The crowd was stunned into silence first, staring as I moved toward them in quick, paced movements. Then, as if someone had started a gas leak, a ruckus trickled along the people.
Just as Darrin predicted, no one approached me. Instead, they jerked away, creating a sort of open path everywhere I went. This must have been the opposite of what Chloe had to deal with. It wasn’t famous. It was infamous.
My mind was spinning as I passed one horrified face after another. My eyes couldn’t rest anywhere for long, not at the pace in which I was moving. Still, in the back of my mind, I looked for Peggy and Aiden.
“You’ll never take me alive,” I said loudly, just in case there was any doubt about what these people were supposed to believe they were seeing. “Never!”
I did see Priscilla, whose eyes were wide and more than a little surprised about what she was seeing.
A spike of anger rose in me. I didn’t know exactly what role she played in all of this, but I was going to get to the bottom of it.
Or at least I was going to help the people who did.
I headed toward the South door.
As I neared the double French doors, I saw Darrin out of the corner of my eye. He was far away from me, much further than made sense given what the plan was.
Looking at him, I saw him mouth the words “Wrong door.”
Uh oh.
There was nothing I could do. If I turned toward Darrin to fix my mistake, it would look insane. If I stopped and threw my hands in the air without any reasonable provocation, it would basically give our scheme away. I was going to have to do what Darrin told me not to do.
I was going to have to go outside.
Grimacing, I pushed through the door and out into the wide open.
The sun beamed into my eyes, and my heart sped into overdrive. What was I doing? I was outside now, actually running from actual police officers who actually thought I was a criminal.
For a fake scene, this just got very real.
I heard a thundering clap of feet behind me, not just one but many.
My legs pumped harder and harder. This really was a runner’s body.
A line of trees appeared up in the distance. I wasn’t sure what I was doing anymore, aside from trying to keep this looking as authentic as possible. But I knew that I needed to get out of sight.
There were definitely police officers chasing me but, if I could get into those trees, maybe I could tell them what was going on and convince them that I was-you know- the guiltiest person on the face of the earth.
So long as none of the wedding guests, most importantly Priscilla, saw me do this, we should still be good.
As I grew closer to the woods, a huge silver police van skidded to a stop in front of me, cutting me off and ruining my plan.
A young officer with sandy hair and bright eyes that looked a lot like Aiden’s hopped out. A gun was in his hands, and he pointed it at me nervously.
“Listen,” I said breathlessly, throwing my hands in the air. “I know this is going to sound like a lie, but I’m-”
“My name is Sam Brady,” he said, equally as breathless. He was so nervous that his entire body was shaking. “And I- I know what’s going on.”
Officer Brady, I remembered Darrin’s words. There was one other person besides the three of us in that room who had been briefed about my innocence and, thankfully, he had made his way to me.
“I’m seriously sorry about this, but I’m gonna scream at you now, okay?” His lips scrunched together. “Get on the ground, you…criminal!”
“You criminal?” I asked, my hands still in the air.
“Look, I’m not exactly seasoned okay. This is my second week on the job. Before this, I was security at the Discount Depot. Now would you just get on the ground and stop giving me a hard time? Please?”
The poor guy was in flop sweats now, much more anxious than me, even though I was the one with the gun in my face.
“Sure thing,” I said, lowering my body to the ground. “Don’t worry Sammie, we’re going to make it work.”
“Okay,” he answered, circling behind me and slapping cuffs onto my hands.
“Tighter,” I said.
“What?” he asked from over me.
“You have to clasp them tighter, or else it won’t look legit.”
“Right,” he stammered. “I’m not sure I’m cut out for this.”
“One mountain at a time, Sammie. Let’s just get through this,” I said. “Now stop the other guys.”
“I got her!” he said, way too loudly, looking up at the other cops.
I turned my head toward the crowd. They were all at (what they probably assumed) was a safe distance, given that I was a criminal and all.
Finally, I saw Peggy and Aiden. The looks on their faces were an almost indescribable mixture of pain, confusion, and disbelief.
I wanted to scream out to them, to tell them not to worry. I might have done it too if not for the thought of Chloe, of saving her from whatever trouble she’d found herself in.
“Now, with one hand on the cuffs and another bracing my back, I want you to pull me up.”
He started way too slowly.
“Not that gentle,” I said softly. “I’m a criminal, after all. As far as you know, I kidnapped two people.”
“Right,” he answered, and jerked me upright quickly enough to snap my neck (a second time).
“Sorry,” he answered, breathing heavy.
“It’s okay. Just put me in the back of the van, tell me to watch my head as I enter, and then say something mean as you slam the door.”
“Got it,” Sam answered and marched me toward the back of the van. He fumbled with the keys, as he pulled the door open. “Watch your head,” he said, turning to the crowd like he was performing on Broadway or something.
“Okay,” I answered, climbing into the back. Settling in the back, I turned to him. “Take it home, Sammie.”
His eyes got wide and his face filled with anxiety. His mouth twisted, trying to form words that he couldn’t quite come up with.
“You…” he started. “You’re…I can’t…That dress really clashes with those shoes!” He yelled and slammed the door shut.
Way to sell the sizzle, Sammie.
I turned back around, toward the front of the truck, but jumped back, startled at what I found.
Mayor McConnell sat in front of me on all fours, staring at me intently.
I knew there wasn’t a prison that could hold him.
“Oh no,” I stuttered. “This isn’t over, is it?”
Though he didn’t nod at me, he might as well have. Even the fact that he was here was enough to tell me that I couldn’t just ride out of here and let someone else do the rest of the leg work.
I was going to have to do this myself, and I was going to have to do it now.
23
“Mayor McConnell,” I said in a hushed voice. “How did you even get in here?”
He wouldn’t answer, of course. Apparently being reincarnated into the body of an Irish setter didn’t afford you the ability to converse with human beings. Unless, of course, it did and the fact that he hadn’t yet talked to me was only because he didn’t think me worthy of a conversation.
You know, come to think of it, that actually made a lot of sense.
Either way, I wasn’t surprised when he did nothing but stare back at me with condescending eyes.
“It doesn’t matter,” I said, frustrated. “Just stay down. There’s no way I could explain this to Sam.”
I found myself a little surprised at how quickly I had started calling Officer Brady by his first name. But, to be fair, it wasn’t like he was a particularly fearful figure. He lacked the official air of Sheriff Black or even Darrin on his more buttoned-up days. He was a sweet guy, nervous, and almost a goof.
Actually, he was a little like…
“Oh…” I muttered to myself, realizing why I felt so at ease with the clueless policeman. More than a little, he reminde
d me of Harvey.
“That was sort of exhilarating,” Sam said as he climbed into the front seat. There was a sliver of open space between the back (where Mayor McConnell and I were) and the front part of the cab where Sam was. The sliding piece of matching metal was meant to close us off completely. Instead, Sam looked through it, grinning like a choir boy after a particularly big number.
Thankfully, given the angle, he wasn’t able to see Mayor McConnell. So, unless the setter started making a bunch of noise back here, he would probably go unnoticed.
“I mean, I had seen things like that on the television,” Sam beamed, his smile so wide that I was afraid it would split his face clean in half. “But I never thought I’d actually get to do it; holding a gun on somebody and cuffing them on the ground like that. I know that you weren’t exactly a hardened criminal, but it was awesome, nonetheless. I’ve really gotta thank Uncle Hester for letting me do it.”
“Uncle Hester?” I asked.
“Oh right. He said I’ve gotta be more official when we’re out in the field like this.” He cleared his throat. “I should show my appreciation to Sheriff Black.”
Sheriff Black was his uncle. No wonder he was trusted with this.
“I really do appreciate you helping me out when we were out there,” Sam said, nodding firmly. “I’m sure I’d have gotten it down eventually, but it sure was nice to have a friend out there.” He smirked. “Guess I oughtn’t to go expecting it, though. It isn’t every day that the person you’re arresting is liable to help you get it right.”
“That’s a safe bet,” I answered. “And, if you’re not above a little more help, can I suggest we get going?” I asked, looking around. “If we don’t start moving soon, people are going to start wondering what’s going on in here.”
“Oh right!” Sam blustered. “Right away.” He turned the key in the ignition, which was completely unnecessary, given that the engine was already on. The motor let out a loud and rough bellow.
“Oh, crud!” he shouted.
“It’s okay, Sam,” I said, moving closer to the open slit, careful to miss Mayor McConnell’s tail. “Just calm down. Take it slow and let’s get out of here.”
“Okay,” he said, his voice growing more nervous by the second.
He was a sweetheart, which made what I was going to have to do that much harder.
“I’m so glad I’m not doing this by myself,” he said, sighing with relief.
“Listen, Sammie,” I said, quirking my mouth to the side. “We’re not going to be able to talk to each other.”
“Oh,” he answered. “Did I-did I say something wrong?” He shook his head. “I’m always doing that with pretty girls.”
“No,” I answered. Did he just call me pretty? “What? No. That’s not it at all, Sammie. I think you’re very sweet, but there are a lot of officers out here, and all eyes are pretty much going to be on this vehicle. If they see us talking then-”
“It’ll betray the truth,” he answered. “That’s good thinking, ma’am. I can see why Uncle Hester was so impressed with you.” He groaned. “And, if he asks, tell him I called him Sheriff Black the whole time.”
“Sure thing,” I answered, smiling. “But only if you promise to drop that ma’am stuff. We’re basically the same age. So long as you’re not holding a gun to my head anymore, you can call me Rita.”
“Sure thing, Rita,” he grinned, turning off onto the main strip that led out of the grounds. “And don’t worry. I’m pretty sure there were only two bullets in that gun anyhow.”
“That’s reassuring,” I answered, beating back a chuckle.
Mayor McConnell began to growl at my feet. He was obviously getting impatient.
“Pump the brakes, Mayor McConnell,” I said, glaring down at him. “I’m working on it.”
“What’s that?” Sam asked from the front.
“I said you’ll do great,” I answered. “As a cop, you’ll be great. I can just tell.”
That wasn’t expressly a lie. Sam obviously had a good heart, and that was a big part of being a good officer. The truth was, I did have a good feeling about Sam. Whether or not that was because of how much he reminded me of Harvey, I couldn’t say, and I honestly didn’t have time to consider.
“But, like I said, we can’t talk right now. I need you to slide the partition and not open it the whole ride back.”
“The whole ride to Second Springs?” he asked, obviously confused. “Don’t you think that’s a little much? I mean, I don’t want to accuse you of being paranoid or anything, but wouldn’t you say that we’d be okay once we got away from the country club?”
Mayor McConnell growled louder now.
“Would you stop it?!” I said to the dog in near silence. Looking back up, I added (in a much calmer voice), “Normally, I would say yes,but this isn’t a normal situation. Chloe is a celebrity and, regardless of how careful we are, there’s always a chance that reporters are going to start lurking around.” I shook my head. “They could get a picture of us chatting and blow the whole thing wide open.”
“I-I guess you’re right,” he said with furrowed brows. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.”
“Like I said, this isn’t an ordinary situation.” I felt more than a little bad saying the next part. “So, close the partition and maybe listen to some music until we get to town.”
“Okay,” he answered, nodding. He turned and started pushing the partition closed. “Maybe when we get to town, you can get me a piece of that famously delicious peca—”
I reached out and pushed it closed the rest of the way.
That might seem a little harsh, and maybe it was, but I didn’t have time to shoot the breeze with this admittedly sweet guy for much longer. We’d soon be outside the grounds, past the security fence. And, if I didn’t get out of here before that, there was no getting back in.
“Okay,” I said, still whispering and looking down at Mayor McConnell. “What do we do now?”
I had never had a dog before this and, to be honest, the word ‘had’ didn’t really fit here. Mayor McConnell was a dog, true. At least, in this life. But I didn’t own him anymore than he owned me. And I certainly didn’t have even a modicum of control over the stubborn animal.
He stared at me, tilting his head and giving that look that said it was up to me to get us out of this situation.
“Oh no! None of that. You’re the one who wants us to get back there, so you’re the one who has to get us out of here. Any ideas on the best way of breaking out of, and then jumping from, a moving police van?”
He tilted his head the other way.
“Mmhmm,” I muttered. “That’s what I thought.”
Suddenly, Mayor McConnell jumped into action. He ran toward one of the benches that sat on either wall of the van. Nudging it with his snout, my dog pointed out it was loose.
He pushed it harder, and the entire thing jarred loose. Using his head, he flipped it over and looked at me.
All of the sudden, there was a smooth metal sled sitting before us and, as he climbed into it, I knew what he wanted me to do.
“Seriously?” I bemoaned but climbed on anyway. I knew better than to tempt the fates that brought me back and, besides, I had always been a sucker for adventure.
“Okay,” I said, feeling his hot doggie breath on my neck. “We’re on this stupid thing. How do we get the door opened?”
He turned to me, and I could have sworn I saw a smile spread across his long face.
With a suddenness that startled me, Mayor McConnell started howling loudly. If I didn’t know any better, I’d have thought that he was in horrible and imminent pain.
As if he had been run over.
Sam screeched to a halt instantly and, as was Mayor McConnell’s plan, the force of it sent us sliding into, and then through, the opening doors.
We sailed off into the air and then slid to a stop on the ground outside.
I stood quickly, closing the doors as swiftly and quiet
ly as I could.
Grimacing, I heard Sam’s door open. Looking over at the dog, I was surprised to see him dragging the bench into a nearby brush with his teeth.
All I could do was climb up onto the now closed doors and press my body flat against it. It was better than nothing since he couldn’t see my feet. But if Sam came around to this side, which he almost certainly would, I would be caught.
I heard Sam’s footsteps near me and readied some excuse about a faulty door and hanging on for dear life. But Mayor McConnell jumped out of the brush and charged Sam.
“There you are,” Sam said. “I was afraid I’d hurt you. Where’d you come from, boy?” Mayor McConnell barked and growled at him, rushing toward him with bared teeth.
“Oh…uh oh!” Sam said and darted back to the front of the van.
I heard the door close and breathed a sigh of relief when the van started moving again. While it was still slow enough to do so, I hopped down.
If everything went as planned, Sam wouldn’t know I had made my great escape until he made it to Second Springs, a few hours from now. While I didn’t like the idea of him feeling betrayed, hopefully it would give me more than enough time to get to the bottom of what was going on here.
To do that, I knew where I needed to go.
“Priscilla was drenched in sweat,” I said to Mayor McConnell. “That, combined with something Charlie showed me earlier, leads me to one thing.” I knelt down. “You used to belong to this club. So, I’m going to need you to get me into the boiler room without anybody seeing me.”
Again, I could have sworn I saw a smile, and then my mysterious Irish setter galloped off toward the building.
“Oh,” I stammered, looking at him go. “I guess we’re leaving now, then.”
24
I was panting by the time I caught up to Mayor McConnell. Not that it was any surprise, but it turned out his four legs could carry him much more quickly than my two, even if this body was more athletic than my last one.
We stayed close to the edges of the grounds along the high walls that separated the country club from the outside world, with me following the dog’s lead.
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