He wished he were a cloud. No, he wished he were a rain cloud. Full of thunder. And lightning. Maybe a tornado. He’s wreak havoc down and wouldn’t care.
He jumped up and strode to the house, slamming the door behind him as he went into the mudroom. He went through the room, into the house to the kitchen, and took the 22 revolver out of the drawer.
He cocked it and held it to his temple. His hand trembled. Sweat appeared on his brow. He held his breath and closed his eyes, clenching his teeth. His finger tightened on the trigger. He held motionless for a moment, and then his grip loosened, and the gun slipped from his hand and clattered as it hit the ceramic floor. His breath came out in a rush, and he stood still, breathing slowly. He finally opened his eyes and looked at the floor by his feet.
He stared at the gun for a moment, and then picked it up and put it back into the drawer, covering it carefully with the towels, and gently shutting the drawer.
He dropped his hands into his pockets and trudged up the stairs to the second floor. He slid back the dead bolt on the door of Jenny’s room, and opened it.
Jenny was sitting on the bed, propped up by pillows, reading a book. Classical music was coming from the set of speakers under the window. She looked up.
Without saying a word, he went over, moved the chain to the side, and sat on the edge of the bed at the opposite end.
He stared at her.
She stared back. She could see the dejected look on his face. She reached over to the CD player, turned down the music, and waited for him to speak.
“I got fired today,” he said calmly.
She cocked her head. “What happened?”
“He said I was late too much.”
She was silent.
“So, he fired me.”
“Now what will you do?”
“I don’t know.”
She waited.
“Perhaps I’ll sell the house,” he said, “if I can’t find another job.”
“And... what about me?”
“Yeah, that’s a problem.”
She waited.
“I really like you, Jenny. You are the only one who will listen to me.”
“I... I like you too, Jeremy,” she lied.
His brows shot up. “Really?”
“Yes.”
He frowned slightly and studied her face. Did she really like him, or was she just saying that?
“You have been treating me well, and have been kind to me.”
His eyes narrowed a bit, as he continued to study her. Finally, he said, “I might take the chains off, if you promise not to try to get away again.”
She smiled. “I won’t.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
He watched her for a couple of minutes. She seems honest, and sincere. Maybe she has changed now. Maybe she can understand I really am a good man, and am trying my best to take care of her.
He stood up suddenly, reached into his pocket, and pulled out the ring of padlock keys. He bent over and grabbed her foot, dragging her leg toward him. He put a key in the lock and twisted. The long chain fell loose. He unlocked the one holding the small chain around her ankle, and then the chain from the ring in the floor. He picked them all up and tossed them into a corner, along with the padlocks.
She drew her leg in, and rubbed her ankle. Thank you,” she said.
“Do you want a shower?” he asked.
“Yes, please.”
He went to the door, opened it, and stepped outside the room. She picked out one of his mother’s old dresses from the closet, and followed him. He stood at the top of the steps to block her way, and motioned down the hall. She slipped down the passageway, and into the bathroom.
He sat down on the floor and waited. He could hear the shower running. In a few minutes, the toilet flushed, and the door opened again.
He stood up and motioned toward the bedroom. She went in and sat on the bed, watching him.
He followed her in.
“Thank you,” she said. “I feel better.”
He smiled, and said as he left, “I’ll be back soon with your lunch.”
Chapter 43
Monday, August 15th, 10:55 AM
ANNIE SHUDDERED a little as she drove past the forested area where she had found Chad Bronson’s body, just two or three days before. She took a quick look down the lane, and then forced her eyes back on the road and hummed to herself, trying to remove the scene from her mind.
She continued along for perhaps a mile and turned into the Spencer driveway. The gravel under the tires snapped as she drove toward the house, coming to stop behind a Blue Hyundai. She assumed it was Jeremy’s vehicle.
She climbed from her car and looked around. She had never actually been on this property before, although she had driven past it many times. To her right, a couple of hundred feet away, and further down the driveway, she saw the old barn. She thought again of the day she had heard about Jeremy’s mother, hanging herself from the beam overhead.
To her left was a field, now unused, and overgrown with weeds. A little further past, she could see the forest extending for a couple of miles, or more, with the swamp dominating a large part, at the center of the vast area of land.
Straight ahead was the old farmhouse. She climbed the aging wooden steps to the large front porch, and knocked on the door. After waiting for a while, she knocked again.
The door was opened a few inches, and she could see Jeremy. He looked at her quizzically. “Yes, Mrs. Lincoln?” he asked.
She smiled at him. “Hi Jeremy. May I talk to you for a few minutes?”
“What about?” He seemed guarded. Maybe a little uneasy.
She tried a new approach. “I went to Mortinos to talk to you. Mr. MacKay told me he had let you go. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah.” He sighed. He seemed a little more at ease.
“It must be hard on you,” she said in a concerned voice.
He opened the door a little more and shrugged. “Can’t do much about it, I guess.”
“I don’t want to bother you if you’re busy. I just have a couple of questions for you, if that’s ok?”
He stepped outside onto the porch, took a couple of steps forward, and leaned with his back against the railing. Annie turned to face him. She smiled down at him again, to assure him she was harmless.
“What questions do you have?” he asked.
“As I’m sure you’re aware, a man was killed on August second, two weeks ago, and his body was found over there in that forest.” She pointed to the tree line. “I am just wondering if you saw, or heard, anything at all that day, that was unusual, or out of the ordinary?”
Jeremy glanced toward the trees. He looked back at Annie, squinted a bit, and shook his head. “Nope. Didn’t see anything.”
“Or hear anything?”
“Nope.”
She looked toward the forest again. That was the only question she had for him.
He spoke. “You’re the one who found him, aren’t you? I saw it on the news.”
She looked back at him, and nodded slowly. “Yes, I found the body. A couple of days ago.”
“What was that like?”
She laughed lightly. “It was kind of spooky.”
“Yeah, I guess it would be.”
Nobody spoke for a moment.
She was about to thank him and leave, when he asked, “Do you want to see my garden?”
She looked at her watch. “Sure.”
She followed him down the steps, and around to the back of the house. She could see a fairly large garden. It appeared to be well tended.
He pointed. “I’ve got carrots there, and lettuce just starting to come up here.”
She followed him between some rows of onions.
He pointed again. “And there’s some beets, and there’s my tomatoes.” He stopped in front of a tomato plant with a broken stem. “That one got broken. Must have been an animal here. Maybe a raccoon. Stupid animals.”
She looked down at the plant. The break looked fresh.
And that’s when she saw it!
She took a quick breath, and stepped back a bit.
It hit her like a tidal wave. Mortinos. Mrs. Bellows was at Mortinos. Jeremy worked at Mortinos. He was on the video heading for the front of the store as she left. The place where Chad was buried. Right here near Jeremy’s house. But the thing bringing it all together was right here on the ground at her feet.
The footprint!
Jeremy’s footprint in the garden was the same one she had seen on Bronson’s grave. She was sure of it now.
“Are you all right, Mrs. Lincoln?”
“Ye... yes. I’m all right.”
He looked at her and cocked his head. “Are you sure?”
“I have to go now,” she said. She turned quickly and strode back around the house to her car. She opened the door, climbed inside, and dug in her handbag for her cell phone. She found it, and dialed 9-1-1.
“9-1-1. What is your emergency?”
The phone was struck from her hands. It flew up and hit the floor on the passenger’s side.
“Who are you calling?” Jeremy snarled.
She had left the keys in the ignition. She reached for them, but found herself being choked from behind, his arm around her neck, and dragged from the vehicle. She could feel the cold steel of a knife at her throat.
“You know, don’t you,” he said.
“Jeremy,” she managed. “What are you doing?”
“How did you know?”
“Know what?”
“He kept his arm around her throat, and dragged her around the car. He opened the other door, picked up the phone with his free hand, and dropped it to the ground. He stomped on it, once, twice, three times. She heard the case shatter, and then the knife was back at her throat.
She heard a tapping, a banging, like knuckles on glass. She looked up. She could see a girl looking out of the window from the second story. A blond girl.
It’s Jenny!
Jeremy followed her eyes and looked up at the window. “I’m sorry, but now you know, I can’t let you go.”
He moved the knife from her throat and grabbed her by the wrist, twisting her arm behind her back. He put the knife between his teeth and grabbed her other wrist, twisting it back as well. He held her wrists together with one hand, and retrieved the knife. She struggled, but he was stronger than he appeared, and she couldn’t break free.
“Jeremy, you have to let me go. The police know I’m here, and so does my husband.”
“You’re not a good liar, Mrs. Lincoln,” he said, as he tightened his hold, pushing her across the driveway.
He held the point of the knife to the back of her neck, and said, “Now walk straight ahead. To the barn.”
She could feel the sharp point. She obeyed, and walked slowly forward, prodded by the knifepoint. She was afraid it would cut into her neck if she didn’t take careful, easy steps.
Finally, they reached the barn.
“Open the door,” he commanded.
She pulled on the handle, and it swung open. She could see a blanket on the floor, and a chain fastened to a massive post, as he marched her over to the far wall.
The knife was moved, and he tripped her from behind. She fell onto the blanket face down. He jumped onto her back pinning her down. She heard a rattle of chains, and then felt something cold and stiff being wrapped around her neck. Then a click, and the weight on her back was gone.
Chains rattled as she jumped to her feet. She brought her hands to her throat. It felt like a leather collar around her neck. And the collar was padlocked to the chain.
He stood back, out of reach, and watched her.
Annie was terrified. She knew what he had done to Bronson, to Mrs. Bellows, and to Farley. She cowered in fear, her back against the wall of the barn, watching him carefully.
“Why did you have to come poking around here?” he asked angrily.
“I... I didn’t know.”
“Didn’t know what?”
“I... I just wanted to talk to you. I didn’t know it was you who... killed those people.”
“Well, now you know, and I can’t let you go,” he said flatly.
“My husband will find me. And find you,” she warned. “You can’t get away with this.”
“I have no choice.”
“I saw Jenny in the window. You can’t keep us both here for long.”
Jeremy seemed to consider that. He started pacing. Finally, he stopped and shouted at her. “It’s your own fault, and hers too. Both of you should never have been here. She should never be here. She wasn’t supposed to be in the car with... him. And you shouldn’t be here. You should have just minded your own business. And if your husband comes here, I will have no choice. I will have to shoot him. He’s too big for me. Yes, I will have to shoot him.”
“And the police?”
He was ranting and pacing now. “The police won’t come. The police here are not very smart. No, they’re stupid. And if they come, I will shoot them too.” His voice got higher, more frantic. “Yes, I will shoot the police. I will shoot everyone. I don’t care. Father would shoot them all if he was here. Father would kill them all.”
He stopped and breathed in and out, quickly and heavily. His eyes were wild, frenzied.
She heard the whistle of the knife as he swung it back and forth in the air. Then he lowered the knife, and walked quickly to the barn door, and back again, and again, and again.
“I won’t let them catch me,” he screamed. “Never. Never. Never.”
He moved toward her, still frenzied. He held the point of the knife close to her face. “Sit down and shut up,” he snarled, “or I will have to cut you right now.”
She slunk down to the floor, and sat quietly on the blanket, afraid to move.
He stared ferociously down at her a moment, and then turned quickly and strode from the barn, screaming obscenities as he went.
The barn door slammed shut, and he was gone.
Chapter 44
Monday, August 15th, 12:30 PM
JAKE WAS BEGINNING to get worried. He looked at his watch again. Annie should have been back quite a while ago. He had tried her number many times, and each time, he was informed her phone was off.
He paced the living room floor for a while, and then called Hank again. No, Hank still hadn’t heard from her. He had just said not to worry, she will show up soon, and they will laugh it off. He reminded Jake of the time she had had a flat tire, and a dead phone, and was home late.
But that was before all of this, and something just didn’t seem right to him.
He tried to remember what she had told him. He was pretty sure when he had called her, she had said she was on her way to Mortinos, and then would be right home.
She may have had to stop somewhere, but she surely would have let him know.
He tried her number again. Same result.
He called Chrissy. She answered on the first ring.
“Chrissy, it’s Jake. Have you heard from Annie at all today?”
“Nope. Not once, which is unusual for her. She must have been rather busy.”
“That’s the problem. I haven’t heard from her either, and I can’t get her on her cell.”
“Sorry, can’t help you Jake. I’m sure she’s ok, though. Maybe her battery is dead, or her phone is out of range of a tower.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
He hung up, but he didn’t feel as optimistic as Chrissy. Something is wrong. It’s just not like her.
He paced the floor a little more, and then stopped. He hurried into the office, spun the Rolodex, found the number for Annie’s mother, and dialed it.
“Hello.”
“It’s Jake. Is Annie there?”
“No, she’s not here. I haven’t seen her today.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Is everything all right?” she asked, sounding annoyed.
“I... I can’t find Annie.”
She gave a loud impatient sigh, and spoke sharply, “I hope you didn’t get her into any trouble. Getting her involved in missing people, and murder. I told her it’s not safe.”
“I didn’t get her into anything. She has her own mind. Now please, if you see her, tell her to call me.”
He hung up abruptly. He could picture her staring at the phone, probably yelling, maybe cursing. He smiled grimly at the thought. That’s a woman I just don’t like. I can’t figure out how Annie turned out so good.
He called Annie’s number again. Still no answer.
He stood still for a minute, thinking, and then shoved the phone back in his pocket, grabbed a piece of paper from the HP printer, and scribbled her a note. He left it on the desk where she couldn’t miss it, grabbed his keys off of a hook near the front door, and stepped outside, locking the door behind him.
He hurried to his car.
Monday, August 15th, 12:45 PM
JEREMY NEEDED a listening ear again, or maybe a kind word. Just someone to talk to. He was so frustrated things were not going too well. His plans were all messed up, and he didn’t know what to do any more.
It seemed like Jenny was the only one he could talk to. The only one who would listen to him, and maybe understand his mission.
He stopped pacing back and forth on the kitchen floor and climbed the steps to her room. He slid back the deadbolt, gently turned the knob and opened the door.
Jenny was in her usual place, sitting propped up on the bed, reading. The CD player was playing quietly. She looked up as he peeked in.
“I hope I’m not disturbing you,” he said.
“I’m just reading.”
He stepped inside and sat on the bed opposite her. It seemed to him she was contented to be here now. He looked at her, a weary expression on his face.
She cocked her head. “Who was that woman?” she asked.
“She was just snooping around.”
“I saw you take her to the barn.”
He shrugged. “I had no choice.”
“What did she want?”
“I told you, she was just snooping around.”
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