by C A Phipps
“They’re having car trouble, but Sheriff and Detective Jones know and hope to get back in a few hours. I was on duty at the station when the fire alarm went off. It was nothing, but by the time I had it under control, I found the back door smashed in, and Bradley Marsters was gone before I knew what was happening.” He added shamefacedly, as though he was the one who’d committed a crime.
“Are you okay?”
Laura was by his side, looking awkward and concerned in equal measure and Maddie wondered what she would do if he weren’t.
He looked pleased with her concern. “I’m fine, and no one else was harmed. Fortunately, Brad was the only one in the cells. I didn’t see who took him and they blanked out the surveillance cameras with spray of some kind.” His pleasure evaporated at the admission.
“Do you think Brad was capable of organizing an escape?” Maddie asked.
“It doesn’t seem likely he’d want to, given that he was being protected,” Suzy said.
Rob shuffled his feet. “We have no idea how it was planned or who orchestrated it, and I can’t say more.” He headed to the door, with a wistful glance at Laura. “The Sheriff requests that you all stay put and he’s instructed me to make sure someone keeps watching your place, Ms. Broome. Perhaps you’d be better off there?”
“I’ll go home soon.”
Angel worried a fingernail. Chipping her perfect nail polish was unheard of, so she must be upset.
Maddie saw Rob out, then came back to Angel, taking the offended hand in hers. “You still have feelings for Brad?”
“Of course. Maybe I shouldn’t care, but we have a lot of history,” she mused with a sad smile.
“Good and bad.” Maddie pointed out.
Angel nodded. “That’s right. There’s no magic wand for releasing a person from your memories.”
“I understand.” Maddie had her own demons from her past, and it was harder at times to suppress the hurt they garnered. “I know you don’t like to focus on the bad stuff, but you don’t really know him now. He could be playing with your mind like he did before.”
Angel tilted her chin. “Or he could really be trying to turn his life around like he said.”
Maddie saw how much Angel wanted the latter to be true. She found that she did too, for Angel’s sake, but he’d hurt her friend so often in the past that she found it hard to accept someone could change so much.
Gran made more tea and had Laura bring it to the table. She shared a look with Maddie as she poured.
“When you came home, Madeline, you and Ethan weren’t speaking. He hurt you and you hurt him. Neither of you saw how it was for the other, and you weren’t convinced that you could get over it. Not only did that happen but the two of you are together again.”
Maddie nodded, hearing Gran’s reasoning clearly.
“You’re right, as usual. Both of you. People can change. It wasn’t just Ethan’s responsibility to make things right, I had to change how I saw him as well to make what we have now work. The difference is that Angel did nothing, that I can think of, to hurt Brad.”
Angel scoffed. “I wouldn’t say that. No one’s perfect.”
“True, but you have to admit that what he did was pretty bad,” Suzy added, taking a slice of carrot cake from the plate in the middle of the table.
Angel folded her arms. “Which is why I divorced him. I am not a victim, so don’t any of you make the mistake of thinking I want him back in my life permanently. I just don’t want him killed.”
“Then we have to find him and make sure he’s okay,” Maddie said, happy that she finally understood where Angel was coming from.
“I’d feel a lot better if we did.” Angel agreed.
“We’ll help if we can.”
Suzy spoke for herself and Laura, who nodded fiercely.
“So this is what we have. Caleb kills Magnus Tuft because he doesn’t like the fact that one of his top people wants to leave,” Maddie surmised.
“Then Brad is framed, probably for the same reason, and his brother is nowhere to be found,” Laura added.
Suzy wondered aloud, “Is it better, from Caleb’s point of view, for his brother to go to jail or to be dead?”
“What a horrible thought.” Gran shuddered.
“Yet, Caleb has already killed,” Suzy stated the obvious.
“But his brother? That seems a step too far,” Laura said.
Suzy was pacing, hands behind her back and her auburn curls bouncing around her cheeks. “To the rest of us, maybe. I think after a person kills once, when he perhaps isn’t thinking as clearly as he should, it might be easier to justify another death when things don’t go as planned.”
“Hmmm. You could be right.” Maddie nodded.
“What if he’s decided that Brad can’t stand trial. Caleb probably heard the rumors that maybe the Sheriff’s Department had the wrong man.” Maddie asked.
Angel smacked the tabletop, and they looked at her in surprise.
“How can we stop Caleb from attempting to kill Brad?”
Laura frowned. “We know what he looks like. They’re identical, right?”
Angel nodded. “In mannerisms as well as looks. Definitely not personalities.”
“I wonder how weird that was, growing up with a person who looks like you. Waking up and seeing them would be like having a mirror constantly in front of you,” Suzy mused.
Maddie shivered. “People say how much I look like my mother. I can never tell if it’s a compliment or not.”
Angel grimaced, and Maddie wasn’t sure what that meant. Gran stayed silent. That might be a conversation for another day.
“The brothers had a huge issue with it, but they certainly used it where they could,” Angel noted.
“Used being twins?” Laura asked.
“Getting out of classes and blaming the other for anything bad that happened.”
Suzy grinned. “I believe that Ethan’s nephews are no stranger to those tactics.”
“There will be no way those boys will be allowed to carry that sort of thing into adulthood. Not with a sheriff for an uncle.” Angel assured her.
Maddie smiled a little. The twins were a handful, but they were also in awe of Ethan and idolized their mother. She felt that they would grow into fine adults if everyone could survive the next decade.
Gran huffed. “Ethan won’t be happy about this gathering or whatever you decide to do.”
“No, he won’t, but we can’t simply sit here. They might be hours and Brad could be in danger. We’ll be careful, won’t we Girlz?” Maddie asked.
They nodded while Gran made a rude noise.
“I could name a few incidences where your ‘carefulness’ got you into hot water, but I won’t. What’s the plan, then?”
“We go get the proof of Caleb’s exploits and search for a clue as to where he might stow Brad. Angel, it would be better if you stayed home, in case Brad tries to get back to you or sends another message.”
“But I want to come,” she said, stubbornly.
“It will more dangerous for all of us if you do. Especially if your place is still being watched,” Suzy told her.
“Why would I still be watched if Caleb has kidnapped Brad? Surely they’ll be long gone with the proof.”
“Maybe so, but what if Caleb didn’t set Brad free, and he’s still looking for him?”
Laura gasped. “Then Angel’s place wouldn’t be safe at all, would it?”
Suzy patted her arm. “If there’s a deputy dedicated to watching her it should be fine.”
Angel stood. “I don’t like this, but I’ll stay back. At least I can work to take my mind off things, and Beth probably needs me this morning in the salon. I would have canceled my clients, but you do make sense, Maddie. I’ll get in touch with Ethan and Detective Jones, then when they arrive back in town, they can meet you at the cabin.”
Maddie hugged her. “We’ll sort this out. Please don’t worry too much.
“Make sure you send Eth
an a message yourself, or better yet call him. And don’t forget to keep us informed. It’s going to be a long day.” Gran stood, straightened her apron and headed to the door. “I’ll be at home if you need me. Big Red, you come along with me. Right now, young man.”
The large cat knew that tone and trotted obediently behind Gran but with a particularly grumpy expression. At the door, he gave Maddie a long look.
“I’ll be fine,” she told him.
Suzy smiled indulgently, then when he’d gone, she leaned on the table.
“I say we first take a look around.”
“Around where?” Laura asked.
“Town. The Outskirts. The road down to the lake.”
Maddie was curious. “What are we looking for?”
“Caleb.”
Laura frowned. “He’s hardly likely to be walking around where people can see him.”
Maddie clicked her fingers. “Remember that car that nearly ran us off the road when we were going to the cabin?”
“How could we forget? I thought we were goners.” Suzy grimaced.
“Well, I took note of the make and model. I found out that the car is most likely an older Honda Accord. It was probably stolen, as nearly 1,500 1994 Honda Accords went missing in Oregon last year.” Maddie reeled off the fact.
She’d shared that detail with Ethan but had forgotten until now, and it filled her with fresh hope that they could find Caleb.
“How did you manage to find that out? Was it Ethan?” Laura asked.
Maddie feigned shock. “As if a respectable sheriff would speculate to a mere layperson. Google is our friend.”
Suzy snorted. “And you’re the queen of using it around here with or without the Sheriff to tip you off.”
“So we ask questions?” Angel brought them back on track. “See if anyone has noticed it around?
“Only asking people we know,” Maddie insisted.
“People around here do like to talk,” Laura stated, her cheeks turning pink.
It was true. Small town Maple Falls lived up to the reputation of having curious residents who liked to know everything happening around town, and that did mean ‘everything’.
“How about asking Gran to talk to her friends down at the community center? Some of the Blue Brigade attend the Saturday group now, so she’ll have plenty of people to ask,” Suzy suggested.
“That’s a great idea. It will keep her busy too. Meanwhile, we can head out to the lake.”
Maddie called Gran, who was pleased to help, and said she would take Big Red with her, which put Maddie’s mind at ease a little more to have them watching over each other and around other people as well.
After changing, Maddie locked up, and they climbed into Honey. She drove onto Maple Lane then turned into the main road that led to the lake. For some reason, it felt right.
The three of them were outfitted in camouflage gear from Grandad’s trunk. It was far too big for them, especially on Suzy, who was only a little over 5’, but the others didn’t have clothes suitable for their mission and hadn’t wanted to take time to go home to get them. With sleeves and legs folded several times, they looked more like homeless people than a deadly strike force, but the good thing about the gear was that it kept them warm. Maddie wanted to smear dark lines on their cheeks the way she’d seen in the movies, but the other two would have none of it.
“Did you all notice that blue car?” Laura asked.
Maddie checked around her. “Where?”
“It was in Plum Place just down from the salon on the other side of the road.”
“Does it belong to anyone you know?”
Laura shook her head. “No, but it’s behind us.”
Maddie glanced up, and sure enough, a blue car was several yards back from them.
“Well, this is interesting. I’m pretty sure that’s the one that drove past us last weekend.”
Maddie drove out of town and pulled into the next driveway she found, slowly driving along the gravel. She knew this area and that there was ample room half a mile further on to do a U-turn. The other car came slowly by the opening, then sped off in the same direction they had been going.
Maddie did a five-point turn to get out of the driveway, since she didn’t want to waste time driving on, but the other vehicle was already a speck in the distance by the time they got back on the road. Maddie put her foot to the floor.
“Oh, my. What are you doing?” Laura held on to the dashboard with knuckles turned white.
“Following them,” Maddie growled.
“Maybe that’s what they want?” Suzy suggested.
Maddie’s foot eased off a little. “You might be right.”
“Plus, we don’t want to get in an accident,” Laura added.
“Are you channeling Gran by any chance?” Maddie asked her.
Laura looked back blankly, not understanding the reference at all, and Maddie hid a grin. Gran and Laura had lived together a while now, so it was only natural Laura would adopt some of Gran’s mannerisms.
A couple of miles later they saw the car turn off the road and disappear under a canopy of evergreens.
“What now?” Suzy asked.
“Grandad’s cabin is a few tracks ahead. Let’s make that our point of entry and double back to here on foot. Or, I can let you out here and come back for you later.”
“No way,” Suzy said. “I’m coming.”
“Me too.” Laura’s voice quivered.
Maddie nodded as she drove past the track which was no more than two ruts in the long brush, but she noticed that it had clearly had some traffic recently— something substantial, judging by the broken vegetation on either side of the opening.
Honey coped well off-road, but Maddie was glad that the track to Grandad’s cabin wasn’t half as bad as that one. As she turned off, she opened her window to listen for anything out of the ordinary, but all was quiet. Honey sounded too loud, as even the birds were silent, although winter arriving could be the reason for that—she hoped, still bothered by the eeriness that made her skin prickle.
Driving between two large elms that might afford some camouflage, Maddie parked and turned off the engine. Taking a moment to let the silence settle around them, she signaled to the others to get out. The earth was bare of grass, but plenty of vegetation debris covered the forest floor, which crunched underfoot, making her wince. She eased her door closed, and Laura and Suzy copied her every move.
Bypassing Grandad’s cabin, they set off on a different trajectory to the one they used a week ago and walked slowly for some time, trying not to make too much noise. Suddenly Maddie stopped. She held up a closed fist. The others stared at her blankly before she realized that they hadn’t had the same level of training she’d had and didn’t get that this was a universal sign to stop.
STOP, she mouthed, listening for the voices she’d been sure she’d heard a moment ago.
Laura froze, while Suzy shook her head, as Maddie listened intently, rewarded by the sound of a squeaky hinge followed by footsteps coming from up ahead and to their left.
Maddie signaled a walking motion with two fingers, then put a finger to her lips. Suzy and Laura nodded. In a crouch, they made their way along a line of smaller trees, until Maddie directed them to sit behind a log.
Peering over the top, they could see a large RV. It was a late model in good condition, apart from the scratches down its sides from squeezing down the track. A small generator sat under an awning along with a bar fridge and a couple of folding chairs.
The door opened. ‘Brad’ came out of the motorhome and stretched.
Chapter Twenty
Suzy gasped, and Maddie put a finger to her lips. It was clearly a shock, but it shouldn’t have been since Brad had escaped. Plus, Maddie would lay money on the man before them, being Caleb. He wore black jeans and a blue checked shirt, yet fashion wasn’t the only point of difference.
They had the same dark hair and stature, but the walk was different. Brad did not swagg
er, and he certainly hadn’t taken to preening from what she’d observed.
Caleb dragged a chair out from under the awning and along with a bottle of something from the fridge, took them out to the middle of the small clearing which had been made by turning the motorhome into its present position after removing a couple of trees. The stumps were still visible, and after a large swig of his drink, he used one as a table. Taking a seat, he leaned back to look at the blue sky as it dappled light through the surrounding trees across him.
Then he smiled and looked directly at the log. They bobbed further down and held their breath. How could he know they were there? Perhaps she imagined it, and he was merely looking in the general direction.
“Stand up and come join me, ladies.”
Maddie looked over her shoulder as the barrel of a shotgun pushed between her blades. Laura squealed when the deep voice of the man holding it boomed in their ears.
“Do what he says. Now!”
Scrambling to their feet, Laura accidentally knocked Maddie. She stumbled and used the opportunity to release the clip on her watch which she dropped beside the log before following Angel into the clearing.
Annoyance at having taken off their backpacks and leaving them further back so they could creep forward easier served no purpose, and they would have no doubt been taken anyway. But now they were left with no weapons. Not that the three of them on a good day would be a match for men like these, but the taser in her hand or pocket would have felt great right about now.
“So good of you ladies to come visit me. Such a shame Angel didn’t join you,” Caleb said in Brad’s voice, only harsher than she had ever heard that twin speak.
“How could you do this to your own brother?” Suzy asked.
“The fact that he is my brother should have prevented him from trying to leave me high and dry.”
The smile was ugly, and Maddie fumed.
“He wasn’t. You had people to take over his work. You’re just scared he’ll tell the police everything about your dirty dealings.”
Caleb sneered. “Dealings he was happy to take money for over a good many years. And how is my dear sibling? I hear he’s in police custody?”