Darren stood and began to pace. “I didn’t know it fell off in my car when I drove the body to the lake. I’ve never killed anyone. I wanted to drop the body off before I was seen. When I found the necklace, I didn’t dare go close to the lake. In the grave, it would be hidden forever.”
“You should have asked for help,” Amber spat. There are a lot of ways to dispose of something so small. Take a long drive away from here and stop for lunch. Stuff it into a half-eaten sandwich and toss it away in a fast-food bag. The odds of it being found would be astronomical, and if it were, it’d send the police in a search far away from here. You’re an idiot, too.”
“Come on, baby, don’t be mad at me,” Darren pleaded.
She turned to look at him. “Okay, I can’t stay angry with you, but you’ll have to shoot them both. They just heard everything we said.”
Georgie was shaking her head violently from side to side.
Try as I might, I couldn’t loosen the rope that held my wrists behind me.
Darren lifted the gun in our direction.
God help us, we’re doomed.
Chapter Eighteen
“I can’t,” Darren said looking at Amber. “There’ll be blood.”
Georgie’s eyes widened when she glanced at me.
He held the gun out to Amber. “Here, you shoot them.”
“Me? Are you crazy? I’m not going down for any murder. You already committed one, what’s two more?”
Wow, she’s one nasty piece of work, and I thought Claudine was cold. God help us, we’re in big trouble here.
He shook his head. “Can’t do it.” He set the gun on the coffee table.
I heard Georgie exhale a large breath. I guess she had been holding her breath the same as me.
“Pick that gun up and do what needs to be done. Look at it this way, if they live you go to prison for murdering Barbara. If they die, you and I go on living somewhere warm with all the money. We’ll be in paradise, darling,” Amber said in a voice that would gag a honey lover.
Darren shoved his hands in his pockets and shook his head. He walked back and forth in front of Georgie and me.
Amber strode over to the coffee table and pointed at the gun. “Do it for me, for us. I can’t do it. I never shot a gun. I’m afraid of them.” She squinted and tears ran down her cheeks.
What a fake. She forced those tears. We’re in trouble. She may shoot all three of us.
Darren walked over to the coffee table and reached for the gun.
“Don’t touch that gun,” the booming voice of Detective Nate filled the room.
I blew out a breath relieved that the police finally arrived, and we’re saved.
Darren raised his hands and took a step backward away from the gun.
Amber ran to Nate’s side. “Oh Nate baby, you arrived just in time. Darren killed Barbara. Those two women were in on it, and he was going to shoot them and then me.”
She buried her face in his chest and cried. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
“Don’t worry, babe,” Detective Nate said. “They’re not going anywhere.”
Darren lunged for the coffee table and grabbed the gun as he dove over it and bounced off the sofa. He held the gun in his hand before Detective Nate could draw his service revolver.
Wonderful, our hero is a crook, and now it’ll be a battle of who kills who for the pleasure of killing Georgie and me. I should have stayed in bed this morning.
Darren stood with rage filling his eyes. “You know what, Amber? I didn’t think I could shoot someone in cold blood, but I don’t think I’ll have any trouble shooting Detective chubby here and then shooting you. You two timing witch. By then it should be easy to shoot the two ladies.” He laughed and Amber cringed.
“Listen, Darren,” she pleaded. “I love you baby, only you. Sure I sweet talked Nate just in case we ever got into trouble. He was our out. Don’t you see? It’s always been you. How can you think I’d prefer him over you? You’re the biggest, strongest man in Heavenly Corners and for miles around. I love you, baby.”
Nate dropped his arm from her shoulders and gave her a shove. She ran up to Darren.
“Come on, baby. Shoot Nate first.”
Darren raised the gun.
A familiar voice shouted, “Drop the gun now.”
Just as the words reached my ears, they were drowned out by a loud gunshot. Georgie and Amber screamed. I think I did, too.
I looked at Georgie, and she was staring at me. I didn’t feel any pain or see blood on Georgie. She was, however, covered in plaster dust. I looked at myself, and I was also covered.
I looked up in time to see Darren’s hands in the air, the gun on the floor, and Detective Nate slipping handcuffs onto Amber’s wrists.
I looked further and in the parlor entrance stood Clark, my Clark, in his rugged hunter man outfit with a gun in his hand. Beside him stood my Aunt Irene holding her hunting rifle with Lyle peeking over her shoulder.
Georgie noticed them, too and laughed. She looked at the ceiling and said to me, “You’ll have to get that hole fixed before the wedding.”
I nodded as Clark, and my aunt hurried to my side. Clark began to untie my ropes as Lyle worked on Georgie’s. When my arms were free I threw them around Clark so quickly I nearly knocked him over. He hugged me back hard enough I could barely breathe.
He whispered, “I told you to stay out of trouble.”
“I tried, but Georgie needed me. That ape kidnaped her,” I explained as Clark removed the ropes from my ankles.
I stood and saw Darren and Amber sharing the sofa both handcuffed, and Detective Nate watching over them with his gun drawn.
“Clark,” I whispered. “Amber said Nate is in on all of this. He’ll kill us.”
He grinned at me and lifted my chin with his hand. When he kissed me, I forgot about anyone wanting to kill us.
“Nate is working with me, Annie. He has from the beginning.” Clark looked into my eyes. His hazel eyes practically melted me.
“But,” I insisted, “He’s been after me from day one. He swore he was going to prove I killed Barbara. He wants your job, Clark. We all know he does and would do anything to solve the case. Then he’d get the job. Don’t trust him, please.” I gripped his shirt with both of my hands.
Detective Nate slipped his gun back into its holster and addressed me, “Annie, I’m sorry for all the things I put you through. If Amber thought I was after you, it made it easier to get closer to her. The Chief, Clark, and I planned it this way from the beginning. I don’t want Clark’s job. I have my own back home. I came here to help my cousin, Berg, and the Heavenly Corners PD. No worries,” he winked at me.
Georgie jumped up and ran to a side table where Darren had placed her cell phone. She texted and called Paul.
My head began to swim, and I sat back down. Was all of this real? Aunt Irene hurried to my side.
“Annie, you’re pale. Are you feeling okay?” She asked and stroked my hair.
I nodded. “What are you doing here with your rifle? How did any of you find us?”
Clark began. “I was worried about you and thought I would sneak by and check on you. The house was dark and I could hear Yummy barking when I checked for your car in the garage. He’s an excellent watchdog. When I saw your car was gone, I assumed you were out shopping or still at the bookstore. Evidently, there was a prowler in the neighborhood last night. Aunt Irene was peeking out her window and saw me.”
“Yup and he fit the description with that outfit he’s wearing. I grabbed my hunting rifle and yelled at him to stop when he crossed your backyard.” My petite seventy-two-year-old aunt stated.
She continued, “About that time Paul called. He asked if I saw Georgie because she left work. He thought maybe she was with Annie. Clark was worried since Georgie would have told Paul she was leaving.” She kept patting my hand.
Clark interjected, “I had a feeling you two were together and something was off. Then I notic
ed there were lights on in the mansion. I figured you were here. I left my car several blocks away so I asked Aunt Irene if I could use hers.” He was holding my other hand.
“Sure he could,” Aunt Irene added. “But if my car was going, so was I. I already had my rifle in my hands.”
Lyle said. “Where Irene goes, I go and here we are. Sure glad we made it in time.” He smiled a broad smile at me, and I realized that he had become family. He was Uncle Lyle now. I stood and hugged him.
“I’m glad you helped, Uncle Lyle,” I said.
“Uncle,” he sputtered. “I like that.” He hugged me back.
Paul burst into the room followed by the Chief and Carolyn. Georgie flew into his arms.
Carolyn and Detective Nate escorted Darren and Amber to the Heavenly Corners P.D. lock-up while the rest of us sat and discussed what happened.
Chief Elroy explained they knew for some time that someone had been embezzling money from city hall funds. Clues seemed to lead them to Darren and Amber. Barbara had seen and heard a few things that made them appear guilty.
“We set up a sting of sorts,” Clifford said. “We enlisted Barbara’s help much to my regret. She was one person that had access to all of city hall. Besides the mayor, no one had the ability to walk around anywhere and have keys to any office. She reported what she saw and heard directly to me.” He drummed his fingers on his knees.
“Okay,” I said and then asked, “I understand Darren killed Barbara because she discovered what he was doing. You suspected Amber, so Nate got close to her. What was Clark doing? I wished he had been home.”
Clifford smiled, “Clark was invaluable to us. No one recognized him when he wandered around town at night. He kept an eye on Darren and gave us our first clue that he was meeting Amber late at night. Then we had Nate take over flirting with her. No one suspected him.”
“Well, that answers most things except I heard Darren say he never shot anyone. He refused to shoot Georgie and me. Amber seemed afraid of the gun. If that’s true, who shot Councilman Phillips?” I looked at everyone, and Clifford finally cleared his throat.
He began the story. “This will all be news tomorrow. The doctors are slowly bringing him out of his induced coma. Audrey came to me today with a story. It seems after Barbara died, Kyle was depressed. He blamed himself for her death. Audrey believed he was sad because his lover died. They had a huge fight. He convinced her he never had an affair with Barbara. We knew Barbara only let that rumor start to help the investigation. Audrey didn’t know that fact. Kyle took Audrey to a nice restaurant to start repairing their relationship. After, they were going to row out into the lake to watch the stars, but they began to argue again. Kyle became impatient with Audrey’s insinuations, and he slapped her.”
Georgie gasped. “Wow, I bet she was angry. I’d kill Paul if he ever hit me. Oh my, did she shoot him?”
Clifford nodded. “Kyle had never been violent before and Audrey feared he really did have an affair and killed Barbara. She carries a gun for protection and after Kyle hit her; she shot him. He fell backward into the boat, and she pushed it into the lake. She thought he was dead. Audrey wanted someone to find him and rowed to your pier since it was the closest. She tied the boat up and slipped away in the dark.”
“Why didn’t you find her fingerprints,” I asked.
“Two reasons. One, it was a chilly evening, and she wore leather gloves. Second, we don’t have her prints on file.” Clifford shrugged.
“What happens to Audrey now?” I wondered aloud.
“That’s up to the D.A. and Phillips. I think we should call it a night,” Clifford stated.
We all agreed. I gripped Clark’s hand and said, “You’re coming home with me.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and smiled.
~ * ~
The past ten days have been a whirlwind. With final exams this week, Laci has been too busy to chat. She finally texted me to let me know she isn’t speaking to me until she can meet Clark and judge for herself. Laci said she needed to feel independent and find her own job this summer. I took her at her word and hired the March triplets. She isn’t happy that young Officer Jakes, who insists I call him Tyler, has moved into the apartment above the bookstore. Irate fit her mood when I texted her that the police arrested Claudine, and she wouldn’t be able to live at her farm. Now she thinks she’ll stay with her Grandma and Grandpa Ryan. We’ll see.
The District Attorney called me in for an interview, and we discussed Claudine. He agreed with me that she is in need of treatment more than incarceration. Last I heard they were working out a deal for mandatory therapy, community service, a hefty fine, a ban on owning a handgun, and least but best she can no longer enter my bookstore or harass me by gestures from the street outside my window. I can live with that.
Detective Nate was true to his word, and after we threw him a big thank you and going away party at Corners Bar, he returned to his hometown. He’s considering working at Berg’s private investigation firm. We may see one or both of them again in the future.
Darren and Amber are in jail awaiting trial on numerous charges.
Paul tried to ground Georgie again but gave up knowing she and I would always investigate a good mystery.
Clark, my precious Clark. The wedding is still on regardless of Laci’s insistence that she needs time to get to know him. It’s early May, and we’re getting married late next month. That’s enough time, I hope.
Speaking of Clark, he’s back to work at the P.D. He never was out of town on that assignment for the state’s attorney. He was working as an undercover detective the entire time. I am proud of him, and he says he’s proud of me, but we need to add something in our wedding vows about no sleuthing. It’s not going to happen. How can I promise something I know is in my blood? I’ll try.
Clark is still my gentleman in shining armor. Until Laci comes home, he’s been staying with me. He still insists on sleeping on top of the quilt while I sleep under it. I’m counting the days until our wedding when we both cuddle under the quilt. When Laci comes home, he’ll move back into his small apartment above his parent’s hardware store. I’m going to miss him. It’s nice to have someone close at night.
Yummy will miss Clark, too. He’s given up his spot on my pillow for one at the foot of the bed, but he growls at Clark if he gets too close. Yummy will stay with Aunt Irene on our honeymoon.
Aunt Irene and Uncle Lyle have settled in the cottage permanently. He’s keeping his house for his kids or in case spring rain floods my aunt’s cottage which happened once since I was a child. I think it’s because it gives him a great place to host the weekly poker game he and a few of his elderly pals enjoy. Ruthie and Ronnie visited and seemed to accept the situation. Ruthie doesn’t want to see her dad in an apartment where he’s unhappy. Ronnie and his father worked out Ronnie’s financial situation, and I think life will be happier for all involved.
Things have calmed in Heavenly Corners. Barbara’s murder is solved. Summer and tourist season is right around the corner. My wedding approaches and life’s peaceful. Finally, all is well.
~ * ~
It’s moving home day!
I’m so excited. I wonder how excited Laci is. I keep wondering if she is really upset or doing her best to try and control the situation. Even though she’s away at school for nine months out of the year, marrying Clark will change our lives. With teens, you can never be sure what they’re thinking.
Paul pulled all his fishing gear out of his full-size pickup with a cab over the truck bed where he sleeps on fishing trips. It holds a lot of stuff, and the girls have a lot of stuff. I’ll follow him in my SUV.
I walked Yummy before I decided to leave and saw Aunt Irene and Uncle Lyle leaving the cottage.
“Good morning, Annie,” Uncle Lyle said.
“Good morning, what are you doing up so early?”
Aunt Irene answered, “We’re going with you.”
My eyes grew large as I looked at her lime green car. “Y
ou can’t fit much in that car.”
She laughed. “We’re taking Lyle’s sedan. Laci might not want to drive home with you. She can come with me, and it’ll give me an hour to lecture her.”
I smiled.
“Besides,” she continued. “I heard you say you were stopping at that great Mexican place I love for lunch. They have the best salsa and homemade tortilla chips. I’m going to have a margarita or two. Lyle’s driving.”
She put Peanut back in her cottage while I made sure Yummy had enough water and food to last for a few hours. Lyle followed me as I headed for Georgie’s.
An hour later we parked in the lot reserved for people picking up students. It was a block walk to the dorm, and my stomach began to churn as we walked. I wasn’t sure what Laci’s reaction would be.
Georgie and I waited anxiously for our daughters to walk out of the dorm. Georgie saw them in the crowd before I did. She began to laugh and point. I squinted not sure what I was seeing. Beth Ann ran up to her mom and hugged her. The bright purple streaks in her long blonde hair actually looked good.
Laci walked up to me and mumbled, “Hi Mom.” I wasn’t sure if she was quiet because she was angry with me over the upcoming wedding or because of the hot pink streaks in her beautiful light brown shoulder length hair. I was dumbfounded and couldn’t think of a thing to say except, “Hi.”
Georgie doubled over in laughter. She looked up at me with tears in her eyes, “This is too funny, Annie. The girls streaked their hair in your wedding colors.”
Oh goodness gracious me, what next?
The End?
Watch for the next Annie Ryan book, Bones, Booze & Bouquets, out late Spring of 2016. Will Annie’s wedding take place and will she and Clark finally marry? Her plans change when she and Georgie discover a skeleton in the Kelleher mansion. Another murder disrupts her life again. Annie and Georgie are the prime suspects, as usual. Will she and Georgie find answers in time?
Thank you for reading my book. I hope you enjoyed it. If you have a chance, please leave a review on Amazon. I would appreciate it. Reviews are the best way to let authors know if you enjoyed their books.
Murder, Trouble & Family Page 18