Song of the Meadowlark (Intertwined Book 1) (25 page)

Chapter 19

At 5:37 a.m., shots rang in the distance coming from the cabin. Rex bolted in that direction, and Cora trailed behind him, trying to find her way through the thicket. She tried to call for Rex, but her breath refused to come from her frozen lungs. This must be what a deer felt like when stalked by a hunter. Cora followed Rex onto the dark unfamiliar porch of the cabin. This wasn’t the place she’d been held captive.

Ikeson came out of the door in time to stop Rex from entering. “Wait, Rex.” He held his hand to Rex’s chest.

“No, Ike, let me in.” Rex pushed.

Ikeson pushed against him. “No! And don’t think I won’t arrest you.”

Rex grabbed Ike’s forearms. “Please?”

Ikeson kept his hand to Rex’s chest. “Wait. Come with me over here first then I’ll let you go in.”

Rex and Cora followed Ikeson to the corner of the porch. Cora tried to see into the darkness but couldn’t. Rex removed his cowboy hat and wiped his brow. Cora caught her breath finally. Hard pellets of rain started to hit the tin roof of the porch.

“Rex, Clarice is in there.”

“Okay.”

“But she’s dead.” The words tumbled out of Ikeson’s mouth like boulders off a cliff.

Rex let out a wail. Cora’s hair stood on end. Rex collapsed on the porch floor in a mound. Cora squatted and draped her arm across his back. Tears flowed from her eyes. Her chest grew tighter by the minute. “Rex, I’m so sorry.”

“I should’ve been there. I should’ve been able to see this coming. I should’ve…” His voice cracked and he slammed his fist repeatedly against the railing.

“Rex, listen to me. There’s nothing you could have done. Nothing. This guy has made himself undetectable. He fits in to the area, and no one has been able to catch him.”

“Rex, you were just with Clarice today. Things were fine with her. You can’t blame yourself for something some creep has done. I wish I’d been able to help more in the investigation to stop this guy.”

“Y’all listen to me. There’s nothing either of you could’ve done any differently.”

Cora sat in silence, replaying the last half hour in her mind. “Detective, what were the gunshots all about?”

Rex looked up at the detective. “Ike?”

“We busted down the door and found the guy in the main room with a knife to a woman’s throat.”

A siren squealed as an ambulance approached the shack.

“A woman? Clarice?”

“No, Rex. It was another woman.”

Rex stood. “I’m goin’ in there, Ike!”

“Wait, Rex. Please. The woman isn’t dead, and we’ve got to let the paramedics get her out of here. She’s lost a lot of blood already.”

“Okay.” He held up his hands and surrendered.

“Detective? Who is it?”

“I don’t know yet. We couldn’t get her name.”

The door opened, and the paramedics rushed out, pushing the stretcher.

Cora ran over to it. “May I talk to her?”

“Just for a minute.”

At first glance, Cora recognized the young woman. “It’s Mindy, Clarice’s best friend! She works at the hair salon. Mindy, it’s Cora. They’re going to take you to the hospital now. You’re safe. You’re going to be okay.” Tears streamed down Cora’s face as the paramedics loaded the stretcher into the ambulance. She turned to find Rex entering the cabin, as the sun lightened the sky. The rain came down lighter than before.

“Rex, wait for me.” Cora followed him into the cabin. The smell of blood instantly turned her stomach. Bile rose from her stomach to her throat.

“Rex, I want you to stay as close to the walls as possible. I really shouldn’t even let you in here. I don’t want any forensic evidence compromised.”

“Okay.” Rex trembled and reached for Cora.

“Clarice is in the other room. I’ll let you see her, but you cannot touch her or anything else.”

“Okay.” Rex took Cora’s hand, and they followed the detective.

Clarice was on the bed covered in a sheet. Ikeson pulled back the sheet to reveal Clarice’s bruised and bloodstained face. Rex buried his head in his hands and sobbed.

“Ike, was she…”

Ikeson shook his head. “We won’t know any details until the coroner does the autopsy.”

“And the cause of death?”

“Rex, it was a stabbing.”

“Stabbing? Who was this son of a—”

Ikeson gripped Rex’s shoulders. “Rex! Please. Try to…”

“Try to what, Ike? My sister just got brutally murdered. Who was it?”

“We’re waiting on a positive I.D.” Ike looked at Cora.

“Oh no. I can’t. Please don’t make me look. I didn’t even see the kidnapper.”

“But we believe you know the killer.”

“Do you think he’s killed all the others?”

“Yes, Cora. Same M.O.”

Cora swallowed, her throat dry, and let out a heavy sigh. She walked out of the bedroom where Clarice’s body lay and went back to the main room. The faint light of the morning revealed the body still on the floor where it must have been when they first entered. Heavy boots stuck out from under the sheet. She inched her way over to the body. The deputy pulled back the sheet to reveal the face of the killer. “Bobby!” Cora let out a scream and covered her mouth.

Rex, then Cora, climbed out of the truck on the passenger side. The deputy put the truck in park and turned off the ignition. The fog hovered low on the ground, blanketing the ranch in doom. The deputy in the sheriff’s car behind the truck got out and joined them. Rex led the way up to the porch. He reached for the door handle with his right hand and for Cora’s hand with his other. Cora followed him into the house. When they entered the hallway, the rush of family flooding in to meet them nearly knocked them down.

“Mom, Dad, let’s go into the living room.”

“Rex, where’s Clarice?”

“Mom, let’s go in here, please?”

Rex and Cora sat on the sofa across from R.L. and Pearl. Matt sat in the wingback chair. The deputies stood in the doorway.

“Son, I know there’s bad news. You would have called us had there been any word. We knew when you didn’t call last night. Just tell us.”

Rex broke the troublesome news to his parents and Matt. Matt sat in silence, his fists balled up. R.L. and Pearl wept. As the morning fog lifted and the sun cast its glow, the O’Reilly home settled into a time of deep mourning.

“Hey, Anne.”

“Hey, Cora. What’s going on?”

“You won’t believe what’s happened here at the ranch.”

“What?”

“Clarice is dead.” Cora sniffled.

“She’s dead? How?”

“She was murdered. The guy that kidnapped me kidnapped her and her best friend. He kidnapped about seven or eight other women too. The police think he killed them all.”

“Do they know who it is?”

“Yeah, it’s that guy, Bobby, who runs the gas station in town. He’s the one who fixed my car when I first came here. I told you how he creeped me out.”

“Why did he do it? Do they know?”

“No. The police said they’re investigating his past. And they would’ve asked him, but with twenty or so holes in him, I don’t think they got to it.”

“How did he kill Clarice?”

“He stabbed her. They don’t know yet if he raped her or not. What’s weird is how Bobby kept asking about my wrists. I never thought much of it. I thought he was being nice. And when he asked me out, he acted strange, but I just thought he was awkward.”

“I can’t believe he didn’t try to kill you.”

“I think that’s why he asked me out. I think if I had gone, he’d have killed me. And here this whole time I suspected that Randy guy from the gold shop.”

Cora sat at the kitchen table drinking coffee with Rex while Susie colored. Jimmy heated up rolls in the oven to go with the ham and turkey and side dishes the church friends provided. Ms. Lottie washed the pots and pans and hummed while she worked. The house buzzed with talking and subdued laughter—people trying to retain a sense of normalcy. Clarice’s friends sat in the dining room sharing stories about her.

“The funeral was nice, although the burial was chilly,” Pearl said.

“Yes, ma’am.” Cora sighed.

“I thought the pastor did a great job, considering,” R.L. added.

“Yes, he did.” Cora forced a weak smile.

“I still remember the day she was saved and baptized. Don’t you, Rex?” Pearl continued.

“Yes, Mama.” He walked to the window.

“Cora, she was the sweetest thing.”

“Tell me about it, Pearl.”

“Well, we’d had Vacation Bible School, and all week I’d watched her take in those Bible stories. She loved the one about Esther getting all the beauty treatments in preparation for meeting the King.”

Cora nodded. “That sounds like Clarice.”

“Yeah, it does. At the end of the week she said she wanted to be special and go to heaven when she died. She was saved right then and baptized in the creek behind the church. I never knew she’d be taken from us so soon.” Pearl’s eyes filled with tears.

“I hate she took a wrong turn these last six months or so,” R.L. said.

“You both can rest in the fact that she’s safe in the arms of God now.”
Thank you, Lord, that you saved her as a child.

“Are you sure, Cora?” Matt asked from the doorway, still handsome despite the worry etched into his brow.

“What do you mean?” Cora tilted her head.

“I mean she’s become quite the partier lately.”

Jimmy took the rolls out of the oven and set them on the trivet on the counter then unwrapped the casserole dishes. A lady Cora didn’t recognize put ice in the glasses.

“Matt, from what I know about God, he’d never reject a child of his. True, Clarice was going through a phase in her life, testing the waters and such, but she was secure in the promise she belonged to the Lord.”

He lifted his eyebrows and smiled. “I’ve never really thought about it that way.”

“Mr. and Mrs. O’Reilly, lunch is ready. Come on and get you something to eat. I’m gonna let the guests know the food is ready.” Jimmy put the potholders down and walked into the hallway.

“Thank you, Cook—I mean, Jimmy,” Matt said.

Cora smiled at the progress he was making.

“Jimmy is right, folks. Let’s get ya somethin’ to eat. And soon.” Ms. Lottie picked up a plate and handed it to R.L.

“Yes, ma’am.”

After the meal, and after the guests left, Rex and Cora put on their jackets and sat on the porch watching the sun move lower in the sky and the fog roll in.

“Do you want to take a walk?” Rex glanced at Cora from underneath the brim of his cowboy hat.

“Sure, if you do.” She put her hands in her coat pockets.

“I want to get away from the house for a bit. How about we get a horse and go ridin’ for a while?” He winked at her and nudged her with his shoulder.

“Ooh, I don’t know.” She shook her head. “You know my history with horses.”

“Cora, I’m a cowboy. A cowboy without a horse is a sad thing. If I can’t protect you on a horse, then I’m even sadder than I thought.” He took her hand and led her toward the stables.

“I’m glad I’m wearing dress pants and not a skirt today. I really wouldn’t have let you talk me into this.” Cora sat atop the stallion, her arms wrapped around Rex’s waist.

“I never would’ve asked you if you were.” Cora drew closer to the warmth of Rex.

“Next week, we need to get back to our plans for the B&B.”

“Rex? This soon?”

“Yes. If we don’t get busy with our plans, it’s gonna be months before we get everything going. We need something to get us through the winter and through the grief. Matt’s dude ranch is gonna take longer to get off the ground, so he’ll have a pretty good diversion for a while.”

“Well, I’m ready to get going on it. Building the extra wing shouldn’t cost too much, and it should only take six weeks or so. I can get Anne to come up here and help me decorate. She’s wanted to come for a visit anyway. We can hit the outlet mall and pick out the décor for the bedrooms and the living area. We can let Ms. Lottie help us with the kitchen and dining décor. She can move her own stuff over from her place for her wing.”

“You’ve really put a lot of thought into this, haven’t you?”

“The last few days I’ve had to keep my mind pretty busy.”

“I’m glad you’re here. Have I told you that lately?”

“Yeah, but I love hearing it anyway.”

“Ms. Lottie?” Cora came into the dining hall of the inn, putting her keys in her front jeans pocket and taking off her gloves.

“Hello, Cora. Good to see ya today.” Ms. Lottie put a serving tray full of dirty dishes on the counter. “How ya doin’?”

Cora hugged Ms. Lottie. “I’m fine. How are you?”

“I’m enjoyin’ the slow-down after the lunch crowd. Coffee?” Ms. Lottie poured Cora a cup of coffee without waiting for her reply.

“Thank you. So business is still pretty good?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m always goin’ to have a lunch crowd. I haven’t had too many overnight guests lately, but that’s normal for this time of year. Not too many people wantin’ to stay in middle Georgia around the holidays.”

“I guess so. But I’m an exception.” She grinned. “So, did Rex talk to you about moving out to the ranch?”

“Yeah, he said something about it.” Ms. Lottie walked around wiping off tables with a rag and putting menus back in the holders on the tables.

“Well, what do you say?” Cora sipped her coffee.

“Rex thinks it’d be good for me. He’s always lookin’ out for me. I’m willin’ to hear more about it.”

“Goodie.” Cora smiled and squeezed Ms. Lottie’s arm.

“Come over here in the sittin’ room by the fireplace and let’s talk.”

Cora followed Ms. Lottie as she stiffly walked into the room, red and flowery in décor. The fire blazed so hot, Cora removed her jacket. She sipped on her coffee but hardly wanted it still.

“Before we get to talkin’ about Rex’s plans for me, I want to know how you’re handlin’ Clarice’s death and the fact that Bobby was the one responsible for it and the other women disappearin’ and your own kidnappin’.”

Cora shivered in spite of the warmth of the room. “To be honest, I knew something was strange about Bobby. You said so yourself. At first, I thought he was just shy and a little odd. Then he kept asking me how my wrists were. I didn’t even remember there being anything in the news about my wrists being cut. So how would he have known about that?”

“You’re right.” Ms. Lottie folded her hands across her lap.

“Then he asked me out, and you told me to be wary of him. So I stayed away from his gas station as much as possible. But when we found Clarice and I identified Bobby, it’s like a floodgate opened in my mind. I remembered something in the voice of the person who came in the cabin sounding like Bobby. And his eyes—they were so creepy. Kind of like a snake or something.”

“Okay, well, we don’t need to dredge all that up. The important thing is: you’re safe now.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Safe in the arms of my little Rex.” Ms. Lottie smiled.

“Why did you warn me about Bobby?”

She sighed. “He’s been in this town for years. He’s always been the town misfit, but I’d never have thought he could do somethin’ like this. I had suspected him of somethin’ strange for a while, but it certainly wasn’t murder. He seemed to lurk around here a lot, watchin’ women who were passin’ through. It wouldn’t surprise me if they didn’t find a whole trail of missin’ women leadin’ back to him. Consider yourself blessed your life was spared.”

“Oh, I do. I do.” Cora took another sip of her coffee. “When Clarice was missing, Rex asked R.L. if he thought Clarice would’ve come to your place. R.L. said she’d never have come here. What did he mean by that?”

“Last year, she got herself in some big trouble with a fella. She got drunk and then wanted to get a room here to hook up with him. I refused to let her use my place for somethin’ like that. She got really angry with me and cussed me out. She actually tried to make me feel bad and tried to blame it on me that she’d end up in a sleazy motel with her friend. I not only refused her, I called her daddy and told him what she was up to. He called Rex, and he picked her up. He was in the area and got to her before she could make a mistake with that young man. Of course, they soon discovered she’d already been livin’ that way and didn’t stop after that.” She shook her head.

Cora squeezed her forehead with her fingers. “Wow. I knew Clarice was into partying and all, but I didn’t know she was so open with it.”

“She never came around here after that. She didn’t really come much before that, but she vowed never to see me again. It would’ve been tough livin’ at the ranch when the B&B opens if she was still alive.” Ms. Lottie sighed.

“I don’t even know what to say to that, Ms. Lottie. I’m sad Clarice is gone, especially before she had the chance to get her life together. But I’m glad you’re going to be able to come live with us.”