Fudge-Laced Felonies (24 page)

Tired and out of sorts, I lowered myself to the ground beneath a thick bush and made a seat in a patch of wet pine needles. Sometime during the early morning hours, I slept to the lullaby of falling raindrops.

Rain still fell when I awoke to the sun’s full light. Shivering, I pushed to my feet and crawled from beneath the bush.

No longer under the shelter of the trees, I stood in the center of the road, arms outstretched, and twirled. I opened my mouth like a starving baby bird, allowing the abating rain to fall on my face and tongue. Thank You, Lord.

I lowered my arms and surveyed the road. I turned left, hoping it would lead me down the mountain. Being so early in the morning, I experienced a moment of surprise when a car appeared over the hill to my right. I stepped away from the center of the road.

“Summer?” Nate barked before the car came to a complete halt. He opened the door and leaped from the car. “Where have you been? Most of the town is looking for you.”

“Oh, hanging around up here. You know, Mother Nature and all.” I allowed him to place a ratty old blanket from his backseat around my shoulders. “Thank God you chose to look for me up here. I thought I’d have to walk back to town.” The man might be a nuisance, one I didn’t feel completely safe around, but he was a familiar face.

Nate helped me into the car and closed the door. Back behind the wheel, he turned to me. “Good thing. You were headed farther up, not down.”

“Really?” I could have sworn. “Well, thank you anyway.” I shrugged.

He put the car in gear and pulled away. “Anytime.” Nate’s demeanor changed. Cold. I couldn’t see the soft, in-love-with-me man anywhere in his hard profile. A muscle twitched in his jaw.

I bent down to examine my ankle and disturbed a stack of papers. At my feet sat a box of Summer Confections chocolate fudge. Wonderful. I was starving. I opened the box and gasped. Instead of fudge, diamonds winked up at me.

Twenty

My heart stopped. I bolted to an upright position, peering from out of the corner of my eye at Nate’s face. A smirk twisted one corner of his lips. “You found my jewels. There ought to be more where those came from, but alas, they’ve been misplaced.”

Jewels? As in diamonds? “You’re Richard Bland, aren’t you?” I tugged the blanket tighter, warding off the chill from the car’s air conditioner. It all made sense. New to town, knew his diamonds. Mrs. Hodge’s son had been gone then suddenly came back into the picture. I stared out the window into the continuing drizzle, my heart a cold stone in my chest. Shivers of fear took over my body. “Ricky.” The pieces fell into place. “You’re Mrs. Hodge’s son. The two of you aren’t estranged.”

He shook a finger in my face. “And you’re too clever for your own good. But we are estranged. Can you believe, my dear mother wasn’t happy to see me after all these years? But after a bit of persuasion, she agreed to play along with my scheme.”

Nate twisted a hand in my hair and shoved my face into the dashboard. Stars swam before my eyes. The lights went out.

When I came to, Nate had slung me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. My head hung down his back. Remembering something I’d read about self-defense, I kicked in earnest, aiming for anything that would hurt.

“Oh no, you don’t.” He wrapped his arm tighter around my knees.

Self-defense classes moved to the top of my to-do list. “Put me down.”

“I don’t think that would be wise. Not until we’re inside.” Keeping his hold on me, he stomped up a set of rickety wooden steps. Keys jangled in his hand.

He deposited me inside what, on some slim imagination, someone might call a house. We stood on warped wooden boards over two-by-fours. The roof leaked, raindrops hitting the floor with dull plops. Boards covered the windows, and I could see the gray light of a rainy day through the walls.

“Nice place. Been here long?” I plopped on the tattered plaid sofa, sending dust into the air.

Nate chuckled. “I do like you, Summer Meadows. You’re good for a laugh.” He lifted his shirt and pulled a revolver from the waistband of his pants. I wanted to kick myself for not checking when I had a glimpse of his backside.

“Gee, thanks. I’m thrilled.” I clutched the blanket tighter around my shoulders. “Going to kill me now?”

“I don’t want to.” He sounded like a little boy whose mommy had told him to go to bed. “If only you hadn’t found those diamonds. Hadn’t started poking your pretty little nose where it didn’t belong. I knew you’d figure it out sooner or later.”

A nervous giggle escaped me. “You planted them beneath my rosebush. It was only a matter of time, Nate.”

“I didn’t plant them there!”

“Who did? Terri Lee?”

“Stupid woman.” Nate paced a section of floor where two boards lay side by side.

“She said she had to hurry. Someone was coming. That ex-con Parker and his stupid nightly strolls. Did you know the man walks the highway at night? In the dark, no less? Terri tried convincing me she’d left enough evidence to put suspicion on him.” He whirled to face me.

“But why did she hide the diamonds there and then put the cash in your tree house? She tried to stiff me, that’s why. I killed her boyfriend. She’d told him too much. Then when she found out Parker worked in a nursery where they sold gloves along with everything else, she stuck that glove under the rosebush. She tried to frame me. She wanted things to point to me if someone found the diamonds before she could get them. And when the DNA comes back with that dead guy’s blood on there, with something I’d left behind. . .” Nate’s mouth twisted.

I shrugged. Something about Nate had always bothered me. Even when I almost turned to him instead of Ethan. Now I knew what it was. He was nuts. His attention had charmed me, though, and it hurt that he’d used me in order to find his precious diamonds.

The cell phone in my pocket vibrated. Sliding my right hand beneath the blanket, I pressed the On button.

“I had plans, Summer. Plans to get out of here. Plans on helping Mom.” He waved the gun around before bending to peer at me. “Terri was going to swindle me out of my share. Can you believe it? I was the one who stole the diamonds. I was the one who came up with my new identity. Not her.” He straightened.

“Why’d you have Terri as a partner at all, Nate? You could’ve had the diamonds and the cash all to yourself. Why share?” I needed to keep him talking. Please, God, let Ethan be on the other end of my phone. “You could have. You’re Richard Bland, the supposed diamond broker.”

He snorted. “That was just a story I spread around town to get the focus off me. Terri Lee was the connection. She wasn’t hard to get close to. She was the most man-hungry woman I’ve ever met. I’m plain old Richard Hodge, the thorn in my dear mother’s side.”

“Being man-hungry isn’t a reason for murder. What about Terri Lee’s boyfriend?”

“He was in the way. Getting too close. I could see Terri Lee turning. Wanting someone young and handsome. Then I saw you. A fiery temptress, and Terri didn’t seem important anymore.”

Had Nate ever looked in the mirror? I mean, he didn’t appear handsome at the moment. Not with his features twisted in hate, but I couldn’t remember having seen a prettier man before. Except for my Ethan.

“So you did kill her. You dumped her beneath the overhang where I waited.”

“Yep, that was me. I knew you didn’t have the diamonds. I’m not stupid. That oaf of a cousin of yours has them. I knew they wouldn’t turn them over to me. I just wanted to have a little fun with the police.” He stopped pacing and plopped next to me. I pulled away from him as he slung his arm along the back of the sofa.

“Why’d you tear up my room? Why hide the knife in my mattress?”

Nate sighed. “Foolishness. I was looking for the cash. You came home. I had to hide it somewhere and get out. If I was discovered, it’d be easier to come up with a story of why I was there if I wasn’t wielding a weapon. I never would have guessed you’d do anything with the mattress except toss it out.”

“I know you killed Terri Lee, but what about Doris?”

Nate smirked. “Annoying woman. She simply got in the way. Doris saw me pick up Terri Lee from work. Since that was the last time anyone saw the beautiful Terri Lee, I knew the woman would put two and two together.”

He stopped and looked at me. “You know, Summer, you and I could be something. I could come up with another plan. We could run off to Europe and live the high life.”

As if. “You aren’t going to shoot me?”

“Haven’t decided. That depends on you.” His arm fell to my shoulders. “Of course, you’d have to give up that pious attitude of yours. I won’t lavish wealth on you without getting something in return.”

“You want me to bargain with sexual favors to stay alive?” I bolted off the sofa. “Shoot me now, Nate, because you won’t get that from me.”

“Don’t tell me you really are hung up on the goody-goody man?” Nate’s, or should I say Richard’s, laugh rang through the room.

I scanned for anywhere to sit than beside him. “Where are we?”

“A place I’ve been staying in. If Terri Lee hadn’t tricked me, I’d have been living in splendor. Maybe up in Little Rock, until I could get away. Maybe Hot Springs, or I could’ve headed up to Branson.” He grabbed my hand. “Come with me. We’ll go now. Sell your podunk candy store and come with me.”

“No.” I yanked my hand free. “I love Ethan, Nate. Always have, always will. Either let me go or kill me.” What was I doing? Lord, save me from myself. I don’t want to die. I want another of Ethan’s mouth-bruising kisses.

“It’s Richard. Richard Nathan Hodge. Keep it straight.”

Ethan, are you getting all this? “Sorry. Are we still on the mountain?”

“I’m tired of talking.” He lunged at me. “Let’s have some fun before I decide what to do with you.”

The man seemed to sprout six more arms. I stepped away from him. Help me, God. I’d be no match for him if he got ahold of me.

The floor gave way, and I crashed down several feet into what I assumed was once a storm cellar or underground pantry. I landed unhurt in a heap. Not exactly the type of rescuing I had in mind, but it had worked in a pinch.

Richard cursed and stood staring at me. “Give me your hand.”

“No.”

“Summer, give me your hand.” He knelt beside the hole and held out his free hand.

I pressed myself against the farthest dirt wall. “No.” My heart stopped when my phone beeped. I must have hit a button as I fell.

“What is that? Do you have a cell phone in your pocket?” Richard let loose a stream of curses so vile I covered my ears.

“Fine!” He spun and disappeared from sight. “Richard?”

Thunder crashed. Cold mud collected under my feet, and I stared with wide eyes overhead where a steady stream of rain poured in. I dug into my pocket, retrieved my phone, and stepped aside to avoid as much of the deluge as I could.

I punched in Ethan’s speed dial number. “Ethan? Did you call earlier? Did you hear?”

“Summer. Thank God. Yes, we heard. Joe has an idea where you are. We’ll be there soon.”

“Nate is Richard Bland,” I said softly.

“We know. We heard. Where is he now? Are you all right?”

I stood on tiptoes and tried peeking over the rim of the floor. “I can’t see him. I fell in a hole.” I lowered my voice. “He’s crazy. Absolutely bonkers.”

“Cooperate with him. Whatever it takes. Understand?”

“Yes, but—”

“Give me the phone, Summer.” I looked up. Richard was pointing a gun at my head. “Now.”

What could I do? I handed it to him. “Now take my hand and let me pull you up.”

“Okay.” I dropped the blanket into the now ankle-deep water and grasped his hand.

Richard held the phone to his ear. “Banning, if you don’t want anything to happen to your pretty little girlfriend, you’d better stay clear. Got it?” He closed the phone and turned to me. “You look like a drowned rat. Don’t know what I ever saw in you.”

“I don’t care what you think of me, Richard. What am I now? Your hostage?”

He grasped my arm above the elbow. “Sounds good to me.”

“Where are we going?”

“I haven’t figured that part out yet.” He yanked me through the door. “I’m in a bit of a predicament. I hadn’t thought of taking a hostage. Puts me in really deep water.”

And murder didn’t? I was dealing with a child. We stepped off the porch, and I shrieked as lightning shot across the sky.

“Stop being a baby. I’m standing here with a gun. You’re the hostage of a desperate man, and you’re screaming about lightning?”

Good point. I straightened and allowed him to drag me to the car. A big, navy blue—something. I’d really have to study my car models. If I did manage to get free, Joe would ask me what kind of car Richard drove, guaranteed.

Richard opened the passenger door with the finesse of a football player and shoved me inside. My already aching head bounced off the seat. “Ow!”

“Sorry.” He waved the ever-present gun in my face. “Stay put. You’re useful as a hostage, but only if you behave.”

“Yes, sir.” I folded my arms across my chest and slouched in the seat. Having no idea where we were, it wouldn’t do much good for me to run. My chance would come.

My captor slid behind the wheel and slung mud as we fishtailed away from the shack. We were still on the mountain, heading down. If Ethan and Joe didn’t find me soon, we’d be near impossible to locate. My phone chirped, pulling me from my thoughts.

Richard pressed the speaker button with the tip of the gun. Always the careful driver, he kept one hand on the wheel. “Hello, Banning.”

“Hodge, let Summer go. This is kidnapping.”

“Oh, so it isn’t Banning. Howdy, Officer Joe.”

“Stop the car and let her go.”

“It isn’t kidnapping if you’re taking a drive with your girl.” Richard turned to me. “Aren’t you my girl, Summer?”

I leaned closer to the phone. “We’re heading down a mountain, Joe. I don’t know which—” The back of Richard’s hand connected with my mouth.

“Sorry, Joe. I’ve got to teach the lady some manners. We’ll talk later.” And the call ended.

Despair washed over me, landing on my shoulders like a black blanket. Heavy and suffocating. Lord, what should I do? I can’t overpower him. I don’t know where we are. I need You to intervene. In a big way.