Law and Author (23 page)

It was a good thing my hair couldn't actually stand on end, because it would have at that moment.

THE DIVA FROSTS A CUPCAKE—
KRISTA DAVIS

S
leepless nights can sometimes be a blessing. Well, that might be an overstatement, Lizzie decided, but a sleepless night can help get things accomplished. In her own case, the tossing and turning, the midnight prowl to the fridge, the opening of the bedroom window and leaning on the sill to watch the quiet night did eventually help Lizzie sort through all that had been troubling her ever since Rafe Shannon's body had been found.

Possibly even from before that, like when Darla Lyman popped into their lives.

What she hadn't been able to wrap her head around was why someone like Rafe Shannon, a lowlife from the big city, would end up in Ashton Corners. Had he been tracking Darla, it would have made sense, although Lizzie was the first to admit she had no idea how these dealings between
bookies and payees went. But, Darla had stated he was surprised to see her in town, and only then did he put pressure on her to pay up.

Had said bookie sent him searching for someone else? If so, who? Their equally lowlife former mayor was already behind bars, and although there was no way Lizzie believed every citizen in Ashton Corners was upstanding, she couldn't quite imagine any heavy-duty gamblers living in town and being able to keep it under wraps. Someone would have spilled the beans by now, especially with all the questions being asked around town about the murder.

The only outsiders intersecting in this scenario were Rafe himself, Darla, and Wade Morris. She knew the connection between Rafe and Darla. What she suspected, but had no proof about, was a connection between Rafe and Wade. Both had arrived in town within days of each other. All three had, actually. They were all from Atlanta. Darla and Rafe were connected by gambling. And, Darla had a connection to both men. Wade had said he'd followed Darla to town to protect her. Would he have killed Rafe Shannon to that end? Probably. The only other dealings Wade had in town had to do with drugs. Granted, Lizzie admitted, she didn't know all about his wanderings about town.

How much of a coincidence could this all be?

Eddie Riser had not admitted to knowing either man but then, why would he? If Darla knew, she wasn't saying. In fact, it looked like she wouldn't be saying much of anything from now on.

Eddie had said something that hadn't really twigged at the time, though. Lizzie had woken from a short sleep, one of many throughout the night, with the memory of their conversation. Eddie had used the term “they” when talking about Rafe.
They who
?

What if Rafe and Wade were mixed up in something together? What was it, and did it lead to Rafe's murder? She liked Wade for this, but was that mainly because she so disliked the guy? Still, too many questions.

Her mind kept leading her back to Darla. She had to know something more.

Lizzie leapt out of bed at the sound of her radio going on and pulled on her running shorts and T-shirt. How wonderful is the mind at rest! Tasked with remembering, it usually comes through once all the clutter of being awake is removed. She'd stop by Molly's later in the morning and give it one more try.

She fed the cats and headed out for her run. Along the way back she veered over to Garrett Street and paused to have a look inside the window of a recently vacated store that was in the process of being renovated. She'd heard through the school grapevine that it was destined to become a teachers' supply store, but she didn't have any other details. She hoped for some sign of the progress or a contact name posted. If the rumor were true, Lizzie hoped to have a conversation with the owner early in the game, when shelves were being stocked, in order to have some specific literacy materials brought in. She hadn't been by for a week, and although she could manage to see through a tear in the kraft paper that lined the windows that progress had been made, she was no closer to finding the information she wanted. She'd have to keep asking around. Surely, someone knew the answer.

She slowed as she finally reached her street and was down to a walk when she arrived home. She looked over at Nathaniel's window as she passed by, remembering he'd wanted to talk to her about something. She'd been so busy over the past week, as had he. She hadn't even seen him around, so the
meeting hadn't happened. She wondered what he'd wanted. Yet another unanswered question.

*   *   *

L
izzie slowed as she pulled into Molly's driveway. She'd just passed Wade's pickup parked on the street. And it was empty. She got slowly out of the car and looked around her. No sign of him. She tried knocking but there was no answer. That was strange. Molly was never known to go anywhere this early in the morning. Her heart started racing a bit faster.

Lizzie tried the door and it opened. She was getting a real bad feeling. Maybe she should call Mark. But she couldn't wait for him if Molly was in trouble. She flashed back to last summer when she'd found Molly unconscious on her kitchen floor. That spurred her through the door and down the hallway.

She paused at the kitchen door, listening. She couldn't hear a thing. She cautiously pushed it open and glanced in. Empty. She walked around the counter and looked down, just to be sure.

Lizzie let out the breath she'd been holding in. Maybe they were both upstairs. Lizzie went to the bottom of the stairs and called out. She could hear some banging and muffled sounds coming from behind her. She followed the sounds to the laundry room just off the kitchen. There definitely was banging coming from in there along with what sounded like Molly's voice.

“Molly, are you in there?” She rattled the doorknob but it wouldn't open. She pressed her ear against the door. “Molly?”

It sure sounded like her. She managed to make out the word “key” and “ledge.” Lizzie stood on her tiptoes and just managed to reach above the door. She ran her hand along
and knocked a key to the floor. Fumbling with it, she eventually got it in and opened the door. Molly came rushing out.

“Oh, thank goodness you're here, Lizzie.”

“What happened?”

“It's that Wade. He forced his way in here and locked me in my own laundry room. I told Claydon that lock was ridiculous but he never got around to changing it and neither did I.” She glanced out the window. “I'm not sure where he's taken Darla.”

“His truck's in the front, although there are no police cars around. You call 911 right now and I'll take a look out back.”

“You'd better wait here till the police arrive. He was meaner than a sack full of rattlesnakes.”

Lizzie shivered at the image that conjured. “All the more reason to try to find Darla.” She ran out before Molly could add anything, and stopped at the edge of the patio to listen. Nothing. No, that wasn't right. She could hear some whimpering and it sounded like it was coming from inside the maze. She knew this maze inside out. She started into it, approaching each corner with caution, walking steadily toward the sound until she could make out what was being said.

“I told you to shut up, Darla. I can't think with you making out like that.” Molly was right. Wade sounded plenty angry.

The sounds stopped abruptly and Lizzie hurried as fast as she dared.

“I'll give you one more chance to tell me where you put that USB stick.”

“You can punch me all you want, Wade Morris. I'm not saying.”

“I think you're getting to enjoy being punched, Darla. I'm going to try something else.” Wade's voice sent chills through Lizzie's body.

She knew she was close but not sure what to do. She paused to listen for sirens but couldn't hear any. The only thing to do was get Darla out of there. Lizzie rounded the next corner as Darla cried out in pain.

“Fingers are easy to snap, Darla. So are wrists. Shall we try that next? There are so many bones in your body I can freakin' break real easy. You'll be in so much pain you won't be able to see straight.”

Darla whimpered. Lizzie hoped it wasn't because she wouldn't see her boyfriend again. Lizzie dropped to her knees and crawled a few feet, looking for the opening in the hedge. As children, they'd taken great delight in disappearing from one path to the other, something Claydon Mathews had added for Lizzie's enjoyment. Although the cuts were obscured by overgrowth these days, the basic openings were still there.

She found it and poked through just to be certain. It would do. Now, she'd have to keep going until she met up with Darla and Wade, manage to distract him and then get Darla to run with her. She knew her way through the maze blindfolded. She and Darla would slip through two of the openings and make their way back to the beginning before Wade could figure it out. It sounded easy.
Sure
.

Darla screeched, “No. I'll tell you. No more pain. Please.”

“That's a good girl. Of course, no more pain. You give it up and I'll be out of here before you know it. You won't be seeing me again.”

“I thought you said you loved me,” Darla whined.

“I do, baby, but this is all about money. A lot of it. More than you realize. And since I can't trust you anymore, I have to make a choice. And guess what I choose. Now where is it?”

“I dropped it in Lizzie's handbag,” she said with a sob.

Uh-oh. Time to make a move.

Lizzie rounded the corner and cautiously came up behind Wade. Darla gasped when she noticed her. Wade turned and grabbed Lizzie's arm.

“Why, right on cue. So nice of you to join us but I notice, no handbag. Where is it?” He gave Lizzie a shake. She winced and clamped her mouth shut. She refused to let him see she was also in pain.

“I didn't bring it. I had no idea Darla had hidden something in it. It's at home.” She tried to signal Darla with her eyes, wanting her to be prepared to run.

“Well then, guess we'll all take a ride to your place.” He stuck his gun in his belt and bent over to grab Darla's arm, too.

Lizzie brought her knee up and bashed him where it hurt the most. He let go of them both and doubled over, clutching himself. Lizzie grabbed Darla and pushed her ahead. When they'd gotten a bit of a lead, she heard Wade yelling and heading after them.

She shoved Darla toward the opening and made her crawl through, Darla crying out in pain. Lizzie followed and then grabbed Darla's good hand to help her up, and ran. They crawled through the next hole just as Wade fired the gun. Lizzie had no idea where the bullet had gone. It hadn't hit either of them though.

“You bitches. You'll really know pain when I get hold of you.”

Darla whimpered but Lizzie kept her going. The start of the maze was just ahead of them. They could hear Wade gaining on them as they reached it.

Mark stood in front, gun drawn and pointed at them as they emerged. He waved them over to the side and Amber Craig grabbed them, pulling them to safety. Two officers flanked Mark, guns also drawn.

“Drop your weapon, Wade,” Mark yelled as Wade skidded
to a stop at the entrance. He looked from one officer to the other and then slowly did as told.

“Hands behind your head and on your knees,” Mark ordered. One of the officers holstered his gun and ran over to grab onto Wade and grabbed his wrists, forcing him down to the ground. The other two officers waited until Wade was flat on his stomach, hands handcuffed behind him.

“I wouldn't have killed them,” Wade whined. “I'm not a killer. I just wanted that damned stick. Darla, baby, I love you.”

Darla, still shaking and nursing her hand, spat out, “Too late, Wade.”

Mark glanced at Lizzie and smiled.

Time to call the locksmith.

DEATH IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES—
KATHY AARONS

L
izzie had gone back home to change out of her torn jeans while Bob and Molly took Darla to the hospital. She grabbed her handbag off the hall table and brought it upstairs, emptying it on the bed. There was the USB stick, just as Darla had said. How did it get in there? She thought back to when she'd last used the handbag but wasn't sure. She shrugged, tossed everything back inside, and set it at the top of the stairs so she'd remember to take it along to Molly's.

It took just a few minutes to change into black cotton pants. She exchanged her long-sleeved T-shirt for a red-and-white-striped cotton pullover, just for good measure, then lingered, looking at her reflection in the mirror. She stared without seeing, processing all that had taken place in the past hour. She still felt shaken to the bone, despite the fact that Wade was in custody and could no longer hurt Darla. But he
had said he wasn't a killer. Was that true? Of course, he'd deny it. But, he sounded desperate. What if he wasn't lying?

So, what about Eddie Riser? There was nobody else left on the suspect list. She knew it was out of her hands, the rest up to Mark and his team. But she couldn't get it out of her head. She'd wondered about him being the killer early on in the process, but he'd seemed to be just a middle guy, someone whose biggest sin was putting drugs in the hands of teens. Bad enough, for sure. But she hadn't taken him to be a cold-blooded killer. Wade had seemed the more likely suspect but that could have been because she didn't like the guy.

She finally shrugged, trying for a lighter frame of mind. She'd go back to Molly's and wait with Teensy for the others to arrive back from the hospital. The worst was over.

She wondered where the cats were. They'd usually be close by, keeping an eye on her, anticipating whether she was going out and therefore, time for a catnap, or maybe staying in and therefore worthy of stalking in case she sat down and a lap presented itself. Maybe they were sitting by their dishes, in need of a top up.

She ran lightly down the stairs and into the kitchen, almost doing a double take when she saw Riser sitting at her table. Her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes went directly to the gun in his hand.

“Nothing to say?” Riser asked, looking calm but sounding menacing.

“What are you doing here?”

Riser eyed her up and down. “Nice outfit. Is there a USB stick tucked in there somewhere?”

Lizzie gasped. “No. Chief Dreyfus has it.”

“That's one lie. I allow only three, you know. Like in, three strikes and you're out.” He grinned. “I'll let you in on a secret. I was with Wade Morris this morning when the three of you
had that little talk in the maze. No one paid me any attention. Of course, you couldn't see me in back of it and when all that fuss happened with the cops, I made good my getaway. But I was close enough to hear you say your purse was at home and the USB stick is in it. So, give it to me. Now.”

“Why do you want it? What's it got to do with you?”

“You don't get it, do you? It's my business and none of yours. However, I will tell you that Rafe Shannon was trying to take over my territory. And then he planned to do the same to some nearby towns. That stick is valuable. He's done all my legwork and made it easy for me to be the one expanding.”

Lizzie gasped. “You're the head of the drug ring? I thought you were just a dealer.”

Riser smiled again. “Nice cover, eh? The cops thought the same and kept watching me to take them to my leader. I had some fun planting clues that had them looking at someone else.” He barked out a short laugh. “Shows how dumb they can be.”

“You killed Rafe Shannon.”

He didn't answer.

“Was Wade Morris in on that?”

“Wade wants to be ‘the man.' He thought Shannon could make it happen, so now he thinks I'll bring him in on the operation. But he's wrong. He's proved he's a screwup and I just have to lay low until the law takes care of him. Now, get me that stick.” He waved the gun at her.

She needed to stall him. For what she wasn't sure. Mark didn't know he was here. Mark didn't even know she was here. Lizzie needed to think of some way to save herself. She did know it was unlikely he'd release her after all he'd just admitted. Unless he meant to grab the stick and leave town. But that seemed like wishful thinking. He had his business established in Ashton Corners.

“But Wade will tell the cops all about you.”

“Let him talk. There's no proof. Just his word. In fact, all the proof leads to him. I've been very careful about that.”

“Why kill Rafe Shannon at Molly's house?”

Riser shrugged. “I was tailing him and just took advantage of a good opportunity. No one would ever connect me with that house, and besides, Wade Morris was not far behind me. I was sure he'd take the rap but he was smarter than I thought and got out of there real fast.” He shifted the gun to his left hand and then back.

“Get me that USB stick. Now.”

Lizzie couldn't think of anything but to do it. Maybe she could toss it in the corner and he'd go for it and she'd hit him over the head. She glanced around. Nothing handy to do that.

“Now. Or else.” He waved the gun again.

“My handbag is on the stairs.” She gestured to the hallway but at that moment, noticed Brie sitting outside on the window ledge. Without thinking, she ran to the back door.

“My cats are outside. You let my cats out. You idiot.” She pulled open the door as he stood and rushed to her.

“You stupid bitch. Shut that door.” He grabbed her arm as the door swung open and the cats rushed inside.

She wrenched her arm from him, angry about the cats. “My cats could have gone wandering and gotten hurt.” The gun was in her face. She took a deep breath. “All right, I'll get your dumb stick.”

Lizzie stomped toward the hall.

Riser followed, continuing behind her up the stairs. The cats struggled to get to the top first, getting underfoot and tripping Riser. He fell back, hitting his head against the table at the bottom. The gun slid out of his hand.

It took Lizzie a few seconds to realize what had happened. She ran down the stairs, grabbed the gun and pointed it at the inert Riser. He tried to move, then groaned.

Lizzie sidled around him, reached for the phone, and dialed 911. She backed up against the opposite wall, willing Riser not to move. She knew she wouldn't be able to shoot him. She looked for something to tie him up with but couldn't see anything. Instead, she dragged the coffee table out of the living room and managed to get it over him. It would at least slow him down.

She looked up to the second floor but couldn't see the cats anywhere. She finally breathed a sigh of relief when the sirens grew louder and brakes squealed in her driveway. A few seconds later, Mark burst through the front door.

He took one look at Lizzie with the gun and Riser with the coffee table straddling him, and broke into a grin.