Savannah
Copyright© 2025 by Harry Carton
Chapter 1
Dallas – two years ago
It was early on a Saturday -- well, too early for the stores to be open at the Galleria mall, this close to Christmas, anyway. Of course, the Cinnabon shop was open – they opened at 8; they sold cinnamon buns and coffee and juice and other stuff. Savannah Douglas looked at the sticky buns and other delectables on display. Her sister, Margaret -- Maggie -- had to go back to the car to get her purse. Maggie was 17, Savannah nineteen months younger was 15. The car was parked near the mall entrance which was close to Cinnabon’s. It was 9:45; and in 15 minutes the Victoria’s Secret would be open, as would all the other stores. Maggie and her sister wanted to look at all the sexy underwear -- they weren’t going to buy, of course. It was a celebration of sorts: Maggie had just gotten the ‘all clear’ from her oncologist. They didn’t have the money to buy anything from Vickies; just window shopping.
Savannah turned and looked at her sister walking back to the mall. A white van with a blue BIMBO bread logo on it pulled up to the sidewalk. BIMBO was a fairly common sight in the DFW area: it was the name of a common Mexican / Latino bread company. The door on the side of the truck slid open as Maggie walked around the back of the truck. Two men jumped out, grabbed Maggie and hustled her inside the van. She screamed. The door slammed shut and drove off. It took about a second. Maybe five.
Savannah was stunned and then ran outside. She looked at the retreating van. The license was LBZ 4 something. Maybe it was JB2 4. She just couldn’t make it out as the van turned the corner. She picked up her sister’s purse from the sidewalk. Looking around, there was nobody around, so nobody else saw anything. She couldn’t believe it, and started to cry.
Wait! Crying wouldn’t help Maggie. She dug into her pocket, pulling out a cell phone, and dialed 9-1-1.
The 911 operator answered. “Dallas Metro 911. What is your emergency?”
The words came out of Savannah in a fast torrent. “I’mSavannahDouglas. TheyTookMySister.It’saWhiteVan. BlueBimboBreadSignOnIt.ItWasWhite. TheLicense...”
The operator interrupted. “Slow down. Take a breath. Somebody took your sister, right?”
“Yes. And...”
“Where are you, Miss?”
Savannah answered, “I’m at the Galleria. We were going to...”
“You’re outside? Which entrance?”
“There’s a statue of something -- I don’t know what it is -- it’s twisted metal.” She looked around. “Oh! There’s a ‘3’ over the doors. It’s entrance 3.”
“All right. I’ve notified mall security. They’ll get to you before the police, but they’re coming too. Just sit tight.”
Savannah screamed at the operator. “They don’t need to come for me! Maggie got snatched by two guys in the van. It’s license LBZ 4 something. Maybe it’s JBZ 4 or JB2 4. I couldn’t see it clear. You have to stop the van! DO SOMETHING!”
The operator’s calm voice only seemed to upset Savannah more. “We are doing something. First things first. How old is your sister ... Maggie, right? Can you describe her?”
“She’s 17. Blonde hair. About 5’6”. She’s not as tall as me, even though I’m younger. She’s real pretty. Uh ... she’s white.”
“Okay. Okay. What was she wearing?”
“Wearing? Clothes. I mean ... uh...” She called up a mental picture of Maggie -- they were getting dressed this morning. Why that image came to her she didn’t know -- and didn’t question it. “A knock off Calvin Klein T. It said ‘Howdy. I’m from Texas. Get out of my way.’ It was blue with darker blue swirls. And jeans. Ripped out at the knees. Saddle shoes -- brown and white. Uhmmm ... she has big boobies.”
“Good. I got all that. It’s going out now with an Amber Alert. The whole city is going to be looking for her.”
Savannah Douglas was still very agitated, of course, and nearly jumped out of her skin when a mall cop called her name. “Savannah Douglas?”
“WHAT?” She turned around and jumped back.
“I’m with mall security. I’ll just wait with you until the police come. Okay?” He was an older man ... Maybe 40? or older. It was hard to tell with old people. He wasn’t too tall and he had a good-sized gut on him. Likely, too many Cinnabons.
She talked into the phone. “Some guy is here. Says he’s with mall security. Did you send him? He’s kinda old and fat.” The mall cop spread his hands in a gentling gesture. “I don’t know who to trust anymore ... Oh God. Call my parents! They’re gonna freak. You gotta call them. 214-555-2414. Or I’ll call them. Okay. I’m gonna hang up and call them.”
“NO!” shouted the operator. “Wait for the city police to get there. We’ll call your parents from here. All right?”
“Uhm ... okay.”
The mall cop was just making calming gestures when a dark blue Chevy sedan pulled up. A man in a suit got out. He held out his badge and an ID card. “I’m with the Texas Rangers, miss. I was coming down to the mall this morning when I heard the call. Ranger Tom Hardesty. See? Here’s my badge and everything.”
Savannah turned to look at him. Yeah. White Stetson, cowboy boots. Jeans, but he had on a windbreaker over a man’s dress shirt. She took a step back. Away from the mall cop and away from the possible Ranger. She talked into the phone. “Did you send city police or a Texas Ranger? There’s a guy here trying to show me a badge. Really, it’s a big star on a wallet kinda. It says Texas Ranger 4372. There’s no cop here but a mall cop. His name tag says Bob Gillshore. I ... AKK!”
The 911 operator said, “What happened? Hello? Savannah?”
The two putative officers rushed forward to help Savannah, who had fallen over a bush at the edge of the sidewalk and who was now sitting on her rump in the reddish mulch of the landscaping. In other circumstances, she’d have looked kinda cute. 5’7 1/2”, sort of a big pixie look, an ‘I’m with Stupid’ t-shirt, and cutoffs jeans with a very short inseam -- the bottom of the pockets of the shorts came out below the ripped hem, lots of leg, down to combat-style boots. Just now, she looked scared and angry.
“GET AWAY!” Shouted Savannah at them. “GO DO SOMETHING TO GET MY SISTER!” She scrambled to her feet and backed up further, ‘til her backside bumped into the twisted metal sculpture. “LEAVE ME ALONE! DO SOMETHING!”
A new voice came through the cell. “Vanna? Honey? Are you okay? What happened?”
“MOM!” She shouted. “They’ve got Maggie! It was a bread truck. And two men jumped out a grabbed her. I’ve got her purse.”
“I know, honey. They told us from police headquarters. I’m going crazy too, but you just let the police help you.”
“NO! I don’t know them. Nobody told me they were coming. Any asshole could get a fake badge and say he’s from the Rangers. I don’t trust them.”
“Daddy is coming there,” said her mother. “Just stay there and wait for him, then.”
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