Bloody Ties (Serenity's Plain Secrets Book 8)

by Karen Ann Hopkins

“Wait a minute.” I stepped forward. “They work for me. Going after them is the same as attacking me.” I lowered my voice. “I’m warning you. If you hurt either of them, you and your entire family will come out of these hills in body bags.”

  Ethan returned my threat with a smirk, and then he shouted, “Go, on. Do as I told you.”

  All the men ran out of the house, except Darryl and the clean-shaven man, who had a shotgun pointed at us. The roaring sound of their ATVs starting up and racing off the porch made me hold my breath.

  Ethan leisurely sat back down and snickered. “Want to take bets on how this is going to end?”

  Snorting, I stepped closer to him. “And I was actually thinking about working with you—making your family’s involvement in a murder disappear. Any understanding we had a few minutes ago is gone.”

  Ethan’s upper lip lifted in a snarl. “I gave you information—”

  “You gave me a riddle. That doesn’t count for anything,” I shot back.

  He barked out a laugh. “Without me, you’ll never get to the bottom of what’s going on in this damn town until it’s too late.”

  “We’ll see about that. I have the law on my side, an entire department at my disposal. The feds will arrive soon. You’re so outmanned, it’s a joke,” I spat.

  Jerome and Daniel wouldn’t stand a chance against Ethan’s family. They knew the woods like the back of their hands, and their boss had basically just ordered them to stop the new arrivals with any means possible. How could this be happening?

  My mind swam with possibilities to save my husband and new recruit. A glance at Toby’s tight face told me he was working all the angles as well.

  The door was still flung open and cold, damp air blew in. But the rain had lessoned to a misty spray, and the sound of rolling thunder was becoming more distant.

  I decided Toby and I might be quick enough to take out Ethan and the other man. I guessed Darryl wouldn’t engage.

  Just as I made eye contact with the marshal, a gunshot blast rang out from somewhere in the woods.

  My heart leaped into my throat. Oh, Daniel…

  21

  Daniel

  Jerome drove up slowly behind the marshal’s truck. Even from this position, I saw the massive tree that had fallen right in front of it. “Park here,” I ordered Jerome, a little surprised when he did exactly what I asked.

  It was still pouring down rain and we’d barely made it this far. Serenity and Toby were nowhere in sight. I could only assume they’d gone on foot the rest of the way after the tree blocked the road.

  “Now what?” Jerome asked.

  His willingness to let me take the lead was refreshing. “How are your hiking skills?”

  A small smile curved on Jerome’s lips. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll keep up just fine.”

  “It’s going to be wet. We can’t risk using the umbrellas. We’ll be seen too easily.”

  He flinched, but kept the pleasant expression on his face. “Right.”

  It was difficult to even see through the streaked windows, so I took a gamble that the coast was clear. No one would be keeping watch in a storm like this.

  “Let’s go,” I said, grasping the door handle.

  “Wait.” Jerome released a large shotgun that was affixed parallel to the drive shaft and held it up. “Do you know how to use one of these?”

  I’d been worried sick ever since we’d left the crime scene tent, but for a brief instant, I was amused. “I grew up hunting my own food, and I’m married to Serenity. Yeah, I know how a gun works.”

  Jerome handed it to me and zipped up his jacket. A boom of thunder and then an explosion of lightning made my heart still. The wind pummeled the passenger door as I pushed it open.

  I took the lead and Jerome followed. It had been over fifteen years since I’d been in the wooded hills, but I remembered them like it was yesterday—even in the deluge. I’d spent a lot of time hunting with Ethan’s nephews in the area. The boys liked to lurk the woods on foot, so no one knew they were coming. I’d been highly impressed with their abilities to blend in to nature with their camouflage clothes and silent ways. The Ogdens had marijuana and other things growing in hidden hollers throughout the hills—places that could only be reached on foot, horseback, or ATV. The patches had been small enough that a helicopter flying overhead wouldn’t notice the crops. Running in the woods had been one of the few highlights of my time with the Ogdens. If it wasn’t storming and Serenity wasn’t possibly in danger, I might even enjoy returning there.

  Up a hillside we went, sometimes having to grasp trees to keep from sliding back down. Jerome was true to his word. Not only did he keep up, he was hardly huffing when we reached the first rocky plateau. The rain lightened a bit, and I wiped my eyes, surveying the forest. I couldn’t make out the cruiser or pickup truck anymore. I recalled from memory that we wouldn’t see the house until we were right up on it. The place was well hidden.

  Jerome leaned against a huge poplar tree’s trunk and attempted to wipe his face with a handkerchief. This time the thunder clap wasn’t as loud. Lightning still flashed. As the rainfall let up even more, a thick mist rose up from the saturated ground.

  “How can you tell where you’re going? These trees are like a maze,” Jerome commented. His voice was a combination of admiration and worry.

  “It’s been a long while, but I remember the area well.” I pointed to a several boulders to our left and then to the narrow stretch of flat rocks we stood on. “Trees might grow or fall down, but the rocks stay the same.”

  Jerome nodded, looking a little more hopeful. We followed the level strip for a several minutes until we reached a creek. It was exactly where I expected it to be. Usually, it would have been some trickling water, but the storm had turned it into a raging river. I pushed aside the rhododendron branches and found the path I was looking for. Jogging along the creek for a while was tiring, but I didn’t slow down. The need to reach Serenity was too great. Jerome didn’t say anything, but I caught him constantly looking around, probably anticipating a surprise attack. We made quicker progress in the drizzle. When we came to a place where boulders jutted up from the creek, we crossed, climbing over them.

  We slipped and slid downhill. There wasn’t a path here. Either it was overgrown, or I’d missed the mark. It didn’t really matter. I could tell by the lay of the land that we moved in the right direction. A moment later, we reached level ground again. It seemed to take forever, but was probably only another minute before the bushes and trees opened up and we arrived in a small meadow.

  I stopped and stared. Jerome bumped into me, grasping my shoulders to catch his balance. A glance sideways and I saw Jerome’s mouth drop open.

  “Oh my God,” he said.

  And then there was a gunshot blast.

  22

  Serenity

  I pulled my gun at the same time Toby did. His weapon was trained on the beardless guy, and I aimed at Ethan’s heart. Ethan’s gun was still in his hand, but not raised to fire at anyone.

  Not letting my guard down, I said, “You better hope no one is hurt.”

  “It’s out of my hands now,” he replied. His eyes darted to the doorway, but he didn’t move a muscle.

  “We’re leaving. If you attempt to stop us, we won’t hesitate to shoot you dead.” I moved sideways, holding my gun steady.

  “I would expect nothing less.” Ethan winked at me and then sat back down. The other man hesitated, then lowered his weapon.

  Toby and I looked at each other, but didn’t say anything. I went through the doorway, facing forward, while Toby backed out, keeping his gun ready to shoot.

  The rain had all but stopped. Foggy mist spread along the forest floor, looking like a scary movie. I squeezed around the ATVs and jogged down the porch steps. The ground was spongy-wet and I dodged puddles as I crossed the yard. Toby ran bes
ide me, but kept his body sideways, continuing to look over his shoulder.

  My heart pounded in my chest as I scanned the trees.

  “It sounded like it came from up the road,” Toby said.

  I agreed, pushing forward over the gravel. A rustling above us, turned me around. Toby and I aimed our guns in the direction of the sound. Something—or someone—was coming down the hillside in a hurry.

  A chilly calmness came over me as I closed my one eye and followed the moving branches with my finger on the trigger. The bushes were pushed aside and I finally took a full breath.

  When Daniel saw me, he sped up until his large body slammed into mine. We both balanced the guns we held as his arms wrapped tightly around me. Toby remained on high alert, and Jerome graced me with a quick smile before he followed Toby’s lead and took up the lookout position.

  “Thank God, you’re all right,” Daniel exclaimed into my ear.

  I pulled back a little and looked up. Daniel was soaked. He had a leaf stuck in his thick, dark hair and a jagged scratch crossed his stubbly cheek. “I could say the same thing for you. I thought you’d been shot.”

  “We were shot at and made a run for it,” he replied.

  “We need to get out of here, Serenity,” Toby reminded me.

  “We’ll be sitting ducks on the roadway,” I said.

  “Faster time though,” Jerome finally said something. “Going through the woods is slow going.”

  I took the lead and began jogging over the gravel. “How did you find the house?” I asked, glancing between Jerome and Daniel.

  Jerome flicked his finger at Daniel. “It was all him. He’s like Daniel Boone in these woods—knew every rock and boulder.”

  My eyes met Daniel’s and he quickly looked away. That would be a fun conversation for later on.

  The roar of ATV engines suddenly reached my ears. I looked up and saw them coming straight for us. Daniel grasped my arm, tugging me toward the woods, but I held firm. We’d never make it. They were almost upon us. We only had enough time to take a few steps backwards when Ethan, Darryl, and the other guy appeared at our backs. All three of them were armed.

  “Shit,” I mumbled under my breath.

  Without having to give orders, Toby faced the oncoming ATVs with Jerome at his side. Daniel and I turned to meet Ethan. All four of us had our weapons raised and ready to shoot. The numbers were still against us, but the odds were definitely improving.

  “Let us go, Ethan. This doesn’t have to end in a bloodbath,” I shouted.

  Ethan didn’t answer until he was close enough that I could see the whites of his eyes. “You think you hold all the power, Sheriff, but you don’t.” He glanced up to the left and then the right. I followed his gaze and saw six more men and women that hadn’t been here earlier on the one hillside. Approximately the same number looked down on us from the other side. “We have your little group surrounded. It would be easy to kill you all and burn your bodies until there’s no trace left. In all these years, I’ve never done serious jail time. I must be doing something right.”

  I heard Daniel sigh, but I didn’t look at him. I knew Toby would be up for a gunfight, but Jerome was a rookie. This chaos was more than any new recruit should have to deal with.

  Ethan had continued walking forward. He stopped when he was only about five yards away.

  “What do you want?” I finally said.

  “The same as everyone else. Peace, prosperity, some homemade brew, a good woman—the list goes on and on.” He raised a brow. “It seems to me you’re trying to keep me from those things.”

  “You’re the only one that is going to take any of that away.” I became determined that my little group would leave the Ogden lands alive. “Let us walk out of here, and who knows, maybe you’ll be able to throw a barbeque for your family.”

  “Can you guarantee that?” Ethan asked.

  Without hesitation, I shook my head. “No, I can’t.”

  We stared at each other as the sun popped out from behind a ragged cloud. The shard of light made the entire scene even more surreal. I’d figured it probably wasn’t a good idea to question Ethan on his own turf, but I never really thought it would go this badly.

  The ATV engines drowned out almost all the forest sounds, but I could still hear Daniel’s breathing. The idea that my actions had put him in serious jeopardy caused my chest to tighten.

  “I see you haven’t forgotten our hills, Daniel Bachman. Very impressive,” Ethan said.

  “They are beautiful,” Daniel responded. By the tone of his voice, I knew he wasn’t lying.

  Another minute of silence passed, and then Ethan waved his hand to the side, as if he was swatting a fly. Just as suddenly as the Ogden militia had shown up, they dispersed. When I looked back up, both hills were empty. The engines revved and ATVs sped around us, going back toward the house. With one last unreadable glance, Ethan turned away and began walking, flanked by Darryl and the beardless man.

  The four of us let out a simultaneous sigh of relief. What had happened to us was something you’d see on streaming TV and not reality. Certainly not in a little town like Blood Rock.

  We didn’t waste any time. Without discussion, we made our way in the direction of the vehicles. After only a few steps were taken, Jerome spoke up.

  “Sheriff, there’s been another shooting—well, two actually.”

  I paused. “Details,” I demanded.

  “Two bodies were found in the field behind the gas station on route 11. Like the others, they don’t look like they’re from around here. Both took gunshots to the head.” Jerome waited patiently for my response.

  Toby replaced his gun and then removed his hat. With a flare, he wiped his brow and looked back at me. “My, oh my. The excitement level in Blood Rock never disappoints.”

  I wished I could remain as upbeat as the marshal. The two things that surged through my mind were: Why were they all coming to Blood Rock, and who the hell was killing them?

  23

  Daniel

  With my hands braced on the porch railing, I thought back to the entire Ogden clan pointing guns at me and Serenity. It seemed impossible that my mad race through the woods with Officer Wilson had actually occurred. The sun was out, birds sang, and my youngest niece, Christina, trotted up and down the driveway on her new pony. From this vantage point, the world appeared normal and even serene. But I knew better. A killer prowled the streets of Blood Rock. No one seemed to be as upset as they should have been. The fact that the victims were all criminals from other places made the events appear less threatening. After what had happened on the Ogden property, I feared that whatever was going on in the shadier side of our country society might spill over into the mainstream community. Ethan Ogden had always been a dangerous man. Even when I was young, I’d seen the fire in his eyes. Back then, I learned quickly not to cross him. He was subtle with his illegal dealings, and it was true what he said to Serenity. No law officer had brought him down yet.

  “You’re a million miles away, son. What ails you?” Ma said.

  I glanced back. She sat on the porch swing next to my father. He tried to ignore me by watching his granddaughter ride her pony, as if he’d never seen her ride before. Which of course wasn’t true. Ma, on the other hand, gazed at me, frowning. She might have shunned me for most of my adult life, but that didn’t mean she didn’t love me.

  I turned around and leaned against the post. “There’s a lot going on in Blood Rock lately. I’m worried about Serenity and the entire town.”

  Father grunted loudly, raising his hands. “That woman can take care of herself. The town is full of the same evil mischief that’s always been there. What I’m more concerned with are the changes happening right here in the settlement.”

  Moses Bachman might be getting on in years, but he was still a strong, proud man. Being a church minister and on
e of the bishop’s closest friends, he had his finger on the pulse of Amish goings-on. He’d always been a judgmental and stubborn man. If it wasn’t for Ma allowing me back into the fold just a little bit, father would have willingly gone to his grave without ever speaking to me again. He would never forgive me for leaving the Amish.

  Feeling the warm sunshine on the back of my head, hearing Christina’s laughter, and the pounding hoof beats of her pony, I decided to humor my father. It was too pretty of a day to be stuck in my gloomy thoughts. If I dwelled too much on what had gone down in the woods with the Ogdens and how Serenity and I could have easily died, I’d go crazy. It was bad enough to admit that unless something drastically changed in Serenity’s career, having children wasn’t a wise choice for us. Now, I wondered if we’d even make it to old age.

  “What’s going on in the community?” I forced the words out, trying to sound interested. It didn’t feel right to waste time gossiping at the moment.

  Father looked up, narrowing his eyes on me. “I hear you’re building the buggy shop for Joshua Miller.”

  “Yes, that’s correct.”

  “You should be doing no such thing. Because of your shunning, you’re not allowed to work for our people and you know it,” he said forcefully.

  Ma turned her head away, not letting me see the expression on her face. If I had to guess, I’d say she was upset with Father.

  “It’s been a lot of years. I think the time of limitations has run out. And, as you must already know, the bishop gave his blessing for me to do the work. I think he’s actually excited about the promise of a buggy making operation in his own backyard.”

  Father’s cheeks reddened. “I don’t understand what’s gotten into Aaron.” Then he shook his head. “It’s probably your wife that he’s concerned with. He’d do anything to keep the Sheriff happy.”