Tangled Luck Ch 30

She could have killed me.

Chapter 30 – Luck is the Best Friend of Your Knight in Bullet Proof Armor


Donna Gothel sat on the edge of the bed with the news on.
“Friends of Rapunzel Moore have confirmed that she was kidnapped by her aunt, Donna Gothel.”  An old mug shot of Donna came on screen for when she’d been picked up for public intoxication.  “Moore managed to call police early yesterday evening and explain what had happened to her. However, she could not give her location.  Police do believe Moore is in danger.  Again, her location is not yet known, but police are searching for Gothel’s car.  It is a red Ford Fusion with the license plate-”  Donna turned the news off and looked back at Rapunzel.  
She’d tied her niece up to the bed and gagged her so she couldn’t scream.  Donna glowered at Rapunzel, all the signs of love and affection she’d been showing earlier, void from her dark eyes.  
“Fucking little bitch.  You wanted me to be the bad guy, fine, now I’m the bad guy.  I knew you would give me trouble some day.  I should have put you in foster care a long time ago.”  Donna stood.  “Not that it’s any business for yours, but I’m leaving to get a drink and cigarettes.”  Donna stood and walked out of the room.
Rapunzel couldn’t believe how stupid she had been.  She actually believed her aunt over Eugene, Eugene, a person who had never given her any reason to ever doubt him.  And now, both he and she were paying for her mistake.
Rapunzel couldn’t let that stop her though; she needed to get back to Eugene’s side.
Donna had taken Rapunzel’s phone away, but she foolishly left it at the end of the bed.  Rapunzel stretched her legs to reach it.  Her big toe just barely brushed it.
Come on, she thought.  She turned on her side and found she got more distance.  She managed to slip the phone between her toes.  Yes!  She brought the phone up and dropped it between her legs.  Donna didn’t know how flexible Rapunzel could be.  Using her toe again, Rapunzel slid to unlock her phone and said of pray to thanks that the touch screen accepted the body heat of her foot.  Sweating, Rapunzel tapped the contacts square.  It opened; now was the tricky part.  Scrolling though the names in her phone was not easy, especially when she kept passing Max’s name.  Rapunzel was drenched now with her efforts and fear that her aunt would be back anytime.  Finally, Max Mustain was on the screen and Rapunzel tapped her toe on his name.  She saw the green call button and tapped that too.
As the phone dialed, Rapunzel realized how even more difficult this would have been if she still had her old flip phone.  She told herself to thank Eugene for the rest of her life for buying her a smart phone.  If she ever saw him again.
She told herself she would see him again.


Max paced nervously by the squad cars.  He had insisted he be put on the search for Rapunzel.  He told Chief Gainey that he had to for the sake of his best friend.  Him, the chief, and many other officers were outside a town called Porter, approximately 1600 miles outside of New Sonnenburg.  A cell tower near the town had binged Rapunzel’s number at the time she called Max.  
Max dare not call Rapunzel again, for fear her aunt would harm her.  Again.  Max was sure she’d assaulted Rapunzel when he heard their struggle on the phone.
He really wished they could do something, but no new information had surfaced.  They weren’t even sure if Donna Gothel had fled the scene or taken Rapunzel with her.  God forbid, they didn’t even know if Rapunzel was still alive.
Max walked up to his chief, who was conversing on the scanner.  Max listened in.
“We’ve checked out all locations in this town, chief.”  There were three other towns like Porter that used the same cell tower.  Chief Gainey had sent offices to all of them.
“Well, search again.  We are bringing this woman home.”  Chief Gainey noticed Max.  “How are you holding up, Mustain?”
“I’ve been better, sir.”
“I understand.  It’s not easy when someone you know has been hurt.  I’ve seen my share of that.  God knows I’ve been at odds with that Fitzherbert in the past, but you don’t wish things like this on anyone.”  The chief paused.  He put a hand on Max’s shoulder.  “I know how close you are to him.”
“Yes, sir.”
There was a crackle as a voice came from the scanner.
“Sir?”  Chief Gainey clicked it on.
“Yes, what have you got?”
“A woman matching Gothel’s description was seen in a red Ford fusion in Porter.”
“How sure are you of the identification?”
“We’re tailing her, sir, and we’re very sure.”
Max’s phone rang, or rather, sang.
“Don’t sit under the apple tree, with anyone else but me, anyone else but me, anyone else but me.  No, no, no, no.”  Max cursed and pulled his phone out.
“When Eugene wakes up I’m making him change this.”  He saw it was Rapunzel calling.  “I’ve got her!  She’s calling me.”  Chief Gainey nodded to a man in a van that had tracking equipment.  The man nodded back; he was ready to lock onto the signal.  Max hit accept and put the phone to his ear.  “Rapunzel?”  There was no answer, only a rustle.  “Rapunzel?”  Max looked at his commanding officer.  “She’s not answering, but this is definitely her number.”
“She may not be able to answer.”
“I’ve got a hit!” called the officer in the van.  Max and Gainey walked up to the van and looked at the screen.  “It’s coming from this building.”  He zoomed in on the coordinates and clicked for information on the location.  It was a building called Happy Stay Hotel.
Back over at a squad car, the scanner bleeped.  Gainey crossed back to it.
“What have you got?”
“Gothel has just entered Happy Stay Hotel in Porter.  How do we proceed?”
“Do not approach, repeat, do not approach.  She has a hostage and a gun.  We do not want to scare her.  Secure the area and wait for back up.  We’ll be there in five minutes.”  He turned to his officers.  “Alright, let’s move out.  The perp is at Happy Stay Hotel.  Mustain, you’re with me.”
They got in their cars.
“Mustain,” said Chief Gainey as Max buckled in.
“Sir?”
“Don’t try and be a hero in there for her.  I know she’s your best friend’s fiancé, but we don’t need you shot up too.”
“Oh, don’t worry about me, sir.”
Like hell Max wasn’t going to help Rapunzel.  Chief Gainey had said it himself; she was the fiancé of his best friend.  That made her his best friend too.


Donna had already popped open a beer in the car after she bought a six pack and had downed it.  She lit up and drove back to the hotel.  She wondered what she was going to do with Rapunzel.  Her niece had still decided to be unreasonable with her.  They could have been happy together, but the little bitch just had to be selfish.
She got to the hotel and went in.  She strolled the hall to her room, swinging the plastic bag of beer.  She was just so pissed at Rapunzel, but maybe they could work through it.  Donna opened the door with her keycard.
She saw Rapunzel still on the bed, but her cell was down at her legs and the screen was lit.  Donna realized instantly what her niece had done.  She dropped the bag of beer cans and rushed at Rapunzel.
“You damn little bitch!”  Donna got on top of Rapunzel and slapped her across the face.  She back lashed her too, her rings scoring Rapunzel’s face.  Donna balled up her fists and pounded on Rapunzel.  
Rapunzel screamed through her gag, praying someone was going to hear her and rescue her.  She tried to twist away from her aunt’s blows, but her restrains held her firm.  Her wrists howled in searing pain as she tugged at the bonds.
Rapunzel managed to scoot up from her aunt, but Donna’s next blow landed right on Rapunzel’s stomach.  She stopped her struggling.  All the air was gone from her stomach, but she couldn’t think about breathing.
My baby!  My baby!  She’s hurt my baby.
Rapunzel couldn’t get enough air through her gag and her eyesight dimmed.  She still felt the pain of Donna’s hits, but she just didn’t care anymore.  The coming darkness was so comforting.
There was a crash from the door of the hotel room as police officers in S.W.A.T. gear filed in, guns trained on Donna.  She leapt off the bed in hopes of getting away, but they tackled her to the ground.
“Donna Gothel, you’re under arrest for the attempted murder of Eugene Fitzherbert and the kidnapping of Rapunzel Moore.  You have the right to remain silent.  Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.”
Rapunzel’s head rolled on her shoulders as she took in the scene.
Max stepped into the room in a bullet proof vest.  He went straight to her and pulled her gag off.
“Hey, Rapunzel,” he said, cupping her face.  “You’re okay now, I’ve got you.”
“Max…”
“Shush, I’ve got you.”  Max took out a knife and cut the ties around her wrists.  He inhaled sharply when he saw how purple and swollen her wrists were turning.  Her face and exposed parts of her chest were becoming much the same color.  Max scooped her into his arms and carried her out.
“Max…” Rapunzel moaned again.
“Shush, don’t talk, okay?”
“Max, Eugene, I want Eugene.”
“We’re taking you to him, okay?”
They got outside to where the paramedics were.  The light of day hurt Rapunzel’s eyes and she shut them.  Max set her down on a gurney as the paramedics moved to work on her.  She saw one of them filling a syringe.  Her senses suddenly kicked in.  She clutched Max’s arm.
“Max, don’t let them give me anything that’ll hurt the baby, please.”  The words rushed out in babble.  “I’m pregnant; don’t let them hurt the baby.  Please, I’m pregnant.”  Max tried to pry her fingers off.
“They’re not giving you anything that’ll hurt the baby, okay?  It’s saline.”  One paramedic smiled down at her.
“Hey, we’re not going to hurt anyone, alright?  Now I’m Roy, that’s my partner Johnny, and we’re going to take good care of you, alright?”
“I’m pregnant.”
“Yes, we know.  Do you want to tell us your name?”
“Rapunzel.”  She was so frantic and the question was so stupid.  They didn’t understand that she was pregnant.
“Okay, Rapunzel, your friend it right, this is saline, and I’m going to inject into you, alright?  And then we’re taking you to the hospital.”
“St. Augustine’s?”
“No, Blue Haven.”
“No!”  Rapunzel tried to sit up and was pushed back down by Max, Roy, and Johnny.  “I want to go to St. Augustine’s!  I want to be with Eugene!”
“Blue Haven is closer, now, please, calm down.”
Johnny addressed Roy.
“We’re going to have sedate her.  Her BP and heart rate are too high.”
“No!  No!”
“Rapunzel.”  Max took her face in both his hands.  “Rapunzel, listen to me, they’re doing this for your own good.”  Out of the corner of her eye, Rapunzel saw the breathing mask.  “Now you’re going to Blue Haven so they can treat you and then you’re being transported to St. Augustine’s in New Sonnenburg.”
“Eugene…”
“Will be there and he’ll be fine, okay.”
The mask came down over her mouth.  Rapunzel looked pleadingly at Max.
“You promise?”
“Of course I promise.”
“You promise…” Rapunzel repeated.  Her head filled with woozy and befuddling thoughts.  “Max… don’t let…pregnant…”  Her eyes closed on Max as he said something to her and she faded into a dark sleep.