Pursuit of Justice (28 page)

Chapter 55

Bella had stepped over the threshold of cranky into the realm of wanting to tear something—anything—apart with her bare hands. Brandt had left another body for them to uncover, and Howard MacGregor had been working for him under the name of Aros Kemptor.

She massaged the back of her neck as though it would give her clarity of thought. Staring at Frank as he drove toward Ballinger, she wondered how he could look so calm. “This just gets worse and worse.”

“We have to be getting close or MacGregor wouldn’t be dead. Brandt didn’t trust him to keep his mouth shut.”

“Carr has a suspect.”

Frank’s attention swung to her. “Since when?”

“When he called earlier. Remember?”

“Who?”

“Said he’d tell us when we got there.”

Frank pressed his lips together, then nodded at her. “Let’s hope he’s still alive.”

Bella’s stomach flipped. “I think he was simply speculating. You know Carr. He’s always trying to help. Wesley’s there, Mr. Andy of Mayberry himself.” She pulled out her phone and pressed in Carr’s number. The phone rang four times and went to voice mail. “Carr, call me. Frank and I want to know what you’re thinking.”

“Does this happen often?” Frank said.

“He normally answers on the first or second ring.” She shivered, and it had nothing to do with the air-conditioning in Frank’s car. “It’s a first.”

“Try again.”

When Carr didn’t respond to her second call, she phoned the landline. “Oh, I’m getting a text.”

* * *

“Did Tiffany give you an earful?” Wesley leaned against the library’s doorway, his 9mm aimed at Carr’s chest.

Carr’s presumption had been right. But this wasn’t how he wanted to find out who murdered Darren.
Lydia, stay asleep.
“All this time, we thought you and Darren were closer than father and son.”

“Hated that man. Hated his wife more.”

“But he tried to help.”

“Oh yeah, by doubling my community service over and above what the judge dished out. Lecturing me for hours about right and wrong. Making me go to church. Giving me curfews when I was eighteen years old.” Wesley shrugged. “I got even, though.”

“You’ve been busy.”

“I have.”

“Was it worth it?”

Wesley smirked. “What do you think?”

Keep him talking.
“Got to hand it to you. How did you trick him?”

Wesley stepped into the room and closed the door. “Doesn’t matter now since I’m about to shoot you in self-defense.”

Carr didn’t move a muscle. Wesley didn’t need an excuse to pump a bullet into him. And he was right. No one would doubt his integrity for shooting a suspect in self-defense.

“I followed dear Uncle Darren that morning,” Wesley said. “We’d had words the night before, and I knew he’d suspected me of working with Aros. Especially when he caught me meeting with him after my shift on the west side of the High Butte. Anyway, I pulled off to the side of the road and parked where I knew he’d see me. It was a gamble, but it paid off. I had other plans if that didn’t work. When he drove by, I waved. Good old Uncle Darren turned back around and parked beside me. I apologized for taking the case into my own hands and consulting Aros about the possibility of your guilt. Then I offered to buy him a cup of coffee. Told him I appreciated him and all he’d done for me. He agreed to the coffee, and I whipped my car back into town, bought a cup at the convenience store, and dropped the poison into it.” He laughed. “I even offered him another candy bar, which had been my first thought of where to place the poison. But he played right into my hands that morning.”

Someone had to have seen Wesley at the convenience store.
“So you and Aros were working together?”

“Were.” Wesley snickered. “We had our areas of expertise.”

Carr shook his head. Time. He needed more time. “Who else?”

He laughed. “I have no idea.”

“Who killed the three men at the butte?”

“You can figure that one out yourself.”

“Richardson or Stanton Warick?”

“Warick? Are you kidding? He’s a Bible-thumper. Worthless. Wouldn’t waste my time on him.”

“Did you shoot out Bella’s tires?”

“Shut up. You’ve heard enough.”

“You’re one smart man, Wesley.”

“And I’m about to be a rich one too.”

From the way Wesley narrowed his eyes, Carr realized the man’s patience was dangerously thin. “Are you sure Richardson is going to let you live to spend any of the money?”

“I’m following his instructions and doing exactly what I’m told.”

“Even this one?”

Wesley nodded slowly. “Open your bottom desk drawer on the left, nice and easy. Inside is a revolver.”

Carr slowly pulled on the drawer. There it was. Another one of his guns from his supposedly locked case, a Colt .45. The weapon gleamed wickedly at him.

“I had lots of time to figure out where things are kept. Thought about planting the poison, but Richardson didn’t like the idea. Lydia told me where you kept the key to your gun cabinet. Stupid woman.”

Now it had all come together. “How much are you getting paid for this?”

“Plenty. And I’m going to be the local hero. Pick up the gun. It’s not loaded. I’ll take care of that part later.”

“You have a problem. Modern technology will show a discrepancy. You shoot me; then you load my gun. What happens if Lydia or Jasper hear you?”

“Jasper is gone and Lydia is about to get herself killed by her trusted boss. If I had thoughts of staying around this dust bowl, I could end up as sheriff.”

“Or you could end up on death row.”

“I need less than two minutes to pull this off.”

Carr leaned onto his arms on his desk. Time was running out, but he had nothing left to stall Wesley. “I do have something to say.”

“Make it fast.”

“Since you walked in the door, I’ve had my phone on speaker. Bella and Frank have heard every word of your confession.”

Wesley’s face reddened. “Liar.”

Carr pointed to the phone, where a small red light indicated the activated speaker phone option. “If I were you, I’d be getting out of here. Doesn’t take but a few minutes for Roano to close the distance between Ballinger and the High Butte.”

Wesley swore and aimed his weapon.

Dogs barked, momentarily snatching Wesley’s attention. His eyes narrowed.

“Look out the window behind me,” Carr said, much more calmly than he felt. “I advise you to take the back door.”

“They might take me, but you’ll go in a body bag.”

Chapter 56

Moments after Roano and two other deputies quietly entered the front door of Carr’s home and another deputy hurried around to the back, Bella exited Frank’s car with him right beside her.

“Let’s take the rear.” Bella raced to the back of the massive home with her Glock drawn, wishing she had both arms free to help apprehend Wesley.

Carr and Lydia had to be all right. They had to be. What if Brandt was there too? What if . . . ? She shook off her fears and concentrated on her job.

The deputy gently tugged on one of the two doors that led inside the rear of the house lined with glass. Locked. She wrapped her fingers around the doorknob that led from the deck into the kitchen. Locked. Perspiration dripped down her temples.

Gunfire burst from inside the house.

“Break down the door, the glass, something,” she said. “We’ve got to get in there now.”

Through the window she saw Lydia stumble through the kitchen. The three pounded on the doors and glass. She startled and hurried to open the closest door, where the deputy stood.

“Stand aside, ma’am,” he said.

Lydia, clearly shaken, did as she was told. “What’s going on? Where’s Carr? Wesley?”

“Roano,” Bella called, hoping they weren’t too late to help him or any of the deputies.

“We got him.” Roano’s voice rang from the upper stairway. “Wesley fired his weapon, but no one’s hurt.”

Thank You.
Bella glanced up at the winding staircase to see Wesley in handcuffs. His cocky attitude had been his downfall.

Lydia gasped. “Not Wesley.”

Bella made her way to the woman’s side and wrapped her arms around her trembling shoulders. Lydia had the strength of ten women, but being betrayed by a young man who’d professed to be her friend and bodyguard was a heavy dose of shock. “It’s over, Lydia. Roano has Wesley in custody. He’s one of the killers.”

Bella assisted Lydia into a chair. “But how? He was devoted to Darren. Where is Carr? Is he okay?”

“He’s fine.” Bella knelt beside her. “I’m sorry. I know you’re fond of Wesley.”

Lydia covered her face with her hands. She glanced up at Bella. “He lied to me so many times, saying how much he wanted to catch the killer. And how much he loved his uncle Darren. How could he fool us like that?”

“For some, it’s easy,” Bella whispered. “None of us ever want to be taken advantage of.”

Carr entered the kitchen, and Bella fought the urge to go to him. Instead she moved aside so he could comfort Lydia. He embraced the tearful woman. No doubt he was shaken up too.

“Mi hijo.”
This was the first time Bella had heard Lydia speak Spanish, and the words were the endearing
my son
.

Brandt hadn’t been apprehended, but two key persons had been identified: Howard MacGregor and Wesley Adams. Now to keep Wesley alive and persuade him to point the FBI to Brandt.

Roano escorted Wesley down the stairs in handcuffs. Roano handed him off to two of his deputies. “I’ll be there in a minute,” he said to them. “First I need to talk to the FBI and Carr.” Roano nodded toward the open door of the kitchen that led to the deck. “Can we talk outside?”

“Sure.” Bella patted Lydia’s shoulder. Frank and Carr followed her into the torrid heat.

“I owe you an apology.” Roano’s reddened face mirrored his humiliation. “All of you.” He hesitated, then blew out a sigh. “In my gung ho effort to seal this case and charge Carr with the murders, I kept my suspicions to myself.” He nodded at Bella. “Pastor Kent came to me the other morning and said Darren was having problems with Wesley, and he wondered at times which side of the law he was on. Kent said he didn’t want to tell Carr or the FBI because he didn’t really have a basis to accuse Wesley.”

Bella remembered the flippant remark she’d made about Carr possibly being a delusional psychotic. She’d slammed the door on Kent’s displaying any confidence in her. This could have been brought to an end sooner if she’d guarded her mouth. Her own fault. As soon as she had an opportunity, she’d make amends with the pastor who found it impossible to trust her.

The jigsaw puzzle had now fallen into place. Wesley, the earnest and conscientious young deputy who claimed to idolize his uncle Darren, had been the infiltrator for Brandt. He’d been privy to the discussions about the investigation. Been Lydia’s bodyguard. Offered information that threw them off.

Roano reached out to shake Carr’s hand. “I’ve been a jerk. You took a bullet like Bella. That should have cleared your name, but I was after revenge for Darren without any sense.”

“No problem.” Carr gripped his hand. “It’s done and over.”

“I don’t deserve to take Darren’s place, not with the mistakes I’ve made.”

“I think that’s how we become better law enforcers,” Frank said. “You’ve done an excellent job on the task force.”

“I’m grateful you came as fast as you did today,” Carr said. “I was sweatin’ buckets before you arrived. I talked to Wesley until there wasn’t anything left to say. I’d have been dead if you hadn’t rounded those stairs when you did.”

“Was close. After getting the call from Bella, we headed out this way. The shot fired at us could have been aimed at you.”

“Or you. Don’t care to be that close to a killing again,” Carr said. “Thanks.”

Roano disappeared inside the house, leaving Bella, Frank, and Carr to catch their breath.

“We’ve got a lot of threads yet to untangle, but we’ve made progress.” Bella took a deep breath to steady her emotions. Wesley claimed her father wasn’t involved, but she didn’t believe it. Not really. Peering at Carr, she didn’t want to think about nearly losing him. “Sure glad you’re okay.”

“I was afraid we’d lose our phone connections, but it worked out.”

She wanted to kiss him but not in front of Frank. Carr put his arm around her waist, and she didn’t try to stop him. She needed him in some tangible way that she’d fought all along. He complemented what she possessed and added to what she lacked. And it felt good. Very good.

Chapter 57

Before nightfall, Wesley revealed all he knew about Howard MacGregor—alias Aros Kemptor—and Brandt Richardson. A lot of gray areas remained due to Brandt’s doling out information in small bites to his protégés, but Bella relaxed in the knowledge that an arrest would be made in Mexico City.

She had a report to wrap up before leaving West Texas. Right now she was awaiting instructions whether to fly to Mexico City in an official capacity to bring in Brandt or drive back to Houston.

Her emotions jumbled between relief and satisfaction that the investigation neared the end. But she had a valley full of regret for having to leave Carr and her siblings. She planned to see the boys and Anne later on this evening to make plans and consider the future. She hadn’t been able to convince Anne of the need for them to move to Houston, but the boys might be more easily persuaded.

Bella’s relationship with Carr was another matter. She’d shoved the discussion about them aside until the murders were solved, but now what?

Bella stared at the sun glistening off Carr’s swimming pool. She sensed him beside her, but she chose to keep her thoughts private. “How do you feel about some treasure hunting?”

Carr laughed. “Since when are you into lost gold?”

“Since I wondered where Shep Wither’s map led.” She hadn’t shown it to him or anyone, but this morning she wanted to see what might lie buried at the butte. Six people were dead, and it all led back to the Spider Rock treasure. “Let’s throw a shovel into the back of your truck and see if we can figure out this mess. Oh, and a camera, too.”

“And a ladder in case this is a really deep hole.”

She laughed. “Maybe I should pack a picnic.”

At the butte, Bella sat inside the air-conditioned truck and unfolded the map with Wither’s instructions.

“I’ve never seen anything unusual here,” Carr said. “Can’t figure out what’s been missed.”

“That’s because there’s nothing to see.” She stared out into the shimmering sunlight, then lifted her sunglasses to her head to study the butte. Peering in every direction, she took a moment to wonder if she’d lost her mind. “What time is it?”

“Twenty minutes to one.” He looked over her shoulder. “Why?”

“I want to tell you what Shep told me the day I met with him in Junction. His story is fascinating, and who knows? It may be the truth. We’re about to find out.” She pulled out another folded piece of paper, a copy of the Spider Rock map used by the treasure seekers. “To the best of anyone’s knowledge, no one has ever deciphered this map. Lots of men have come close, and artifacts have been found, but no one claims to have discovered a cache worth $64 million.” Bella handed him the map.

“With all of modern technology, it seems strange that hieroglyphic experts couldn’t figure it out,” he said. “And my thoughts about contacting those who understand the area and history of the Incas have already been done. So what did Shep have to say?”

“He said that his great-grandfather got his information from an old Mexican priest. The priest claimed the three rocks in Aspermont, Clyde, and Rotan represent the Trinity, and in the middle was another map that indicated the
true
treasure was here.” She pointed to the butte.

“Did he actually use the word
true
?”

Bella nodded. “Not
real
or
gold
or
artifacts
but
true.
”

“Strange.”

“I agree. According to Shep, the one who buried the treasure was not the Spanish soldier but the priest who traveled with them.”

“Maybe he saw how greed was destroying the souls of the soldiers.”

“Since history doesn’t tell us how they died, you might be right.”

She considered all those who had given their lives for a glimpse of treasure. “Enough people have died over it.”

He picked up her left hand, then trailed his fingers up her arm, the one that would always carry a scar.

“It’s over,” she whispered. “Mair’s been picked up, and I bet she’ll sing to plea bargain. Took a little persuasion to convince Wesley to help us, but now we know Brandt is on his way to Mexico City to have knee surgery. Sure glad Frank and the authorities are waiting there to pick him up.”

A hint of sadness spread over his chiseled features. “Brings us back to the
true
treasure. All of the senseless killings and lost souls for gold.”

“I think Shep has the best perspective about it.”

“How do you figure?”

“Grab your shovel.” She opened the door and walked toward the right corner of the rock fortress. “Let me know when it’s straight up one o’clock. Actually, it used to be noon, but daylight saving time altered Shep’s directions.”

Carr studied his watch. “Now. What now?”

Bella pointed to the left of where the rock shimmered like diamonds. “See how the sun lightens that section?”

He nodded. “Dig there?”

“Not yet. We’re supposed to take seventeen steps to the left.” Which they did.

She bent and examined the spot and the rock. “This is supposed to be it. The same spot where Professor Miller’s body was found. Where he wrote
Spider Rock
in the dirt.”

Carr shook his head. “Good thing I care about you because I wouldn’t dig out here in this heat in rock-hard ground for just anybody.”

“And I doubt if you’ll find a thing. I’m only following Shep Wither’s map and instructions. Have no clue where the number seventeen came from, except the original map had a seventeen on it. Do you want to mark the spot and come back early evening when it’s cooler?”

“Not on your life. Curiosity will drive me nuts.” He clamped his foot onto the shovel and drove it into the dry earth.

Bella sat on the ground opposite him. “I’d help if it wasn’t for this bandage. I’ll be the water girl.”

He chuckled. “I always knew I was good for something. What are we going to do with the $64 million in gold?”

“Open a home for at-risk teen boys.”

“Are you going to stay out here and help me run it?”

His voice held a ring of hopefulness, and for the first time in her life, she was ready to say yes to a man. But not until Frank phoned her about Brandt’s arrest. Earlier she wanted to talk about her and Carr’s relationship. Now she was doing two steps backward. No wonder women were labeled as fickle. “I might. We’ll see.”

“So you’re an old-fashioned girl who’ll say yes to a marriage proposal before agreeing to a kiss?”

She wagged a finger at him. “Maybe.”

He leaned on the shovel and wiped sweat from his face on his shirtsleeve. “For that, I’d dig for a long time.”

She felt delightfully smug, and it was an incredible feeling. She drew up her knees to her chest and watched him dig where Shep Wither believed the Spider Rock treasure lay buried. In the West Texas heat, Carr deepened the hole to three feet, stopping for frequent water breaks at her insistence.

“Let’s come back later,” she said. “Maybe bring Jasper or someone else to help. I’m afraid you’re going to have a heatstroke. And digging with a bandaged arm has to be excruciating.”

“Nope. I’m into this now.”

“Keep digging.” Another male voice sent shivers up her spine.

Bella’s attention whipped to the man standing behind her and the young girl in his clutches. “Anne.” She sucked in a breath.

The girl’s eyes were glassed over in terror.

“Let her go, Brandt. She has nothing to do with this.”

“She has everything to do with it.” He grinned at Anne. “If your big sister doesn’t cooperate, you and I have our own destiny.”

Not my Anne.
“Okay,” Bella said. “Whatever you want.”

“Take your left hand and ease out that Glock in your ankle holster. Then toss it over to me. Anything else, and I’ll have to shoot little sister.”

Bella complied, her injured arm burning while her mind spun with how to free Anne and Carr.

Brandt limped toward them. “I warned you to stay out of this. I had you covered.”

“You what?” Her pulse raced with the deranged man before her, the man who would not think twice about killing Anne, Carr, or her. She had to outthink him, stall for time. But no one knew their location.

“I’ve worked hard to protect you, to give you everything a woman could want.”

“But you tried to kill me.”

“That was Aros, and he paid for his stupidity. You should have stayed away from the investigation until I had everything ready. I called you. I did everything but lock you up.”

Ready for what?
“I don’t understand, Brandt. Explain this to me.” She poured compassion into her voice. If he was obsessed with her, then she’d use it against him. Maybe she could get him to release Anne.

“For fourteen years, I’ve searched for the gold and planned for us to be together. Everything I’ve ever done since meeting you has been for you.”

“For me? Why?”

He limped a few steps closer, the pain evident in the tightened muscles of his face. Yet he didn’t relinquish his hold on Anne. He couldn’t have walked from the road. With no vehicle in sight, he must have ridden from the road on horseback with Anne—just as he’d done when he murdered the three men. But where was the horse?

“How did you hurt your knee?”

“Slipped and fell while climbing mountains in Peru.”

“I’m sorry. Was Mair with you?”

“Are you jealous?”

The thought sickened her. “I might be.”

He stared in her face rather pathetically. “No need, sweet lady. You’ve always been number one.”

“I wish you hadn’t killed those three men who were digging here.”

“Them and others who got in my way. They outlived their usefulness. It was all part of my plan so you and I could live the rest of our lives together with no financial worries.” He motioned to Carr. “Keep digging. We’ve waited a long time for this, haven’t we, Rachel?”

“Of course he needs to dig.” Bella continued to lace her words with tenderness. “The gold is here for both of us. Anyone else involved has to be eliminated.”

Anne’s eyes widened. Bella feared she might faint. But better that than become hysterical and have Brandt hurt her. She avoided looking at Carr for fear Brandt would see the emotion between them.

For the next two hours, Carr continued to dig. He widened the hole and pointed out that it would have to be widened even more so he could step inside and dig deeper. Possibly might need to add the ladder. Every swish of the shovel cutting through the hard ground brought all of them closer to whatever Brandt had planned for them.

“I like what you’ve done to your voice,” Bella said.

“Do you?” His face softened, a face she knew could distort to whatever disguise he so chose.

“It’s pleasant—deep, manly.”

“I wondered if you knew it was me.” The moonstruck look on his face displayed his deranged mind.

She forced a smile. “Of course. A few times I questioned if you were following me, like the landscaping man at the hotel.”

He laughed, and she remembered fourteen years ago, when his laughter preceded terror. “What else?”

She searched her mind for those times she tingled . . . and wondered. “The man in the elevator. The older man at Zack’s baseball game.”

“And of course, the phone call from ‘Vic.’ You didn’t even question the number I texted you to use.”

She stared into his face, undaunted. “What’s next for us, Brandt?”

“I have plane tickets to Mexico. We’ll be married there, and I’ll have this bum knee taken care of. Then I have a wonderful surprise for you.”

Stall him.
“What kind of a surprise?”

“A mountain estate for us in Brazil. It’s beautiful and filled with the fine things you deserve. The gold here will be our comfort cushion.”

She nodded and captured his gaze. “I’m excited. Thank you, Brandt.”

“I knew you’d be pleased. Now we wait until Sullivan here pulls up the gold.”

“It’s terribly hot. Are you okay in this heat?”

“Yes, my sweet lady.”

She wanted to throw up, and poor Anne must be thinking her sister was a criminal. “Did you ride?”

“I have a horse waiting for us on the other side of the butte.”

Just as she’d thought. “May I stand?”

“I don’t think so.” He stared at her with a faint look of admiration. “I’m so proud of you. Your experience with the FBI will help us stay out from under their radar once we’re in Brazil.”

Her experience was going to help her, Anne, and Carr get out of this mess. “Thank you. I’m glad. What about Anne? Will you let her go?”

“Not sure. Depends on how well Sullivan cooperates. I heard what you said to him. Clever. I mean the part about marrying him.”

And I meant it. Every word.
“I’ve learned how to get what I want.”

“I’ve changed my mind. Why don’t you come over here a little closer? Sullivan might grab you.”

Disgust bubbled up her throat. She had the martial arts skills to apprehend him. Maybe she could get to her weapon in the dirt and free Anne. “Okay.”

“You have to earn my trust, Rachel. That’s the way it works.”

“I understand.”

“So when the time comes, you’ll be the one to put a bullet in Sullivan’s head.”

She masked the horror, the repulsion of what Brandt was asking.
Dear Jesus, help me.
“I’ve never murdered anyone before. I don’t think I can do it.”

“Oh, but you will.”

Without her weapon, she was defenseless. And that meant she’d need to use defensive tactics. Was this what trust in God was all about? All she could do was wait while Carr continued to dig. Time dragged on, and the sun traversed farther across the sky. She feared he’d pass out from the heat and work.

A dull thud alerted her attention to Carr’s digging.

“Was that a rock?” Brandt said, eagerness tipping his words.

Carr stepped into the hole and wiped away the dirt. He’d dug to about five feet. He cleared the dirt around it, widening to a huge piece of pottery. “If I’m not mistaken, it’s some kind of earthen jar.”

“About time.” Brandt sucked in a breath. “I’ve spent the last eighteen years looking for this.”