Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ally
I had to get the plate number I had written down that night I saw the van, the secret cell phone and Grams’ gun. It was all I had left of her. Walking into the kitchen, I gasped. Everything was thrown everywhere. Looking up at the cabinet over the fridge, it looked as if it hadn’t been touched.
I leaned into Jonah and whispered about my locked gun case and its location. He nodded an affirmative. He would get it while I went to the laundry room. The laundry room was just as bad as the rest of the house. Looking up at the shelf where the phone was hidden, I was shocked because the shelf wasn’t there anymore. Damn it. I peeked over my shoulder at Jonah, who had secured the gun but someone was coming. I signaled that I needed more time, so he played interference as I searched through everything on the floor. Bingo! Now where the hell was I going to put it? I didn’t have my purse or any pockets. Seeing the duct tape, I grabbed it and tapped it to my thigh, underneath my dress. I quickly went back out to Jonah.
“I’m ready, Jonah. It’s not here. Let’s get going to the station so I can see Sam,” I said as I hurried toward the door.
“What was the other thing you were looking for Ally?” he questioned me.
“Oh, it was some baby pictures of Sam. I only had a few left and I was hoping to salvage them. No such luck. Let’s go see my baby now please.” I left as fast as my crutches would allow.
I needed to see and talk to Sam and make sure he was safe. With certainty, I knew once I arrived at the police station, I would be questioned relentlessly. But I also needed to find some time to myself and make the call. I didn’t have a choice. If I waited any longer, the people that I had come to love could be hurt or even killed.
Arriving at the station, I went right to find Sam, who seemed to be having the time of his life talking with of bunch of uniformed police officers. I walked up to him smiling. He came running, stopping just short and giving me the most amazing hug ever.
“How are you, Mr. Man? Did you have fun with Grandma Frannie and Grandpa Frank?” I inquired.
“Boy, I sure did, Mom. We went to the movies, ate lots of popcorn and then went to miniature golf after. Then we went to eat burgers and have ice cream. I was so stuffed I almost burst,” Sam excitedly informed me.
“Oh, my that does sound like a wonderful time. I hope you said, ‘Thank you’ to them both,” I said smiling down at him. He nodded his head in response.
Jonah waved at me to get my attention and I saw a man I didn’t know standing with him. He was almost as tall a Jonah, but very lean, with brown hair and eyes. He gave me a sympathetic smile. That was not a good sign.
“Hey Sam, can you go over and sit with Grandma and Grandpa for a while? I need to talk to some friends for a bit.” He spun around and headed in their direction without complaint.
Walking over to the open door where Jonah and the stranger waited, I preceded them into the room. There was a long table with chairs around it. Notebooks and pens were scattered about and a file lay on one side. I looked back at the men with a questioning look. The man with Jonah told me to sit wherever I wanted. Seating myself, the officer came around and introduced himself as Brent. Both men sat down, Jonah next to me and Brent across from me. My nerves were on edge and I wished one of them would just start talking.
“Ally Brent is one of my oldest friends. He is in charge of this investigation. You can trust him, I swear to you,” Jonah said to me with sincerity.
“It’s nice to meet you, Brent but, I have to be honest with you. I do not trust police officers in general, but I will help in any way that I can,” I told him nervously.
“Now that we are all comfortable, could you please tell me your full name?” Brent queried.
“Ally Lynn Black,” I replied.
“No, it’s not. What is your real name please?”
Breathing through my nose I said, “Sarah Lane. I was married to Thomas Lane a now convicted felon. I will be thirty on my next birthday and I have one child, Jacob, who is eight years old.” I gave more information than was asked because I wanted this over with quickly.
“Why are you using the stolen identities of deceased people, Ms. Lane?” Brent looked at me waiting for my answer. I wasn’t sure how much to say. The underground was a godsend for us. It needed to stay off the radar because some of the women and children that they helped disappear, could only be helped by breaking some laws. I for one, would not destroy their service. I sat there thinking of what to say.
“Jonah filled me in on the events of your past and why you are hiding. I did some checking and so far, everything has been the truth. You were married to Thomas Lane, had one child, Jacob and then Thomas was convicted of several felonies and sent to prison. It seems your testimony was pivotal in putting him behind bars. But what I don’t understand is why you disappeared into thin air and how. These are stolen identities, which is in fact, breaking the law, Ms. Lane. In order, for us to help you, I need to know everything. No detail is too small.”
As Brent finished, I looked at Jonah shocked. Questioning him with my eyes he simply said, “This is your story to tell, baby. You trusted me with the truth. I swore to you that you could trust me and you can. It is up to you how much and what you want to tell him. But know this. Brent is one of the good guys too. He could never be bought or coerced into anything illegal. He is indeed a man of honor and you need not fear him.” Jonah squeezed my hand in reassurance as he finished.
Taking a deep breath while holding Jonah’s hand, I told Brent everything. Giving a full disclosure on my past twice in twenty-four hours was terrifying, but oddly freeing at the same time. When I finished speaking, I stood quietly. Jonah looked at me with confusion.
“Jonah, could you help me show Brent what Tom did?” I wasn’t sure I had the strength to show a stranger the ugliest evidence of my mistakes. Turning my back to Brent and lowering my shawl, I let Jonah gently pull down the back of my dress. It took every drop of strength I possessed to stand there on display. Though I felt like cowering, I straightened my back and stood still. I wouldn’t give Tom the power to continue to hurt me.
“Ms. Lane, I am so sorry. You can cover yourself back up. Both of you please sit back down and I will fill you in with what I know at this point,” Brent said with respect.
Relieved, I turned around and we sat back down. A knock sounded at the door and Shane came in with a murderous look on his face. He walked right up to me, pulled me up to stand and then wrapped me in his arms, giving me one of the most unexpected, but loving embraces that I had ever had.
He just held me for a minute and then said to me, “I’m sorry, Ally. For all of this. But know that I will stand by you, no matter what and I promise to protect both you and Sam. You are family. Let God have mercy on their souls, if anyone lays a hand on either of you.”
Stunned, awed and grateful, I just nodded my head at him. I didn’t dare try to speak or I would certainly cry. These brothers. These magnificent human beings were willing to lay their own lives down for us. I had no idea what I did to deserve them, but I thanked God as I sat back down.
“Sarah, I discovered some things that may frighten you.”
I stopped Brent from continuing and said to him, “Please do not call me Sarah. That is who I used to be but she is not who I am today. That part of me will always be with me, but Ally is the woman I am today.
“Understood. Your ex-husband, Thomas Lane was awarded a new trial almost two years ago. How he beat the charges that time confused the hell out of me. I thought it might have been because they no longer had you to testify and the new judge wouldn’t allow your original testimony to be used in the new trial. I had to call in a few favors. But I was informed that he turned CI, a confidential informant, working undercover. His police contact said he fell off the radar a while back and they have been unable to locate him,” Brent informed us with anger lacing his voice.
The anxiety I had been holding at bay, started to bubble up from my chest and I started to hyperventilate.
“Oh, my God! No! This can’t be happening. I have to get Sam. We have to leave now. He is coming for us. Probably watching us right now. Any one of these cops could be on his payroll, dammit!” I screamed for Sam and tried to get up to leave.
Jonah grabbed me in his strong arms and yelled, “No! Ally listen to me right now, dammit! Breathe. Just breathe. No one will touch you again. Ever! I swear to you. No one will touch Sam. Ever! Do you hear me woman?”
I did but the panic was too much and I started to struggle. My mind returned to another place and time. I knew Jonah was only trying to comfort and reassure me, but I was too far gone this time. All I could see was Tom, electric cord in hand lifted high to strike me. I screamed, lost in the memory of fear and pain. I was mentally gone.
They scrambled, trying to calm me down. Someone was smart enough to get Frannie and bring her in. I might have even heard Frank, but I wasn’t sure. All I knew was that someone with smaller, softer arms was holding me and rocking me, whispering words of love and reassurance. I had no idea how long I was like that, but when I came around, I realized what I had done. Jonah had a red mark on his face. Shane was bleeding from several scratches on his neck and arms. Did I do that? I was shocked. Staring at them brought a whole new round of tears over what I had done. I hurt them? How could I have done that? Shame filled me to the core of my being.