Chapter 18
Tiffany wanted to scream and cry
and run. She was scared to death. Madi, sensing something wasn't right, was
fidgety and crying. The phone kept ringing and ringing…why couldn't they just
leave her alone? She looked at the knife she'd taken from Lupe's kitchen. She
swore she'd kill Madi and kill herself before she'd go to prison.
The truth was she wanted to kill
Madi. She was sick of this kid. In Tiffany's dementia, Madi was the sole cause
for all her problems. She'd never had taken a dime if she hadn't felt so used
because of Madi. Precious little Madi. Everyone loved Madi…Nick loved Madi…
She was tired of feeding her,
listening to her babble. She was tired of her crying and wanting Momma. Madi,
sitting on the bed watching cartoons, was oblivious to what was happening.
Tiffany walked over and rested the razor-sharp pointed knife blade against her
little back. She murmured,"It would be so easy…"pop" no more
Madi…it would be bye bye, Madison!"
Madi looked up and grinned,
"Bye bye."
Tiffany stroked her silky, dark
hair. "You wanna go bye bye Madi? I would LOVE to make you go bye
bye."
Madison giggled.
The phone rang again. Hands
trembling she picked up the receiver.
"Tiffany? Hi, it's Dan. How
are you and Madi doing? Are you sure you're not hungry? I could send something
up there for you."
"Right. How stupid do you
think I am?" she screamed and slammed the phone down. The FBI had been
calling every thirty minutes. She looked outside once after "Dan"
told her that she might as well hand Madison over. There was no way out.
Tiffany informed him that there was always a way out…to back off.
The phone rang again.
"Tiffany. Dan again. Don't hang up, okay? You're getting yourself all
worked up and you don't need to. All we want is to talk to you. We aren't going
to hurt you…" He paused for a moment as he watched an unmarked van pulling
up. Madi's parents emerged along with several Dallas agents.
Jeanie had no idea how she would
be able to stand much less walk under her own power. Her baby was only a few
hundred feet away. Kevin kept both arms tightly around her to keep her from
collapsing. Nick nervously paced back and forth, vacillating between near tears
and hyperventilation.
They watched as members of the
SWAT team positioned themselves.
"This can't be
happening…" Jeanie mumbled. They were getting ready to storm the
motel…Madi could be hurt…
"God, Kevin they're gonna get
her killed!" Jeanie cried. He tried to calm her down, but the same
thoughts were racing through his mind.
Suddenly, Nick bolted. It took
everyone by surprise. There was chaos and yelling, but he kept running. He ran
straight for the motel. "Stop him! Stop him!" Jeanie, crying and
hysterical, tried desperately to get away from Kevin and go after him. Before
they could mobilize to intercept him, he was almost at the door. The police and
agents signaled each other to stand back…watch…wait…hold…hold…
Nick was terrified, but he had to
do this. It was his fault…this was all his fault. He'd damn near ruined Jeanie
and Kevin's life and now, because of him, Madison's life was in danger. If
anything happened to Madi, he wouldn't be able to go on living anyway. He had
no choice...he had to do this…
He stopped momentarily and said
softly, "God, I never meant to hurt anyone. Please believe me..."
He rapped on the door. "Tiff.
It's me, Nick… lemme in."
He could hear muffled sounds
coming from the other side and what sounded like cartoons and Madi singing?
Tiffany answered, "Nick?"
"Yeah..um, Tiffy…I came to
help you but ya gotta let me in quick. Hurry, before they stop me!"
"I don't believe you…"
"Damn it, Tiffany! Open the
door!" he ordered.
She unfastened the safety chain.
Standing where so she couldn't be seen from the street, she barely opened the
heavy door. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the handle of knife. She was
more than ready to attack if she had to. Nick pushed one arm in...then slipped
into the shabby room, shutting the door behind him. When Madi saw Nick come in
she half-rolled and half-lunged for him. "ick! ick!" she chortled. He
burst into tears and snatched her up off the bed, hugging her.
"Hey, girlfriend!" he
whispered kissing her as she shrieked.
Tiffany stood stone-faced
watching. "I thought you came to help me…" she said dryly.
"I-I did..."
"Sure…right…you fuckin'
liar." She pointed the knife at him.
"Tiff…look. Me and you can
run and maybe get away. It aint gonna happen with Madi here. Lemme get her outa
here and then…"
"Let me make it easy…"
She held the knife up to Madi's throat. "This will just take a second…hold
her."
Nick was horrified. He spun around
trying to put himself between Madi and Tiffany. The blade on the knife was so
sharp, he didn't even realize that Tiffany had stabbed him until he felt
something wet running down his back…his own blood. He had to get Madi out…
Holding her tightly, he made a
break for the door and somehow managed to get it open.
Madi, began to cry. Nick almost
fell as he tripped over the door jam. He'd taken three or four steps out,
Madison holding on to his neck for dear life, when he began to stumble. Tiffany
chased after him, wielding the butcher knife over her head. She struck him
again, slicing into him, and his knees began to buckle…
"NOW…GO GO GO…" agents
screamed.
Kevin and Jeanie watched in horror
as Nick, now covered in blood, fought to keep standing…he...had
…to…save…Madison…