Gary Hobson

When Terror Strikes Part 7

By: Stacy L.

PART 7

Two Days Later…

Jack Wallis waited patiently as Thompson brought him some information on Gary Hobson. Thompson did a thorough background search but found little on the man.

Jack asked, “Tell me what did you find?”

“Not a whole lot, boss. The man is as clean as a church choir boy…”

“Nothing stands out?”

“He had a few scrapes with the Chicago PD, but he’s been cleared in every case. He’s your typical boy scout, the perfect guy next door.”

“Tell me a little bit about these scrapes with the law.”

“He has a knack for showing up at the right place at the right time. Where there’s trouble he’s there to stop it. He’s helped the police numerous times: bombings, robberies, fires…you name it he’s probably been involved with it some how. He and Armstrong go back about three years. He met Armstrong when in an attempt to be a good Samaritan a man died…seems there was a boiler explosion in this building. Hobson went up on the roof to help a homeless man get clear of the fire. He attempted to save him by using a ladder. He placed it on the roof of an adjacent building and climbed across. Apparently the homeless man attempted to follow but lost his balance. He fell and died instantly. Armstrong investigated the death. He had suspected Hobson liked to set up accidents to save the day, make himself look like a hero, but it didn’t stick. I think this guy’s psychic, boss. I really do. There are too many coincidences for it not to be considered.”

“If he is psychic that would explain how he’s successfully thwarted my plans so often…maybe you’re onto something.”

“I’ll tell you what boss, I don’t put all that much stock into unexplained stuff. I don’t believe in it at all, but after seeing this Hobson guy’s track record… No one’s that busy, boss…even if he has a police scanner how?”

“I don’t know but I’ve learned never to question something you can’t explain. If he is psychic then he’ll know if I go after her. Damn, that messes up my plans…”

“So eliminate him.”

“No, no. My wife has been spending more time with him. My wife may have feelings for him.”

“And if she does?”

“We can use that as leverage against her. I could use him to bait her.”

“You want me to grab him I will.”

“No, no, no Thompson, you’re jumping the gun here. Let’s wait and see what happens. I have him under surveillance as well as her. I know what’s going on. I keep very close tabs on my wife. I know her every move…just be patient.”

“And what about Armstrong?”

“We’ll deal with him when the time is right. I have it all planned out, Thompson. Everything is completely under control. Trust me.”

* * * * * *

Gary awoke to the insistent screaming of his alarm clock. He laid there whispering softly, “One…two…three…”

“Meow!”

THUMP!

“Right on time, cat.”

He casually tossed his covers off then sat up. He was feeling much, much better. His head still ached some and his body was sore in several areas. He had discovered that he had some nasty bruising up and down the whole left side of his body where he had impacted with the black-topped street only a couple of days ago. His left arm felt a little stiff as well but for the most part he felt good.

He slowly made his way to the door opening it to admit the cat who as usual made a mad dash for the still empty food dish sitting in the corner of the room. Gary picked up the newspaper before glancing over at the cat rolling his eyes as he commented, “Now how long is it going to take you to realize that filling up your food dish isn’t exactly my top priority? Every morning you dart in here to that dish and every morning you have to wait until I feed you. Listen cat that dish won’t just up and walk away. Why don’t you try pacing yourself or something?”

The cat looked at him as if he were boring him to death causing Gary to shake his head mumbling as he closed the door behind him, “Why do I even bother?”

He glanced up at the cat again before walking to the counter with the newspaper in hand continuing, “Arguing with you is like arguing with Marissa. I never seem to get any where.”

The cat chose that time to bend down and begin bathing himself prompting Gary to say, “Oh gee thanks. I’m so sorry if I bored you. Wouldn’t want to do that now would I? You know I’m the one who buys your food, cat. You should be glad you don’t have to go out and kill all your meals.”

The cat again focused completely on him watching as Gary began making himself coffee and heading for the refrigerator. Gary grabbed the milk, giving some to the cat and setting the container on the counter. The cat began lapping at the fresh milk as Gary began to read through the paper halting only when he saw a heading reading: MAN PARALYZED AFTER ACCIDENT.

Man paralyzed? When does this happen?

“At 8:15 yesterday morning thirty-nine year old Lawrence Crawford was severely injured after a fork-lift accident. Apparently the fork-lift operator took a corner to sharp knocking over boxes…Lawrence Crawford sustained a severe spinal cord injury, which resulted in paralysis of…”

“I have to get there. What time is it?” Gary glanced briefly at his watch muttering, “Six-forty, I have time.”

He quickly pulled out a mug filling it with coffee before unplugging the machine. He then grabbed both the coffee and his coat as he made his way quickly downstairs. He entered the bar without looking up hearing Marissa call to him from across the room, “Gary?”

“Marissa… I have to go.”

“What?”

“I have to go. Are you going to be all right?”

“Yeah, yes.”

“When I get back I promise I’ll talk with you all right?”

“Well yeah, yeah, sure Gary. Fine. Be careful.”

Gary nodded before rushing towards the door while still reading the article. He was so preoccupied with the paper that he failed to take notice of the man now sitting in the back corner watching him as he made a mad dash for the door.

* * * *

Jack Wallis decided to pay a visit to McGinty’s bar and restaurant. He has been watching Hobson from a distance and had his men watch the man from a distance to see how close Hobson and his wife were becoming. After the other day when she kept returning to his place throughout the entire day and evening he had decided that he wanted to get a look inside. It was obvious that Hobson was more than just a stranger to his wife now.

As he gazed around the interior of McGinty’s he had to admit that he liked the place. It was a classy bar. Hobson was doing all right for himself. Business seemed to be running smoothly and people were constantly coming and going.

He was observing everyone when his quarry came into view. He watched the man rush over to a young blind woman. Wallis had learned from Thompson that the young woman was Marissa Clark. Upon further digging he had discovered that she was actually a partner in the ownership of this establishment. Why a man would yield half of his business to a woman was beyond him. In his opinion women were incapable of dealing with such things. He found himself wondering if Hobson believed in all that equal rights crap. A woman’s responsibility was to stay home and take care of the children not be an owner of any kind of enterprise. Hobson was a fool.

Wallis watched the man from his obscure corner of the bar. The man rushed over to his friend then turned and headed directly for the door. He seemed to be in an awful big hurry to get somewhere fast. Wallis smirked evilly thinking: ‘Yeah, Hobson, you better run now. Run while you can because if you continue to pursue my wife, well let’s just say that you’ll be very, very sorry.’

Wallis nodded his head once he made up his mind about how to proceed. Once he could no longer see Hobson he took another swig of his beer then decided that maybe he should go visit Samantha. Samantha thought that she could escape him, but he would show her otherwise. He would show her that there was no escape from him…EVER! She belonged with him; she was his and nobody else’s! He’d kill her before he ever allowed her to get involved with another man. He was prepared to do whatever was necessary to get her back. She was his! He wouldn’t let her go! He couldn’t let her go! He needed her with him at all times or he’d go totally nuts!

Because of his strong need to be near Samantha he continued to silently watch her every move. As long as he could see her and he knew where she was he would be just fine. He’d get her back, but he’d have to be patient. If he made his move too soon then she might have the chance to get away from him for good and if he couldn’t find her…he would go crazy. She came back to him before and she’ll come back again. She needed him as much as he needed her. He’d get her back…even if he had to kill Gary Hobson to do it!

* * * *

Amanda Riley was sleeping comfortably until a voice broke through and someone bounced onto her bed. She heard a voice calling, “Wake up! Wake up!”

Amanda smiled as she recognized that voice hearing it continue saying, “You’re fakin’! That’s no fair!”

She opened her eyes and smiled up into the face of the boy beside her asking teasingly, “Not fair? Why isn’t that fair?”

“You cheat.”

“I cheat? I would do no such thing. Gregory Michael Evans you ought to be ashamed of yourself calling your mother a cheater.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Oh come here, sweetie.”

She pulled the precious little boy into her arms giving him a huge hug.

Gregory squirmed before yelling, “Yuck!”

“Yuck? Yuck? Are you calling my hugs yucky?”

“No. I like hugs.”

“You know what? So do I, and you know what else? I’m going to shower you with kisses and hugs. You deserve them all.”

“I love you.”

“Oh, I love you too, sweetie.”

She hugged him holding him tightly smiling as she held the precious child in her arms. She had always wanted kids but ever since she had a miscarriage she was afraid to get pregnant again. Her heart ached as she remembered how much she had wanted that precious child…

When her husband had discovered that she was pregnant he had ordered her to get an abortion saying that he never wanted any children, and she would never have any. Amanda refused to get the abortion, which only enraged her husband further. His beatings became more vicious after that. He had tried anything he could think of to make her get rid of the child she had carried within her. Eventually he had succeeded in ridding her of the child he didn’t want. She had been rushed to the hospital that time. He had gotten angry with her when she didn’t have his meal ready for him. She had tried everything to please the man. She had tried to be the perfect wife, so that he would love her and not beat her, but no matter how hard she had tried nothing was ever good enough for him. Her best had to be better. He had yelled at her and cursed at her telling her that she was useless and stupid. He had started slapping her around and she began to fear for her child, for the life of her unborn baby. She fought back, which only enraged him further. When she had fallen he had begun to kick her in the gut calling her every name in the book. She had curled in on herself trying desperately to protect the small little life inside herself, but all of her efforts to protect that precious babe had failed. She remembered waking up in the hospital much later feeling tired and weak. She could barely move and her whole body was enveloped in pain. The doctors eventually told her what had happened to her unborn child: due to the trauma her body had sustained from her husband’s brutal beating she had miscarried.

A light went out inside herself on that day, and she had become nothing but an empty shell…a far cry from the free spirited, loving person that she had once been before he had entered her life. He had been so apologetic acting as if he truly did care for her. He kept apologizing and trying to comfort her but she no longer felt anything. Her body, her soul, her spirit had been totally numb and dead.

The beatings continued and she just took them. She began to feel as if she deserved to be beaten. She hadn’t protected her unborn child like a mother should, so she deserved to suffer for not protecting that precious child who would never draw breath, never play, never laugh, never cry because she had failed. She had failed to protect the beautiful child she had carried deep within her womb.

Eventually she couldn’t take any more beatings. When she ended up in the hospital again as a result of his cruelty she had made up her mind to leave him, to escape him. She became enraged and angry. She knew that she had to run, to flee now or he would kill her. She waited for the right time to leave. A young nurse at the hospital had befriended her and told her that she too had miscarried a child but now she had two beautiful children. As she spoke with the young nurse she felt the slightest spark of her spirit coming back to life. The nurse helped her get free of her husband. She ran to her sister’s home, the only place she could think of to go, and her sister welcomed her with open arms. It was at her sister’s home where she first met Gregory Michael Evans. Her sister had the child while Amanda was hiding there. Amanda showered love all over the precious baby boy. With her sister’s help, and being able to help out with little Gregory, Amanda felt her strength and courage begin to return. She began to forgive herself for the loss of her unborn child…

Her time at her sister’s ended eventually when her husband had found her again. When he threatened to kill her sister if she refused to return with him she had caved in and never told her sister why she returned to the man who nearly killed her several times. She wanted to protect her and her sister’s child so she went with him. Of course the beatings continued but now she started making plans to get away. She started saving up any amount of money she could find and hiding it. She began to talk to some people also. She found several people who would be willing to help her if she should decide to leave her husband again. She began secretly setting up a new identity for herself. She took her husband’s keys one night when he was passed out drunk and made copies. If she needed to flee in a hurry then she’d have a means to do so. She hid the keys in a safe place. She searched through the phone book for local shelters and wrote the numbers on an index card. She hid the card as well knowing full well if her husband discovered she had anything she could use to escape him that he’d destroy it. Amanda had planned her escape for a long time knowing that if she did get away she would never be going back.

When she found out that her sister had died along with her sister’s husband leaving young Gregory alone she decided to try to adopt him. Her sister designated her as Gregory’s next living relative and his godmother in her will. When Gregory was given to her she made her escape fleeing with the child knowing, fearing if she didn’t that her husband would kill the boy. She would never let that happen. She would protect the child with her life…and now here that little boy was in her arms some three years later…

Gregory looked up into Amanda’s eyes and saw that she was crying. He asked, “What’s wrong, mommy?”

“Oh nothing, sweetie. I’m fine.”

“No you’re not. Are you thinking of the bad man who hurt you again?”

Amanda smiled through her tears trying to ease the boy’s mind saying, “You see too much Gregory… Yes I was remembering.”

“Don’t worry mommy. He won’t find us again and if he does I’ll protect you.”

“Will you now? Oh my brave little boy your mother would be so proud of you.”

“Mommy, you miss her don’t you?”

“Yes sweetie, yes I do. She was a wonderful woman. Oh she loved you so much. I love you so much.”

“I like having two mommy’s.”

“Do you, sweetie?”

“Yep, I feel special.”

“You are special, my precious little one. You are very special.”

“Mommy’s watching over us, isn’t she?”

“Yes. She’s watching over you and I, and so is your daddy. You look so much like your father, Gregory. Do you know he picked your name? Your mom and dad couldn’t decide which name they wanted to call you. Your mom loved the name Michael and your dad loved the name Gregory…”

“And that’s why I’m called Gregory Michael?”

“Yes, sweetie, that’s why you’re called Gregory Michael.”

Gregory gave her a huge hug then gently wiped away her tears saying, “I love you mommy.”

“I love you too. I love you too… Hey, what do you say we go downstairs and get some pancakes? Pancakes sound good to you?”

“Yep…”

“Okay, let’s go!”

The two went downstairs and made blueberry pancakes together.

* * * *

Meanwhile…

Gary ran down the busy Chicago sidewalks again eyeing up his watch: seven-thirty, he was running out of time! He again pulled out the newspaper, stopping he glanced at it. The article still jumped out at him. He had to hurry now before it was too late. The accident was to occur at 8:15. He had forty-five minutes. He had a little bit of time to spare, but he had no idea how the place was even laid out to locate the soon-to-be victim. He had to make time to survey the warehouse so he could help the victim. As he glanced at the article again another headline caught his attention off to the left: EIGHT YEAR OLD ABDUCTED.

“WHAT? No, no, no! When?”

He scanned the article muttering, “ ‘Eight year old Gregory Evans…’ Gregory Evans? No, not again…”

He remembered the boy from the mall a few days ago. Someone had attempted to grab the child when he was in the mall with his babysitter. Here again was another incident concerning the same child. He continued reading:

Gregory Evans was abducted outside of his mother’s home at 8:25 yesterday. Police are still continuing the search…

Gary reread the first paragraph…eight twenty-five was exactly ten minutes after the man who was going to be paralyzed. Gary looked at the address sighing in relief when he realized that the factory and the home were actually near each other. He prayed time would be on his side today and waited no longer as he took off for the warehouse.

He soon came across the warehouse and ran inside. He saw a man who appeared to be recording stuff on a clipboard. Gary didn’t hesitate as he quickly approached the stranger questioning, “Lawrence Crawford?”

“No. Sorry.”

“Lawrence Crawford? I’m looking for him. I need to speak with him. It’s an emergency. Can you please tell me…?”

The guy sighed heavily then reluctantly looked up from his clipboard saying, “Back in section D near the assembly line…”

“Where’s section D? I don’t…”

“Go down this aisle, make a left…keep walking until you see the assembly line and head for the stairs. He’s back there. Now could you please leave me alone, Mister? I have a lot of work to do and I’m running really behind.”

“Uh yeah sure, sorry. Thanks for your time.”

“Sure pal.”

Gary walked down the aisle trying to appear as if he actually did belong there. He glanced at his watch then broke into a run. The guy who helped him out glanced up at the man and simply rolled his eyes. Gary made the left and, seeing the stairs beyond the assembly line, he increased his pace. When he got to the area he yelled, “Mister Crawford? Mister Lawrence Crawford?”

Gary vaguely could make out the sound of back up beeps of a forklift. He quickly scanned the area searching everywhere for some sign indicating where back here someone might be. He was about to give up when he heard a sneeze. He headed towards the sound. When he came across a man he questioned, “Mister Crawford?”

“Yes?”

“Mister Lawrence Crawford?”

“Yes, how can I help you?”

“You…” Gary was interrupted by a loud crashing sound of impact. He saw the boxes starting to fall and lunged towards Mister Crawford knocking the man clear out of the path of the falling boxes. He groaned loudly as he banged his already bruised side turning just in time to see boxes falling where moments before Mister Crawford had been standing. He looked at Mister Crawford asking, “Are you all right?”

“Yes, yes I am. Thank you so much, uh…”

“Hobson, Gary Hobson and you’re welcome.”

“If you hadn’t of been there…there’s no telling what might’ve… Thank you, Mister Hobson.”

“Anytime. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, fine.”

Gary slowly got to his feet as the effort of rising ignited pain across his already sore side. Mister Crawford looked at the young man in concern saying, “But you’re not all right, are you?”

“I’m fine.”

“But you’re hurt. Here let me…”

“I’m fine Mister Crawford. I was in an accident several days ago and I’m afraid that I still have some of those bruises…I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I…” Gary stopped as he remembered the abduction. He quickly questioned, “What time is it?”

“About eight-twenty, why?”

“I gotta go!”

“What? But wait…you’re hurt. You really shouldn’t be…”

Gary jumped to his feet saying, “I have to go,” then took off out of the warehouse running to where Gregory Evans would soon be stolen from.

The whole way there Gary kept praying that he wouldn’t be too late. He kept praying that he could get to Gregory before the abductor did. He ran faster as he could feel a huge sense of urgency inside of himself. He had to get to that boy now! Before it was too late…

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