Chapter 25 Home is where the heart is....

Chapter 25 Home is where the heart is....
By mid-morning, Dane and Snake exited the county jail. They were arraigned promptly at nine o'clock, and as soon as the judge posted bail, Duke posted it. Getting their motorcycles out of the impound, however, wasn't as straightforward.
First, they had to wait for the sheriff's department to approve the release, in triplicate, on the proper form. Then someone had to radio the tow-truck operator to find what he had done with the keys.
The little patience Dane had left had rapidly disintegrated. For the thousandth time, he cursed Snake for his boneheadedness in starting the fight in the first place. He also silently cursed Bogen for insisting that he accompany Snake to oversee a routine money drop. In hindsight, Dane questioned Bogen's motive for sending him. It almost seemed like Bogen didn't trust Snake. Which was odd.

Donning a pair of sunglasses, Dane silently scrutinized Snake. Snake's mood had not improved with their incarceration. Dane knew he was hungover, and he also probably had a good-sized knot at the back of his skull where the deputy had coldcocked him with his baton. But Dane didn't feel sorry for him. In fact, he felt like punching him. If it weren't for Snake, he wouldn't have been up all night worrying about Tessa.
Duke confirmed that she was in the big house, in the pantry. Dane's conscience spasmed painfully. Spending the night in jail had been a stinging reminder of what life might be like for Tessa. Except his loss of freedom had only lasted a mere twelve hours. And his captors, while they clearly hadn't liked Dane and Snake, had acted professionally, observing Dane and Snake's rights.
How many times had he heard it said that criminals had more rights than victims? Hell, he'd said it himself on numerous occasions. It was an awful truth.

Dane scowled, thinking about what Tessa might be going through now compared to how she'd been the past two weeks. He also thought about how easy it would be to free her when he got back. He could wait until nightfall and leave the compound with her. No one would question him. They could be across the state line in two hours. Or in Canada.
But could he throw it all away for her? God, he wanted to. He had the power to make it happen. He knew she deserved it.
But so did the others being held captive. And his honor----damn it----wouldn't let the story unfold any differently.

Almost an hour or so later, Dane opened the pantry door, his eyes taking in the entire scene. Tessa was huddled next to the door, her legs bound and curled up close to her body. She'd drawn back at first, her face wild with panic. Recognizing him, she started crying hysterically. A pathetic, strangled sound, coming from behind her gag.
He stepped over her, kneeling directly in front of her, purposely blocking her view of the dead rat in the opposite corner.
The rat's head was based; there was blood on the heel of her shoe. He could imagine what had transpired. He tugged the gag away and enfolded her in his arms. She buried her head in his shoulder, against his neck, pressing herself as close to him as she could, the force of her sobs shaking them both.
There were no words to make it right, but he said them anyway. Hushed promises, quiet assurances. Soothing sounds.

He hugged her. Held her, rocked her, until at last her sobs softened to a low keening. In spite of her disjointed words, he was able to confirm that she was not physically harmed by Duke or Eddie, nor bitten or scratched by the rat before she killed it. After removing the cuffs and freeing her ankles, he massaged her shoulders and arms for a few minutes, restoring blood flow, before pulling her to her feet.
"Can you make it to the cabin?" It was tempting just to pick her up and carry her back, but the slight exercise of walking would probably be good for her.
She nodded, then raised her head, searching his eyes. "I'm sorry about everything I did," she croaked, her voice hoarse. "Don't ever leave me like that again. Please."
He brushed a finger over her lips, then rested his hands on her shoulders, wrestling against the urge to swallow her slight frame in a crushing hug, to beg forgiveness. "You have nothing to apologize for."
"Then what did I do to end up here?" A single tear escaped and ran down her cheek. "Is it because---"
"It's nothing you did or didn't do. I got tied up."

He looked away briefly, not wanting to tell her the truth, afraid that if she knew he had just gotten out of jail, she'd be even more frightened. "I was worried about you being chained to the bed all night and thought----mistakenly----that you'd be better off up here."
His low, caring tone was her undoing. Right now, she would grant him any wish, forgive him any sin. He'd come back for her, and that was as much as she could focus on for the moment.
Leaning forward, she buried her face in the front of his shirt. Her arms threaded tightly around his waist. "Take me home, please."
Her surrender almost undid Dane. Her words echoed in his mind. Home. It was a place he desperately wanted to return to.
But after the last eighteen months, he wondered if he'd even remember the way.