Baby Doll(72)

Abby sprang to her feet, standing up on the hood of the car.

“Do you hear that, world? Are you listening?” Abby’s voice echoed out into the distance. “Come on, Lily. Let me hear you! Look out world, here we come!”

Lily let out a joyous yell. They kept shouting over and over again, their wishes drifting up into the sky, like prayers.





CHAPTER FORTY-ONE


RICK


Rick continued doing bench presses, trying to appear focused on his workout. The yard was empty and he was finally alone with Angela. She kept a professional distance but her eyes never left his. She inched closer to Rick as he began to lift the weights.

“You feeling okay?” Rick asked her.

“Yeah. I’m good,” Angela said, trying unsuccessfully to hide the tremor in her voice.

Shit. Rick could tell she was unsettled. They hadn’t had enough time together this week with all the bullshit transfer paperwork. He’d have to fix this quick before she got cold feet.

“If you’re having second thoughts, tell me. I’ll understand.”

“No. I’m not. I mean…”

“It’s okay to be scared,” Rick said.

“I’m not scared,” Angela said. She tried to laugh but it had a strangled quality. “Well, maybe a little.”

“As long as the plan is set, we’ve got nothing to worry about. Everything’s in place, isn’t it? As soon as the sentencing is over, they’ll transport me. Your cousin can’t be late.”

“Brian won’t let us down,” she said.

“He’s got the weapons?”

Angela nodded. “Brian’s got it covered.”

“And the money?” Rick asked.

“It was in the safe-deposit box just like you said. Once I give Brian his cut, we’ll have about sixty grand.”

Rick was glad he’d put some money away for a rainy day. Missy was so used to Mommy and Daddy handling the finances that she’d let him manage everything. This had certainly worked to his advantage. A small percentage of everything they made he’d squirrel away, using some on Lily but saving some just in case. Thank God he’d thought ahead. The one unknown in Rick’s plan was the third party: Angela’s cousin Brian, an ex-con with a long list of felonies. He was going to crash into the transport vehicle that was bringing Rick to the prison, take out the guards, and deliver Rick to Angela’s family’s hunting cabin in the mountains. They’d spend a few months lying low, and once things cooled down they’d head to Mexico. Rick was still trying to decide whether it might be easier to get rid of her and Brian before then, but that was something he could improvise. He actually didn’t mind Angela. What she lacked in looks, she made up for in her enthusiasm. He’d at least keep her around until he could find a more suitable replacement.

He studied Angela intently.

“You did good. I’m proud of you.”

Positive reinforcement was crucial at this stage. He needed Angela to feel valued and respected. It was clear that his encouragement was working.

“It’s all set, Ricky.”

This Ricky business was out of control, but he forced himself not to correct her. He’d finished his workout and he moved over to Angela, allowing her to shackle him.

“Ang, I can’t wait to hold you. Can’t wait until we can be together without these bars and shackles. You know that, don’t you?”

He knew she wanted to believe him. She was imagining a life with a man like him, someone who would ease all her burdens. Any rational woman would have thought about the things Rick stood accused of, the things he’d pled guilty to. They’d have asked questions about his crimes. They’d have wanted answers. But Angela wasn’t rational. She was an uneducated woman, lonely and unfulfilled, and waiting to be saved.

She led him back inside, unlatching the gate that would take him back to his cell for one last evening. As they walked down the dark, gray hall, Rick whispered, “I love you, Angie. Don’t forget that.”

She faltered. He’d been saving the big guns for this moment, wanting to leave her with those words ringing in her ears, to remember them in case she had second thoughts.

“I won’t let you down.”

Angela picked up the pace, opening the cell door and leaving Rick alone. Rick couldn’t sit. Not now. He began shadowboxing, thinking about tomorrow’s sentencing and his impending freedom.

After Lily betrayed him, Rick realized that he couldn’t sit around and wait for a reprieve. He’d thought about escaping, maybe taking a guard hostage, but every scenario he worked out involved him winding up dead. He’d realized that Angela was exactly the person who could get him out of this hellhole. He’d eventually had sex with her. The showers were convenient and as much as he’d been dreading it, it wasn’t too bad (as long as he kept his eyes closed).

It was during one of their encounters that he’d enacted Phase One of the Plan. Angela was still breathless when Rick told her they couldn’t be together anymore. That this was their last time.

“Please, Rick. Please don’t say that. The only thing that keeps me going is being with you.”

“Angie, I’m never getting out of here. Once I’m sentenced, I’ll be transferred to a maximum-security prison. You can’t visit or write. Not if you want to keep your job. There’s nothing you can do.”