Joshua's Grace

Chapter 17 (1)

After their ten day honeymoon to Vanuatu, Grace continued to work at the University for the next four weeks. Joshua spent as much time as he could working from the cottage. When he couldn't use his lap top, he returned to the house in Auckland. They were going to have to make some decisions soon. Today he was back at home, he needed his more powerful Mac.

"Joshua?" Angie Carvalho sounded worried.

"Hello Mrs C." He balanced the phone between his ear and his shoulder as he anticipated having to jot down a message and reached for a scrap of paper.

"Is Grace with you?"

"No." He chuckled, "She does still work you know."

"Yes" Angie bit her lip.

"She left a few minutes ago. She had to be at work by nine."

"Oh. Is she heading for the cottage or going straight to work?"

"Uni I think. Why?"

"I wanted to pass on a message." Angie began to worry in earnest. The police had told her not to, but her intuition countermanded that.

"What's wrong?" The urgency was palpable in her voice, Joshua could hear it clearly. 

"The police phoned. They actually tried the cottage and Uni. The Uni called us. Apparently he's escaped."

"Who?"

"That man who sent her the notes. He was sentenced yesterday and they were moving him to a more long term prison. They'd only just left Hamilton."

"Shit." Joshua understood the urgency. "He could be on his way to the cottage, or the university."

"We don't know for sure. He could go anywhere. The police think he'll lie low. He wouldn't be stupid enough to follow her. But, he could track her down. Ben is on his way to the cottage."

Joshua swore profusely, then muttered. "I'd better get going."

"Don't take any chances."

"We won't." He flicked a look at his watch, she'd been gone half an hour. She'd be about half way to Hamilton by now, "I'll give you a call, when I reach her, ok?"

"Yes."

Joshua replaced the phone into the cradle, turned to Zac, who had just walked in and said, "Stay by the phone. If Grace calls, tell her to go to the nearest police station."

"What's going on?'

"That bastard escaped." He explained the situation briefly as he made his way out of the house. 

Joshua wasn't sure what he was going to do. He just knew that he had to make sure she was safe. By the time he caught up with her she would no doubt be at work. Her father would have reached the cottage. She would be fine. He kept repeating that as he drove out of Auckland.

Grace had made good time. She reached the University car park early. She doubted whether she could keep commuting. It was getting too hard. For both of them. When Joshua stayed at the cottage, his work suffered, he couldn't access stuff from the cottage. When she stayed at his place, she was forever having to set off at the crack of dawn, and she really wasn't a morning person. Never had been. She stifled a yawn as she turned down Uni lane.

She pulled into the car park, it was deserted bar a few cars. Well, at least there were some perks to an early start. She didn't have to hunt around for a car parking spot. Grace popped the boot of her car and reached for her hand bag on the floor of the passenger side of the car.

She didn't see the man approach. She didn't have a chance to take any evasive action. One minute the car park was deserted, the next a large man was at her door.

"Get out of the car." She was ordered.

Grace dropped her bag and spun around in her seat to see who was screaming at her. She didn't recognize him. That didn't mean anything.

"What?" She stammered as she starred blankly at the man. He didn't repeat his instruction, he simply hauled her by her shoulder and hair, dragging her forcefully out of the car. She screamed.

"Shut the fuck up." He hissed, as she fell onto her knees and her palms when he let go. For a second she remained on all fours. Then she looked at him in shock. A scream lodged in her throat. Sheer terror swamped every single cell, freezing her into immobility.