by Ella White
The area reminded Vickie of a campground; that is, until she saw all the cabins. They varied in size, from almost house-sized to one-room cottages. Dirt roads and small lawns separated them, and although there were cars in a separate parking lot, they were some distance away from the cabins. With the surrounding forest giving a more rural feeling, Vickie could imagine the cabins would be nice little retreats where one could get away from the big city but still have all the amenities of home.
“Well, it’s obvious the people vacationing here aren’t exactly roughing it,” Rachel commented as she looked out the car window.
“I didn’t even know this was here,” Vickie added. “Maybe Thomas and I can come here for an anniversary or something.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Rachel said with a laugh.
“Can we focus please?” Chief Miles insisted as she parked in the lot. The rest of the officers caught up and parked their own vehicles. “Okay, Chris’ cabin is supposed to be number six on the west side. Officer Brown, you know the plan?”
Ashley pulled out the empty pizza box she had taken from Millennium Pizza from one of the cars. She smoothed down the pizza-delivery-girl uniform the pizzeria had loaned her and looked at the Chief.
“Yup, I’ve got it.”
“Officers Cordie and Guinne will back you up. I’ll be right behind them,” Chief Miles described. “But we’ll need to be a bit back so Chris doesn’t see us. We can’t give away our position.”
“It’s okay.” Ashley nodded and spun the box. “I’ve got it.”
“Be sure you don’t do anything suspicious or reckless,” the Chief continued. “Chris Park clearly isn’t right in the head. Who knows what he might do if he thinks you’re not trustworthy.”
“Don’t worry, Chief,” the younger officer reassured her. “I’ll be sure to be careful.”
“I just hope Dr. Samson is all right.
“Do you think he might be in trouble?” Vickie asked. “Or hurt somehow?”
“Right now, I’m worried about him being alive.” Susan nodded slightly. “Vickie, Rachel…you stay here with Officer Brooks. I’ll let you know when the coast is clear.”
“We have to stay?” Rachel protested. “Why can’t we come with you?”
“Don’t bother asking, Rachel.” Vickie put a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “You know the chief. She just wants to keep everyone safe.”
Susan nodded, more emphatically than she usually did, and Rachel sighed. “Okay, fine. I just want to be part of this.”
“Maybe I should officially hire you after all,” Susan teased. “Then you can be on payroll. Unless you don’t want to risk you life dealing with a potentially dangerous suspect?”
The Chief and the rest of the officers went off to start the plan. Officer Brooks stayed with the two women. Rachel stared at Vickie in confusion.
“Did Chief Miles just crack a joke?”
“I think so,” Vickie confirmed. “Maybe we’re being a good influence on her?”
Officer Brown headed up to the front door of Cabin Four. She waited until Cordie and Guinne were in position on either side of the door, but still hidden from anyone standing in the doorway. Once they both nodded to her, Ashley rang the doorbell. She waited a few minutes, but no one came to answer. She looked at her fellow officers and shrugged before ringing the bell again.
“Millennium Pizza!” she called. She wasn’t really sure if pizza delivery people did this, but she figured it was worth a try. “I’ve got your pizza!”
“Just a second.” The voice behind the door was the same as the one on the phone, so Ashley knew it they had the right person.
The door opened to reveal a young man in his late twenties or early thirties. Ashley couldn’t tell for sure. He had scruffy brown hair that looked like it hadn’t been washed in a few days, which she found quite strange. Didn’t the cabin have a shower? He left the cabin entirely, closing the door behind him in a way that kept Ashley from seeing inside. That was suspicious activity if she ever saw it. Ashley had to try really hard to keep her face neutral.
The man she supposed was named Chris struggled to get his wallet out of his shabby pants. As he did so he spotted Officer Guinne to the right of the door, and his eyes widened.
“Cops.” Ashley just barely heard him whisper. She didn’t have a chance to react before he shoved her out of the way and took off down the road.
“Stop! Police!” Officer Cordie declared as he chased after the suspect.
As expected, Chris didn’t stop. Instead he bolted down the dirt road, clearly heading for the parking lot. Of course, his car must have been there. The police officers chased after him, holding their guns out but not wanting to shoot in case they were mistaken in their belief that he kidnapped Gerard Samson. Instead they followed him to the parking lot as quickly as they could.
Vickie, Rachel and Officer Brooks were watching all of this. Once the officer saw Chris heading their direction he grabbed Vickie and Rachel.
“Behind the cars, now!” he commanded as he guided them to run to the other side of the police vehicles.
“Wait,” Vickie stopped him. “I have an idea.”
“I can’t let you—”
He had no time to finish his warning. Vickie was already gone, rushing over to the car she arrived in earlier with Susan and Rachel. She opened the door and grabbed her bag. Inside her purse was one of Rachel’s homemade candles. She wanted to keep it around so she could show it to a few friends and customers, both to show off her daughter’s new talent and to spread the word about Rachel’s new hobby.
This candle, however, would need to be sacrificed. Vickie made sure she was still out of sight of the fleeing suspect, and just when he was running past her she flung the candle at his feet. Chris saw the flying object too late, and he stumbled as he tried avoid the candle. He skidded his face and palms along the asphalt as he tried to brace his fall. Vickie ducked back behind the cars once she saw him land.
Officer Brooks watched all this happen and rushed to grab Chris while he was still on the ground. He pulled the young man’s arms behind his back and slapped handcuffs on him.
“Christopher Park? You are under arrest for fleeing from the police,” Officer Brooks announced as he pulled him to his feet.
“I’m not saying anything until I have a lawyer,” Chris insisted.
“That’s fine. After all, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say…”
Vickie ignored the rest of their interaction and turned back to Rachel. Behind her was Officer Brown, who was waving at them to come to the cabin. They ran over as quickly as they could.
“I take it Officer Brooks has Mr. Park under control?” Ashley asked.
“Yeah, he’s reading Chris his Miranda Rights,” Rachel answered.
“Good. You two will want to see this.”
Officer Brown led them into Cabin Four, where Chief Miles was untying an older gentleman in a suit. She removed the gag around his mouth and he gasped out, licking his lips.
“Thank God you found me,” he blurted. “I don’t know how long I could go without eating.”
“He was starving you, Dr. Samson?” Chief Miles inquired.
“He wanted to work with me on some project involving neurobiology,” Gerard explained. “He’s been stalking me for over a year, but he never believed me when I said I wasn’t interested.”
“Come on.” Susan offered her hand to help him stand. “We should get you medical attention.”
“I’m all right,” he protested. “Really. Chris didn’t hurt me. I just need some food and water.”
The group returned to the police cars, where Officers Brooks and Cordie were trying to force a struggling Chris into one of the back seats.
“I didn’t do anything!” Chris shouted. “I just wanted Dr. Samson to notice me and work on my project! What’s wrong with that?!”
“So much for not saying anything,” Rachel joked. “What’s this project he’s talking about?�
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“He wants me to work with him on a mind-control device, or medication, or something involving neurotransmitters in the brain.” Gerard shook his head. “I kept telling him I don’t know much about neurobiology, and even if I did I wouldn’t be interested in anything involving nonsense like mind control.”
“My plan is not nonsense!” Chris yelled from inside the car. “It’s perfect! I just need your guidance and advice!”
“He’s clearly not right in the head,” Gerard continued.
“Kidnapping is still a felony,” Chief Miles declared. “This is a very serious offense.”
“Despite all he’s done, I don’t want him to go to jail.” Dr. Samson gave Chris a sympathetic look. “He just really needs help.”
“We’ll see what the judge and jury have to say,” Susan informed him. “If you testify at his trial, maybe they’ll decide jail is not best for him and he can get the help he needs.”
“I sure hope so.”
As they were all discussing this, Rachel walked over to the damaged candle. The engraved leaves had been torn off in some places and smashed in others. It would still be a functional candle, but all its decorations had been completely ruined. Rachel picked it up and stared at it.
Vickie bit her lip. “I’m sorry, Rachel. I just wanted to stop Chris before he got away.”
“It’s fine, Mom.” Rachel gave her a smile. “What do you say we put this on the mantle at home, next to that horrible clay unicorn statue I made when I was eight?”
This time the mother smiled. “I think that’s the perfect place for it.”
Chapter 10
A very uneventful week passed in Carriage Cove. Vickie went back to work at the Sip and Read Café, and Rachel continued her work blogging on the online candle site while practicing candle-making on her own. She was becoming more and more confident in her designs, and soon she was added as one of the sellers on the website.
Susan had stopped by a few days earlier to let them know Chris Park was being moved to another precinct, where they could watch him better until his trial in a few weeks. Gerard Samson left town soon afterwards, and Vickie had to admit she was glad he was gone. He might be a brilliant scientist millionaire (or millionaire scientist, depending on who you asked), but once the stories regarding his affair with Bridgette and his kidnapping got out to the rest of town, his presence caused more tension than respect.
Vickie, meanwhile, was preparing for another Wine and Cheese Club meeting. The last one had been so successful she felt it was okay to keep it going. This evening there were more people at the café than the last gathering, enjoying some wine and a few small snacks.
Sadie came by to see how things were going at the café and to try to convince Vickie to let her dye her hair. She wasn’t successful. Vickie’s friend Charles spent the evening with them after dealing with some annoying paperwork at the university. James visited to see how Rachel was doing; he hadn’t seen much of her since she quit her job at The Chronicle. Even Ashley Brown managed to get some time off from police duty to enjoy the merriment.
“That makes thirty-two.” Vickie wrote down the name of the last person to come to the meeting. “That’s over twice as many as last time…I’m going to need more wine.”
“How many of these have you made?”
Vickie’s head rose to see Rachel, Jenny and Ashley all sitting at a table together. It was Ashley who asked this question.
“Ten, and they’re all for sale on the site,” Rachel replied. “That’s not including the five I’ve already sold.”
“They’re beautiful!” Ashley commented.
Jenny inspected each candle carefully. “They are really wonderful! I bet Mother and I will sell these in no time.”
“Well, you’re the one who showed me how.” Rachel’s cheeks turned a little pink. “But thanks, Jenny.”
The evening went on without a hitch, and every seemed to genuinely enjoy themselves. It wasn’t long before the door opened again, with the bell ringing through all the sound of conversation. Everyone glanced up to see Gwen Radcliffe walked inside, take off her coat and take a seat at a table with a few others. She gave a big wave to Vickie and mouthed “Thank you.”
Vickie just smiled. “Make that thirty-three.”
* * *
Find out what Vickie discovers in part four of the Carriage Cove Mystery! Coming Soon!