Wrongly Accused

by Laura Scott

  “Come on, O’Malley, you can do better than this,” Brickner taunted. “What’s the matter? Are you afraid to take a shot at me for fear of accidently hitting your daughter? You never were as good of a sharpshooter as me.”

  Caleb had to work hard to hold his anger in check, especially because he could see that Brickner had the gun pressed tightly against Kaitlin’s temple and she was sobbing soft, ragged sounds that ripped his heart to shreds. Brickner was right. Even if he had a weapon, he wouldn’t use it. He’d never take a chance on hitting his daughter.

  “Let her go, Brickner.” He hoped his voice didn’t show the depth of his fear. “Let her go and I’ll take her place.”

  “You’ll surrender now, or I’ll kill her,” Brickner said in a harsh tone. “Shall I count to five?”

  “Are you really going to take a chance that I’ll miss?” Caleb asked with a calmness he didn’t feel.

  Brickner hesitated, and from where he stood, Caleb could see the other man was still searching for him. “You won’t sacrifice the kid. One, two, three, four...”

  “Okay, okay!” Caleb stepped out from his hiding spot and put his hands up in the air. “You have me, Brickner. Now let her go.”

  “I’m not letting her go. Get inside the building, now.”

  Caleb forced himself to walk toward Brickner, keeping his hands on his head in a show of good faith that he wasn’t armed. He hoped that Brickner would frisk him for a gun, without finding the knife that he’d stashed in the bottom of his shoe.

  “Dad-dy,” Kaitlin sobbed, her tiny face streaked with tears.

  “I love you, Katydid,” he said reassuringly. “Everything is going to be fine.”

  “Very sweet,” Brickner said snidely. When Caleb was inside the building, Brickner shoved Kaitlin at him. “Here, take the kid and go sit in the corner with your woman.”

  Caleb gladly took Kaitlin in his arms, hugging his daughter close while praying that Deck and his backup team would get here quickly. Brickner locked the door behind him, but Caleb didn’t even think of trying to rush the guy right now. First he needed to know what he was up against.

  He carried Kaitlin over to where Noelle was waiting. She met him partway, giving him a desperate hug. He wrapped one arm around her, the other one still holding his daughter. For a moment he couldn’t speak.

  When she loosened her grip, he still didn’t release her. “I’m sorry I got you into this mess,” he whispered.

  “It’s not your fault.”

  Noelle was being far too kind. It was his fault, and he knew it. Maybe if he’d called Declan sooner. Maybe if he’d kept Noelle and Kaitlin in a motel instead of taking them to Declan’s basement. Maybe if he hadn’t gone to pick up his daughter from Noelle’s house in the first place, none of this would have happened.

  But it was too late to go back and change the past now. No matter how he wished he could.

  “I want you to know, that if we don’t make it through this for some reason, I promise we’ll meet again in heaven,” he told her in a quiet voice that wouldn’t carry over to Brickman.

  “Oh, Caleb.” Noelle’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m glad you believe in God, but we’re not finished yet. God is still with us, watching over us.”

  “I know.” He reached up to cup her cheek with his hand, staring intently down into her eyes. “I’ve been praying for you. For Kaitlin. For us.”

  “Me, too.”

  He brushed a brief kiss across her mouth, wishing there was something he could do to help Noelle and Kaitlin escape. When he lifted his head, he was certain that his regrets were reflected in his gaze. He tried to smile as he transferred Kaitlin back into Noelle’s arms.

  “Stay behind me,” he instructed in a low voice.

  She made a soft sound that he took to be a protest.

  “I need to get him to talk, to stall.” He didn’t dare mention Declan’s name, but he could see by the expression on her face that she understood what he meant.

  Noelle didn’t say anything more before she melted back against the wall, sliding back down to sit in the corner with Kaitlin cuddled on her lap.

  Caleb turned to face Brickner—the man he knew likely killed his wife, his lawyer and his former neighbor.

  What Caleb didn’t know was why.

  FOURTEEN

  Noelle held Kaitlin close, murmuring soothing words to the child as a way to hide the depth of her overwhelming despair. She understood that Caleb was stalling, waiting for Declan to arrive in order to help get them out of here. But it seemed as if too much time had already passed by and she couldn’t help thinking that Declan would be too late. Especially now that Caleb was captured and being held here, too. Brickner had exactly what he’d wanted and she feared that their time had run out.

  Even Caleb’s brief kiss hadn’t made her feel any better because the gesture had felt too much like goodbye. She was thrilled that Caleb believed in God, and as much as she hoped they would all meet in heaven some day, that didn’t mean she was ready to die just yet.

  Kaitlin deserved a chance at life. Surely God would spare the child’s life?

  Please, Lord, save us from harm. Keep us safe in Your care. Amen.

  “Why are you doing this, Marc?” Caleb asked in an overly loud voice that startled her. “I mean, I get the fact that you tried to frame me for my wife’s murder, but I don’t understand why you came after me once I was released from jail.”

  Noelle held her breath as Brickner stared at Caleb, his gun steady in his grasp.

  “I found your perch in the tree across the street from Noelle Whitman’s house,” Caleb continued as if they were having a two-way conversation, ignoring Brickner’s steely gaze. “I have to say, that was really an amazing shot.”

  “Don’t patronize me,” Brickner said harshly. “If it had been an amazing shot you’d be dead and we wouldn’t be here right now.”

  “Pure luck on my part,” Caleb said, waving away the comment and keeping his tone filled with admiration. “How could you know that I would bend down to pick up Kaitlin’s giraffe at that moment? You were always a better shot than me. By far, the best sharpshooter on the team.”

  Noelle couldn’t tear her gaze away from Brickner, searching for any sign that Caleb was getting through to him. Although she wasn’t really all that hopeful, since anyone who killed the way Brickner had couldn’t possibly have a heart or a soul.

  “But I still don’t understand why,” Caleb continued as if they were old friends discussing the weather and not murder. “Why take a shot at me outside Noelle’s house? Who were you going to pin that one on? I just can’t quite follow your logic on that.”

  Brickner glanced at his watch, as if he was waiting for someone else to arrive. After a long moment he met Caleb’s gaze. “I was forced to change my approach after Ken weaseled out on the original plan.”

  “Yeah, I figured that much. But what happened?” Caleb asked. “Why did Ken end up in Lake Michigan? Did he try to take the bribe money and run?”

  “I caught him sneaking out of his house in the middle of the night, with a one-way plane ticket in his pocket. I didn’t mean to kill him, but it was his fault for getting cold feet,” Brickner admitted. “If he would have testified against you, I know the jury would have sent you away for life. That stupid idiot ruined everything.”

  Noelle couldn’t suppress a shiver at how logical Brickner made everything sound. As if he had no choice but to commit murder. To kill Ken and dump his body into the lake.

  “Your plan was perfect,” Caleb agreed. “Well, almost perfect.”

  Brickner’s expression turned ugly and for a moment Noelle feared that Caleb had pushed him too far. She subtly reached up and gripped the hem of Caleb’s T-shirt and gave a gentle tug, trying to warn him.

  But Caleb acted as if he didn�
��t notice. “I have to assume that you were afraid I’d start digging for the truth about Heather’s death. Is that why you took a shot at me? Because you were afraid I’d figure everything out?”

  Noelle tugged on Caleb’s shirt harder this time. What was he thinking to keep poking at Brickner?

  “Don’t overestimate your importance,” Brickner sneered. “I was never afraid of you.”

  Caleb shrugged. “Maybe you should have been. Especially since I found your secret company, Marc. Let me think, what was the name of it again? Oh yeah, Eileen’s Elite Escort Services. And of course I saw Heather’s photo on there.”

  Brickner gave a tiny jerk, making Noelle think that he hadn’t expected Caleb to find out about the website. Or the escort service. But other than the small involuntary movement, Brickner didn’t say anything more.

  “What happened that night, Marc?” Caleb pressed. “Why did you kill Heather? Was it because she wanted to get out of the business? Or did she break up with you?”

  Noelle was practically holding her breath, waiting for his answer. She wished they had a tape recorder for the moment Brickner admitted he’d killed Caleb’s wife.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Brickner said in a strangled tone. Gone was his previous arrogance, instead there was a note of agony shimmering in his voice. “She didn’t break up with me. I loved Heather, and she loved me, too! After she divorced you, we were going to leave and be together, forever. I would never hurt her. Never!”

  Noelle felt her jaw drop and quickly closed her mouth to hide her shock. Brickner’s voice practically vibrated with the truth. The hint of pain reflected in his tone seemed too real to be faked.

  She could tell by how still Caleb went that he was surprised, too. And she knew exactly what he was thinking. If Brickner didn’t kill Caleb’s wife, then who did?

  * * *

  Caleb couldn’t believe what he was hearing. How was it possible that Brickner wasn’t the one who’d killed Heather? What on earth had happened that night?

  He tried to gather his chaotic thoughts. “I’m sorry, Marc. That must have been rough on you when Heather was found shot to death.” It felt odd to be talking about his wife loving another man, but deep down Caleb knew that his love for Heather had died long ago, well before she’d been murdered.

  This wasn’t the time to wallow in his regrets of the past. Heather was gone and he would do whatever was necessary to save Noelle and Kaitlin. He needed Brickner to confide in him. To keep talking, long enough for Deck to get here with his backup.

  It was already taking far too long.

  Brickner turned away, and Caleb considered rushing the guy to get Marc’s weapon, but almost as soon as the thought formed, Brickner straightened and swung around to face him. “She never loved you,” Brickner sneered. “Heather loved me. Only me!”

  Caleb wasn’t about to argue, because really what did Heather’s feelings matter? She was gone and there was nothing to be gained by arguing. He’d known their marriage was over, but he’d tried to stick it out, for Kaitlin’s sake.

  “I believe you,” Caleb said quietly. “But if you really loved Heather, why haven’t you tried to seek revenge on the real murderer?”

  “What makes you think I haven’t?” Brickner asked. He glanced at his watch again and almost as if on cue, his cell phone rang. Brickner answered his phone, still holding the gun aimed at Caleb.

  “Where have you been?” Brickner asked the caller in a terse tone. “I expected you to be here fifteen minutes ago.”

  There was the muffled sound of someone on the other end of the line, but no matter how hard he tried, Caleb couldn’t decipher exactly what the other person was saying.

  He couldn’t help wondering about the identity of the person on the other end of the phone. The same person who’d killed Heather? Was this what Brickner meant when he mentioned getting revenge? Was Brickner right now setting up Heather’s murderer just like he’d set up Caleb fourteen months ago? Unfortunately it seemed highly likely.

  “You’re not the one running this show. I am,” Brickner was saying in a caustic tone. “Now you know what it feels like to be the one taking orders.”

  Taking orders? Caleb turned the phrase over in his mind, trying to make sense of the one-sided conversation.

  Was the person on the other end of the phone someone who was normally in charge? The guy who owned Eileen’s Elite Escort Services? And if so, who? A silent partner? A new player he and Declan wouldn’t know or recognize?

  Or could it be Sheriff Cramer? No, surely the sheriff wouldn’t get involved in something like this. Sheriff Cramer didn’t like him much, but the guy only had a few more years until his retirement. Why would he risk his pension at this point in his career? No, Caleb didn’t buy it.

  If not the sheriff, then who?

  The image of Captain Will Royce flashed in his mind, and he felt a little sick at the possibility that the administrative leader of the SWAT team was a far more likely candidate to be involved in Brickner’s scheme. Royce sometimes filled in on the SWAT team, so he certainly knew the guys. And Royce fancied himself to be a ladies’ man, too. Was it possible he was the co-owner of the escort service?

  Or worse, had Royce killed Heather in a fit of anger?

  “I don’t like a last minute change of plans,” Brickner was saying. “We go with the original plan or I’ll just kill them all here and let you deal with the mess.”

  Caleb didn’t like the sound of that. Obviously their time was running out. Whoever the guy was on the other end of the line, he certainly wasn’t doing Caleb and Noelle any favors.

  “Glad you agree,” Brickner said smugly. “You have ten minutes to get here, understand?”

  Caleb tried to consider the proposed ten minutes to be a positive sign. At least Brickner wasn’t going to start shooting yet.

  As long as the caller showed up, that is.

  There was no way to know for sure, but if the caller was Royce then Brickner’s comments made sense in a sick sort of way. For some reason, Brickner had something to hold over the caller to make him do whatever Brickner wanted.

  A cold chill snaked down his spine. If Royce really was involved, he hoped and prayed that Declan wouldn’t tip off the captain when arranging for backup.

  Because if Royce got a whiff of Declan’s rescue plan, then they were certainly doomed to die tonight.

  * * *

  Noelle glanced up as Caleb took a step backward, turning his head and talking in a voice so soft she could barely hear. “Text D,” he whispered. “Tell him to stay away from Royce.”

  Noelle nodded and eased her hand back into the pocket of her sweatshirt, where she still had her phone hidden. She had no idea how much battery life she had left, and prayed that there would be enough for the text to go through.

  Texting without watching what she was doing wasn’t easy. She typed the message and then tried to glimpse at what she’d written to make sure it was right. Using Kaitlin’s body to help shield the light, she peered at the screen.

  The message was a bit mangled so she quickly fixed it and then pushed the send button. There was only one bar of battery left, but she didn’t turn off the phone. She intended to give Declan the chance to track them here through the phone, if at all possible.

  Where was Declan? Why wasn’t he here already?

  “Noa, my tummy hurts,” Kaitlin whimpered.

  Up until now, the child had been relatively quiet, her hysterical sobs had faded once Brickner had given her back to Caleb. Noelle was very worried that the little girl would start screaming at any moment from her night terrors, especially at the way Brickner kept putting the gun to her temple as a way to force them to do what he wanted. Noelle had almost forgotten about the flu bug.

  “What’s wrong?” Caleb asked.

  “She feels sick
to her stomach,” Noelle murmured. “Here, Kaitlin, try another sip of the white soda.”

  Kaitlin obediently sat up and took the can between her palms and sipped from the opening. “Can I have another cracker?”

  “Sure.” Noelle picked up the horribly crumpled package of crackers and tried to find a piece amid the crumbs. She pulled out a half cracker and gave it to Kaitlin. “Try this, see if it helps your tummy.”

  “Listen, Marc, my daughter has the flu,” Caleb said. “Why don’t you let her go? You have me. You don’t need her.”

  “Nobody goes anywhere until I tell you to,” Brickner said firmly. “Don’t worry, the flu bug isn’t going to be bothering your daughter for long.”

  Noelle swallowed hard, knowing exactly what Brickner was insinuating.

  “Kill me if you want, but let my daughter go. She’s five years old, hardly a threat to you or anyone else.”

  “She’s not a threat, but she is a part of my master plan,” Brickner corrected. He glanced again at his watch and Noelle could almost see his frustration. “If he’s not here in five minutes...” Brickner’s voice trailed off.

  “Then what?” Caleb challenged. “Then you’re going to kill us all here? And what story will you leak to the press? Who will you blame for our murders?”

  The faint sound of an engine broke the silence and Brickner smiled grimly. “He’s lucky he made it in time.”

  “In time for what?” Caleb asked, and Noelle could hear the desperation in his tone.

  “You’ll find out soon enough,” Brickner said.

  There was a knock on the door, must have been some sort of prearranged code, two short knocks, then a pause, and then two more knocks again. Brickner took several steps backward in order to unlock and open the door.

  Caleb tensed as the stranger walked into the room, also armed with a gun. Noelle struggled to her feet, still carrying Kaitlin, wanting to be ready for anything.

  “I figured you’d show up sooner or later, Royce,” Caleb said to the newcomer. “I knew Brickner wasn’t smart enough to do all this on his own.”