All About Love : Part XI

Authors note:
Because of your emails, and comments made in some of the reviews for the previous chapter, this story will not be ended. I need to thank you all for your encouragement and I hope that you will agree with me when I say that, this story has suddenly taken on a life of it’s own. I hope you enjoy this latest installment.
David G.

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Council Woman Jean Grigway was seated in the livingroom of Mayor Osgoods house. She and the mayor were going over the final plans for the evenings scheduled press conference when the mayors youngest son Zachary burst into the room.
“Dad! Dad!” He said with excitement. “I think something is wrong with Lisa!”

His father looked up from the paperwork he was going over with Jean and frowned at his son.
“Zach how many times do I have to tell you not to interrupt me when I’m talking with members of the….”
“But Dad,” he whined impatiently. “I followed Lisa from Jasons house and then I saw Deputy Robinson driving after her and…”
“Wait! You were at Jasons house by yourself?”
“Well…yeah but…”
“You went all the way to Jasons house on your bike by yourself Zach?”
“Yeah Dad but…”
“Go to your room.” His father said quietly.

Zach looked up at his father with his beautiful blue eyes. For a moment he looked like he would obey and then his eyes turned to steel. “No.” He said just as quietly.

Jean cleared her throat. “Um…Timothy maybe we should listen to what…”
“I don’t think so Jean. See my son knows two things; first he knows he’s not supposed to go that far by himself and second he knows better than to disobey me.”
He looked at his son once more and this time he said nothing. Zach looked from his dad to council woman Grigway, tore the camera strap from his neck and threw the camera on the rug.

“FINE!” He shouted with anger. “IF PHIL ROBINSON HURTS LISA IT WILL BE YOUR FAULT AND…AND…AND I’LL HATE YOU!”
He burst into tears and ran from the room.
“I’m sorry that you had to see that Jean,” he said as he picked up his sons camera.

By chance the door had flipped open and the video was rolling. Timothy Osgood caught a glimpse of Phil Robinsons car following his daughters car down a quiet, deserted street and a chill ran down his spine. The car was just far enough behind hers so as not to be noticed. Suddenly he didn’t feel right. In fact, he felt sick to his stomach. He dropped the camera and took off after his son whose bedroom door had just slammed shut.

Jean Grigway picked up the camera and hit the rewind button.
“I’ve got to see what all the excitement is all about,” she murmured to herself.

She hit play and watched silently as Lisa came from Jason Jones apartment building, cross the street and get into her car. A few seconds later she pulled away. Nothing unusual there, she thought to herself. Then she saw former deputy Phil Robinson following Lisa in his vehicle from a safe distance and her heart sank. She knew in her heart of hearts that little Zach had caught something sinister unfolding and she was terrified for Lisa. Phil Robinson was tight with Alan Hamilton and he was just as every bit of a loose cannon. Lisa Osgood was in trouble.

****

There comes a time in everyones life when he or she must take a stand for what they believe in. For Drew and Paul that time had come. After the sheriff had left them alone in the woods they stayed behind for a while and discussed what had taken place. Drew needed a little convincing as to what they had to do. He had been terrified that Alan Hamilton was going to kill them both but, at the same time, he certainly didn’t want to do what had been demanded of them. Alan Hamilton wanted them to interrupt the press conference and tell everyone present that the Mayor’s son had seduced them. That he wanted them to become a part of his fathers little group of teenage boys who sold themselves for sex. Obviously this was not true and it meant destroying more lives and putting their own in the limelight. But why would he want them to say such a thing? 

For Paul it was a no brainer. He had grown up in a political family. In fact his aunt, Councilwoman Jean Grigway, had started raising him when he was just a little boy. Both his mom and dad were killed in a tragic car accident when he was just six years old. His little brother was only two at the time. 

Growing up in his Aunt Jeans house had given him the opportunity to see all sides of polititcal issues and that included the always famous power struggles. He knew that Alan Hamilton was up to something rotten and he was damned if he was going to let him get away with it. He could make all the threats he wanted as far as Paul was concerned. Why? Because Paul knew that he would have one helluva time carrying them all out. Besides, Alan Hamilton had threatened the life of his little brother and that, in and of itself, was enough to make Paul want to fight back. He’d already lost his parents. Hell! He never even got the chance to know his parents all that well. He was damned if he was going to lose the one real link to them that he had…his little brother Barry. 

To that end he had tracked down his Aunt Jean at the Mayors house and he now found himself sitting in the livingroom next to Drew. They had just finished explaining what had taken place in the woods…minus the sexual escapades.

“This is a real freaking mess Timothy,” Jean said. “Alan is now threatening to kill people. Not to mention his equally crazy side kick Phil Robinson.”
“I know, I know.” The mayor said sharply. “I’ve already called Jason and he’s on it. Plus, I finally calmed Zach down and got him to tell me everything he saw. Unfortunately it was just what we saw on the tape. I’ve tried calling Lisa on her cell but she doesn’t pick up. She could be out of range or her battery might be dead. The last thing I want to do is panic and have the rest of the force combing all over the county for her. It would tip Alan off and we want him to believe that everything is going his way.”

At the mention of Phil Robinsons name, Drew looked up sharply. “What about Phil?” He asked.
“We have reason to believe that Phil is stalking my daughter,” the mayor replied quietly. “The problem is that we don’t know where either of them are now. We know the last place they were seen and that was in front of Jason Jones’ house. We have Phil on video following Lisa in her car.”

“Which direction were they headed in?” Drew asked with excitement.
“Drew…what do you know?” Paul asked him cautiously.
“Well if they were heading south then they would have been spotted ‘cause that’s heading toward downtown. If they were headed north then chances are they are going towards the old access road. Phils family owns that old abandoned farmhouse out there. I thought everybody knew that.”
“Oh my God,” the mayor breathed. “That’s right! It’s so far out of the way too. I’d better call Jason.”

He got up and ran from the room. His wife stood up, excused herself and ran after her husband. Councilwoman Grigway smiled with an encouragement (she didn’t feel) at her nephew and his friend.

“Let’s hope you’re right Drew,” she said. “This may be our only chance to get Lisa away from Robinson.”
“We don’t even know if he’s planning on doing something to her Aunt Jean,” Paul said. “I mean…he could have just been behind her.”
“I know that I raised you to believe the best in people,” she answered him. “But, this time I’m asking you to assume the worst. Phil Robinson is just as dangerous as his former boss. Plus he hates the fact that Lisa chose Jason over him and that Jason fired him from his job. No honey…he’s after Lisa and I don’t think that he thought of this on his own. I smell Alan Hamilton all over this one and it’s time we cleaned up the stench in Junctionville once and for all.”

Just then Mrs. Osgood came back into the room with little Zach right on her heels.

“Mom is Lisa gonna be alright?” He asked.
She smiled gently at her youngest. “Yes. Yes she is…and do you know why? Because she has a little brother who doesn’t always listen to his parents.”
He frowned slightly at her and cocked his head. “Zach,” she continued gently. “If you hadn’t taped her this morning then we wouldn’t know that she was in trouble.

But, because you didn’t listen to us, and you traveled all that way by yourself, we have a chance to help her.”
“What about Billy? Is he gonna be alright too?”
“Good question Zach,” Jean answered. She looked at Mrs. Osgood and squared her shoulders. “We are going to make sure all the kids are going to be all right. I think it’s time to bring everybody home. You should tell your husband to get on the phone again and call the kids. Also, get Scott Parsons and Natalie Burns here as well. It’s time to rally the troops.”

“What does that mean?” Zach asked innocently. 
“That means,” Jean looked down at him. “We are taking the war to the enemy Zach.”