Just My Luck Ch. 13
In the two days that Jan and the boys had been in their new location, her deceased in-law’s home, they had developed a small routine, or rather, she had. For the most part, JC, Lance, Joey, Chris and Justin slept most of the days and evenings away while she worked around the house, trying to keep herself occupied.
In the mornings, before the others awakened, Jan would watch the sunrise from the back porch while waiting for Dr. Shannon’s daily check-up phone calls. The pair would discuss how the boys were doing and what needed to be done for that day in order to help along the slow process of healing for Joey, Lance and Justin. Chris and JC were also discussed but they were not the main focus of the conversations since neither had injuries that Jan needed to care for.
“I’ve had one of my receptionists looking for some physicians in your local area, Jan. She should have something for me sometime today and I’ll give you a call.”
“That would be good, Dr. Shannon. I’m not feeling very comfortable with taking care of Joey’s hand and I think Lance is about ready to climb the walls if he isn’t given permission to try speaking soon. He’s so frustrated with having to write notes all the time or ringing a bell from upstairs to get anyone’s attention.”
Dr. Shannon chuckled lightly at the thought of Lance causing problems but then sobered at the thought of why the young man was being forced to remain silent.
“Tell you what, Jan…let me get that list today and I’ll send someone right out to examine him. If everything looks fine, we’ll start a simple regiment of voice exercises that he can do with one of the others. If all goes well with that, then by the end of the week, he should be good to go.”
“He’ll be so excited to hear that, doctor,” Jan said with a smile on her face. Lance had seemed a bit down when he wandered around the house in between naps. The doctor’s news would surely lift his spirits.
“If he has any questions, Jan have him write them down and we’ll discuss them later when I call with that list.”
“Okay.” Glancing up, Jan noticed some movement inside the living room. “Umm…I think someone is up so I better get in there and start some breakfast. It was good hearing from you.”
“Have a good day and I’ll speak with you later, Jan.”
Jan quickly hung up the phone and made her way toward the door when the phone happened to ring again.
“Hello?” she said, thinking that the doctor had thought of something else that he needed to discuss with her, but there was silence on the other end.
“Hello? Hello?” she repeated but was once again met with silence before shutting off her phone. A small shiver crept down her spine as she stood still, her back turned to the door. That was the third or fourth time that she had received that kind of phone call since the first one two days ago when a man asked for her mother-in-law. She had dismissed the first one, but with each new call, she couldn’t help but feel as if something was going on.
“Jan?”
Torn from her thoughts, the young woman gasped and spun around, one hand at her throat as fear raced through her while Justin stood stock still in the doorway, his eyebrows raised in a mixture of fear and concern.
“J…don’t do that to me,” Jan said quickly with a shaky laugh, trying to compose herself while giving her nephew a small smile that just didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“What’s going on, Jan? Wha…I didn’t mean to…I’m sorry,” he stammered, but Jan quickly raised her hand putting an end to his attempts to find out why she was so nervous.
“I’m glad you’re up, Justin. Let’s go get a big breakfast going for the others.” Abruptly, Jan opened the door wider and walked past the young man. Justin stepped back then, with a shrug, followed his aunt into the kitchen.
“Humph…looks like I’m heading in the right direction,” Ron Williams said to himself, staring at the phone on the bedside table as he sat back on his hotel bed. After pinpointing the general location where he thought Jan was hiding with the young men of Nsync, Ron had driven from Orlando to Livingston, Texas. Now, all he had to do was find out who Raylene Scott had been and where her house was. When he did that, he would finally be able to get rid of JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick, along with the others staying with them. If the others happened to somehow escape, that would be of little consequence since Chasez and Kirkpatrick were his main focus. He had to get to those two since they could possibly identity those who had attacked them as well as their boss, Tony Picatti.
‘Picatti…Mr. Picatti.’ Ron shook his head at the thought of the powerful loan shark. Usually, most people did not concern themselves that much when it came to dealing with loan sharks, but Tony Picatti was not your typical loan shark. No…Tony Picatti…or…Mr. Picatti had connections into the dark world of crime that could cause the most heinous of criminals shudder. The man was powerful…powerful enough to get exactly what he wanted, whenever he wanted it, without consequence. Although investigators had tried to convict the man, he had always remained a free man while those working with him took the heat for him. That was the kind of power that Ron wanted, but he knew that the grip that Tony Picatti had on him was strong, vise-like…there would be no way possible for him to bring himself out from under that grasp. The only thing that he could hope for was that he would be able to pull off this job then disappear for good…find somewhere, someplace that he could escape from Picatti. It was this job that he needed to make that wish come true.
With a sigh, Ron stood up and walked over to the dresser at the other end of the room. Pulling open one of the drawers, he reached in and lifted out his gun and clips.
“Well…this just might be the day that I rid Mr. Picatti of his problems,” he said with a laugh.
“Need some help with that, Joey?” JC asked quietly, stepping into the bedroom that they were sharing with Lance. He had followed Joey up the stairs after breakfast, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to put his shoes on without help. With some difficulty Joey had already managed to pull one of his shoes on, not bothering to tie the laces since it was next to impossible to do so with his hand so thickly bandaged.
“Yeah…I can’t…I…ugh!” Joey exclaimed in a mixture of frustration and embarrassment as JC knelt down before him. With quick, deft movements, JC helped Joey slip his other shoe on before settling into the task of tying the shoelaces. Watching the other man suddenly made Joey feel more like a four year old rather than a twenty-four year old and he let out a small sigh.
“Geez, Joe…this is where you’re supposed to make some wise cracks about me bowing down before you…worshiping the ground that you walk on,” JC said, squeezing his friend’s knee in an effort to make the younger man smile.
“Thanks, Jace,” Joey said quietly, not even going along with the joke that the other had started. He was just too frustrated. JC took the hint and decided that trying to make Joey happy was not going to work for the moment and he decided to drop the matter.
“No problem, Joey,” he said with another smile on his face as he continued with his task. “Am I tying it too tight?”
“No. You’re doing fine.”
“Hey…are you going to be okay doing this, Joe?” JC asked quietly, as he finished tying one shoe and began working on the other.
Joey shrugged his shoulders then spoke.
“Yeah…I guess. I mean, I don’t think Jan is going to make it easy, but I’ve gotta give it a try, right? Something’s bothering her…”
Throughout the previous evening he and the others had noticed that something was bothering her, but when she was questioned she simply replied that she was tired. When she gave the same reply day, then earlier this morning after a fairly good night’s rest, she gave the same answer. Justin told the others about how he had startled Jan earlier that morning and he was almost certain that he had heard her phone ring just before opening the door, but he had no clue as to who had called Jan besides Dr. Shannon and surely she would have said something if the doctor had said something to upset her. Everyone agreed with that remark and, after a short discussion, the group decided that Joey would be the one to try speaking with the Jan since Justin had struck out as well as JC and Chris the previous day.
“Just take your time, Joe,” JC encouraged him. “…Pour on just a touch of your Fatone charm and she just might come around.”
JC glanced up and gave the younger man a small smile and wink before returning his attention to Joey’s shoes.
Seconds later, JC patted Joey’s knee then stood up.
“There you go.”
“Thanks, Jace…not just for the shoes…okay?” Joey took a deep breath then stood up from his bed to make his way toward the bedroom door. Passing by JC, he gave him a pat on the shoulder and a smile. JC nodded then followed Joey out of the bedroom and down the stairs.
“She just walked outside, Joey,” Chris said entering the room with two glasses of tea. He handed one to Lance then sat down on the couch.
“Good luck, man,” Justin said, joining the others in the living room while JC sat down on the floor with one of his notebooks.
Joey nodded then headed for the front door.
“Dr. Shannon?”
The physician stopped walking through the waiting area in his private practice so that one of his receptionists could catch up with him.
“Yes, Megan?”
“I have that list of physicians that you requested…the doctors living in Texas,” she said, handing him several pieces of paper. “There are some details listed here…their addresses…years in practice…whether or not they’re fully retired…specialties.”
Dr. Shannon could tell that the young woman was curious as to why he wanted such a list, but he had no intentions of letting her have any further information and appreciated the fact that she didn’t ask for any.
“This is pretty much what I needed and more,” he said with a smile looking up from the papers. “Thanks, Meagan. You did a very good job.
“Thank you, sir.”
With a small shrug, the young woman then turned and walked away while the doctor made his way to his office, all the while looking over the list.
Two days ago, the doctor had requested that a search be made for physicians living in the East Texas area of Woodville or any nearby communities. Investigators had already ruled out any possibility that he could go to the boys to continue treating their injuries since his office had been bugged, meaning someone was obviously watching him very closely. As a result, it became necessary to find someone who could meet the requirements that he had in mind.
Mentally, he quickly narrowed the choices down from the ten to fifteen doctors listed to two names. Although both were unfamiliar, they met more of the prerequisites that he was searching for than the others.
“Dr. Martin Glendon and Dr. Jeremiah Pinner…both semi-retired…one living in Warren…the other in Woodville,” he mumbled while looking over their information. Minutes later, he made a decision before picking up his phone.
About a half hour later, the doctor was completely frustrated…neither man was able or even willing, for that matter to help out after hearing some of the details concerning the need for their services.
With an aggravated growl, the doctor pushed his chair away from his desk and turned so that he could look out his window. Somehow, he needed to find someone, but how?
“Jan! Jan!”
Joey walked quickly to catch the young woman as she made her way down the front porch steps. He couldn’t help but notice her shoulders noticeably slump as she seemed to reluctantly slow her steps giving him the opportunity to reach her side.
Trying to ease the tension that seemed to be radiating from the young woman, Joey lightly touched her shoulder as he spoke.
“Hey…you move pretty fast for someone running on little to no sleep.”
Joey kept a smile on his face as he adjusted the sling holding his right arm tight against his chest.
Jan’s slow, small smile in response to his joke gave him little comfort since it obviously didn’t reach her tired, blue eyes, but before he could press her, she spoke.
“Just wanted to make a quick trip down to the mailbox. Every once in a while flyers and junk mail are left by the mailman even with Mamo and Papo having been gone for a while.”
“Really? That’s…weird,” Joey replied, his eyebrows raised at the information as he easily fell into step with the red head.
The pair remained silent for the first 100 feet or so…Jan lost in her thoughts over the strange phone call the previous evening and Joey taking in the scenery for the first time. It had been dark when Jan and brought them to her in-law’s home more than two days ago and he and the others had pretty much slept their first day away, never having the chance to explore their surroundings and yesterday had been filled with rain and scattered thunderstorms…not exactly the best weather for walking around.
Every few steps, Joey chanced a glance Jan’s way and each time he frowned. He knew that something had to be bothering her, but he had not clue as to how to go about in finding out what the problem was. He had an idea that it had to do with the late phone call the other evening…Jan had become kind of quiet afterwards, but had blamed it on the lack of sleep when Justin and Chris questioned her about her mood. They had all readily accepted her answer, but each couldn’t help but wonder if here wasn’t something more to it than that. Then this morning’s phone call and her reaction to Justin was enough to cause them to come up with the plan that he was failing miserably at.
Stepping a little closer to the side of the road, Joey looked about him at the surrounding scenery…taking in the fall foliage of the trees, which were swaying gently in the wind.
“Umm…it sure is pretty out here,” he commented, trying to get Jan to open up a little but was met with disappointment.
“Yes, it is,” she replied without lifting her eyes from the dirt road they were walking on.
‘Okay…strike one,’ Joey thought to himself. ‘Fatone charm…where are you when I need you?’ he inwardly moaned before trying once again to strike up a conversation.
“Are there a lot of deer around here? It’s pretty close to hunting season…isn’t it?” he asked, but was once again met with defeat with Jan’s short answers.
“Yes, there are and yes, it is.”
In growing frustration, Joey rolled his head on his shoulders and readjusted his sling all the while watching Jan move ahead of him to reach the mailbox. He watched as she slowly pulled open the mailbox then with a glance, reached inside it.
“Get anything?” Joey asked, stepping closer to touch Jan’s elbow, then quickly moving back when she slightly started at his contact.
“Uh…what? Oh…sorry…yeah. Just like I said…junk mail,” she replied with a small smile, holding up an envelope or two in his view. But her smile faded when she saw the look on Joey’s face. With a sigh, her shoulders slumped again as she closed the mailbox door. There would be no getting around it. She knew that Joey would continue to pester her until she revealed why she had been so distant…and, worse yet…if she didn’t give into him, surely the others would continue to ask until she would be forced into telling them what was bothering her. So, in order to save her sanity, she decided to let him know about the disturbing phone calls.
“Okay, Joey…okay, you win.”
Joey gave Jan a small smile of triumph causing the woman to inwardly groan before continuing. She didn’t know how he was going to take what she had to say, but she knew that he wouldn’t give her a moments rest until she told him what was bothering her.
“Umm…I got a strange phone call the other night that really kind of bothered me,” she said walking toward a shaded clearing where she knew that they would be out of sight from the road. Pointing toward a tree that had long ago fallen, she sat down and motioned for Joey to do likewise.
“What kind of phone call, Jan? Did someone say something to you…I mean…was it a crank call, or…you know…I mean…” Joey struggled to find the right words without embarrassing both himself and Jan, but he knew that he was failing miserably. He could feel his face heating up while Jan looked on with amusement and couldn’t help but laugh at his discomfort.
“No…it wasn’t anything like that, Joe. It was a man who wanted to speak with Mamo, but…the phone hasn’t been in her name or Papo’s in more than three years. I have no idea who the man was or how he got her name but…oh, I don’t know. Maybe I’m just a little paranoid right now.”
“Well…I think we all have the right to be a little paranoid right now,” Joey said quietly as he rubbed his left hand over his right arm. His hand was beginning to ache, but he didn’t want Jan to worry since she was opening up to him. Unfortunately, Jan didn’t miss his movements and took the opportunity to change the subject.
“How’s your hand doing? Is it bothering you?”
Joey gave Jan a small, tired smile. “I’ll just be glad when this has healed.”
“Dr. Shannon is supposed to find a doctor nearby to come check up on you and the others. I think he’s going to let me know today if he’s been able to find one.
“Was that who called this morning right before Justin scared you?” Joey asked, trying to get the conversation back on track again and he knew that he had when Jan slightly rolled her eyes heavenward before looking back at him.
“No…he called before the other phone call.” Joey gazed intently at her, gesturing with his free hand for her to continue and she shook her head and gave him a small smile.
“This morning, someone called and didn’t say anything, but that’s the fourth time that it’s happened since the other phone call.”
“Oh…that doesn’t sound too good,” Joey admitted before giving Jan a reassuring smile. “Why don’t well call the local phone service and get caller id so we can get an idea of who’s calling or where they might be calling from. It’d be worth a try…don’t you think?”
“You know…I hadn’t even thought about that,” Jan replied and for the first time since they had been at the Scott homestead, Jan gave Joey a genuine smile that was full of relief.
“Well…let’s get back to the house so that you can make some phone calls and I can take something for this hand,” Joey said, standing up and offering Jan his hand.
Later, after making several phone calls to investigators in Orlando and a brief visit to the local phone company, Jan and the others were satisfied with their situation. They would now know who was making the mysterious phone calls and Jan was feeling much safer knowing that she would be able to keep the boys well protected from possible threats
.
It was on the fourth day that the group had been at the Scott homestead when their situation took a dramatic turn for all parties involved. Jan, Joey, Chris and Justin were in the living room watching television while Lance and JC sat out on the back porch reading some books that they had found boxed away in a hall closet.
“Okay, now, Joe…let me get this straight,” Jan said in confusion, struggling to follow the soap opera’s complicated and twisted storyline that the boys were trying to explain to her.
“Ummm…Deandra Biddings-Joiner-Starlings married Colton Cromwell VI not knowing that her divorce with Jackson Hollister, aka. Shaun Lindsley was a fake and she became pregnant with…with…whose child?”
“Twins, Jan…it’s twins. No…triplets,” Chris said, correcting himself while remaining totally focused on the television before him.
“She’s pregnant with Tanner Lawrence’s sperm donor…and he’s the divorce lawyer…or was it her neighbor’s pool boy?”
Joey looked to Chris and Justin for help but both had suddenly become engrossed with a breaking news bulletin interrupting the show. Seeing that he wasn’t going to be getting any help from them, Joey turned back to Jan, who had moved from sitting on the floor to the couch, where he was. For a few moments, the pair continued to discuss the program’s latest plotline before Justin interrupted them.
“Jan…isn’t that your school?” Justin asked in a small, bewildered voice as he pointed at the screen before glancing back behind him at his aunt.
“What?”
“Your school…there’s a fire at your school…like right now.”
In shock Jan looked at the television to see the school where she had been teaching on and off for more than 15 years being devoured by flames seemingly at all sides. The camera panned the area and Jan gasped when she recognized several of her students standing with her substitute along with an assortment of other children as well as their teachers. Justin scrambled from his seat on the floor to quickly sit by Jan on the couch, sandwiching her between himself and Joey. Jan grasped one of his hands while holding her other over her mouth trying in vain to hold in a sob of anguish.
“Do you see anyone?” Chris quietly, his own voice breaking as he glanced over his shoulder at the trio.
Jan simply nodded her head while Joey put an arm around her, feeling helpless in knowing what to do besides that.
“Phone…I need a phone,” Jan whispered. “Chris…please?”
With a nod, the young man scrambled to his feet while the others continued to watch in horror as the news anchor continued to give information as to what was happening at the school.
“Jan…this is Dr. Shannon. Has something happened with one of the boys?”
“No…no…they’re all fine,” she said quickly, trying to reassure the doctor but the tone of her voice betrayed exactly how upset she was. “The boys are doing just fine. I’m the one with the problem, though.” Jan’s voice broke slightly and the doctor could hear one of the boys in the background whispering in what sounded like comforting tones.
“What’s going on Jan? Do I need to speak with one of the boys?”
“No…no…I’m okay, but I need to leave, Dr. Shannon. I need to get to Houston as soon as possible.”
“Why? What’s happened, Jan?” In his mind, the doctor’s thoughts raced trying to figure out why the young woman would need to leave for home without warning all the while knowing what he would be telling her was not going to help her state of mind.
“You knew that I was taking a six weeks leave of absence to help out with the boys…”
“Yes…I knew that, but what…”
”We just saw some news on the television. The school where I teach is on fire and burning out of control. Apparently, the fire began in the first and second grade wing…”
“Your students…are they…” A chill went down his spine as realization set in…Jan teaches second grade.
“I don’t know…I don’t know and that’s why I need to be there,” she nearly sobbed, feeling a desperate need to be near her students. “I need to get to my kids…make sure they’re okay. My friends…I need to see to my classroom…”
“I completely understand,” he quickly said, trying to reassure Jan. “But…you won’t be able to stay there for long, Jan.”
“What? What do you mean?” she said, not understanding the statement.
“Jan…I just got off the phone with Lynn. She had some bad news. I hate to be the one to break the news to you, but your aunt Dora passed away last night.” At that disclosure, Jan quietly began weeping into the phone while the doctor continued speaking.
“Lynn got the phone call and she can’t leave…someone needs to go to California.”
At the same time, the boys looked at each other in confusion. Hearing their whispers, Jan covered the phone’s receiver.
“Dora died…I have to go to California now.”
“Oh, Jan…I’m…” Chris began but Jan shook her head while returning her attention to the doctor, who had once again begun speaking.
“Let’s just get some details worked out, Jan. Are there other lines in the house? I’ll need for a few of the guys to hear this and help out with the plans.”
Jan once again put her hand over the receiver. “Chris…Joey, one of you go into the kitchen and pick up the line and the other needs to go upstairs to my bedroom. Dr. Shannon needs to speak with you.”
Without asking questions, Joey walked into the kitchen while Chris ran up the stairs. At the same time, Justin went out to the porch to let JC and Lance know what was going on. Moments later, the group was working out details concerning Jan’s emergency. After several minutes, Dr. Shannon asked if Jan had someone in mind that could come out and check on everyone since he had not been able to find any physician willing to help out. Instantly, there were protests from Joey and Chris, but they were ignored by Jan and the doctor. And, although Joey and Chris were certain that they were all fully capable of taking care of themselves for the few days that Jan would more than likely be gone, they did not put up any more protests knowing that Jan’s mind, as well as Dr. Shannon’s, would be eased if there were someone to look in on them.
“I do know an older couple who were close friends of Mike’s parents. I could give them a call…and, as a matter of fact, Papa…I mean Albert was a physician before he retired.”
Dr. Shannon perked up at that idea. “That would solve the issue of finding someone to take out Joey’s stitches, as well as seeing if Lance is at a point to begin communicating again.”
“Along with checking Justin’s wrist,” Chris reminded the pair.
“I want you to try to get a hold of them, Jan. Do you have their number handy?”
“Yes. I know where it is. I’ll try to get in touch with them then I’ll call you right back.”
“Okay.”
Ron Williams wandered down the sidewalk of the main street in Livingston, Texas. It had been nearly a week since he had discovered the general location of where the members of Nsync were, but when he had arrived in East Texas, he had been surprised by exactly how large of an area he would be dealing with.
For nearly two days he had spent time wandering around the area, asking a few questions, but for the most part he was finding it nearly impossible to make any headway in finding the young men or the woman that was staying with them. All he had was a name…Raylene Scott and apparently no one had heard of her. He had spent time in local cafés asking questions…the grocery stores…but no one had heard of Raylene Scott. It wasn’t until he took a chance and visited the local courthouse that he was finally met with success.
“Ms. Raylene Scott? Is that the name of your great aunt?” the clerk asked peering through thick glasses as she sat down on a tall stool behind the narrow counter. She pulled off the glasses and allowed them to dangle from the chain hanging about her neck while looking closely at the stranger before her.
“Yes ma’am,” Ron answered giving the woman his best smile. “I’m new to the area and unfamiliar with it. I was just wondering if you might be able to help me in locating Aunt Raylene’s former homestead. I’ve asked around, but most people don’t seem to have known or even heard of her.”
“It might be the name throwing everyone, young man. Raylene…I hadn’t heard her called that in years…she hated that name,” the woman said with a small smile on her face. She moved closer on her stool, leaning in toward the counter as if preparing to share a secret as she once again spoke.
“Raylene…we always knew her as…”
Before she could finish her sentence, the phone rang, interrupting her. “You must excuse me, sir.”
“Wait…” Ron said, trying to get her to supply the information, but she politely waved at him as she picked up the phone.
“Courthouse…yes…this is Nora Holder. Oh, sweetie…it’s so good to hear from you…”
It didn’t take but a second or two before Ron realized that the clerk would not be getting off the phone any time soon. In a mixture of frustration and agitation, he left the office without the woman ever acknowledging his presence or the lack of it…she was too engrossed in her conversation to notice that she was the only person in the room.
Jan quietly paced out on the back porch as she spoke to an old friend of the Scott family…Nora Holder.
“I didn’t know who else to call on…I’m sorry…I just…I didn’t…”
Jan took a shaky deep breath in an effort to control her rolling emotions. Through the open windows she could still hear the on going news reports.
“Now…take your time, dear. Tell me what’s happened and what you need me and Albert to do for you,” Nora said gently as she listened to Jan’s shaky breaths over the phone. There was a short pause before Jan slowly began explaining her call.
“I’m here…at Mamo and Papo’s…I need you and Papa to come out here. I have a favor to ask, but I can’t do it over the phone. It’s a pretty big favor, Mama.”
“Oh, pshaw,” Nora quickly said, trying to reassure the obviously shaken young woman. “Big or small…no matter. We’ll be there within the hour, Jan,” she quickly added as she stood up an made her way into another smaller office to get her coat and purse, all the while speaking quietly to the young woman. “Just hang in there, sweetie…we’ll be there soon.”
With that said, both women hung up then Nora left her office to speak with her supervisor, knowing that there would be no problem in her leaving since it was a family emergency. Ten minutes later, she was walking down the steps of the courthouse toward the parking lot.
At the same time, Jan sat down heavily on the back porch swing still tightly clinching the phone in her hands while inside the house, five pairs of eyes anxiously looked out at the lone figure.
“What do we do?” JC whispered, not directing his question to anyone in particular. “What…guys…what do we do?”
“I don’t know…maybe…I mean…” Chris glanced at the others in frustration over the situation, having never dealt with such a traumatic event while Lance sat in quiet frustration, feeling helpless at the fact that he, as far as he was concerned, he was powerless to do anything to help Jan.
Justin looked at Joey with tear filled eyes and the older man took a step toward him. “Come on, J…let’s go out there.” The pair quietly walked outside and slowly approached Jan. Seconds later, they sat on either side of Jan as she leaned into Justin, who had his arm wrapped about his aunt’s shoulders.
“Well…one thing we could do is make Jan’s plane reservations and get her packed up,” Chris said, trying to take control of the situation.
“JC, why don’t you go make sure Jan’s car has enough gas and everything and Lance, you can get Jan’s things packed for her.”
“Okay. Umm…where are the keys in case I need to get some gas?” JC asked patting his back pocket for his wallet only to realize that it was on the kitchen counter since he had not needed it since they had been there.
“They’re on Jan’s dresser, I think,” Chris answered while leading Lance up the stairs. “I’ll send Lance down with them in a minute.”
“Okay,” JC said while opening his wallet to check for cash while the pair retreated upstairs.
About an hour later, Jan’s things were packed into her car, which JC had driven down to a local Mom and Pop store and gassed up for her, and reservations had been made for a late night flight to San Diego. All they were now waiting for was the arrival of Jan’s friends, William and Nora Holder.
Lance was seated by Jan on the back porch and he quickly wrote in a spiral that he had been carrying around with him since his attack.
‘Don’t worry about us. We’ll be okay.’
Jan looked at the young man and gave him a small smile. “This isn’t exactly how I wanted this to go, Lance.”
In answer to her statement, he shrugged his shoulders then wrote another message.
“This will give us time…we need time.”
Instead of being offended by the note, Jan nodded in understanding, knowing exactly what Lance was trying to say. So far, since the attacks, the boys had not had the time that they needed by themselves. She knew that they needed to time alone with each other to begin the healing process.
“I know, sweetie. You and the others need to take care of each other. Mama and Papa will come in to check on you all, but for the most part, you’ll be on your own.”
“They’re here,” Justin said, speaking through an open window.
“Let’s go, then.”
In frustration, Ron Williams stared into the cup of coffee that he had been sipping on for the past 15 or more minutes. He knew that he was close to finding the members of Nsync and the woman caring for them. He could feel it…they were nearby…but where?
“What can I do for you, sugar?” The redheaded waitress who had been filling and refilling his coffee cup asked.
“Tell me something,” he said half-heartedly.
“Fire away, darling. Maybe I have an answer for you,” she answered with a smile which Ron laughed, bitterly at before speaking again.
“Tell me…have you ever heard of a woman named Raylene Scott?” Not expecting an answer, he looked back down at the black liquid in his cup.
“Why sure. Everyone knew Raylene,” she answered with a grin on her face.
‘Bingo!’ Ron thought as he motioned for the woman to sit down on the stool beside him.