Under Currents (37 page)

“I love you, Caleb McGregor. Don’t go getting shot again. The hospital’s going to get tired of patching you up.”

“I won’t. Hold onto Ally. When I say now, lean left be and prepared to hit the water. Let the current take you downstream before you try to make it ashore.”

“Caleb, come with us.”

“No, Jules. I’ve got to end this tonight.”

The speedboat came up the river and was directly across from them.

A spotlight shined over the water from the predator boat, illuminating the river.

“Get down and stay quiet.”

Please don’t let them see us.

The light shined just to the right of his boat.

Julie gasped.

Shit, that was close.

Caleb held his breath as the light danced around them.

Suddenly, the light blinded them.

“Okay, be ready to flip. Scott, you ready?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Julie, you got Ally?”

“Yes, I do. Please, be careful, Caleb.”

“I’ll try.”

The speedboat turned and headed toward them.

Its engine shut down, and it coasted toward them.

Now Caleb could see the silhouettes of three men with guns aimed.

“Anchor us.” Devin peered over the side and shined a flashlight into Caleb’s boat, spotlighting Ally and Scott. “Too bad you wouldn’t sell your property, Mrs. Ross.” He turned the light on Caleb. “You couldn’t let dead bones lie. I’m afraid you’ve left me no choice but to dispose of you and this sweet little family.”

“Surely, you don't expect to get away with this," Julie stammered. "We’ll be discovered. Probably rather quickly."

“I took that into consideration,” Devin said, his stance relaxed as he stood in his boat. “That’s why we’re taking you somewhere else to conduct our business. We’ll bury you in a place where no one will find you.”

“You’re the prime suspect,” Caleb said, rising to a stance and positioning himself to flip the boat. He glanced down to make sure Julie had a good hold on Ally.

“My wife will swear I was in bed all night. The shovel used to bury you and small traces of your blood, along with Henry Peel's shotgun will be found in his truck in the morning. There’s nothing like DNA to make a guilty verdict.”

Caleb figured the two men with Devin were the ones who’d stopped Julie at the hospital. One of the men stepped up on the front of Devin’s boat and aimed a semi-automatic .40 caliber at them. “Stand up, Mrs. Ross. You and your kids move over this way, and we’ll get you aboard.”

Julie hovered over her children, shielding them. “No, we won’t go with you.”

“If you don’t move I’m going to blow out McGregor’s knee.”

“No, don’t!” Julie shouted.

“Stay where you are, Jules!” Caleb ordered.

“But he’ll shoot you.”

Not if I shoot him first.

Caleb fired at the larger man, then fired off a second shot. The man tumbled over the side and splashed into the water. The scent of gunpowder lingered in the air, making it smell like the aftermath of a fireworks show.

The second man, Devin called Bud cursed. “The son-of-a-bitch has a gun. Hell, he killed Tate and grazed my thigh.”

"Drop the gun or I’ll shoot Julie and her brats," Vincent said.

Julie tried to cover Ally with her body.

“Now!” Caleb shouted.

He flipped the boat. The four of them splashed into the cold dark water. After going under for a few minutes, he bobbled above the surface. Julie and Ally's heads poked up like corks, and the swift current carried them away. He didn’t see Scott.

Lord, don't let anything happen to that kid.

Caleb swam toward the rear of the speedboat. He had to distract Devin and give Julie and the kids time to escape.

Devin spotlighted the river. "I don't see them.”

Caleb feared they'd find Julie or one of the kids. Each time the light neared him, he ducked under the water for a few seconds before resurfacing.

At the back of the boat, he eased the swim ladder down and pulled himself up. He climbed into their boat.

“Devin, you chicken-shit. Turn around and fight like a man.”

Vincent wheeled around on him. “You’re making this too easy for me.”

“You asshole. You killed Tate,” Bud said, aiming a pistol toward him.

“Yeah, and I don’t see how I missed your fat ass.”

“Want me to shoot him now?” Bud asked.

“No, I want him to witness the others dying. They couldn’t have gone too far.” Vincent scanned the water. “We’ll find them.”

“Leave them alone, Devin.”

“Or what?”

“Or I’ll kill you.”

The men laughed at his empty threat. “You keep an eye on him while I watch for that bitch and her kids,” Vincent instructed. After steering the speedboat a little ways downstream, he slowed down. “I see them. It’s the woman and the girl.” He glanced back at Caleb. “I’ll plow them down just like I did Amy and Connie. A speedboat seems to be my weapon of choice.”

Vincent's ominous threat didn't come as a surprise. Murder seemed to be something that the Senator did without any remorse.

Bud chuckled.

Devin shifted gears and picked up speed, heading toward Julie and Ally, going faster and faster.

Bud turned his attention to the river ahead.

Big mistake.

Caleb leapt forward and then slammed against the man, knocking him overboard.

Devin pivoted, trying to take aim in the moving speedboat.

Caleb grabbed the gun in Devin’s hand and forced it upward. It fired into the air. The speedboat’s bumpy movement made it hard to keep his footing.

It skimmed over the water unattended.

Oh sweet Jesus.

Caleb's stomach lodged in his throat.

The speedboat raced toward a truck-sized boulder.

He pulled away from Devin, jumped from the boat, and plunged under the cold water.

He bobbled up in time to see Devin’s boat springboard off the boulder and rise from the water like a breaching whale. It slammed into a massive stonewall and burst into flames. Flames shot up sixty feet into the air. The explosion deafened him for a moment. Had Julie and Ally cleared the boat in time?

Hopefully, none of the flaming debris would hit them.

God, please let them be safe.

Caleb swam to the far side and made his way up a sandbar and stood. What about Devin? Had he jumped in time?

Julie and Ally stood on the opposite side of the river from where the boat had crashed. But where was Scott?

Caleb crossed over to where Julie and Ally stood; their teeth chattered in unison.

He hugged Julie for a moment, then Ally. “Are you all right?”

“Just cold.” Julie clung to him and sobbed. “Scott’s missing. I never saw him come up.”

“We’ll find him.” He glanced at the boat. The flames had died down, and only a burned out shell remained. The scent of burning oil lingered in the air.

“What if Devin survived and finds him first?” Julie asked.

Before Caleb could answer, sirens sliced through the night and grew louder. The sound of voices and the beams of flashlights came through the forest, as men made their way to the river.

“Found them,” the sheriff said. “You folks all right?”

“Her son is still missing!” Caleb said breathlessly, knowing Julie couldn’t bring herself to say the words. He pulled her against him and held her close.

The sheriff tilted the wide brim of his hat. “No, he’s fine. Deputy Howard found him running down the river road and called me. He’s in one of our squad cars upon the road. The forest ranger spotted the flames, so it wasn’t hard to find you.”

Julie sobbed joyfully. “Thank God.”

“Tank God,” whispered Ally said, clinging to her mom.

“That boat belonged to Senator Vincent. I wounded one of his henchmen and killed another. The one I wounded fell off the boat about a mile back. I don’t know if Devin Vincent made it off. They were trying to kill us.”

Several officers waded to the other side of the river and climbed up the rock wall, hoping to get a look inside the charred boat. One turned to the sheriff behind him. “Found Vincent.”

“Where?” Ned shouted.

“He’s fried to a crisp.”

“We’ll rope off the scene.” He turned to Caleb and Julie. “You can give us your statements tomorrow. The officer waiting with your boy will take you home. You’ve been through enough tonight.”

“Thank you,” Julie said, tears choking her.

The moon escaped from behind the clouds, and Caleb’s heart seemingly stopped when he realized where they stood. Devin Vincent’s boat had crashed in the exact location where the two girls had died.

Caleb grinned. Coincidence? He wasn’t so sure.

“Rest in peace, Amy and Connie,” he whispered.

“I can't believe we're still alive.” She hugged Caleb. “And I’m proud of you for saving us.”

Caleb placed his arm around her. “Let’s get our boy and go home.”

“I’m afraid our home has shattered glass everywhere.”

“Then we’ll sleep at mine. We can make the kids a bed on the sofa—put Scott on one end and Ally on the other.” Caleb took Ally from Julie.

Deputy Howard opened the rear door of the squad car. Seeing Scott, Julie cried tears of joy and climbed in back beside Scott. She hugged him. “I’m proud of you.”

“I was scared they wouldn’t find you in time.”

In the car, Caleb took Scott’s hand and squeezed it. “Once again, you’re your mom’s hero.”

“No, you’re the hero, not me. You flipped the boat.”

Caleb didn’t argue. He was too tired.

Ally crawled across their laps and hugged Scott. “I love you.”

When they arrived at his house, Julie’s parents and Adam were parked in his driveway. They all left their cars and waited for Caleb, Julie, and the kids to get out of the squad car.

Again they had to explain what happened. Adam was angry that they hadn’t called him or her parents.

“It all happened so fast,” Caleb admitted. “We had just enough time to get out the backdoor.”

He explained Devin’s plan to blame Mr. Peel.

“This time he out-smarted himself,” Adam said.

“You’re coming home with us,” her father said.

“Dad, we can stay at Caleb’s place.”

“Nonsense, you’re staying with us,” her mother insisted.

“I won’t go without Caleb.”

Her mother studied him for a moment. “I meant him as well.”

Caleb’s heart warmed. The lady was coming around.

♦♦♦

After her kids were tucked in bed, Julie stood by the kitchen sink. Caleb walked up behind her and put his arms around her, then kissed the back of her neck passionately. “I love you. I was going to propose the right way tonight. I even had a ring. Hope you don’t mind it being my grandmother’s ring. Adam offered it to me.”

Julie grinned. “I’d marry you even if you only offered me a bathtub ring.”

Caleb laughed. “You can have your pick of those.”

Her parents stood in the doorway. Tears glistened in her mom’s eyes. “You really plan to marry him?”

"As soon as it can be arranged,” Julie said. “Mom, I love Caleb, and Scott and Ally love him. He is going to be my husband. I don’t care what you or anyone in town says about it.”

Mr. Webb walked over and offered Caleb his hand. “Welcome to the family. It’s a honor to have you.”

Happiness filled Julie all the way to her toes. Her father had accepted Caleb and made him feel welcomed. He wasn’t the kind of man to say something just to smooth things over.

“We’ll talk more in the morning,” her father said.

“I’d put you in separate rooms, but seeing how you’ve been having an affair,” her mother said, her tone condemning.

Caleb frowned. “You’re wrong. It does matter. Scott and Ally have never found us together. As far as they know, I sleep away from their mom. And that’s how they’ll find us tomorrow.”

Julie enjoyed her mom’s stunned expression. 

Her dad smiled.

Her mom nodded at Caleb. “Julie can show you to George’s old room.” She walked toward the downstairs hall and stopped in the doorway, looking back at Caleb. “Caleb.”

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Welcome to the family. I think you’ll make my daughter and her kids a good husband and father.”

Julie’s heart swelled with joy. Her mother’s words meant so much to her and to Caleb.

“Thank you, Mrs. Webb,” Caleb said, proudly. “And Mrs. Webb, just to get this out in the open now. Julie suggested we have a baby, and I sort of like the idea.”

Her mother gave a surrendering sigh. “Make it a girl, because I have a bunch of grandsons. I’d like another granddaughter.”

Julie laughed. “Sorry, mom. But I think Caleb and Scott will be rooting for a boy.”

Julie’s dad pulled her into his arms and kissed the crown of her head. “I think your mom and Caleb will get along just fine.”

♦♦♦

Julie and Caleb stood at the altar before the minister. She glanced at her children, her brothers and sister-in-laws, her parents, Mr. Higgins, and Adam and Karen. Other relatives attended as well except Aunt Noreen. She’d been grieving for the son she lost and coming to terms with the fact he’d murdered Amy.

While saying his vows, Caleb hadn’t been able to take his eyes off of Julie. Damn, the man looked good in a tuxedo. She couldn't wait to peel him out of it.

"Julie, your vows," the minister whispered.

She snapped from her thoughts, cleared her throat, and said the words.

“With the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” The minister looked at Caleb. “You may kiss your bride.”

The never-ending kiss caused Julie’s cheeks to warm.

“Wow!” Ally said. “Just like a prince and princess.”

“Yuck. Enough with the kissing,” Scott said. “It’s gross.”

The mood had been jovial until Adam’s cell phone rang. After the call, he walked over to Caleb. “That was Judge Sledge. You’ve been exonerated.”

Caleb beamed. “Hot, damn. I sat in a cell year after year waiting for this day.” Then his eyes filled with tears, and he gasped for breath. “My God, ten years. The whole damn time I was innocent. I can’t believe that much of my life was wasted.”