Billy Clyde nodded. “Or maybe they decided I was too much trouble to deal with. And decided to go with Plan B. Forget Plan A, let me bleed to death in the bathroom, and then kill Theresa.” His voice broke on the last words. “My fighting back might have gotten her killed.”
He had a point, but Dylan wouldn’t tell him that. “I doubt if they’d give up that easy. There was some planning involved in this. That means they know you well enough to know you’d fight back. By the way, the tires on your car and van are flat. Guess they didn’t want you following them in case you won the fight.”
“As if I could.”
“They knew you’d get free sooner or later.”
“Way too late for that now. Speaking of which, what time is it?”
Dylan looked at his watch. “It’s almost two o’clock.”
“How’d you get here so fast?”
“I had a friend fly me to Cumberland and rented a boat.” Dylan snapped his fingers. “And here I am.”
Dylan looked at his friend. Billy Clyde was a powerful man, both physically and mentally, but he looked like a broken man at the moment. He took pride in being able to take care of any problem for anybody.
Dylan knew the former Marine in Billy Clyde was berating himself for allowing his wife to be kidnapped. “This isn’t your fault. You can’t keep the ones you love prisoners, you know that as well as I do.”
Billy Clyde’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Dylan. “You say that now, but you were ready to do the same thing last year when it was Reggie that was in danger. And she wasn’t even your wife then.”
Dylan nodded. Couldn’t argue with the big man about that.
“Speaking of Reggie, how is it you were able to come down here without her? It doesn’t sound like her. I would have thought she would have insisted on coming.”
“I didn’t exactly tell her. I told her I had a problem, and she should take a mini-vacation for a few days. She didn’t look happy about it, but she didn’t argue.”
Billy Clyde’s eyes grew wide and in spite of the circumstances, he managed a small chuckle. “Oh, man. I would hate to be you when she finds out.”
“It’ll be fine. Reggie is nothing if not reasonable.”
“If you say so.” Billy Clyde stood. “Theresa’s car has Track-Time. They should be able to tell me where her car is.”
“Great. It might give us a place to start looking for her.”
A phone rang. They looked at each other.
“Not mine.”
“Or mine.” Billy Clyde chimed in.
“It’s coming from the bathroom.” Dylan ran. His eyes scanned the bathroom. There it was. On the sink. He picked up the phone and ran back in the living room and tossed it to Billy.
He caught the phone and opened it in one efficient move. “Hello.” Hit the speaker button after putting a finger to his lip.
“Given enough time, I thought you’d be resourceful enough to get yourself untied.”
“Oh, I’m plenty resourceful.”
“So, I hear.”
“Where’s my wife?”
“Don’t worry about your pretty little wife right now. She’s fine and she’ll stay that way as long as you cooperate with us.”
“And what if I don’t?”
“Then, that will be a problem.”
The coldness in the man’s voice chilled Dylan.
“What do you want?” Billy’s dark eyes flashed with anger.
“All in good time. I was mostly calling to see if you’d bled to death or managed to free yourself.”
“I want to talk with Theresa.”
“Not this time, maybe later.”
“I said—”
“I don’t care what you said. I’m the one in control, Addams, and it would do you well to remember that. Or maybe you don’t care about her as much as you pretend. Understand?”
Billy gritted his teeth and then answered. “I understand.”
“Good, then. Here’s what you need to know for the moment. Do not call the police, the FBI, or anyone else you think could help. You sit there and do nothing. Next time, I call I’ll have some instructions for you. Play nice, Addams or you’ll be attending your wife’s funeral.”
“When will...” Billy’s voice trailed off. The man had hung up. Billy hit buttons on the phone and shook his head. “No call back number. His phone must be encrypted.”
“Must be. What are we going to do, Billy Clyde?”
“Get my wife back.”
CHAPTER 9
After checking and rearming all the security alarms on the property, they decided it had to have been Theresa’s remote that allowed the men into the cabin without Billy Clyde being alerted.
“Can’t you change the access codes?” Dylan stared at the huge computer monitor attached to the wall in Billy Clyde’s basement office.
Dylan’s eyes scanned the basement, Billy Clyde’s play pen. One section had a fully equipped gym, another section a home theater, but his pride and joy was his office.
His office took a full half of the huge basement and was encased in glass to keep it climate-controlled. He claimed it was best for his babies, the computers. Several large flat screen monitors hung on the wall. Smaller monitors sat on the counter along with several computers and key boards.
Billy Clyde rubbed the bandage on his arm. “I can, but what if Theresa escapes and can’t get back in the house. I won’t take that chance. I’ll let the dogs out. They’ll make sure no one gets in.”
“If your arm’s hurting, why not take some pain meds?”
Billy Clyde dropped his hand away from the bandaged wound. “Need a clear head.”
“A couple of aspirin won’t—”
“Maybe later, Monroe.”
Now was not the time to argue. Dylan nodded. “What do you think is going on?”
“Not sure, but they didn’t just happen to have an encrypted phone on them to give me. So this was planned. We need to make sure they aren’t hanging around the area.” Billy hit some keys on the keyboard. In seconds, the monitors began to fill up with scenes of Billy Clyde’s property. He pointed to the first monitor on the left. “This is the entrance gate.”
The screen showed a peaceful pastoral scene. The gate blocking the entrance way was disguised with bushes and small trees making it look as if the road ended, effectively hiding the cabin from anyone who didn’t know it existed.
He hit another button. A paved road popped up on the monitor. “This is the area at the turnoff.”
Using a mouse, the monitor began scanning the area. No one lurked about. No cars sitting on the side of the road. Nothing unusual as far as Dylan could see. “There doesn’t seem to be anyone around.”
They went through the process of checking every inch of Billy Clyde’s property. Easy to do since Billy Clyde had surveillance cameras installed everywhere on the property.
His computers had access to information that would give most people nightmares. It also made him a target of terrorists. Not that he’d said those words aloud yet, but knowing his friend the thought had already occurred to him as well.
Billy Clyde turned toward Dylan with a satisfied look. “I’m guessing they aren’t out there watching me, but they might have set up some electronic surveillance equipment.”
Dylan nodded.
“I’m going to check for bugs and cameras on the grounds. We might be dealing with electronic savvy criminals.”
Dylan stood. “I’ll do that. You need to rest and drink some more water. How’s the arm?”
“Let me put it this way. I’ve had better days.”
“And you should eat something.” Dylan opened a small refrigerator and handed Billy Clyde two more bottles of water.
“Later. Right now, I need to check the security recordings. They were wearing masks when I saw them but maybe they weren’t smart enough to wear them the whole time they were on the property.”
“And if we’re really lucky, we’ll see their license plate number a
nd be able to trace them.”
They weren’t. The security monitors showed the vehicle, a nondescript sedan with the plate numbers hidden and no identifying marks.
Dylan shook his head but stood. “Where’s your exterminating equipment? I’ll go check your property for bugs and any other pesky vermin.”
Billy Clyde chuckled. “Sit down, Monroe. This is the twenty-first century.”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot who I was talking to.” He sat back down and watched Billy Clyde hit the computer icon of a bug. Five minutes later, Billy Clyde looked over at him. “The only electronics in the area are mine. So, definitely a bluff. Let’s call Track-Time and see what we can find out about Theresa’s car.”
“I don’t understand why you bother paying for Track-Time when I’m absolutely sure you can do everything they can do and more.”
Billy Clyde nodded. “This is true, Monroe but I figured what if Theresa or I were in an accident, help would only be a push of a button away.”
They looked at each other, neither willing to say the unspoken words—why hadn’t Theresa pushed that button?
CHAPTER 10
After Dylan changed the tires on the car and van, he walked back into the cabin. Billy Clyde sat at the kitchen island looking exhausted and in pain. He pointed to a plate of sandwiches.
“Eat something, Monroe.”
In battle, soldiers ate when they had the chance. Someone had declared war on Billy Clyde’s family and there’d be little rest for them until Theresa was back in her home where she belonged.
The men ate in silence and then went back out to the garage.
Billy Clyde slid into the driver’s seat of his huge black SUV while Dylan did the same on the passenger side. Dylan held a notebook and pen. He nodded at Billy Clyde who hit the Track-Time button.
“Is this an emergency?” A disembodied woman’s voice asked.
“No.”
“Please identify yourself.”
“William Addams-72355.”
A moment later the voice was back. “Yes, Mr. Addams how can I be of help to you.”
“I need some information on my other vehicle—car 921953.”
“What would you like to know?”
“I’d like to have its location.”
“It is presently at 222 North Cacapon Road.” The woman mispronounced the name.
Dylan scribbled down the address.
“Thanks, I also need to know every location it went to today and the time it was there.”
Silence.
Dylan looked over at Billy Clyde whose face was devoid of emotion.
“Is there a problem, Mr. Addams?” The voice asked.
A flush moved up Billy Clyde’s brown neck but his voice was calm. “I need to know those locations. You’ve already checked and I have clearance to access that information, so give me the addresses.”
“But—”
“Would you prefer I talk with your supervisor?”
“No, that won’t be necessary. I wasn’t implying you didn’t have the right to the information. I thought you might be having a problem we could assist with. Sorry for the misunderstanding.”
Dylan wished she could help them. He wished he could do something more than just sitting there beside his best friend.
Billy Clyde’s facial muscles relaxed. “No apology necessary. Thanks for being concerned.”
Dylan wrote as the woman rattled off the three addresses. Billy Clyde thanked her and disconnected the call. “Let’s go.”
“Maybe you should stay. What if they do come back to check on you and you’re not here? I can go and—”
“In what? Your boat?”
“I didn’t think about that, but they told you to stay put.”
“Can’t be helped.” Billy Clyde shrugged. “I’m willing to take the risk. I’ll program the home phone so calls get forwarded to my cell and I’ll take the cell phone they left for me. I’ll bring the dogs in here. If anyone is dumb enough to come back, they’ll be in for a nasty surprise.”
An understatement if Dylan had ever heard one—since they were trained attack dogs. Sweet and kind most of the time, but when given the order, lethal.
“I’ll get the dogs.”’
“I’ll stay in the car.”
Billy Clyde chuckled. “Those dogs wouldn’t hurt a flea...unless I tell them to.”
“So, you say.”
CHAPTER 11
Dylan drove Billy Clyde’s car. It was the only concession Billy made to the bullet wound. They pulled into Paw Paw’s local grocery store’s parking lot—the current address of Theresa’s car according to Track-Time.
Billy Clyde pointed two rows over. “There it is.”
Dylan pulled into the nearest parking space and Billy Clyde jumped out and moving toward Theresa’s bright yellow Bug before he could put the vehicle in park. After turning the car off, Dylan followed.
Billy Clyde opened the door with the spare key and pounded a massive fist on the back of the driver’s seat. Dylan put a hand on the man’s shoulder. “It’s not like we thought she was going to be here.”
“I know, but I was praying for a miracle.” Billy Clyde hit the button on the remote. The trunk popped open. He stared at it, but didn’t move. He motioned with his head. “You check the trunk, Monroe, I’ll see if I can find anything helpful in here.”
A sense of dread filled Dylan as he approached the trunk. Still better he find out what was in the trunk rather than Billy Clyde. Please God, don’t let Theresa be in there—dead. He lifted up the trunk and let out a sigh.
No Theresa. No blood.
Leaving the trunk open, he walked back to Billy Clyde. “Nothing. I’ve never seen anyone keep a trunk that clean.”
“The woman is a fanatic about her trunk.”
“Anything inside?”
“Her purse and her doctor’s bag.”
“Doctor’s bag?”
“We live in a rural area. It’s come in handy more than once. Not to mention she’s taken up midwifing.” Billy Clyde closed the driver’s door. “This doesn’t really tell us anything. They might have grabbed her here or it could have been somewhere else. They could have dropped the car here afterwards. Hard to know.”
“Do you think the store has surveillance video?” Dylan pointed at the grocery store.
“Only one way to find out.” Billy Clyde locked the car doors and then slammed the trunk shut. He marched into the store.
Dylan felt sorry for anyone who got in his way.
Billy Clyde went up the customer service counter. A young African-American woman, maybe twenty or so, sat on a stool with a phone in her hand, texting a friend no doubt. Her hair had a wild retro Afro look about it. “Hey, LaTisha. howya doing?”
She looked up from the phone. Her freckles crinkled as she smiled. “I’m fine, Mr. Billy. What do you need?”
“Did you see Theresa today?”
The young clerk shook her head.
“I need to take a look at the surveillance films from today.”
LaTisha’s eyes grew large. “Why? Is there a problem?”
He reached down and patted her hand. “Nothing I can’t take care of. Just need to see the videos.”
LaTisha didn’t look convinced. “If they’re working. They don’t work half the time. I tried to tell corporate to fix them, but you know how that is.” She grabbed a set of keys and walked out from behind the counter revealing a very pregnant stomach. “Are you sure Miss Theresa’s ok?”
“Don’t worry, she’ll be here for your delivery. She wouldn’t miss that for anything, you know that.” He looked over at Dylan. “Theresa’s her midwife.”
Dylan’s eye looked back at the pregnant woman, ready to deliver any day. He hoped they could keep Billy Clyde’s promise.
LaTisha unlocked the manager’s door and held it open for them.
Billy Clyde looked down at LaTisha. “How’s things with the two of you? Any problems?”
She rolled her eyes and put her
hand on her belly in a protective manner. She leaned closer and lowered her voice. “I wish we didn’t live so close to his family. They’re a little different. If you know what I mean.”
“I understand, but at least you have your own house. Theresa said it’s adorable. I heard a rumor about some trouble with the family.”
She nodded. “Back taxes. But my husband says it’s nothing for me to worry about. His dad deeded us the house and property so it’s got nothing to do with us. Our taxes are paid up.”
“Good to hear. Let me know if I can help.”
“Praying might be a good idea.” She stepped back toward the door. “I gotta get back to the counter, Mr. Billy. Call me if you can’t figure out how it works.”
“Thanks. I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”
LaTisha looked back and forth at the two men, uncertainty in her eyes. “Are you sure everything’s okay with Miss Theresa? What do you need the surveill—”
Billy Clyde walked over and put a hand on the young woman’s shoulder. “I’m going to take care of it. You worry about taking care of yourself and that baby.” He led her toward the door as he talked, then shut the door.
“That was easy. Good thing you knew the manager.”
“She’s not the manager, probably the assistant manager. The manager is no doubt over at his girlfriend’s house for his weekly visit while his wife is on her weekly shopping trip.” He shrugged. “What can I say? Paw Paw’s like Fredericksburg. Everyone knows everyone and their business. Pretty hard to hide in a town of five hundred.”
“Tell me about it.”
Billy Clyde hit a button on the VCR. “Of course, everyone loves Theresa as you could see, but most people around here are afraid of me for some reason.” He walked over to a shelf. Four VCRs crowded the tiny shelf. “These look a little out-of-date.”
“Yea, I figured as much. Let’s get busy.”
Forty minutes later, they’d watched the surveillance videos and learned nothing. Theresa hadn’t gone into the store and the car was out of range for the camera in the parking lot.
Killer Reads: A Collection of the Best in Inspirational Suspense Page 88