Broken Hearted Read online

  “If things get too bad and you really need us to step in, just rub the side of this ring until it gets warm. I promise I’ll be there for you. Nothing means more to me than you. You will come first tonight, Faith, everyone knows you’re not to get hurt ever again.”

  They were back at the airport now and the limo was waiting for them. They said goodbye to Ty and run to the limo. Within a few minutes, Trey and Faith were standing outside the bar. He turned to Faith and held her close and kissed her passionately. “Let’s get this show on the road, Faith.” He glanced down at her as they walked in the bar. She was gorgeous and this time, she was the classy lady walking beside him. It’s amazing how all eyes turned to her as she walked into a room. Time stood still as he followed her to their table. She waited for him to help her with her chair. He glanced around the bar. Eve nor Roni was anywhere to be found. Katie was coming back from the restroom Trey sees she’d been crying. He made sure his earpiece was turned back on.

  “Katie, Eli, where is Eve and Roni?”

  He heard a sob and Katie whispered, “I’m almost to your table. I’ll explain when I set down.” Trey stared into Faith’s eyes. She knew this operation’s started without either one of them.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Faith

  Katie sat down, Faith could tell she’s afraid to tell Trey what’d happened within the last two hours.

  Trey immediately started, “What the hell has happened to Eve, Katie? Where is my sister?”

  Eli broke in. “Go easy on her, Trey. Eve left and on her own we all were unable to stop her. She wouldn’t listen to any warning Katie or I gave.” Faith saw it’s obvious Katie was afraid Trey would blame her, however, he knew Eve didn’t listen to anyone. She touched Trey’s hand and he glanced her way, realizing he’d scared Katie. He softly explained to her, “I know it’s not your fault, Katie. My sister is strong minded and she listens only to her big brothers. In addition, she understands we protect her and we approve of her living her own life. So let’s start at the beginning and you clarify everything for me. Please understand, Katie, it’s crucial we know the whole conversation you and Eve had before she left.” Letting her know she’s not to blame, Trey took her hand in his, squeezing it tightly.

  “Calm down, Katie, all you have to do is speak to us.” Katie took a deep breath as if she were under water and coming up for air. She plunged straightway into her explanation.

  “Eve and Roni kept their heads together for about an hour. I might as well have been invisible. I recognized something evil was going to happen. Eve told me, ‘I’m taking Roni home with me early.’” Katie shook her head as if remembering.

  “I tried to go with her, but she refused to let me go. She left with that spiked headed bitch hanging on her arm, smiling as they walked out the door.” Tears glistened in Katie’s eyes now.

  “I don’t know what’s happening, Trey. I know enough about your family to know Eve doesn’t go anywhere alone. Especially without you guys knowing where she’s at and what she’s doing. She wouldn’t listen, Trey, to me or Eli. We tried to convince her to wait on you and Faith. I started to follow them, then Eli from the band said to stay and wait for you and Faith.” She stare into Faith’s eyes saying, “Now what are our plans?”

  “Katie, you have to remain right here no matter what takes place. Eli will instruct you as to what you will do. When you need to react we know you will do whatever it takes to bring Eve home. You have to listen to him tonight. Trey and I’ll be having an eventful evening getting Eve back. If we need help we’ll let Eli know.”

  Trey placed his face in his hands and Faith touched his shoulder. “Okay, Trey, at this moment it’s time to consider all options. Roni and Mr. Moore presented a variation in plans so now it’s time to rethink our strategy. Trey contact Ty, send him to your house. He’ll be familiar with where to go.” Trey raised his head up with a smile.

  “Yes, the safe room. He can go in through the safe room without anyone knowing he’s made his way into the house.” Then he glared at Katie. “You pretend you’re deaf right now, Katie. Don’t ever repeat anything you hear tonight. Do I make myself clear?”

  “I’m not hearing or seeing anything Trey. Stop being a bully! You’re wasting precious time talking to me that way. Please get Eve back home safe and sound. She’s my one of my best friend.”

  Faith heard Eli in her ear saying, “Faith, Roni came in tonight and told the band to rearrange our songs she wasn’t singing tonight. She informed the band, she was taking the night off. The band took a break while Cash yelled at her telling her she had a job to do tonight. Katie and I heard Roni shouting back, Y right! I have a job to finish tonight and it’ll be completed with Eve tonight. So screw you people! I want Eve and I’m going to have her before someone else gets the pleasure. Besides Cash, remember me telling you daddy wanted to see Faith again? Well, he wants to meet Eve first before he talks to Faith. I have no choice but take her to meet him tonight. Cash, you have to do the set without me for old time’s sake please.’”

  Katie grasped Trey’s arm, “When I tried to persuade Eve to stay with me, she smiled and told me she needed to go with Roni. Eve told me Roni had the information that could save a lot of people she loved. She let me know you or Faith wouldn’t let her go if you were here. So she was going to take this opportunity to see what Roni knows about the case. Whatever that means to the two of you. Then she said for me to tell you to listen and wait. She knows you’ll be there when she needs you.”

  Trey smiled at Katie, a true heart felt smile, making his one dimple in his left check show up. “Thanks, Katie, you finally told us why we haven’t heard from Eve. She means she’ll be turning her earpiece on and off tonight. So we can help her if she gets into trouble and needs us.”

  Katie sighed a breath of relief. “What’s next, Trey? Are we going to sit and wait?”

  “We wait, we stay right here. We let Ty and Cody do what they do best. They’ll take care of putting the puzzle together while we wait to hear from Eve. They find and help people every day. And Eve’s their sister too so you know they’ll find her where ever she maybe.”

  They ordered drinks to make everything appear as normal as possible, in case Joey the bartender was in on taking Eve. Faith would bet her left hand Joey had played a big part in getting Eve to go with Roni. Maybe he even placed a sedative in her drink or something worse. Faith prayed Eve was all right and she would love to hear her crazy voice in her ear. However, she knew Mr. Moore would hurt Eve if he didn’t get what he wanted. And tonight he wanted Faith. She would kill him herself if he touched Eve. His touch alone was deadly. It deadened a piece of Faith’s heart every time he traced his finger along her body. She shuddered remembering how horrible he could be if you crossed him.

  Suddenly Ty broke into her thoughts, “She’s not in the house and from the looks of things she hasn’t been here at all.”

  Cody came on saying, “We’ve checked everything out and they sent us here, giving them time to hide her somewhere else.”

  Trey huffed. “What are we going to do now? We have to find her soon or they may hurt her to show us they mean business.”

  Faith touched Treys hand softly, stroking his fingers reassuringly. “We stay here, Trey. We don’t have a choice. You know Roni will show back up here to let us know what we need to do to keep Eve safe. I hope she will take me with her this time and let Eve go. Mr. Moore’s men have captured me. I know what they can and will do to get information from you. This might be worse now because he’s out for revenge. We put away some of his men, and he still doesn’t have the information my father had on him. He still believes I know where my father placed it before he was murdered. I’m prepared for what might happen to me again, however, Eve’s been sheltered all her life, Trey, and she won’t be prepared for their cruelty.”

  Faith sat quietly for a few minutes. Then she questioned Ty, “What happened to her rose pendant. Whoever was watching her knew the minute her system went down. I activat
ed it myself, Ty, you know it was working when I put it on.”

  “Yes, I know she took it off about an hour ago telling me the latch broke. Of course, I believed her.”

  “What about her earpiece? When did she turn it off?”

  “It must have been just before they left the bar. What are you thinking Faith?” Faith glanced at Trey and smiled.

  “They took her to Ty’s house! Remember, we gave them the information that Ty was going to be gone for weeks. They don’t realize he has a safe room. It attached to your parents’ property, doesn’t it? Eve will get there if she can and you know it.”

  Trey smiled and showed that one dimple again. “Yes, he does and that’s where they have her. However, if we storm the house they may kill her.”

  Faith lowered her head to her hands wiping the strand of her hair from her face that had fallen into her eyes. She knew this decision could be deadly for Eve, so she softly said, “Eli, it’s your call, but I feel in my heart that Ty should set up inside the safe room and the tunnel leading to his parents’ house. He needs to bring in the big guns and be ready to go if Eve needs us. We can’t let her down and I have to find a way to get Mr. Moore to take me instead of her.”

  Eli sat quietly for only a second, then said, “Ty, you work the safe room and the tunnel. You have all the manpower you need. Faith has to wait for Roni. We realize she’ll be back. Mr. Moore will send her back to let us know what we have to do to get Eve back. In the meantime, Ty, you have to get the teddy bear. However, don’t let anyone know what you’re doing. Keep the bear with you. No matter what happens, don’t give the bear up.

  Trey took Faith’s hand and squeezed it telling her, “Now we wait.” Even though both their thoughts and prayers were with Eve, right now, they pretended to listen to the band. Cash kept glancing at Faith smiling. She gave her best fake smile to him, however, she couldn’t help remembering the love she felt for him in the past. He sang one of her favorite songs and she knew he was singing it especially for her.

  When his set was over, he walked straight to their table. Cash took Faith’s hand and looked into her eyes, smiling as she felt him slip something into her hand. As he turned and walked away, she opened her hand to find a room key, his room key. Oh, God, her heart skipped a beat. She quickly shuts her hand and slid the key into her purse. Faith knew she should show the key to Trey but she didn’t nor did she throw it away. Faith sat wondering, “Do I want to be with him. It’s as if we’re back to the days he would give me his room key and I would be ready and waiting for him.”

  If Trey saw Cash give Faith the key, he made no move to let her know it. Eli sat down beside, Faith leaning in he whispered, “Please be careful, Faith. He’s playing with your heart again, babe. Trey would do anything for you because he loves you completely. Not when it’s convenient for him. And he’ll never leave you again. Can you say that about Cash? He does have a record for loving and leaving you.”

  Faith only nodded, thinking why did everything had to be so confusing when it came to Cash. Eli placed his arm around Faith as she whispered, “I love Trey. So what is it with Cash that makes me so crazy?”

  Before Eli had a chance to answer Trey said, “Because you loved him once and never put a close to that relationship. Faith, have you forgot the two of you have your earpieces still on. I heard your whole conversation.”

  “Trey, I’m so sorry. I love you. But you’re right, I have to talk to him soon.”

  “However, you don’t have to go to his hotel room to talk with him darling.” Faith didn’t reply she just put her face in her hands, shaking her head as if to clear her mind.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Faith looked up, seeing Roni walk in the door. Eli quickly explained. “Don't anyone move, let her come to us. She'll tell us what we need to do next.” Roni strolled up to our table with a wicked grin on her face.

  “Hi, Faith, how are you tonight?”

  “I'm great, Roni, and how are you?”

  Roni laughed. “Aren't you going to ask me where Eve has been taken? You know I know where she's at, don't you Faith?”

  Then Faith stared straight into Roni's eyes. No one at the table moved or spoke. Faith stood and motioned for Roni to sit down. Faith scowled. “Roni, what do you and Mr. Moore want in exchange for Eve. If you want me, I’ll walk out with you right now. Let Eve go, she hasn't done anything to you or Mr. Moore.”

  Faith waited for Roni to answer, however, she sat quietly smiling for what seemed like an eternity. Then she leaned in closer to Faith and whispered, “Daddy wants you dead, but not until you tell us where the information is your father had on our family.”

  “I don't have any information about your family, Roni. You can bet if I did, Mr. Moore or Daddy as you call him, would be behind bars right now. Did he tell you he killed my parents? You knew my mom and dad, remember we had sleepovers at my house? How can you let him convince you to kidnap Eve and hold her for information I don't even know where it would be, Roni. What am I looking for anyway? What does your father think my dad knew about him?”

  Roni's eyes darted back and forth between Trey and Faith. She almost appeared ready to run at any moment. Faith wondered what she's afraid of them or some of Mr. Moore's men. She questioned Roni. “How many of Mr. Moore's men are here with you, Roni? Come on tell us the truth, we’ll help you get out of this mess alive. You know if anything goes wrong, you’re dead. Mr. Moore doesn't care if you're his daughter, Roni, he will kill you just like he did my parents.”

  Roni stood up, knocking over Faiths drink on her way up. “Daddy won't hurt me as long as I do what he says and right now he wants you.” Roni stood silently, pinching her ear, pushing her hair out of her face. Faith realized she must have an earpiece connecting her to Mr. Moore or his men. Faith gathered every ounce of calmness she could find from deep inside and stood, putting a gentle hand to Roni's shaking arm.

  “Sit down, Roni, let's calm down and work everything out. We’ll straighten this mess out and satisfy Mr. Moore. You'll be all right, let's talk through everything I need to accomplish here tonight.”

  Roni shakily sat back down. She started to relax a little and she quietly told Faith, “Daddy says you have exactly two days to volunteer the information to him in person or Eve's dead. Do you understand Faith, Eve will die.” Then Roni half-smiled, standing up and swiftly walked out of the bar.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Ty immediately came on the air. “If Eve is at my house, why haven't we heard from her? I can't go home now, they know I'm out of town. At least that's the information we planted for them to find. What now, Eli? You're heading this operation up and my sister is in danger.”

  Eli turned to Faith and to Trey, “Any ideas from the two of you? Are we one hundred percent sure that she's at Ty's house? If so we can try to go in through the safe room, however, I'm thinking we need to wait this out a few more hours.”

  Trey reached over taking Faith’s hand. “We're going home right now and waiting for Eve to contact us with the information as to where she's located. Every one of us sitting here at this table knows as soon as she can she'll contact us. Katie you're welcome to stay with Faith and me until this mess is straightened out. You'll be safe with us and you can call your parents and let them know where you'll be staying. And Ty, place some of your men in the tunnel leading from Mom and Dad's house to yours. Tell them to stand down until we contact them and tell them to move. Eli try to talk to Cash. I think he knows more than he wants us to think. He's been in this band for years with Roni so he has to know Mr. Moore and Joey really well. There is no way he's worked that close to Roni every day without her confiding in him. Faith let's get out of here. I need to think like Eve would think now. She's my twin sister and we aren't hearing from her because she's afraid they'll find out she's talking to us or she's unable to contact us. I prefer to think she's awake and waiting for the perfect moment to let us know what's going on. See you guys later. Come on Katie you can call your parents on the way.�
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  Faith and Katie stood to leave as Faith glanced over to Eli saying, “If you hear anything from Eve, please let us know.” Eli only shook his head in agreement before he stood pushing his chair back into place, turning to walk to the stage for his next set.

  Cash was late as usual running from the bar to the stage. Eli glared at him and declared, “Why can't you be on time for once. The rest of the band is always waiting for you.”

  “I'm the lead singer and I'll get on stage whenever I want to Eli. Besides, what's wrong with you tonight? I saw you flirting with Katie. Did she blow you off or what? Where did they go anyway?”

  Eli caught his breath, realizing he should tell Cash where they went so he could tell Roni. “They went to Trey's house to wait for her to call them. She left a few hours ago and Roni came back alone. Roni doesn't know or isn't telling us where she went. So you know how protective her brothers are and she is like a little sister to Faith. As far as Katie goes, keep your mouth shut about her. Yes, I enjoy her company a lot. So stay away from her.”

  Cash grinned and laughed. “You can have Katie. I'm going to win Faith back. Trey isn't worth her sweat besides, she's still crazy about me.”

  “Sure she is, Cash, what makes you say something like that. She probably threw the room key you tried to slip to her away. If I saw you put it in her hand you can bet Trey saw too. He's not going to let you near her again. I'll bet my lousy paycheck from here, she's through with you.”

  Cash glared at Eli with contempt. He jumped across the stage, knocking the drumsticks out of Eli's hand bending down to stare him directly in the eyes. “Don't screw with me where Faith is concerned, Eli. I’ll kill you and laugh while I slit your throat. Now pick up your drumsticks and drop everything. Let's get this set over. I want to go back to the hotel room and wait for Faith to come to me. Think about it Eli. She knows I’m the closest one to Roni and Mr. Moore. When she needs information, who do you think she'll run to me or Joey? I doubt she'll get near Joey after the ways she reacted the other night. She remembered her past with him wasn't pleasant. As a matter of fact, her past with Joey was extremely abusive. I hope you know what I mean.”