Lillian Duncan - Until Death Do Us Part (20 page)

CHAPTER 50

Billy walked out from the bedroom with his special cell phone in hand.
“Glad that’s over.”

All eyes turned toward him.

“Mark’s on the phone to Secret Service as we talk. Reggie will be glad to hear it’s out of our hands now. He’ll have a forensic team at the house in the morning but between the fire and water damage, he isn’t hopeful to get any useable prints.”

“What about you and the file?” Theresa’s voice was calm but Reggie knew her friend was worried.

“There will be an investigation, but Mark said not to worry. He would have done the same thing if it was his wife. He’s got my back. And considering I backed up the file and made paper copies, it shouldn’t be too big of a problem.”

“So you say.” Dylan stood and moved the food tray to the door. “Are you sure you’re not downplaying the situation for our benefit?”

“What downplaying? An internal investigation by my company is no little matter. Tomorrow, I’ll need to meet the forensic team at the house but for now, I say we’ve had a rough few days and we need to go out and have us some fun.” He wiped his hands. “Oh, and I turned in my resignation.”

CHAPTER 51

Reggie stood on the dock watching the others get out of the boat. She breathed a deep sigh of relief. Two boat rides in two days was more than enough for her. Hopefully, it would be a long time before she took another one.

Theresa stepped out of the boat, looking like Queen Nefertiti, thanks to their shopping excursion.
Her hair was back to its funky style and her clothes screamed fashion diva.

She could take a lesson from Theresa
. Just because she was a farmer’s wife didn’t mean she couldn’t have her own fashion style. There wasn’t a law saying she had to wear jeans and T-shirts all the time.

Dylan tied up the boat to the post.
“I’m just saying you don’t usually give up this easily, Billy Clyde. You’re usually like a hound dog with his favorite bone.”

Billy shrugged.
“And I don’t usually have a wife who was kidnapped. I’m done. I’m retiring to Nashville and taking my grandbabies fishing and tell them stories about my crazy Marine buddies. And if you’re good, I’ll let you come visit.”

T
he two dogs came bounding up to them.

Theresa held out her arms and both of them jumped on her at the same time. “Oh, there’s my babies. I was so worried about you.”

Reggie was happy to see the dogs. She’d thought her attackers had killed them but apparently not.

Dylan took a few steps away from the group. “Those are mighty big babies.”

The largest shepherd turned his gaze on Dylan. Then growled.

Billy laughed. “Patches. Friend.” The dog left Theresa and walked to Dylan. He sat down in front of him and stared up. “He wants you to pet him, Monroe.”

Dylan’s hand moved tentatively to the dog’s head. After a quick pat, he stuck his hand in his pocket. “Better put them in the kennel. Don’t want them to upset the forensic team.”

Billy shook his head. “You aren’t fooling anyone, Monroe. You want them in the kennel and it’s not because of the forensic team.”

After the animals were in their huge dog run, the group walked to the front of the house. Everyone stood staring at the burned out cabin.

A vehicle pulled in.

Billy’s voice held more than a hint of suspicion. “Too early for the team. Wonder who that is?”

A skinny young man in his early twenties stood beside
a pick-up staring at the house. His jaw hung open. Theresa left the group and walked toward him. “Robbie, what are you doing here?”

“What happened, Miss Theresa?” The young man’s eyes never left the house.

“We had a fire but everyone got out safely so I consider that a blessing.” She touched his arm and he tore his gaze from the burned house. “Why are you here, Robbie?”

“I think it’
s LaTisha’s time. She says no but something’s wrong. I can see it in her eyes. She’s in pain. You gotta come check on her.”  His gaze strayed back to the house.

“Not a problem. Billy, you
and Dylan can stay here and wait for the people to get here. Reggie, why don’t you come with me? Another pair of hands always comes in handy.”

Billy nodded. “Sounds like a plan, hon. You got your phone with you?
Call me if you need me.”

Robbie stared at Billy Clyde. “I don’t know. Maybe you should come with us.
We might need help carrying her to the car.”

“No reason for that, Robbie. He’d only be in the way.” Theresa smiled sweetly at her husband. “I can handle this on my own.”

Robbie looked doubtful. “It’s not that, Miss Theresa, but…”

“It’s going to be fine, Robbie. Let’s go take a look at your wife.” She touched his arm
gently and guided him back toward the truck.

“We might need them to help move her.”
He looked back at Billy and Dylan but kept walking.

“It will be fine. Billy needs to stay here. He’s waiting for the insurance adjuster.
”

****

They drove down the main road. Reggie sat in the back seat of the pickup. Theresa looked over at Robbie. “I need my medicine bag.”

“Where is it?”

“In my car at the grocery store.”

From where she sat in the back seat, she could see him shaking his head. “No time. I’ll take you to her and then go back and get it later. Or maybe Mr. Billy can bring it to us.
Yeah, that’s a good idea. Why don’t you call him and ask him to do that?”

“He has somethi
ng else he has to do right now. Let’s go take a look. Maybe LaTisha’s right and she isn’t in labor. As a woman nears her time, she often gets fake pains. They’re called Braxton Hicks.”

“I
ain’t never heard of them. Bracks and Hicks?”

They turned
down yet another dirt road.

“No, it’s the man’s name. Braxton
first name and Hicks is his last.”

“Oh. Didn’t know about them. Maybe LaTisha does and that’s why she’s not worried.”

A few moments later, Robbie stopped in front of a tiny white bungalow. It was surrounded by a picket fence. Outside the fence, wildflowers surrounded it. In the midst of the forest, the house was nestled among the trees as if it was the gingerbread house from Hansel and Gretel.

“What an adorable
place.” Reggie said as she slipped out of the truck onto the gravel road.

Robbie’s eyes darted from her to the house.
“Thanks, LaTisha works real hard to make it look so pretty.”

“I’m sure that’s not easy in the middle of these woods.” Theresa looked back at her. “Ever helped with childbirth before?”

The question made her stomach queasy. “What do you think?”

Theresa
giggled. “It’s one of the most amazing things you’ll ever experience.” She held the door open as she slipped out. Reggie walked into the house behind Theresa and Robbie. The room was empty. “LaTisha. LaTisha. Miss Theresa’s here to check on you.”

No answer.

A chill ran up, Reggie’s spine. The house was too quiet. Almost as if—
Oh, please let LaTisha be OK.

Robbie’s Adam apple bobbed up and down.
“She’s gotta be around here somewhere, let me go upstairs and look for her.”

He bounded
up the steps without waiting for an answer from the women. To get her mind off of the negative thoughts flowing through it, Reggie turned to Theresa. “How did you become a midwife?”

“It just sort of happened. It takes
more than an hour to get to a hospital from Paw Paw. And people started calling me to help make the ride and one thing led to another. I love doing it. It’s an amazing thing to see a life come into this world.”

Reggie turned away from Theresa
.

Theresa touched her shoulder. “Don’t worry it will happen when it’s the right time.”

“Probably not.”

Understanding dawned in Theresa’s eyes. “The diabetes?”

Reggie nodded. Theresa hugged her. “Then God will have other plans for you. God created you just the way you are for a reason. Remember that.”

“I’m trying. I really am.”

“Good for—”

Robbie came running back down the steps. “She’s not upstairs but she left me a note. She went out to the barn to check on
… S..sophie—her horse. She’ll probably be back in a minute.”

Theresa eyebrows furrowed together.
“Maybe, we better go to the barn.”

Reggie hadn’t seen a barn on the drive in.

“It’s about a mile down the road.” Robbie pointed farther down the road.

Back in the truck. They bumped further down the road and further away from civilization. Finally, an old barn
came into view. It looked barely useable. No paint and boards were missing and falling down. A part of the roof was missing.

A far cry from Dylan’s beautiful barns.

Robbie jumped out, calling LaTisha’s name as he did. Theresa followed suit and Reggie brought up the rear. After a moment, he turned toward them, “Maybe, she’s in the barn.” The barn doors creaked open as he used both hands to open the double-sized door.

Reggie walked in
to the barn behind them. The smell of manure, dirty hay and horses slapped her in the face. Her mind flashed back to the man on top of her before he’d tied her up and put her in the closet.

She took an involuntary step
back toward the door.

Robbie turned and stared at her. “
What’s a matter? Where you going?”

“The smell. I need some fresh air.”

“Aren’t you going to help us find LaTisha?” His voice was almost a whine.

Her eyes scanned the empty stalls.
Flies and spider webs were the only sign of life in the barn. “I don’t see any horse in here, Robbie.”

Theresa’s voice was soft but stern. “You need to take us back up the house. We can wait for LaTisha up there.”

Robbie’s eyes flittered to Theresa then to Reggie and back. A look of panic filled his eyes. He looked as if he was ready to cry. “I’m sorry, Miss Theresa. I can’t do that.”

A man stepped out of the shadow
s.

CHAPTER 52

Each of the three forensic specialists was in a different room of Billy Clyde’s cabin searching for the evidence that would lead them to the kidnappers. A fourth person was bagging and tagging items to take back to their lab, including all of Billy Clyde’s destroyed computer equipment.

Dylan couldn’t imagine what they could learn from that but he’d s
een enough crime TV shows to think the effort might not be a complete waste of time.

Billy Clyde checked his watch. “I would have thought we would have heard from Theresa by now. At least, to tell us if they were going to the hospital or what?”

His phone rang. “Oh, speak of the devil.” He opened his cell phone and shook his head. “Not them. It’s my boss. Hey, I expected you here by now.”

A pause.

Billy chuckled. “You’re lost. I guess I should have given better instructions. Stay where you are. I’ll be there in a minute.”

****

The man took another step out of the shadows. He had a gun in his hand. Without a moment’s hesitation, Reggie screamed. “Run, Theresa. Run.” She turned and ran toward the barn door.

The man with the gun screamed.
“Get her, boy. Don’t just stand there. Get her.”

Scuffl
ing sounds came from behind her.
Couldn’t let him catch her
. She forced her legs to move even faster. A hand reached out and grabbed her arm. Jerking her shoulder away from him, she kept running but a moment later. Hands landed on her back and pushed her down.

She put her hands in front of her to stop the fall.
Pain shot up her knees as she landed on the rock hard barn floor. Muck oozed up through her fingers. She kept moving. No way was she going to let them win. Had to get to the door.

On hands and knees, she crawled
toward the barn door. Her gaze landed on an old rusty feed bucket. She reached for it. Her fingers curled around the handle. In the same moment, she turned on her back and swirled it around to hit her attacker.

It landed on
his knee. A small moan. Using her hands, she pushed herself to a standing position. Only a few more feet to the door. A hand grabbed her shoulder. She pushed it away.

Somewhere in the barn,
Theresa screamed. Reggie turned her head to search for her. Robbie used the distraction and tackled her from behind. A moment later the struggle was over. He sat on top of her with her face smashed against the barn floor. Pieces of straw pricked her cheek, her neck. The smell threatened to overwhelm.

His weight pressed against her back making it hard to breathe.
“Get off me.”

Robbie lifted off her back slightly.

She was able to breathe again.

“Tie her up, boy.”

Robbie grabbed her hands and put them behind her back. More pain. “Ouch. My shoulder hurts.”

“Sorry.” He loose
ned his grasp on her wrists.

The pain subsided.

“Thanks.” She whispered.

“No talking over there. Just tie her up.”

Robbie’s muscles tensed as the man barked out his orders. Who was that man? It was obvious he was the one in control.

He
encircled her wrists with the rope but not too tightly. Good. Maybe she’d be able to untie them later—when no one was looking. Keeping her voice low. “Why are you doing this, Robbie? You need to think about LaTisha.”

He
looked ready to cry, but he responded in a whisper. “I gotta do it. No choice.”

That whisper. Familiar.
She jerked her head around and stared at him. “That was you. In the house. You’re the one who apologized.”

His eyes fluttered to her and the
n back at the man with the gun. “Hush. Just do what he says, and he won’t hurt you.”

It wasn’t over at all. Dylan
tried to make her see the situation wouldn’t be resolved until they knew who’d done it, but she’d just wanted it done and over. Now, she and Theresa were in danger again.

She had to make him
see. “Not true, Robbie. He left me in that closet to die. He’s not going to let us live. Now that we’ve seen his face.”

The ma
n with the gun moved closer and sneered at her. He kicked dirt in her face. “I said no talking, boy. That’s what I mean.”

“She’s
all tied up.”

“Good. Stick her in one of the stalls.”

“Which one?”

“Which one?” The man mimicked Robbie using a childish voice. “What do I care which one? Make a decision and do it.
Be a man for a change.”

After her feet were tied together,
Robbie grabbed hold of her elbows and lifted her up. In spite of being thin, he had no problem carrying her to the stall. He set her down. “Get in there. Just don’t cause no problems.” He pushed her forward.

She toppled into the horse stall. Her knees hit the hard dirt floor. She winced.
They already hurt from the first fall. Theresa sat up against the wall. Hands and feet tied. Her eyes were closed and tears trickled down her face.

Reggie’s shoulders slumped even closer to the dirty barn floor and a sigh escaped.
She’d hoped Theresa had gotten away. On hands and knees, she crawled over to Theresa. Her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m getting real tired of being tied up and shoved around.”

“Couldn’t agree with you more.” Th
rough the tears Theresa’s eyes flashed with anger.

“So stupid. I should have figured it out with Dylan and his no venom snake bites and the tattoo.”

“What are you talking about?”

Theresa’s
chin jutted toward the front of the barn. “Robbie’s family. Snake handlers. Someone must have milked the snakes before putting them in with Dylan. That’s why they didn’t have any venom in their bites.”

Reggie nodded but was still confused.
“I don’t see how no venom in the snake bites should make you think of Robbie and his family.”

“N
o, but the Bible verse. Mark 16:18. It’s one of the verses snake handlers refer to. I can’t remember the exact words but Robbie has it tattooed—”

“I recognized Robbie
’s voice. He’s the one who apologized to me while I was in the closet, but I don’t think he’s the one that put me in there.”

“He wasn’t. His tattoo’s on his bicep. Your man had his tattoo on his neck area, right?”

“Right.”

“T
hat’s the other man. I know him.”

“Really?”

“It’s Denny Reagan. The man who was at our house. The one Billy and Dylan were talking about. The one they were suspicious of.”

“They were right. W
hat’s he doing here with Robbie?”

“
I have no idea, but one thing’s for sure.” Theresa leaned close as she whispered.

“What’s that?”

“We’re going to have to get ourselves out of this mess. Billy and Dylan have no idea what’s going on. They’ll be busy all day with those forensic people. Probably won’t even give us a second thought for hours.”

Reggie’s heart sa
nk. Theresa was right.