AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You bugged her cell phone?” Nate asked laughing.
“She had a disposable one, the kind that used air minutes and you could buy a certain amount of text messages for,” Haley told them.
“What’s the number?” Morris asked moving the computer towards him. Haley rattled it off and he found the signal from it. “I’m not completely hopeless on these things,” he said when they stared at him.
“But Gabby’s better,” Haley said staring at the location of the phone. “She had another plan in place this whole time.”
“How do you know?” Joan asked.
“Because that’s her storage shed,” Haley told them. “If her phone’s there, it means she’s gone.”
“She couldn’t have just vanished,” Sam argued.
“Gabby could,” Haley said surprising them at the sincerity of her tone. “She helped me disappear twice; she’s helped hundreds of others do it too.”
“Stop,” Adam said, “what are you talking about?”
“Gabby’s roommate in college was in an abusive relationship, she found an underground group that helped people out of situations and she offered her skills to them,” Haley explained. “How do you think she got me and Jess new papers so quickly?”
“Okay, so Gabby helps create new identities for battered women? There has to be a place where she does it at,” Morris suggested.
“The storage shed…just let me show you,” Haley told them. They split up between two cars and drove in silence. When they stopped, Haley punched in the code on the keypad lock opening the door and revealing the items from their past Gabby hadn’t been able to get rid of. Haley walked over to the table and picked up the phone, checking the messages on it before letting out a light sob.
“What is it Hales?” Adam said.
“It’s Gabby’s…look at the last note she typed.”
He took the phone and read it then read it out loud for the others.
“Hales, if you’re reading this it means you remembered the shed or someone tracked the phone here and you helped them open the shed. I’m fine, honest; I just need some time to myself. Tell Mom, Dad, and Rick not to worry and give Jess a huge hug for me. I’ll let you all know I’m alive and well once I’ve settled in. Don’t waste your time and energy trying to find me. I’ll come home when I need to. Please don’t worry or think I’m mad that you told Wyatt because I’m not, I think it’s the best thing that could have happened. If it hadn’t happened now sooner or later it would have and at least this way I can leave before something comes out that shouldn’t. Tell Sam, Nate andViola that no matter what they’ll always be in my heart and that finding you didn’t budge them from their spots in my life any and please let Adam know that I wish we’d had more time together before I had to go but it is what it is. If Joan will listen apologize to her for me, I never meant to hurt her because I really do think of her as a sister, and she always sided with me no matter what which just made things better and worse all at the same time. I’m good as far as financials go. I didn’t steal it from anywhere, I had another fund set up, not Jess’, and it was more than adequate to cover this move. I love you all and this isn’t goodbye, it’s simply a much-needed vacation after a year of constant battles. Take care and I’ll see you soon, Gabby.”
“Jesus Christ,” Nate said letting the pictures he held fall from his hands. “She’s gone.”
“And despite what she’s said, I don’t think she’s coming back,” Sam added.
“I could happily kill him,” Joan stated.
“We should tell Mom and Dad,” Viola said, “and Rick…”
“And my parents,” Joan added. “Right now the only one on Wyatt’s side is Wyatt.”
“Okay, don’t kill me but Wyatt’s not as bad of a guy as you think,” Morris stated. “He’s in love with Gabby.”
“Funny way of showing it,” Joan said frowning at him.
“He told me not too long ago that I’d be surprised what someone in love would forgive. Granted it sounds like he was a complete ass the other night but maybe he wanted it to look that way?”
“What do you mean?” Viola asked.
“Having all of you angry at him kept him from thinking about what losing Gabby will really do to him. He’s been in love with her for…well, from the first day she stood up to him I think. I tried convincing him to not go through with blackmailing herinto marriage but he wanted Gabby and he thought that by marrying her he could convince her to fall for him.”
“He went about it in an asinine way,” Sam stated.
“Maybe he did, but he’s willing to take all the blame for it,” Morris added. “In fact he’s already drawn up the papers to give Gabby her freedom…and three-fourths of his wealth.”
“That’s not possible, the prenup keeps her from getting anything,” Haley argued.
“It did but he tore it up, it had never been filed, and pretty much any judge would have thrown it out anyway.”
