“Ginger?”
“Yes, Ginger. How soon can you get away from work?”
“Give me fifteen, no twenty minutes. Let’s meet on Pleasant at Fifth, around the corner from the Crosby home.”
“Got it.”
“Oh, and Maggie?”
“Yep.”
“Don’t forget your capes. The T-Cubes ride again.”
Katie hung up and I looked at my phone before flipping it closed. “Capes?”
Ginger moved into the room. “Uh, oh. Capes? Had to be Katie on the phone. What trouble are we getting into now?”
“I’ll tell you on the way.”
Chapter Seventeen
Katie pulled alongside my car. She lowered her window. “Do you have your capes? I have a feeling we need all the luck we can get.”
Ginger reached into her bag at her feet and removed neatly folded black vinyl. “I’ve got mine right here. Not that it’ll stop bullets.”
“Hey, I paid to have those gravestones fixed months ago.” She glared at Ginger. “You sound too much like Dirk.”
I held out a hand toward each woman, palm out. “Ladies, please. What’s our plan?”
Ginger pointed a finger at a passing vehicle. “Well, if I’m not mistaken, we should be following that car. The one Brad’s driving.”
I looked over my shoulder and saw a black sedan with a man at the wheel. By the time he’d slowed for the stop sign a half block away, Katie had executed a Y-turn and swung in behind Brad. My car had a tight turning radius. I performed the maneuver quickly and got in line.
If the situation hadn’t had serious implications, I’d have laughed at our resemblance to cruising Main Street as teens.
“Where do you think he’s headed?” Ginger’s voice held a tense edge. We were connected with Katie via cell phone.
Katie’s voice came through the speaker clearly. “I’d say I-85 and the Charlotte airport, but that’s just me.”
My knuckles tightened around the steering wheel. “Don’t follow too close, Katie. He couldn’t have missed seeing us when he passed.”
“Hey, we’re just out for a drive. It’s a nice day.”
Thunder boomed overhead as dark clouds swirled. Ginger and I jumped when a wad of newspaper hit the windshield then flipped off.
I cleared my throat. “Uh, huh. Nice day for a drive.”
“This next intersection should give us a clue. If he goes right, it’s the airport.” We could hear Katie whistling. “Crap. He’s getting in the left lane. Must be headed for the mall.”
A car cut us off, blocking our view of Katie’s vehicle.
“Crap, crap! He just jumped into the right lane and I can’t get over! Move over and follow him until I can catch up!”
I checked the mirror but had already begun swinging into the right lane. The driver behind us, who’d also been moving over, simultaneously slammed on his brakes and horn. I waved with my full hand instead of the single finger I thought he warranted. I mashed the accelerator. The maneuver kept us two cars back from Brad.
Ginger had watched Katie make the left turn. “That girl is crazy. No, she’s driving me crazy.”
“Is she following us? Did she make it through the light?”
“Yes, but don’t ask me to describe how she did it.”
Katie’s voice sounded from the telephone speaker. “I can hear you two, you know.”
I voiced my worries. “Now that we’re all traveling in the same direction, we should try Matt or Dirk again. This guy probably killed two women. He won’t worry about more victims if he can get out of the country.”
“Agreed, Maggie. Katie? Should I call?”
After a slight pause, our friend in the other car answered. “I’ll phone him. Even when he’s royally ticked he takes my calls.”
“Okay, I’ll hang up. Call us back after you speak with Dirk, okay?”
“Yes ma’am, Commander Ginger.”
Silence grew between us as we followed Brad. He made a circuitous trip through town and out into new subdivision country. I threw a quick glance to Ginger. “Where’s he going?”
“I don’t know and it worries me that Katie hasn’t called back.”
As if signaled, Ginger’s phone rang. “Katie?”
“I think I know where he’s headed.”
My voice sounded strangled when I interrupted. “Did you reach Dirk?”
She didn’t answer immediately, which worried me. “Yes. He told me everything is under control.”
Ginger chimed in. “Katie, did he tell you to back off?”
“Uh, not in so many words.”
Spasms hit my back. “I don’t have a good feeling about this. We should pull over. Let the cops handle this. They can put out a no-flight order, can’t they?”
Katie’s voice boomed from the speakerphone. “Not if Brad has a fake passport and ID. Once he makes it to a non-extradition country, it’s all over. We have to prevent him from reaching the airport just in case. At least try to slow him down.” We heard her voice a curse word. “Now I know where he’s going. That new subdivision of Nicole’s is just down the road. I’m hanging up and calling Dirk.”
Ginger squeaked, “Katie!”
Too late. Our connection ended.
“I’m calling Matt.” Ginger dialed but received the same “leave a message” message I had. “There has to be a problem with Matt’s phone. He always picks up.”
A random thought occurred about Ginger’s knowledge of Matt’s phone habits. Then Katie’s car made a sharp left turn between two elaborate entrance gates with the sign “Embassy Crest.” I braked and followed at a slower speed.
We followed Brad along a zigzag course, past the skeletons of partially built houses sitting in the middle of large lots. “For Sale” signs flashed past like the old Burma Shave signs my grandfather had collected. Just as we all turned into a cul-de-sac, the dark clouds above us released a torrent of rain.
Even with the wipers at full speed, I couldn’t see much past my car’s hood. Rain beat down on the roof, making conversation difficult. One after the other, our cars halted in the dead end.
Ginger looked at me, her eyes huge. “I think we should lock the car doors.”
“What if Katie needs help? We should join her, then lock the doors and call the cops again.”
Our gazes moved to the window. The downpour slackened, the way it sometimes does in North Carolina. Storms here can hit hard and fast and end just as abruptly. We knew this storm could go in that direction or pick up in a heartbeat. Nodding to each other, we clambered from the car. Slipping and sliding on the mud that ran from the unfinished driveway on our right, we hurried toward Katie.
We’d almost arrived when we heard sirens approaching. Katie jumped out of her car, holding her cape over her head against the rain. I grinned at Ginger but her expression held horror, not relief.
Suddenly, a muscled arm caught me around the throat and yanked me backward. I choked, squeaking in protest. Not that I would have said much after I saw a gun with the barrel pointed at my two friends.
He motioned with his gun hand. “Move away.” He jerked me by the throat again as he took two steps backward. Sirens wailed louder and blue strobe lights lit my friends’ faces.
Brad yelled past my ear at Katie. “Tell the cops to back off.” He punctuated his demand by pulling me closer. My feet slid but he held my upper body tight against his.
When my friends remained still, Brad shouted a follow-up command. “I know your cop boyfriend has pull. Do it.”
The chilly mist following the earlier downpour turned to rain. Cold drops ricocheted off Brad, hitting my neck and shoulders. The rain intensified but was the least of my worries. Brad’s stranglehold cut off my oxygen. I struggled to breathe. My vision blurred.
He shifted with his next step back. I pulled in as much air as I could. My feet hit a patch of mud and slid out from under me. Brad’s arm slipped, and I felt him trying to regain his balance while maintaining his hold.
I fought for purchase and an opportunity to escape. Before I could gain my feet, my left arm caught Brad’s. Our momentum threw us more off balance. I elbowed him hard then pushed against his chest. He went down but so did I. I sprawled across his legs, my hair in my eyes.
Blurred motion caught my attention, as a second man piled onto Brad’s chest. Katie pulled me away from the struggling men skirmishing in the mud. I huddled shaking beside my car, pushing my sopping hair from my eyes. Ginger and Katie clustered with me, holding me tight.
That’s when my heart stopped beating.
Cam. Oh, God. Cam fought with Brad. And the gun disappeared from sight. The weapon must have been between them.
I didn’t know why Cam arrived. I wished we’d left Brad for the cops. But those weren’t my first thoughts. No, I wanted to separate Cam from danger. Hold him. Keep him safe. Because he was my mine.
Cam and Brad didn’t tussle long. They were quickly surrounded by police officers with guns and rifles drawn. I’d never been so happy to see an excess of armaments in my life.
Brad struggled briefly then stood still while being cuffed. As the officers turned him toward the car, he caught my eye.
“Nothing personal, Maggie. I had to make a business decision.”
Matt stepped up and recited the Miranda warning.
The brawl, and my stint as a human shield, ended so quickly, I sat dazed. Cam staggered over and knelt before me. My cold palm on his dirty, overheated cheek and the question “How?” was all I could manage. Then an officer helped me stand and wrapped me in a blanket. He assisted me into one of the cruisers before blocking the door.
I leaned against the back of the seat and closed my eyes against the black spots dancing in my vision. My body felt like a rag doll. I couldn’t have formed a cogent thought to save anyone’s life.
Only one idea remained clear and bright. Never, ever, underestimate a dweeb.
Chapter Eighteen
The young cop who’d accompanied me jumped then ran when he heard his name bellowed. He left the squad car’s door open. I was grateful because small spaces scared me sometimes.
I bunched the blanket under my chin. Unfortunately, the fleece didn’t keep my teeth from chattering. An argument close by caught my attention.
“We talked this over. We have an agreement.” Dirk held his hand out to Katie. “Give me that cape. Now.”
Katie pulled her folded black vinyl morale booster tighter against her chest. “No. We’re fine. This scenario doesn’t apply under your rules. Nothing happened.”
“Having a gun pointed at your chest doesn’t count, right?” He wiggled his fingers in a “gimme” gesture. “I know that cape gives you false security. Enough.”
“Brad grabbed Maggie as a human shield, not me. I knew you’d take him. Plus, I only agreed to stop being curious if my questions seemed too dangerous.”
“You’re not making your argument.”
“I called you, didn’t I?” Katie’s chin jutted out.
“Yes, and it’s a good thing you did.”
Their gazes held. After a moment, she handed him her cherished plastic. Dirk reached for it but she maintained her grip. “I’m getting this back, right?”
He shook his head and the corners of his lips turned up. “We’ll talk about it later.”
They exchanged a look so heated I stopped shivering and glanced away. After a short tug-of-war, Dirk walked off with the cape under his arm.
A moment later, Katie nudged my shoulder. “Hey, how’re you doing?”
Instead of answering her question I asked another. “How do you handle this?”
“Slide over.” She joined me in the back seat.
She adjusted the blanket over my legs before speaking. “The yoga dude’s death, well, that seemed easier because I didn’t know him. Hadn’t seen him before. Still, feeling his breath stop under my hands shook me up. The other stuff Ginger and I went through together, so we shared the trauma.”
Katie inhaled deeply and blew a long breath. “But nothing about murder or crime is easy. Makes me appreciate Dirk that much more. I know he wants me safe. I’m just too stubborn to relinquish my say-so over me.” She grinned. “Plus, the make-up sex rocks.”
Their battle of wills, and Dirk’s fishing expedition, made more sense now. He would always be a protector, and Katie came first.
Katie’s aversion to surrendering her autonomy also made sense because it echoed mine.
My unwillingness for trusting Cam became clear. His age had little to do with my reluctance to accept him for my romantic partner. I’d been alone for so long—too long—that my real fear involved losing my independence. Yet Cam, even taking his jealousy into account, hadn’t once kept me from doing what I wanted. He needed to keep me safe, but he didn’t put me on a pedestal or in a golden cage.
I knew this insight, plus my emotional response during Cam’s fight with Brad, needed more attention than I could give sitting at a crime scene, huddled in a blanket. But the realization that I had found a man who wouldn’t stifle me lifted my heart.
Katie rubbed her upper arms. “I feel naked without my crime fighter’s cape. It’s only because Brad got caught that I gave Dirk my good luck charm.”
I figured her need for a talisman had disappeared once Dirk arrived on the scene, though she’d never admit that fact.
Matt approached and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Katie, Ginger asked me to find you. She could use your help.”
“I’ll get Ginger and drag her over here. We’ll be right back.” She covered my hand with hers. “This will all be over soon.”
Katie moved away with Matt, and Cam took her place at the door. He took one look at my face and crawled into the car beside me. We sat so close we could have been Siamese Twins. He threw his arm over my shoulder. His presence felt safe. Reliable. My worries lessened.
His forehead wrinkled. “You okay?”
“Yes, but how did you get here?”
“I was with Dirk when Katie’s call came in. He told me to stay put, but that wasn’t happening. I followed them here.”
I nodded. “You shouldn’t have jumped Brad. He could have killed you.” My voice shook.
“Nah. He’s got gym muscles. I earned mine in construction. No comparison. The dude didn’t have a chance.”
“Still.” I shook my head, and placed my hand on his chest. “Don’t ever do something so dumb-ass again.”
His palm rested on my jaw. His fingers played with my earlobe. “What, I’m not supposed to protect the woman I love?” He shook his head. “You can’t expect me to stand by while some shit-face has a gun to your head. Doesn’t work that way.”
“The cops were here. They’d have defused the situation.”
“I stood closest. I knew I could take him.” He shrugged. “No brainer.”
I gathered a breath. “Cam, I love you. I don’t want to lose you.”
His fingers stilled. A smile lit his face. “I knew it! I knew you loved me too. Then why don’t you—”
“Excuse me.” Dirk stood at the door. “We need you both at the station for statements.” He ran his hand through his hair. “You can follow us, or if you’re not up to driving, ride along.”
Ginger and Katie arrived on his heels.
He turned to them. “Katie, can you drive or do you want to ride with me?”
“I’ll drive myself.” Katie dropped her hands to her hips. “But I’m going home and changing first. You’ve got to book Brad and that’ll take time. You can just wait for me.”
“You know I will,” Dirk said.
Ginger and I exchanged lip quirks. The intermittent rain started up again, this time as a heavy mist.
My recent declaration still rang in my ears. Emotion overwhelmed me along with an unwillingness to face my internal upheaval. Had I blurted my love because I’d been scared spitless? Or did I really want Cam? I didn’t know, and I needed time for thought.
“Ginger, do you mind riding with m
e?” My friend glanced at Cam then agreed.
Cam frowned. His shoulders hunched.
My breath hitched. He’d just put his life on the line and I was afraid of my feelings? Could I screw up any more?
Leaning into him I whispered, “I need dry clothes. So do you.” I didn’t have to force a smile. “And if you drive me home, they’ll send a squad car after us when we don’t show at the station. That could be embarrassing.”
“Maggie, don’t hide from your feelings.”
“I—” Damn. Caught. I placed my hand on his and squeezed. “I’ll meet you at the station, okay? We can talk after. This is just a little much right now.”
His jaw tightened. He gave one short nod and climbed from the car.
Kissing his cheek and leaving the blanket on the cruiser’s seat, Ginger and I ran for my vehicle. I cranked my heater and we maneuvered our way from the cul-de-sac. Multiple police cars, lined up behind each other like dominoes surprised me. The entire GFPD on-duty force must have hit the scene.
Ginger placed her hand on my arm. “Are you okay? Who’d believe Brad would flip out?”
Tears that had more to do with leaving Cam pooled in my eyes. I swallowed but my throat remained dry. “Did you hear what Brad said? Hurting me was nothing more than a “business decision.””
“And here we thought Cam would have to fight him off for your affections.”
“Instead of just fighting him off.” My thoughts jerked me into remembering Cam struggling with an armed man.
“Maggie, do you want me to drive?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Uh, you may want to get back in your own lane before we leave this subdivision.”
I pulled the car to the side and threw it into neutral. “You can drive. Thanks.”
We maintained a desultory conversation, well, Ginger did, all the way to her house. She insisted on lending me clothes, and I put the towels she gave me to good use. Then we hit the police station. If I’d been driving, we may not have made all the stops.
Several hours later, my friends and I were huddled in the police station’s main hallway. Cam joined us holding a tray of Java the Hutt to-go cups. As we sipped, a man whose appearance screamed “expensive lawyer” strode past, talking on a cell phone.
Death Rub Page 15