“Wonderful,” Mayor Brown said in a delighted voice. “Ladies, I will call Phil. You can go ahead and drive to the Steak House. The address is 318 Maple Street. Drive to the very end of the street and you'll see an old diner car sitting on the railroad tracks. You can't miss it. By the time you ladies finish eating, I will have your rooms waiting. All you have to do is drive out to the Lodge and speak with Thelma.” And with that, like a man riding on cloud nine—confident he had accomplished his selfish task by tossing a steak dinner and complimentary rooms onto the table—Mayor Brown hurried away. Nikki stopped him.
“Mayor Brown, what about the escaped convicts? Is the town still closed off? Have the state troopers said anything?” she called out.
Mayor Brown froze in his tracks. Like a man being hit in the back of the head with a baseball bat, he turned to face Nikki with a pained expression on his face. “The state police still have their roadblock set up, I'm afraid. But rest assured, ladies,” he forced a fake smile, “there are no escaped convicts in my town. I have spoken with the prison, and the warden there has reason to believe every convict who escaped is running toward Canada.”
“And they'll need money, of course,” Nikki added. “The bank in my town was robbed by a man who matches the description of one of the escaped convicts.”
Mayor Brown stared at Nikki. Uncertain how to proceed, he simply dropped into political mode. “Yes, desperate criminals carry out many desperate acts against innocent communities, I'm afraid. But rest assured, ladies, the law of the land will prevail. Well, I really must be going. I have many matters to tend to. Please, enjoy your dinner and have a restful night. Goodbye.”
Nikki watched Mayor Brown hurry away to the small guest parking lot, climb into a gray BMW, and drive away. “He knew who to speak to,” Nikki told Lidia. “I'm sure you’ve never seen that man before, have you?”
“Never in my life,” Lidia confirmed. “Maybe he got my description from the doctor inside?”
“Maybe,” Nikki agreed. Standing up, she looked around. “I think Mayor Brown had more on his plate than just feeding us ladies a few pieces of candy to please our sweet tooths.”
“What do you mean?” Tori asked.
“What she means is,” Lidia explained, standing up and stretching her tired back, “is that the fat little man who just paid us a visit wanted to scope us out...especially Nikki.”
“Which makes me wonder how he even knew I was in his little town. Girls, listen, I've been thinking about this. Twenty-four convicts escaped, right?”
“Yes,” Lidia said. Tori nodded.
Nikki took a drink of her smoothie. Her eyes walked back and forth as her mind formulated a theory she would iron the wrinkles out of later. “The convicts, according to Hawk, all belonged to a gang of thieves; they were captured on Long Island...a place I never want to see again, by the way.”
“I'm not following you,” Tori admitted.
“There has been a rash of assaults and robberies all through Vermont,” Nikki explained to Tori. “These convicts are desperately acquiring cash fast, and without worry about the law. Each assault and robbery has taken place in a small town, just like this one and the one we live in. And,” Nikki continued, “what puzzles me the most is how fast these guys seem to be moving. The prison break took place last night, but the bank in our town was already hit. That's awfully fast for a man who is running on foot.”
“Are you implying the prison break was staged?” Lidia gasped.
Nikki took another drink of her smoothie and then shrugged. “How did these escaped convicts get guns so quickly?” she asked. “I would bet you our chocolate store that the warden is somehow connected to the prison break. But,” Nikki said in a careful voice, “I have no interest in fighting a public official who could be connected to more people who can put my life and the lives of those I love in danger. I want to play it nice and safe this time.”
Lidia glanced at Tori, who was staring at Nikki intently. “But dangerous criminals are loose, hurting people! Nikki, if you know how to help...”
“I know, Tori,” Nikki said with a gentle smile, “but I'm very tired of the fight. It's time to pass the torch on to someone else for a while. All I want to do is go home, make chocolate, write my books, and watch fall arrive while spending as much time as I can with the people I love.”
Tori picked up her smoothie and stood up. “I understand. Okay, who's hungry? I'm starving.”
“Me,” Lidia confessed, taking Tori's hand. “Nikki, you lead the way. I'll follow you.”
“It's great to have my SUV back,” Nikki told Lidia, trying to sound positive. Yet her gut shook its head at her in shame. Why had she even tossed her theory into the air if she had no intention of helping anyone? Wasn't that the purpose of her life? To help others in need, to fight for justice, and to slam prison bars in the face of criminals? She just felt so tired. Too much too soon, she tried to console herself. Also, she had her son to think about. “Come on, girls. Let's go eat.”
2
Walking to the guest parking lot, Nikki spotted her SUV. It was like a beacon of hope, throwing a straight beam of light back toward her. Climbing into the driver's seat, she thought back to the night Mr. Snowfield had creamed her SUV from behind. “Poor man, his end was horrible,” Nikki whispered as she backed up and drove away from the hospital.
Taking a right onto a two-lane highway lined with beautiful trees, Nikki drove north toward town. As the night continued to pull a blanket over the remaining daylight, Nikki switched thoughts. The image of Tori's face came into her mind. “I want to help, honey, I do,” Nikki said aloud as cool air from the front vents flowed into her face, “but I'm tired...I'm not ready to take on City Hall again.”
Slowing down behind a white car, Nikki looked into the rearview mirror and spotted Lidia following her. She saw Lidia and Tori talking to each other. Focusing back on the road, she caught movement out of the corner of her left eye. Turning her head, she saw a man wearing a black suit standing under a tree and talking on the phone. As soon as Nikki drove past the man, she saw him put the phone away and slither away into the approaching night. “That was not by chance,” Nikki told herself, feeling a cold chill run down her spine. “I think I’m being watched.”
Grabbing her cell phone from her brown leather purse, Nikki called Hawk. “It's Nikki, where are you?”
“At the station,” Hawk replied, sitting behind his messy desk, drinking a cup of hot coffee. “Where are you?”
“We're still in Fall Cliff. Herbert insisted on staying overnight to be observed,” Nikki sighed. “As soon as the hospital discharges him tomorrow, we're driving back. But that's not the reason I called.”
“Oh no?” Hawk said, feeling his stomach tighten. “What is it, Nikki?”
“Hawk,” Nikki said, cutting to the chase, “I think I’m being watched. Also, the mayor paid a tidy little visit to Tori and Lidia and me a few minutes ago. His agenda was to brown-nose Lidia while getting a good look at me.”
“You're a popular girl,” Hawk told Nikki. “A friend of yours gets knocked in the head, and you show up. This mayor probably wanted to make sure you weren't going to peel the paint off City Hall.”
“Hawk, how did that man even know I was in Fall Cliff?”
Hawk put down his coffee cup. Standing up from his desk, he walked to the window in his office, pulled back the blind, and peeked outside. Rain clouds were forming in the sky. “It's going to rain,” he told Nikki.
“Hawk, I'm serious.”
Hawk sighed. “Nikki, why do you ask me these questions when you know the answers?”
“Someone—maybe the mayor—is having me watched,” Nikki insisted. Checking the rearview mirror, she made sure Lidia was still behind her as the white car in front of her stopped at a four-way. “Listen, it's getting dark. We're going to a steak house to get a bite to eat, and then we'll be sleeping over at the Snow Flake Lodge. How soon can you get here?”
“I can't,” Hawk answered
miserably. “Lucy, one of the bank tellers, was shot.”
“Oh, my goodness,” Nikki exclaimed. “Is she...?”
“No, thank the Lord,” Hawk told Nikki. “Lucy is going to pull through, but I'm tied up here. We're talking about attempted murder, Nikki. Whoever shot Lucy is at large, armed and dangerous. All the state police and FBI are accomplishing is making sure they let everyone know they are in control while doing absolutely nothing. I want you home, okay?”
Nikki sighed. Allowing the tranquil beauty of the landscape to calm her, she looked to her left and then to her right. The middle school was to her left, down a long, peaceful road soon to be covered with fall leaves and then winter snow. “This is bad.”
“Nikki,” Hawk admitted, “we have twenty-four armed and deadly convicts on the loose. You bet it’s bad.”
“Hawk, how did these convicts get armed? And how did the convict who shot Lucy get to our town so fast if he's on foot?”
Hawk answered Nikki's question with a question. “Nikki, are you sure you're being watched?” he asked, worriedly. “I mean, could it be possible this mayor just wanted to make sure you weren't going to put his small town on the front page of every major media outlet in the country?”
“A man wearing a black suit was standing on the side of the road talking on a phone. As soon as I passed, he put the phone away and just kinda eased back out of sight,” Nikki explained.
“I don't know why I asked you that question,” Hawk said. “Nikki, I trust you. If you say you're being watched, I believe you.” Hawk thought for a few seconds. “Listen, if all someone is doing is watching you, then leave it at that. Go eat, get a good night's sleep, grab Herbert when the rooster crows, and get out of Dodge. My guess is the FBI is watching you.”
“Why?” Nikki asked, easing through the four-way.
“You're a popular girl, Nikki,” Hawk reiterated. “Some Agent named Ringston asked about your location. Pop told the guy you drove down to Fall Cliff to check on a friend. If the FBI is watching you, play nice and get out of town as soon as possible.”
Nikki bit down on her lower lip. “If the FBI is watching me, that would explain how the mayor knew I was in town. Okay, Hawk, I'll get out of here as soon as I can.”
“Please do,” Hawk urged Nikki. “Play nice, okay?”
“I will,” Nikki promised. “Have you eaten dinner yet?”
“Not yet. I'll grab something at the diner and—” Hawk paused when he saw Chief Daily walk into his office. “Hey, Pop just walked in. I better go. Call me later, okay?”
“I will,” Nikki said and ended the call. Stuffing the cell phone back down into her purse, she checked the rearview mirror. Lidia switched her car’s headlights on. “Good idea,” Nikki said, turning hers on as well. “So, the FBI might be watching me...” she said and shook her head.
Nikki turned into a paved parking lot in front of a long, green, vintage railway dining car illuminated with bright lights. A larger restaurant had been built onto the back, offering a spacious room. Nikki stared at the dining car, allowing her mind to wander back in time and enjoy the sights and sounds of passengers who must have eaten in it as they raced along tracks, going here and there. Just the sight of history's timepiece was comforting, even though the modern addition polluted its back like an ugly wart.
Sitting in silence while Lidia found a place to park, Nikki took her eyes away from the dining car and studied the vehicles in the parking lot. Most of the vehicles’ plates were local to the state. But one vehicle, a black sedan parked on the far left side of the parking lot, stood out like a sore thumb. “Hmm...seems like the mayor might have sent other dinner guests here tonight, too.”
Spotting Lidia and Tori approaching, Nikki got out of her SUV and locked it.
“Talk about taking me back in time,” Lidia said, walking up and staring at the dining car with bright eyes. “My, Herbert would love this.”
“It's beautiful,” Tori agreed.
“Girls,” Nikki said, allowing her voice to come out easy but firm, “I'm not sure I want to eat here.”
“Why not?” Tori asked. Lidia folded her arms and studied Nikki's face.
“Listen, we passed a burger place down the road. What say we all ride down there together and grab a burger?”
“You're up to something,” Lidia told Nikki as her mind prepared for the worst.
Nikki sighed. “I think I'm being watched by the FBI,” she whispered. Gently grabbing Lidia and Tori's arms with her hands, she pulled them closer to her SUV. “See that black car?” she asked and tossed a cautious thumb over her shoulder.
Lidia and Tori spotted the black sedan. “Oh dear,” Lidia fretted.
“Why would the FBI be watching you?” Tori asked, feeling her mind walking into detective mode. Sure, she thought, Nikki was the real detective, but she would help as much as possible.
Nikki explained what Hawk had told her. “An Agent Ringston asked Hawk where I was. Chief Daily spilled the beans. On top of that, when we left the hospital, I saw a man dressed in a black suit, standing on the side of the road, talking on a phone. As soon as I passed him, he faded back into the woods.” Nikki drew in a controlled breath and pushed her bangs away from her eyes. “I want us all to drive away together. I need to see if we'll be followed.”
Lidia glanced at Tori. The young woman was obviously ready to charge into battle with Nikki, although Nikki didn't seem in any rush to brandish her sword. “Okay, honey. We'll do as you ask. But I'm not sure what this will accomplish. Maybe the FBI is watching you because you need protection?”
“I wish that were true,” Nikki gently disagreed. “Will you drive?”
“Sure,” Lidia replied, “and don't worry, this old woman will stand by you.”
Nikki reached out and hugged Lidia. “I'm so blessed to have you two as my new family.”
Tori opened her mouth to speak, but she saw a man walk out of the dining car, glance toward Nikki, and walk back inside. “A man wearing a black suit just came outside,” she whispered.
“Let's go. Act casual,” Nikki told Lidia and Tori. “Tori, you sit up front with Lidia.
Nikki climbed into the back seat while Lidia and Tori climbed into the front. As soon as Lidia was buckled in, Nikki reached forward with the SUV keys in her right hand. “Let me scoot up the seat a little...and... there we are,” Lidia said as she adjusted the driver's seat and then took the keys from Nikki. “Let's roll, girls.”
Tori kept watch for the man wearing the black suit. “Coast is clear.”
“Easy now. Drive out past the sedan,” Nikki told Lidia. Reaching down into her purse, she fished out her cell phone. With skilled hands, she activated the camera and then rolled down her window. As soon as the SUV was in position, she aimed her cell phone at the license plate and captured a clear picture. “Bingo. Let's go.”
3
Lidia hung a right and drove back down the road. With darkness fully enveloping them, she felt as if she were driving into a strange nightmare over which she had no control. “I'm a little scared,” she confessed.
Tori reached out and rubbed Lidia's hand with care. “As long as we're together, we'll be okay,” she assured her.
Nikki turned around in her seat and studied the dark road. It wasn’t long before a pair of headlights appeared. “Here he comes,” she told Lidia and Tori.
“Oh dear,” Lidia said, gripping the steering wheel.
“It's all right,” Nikki promised, watching the headlights on the approaching car move closer. Turning back around in her seat, Nikki called Hawk.
“Kinda busy,” Hawk answered. “I'm on my way to a rental cabin out on Snow Melt Lane. Someone reported that one of the escaped convicts is holed up there.”
“I'll call you back,” Nikki told Hawk, hearing Chief Daily grumble something. “What did Chief Daily say?”
“Pop hates my driving. He told me to slow down,” Hawk replied, zooming down a back-country road. “You called for a reason. Let's have it.”
“I'm being followed by a black sedan that I thought was an FBI cruiser, but when I did a search for the license plate online, the car belongs to North Hill Prison. Any ideas?”
“A few, but I'm sure you're already writing down the facts,” Hawk told Nikki.
“The warden of the North Hill Prison must be in town. The black sedan must belong to him. I bet he was waiting at the restaurant to have a little chat with me, along with that Agent Ringston, who I'm guessing has left town.”
“Yep,” Hawk agreed. “Ringston charged out of here like a man on fire when Pop told him your location.”
Nikki glanced over her shoulder. The black sedan was now dangerously close. “Hawk, I...”
“What?” Hawk asked.
A sudden thought crashed into Nikki's mind. “Why would an escaped convict hide in an empty rental cabin after he robbed the bank, and with the border so close?” she asked.
“Yeah, I'm kinda wondering that myself,” Hawk replied. “This guy is playing a dangerous game of poker.”
“Maybe,” Nikki said, biting down on her lower lip. “Hawk, do me a favor.”
“Make it quick. I'm almost to the cabin. Pop and I are going solo with no marching band.”
“Oh dear,” Nikki worried. “Hawk, if you get yourself killed, I will kill you.”
Hawk smiled. “I think living long enough to see your sweet face is better than being killed twice. Now, what's the favor?”
“Later with the favor. Right now, you...stay alive on me, please,” Nikki begged.
“Will do,” Hawk promised. “Uh, you know, I love you...just in case something does happen, you know,” he said quickly and ended the call.
Tears streamed from Nikki's eyes. “What is it?” Tori asked, alarmed.
“The convict who robbed the bank back home? Hawk and Chief Daily think he’s hiding in a rental cabin. They're going after him now,” Nikki said, lowering her cell phone as her tears dropped from her worried eyes. “Lord, please protect them.”
Maple Hills Mystery Box Set Page 9