Where Truth Lies (22 page)
“Y
ou had a gun? Where was it? How did George miss it?”
“He was looking for a phone, remember? Not a gun. He just checked my pockets. He was too damned scared to go any further.” She let out a smug snicker. “Did you see his face? He actually believed I was going to bite his nose off.”
“So did I. You looked absolutely fierce out there.”
“I can be convincing when I want to.”
Grace laughed. “This is rich. Here’s the chief, accusing us of being stupid, and it doesn’t occur to him to search you for a weapon.” She pushed herself up on one elbow. “Tell me one thing, though. Why didn’t you use the gun earlier?”
“I thought of it, but the right moment didn’t present itself, so I decided to save my ace card until later.”
Grace kissed Denise on the cheek. “Denise, you’re beautiful.”
“Thank you. Should I blast the lock?”
“No! We’re going much too fast. We’ll wait until they open the trunk.”
“And then I’ll blast them.” She sounded as though she was actually looking forward to the showdown.
“Let’s not do anything reckless, Denise. Remember, we’re still locked up in a trunk, therefore at a disadvantage. What I’m saying is that we only have one chance.”
“You don’t think I can do this, do you?” Denise’s tone was reproachful.
“Didn’t you tell me that you couldn’t shoot to save your life?”
“I’ll be at point-blank range. How can I miss?”
Grace glanced down at the weapon in Denise’s hand. “Is that a .22? Because if it is, it doesn’t have much stopping power.”
Denise chuckled. “I may not know how to shoot, but I know guns. I would never count on a .22 to save my life.” She held the gun up and turned it around. “This baby is called the Grizzly and is one of the most powerful handguns ever made. It’s loaded with .357 Magnum bullets. They make new models now, but Fred wouldn’t trade his Grizzly for anything.”
“How’s the recoil?”
“Just what you’d expect in a gun this size.”
“Is that going to be a problem?”
“The last time I shot a .357 Magnum the recoil almost knocked me to the ground.”
That wasn’t too encouraging. “Does the chief know that you can’t shoot?”
“Everyone knows, but it doesn’t matter. Fred told me once that men are more afraid of women with no shooting skills than vice versa.”
“That makes me feel a whole lot better.”
“Shh. We’re slowing down. Give me some room. I need to face them when they open the trunk.”
Grace squeezed herself against the back to allow Denise to get into position. It was a crazy plan, something that only worked in the movies, but she couldn’t think of any other option. Either they shot their way out of this car or wait to be executed.
The choice was a no-brainer.
A moment later, the car stopped. A door opened, then the other. Grace heard the muffled sounds of voices, footsteps coming closer. “Are you ready?” she whispered.
“Ready.” Denise braced herself against the back of the trunk and wrapped both hands around the gun handle. “Okay, boys. Come to mamma.”
The trunk popped open. Denise jumped out, screaming like a marine, and catching the two men completely off guard. “Hands in the air!” she barked as Grace climbed after her. “Now!”
At the sight of the formidable weapon in her hands, both men jumped three feet backward.
“Guns on the ground!” Denise screamed. She swung the Grizzly back and forth between Josh and George. “Quickly, or I start shooting.”
“You crazy broad,” Josh shouted. “Put that gun down before you hurt yourself.”
Denise fired a shot. It went wild, but it had the desired effect, on George anyway, who turned out to be armed as well. He pulled a revolver from his belt and dropped it to the ground.
Grace quickly scooped it up.
Josh stubbornly hung on to his. “What are you doing, you nitwit?” he told George. “Can’t you see that she’s fucking with your mind again?”
Denise fired another shot, and this time she hit her target, because the chief cried out in pain. The gun flew out of his hand and he started jumping around on one foot, holding the other with both hands. “That bitch hit me! Jesus Christ, she hit me!”
“There’s a full moon out there,” Denise said. “Never underestimate an armed woman on a full moon.”
“Don’t shoot! Please!” George cried. He looked sick, but managed to raise his arms above his head.
“Shut up, George.” Denise pointed the gun at the chief. “Josh, kick your gun over to Grace. Nice and easy.”
Grace picked up Josh’s gun and tucked it into her waistband, cringing at the cold contact. She held George’s weapon pointed at the two men, although from the looks of things, all danger seemed to have passed. Josh sat on the ground, moaning and rocking back and forth while holding his injured foot. As for George, he looked petrified.
She walked over to the chief. “Who’s stupid now, Chief?” She extended her hand, smiling down at him. “Cell phone, please.”
Grimacing, he reached into his pants pocket and handed her the phone. With one hand, Grace dialed the number she had memorized.
“New Hope Police Department.”
“This is Grace McKenzie,” she said calmly. “Denise Baxter and I are holding Chief Nader and Mayor Renchaw at gunpoint. We need your help.”
There was a long silence while the dispatcher tried to decide what kind of crank caller he was dealing with. “Miss McKenzie? Uh…are you all right?”
“I am, but the chief has been wounded.”
She heard commotion at the other end of the line, and hushed voices. A moment later, Deputy Montgomery came on. “Grace? What’s going on? Where are you?”
“Denise and I caught Chief Nader and Mayor Renchaw as they were digging Felicia Newman’s grave. They killed her and buried her on Buzz’s farm. Her remains are in the backseat of an old Chrysler. They were going to kill us, too, but, well, we’ll tell you the details later. Talk to Matt if you don’t believe me. He had planned on catching the killers himself. When Josh put him in jail, Denise and I decided to ambush them ourselves.”
“I already talked to Matt. I’ll put him on if you’d like.”
“There’s no time for that, Rob. Just bring him with you.”
“Where are you?”
She looked down at Josh. “Where are we?” she asked.
“Durham Road in Ottsville.” He gave her a dirty look. “Just past the Easton Road intersection.”
“I got that,” Rob said. “Hang tight, Grace.”
I
t was going to be a long night. Grace, Denise and Matt were brought back to the police station, along with George and Josh, the last two in handcuffs. Felicia’s remains were taken to the morgue, and although Denise had wanted to go along, Rob had advised against it.
“The contents of that plastic bag is not something you want to see right now,” he had told her. “The next few days will be much easier for you if you remember your sister the way she was.”
With Grace by her side, Denise had called her parents in Florida. They were taking an early flight and would be here in the morning.
Acting as interim chief of police, Rob had taken down their statements. He had seemed a little over-whelmed at first, by the events that had shaken New Hope and by the sudden responsibility that had fallen upon him. But after a little floundering, he had stepped into his new role with his usual efficiency and good nature.
Once the statements were signed, he rose from the chief’s chair. “Okay, people. We’re done here. Why don’t you all go home? I promise I’ll stop by as soon as I have news I can share with you.”
“What about Bernie?” Grace asked.
“His sister came to get him. He’ll call you in the morning.”
Matt pushed his chair back and rose as well. “And my father?”
“I’ve already talked to the D.A. He’ll want to talk to George and Josh, but I’ve been told that Fred’s release will not be a problem. Where will you be?”
“Home,” Denise said quickly. “We’re all going home, right, Matt?”
Grace looked at Matt and kept her fingers crossed. Denise had proven her love and loyalty for her husband far beyond what anyone had expected. It was time for Matt to recognize that.
“I will come home,” Matt replied. “But I need to talk to my father first. I want to break the good news to him in person. You and Grace go on and I’ll join you shortly.”
Impulsive as always, Denise raised herself on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.”
He started to leave, then turned around. “Denise, that pumpkin pie you made for Lucy the other day. Is there any left?”
A wide smile brightened Denise’s face. “No, but I’ll be glad to make you a fresh one. It’ll be ready by the time you get back from the county jail.”
Although Fred had already heard bits and pieces of what had taken place at Buzz’s farm, he doubled over with laughter when Matt told him about the shooting incident.
“Did she really blow Josh’s big toe off?”
“Actually, she only blew off half of it. Rob tells me it’s not a pretty sight.”
“Oh, man.” Fred wiped his eyes. “I would have paid good money to see that.” Once the laughter had subsided, he asked, matter-of-factly, “Denise okay?”
“She’s fine.” Matt let a couple of seconds pass. When it was obvious that his father would make no further comment regarding his wife, Matt took the initiative.
“Look, Pop, I’m the last one to tell you what to do, or God forbid, give you advice in the romance department, but don’t you think that Denise has suffered enough? Doesn’t she at least deserve to hear from you? Considering all she’s done?”
“When did you join her fan club?”
“Let’s just say that she came through for this family in ways I didn’t expect, and I’m a little humbled by it. She put her life on the line for you, Pop. A little thank-you would be nice.”
“I hear she wasn’t alone,” Fred said, smoothly changing the subject. “Your Ms. McKenzie was there, too, kicking butt and risking her life for a man she’s never met.”
“I intend to thank her properly, when the time comes. But don’t get carried away. She’s not
my
Ms. McKenzie.”
“That’s funny, because I hear that the two of you have become inseparable.” His eyes narrowed as he studied Matt’s face. “You like this woman?”
More than he should, considering he had no idea where this relationship was going. He shrugged. “She’s okay.”
Fred threw his head back and let out a hearty laugh. “Don’t give me that, Matty. This is me, remember, your daddy, who knows you better than anyone. I might be behind bars but I’m not blind. I can see the look in your eyes when you talk about her. It’s not a look I’ve seen often, so you understand why I would notice.”
“All right, yes, I like her. A lot. The problem is, I’m not sure I should act on that feeling.”
“Why the hell not?”
“What do I have to offer her? Months of living alone while I chase terrorists around the world?”
“Weren’t you thinking of transferring to another department? Back to profiling, maybe? Or did I imagine that?”
“No, I’ve been considering it.”
“Then do it. After four years with the antiterrorist unit, you deserve a change of pace. That would certainly reduce your traveling.”
“She doesn’t know anything about me.”
“So fix that. Take her somewhere, away from flying bullets, stabbed priests and drowning men. Let her see the side of you we all know and love. Jesus, son, do I have to tell you everything?”
Matt chuckled. “You know, you’re showing great aptitude for a whole new career in matchmaking.”
“Do you want another piece of advice?”
“No. I can handle it from here.”
“I’ll give it to you anyway. If you’re going to make a move, do it fast, because Rob likes her, too.”
That wasn’t exactly a surprise, but he appreciated the heads-up anyway. He and his father shook hands through the bars. “Thanks, Pop. I’ll see you at the hearing tomorrow morning.”
Matt arrived at the Baxter house an hour later. “My father has a court appearance this morning at ten,” he said as Denise handed him a thick slice of freshly baked pumpkin pie. “The D.A. doesn’t expect any problem regarding his release.”
Grace embraced him warmly. “Oh, Matt, that’s wonderful news. Your father must be so relieved.”
“Yes,” Denise echoed. “It’s wonderful news.” She looked at Matt expectantly. “Did he say anything about me? Our situation?”
“No. I’m sorry, Denise.”
She nodded. “I didn’t expect he’d change his mind. I was just hoping, that’s all.” She looked around the room. “What should I do? Move out?”
“Certainly not,” Matt said. “This is your home. Why would you leave?”
“It’s been Fred’s home longer, and if he’s going to file for divorce, then, I should be the one to leave.”
“Did your father say anything about a divorce?” Grace asked Matt.
“Nope.”
“Then don’t do anything rash, Denise. You and Fred need to talk. If he won’t initiate a meeting when he gets out of jail, then you do it. What do you think, Matt?”
“I agree with Grace. My dad is being stubborn. He’ll come around, but it might take a little persuasion.” He glanced up toward the staircase. “I don’t mean to change the subject, but Lucy will be up soon and I wanted to say something about…her affair with Steven.”
Denise was instantly on the defensive. “What about it?”
“Since their relationship had no bearing on what happened, I thought it’d be best if we kept that episode of her life between us.” He looked directly at Denise. “Do you agree?”
“Oh, God, Matt, yes! Absolutely. Although, she might decide to tell your father herself, not right away, but eventually.”
“That will be entirely up to her.”
Denise refilled his coffee cup. “Now that we’ve got that straightened out, why don’t you stop playing with that pie crust and tell us what you found out. Grace and I are dying to know what those two weasels are saying. Did they admit to killing my sister? Or are they claiming that it’s all a big mistake?”
“They’re not denying anything, but it’s not a pretty story, Denise.”
“I’m sure of that, but finding out what happened to my sister after all these years is the only way I’ll be able to find some peace.”
“Very well.” He leaned forward, hands joined. “First of all, Josh isn’t talking until his lawyer arrives. He knows his rights and he’s exercising them.”
“What about George?”
“Our illustrious mayor, on the other hand, is singing like a canary. He is also swearing high and low that he had nothing to do with Felicia’s murder. He’s hoping that in exchange for his full cooperation, the D.A. will go easy on him.”
“I want them both to burn in hell,” Denise said fiercely.
“If the D.A. has his way, they will. The man is out for blood.”
Denise sat down on a footstool, close to Grace. “What happened that night, Matt?”
“George confirmed what Bernie told us. He and Josh were driving around and raising hell when they saw Felicia walking down the road. Josh stopped the car and asked her to join them. When she refused, he told George to grab her. She fought him hard, and she fought Josh just as hard later, but in the end, she was no match for them.”
“Those bastards raped her, didn’t they?” Denise struggled to hold back her tears. “They raped her, killed her, buried her and never gave her a second thought.”
Grace leaned over and touched Denise’s hand. “Maybe Matt is right. You shouldn’t hear this. It’s going to be too painful.”
“Not nearly as painful as what Felicia went through.” She wiped her eyes. “Go on, Matt. Please.”
“According to George, only Josh raped her. He may have another version, but as I said, we won’t know his side of the story until he’s ready to talk, so for the time being, we’ll have to take George’s word.”
Denise nodded.
“At some point, your sister started screaming and Josh slapped her, hard. The back of her head hit the window’s edge, probably killing her instantly. George was standing outside the car, unaware that she was dead until Josh came out and told him.”
“That fat rat thinks that because he didn’t rape my sister and didn’t kill her, he is without blame?” Denise’s voice was thin and sharp. “He helped bury her, didn’t he? And he sure helped dig her out. I was there. I saw it.”
There was a long silence before Grace broke it to ask the question she had been burning to ask. “What about the Badger brothers?”
“They’re wanted for questioning, but can’t be found. Just before I left, Rob took a call from a motorist who spotted a green pickup heading south on Route 29. Three patrol cars are on their way. If it’s them, they’ll be arrested momentarily.”
Grace stood up and went to look out the window. “And if it’s not, they could be hundreds of miles away by now.”
Matt came to stand behind her. “Rob will find them.”
“But until he does, Bernie is not safe.” She turned around. “Maybe Rob shouldn’t have been so quick to release him. What if Cal and Lou come back to finish what they started?”
“You’re assuming they’re the ones who tried to kill him.”
“You do, too. That’s why you went to their home, looking for a green pickup.”
“Even if the Badger brothers are working for Josh, they’re much too busy saving their own hide right now to worry about Bernie.”
Grace fell silent. His reasoning made sense. Still, she would feel a lot better once she knew that those two men were behind bars.
