Fleeing the State

The bright morning sun slowly rises over the Ozark Mountains, adding a bit of warmth to the frigid night air. Birds are chirping in the treetops all around, welcoming the gorgeous day. Fall leaves crunch rhythmically under Abby's feet as she trudges to her friend's house. A place she's been trying to reach since the invasion occurred. 

I hope my plan works, Abby thinks. Opening her friend's van door she slides inside and eases the door too. Abby knows Thelma works at a hospital across the state line and hopes to sneak a ride. 

Thelma and her husband Ned are aware of Abby's legal problems and would give her a ride if she asked. But Abby knows knowingly helping a fugitive escape could cause them problems with the law and the last thing she wanted was to get them caught up in her mess.

Maybe I can catch a few z's on the way. She yawns, crawling underneath the seats. Abby hears footsteps, and then her friend saying her goodbyes. 

I need to scoot further back. A high-pitched noise screeches through the van as the door opens. Abby glances over, to find she's laying on a toy. Lifting her extremity, she pushes the object away. The doll squeals as it re-inflates. I hope she didn't hear that. Abby nervously glances toward the front. 

Unaffected by the noise, Thelma starts the vehicle and pulls away. 

That was close. 

She's starting to relax when her friend slams on her brakes. Abby falls backward, landing on another toy. 

I know she heard that. 

She looks up to find Thelma's eyes gazing into the rear-view mirror. Abby then notices red and blue lights flashing through the van. 

***

The station is unusually quiet,  a silence the sergeant and her detectives know won't last long. So they decided to make good use of the time by reviewing their new case. 

"We know the intruder was searching for something small enough to fit in a gym bag or a drawer. Now we have to figure out what they were looking for, and  if there's a connection between the intrusion and her pending case." 

Rachel has been with the Berryville PD for eight years, and a sergeant for three. She decided to switch from nursing to police work after she helped Joe and Jerry solve the widowmaker case.

"I think he might be looking for some incriminating evidence. Something that'll tie him to a crime a flash drive perhaps." 

Jerry has been on the force for fifteen years, promoted to sergeant after ten. His health became an issue and he was forced to cut back to part-time. Rachel officially filled the Sergeant position, but unofficially claims she's only filling in. 

"Are you thinking she might be blackmailing him?"

Jerry shrugs. "It's a logical conclusion, don't you think?"

"It's possible, I suppose."

"I'll check her bank account, and see what I find." Jerry starts to turn towards his computer when he sees Rick walking towards them. 

Some officers complain about the time it takes him to process the evidence, but she feels his accuracy makes up for his lack of speed.

"Do you have something for us, Rick?"

"I found this inside the gym bag." He holds up a small piece of plastic.

A puzzled expression crosses Rachel's face. "What is it?"

"If I had to guess, I'd say it's a flash drive lid."

"Maybe you're right, Sergeant."

"Don't act so shocked. This old man does get it right now and then." 

"More times than not, Sergeant." Rachel smiles.

  "Rick, I want you to go to the apartment and search for a flash drive and bring her computer in too. Rachel, I want you to go to the gym, and see if you can find out more about her." 

"Copy that, Sir." Grabbing her coat from the chair, Rachel heads for the door.

***

Red and blue lights continue to flash through the back glass. Abby remains scrunched underneath the seat. I have to make sure I'm out of sight. She scans the toys strewn across the van. Realizing she can move, she scoots further back. Sharp pains surge through her stomach. She draws up her legs, hoping to relieve the pang. The agonizing sensation worsens, bringing her to tears. She bites her lip trying to keep from crying out. Her pain intensifies. Her body trembles as heavy footsteps stomp towards the van. This might be it. Abby gulps.

  There's a tap on the window; her friend rolls it down.

"I hate to bother you, but we're looking for an old neighbor of yours, Abby Miller. Have you seen her recently?" The officer asks taking a quick peek through the van.

"The last time I saw her was the day she moved across town," she lies. Abby visits them weekly if not more.

"Do you know where she might go?"

"No officer, I sure don't."

"If you see her, please tell her to call." The officer hands her his card.

Thelma glances at the piece of cardboard and then at the cop. "Can I ask what this is about?"

"Her house was broken into, and we want to follow up to see if she can tell us what happened."

"Her house? Oh dear, I do hope she wasn't hurt." 

"Her neighbors said she didn't appear to be injured when she fled, and we didn't find any blood at the scene."

Thelma sighs with relief. "I'm glad of that." 

"If you see her, please let us know." 

She starts to roll up the window when she sees her husband darting toward the van.

"I just heard on the news that Abby is running from the law," he cries 

Thelma pats his shaky hand. "We always knew this day would come. I just hope she knows we'll help her any way we can and that she doesn't have to hide." Noticing the puzzled look on Ned's face, she leans over and whispers. "She's in the back."

He nods. "I hope she knows how much we love her, that we wish her only the best, and hope she stays in touch."

Abby wipes a tear from her cheek. I love you guys too, but I can't ask you to jeopardize your lives for me. 

***

Rachel storms over to her cubical and slams her purse on her desk.

Jerry glances up from his computer. "Your visit didn't go well; I take it?" He chuckles.

Rachel takes off her coat and throws it in her seat. " The owner is a bold-faced liar."

"A liar?"

"When I asked about her personal life, he became very secretive like he knows a lot more but isn't about to tell. I threatened to arrest him for hindering prosecution, but he still refused to talk claiming he didn't know any more than what he was telling me."

"But your gut is telling you different."

"Yep. I'm going to talk to a few workers when he leaves and see what they have to say. "

Jerry points to his computer screen. "Her bank account didn't show any unusual activity, but it does show she withdrew all her money shortly after the home invasion. I told Joe and he believes she's leaving town. So we have roadblocks set up on every main street leading out of the city. We've alerted public transportation and sent out a BOLO nationwide."

"What about the flash drive?"

"Rick didn't find it but says her computer would've stored it in temporary files. So he's checking into that now."

***

Abby continues to lie motionless, scrunched underneath the seat, hoping the rest of the trip will be uneventful and the pain in her stomach will continue to subside. She starts to relax when she hears her friend's voice. She first thinks Thelma is talking to her but soon realizes she's thinking out loud.

"It's a shame her good-for-nothing boyfriend didn't step up to the plate and tell the cops the drugs were his and not hers. She wouldn't be in this predicament if he had."

Brad was smart enough to hide them in a place I never go. She thinks back to the horrid night. Abby wakes up to cops pounding on her door. The captain shoves a search warrant in her face as a hoard of officers races through the door. They discover Brad's drugs stashed in the basement minutes later. 

Abby denies any knowledge of the illegal substance, but since the lease and utilities are in her name, and there wasn't any indication someone else was living in the house, the police concluded the drugs to be hers. 

Her court-appointed lawyer said he wasn't sure if he could get her out of this mess, suggesting she take the offered plea. Not wanting to go down for a crime she didn't commit, Abby flees the state soon after she makes bail.

"Anyone who's ever met Abby knows she's not a druggie. Not her, the one who spends her time and money helping orphaned and special needs kids. The woman is a saint, not a criminal."

Abby's eyes tear up when she thinks about all the children she's taught. I'm going to miss all those little stinkers even my trouble child, Dave. Abby's always getting onto him about bullying the younger kids. 

"What's going on up there?" Thelma asks, slowing down. "A roadblock? I hope Abby has a good place to hide."