He shuddered once, and a surprised look came across his face. Roy pulled him off me, and I jumped up, grabbed Sophia and Jennifer's hands, and pushed them toward the back room known so well to me.
I opened the door, and when I saw the glowing red eyes of the little beastie staring back, I yelled. “Jump!”
Jennifer, Sophia, and I made it over the rabid looking raccoon with its equally vicious looking babies. We jumped atop a counter, metal pans tumbling noisily to the floor, while Anthony chased after us. It was then that mama raccoon attacked.
She bit Anthony on the leg, and he screamed in pain. In an effort to escape, he tripped on pots and pans, fell like a brick onto his back, moaning in pain, and the raccoons went for his face. The way the babies attacked Anthony's flesh suggested that they hadn't been fed in awhile.
I dropped to the floor, trying to shoulder the back door open. Sophia and Jennifer helped, and the door came off its hinges. We rushed out into the still darkness and toward the lake.
“Don’t quit running!” I shouted.
We ran, and I could hear a wail coming from the bait shop, and bullets whizzed over our heads. We continued up the beach in the darkness. It was too dark to see much, but then came the forth of July fireworks blasting into the night sky, lighting our way.
I heard a rumble of a motorboat close by. I glanced fearfully over my shoulder, and tried to run faster, but Jennifer collapsed ahead of me.
“Jennifer?” a voice echoed, from the direction of the lake.
It was William Martin! A spotlight hit us, and I saw another boat making its way toward shore, but circled around and went back where it came from. I ran toward the edge of the beach.
I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled to him, pointing toward the boat. “Get on the phone and tell the coast guard to follow that boat!” I saw more spotlights appear as the coast guard, obviously on hand to help William in his search, raced after the fleeing boat.
William dove from the boat and swam to shore. He ran to Jennifer, and dropped down on one knee, scooping her into his arms.
“Daddy,” Jennifer cried. “I-I'm s-so h-happy t-to – ”
“Save your energy, honey,” William responded.
“The people that kidnapped her are in the bait shop, and they're armed,” I said.
William pulled a cell phone from his pocket and dialed 911. Sophia held her ripped clothing against herself as best she could, trying to cover herself.
Andrew, who'd been on the boat with William, had secured it to an overhanging tree, and now he appeared out of the darkness, took his sports coat off, and held it out to Sophia. She donned it quickly, and we made our way up the beach and squeezed between two cabins.
When we made it back onto US 23, we saw lights flashing everywhere. I let out a sigh of relief.
Trooper Sales ran toward us, shouting, “An ambulance is in route.”
I quickly summarized for Sales and the others what I'd discovered of Roy, that his bait shop was a front for human trafficking, and how the ringleader was responsible for the Robinson Family murders. Almost out of breath, I added, “There are still ten young girls at the bait shop held against their will, but there is also a wounded asshole who calls himself The Hammer and his hag of a wife, Marge, both of whom are running the show, and the goons – all of them were their sons!”
My eyes were glued on Sales for his reaction.
“So that’s what this is all about?”
I nodded. “I am pretty sure I killed a man calling himself The Hammer: the one who actually murdered the Robinsons. I suspect he's bled to death by now, slowly and agonizingly, I hope.”
“Grandma Aggie shot him in the crotch,” Sophia added with pride. “He was trying to rape me at the time.”
“Self-defense, sort of,” I put in. “Bastard dared try to rape my granddaughter.” I began to cry as much from nerves and disbelief it was finally over as from fear of how it might had gone.
Trooper Sales' eyes took in Sophia’s face, and observed her disheveled appearance.
Within minutes the ambulance arrived, and the paramedics rushed forward. They took Jennifer from William and laid her on the gurney while William detailed her heart condition. One paramedic lowered his head doing the look, listen, and feel, and checked for a pulse. He shook his head toward his partner.
Her chest wasn’t moving!
Sophia stumbled forward “Is she?”
Tears gathered in all of our eyes as we watched the paramedics begin CPR, counting aloud.
I couldn’t move or breathe.
None of us could.
Until we saw Jennifer take a deep breath in, and her chest rose and fell.
She was alive.
I nearly swooned in relief.
An oxygen mask was placed over Jennifer's nose and mouth, and an IV started as the EMS workers rushed her into the ambulance, and they roared away.
I suddenly heard Godzilla-like footsteps to the left of me. “You killed my husband, you bitch!”
I turned and saw The Hammer’s wife, Marge, her gun pointed at me. I squeezed my eyes shut as Andrew leapt in front of me.
When I reopened my eyes, I saw, as if in slow motion, Trooper Sales draw his gun. Shots rang out into the night air, but Eleanor, who'd come tearing into the scene in her Caddy, was now the fastest draw, the one to shoot first. El's bullet tore through Marge's head. The evil bitch took three more shots from Trooper Sales. Her bullet riddled body did a really awful, zombie-like dance before falling to the ground.
Eleanor walked forward and shook the trooper’s hand. “That’s how you do it.”
El then puffed out her chest and ran toward me. I met her halfway and gave her the biggest hug ever. It kind of reminded me of some damn sappy Lifetime movie ending but this was for real.
“Where did you learn to shoot like that?” I asked, giddy, smiling.
“Agnes, you know you taught me everything there is to know about handguns.”
Andrew joined us for a hug, but my eyes shot to Sophia as she was being led to another ambulance, and I watched as they closed the door behind her. “I can't let her go alone. I will see you at the hospital. I'm riding in the ambulance.”
“You know that's against their rules, Aggie,” Andrew stopped me. “Ride with us.”
“Rules? Since when do I listen to rules?”
It took some persuading and Eleanor beside me with her gun to get the EMS workers to agree that it was a good thing a grandma wanted to ride with her granddaughter to the hospital, but it got done.
Epilogue
One month later...
I arrived at Hidden Cove and was directed toward the deck outside with a view of Lake Huron. It was a clear day, and I could see a number of sailboats looming in the distance.
I adjusted my pearl earrings and searched Sophia’s face. “Are you sure you’re up to this?” I asked as we joined the thong of people awaiting our arrival.
Sophia smiled and smoothed her white shirt tucked into her khaki shorts. Her white sandals didn’t conceal her ankles that would likely be permanently marked by rope burn scars. I hoped they would fade in time.
Barbecued chicken was cooking on the grill and glasses were being clinked together. The celebration had already started.
I led Sophia to a table where Eleanor, Andrew, and Trooper Sales sat. Sales still insisted I call him Bill when he was not in uniform. I saw a sad looking Sheriff Peterson leaning against the railing, gazing out across the lake as if gathering his thoughts.
Eleanor leapt up and gave Sophia and me a hug. Andrew’s eyes met mine with an expressionless look. He had distanced himself from me since the ordeal, and I was thankful for the space. I was getting to know my granddaughter again.
Sophia made her way to a chair near the railing, sat and pulled her legs up, hugging them.
I broke my gaze and sat on the chair held out by Trooper Sales or Bill as I now call him if not in uniform.
“I know you have been waiting for an update, Ag
nes,” Bill said. “Roy and the remaining goon were arrested, and with the death of The Hammer, his wife Marge, and Anthony, the others sang easy enough.”
I had mixed feelings about Roy. “I’m a bit shocked Roy had anything to do with this. I know he’s a bit out there, but a plot of this sort is too much even for him.”
“He ran into financial difficulties the best I can tell, and he was so terrified by Bruno and Marge, that he was led like a puppy to the slaughter,” Sales concluded.
“Yes, but that’s no excuse for kidnapping Jennifer, and he planned to sell my granddaughter. I just can’t forgive him for that.”
“Who knew? Human trafficking in a small town such as this,” Eleanor said. “Did the Sheriff and Coast guard catch up with the traffickers on the boat?”
He shook his head. “They made it to Canada, and were placed into custody there. We’re letting Canada deal with them, they’re all facing murder charges there or so the FBI informed us.”
“Doesn’t that let Roy and the goon off the hook though?” I asked.
“Hardly, Roy has been charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment, and conspiracy to commit human trafficking, as well as murder – and attempted murder conspiracy against you, Aggie.”
“And the goon?”
“The so called goon, Timothy Cicero, faces the same charges. Roy and Simon also face charges for tossing a pipe bomb into your house, and attempted murder.”
“State charges?”
Bill picked up a beer and took a swig. “Nope, Federal charges, but no need to worry. None of them will see the light of day again.”
I folded my hands in my lap. “How did you know where to find us that night at Roy's along the lake?”
“When you disappeared, Rosa Lee told me you asked about Roy having a boat,” Andrew answered. “So the state police staked out the bait shop and the nearby stretch of Lake Huron. Even Sheriff Peterson helped out with the use of his department's marine patrol boats.”
I sighed, relieved it was all over, or was it?
I glanced toward Sophia, and when she turned, her face lit up. I followed her gaze, and saw Jennifer cross the room and squeeze her tight. They had formed a bond, something that might surely help them both to fully recover.
Jennifer's boyfriend, Kevin, followed her with William Martin close by. Kevin looked at William... an uncomfortable glance. I had heard William had a change of heart and had hunted Kevin down. He brought him to Taduim to be with Jennifer while she recovered. When Jennifer and Kevin's eyes met, I saw love displayed within them.
William smiled and joined our table. He slid an envelope toward me. “I can’t thank you enough for finding my daughter.” He took a beer a waitress handed to him, and popped the top, tipping it back. Not quite something you’d expect from a man of his wealth.
I took the envelope. “I’d rather not take the money. I had an interest of my own.”
“I know, but you earned it. You had quite an ordeal of your own. A lesser person would have run off and said forget it.”
Andrew laughed. “You don’t know my Aggie. She doesn’t run from danger; on the contrary, she runs toward it.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ll take that as a compliment, and I’ll use this money to set up my detective agency.”
“Our agency you mean,” Eleanor interrupted.
“Yes, I couldn’t do it without you.”
“Have you thought of a name for the agency yet?” William asked.
“Yup, sure have. I’m thinking, ‘Pink Ladies.’”
Everyone laughed.
“What? The pink Lady saved my ass. You have no idea how hard it was to keep that gun concealed until it became absolutely necessary. When you only have five bullets, you need to use them wisely.”
“I’d say you did a fine job,” Sales said. “I’d say you made the right choices, but how do you feel about it?” he asked, his eyes searching my face.
“How do I feel about killing someone that tried to harm my granddaughter to get back at me? Great.” I coughed. “How are the other kidnap victims faring?”
“Physically I hear they are fine, but mentally, it may take a while.”
I nodded and glanced at my granddaughter. “I know what you mean. Sophia has yet to tell me what happened after she was kidnapped, and to tell you the truth, I’m not sure if I want to know.”
“Is she having nightmares?”
With tears in my eyes, I nodded. “It’s hard to see someone you love in such pain. I’m glad Jennifer and Sophia are close, and that gives me comfort.”
Sheriff Peterson approached the table. He looked down like he wanted to say something to me, but was hesitant. “Agnes – “
“I know Sheriff, thanks too.” I smiled. “If it’s worth anything, I’m sorry about accusing you the way I did.”
“And I’m sorry for having you arrested, almost.” He snickered as he strolled away.
It was brought to my attention that the sheriff was trying to cover for his father. It’s hard to believe that he thought his own father guilty of being involved in the Robinson murders, and I wondered who, in fact, planted that seed in his head. Gossip mills have never been known to be just or correct, at least not all the time.
I said to the others at the table while nodding at the retreating sheriff, “I heard he took his father out for a fishing trip last week. I wonder where the old man peed.”
Everyone laughed but I just watched the sheriff stride off, a proud man. I knew we would never be friends or see eye-to-eye about anything. He knew how I felt, and I knew how he felt. And that was enough for me.
I sipped the wine brought to me earlier by a waitress who said it was on the house. Over my glass, my eyes met Andrew’s. I rose from the table, and he followed me to the handrail.
He grabbed my arms and turned me, lowering his head and when his lips met mine, I melted.
I pulled away. “I hear you’re leaving town soon.”
His eyes briefly trailed away, and when they met mine again, he smiled. “I have some business to attend to, but I’ll be back soon. Don’t think for a moment that you can get rid of me so easily.”
I kissed him and felt myself taken to a place where, guns and goons didn’t belong.
About the Author
Author Madison Johns early days weren't spent writing — they were spent dreaming. Her vivid imagination ran wild and took her places only dreams could. She read books, tons of books, they were her only friends.
She lived her life, grew up, got married, got divorced, met her soul mate, had two children, and then at the age of 44, she began to write. She has since written four books.
http://madisonjohns.com/
http://madisonjohns11.wordpress.com/
http://mysterywritermadisonjohns.blogspot.com/
Armed and Outrageous (An Agnes Barton Mystery) Page 24