The phone call

Midnight the house tucked in, the child long asleep. A hundred watt light bulb glared down at the yellow mat in the basement the air thick with odors of perspiration and leather the usual silence scuffed by the sounds of violence, grunts, thumps, pants of breathlessness. the occasional screech of rubber soles..

The telephone.

Sarra Jane scowled She drew a deep breath the air settling on her lungs like wet sand than pulled herself back. inhale, focus, balance strike. Her fist ed slammed into 150 pound sandbag. a hard left hook followed a round house spinning her around to land a kick that would crush her attackers wind pipe She ducked from the rebound.pivoted and jammed her heel where the average mans balls would be.

The ringing stopped.

She braced her hands on her knees ,panting. No eerie message this time. no moans or heavy breathing. Maybe the caller was getting bored. She straighted and uncurled her fingers, wincing as each knuckle stretched through the pain. Tomorrow she would pay for not wearing protective gloves. tonight she needed physical exhaustion to smother the thought. about the future of the antiques store or Curtis and the phone calls from some jerk who apparently had a phone book a few spare minutes and a flair for the pervert ring.

She whirled and turned a dangling red speed bag into a blur the furry of the sound beating at her ears Not loud enough though. The phone still sang out though,, Four rings, five, He wasn't hanging up this time,

"Dammit" she threw up her hands and took the stairs two at a time. planning to what..Pick up and tell the caller what she was wearing? Tell him to go to hell? She eyed the kitchen phone frowning at the number on the caller id the area code 206 Seattle again. But she did not know the number,

Six rings Seven The answering machine picked up Her own cheerful voice spinning out.. You have reached sarra Jane leave a message and i will call you back. beep

"Hello doll"

The voice was low and clear. A finger of fear pressed down.

"Sarra I know your there pick up the phone."

Sarra? Her fist balled up She shot a worried glance towards abby's room No sound No stirring of bed covers. Thankfully Abby fell into a sleep nature gives kids.

"Saaaarrrraaa its been 7 long years do you want to talk to me?

Her lings seized "no please no it can't be"

"Yes Sarra and his voiced lowered "Surprise"

the past came to life the chilling drops of memory trickling down her spine

"I bet you thought i would never find you?"he said "But I'm a resourceful man in fact I'm so resourceful that Ive arranged some very special gifts for you. I can't wait until you see them" He paused as if he knew she had to grab the back of the kitchen chair to stay up right

idiot Beth said to herself.Of course he knew

So don't answer Just ignore him and don't pick up the

"By the way sarra how is your daughter?"

She snatched up the phone "Bastard"

"Ah there you are. For a moment I was beginning to worry.

"How? is all she could say

"How what oh I guess you haven't heard well its no wonder of course. Why would anyone think to contact you with the news"?

"What are you talking about"

"freedom Getting what i was denied all these years."

The room seemed to be in motion, She closed her eyes Think think think Why, No how was he calling me? " I don't understand '' she said

"I'm sure you will find the whole story on the Internet .. For now Im free Ive been free awhile now In fact using this time to arrange the details of our reunion..

Nausea Crawled up in her stomach Stay in control. she thought If he was out of prison than there was only one reason he would contact her " I'll call the police i will tell them everything

He chuckled "No you won't. you think you have everyone fooled living your pretty life with your pretty daughter,but you have forgotten I know your secrets.

She gripped the receiver so tight cramps screamed up her arms. "You don't know anything.

"Really"he asked something clicked on his end and for a second Sarra thought he hung up than he was breathing in her ear again. "Lets review I know what happened to Emily Dillon know why you moved from Seattle to panama city all the way across the country he paused I know your little gir

She gasped then bit it back,

"Oh that was nice Sarra"Do that again

" Stop she spit the word out but caught herself.Quiet now She remembered how much he liked sounds "Scream bitch cry for me

"Let me here your voice again Sarra"he said "It doesn't have to be much not yet just a few small sounds"

Sarra threw the phone across the room fear and fury ran through her she forced herself to breath Dammit she had=d to be strong, even as a free man he wasn't' half the threat to her as she was to him. He was the one who should be afraid, besides the call hadn't come from this part of the country.

Area code 206.. Seattle

Reality sank to the pit of her stomach. This wasn;t a dream. It wasns't some bad memory from the bowels of another lifetime. It wasnt a prank caller with a six pack and a phone and book It was Brandon James.

The need to see Abby kicked Sarra in the chest she raced up stairs and peered into the bedroom Abby lay sprawled in her bed safely asleep. her cat rolled in a ball by her tummy her dog by her feet all sleeping peacefully

She slipped back into the holding back the tears that threaten to come out Don't cry god knows tears have never accomplished nothing, that wasn't supposed to happen but she always knew it might Brandon wasnt the only one with a plan.

Inhale Focus Breath she went into her room she sat in the rocking chair in her room opened the dresser that sat beside it and pulled up a piece of clothing and saw her gun cool and powerful neglected but never forgotten. she lifted it up straightened up both elbows and sighted the little red light on the phone across the room.

She could do it. If she had to for Abby's sake she would.She lowered the gun climbed down and unfolded the list on names from the piece of paper Roxy stallings her sister in law Two attorneys one who made sarras will and another who had a reputation for winning at any cost.Three early American furniture dealers each of whom had offered cash for a few of Sarras finer pieces and would buy them no questions asked.

reviewing the list had a calming effect to know she had a plan and the resourses  to achieve it.

She took a deep breath, despite the hour she picked up the phone than paused,the digits 9 and 1 seemed to glow better than the rest.

I'll call the police and tell them everything. but it was a bluff and Brandon had knew it she can't call the police she couldn't do that to Abby.

Steadier now she she muttered a prayer for forgiveness. just in case if there was a god after all she cleared her throat and made her self calm. dialed the top number.

The first lie would be the hardest.