? Even in my alternative reality, Lane had to have his summer vac, LOL! ;) AND a cliffhanger - but you know what''s happening, this time.
Olga Lissenkova
