Page 1 of Zane

CHAPTER ONE

Zane Miller and his brothers were in a certain kind of hell.The kind that wasn’t going to go away on its own.There was no one coming to save them so if they didn’t do it themselves, it was never going to happen.

As the oldest of the seven brothers, Zane took his job seriously.He and Monty were the closest, working with their father on the community business dealings.They didn’t understand them fully but they knew it wasn’t legal if they weren’t allowed to speak with anyone about the business.

No one except their mother.A horrible woman with a vile, mean streak a mile wide.She was heavy with a body odor that told you when she was coming.For Zane and his brothers that was a good thing.Except no one cared what she did to them.

She didn’t touch them sexually.No, she only beat them nearly to death in front of everyone to let the rest of the compound know what happens when you don’t do what Mrs. Miller wants you to do.

Her name was Florence but no one dared to call her that.Zane didn’t know why, and neither did Monty.On this night, neither of them cared.

The job seemed simple.Drive the animals and the skins down, get the money and drive back.Except their plan was to get the money and disappear.They would return at a later time for their younger brothers.

But as with most things involving Florence Miller, it didn’t go as planned.The men she’d hired to buy the animals said they weren’t there for the animals.They were there for Zane and Monty.

Outnumbered, Zane was secured to a pole inside an old shed and then heard the men giving instructions to his brother.He’d be given a five-minute headstart and then he would be hunted.

When the last of the ATVs pulled away from the shed, Zane began pushing on the metal pole until he discovered a space at the top that allowed him to get free.Then. He ran.

There was no doubt in his mind that Monty was gone.He was slower than Zane and not as smart, something Zane attributed to Mrs. Miller.He’d been hit in the head so many times it was a shock that he was even alive.

He kept telling himself that he’d go back for the other boys and every time he tried, he was too frightened to go.Until he’d gotten a call.

“Monty and Zane Miller were born in Pleasanton, California a year apart.They are now twenty-six and twenty-seven, respectively.Their parents were both teachers at a private Christian school but retired early, saying that teaching was taking a toll on them.

“They moved to Nebraska about the same time as Saylor’s family, all their assets were sold and liquidated.It appears that Mrs. Miller came from an affluent family and never really needed to work.She took all the money they had and made sure their home was much larger than the others to accommodate the boys.”

“What about the abuse?” asked Remington.“Whipping kids with a belt out in the open so others see, that’s not okay in my book.”

“It’s not okay to any of us,” said Ham.“Shep?Why would she do that?”

“To show that she was in control and she was the one with the power.She wanted other children to see what could happen to them if they disobeyed and she was most likely using her own children to send the message.”

“That’s fucking cold,” said Gator.

“It is and it happens too often.Parents wanting to prove that they aren’t raising children who are out of control or have no discipline.This woman obviously took it too far, way too far.Do we know where the boys are now?”

“Men.They’re grown men,” said Hiro.“Miller is a very common surname so we’re still searching for them.We know that they purchased a used Ford F150 pick-up truck outside of Lincoln, Nebraska.They possessed no credit cards but might very well have had cash.”

“Considering what we know about the mother, that’s possible,” nodded Gator.

“Hey, I’ve found Zane Miller.His name appeared on a lease agreement in Santa Fe six months ago,” said AJ.

“No brother?” asked Remington.

“Not on the lease.I have a phone number for him.Do you want me to connect?” asked AJ.

“Do it,” said Ham.They waited as AJ dialed the number.It rang nine times before someone finally answered.

“H-hello?”

“Is this Zane Miller?” asked Remington.

“Wh-who is this?” he stuttered.

“Mr. Miller, I mean no harm to you.My name is Remington.I’m married to Saylor Carver.The former Saylor Carver.”

“Are you in the compound?” he asked.