“I hope not. I thought she was sufficiently scared the last time.”
Slowly, the darkness at the edges of Maggie’s vision began to fade. A pounding in her head made her sick to her stomach as she blinked herself awake. The first things she saw were the tall pines and thick bushes around her. Little sunlight made it to the ground. She tried to move, but couldn’t.
Then she remembered what had happened. Two men attacked me as I left the outhouse! Something held her tight. She looked down to see she was sitting on the ground, her back to a tree. She was tied with a thick rope, her arms at her sides. Rough bark scraped at her bare arms and against the back of her head. When she shouted, no sound came out except for a muffled cry; a gag was tightly bound in her mouth.
She heard a rustling in the underbrush and turned her head from side to side. The sound grew louder and louder, building in equal proportion to her fear.
Two men came into view. Fear filled Maggie’s thoughts when she recognized them as the men on the lake who’d tried to get her into their boat. The bald man stared at her with a mean look on his whiskered face.
“’Bout time you woke up, little bitch,” he snarled.
“Let’s get this over with,” the younger man said. He was handsome, in a rugged sort of way, with sandy-blond hair that hung over his ears. His green eyes locked with Maggie’s, but he spoke to the other man. “Ask her and be done with it.”
“Keep your shirt on.” Frank moved closer to Maggie, his face only a couple of inches from her own. The smell of alcohol was on his breath. “We’re gonna have us an understandin’, bitch. I’m gonna take that handkerchief outta your mouth and you ain’t gonna let out a peep. If you do, you’ll get hurt. Understand?”
Maggie nodded quickly.
“Now, wasn’t that easy?” Forcefully, the man yanked the gag out of Maggie’s mouth, and the handkerchief, still tied in a knot, fell below her chin. She’d never been more scared in her entire life, but she didn’t cry out.
“What do you want?” she asked fearfully.
“You just tell us where that good-for-nothin’ brother of yours is,” he growled, “and we’ll be happier than pigs in shit.”
“My brother?” Maggie was shocked. Simon had been right; this was all about what Harold had stolen from the bank.
“He’s got what’s ours. Where is he?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him in years.”
“Don’t give me that shit.” The man stepped closer to her. Purple veins stood out on his neck and forehead. “I bet my ass he gave you the money and you and that sister of yours are hidin’ it somewhere.”
“No!” Maggie shouted.
“Where the hell’s the money?”
“I don’t know!”
“Maybe seein’ your sister’s body floatin’ in the lake’ll shake your memory!”
For the first time since she’d been attacked, an emotion other than fear coursed through Maggie’s veins. Anger. Even though they could kill her with no more effort than swatting a fly, the thought of their hurting Nona was too much for her. Hot tears poured down her face and stung her eyes. Straining against the ropes, she shouted, “If you touch her, I’ll kill you!”
As fast as a rattlesnake, the man’s hand shot out and slapped Maggie hard across the mouth. Dazed by the force of the blow, she cringed in fear of another. Coppery blood filled her mouth. A strange, scraping noise made her look. The man was pulling a large knife from a sheath. He held it in front of her, and the faint light reflected off its steel.
“If there’s any killin’ to be done,” the man spat, “I’ll be the one doin’ it!”
Chapter 14
BY THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON, Nona was sick with fear. Simon, with Russ at the motor, had taken a boat across the lake to check out the abandoned camp grounds on the western shore. They’d scouted around but found no sign that Maggie had been there. They’d also searched up and down the lakeshore. Now, along with John Hogan, they were walking through the woods on the other side of the main road. Jack prowled the road in front of the cabins.
After frantically searching the camp grounds with Jack, Nona and Mabel dropped exhaustedly into their chairs, their shoulders slumped and their hearts heavy. Nona refused to let her mind dwell on the possibility that she would never see her sister again. Maggie was such a darling girl, trusting to a fault. It would be easy for someone to lure her or overpower her. Had the men in the boat taken her? Was it one of them who’d murdered LeAnn’s husband? If it was information about Harold they wanted, Maggie could tell them nothing.
“I shouldn’t have brought her here,” Nona muttered.
“Better here, where we have Simon, than the city,” Mabel countered. “You were doing what you thought was best for that girl. Nobody would disagree with that. Maggie is happy here.”
“What are we going to do?”
“We’re going to keep looking until we find her,” the older woman assured her. “Simon will find her and bring her back to us.”
“But what if he doesn’t?”
“Don’t think about that. He will,” Mabel repeated.
Nona wished she could share her friend’s optimism. Maggie was more like her daughter than her sister. With everything that had happened—the death of her parents, an uncaring brother—Maggie had been solely her responsibility and she had done the best she could. She had wanted Maggie to have a normal life. Even when it meant giving up some of her own dreams, she’d done it without a moment’s hesitation. Maggie was her sunshine, and the thought of losing her forever brought tears to Nona’s eyes and an emptiness to her heart.
“Oh, my God! Why didn’t I take her from here when I first heard about Harold?”
“You can’t blame yourself for this.” Mabel rose from her chair and put an arm around Nona. “Maggie could be lost in the woods. She could have gotten turned around and not known where she was. Simon could be back with her any minute.”
“She wouldn’t have done that,” Nona argued. The tears began to flow more freely, falling from her cheeks and soaking her blouse. When she could bring herself to speak again, her voice was little more than a whisper. “I can’t lose her! I can’t.”
“You won’t, sweetie,” Mabel said soothingly.
Loud footsteps sounded on the porch and then Simon opened the door. Jack and LeAnn were behind him. Nona jumped to her feet, grabbed his forearms, and searched his face. He shook his head lightly and frowned. “We haven’t found a trace of her, Nona.”
“Oh, God,” Nona sobbed. She collapsed into Simon’s arms. He pulled her tightly to his chest as her body heaved and fell. No one could offer a word of solace.
Maggie stared at the knife in the man’s hand. Her heart raced and her mouth was dry with fear. She had no doubt that he was serious; he meant to hurt her if she didn’t tell him what he wanted to know. The only problem was that she didn’t have the slightest idea where Harold was!
“Now how’s it gonna be, girlie?” the man continued. He squatted down beside Maggie and grabbed her by the chin, holding her head in place. Pressing the tip of the knife against her cheek, he said, “You talk or I’m gonna have to cut that pretty face of yours.”
Maggie was so frightened that she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, or even close her eyes. Instead, she stared ahead, fearful of the knife blade. Tears poured down her cheeks.
“That’s enough, Frank.” The other man moved closer.
“No, it ain’t near enough.”
“That’s enough!” The voice was more forceful. Webb grabbed his companion by the shoulder and turned him away from Maggie. With the knife gone from her cheek, the air rushed back into her lungs and she began to sob. She sagged against the ropes that held her. The enormity of what was happening to her overwhelmed her.
“She knows. Damn her!” Frank growled. He and Webb ignored the crying girl and stepped away from the tree. “This is the only chance we’re gonna get.”
“She ain’t gonna tell you shit with that knife in her face,”
Webb countered. “She’s just a kid.”
“And that’s why we gotta scare the hell outta her! She sees the blade and thinks we’re gonna slice her up, she’ll spill her guts.” Frank peered back over his shoulder. “If she sees some of her blood on this blade, she’ll sing like a goddamn canary.”
“I told you not to hurt her.”
“You sound like a broken record, Webb.” Frank sneered. “All right, Mr. Wise Ass, you have a go at her. But let’s get one thing straight right now,” he said as he lifted the knife so that it was between both of their faces. “If you don’t get results, we’re doin’ things my way.”
Webb’s guts tied themselves in knots at Frank’s words. The Chicago mob man was the sort of guy the bosses loved; he got results no matter what it took. But it was that same violent side that unnerved Webb. He’d do everything he could to keep him from killing the kid.
Webb took a hard look at their captive. Her head hung down, her body limp against the ropes, and her long brown hair hid her face. Her body rose and fell as she sobbed. The nightdress that she’d been wearing when they’d snatched her was streaked with dirt from her being thrown to the ground outside the outhouse. She can’t be more than fourteen, he thought as he lifted her head up and stared into her eyes. Tears, mucus, and saliva covered her face. Taking his handkerchief from his back pocket, he wiped her face. She stared at him with swollen eyes filled with fear.
“Your name’s Margaret, right?” he asked.
The girl’s face flinched at the mention of the name, but she didn’t acknowledge what Webb had said. Her eyes looked to either side of his head, searching for Frank and his knife.
“Look at me, girl. I’ve got a sister about your age. I don’t want to see you hurt.” Webb continued, “So I’d start answerin’ if I were you.”
Her gaze settled on Webb’s face and her sobbing abated. “Maggie,” she whispered. “My name’s Maggie.”
“See how easy that was.” Webb smiled. “By the way, you really hurt my hand with that boat oar.”
The fear instantly returned to Maggie’s face. “I’m sorry,” she said quickly.
Webb smiled. “There ain’t no reason to be sorry! Hell, if some fella tried to grab me out of a boat, I’d clobber him with whatever I could get my hands on, too. You were protectin’ yourself. I understand that.”
“I was scared.”
“Just like you are now, I’d reckon.” Webb nodded. “But I gotta be honest with you, Maggie. You got good reason to be scared. More scared than you ever been in your whole life. See, Frank over there ain’t the type a fella that can live with not gettin’ what he wants. Makes him crazy! Makes him do things that normal folk don’t do. You follow me?”
Maggie nodded her head slowly.
“That’s good. Now,” Webb started, leaning closely to Maggie, the easy smile still plastered on his face, “he asked you a question and I’m gonna ask you the same thing, except I ain’t gonna stick a knife in your face. When I ask it, you’re gonna answer.”
“But, I . . . ,” Maggie began before Webb cut her off.
“Hush, girl. Think before you say somethin’ you might regret.” Webb paused for a moment, then asked, “Where is Harold? Did he give you or your sister anything to hide?”
“I already told you,” Maggie cried, her eyes wet with tears. “I don’t know! We aren’t close to Harold! He cheated us over Daddy’s will so Nona and I don’t talk to him much! We haven’t talked to him in a long time! I don’t know anything about him. I swear!”
“Didn’t your momma teach you not to lie,” Webb scolded.
“I’m not lying! I’m not!”
“Yes you are, Maggie. We know your sister went to town and called your brother’s office just a couple of days ago. She’s called him a buncha times the last couple a months. We got somebody watchin’ that end just like we’re watchin’ this one.”
“I didn’t know,” Maggie exclaimed.
The look on the girl’s face made Webb unsure. Over the last couple of years, he’d forced dozens of people to tell him things they didn’t want to tell, and on each and every one of them, he’d seen the moment where they’d been caught in their own lies. It was never much; a twitch, a guilty look in their eye, something to give them away. But Maggie’s face betrayed none of those things.
“Harold is family,” he pressed. “Ain’t much in this world a fella can count on, but family is the sort a thing you can downright depend on. Now, Harold’s a bright guy, but he ain’t bright enough to do all of this by himself. He’d need help. Way I reckon it, that’s where you and Nona come in.”
Maggie’s eyes grew wide at the mention of her sister’s name.
“Surprised that I know your sister’s name? Don’t be. I know all sorts of things about your family. For instance, I know you and Nona have been poorer than dirt the last couple a years. I bet that when Harold came up with his plan to steal the money, the two of you jumped at the chance. You came down here, to the camp, with the money Harold sent you to hide. Once things quiet down, you get a cut and are on easy street.”
“Nona would never be part of something like that! We’re not like Harold! He’s a snake and has been trying to keep us from the money our daddy left us.”
“Where’s the money?” Webb repeated.
“I don’t know!” Maggie wailed.
“I don’t believe you,” Webb lied. If Maggie had known, she’d have talked by now. They had grabbed the wrong sister!
“Goddammit, Webb!” Frank snarled. “I’ll make the bitch talk!” He came toward Maggie quickly, the knife still clutched tightly in one hand. He raised his other hand and Maggie clenched her eyes shut, bracing herself for another blow, but it never came.
“Wait!” Webb said, stepping in front of Frank. Frank stopped, a wild look in his eyes. He was a predator who was used to getting his prey. “Hurtin’ her now ain’t gonna get us anywhere.”
“The hell it won’t!” the older man roared. “Her and that sister of hers know exactly where the money is! Harold ain’t gonna protect you now, little bitch. I promise you that!”
“Not yet!” Webb said firmly. If he were wrong, if Maggie really did know where the money was, Frank would probably kill her before they got what they wanted, and then he’d go after the other sister. What Maggie needed was time. “I got a better idea.”
“It sure as hell better be better than the last one!”
Webb turned his back on the other man and faced Maggie again. The girl looked at him pleadingly, but he had no compassion to give. He wanted the same thing Frank did; he just wasn’t willing to go as far to get it.
“What she needs is time to think about it. She needs to spend the night tied to this tree, all by her lonesome, with no food or water, and then we’ll see if she’s willing to talk in the mornin’.”
“Hell, that ain’t half-bad!” Frank exclaimed. He moved closer to the tree, and the girl shivered. “Course, there ain’t no guarantee there’ll be anything left of her come daylight. There’s wolves in these woods, girlie.”
“Wolves?” Maggie choked.
“Packs of ‘em,” Frank continued, his eyes gleaming with a sinister glee. “Big and mean with fangs and claws near as long as this knife.” He held up the blade to help illustrate his point. “You spend the night cryin’ out, they’ll find you. Won’t take but a couple a minutes for a wolf to rip the flesh off your bones. We won’t find nothin’ but a skeleton come mornin’.”
Maggie’s eyes grew wide, and her heart began to beat faster. She was already miserable tied to the tree. A night alone in the woods would be unbearable, especially if there were wild animals. She glanced up at the trees above her, trying to see the sun. When she finally located it, she couldn’t tell if it was still rising or setting. She might only have a couple of hours until nightfall. They couldn’t be serious about leaving her in the woods overnight.
“Last chance,” Webb offered.
“I don’t know anything about any money!” Maggie cr
ied as she strained against the ropes. They cut into the bare skin of her arms, leaving painful red burns, but she paid them no heed. The fear of being left overnight in the woods was greater.
“Then you’ll rot,” Frank barked and yanked the handkerchief up from her neck and forced it back into her mouth. Once he was sure it was tight, he stepped back and smirked. “That might keep you quiet enough so the wolves won’t hear you screamin’, but I wouldn’t take no bets on it.”
“Think long and hard about what you’re gonna tell us in the mornin’,” Webb said. The two men stepped around the tree and were lost to sight. Their footsteps slowly grew fainter before they were lost to Maggie’s ears. She was alone!
“Uhhhhh,” Maggie moaned into the gag as she strained against the rope, but nothing changed. She was tied fast. Her mind raced.
Now that she was completely alone, every sound in the woods was magnified. Every snap of a twig, or rustle of a leaf, was a sign that someone or something was approaching. She was struck by the thought that she would never see Nona again, and it was nearly more than she could bear. Why hadn’t she listened to Nona and Simon? She was going to die because she’d been stubborn with the people she loved!
Alone, Maggie sobbed into the gag.
LeAnn sat beside Jack as they watched the sky darken and stars appear, one by one. From Nona’s porch, the view across the lake would have been beautiful and serene at any other time. Now the open expanse served to remind LeAnn of the unknown and the frightening. Someone out there had killed Ernie. Someone out there had taken Maggie from them.
“Will the sheriff be any help or will he think she’s just run off?” LeAnn wondered. After they had exhausted their search of the camp, Simon had called the sheriff and gone into town to ask for volunteers. Now, as darkness approached, he still hadn’t returned.
“The more people who’re looking for her, the better.”
“But what if they can’t find her? What if they’ve taken her out of the state or . . .” LeAnn’s words stuck in her throat and she left the thought unspoken. It was too painful to even imagine Maggie meeting the same fate as her late husband.
On Tall Pine Lake Page 13