Molly
My conversation with Tom is quick and to the point. It doesn't matter what has happened today or what my feelings are he's at the town hall and he needs me so that's where I need to be.
My heart is pounding as I race out of Penny's shop and head for the town hall, the only problem is that I've only walked past the town hall once when Tom and I came shopping, and I'm struggling to remember where it is. My lack of concentration aint helping right now either.
SOPHIE AND KATIE ARE MISSING! How? Why? And worst of all they think that they have been taken by someone. Just thinking of those poor girls away from their Dad and family brings tears to my eyes. They must be so scared!
I run with all I have in what I think Is the right direction but my heart falls when I end up down a side road that leads away from the town, shit! If I'm right the town hall is in the complete opposite direction from here. I've just wasted almost 10 minutes for nothing.
I've also got a stupid stitch from running so fast for so long. I hold my side as I walk back out of the side road all while working to catch my breath and figure out which way to go from here. This place is always busy but the one time I need there to be people to give me directions there's no one in sight.
I stop once I'm out of the side road and look around to plan my next move. This is the main part of town but it also has four different roads that lead to more buildings, homes, and the main road out of town. Which frigging road was it that Tom took me down? think molly!
"Molly. Are you ok?" I spin around and breathe out a relieved breath. "Hunter, I'm so glad to see you!" Hunter is a farm hand for Tom's parents, I've spoken to him several times since I've been here and we get on well. he's also a giant flirt, but I enjoy our banter.
"well, of course, you're glad to see me. look at me!" he makes a show of spinning around but I can't find it in me to smile or play along not with the girls missing and I'm surprised that he can. I would have thought that he would be out looking for them, he loves those girls.
he must notice that my usually would-be witty response isn't coming as he stops his show looking confused. "Molly, what's wrong?"
"Have you spoken to Christian, or one of his brothers in the last hour?" He shakes his head looking even more confused. "No, why what's happened?" I can see that he's already panicking. "Tom called me a little while ago... hunter the girls are missing."
My words seem to take a few seconds to sink into his head but he still continues to look confused. "Wait... what girls? Molly, whos missing?" The panic in his voice is raw and I'm pretty sure that he already knows who I'm talking about but maybe he needs me to confirm it for him.
"Katie and Sophie are missing. They think someone has taken them, Hunter."
"OH FUCK NO!" The instant anger in his voice makes me jump. "Shit! sorry Molly." He instantly softens his tone before taking a step towards me."Wait if the girls are missing then why ain't you with, Tom?"
"I'm heading there now. well, I'm trying to but... I... am... I can't remember how to get to the town hall. That's where everyone is. That's where they have gone missing from."
"Wait why hasn't anyone called me?" He digs his hand in his pocket and fishes out his cell phone. "Shit! my phone is on silent. I've got missed calls from all the guys and messages. What an idiot!"
"Hey Hunter don't do that, you couldn't have known that this would happen." He nods but I'm pretty sure that he's still not convinced. He lifts his phone to his ear and I take a step back to give him privacy for whoever it is that he's calling.
"Jack, I'm so sorry man my phone was on silent.
"Yeah.. ok."
"I'll head there now and I've got, Molly with me."
"Yeah, Molly, she got lost."
"Ok... Yes, she's ok, I swear!"
"Ok, we'll see you then."
He steps closer to me while shaking his head with a slightly amused look on his face not that I can think of any reason for it... not right now anyway. "Tom's waiting at the town hall for us. The others have already set off in groups to search the town. Jack said he and Christian will be at the town hall to tell us where to go."
"Why do they need to come back to tell us? Why can't Jack just tell you over the phone? Or even Tom?" He shrugs his shoulders claiming to not know but I get the feeling that he's not quite being honest. Whatever it is I decide to just ignore it for now. My only concern right now is finding those girls, everything else can wait.
"Molly! it's so good to see you, sweetheart!" Tom practically pounces on me the moment I step into the hall. He squeezes the life out of me before stepping back and looking me over from head to toe. "I'm fine honey." He raises one of his perfectly manicured eyebrows showing he doubts me. "I promise. I'm ok." He still doesn't seem completely convinced but he doesn't say another word about it.
"Never mind me, are you ok? I can't believe this has happened!" Tom steps back a little and it's clear to see that he's struggling. He looks tired and worried and his eyes are red raw so I know that he's been crying."
" I'm ok, I have to be. Christian needs us all strong. We need to find those baby girls. I swear if she does have them I'm going to bury her six feet under after I've tortured her to death!" He's spitting out his words by the time he's finished but both Hunter and I are confused.
"Amy," Tom answers my unasked question. "We suspect that she may have taken them."
"But why?" We all know she isn't interested in being a Mom so why would she... Oh, wait... "Please tell me she wouldn't take them just to use them to get money out of Christian?"
Tom nods his head looking even more angerier if that's possible. "You barely know her Molls and you've already come up with that assumption all on your own so what do you think?" Fucking bitch!
"I'll help you bury her." I spit out. "I'm in," Hunter growls. "Has anyone managed to speak to her?"
"I've just got off the phone with her... She has the girls!" We all turn our attention toward the hall doors when Christian's voice bellows out.
"Are they ok?" Both Tom and I ask at the same time. Jack is standing behind Christian looking ready to murder someone while Christian is visibly shaking with rage. "Yeah. well, she said they are and I don't think she will hurt them... not physically anyway."
"How much does she want?" Tom asks as he steps closer to Christian. He may be quick to assume that she's asked for money but deep down even I know that she has and I don't know her half as well as any of these.
"A lot!"
"Wait... Sophie is your daughter too and she isn't supposed to be around her right now while social services are involved so how can she think that she can use her to get money out of her?" Tom's got a good point but I'm pretty sure that Christian would have already thought of that so I'm dreading his answer.
"I said the same to her. She... she told me that she knows that she can't use Sophie against me but.."
"Oh hell no, she's using Katie to blackmail you isn't she?" The words leave my mouth before I can stop them. "Shit, I'm sorry. This isn't anything to do with me. I shouldn't have said anything." Christian gives me a strange look before stepping closer to me. "You are here trying to help even when you don't have to. Even when you don't want to be around me you are still here trying to help find my girls so this does involve you, Molls."
His words are raw and so unlike how he usually speaks to me and they leave me a little speechless. "I wouldn't be anywhere else right now." It's the truth even if it feels strange telling him this.
"Is that what she's doing Chris, is she using Katie to blackmail you?" I'm relieved by Hunter's question, it breaks whatever that strange moment was between me and Christian.
He nods his head before looking away from me and around at all of us. "Yes, she said she wants $50,000 to bring them both home and not interfere with me caring for Katie while she's under investigation. If she doesn't get a cent from me then she's going to hand Katie over to social services and tell them she doesn't want her with me."
He looks completely gutted and it hurts to see. "What else did she say, Chris? I know there's more." Tom looks like he's on to something here. "She also offered to sign Katie over to me so that I would legally be her guardian and she would sign all of her rights away. She also offered to sign Sophie and Brody over to me too."
"How much does the bitch want?" I don't think I have ever seen Tom this pissed before and that's saying something. Christian continues to look between us all before looking down at the ground and taking a deep breath.
"one million dollars."