"Yoohoo, Joey."
Recognizing Mrs. Danski voice, she stepped out from under the cover and looked up. The older woman leaned over the balcony outside her apartment.
Joey waved. "Is everything okay, Mrs. Danski?"
"Perfect, dear. I just finished watering my plants, and now it looks like it's going to rain. Have you heard if it's supposed to freeze tonight?" asked Mrs. Danski.
She stepped out into the grass to see Mrs. Danski better, and a raindrop fell on her arm. "I don't believe so." She held out her hand, palm up. "You're right, it is starting to rain."
"Oh, no. I hope it doesn't drown my plants."
"We probably have a couple of weeks before the nights get down to freezing. If you want, I can set your plants under the alcove of the stairs if you don't want them getting wet."
"That's alright. I'll move them inside this weekend." Mrs. Danski checked her watch. "Oh, the commercial is over. I need to go watch the last fifteen minutes of As The World Turns and find out who Lilly picks—Dustin or Holden. I'm rooting for Dusty. That Holden is too much of a momma's boy. Bye, dear."
"Bye." She pulled a dandelion from the grass and carried it over to the garbage can.
She'd probably need to cut the grass one more time before it stopped growing for the season. Travis had done a fantastic job over the summer keeping up with the cuttings and had asked if he could continue to work for her next summer. She promised him the job, but inside she wondered if he'd be living at the apartments or if Wyatt would follow his dream of building a house for his family. The thought made her sad.
She always worried that Wyatt would bring up the subject of moving again. Even if he invited her to live with him, it would be too hard to manage the apartments if she had to travel here every time someone called about a problem that cropped up.
The school bus stopped out on the main road. Not wanting to embarrass Travis, she waited for him in front of the apartment like Wyatt had told her to do. When he bounded off the bus, he slung his duffle over his back.
Two younger kids ran past him to get out of the rain. The Bonner kids spotted her and waved. She waved back. They'd grown like weeds over the summer.
Travis stepped up on the sidewalk at the end of the building. She headed toward him, excited to hear about his first day of high school.
"Anything exciting happen—?" Knocked in the back, her body pitched forward.
"Joey!" yelled Travis.
The fear in Travis's voice warned her at the same time a hand covered her mouth, and her body was dragged backward.
"Don't scream, kid, or I shoot her," said an unfamiliar male voice.
Travis rushed forward. She widened her eyes, silently screaming for Travis to run. Run far away and get help.
"Let her go." Travis dropped his duffle and balled his fists at his sides. "Don't hurt her."
"You have something of mine, and I want it back." The man's arm tightened around Joey's head.
"Let her go," said Travis. "You can have it. It's in our apartment."
Catching a glimpse of a pistol out of her peripheral vision, Joey stopped struggling against the male holding her captive. Her heart pounded. Afraid Travis would get hurt, she tried to get the boy to look at her, but he kept his gaze on the man.
"You're lying. I've already gone through the apartment. Now, where the hell are you hiding it?" The man dragged Joey back two steps. She struggled to keep her feet underneath her to save Travis.
Travis growled, his face contorting. Joey kicked back with her foot, hitting the man's leg holding her. Afraid Travis would do something foolish and get himself shot, she had to keep the man focused on her.
Yanked off the ground, she dangled from the man's hold on her head. Stars flickered in her vision.
"Stop it," yelled Travis. "I'll tell you. I'll tell you."
The man shoved the barrel of the pistol against Joey's head. She stilled. Her eyes burned, staring at Travis. Run! Please, run!
The man dragged her out into the grass and shoved her away from him. She fell on her hands and knees, gasping for air.
"Don't say a word and walk, or I blow a hole in the kid," said the man.
She scrambled forward, crawling, trying to get her feet under her. Rain fell on her, soaking her clothes. Grabbing handfuls of wet grass, she pushed herself to her feet and grasped Travis.
Walking backward, she made out the pistol in the man's pocket, pointed at them. Lightheaded, she panted for breath, her body trembling. She wanted to yell for help but wouldn't risk him shooting Travis.
"Turn around and keep going."
She gulped, holding onto Travis tightly, afraid he would try to run off and get shot.
"What do we do?" whispered Travis.
"Walk slowly and do what he says, and let me think. Maybe someone will come out of their apartment and see us." She prayed that someone would notice what was going on, but also knew she'd been everywhere around the complex, cleaning and checking in with tenants that the renters wouldn't think twice about seeing her. The rain wasn't helping. Everyone was hunkered inside out of the weather.
Even if someone looked out their door, they wouldn't notice the gun in the man's pocket, aimed at them.
"I hate him," mumbled Travis.
The passion in those words gave Joey her answer to who the man was. He was the kids' former stepdad. The man who wanted to take Wyatt's children away from him.
In front of Unit C, Dean Miller ordered them to climb the stairs. There was nowhere to go but up. Her keys were back in her apartment. The four units at that end of the complex were unusable and securely locked, so no children could get inside and harm themselves.
"Open the door," said Dean.
She glanced at Travis and shook her head, reaching for the
