Almost Home

by Caroline Clemmons

  “Are you crazy? Link is my client, remember. You stay here and get some rest and your career will be safe and secure. I’m driving the getaway car, remember?”

  She put her hands on her hips and glared at both men. "If anyone drives my car, it’ll be me. I'll get my keys." She reached into the handbag on the counter and retrieved her key ring then slung the bag’s strap over her shoulder.

  Link knew who was winning this argument. He examined the Maglite he'd carried. "You have a flashlight? This one of Coy’s is about used up." He grabbed the pen and pad of paper beside the phone. "I'll leave Jason and Coy a note asking them to wait here until we return."

  Vince fished around in a kitchen drawer until he unearthed a large five-cell flashlight. "We'll probably be back before they wake. They were both pretty tired. I could us some sleep myself."

  Link paused in his writing to answer, "Man, me, too. Best not even to think of it now. If I ever quit pushing, I'll collapse and need about a week before I come back up for air. Did you tell Travis to meet us here?"

  "Yes, better call and leave our destination."

  Link dialed Travis' private cell phone number. "Strange. There's no answer." He called the agency number and left a message on Travis' voice mail.

  Returning the phone to its cradle, he looked at Vince. "You seem awfully chipper for a man in jeopardy of being disbarred. Aren't you even a little bit worried?" Link propped the note in the center of the table so it couldn't be missed.

  "Yes, but I haven't felt so alive in years. Must have larceny in my veins."

  Anna stopped, a horrified expression on her face. "Vince, don’t even think that. But if we get caught, it'll ruin your career. Larceny is all you'll have left."

  "Now, Anna, Link and I will be just fine. Surely you're not serious about going with us."

  "My car keys and I are inseparable. You're wasting valuable darkness."

  Link asked Anna to turn off the car’s interior lights to insure no tell tale flash of light announced their arrival when they reached the Morrison home and opened the car doors.

  Anna retrieved the emergency blanket she kept in the vehicle trunk. "The hardest part of this will be fitting you on the floor of the back seat without adding to your injuries."

  Link groaned when he crawled into her small car. Not until Anna returned from the house with two bed pillows to cushion him could he fold himself onto the floor. Even then, it took several attempts to find a position his battered body tolerated but kept him hidden. Vince spread the blanket over Link, but left his head free. Anna scattered some of her books and research materials over the blanket.

  Vince looked in the back car window. "Guess it wouldn't pass inspection in the light of day, but it looks okay for nighttime."

  "Then, for better or worse, we're on our way." Anna backed out of the driveway and hit the street with a bounce.

  Link groaned with each recoil. He'd rather walk. “Easy, woman. This isn't a carnival roller coaster ride."

  "Sorry. Guess it's rougher from where you are. Oh, rats. There's a deputy in a patrol car parked around the corner."

  "Does he see you?" Link asked.

  "He's pulling in behind us. Oh, no, get ready to run for it. He's signaling me to stop."

  “You kidding? I couldn’t run anywhere. Doubt I could stand after that last bounce.” Link covered his face with the blanket and hoped their ruse worked. He heard the window lowering, heard Anna's voice.

  "Something wrong, Deputy?"

  "Oh, hello, Miss Zimmermann. I didn't know that was you. That you, Mr. Bertolli?"

  Vince said, "Hello, Watkins."

  Anna's voice sounded casual and confident as she repeated, "Is something wrong?"

  "Reason I stopped you folks is there's an alert out for an escaped murderer, one of our deputies, Link Dixon. Lives near here. We're trying to warn everyone to be on the lookout for him. His little boy's also missing--seven years old."

  "Yes, Jason Dixon, poor little thing. We searched for him for hours--combed the area. Makes you wonder where a little boy could be, doesn't it? We just got in a short while ago."

  "You're out kind of late now."

  "We're still pretty worried about such a small boy missing overnight. Even though we're tired, we're still all keyed up from the search. We decided to grab a couple of hamburgers from the all-night place on Main."

  Link's heart pounded so loud he wondered the deputy didn't hear. He prayed the officer wouldn't shine that flashlight into the back seat.

  "Yeah, too bad about the kid. Still haven't found him or his dad. You be careful."

  "We will, Deputy. We will."

  This time, Anna eased the car into gear and drove slowly for several blocks before she turned off Mulberry Street.

  Link pulled the blanket from his face to see Vince leaning over the seat.

  "That was close," Vince said. "You sure you want to continue?"

  "Got to. Hate to think I got onto this floor for nothing."

  With Anna driving and Link giving directions, the trio quickly crossed town. Vince relayed landmarks and cross streets.

  "When you make this next left, turn off the car lights and pull into the second drive on the right." Link pushed himself to a sitting position. He kicked at the blanket to disentangle his legs from fabric and books and slid up onto the back seat.

  The neighborhood lay in darkness except for mercury vapor lights in two yards. "Pull up under the carport. The side door leads into the kitchen."

  The three left the car and walked the few feet through the shadows without aid of a flashlight. Link tried the door in case someone had been careless. "It's locked."

  He heard Vince whisper, "Shall I open it?"

  "No, let me try first." Anna edged Link out of the way. When he winced, she said, "Sorry, I didn't mean to touch an injury."

  "It would be hard not to. What do you think you can do, pick the lock?"

  Anna rummaged in her handbag and extracted a nail file. She ducked her head and moved in front of the two men.

  "Maybe you don't want to know about this." After a few seconds, the door swung open. She stood aside to let the men enter first.

  Link shook his head. "A prim and proper college professor who picks locks. Who would have thought?"

  "Wait. Someone should stay outside on watch," Vince headed back out the door. "You two hurry. Not much time before dawn."

  Link lowered the shade of the nearest window. "Close all the blinds and drapes in the living room so the flashlight won't be seen from the street." He yelped when he bumped into a lamp table, but grabbed the lamp in time to stop its topple.

  She lowered a blind and pulled draperies across it. "How can you search a house in the dark, even with a flashlight?"

  "I've already searched the house. I've thought it over a dozen times since then. I came specifically to search this chest. If the missing papers aren't in it, then I haven't a chance of finding them tonight."

  "Exactly what are we looking for?"

  "A folder or sheaf of papers. Probably some will be legal size and some letter size. Hold the light over here."

  She squatted on her heels and focused the beam for him. "You mean this old settle?"

  Link looked up at her and smiled. "Glad to hear you confirm my suspicions. Yes, this old settle. Mitzi hid important documents. Kept repeating she’d ‘settle her father's estate.’ Used exactly that phrase over and over to several people--always with the word 'settle' in the sentence." He piled blanket on top of blanket on the floor until he'd emptied the chest.

  Anna ran her fingers across the carving. "What a beautiful example of German workmanship. My great aunt has a Swiss one with very similar carving."

  "Right now I'm not interested in the workmanship or carving. Sometimes there's a hidden section in these old chests." Link ran his hand slowly over the interior surface. "Maybe I can find a handle, trigger, or loose panel. Have to find the papers that tie all of these events together."

  "I'll try the e
xterior on this side and the ends. Aunt Sophia's has a little lever right about...Yeow!" She jerked her hand away and sucked at the prick on her finger.

  "Great, you found the latch. Turn the light back over here." Link raised a panel from the floor of the chest. Underneath lay a stack of documents. He scanned each one and set some aside. "I saw these in Vince's office."

  "You mean Vince was in on this before we found you by the river?"

  "Yeah. He did some investigating for me.”

  “Ah, you’re the friend he told me about, the one interested in the land across the river from his?”

  “You got it. Would have aroused too much suspicion if I'd asked certain questions."

  "Hurry. Don't you know what you're looking for? Do you have to read each document?"

  "I hate to waste time, but I have to be certain the papers include those needed to offer some perspective on Mitzi's murder. Something here must have provoked her death."

  At last, he separated one envelope addressed to Mitzi in long hand. Opening the unsealed envelope, he extracted a letter and unfolded it. A tight scrawl covered the page and he read it aloud.

  My Dearest Mitzi,

  When my friend Paul Cox's son Coy was born, Paul was overjoyed. Soon, though, he realized Coy was not normal--not as bright as other children his age. A few years later Paul's wife Nancy had her third miscarriage and learned she could have no more children. Paul was heartbroken, and your mother comforted him. From that comfort, you were born.

  I have been accused of being a cold father. Perhaps now you understand why. I tried to be a good provider for you and your mother in your every need. I truly loved you both, but could not put the betrayal behind me. Always, whenever I saw you, I remembered the deception by your mother and my best friend.

  So, you see, you have a brother. Perhaps he is not the brother you always wished for, but he is a kind and gentle man. Please take care of him and treasure him for what he is. I have tried to do as much for you.

  Think kindly of me as you read this, because it will mean I am no longer here.

  All the love I had to give, I gave to you,

  Your Papa Jimbo

  "How sad, how very sad." Link folded the letter and returned it to its envelope. "This is what we came for--ties it all together. We'd better get out of here."

  "Surely you're not going to remove evidence?" Anna looked incredulous.

  "You think the good sheriff would preserve it if he found it? Oh, no. Like as not, he'd burn it. Or, he might bury it so deep in the files no one would ever see it."

  "But--"

  "Don't tell me someone who picks locks with the ease of a master criminal is suddenly concerned with removing evidence?"

  "Well, yes. Won't the chance of a conviction be jeopardized?"

  Vince's voice startled them. "Link...Anna...um, there's a problem here."

  Vince walked into the house, hands in the air. Behind him walked Douglas Evans, his Glock pointed at Vince.

  "Dixon, did I ever tell you about my daddy's auntie? Old darlin’ lives just across the street. Said she'd keep a close eye on this place for me, but I've been stayin' with her for a while now.”

  Evans flipped the light switch as he passed. A yellow glow illuminated the room. “She doesn't sleep very well. Arthritis, you know--and she gets up real early. Bless the old dear's heart, she waked me up when she saw a strange car over here."

  "Evans?" Link's stomach heaved. “Not you? Damn. Can't a man depend on anyone now days?"

  "I know it's a big disappointment, but you know how it is. The stock market being in such a jumble and all, my retirement fund just wasn't building up like it ought to."

  Anna glared at him. "You know this guy?"

  Link nodded. "FBI agent, one of the men who hired me to work undercover in Spencer County." He faced Evans. "Is Travis in on this, too?"

  "Mr. Squeaky Clean himself? Not likely. Fact is, I arranged for Dick to have a little auto accident. Too bad. He's in intensive care over at Baylor in Dallas.” He smiled a wicked grin. “Like the good friend that I am, I’ll pay him a very final visit after I take care of things here."

  From the corner of his eye, Link saw Anna test her grip on the heavy flashlight she held at her side. She moved an inch toward Evans. Vince's eyes widened in alarm, apparently he realized his sister’s intent. She moved another inch.

  To distract Evans, Link asked, "What can you do? You can't make the deaths of all three of us look accidental."

  "That's why I phoned Gary Don 'fore I came over here. I believe I'll let the good sheriff take credit for killin' y'all."

  Tires crunched on the driveway and a car door slammed. The sounds of a second vehicle arriving followed close behind. Anna took advantage of the distraction to move six inches.

  "There's help from Travis' office, Evans." Link hoped he spoke the truth. "Why not give it up?"

  "Nice try, but not likely. I believe that'll be the good sheriff comin' to make himself a hero."

  Gary Don Clayton filled the doorway. "Hot damn, Dixon, you sonofabitch." He laughed and hitched his britches up over his considerable belly. "I've got you now, you sorry bastard."

  Chapter Forty Six

  Gary Don looked from Vince to Anna. "I knew I could get you on this, Dixon. Looks like I caught a couple of extra pigeons."

  Buel Watson eased into the room behind him and drew his revolver.

  Evans spat out, "'Bout time you got here, Clayton. You really screwed up this time. Couldn’t hold one man in the hospital. Now we've got too many people involved here."

  Gary Don's eyes narrowed and his jaw jutted out in anger. "Hey, you're the one who wanted hot shot Dixon workin' undercover."

  "You fool, that was Travis.” He shrugged, but kept his gun on Vince. “What else could I do but go along?"

  Vince asked, "You fellas mind if I put my arms down? I'm getting tired of standing like this."

  He rolled his eyes to the right and held up two fingers. Link thought Vince meant he would take Evans.

  Link caught the message. As Vince lowered his arms, he fell back into Evans and grabbed the arm holding the gun. Anna stepped with her left foot and swung the flashlight, gripping it with both hands as Monica Seles would grip a tennis racket, getting full extension and connecting with Evans.

  If his head were a tennis ball it would be flying across the room at eighty miles an hour. Fortunately for Evans, or unfortunately as the case may be, his head stayed on his body and he collapsed to the floor.

  As Evans fell, Link lunged at Gary Don, keeping the sheriff between himself and Buel. Link hit with his shoulder to Gary Don's midsection. The paunch was not as soft as it looked, and Link and Gary Don crashed to the floor. With both hands on Gary Don's arm, Link left himself open for serious damage to his already battered body. Gary Don grabbed his throat with one powerful hand.

  The room spun as Link fought for air. His ears were near to exploding when he broke from Gary Don's grasp. The larger man threw him off and landed a solid punch to Link's fractured ribs.

  Excruciating pain radiated through the trunk of Link's body. His oxygen starved lungs refused to inflate. He wondered if a rib had punctured his lungs, but breath slowly returned as Gary Don rolled to his feet.

  Link tried to rise but Gary Don's gun pointed at him. "Make one move and you're dead."

  To the side, Vince had Evans's gun. Evans sat on the floor, rubbing the back of his head.

  Buel stepped out of the shadows, gun drawn. "Drop your gun, Gary Don."

  The look of surprise on Gary Don's face could not have been more dramatic than the surprise washing over Link.

  Gary Don backed up a couple of steps to give himself a view of all the players in the room. "You gone loco?"

  "Nope." Watson's weasel face looked grim. "This time I'm on the right side. You sorry bastard, you're going to jail."

  "Man, you're crazy. This set up is perfect. What's put a burr under your saddle?"

  "You forget about my boy? You fo
rget how he died?"

  "Hell, he was a dopehead. Killed himself 'cause he couldn't get enough of the stuff."

  The two men stood no more than ten feet apart, each with his gun pointed at the other.

  Watson's face grew red with rage. "No, he was a good boy 'til you got hold of him. He was off the stuff, too—stuff he got from your dealers. He was going to testify against you."

  He took a step forward and waved his gun at Gary Don. "You made it look like suicide, but I know you killed him. You're gonna pay for it now."

  "Damned if I will."

  Suddenly the room seemed to explode. To Link's ears, the gunshot sounded like a cannon blast in the small room.

  Gary Don watched Watson. "No one's gonna take me anywhere."

  Blood poured from the hole in Watson's stomach, but he stayed on his feet. He shot Gary Don in the arm, and the sheriff's gun went flying across the room.

  "The next shot will be just above your belt buckle. I'd love a reason to leave you gut shot but I want to see you get what's coming to you in jail." Watson sagged against the wall but kept his gun steady and pointed at Gary Don. "Dixon, get to the car and radio for the State Troopers."

  Link rose, but not fast enough. Gary Don yanked Anna in front of him, his bloody arm around her throat. With his other hand he flicked open a switchblade and held it at the side of her throat with the tip touching her jugular vein.

  Anna's eyes widened but she made no outcry.

  Gary Don dragged Anna in front of him as he backed out of the room. "Don't think you can get me. I’ll be sipping margaritas on my private island while you stiffs are dead or punching the clock. Goodbye, suckers."

  Watson slowly slid down the wall. "Go after him. I'll take care of Evans. Take my car."

  "You sure you can manage?" Link picked up the gun dropped by the sheriff.

  "Yeah. You don't know how much I want these sorry sons of bitches to pay for killin’ my boy." He pulled out his handcuffs and nodded at Evans. "I'll keep him here till help comes. Send the Troopers when you can."