Alien Allure: A Garden Girls Cozy Mystery (Garden Girls Christian Cozy Mystery Series Book 23)

by Hope Callaghan

  “This is as far as I go. I’ll wait here.”

  “Suit yourself.” Gloria surveyed the exterior of the home.

  “Now what?”

  “I’m checking for cameras. I’ll be back.” Gloria began making her way along the front, noting the blinds were shut.

  She turned the corner before making her way along the backside, passing by a wooden deck and a sliding glass door. The vertical blinds covering the door were closed. Not far from the deck, there was a small window several feet off the ground.

  Gloria paused when she reached the breezeway windows. She pressed her forehead against the windowpane. The breezeway was empty except for a pair of rubber boots near the back door.

  She crept around the corner. Parked close to the garage was a gray van. Gloria squeezed between the garage and the passenger side, stopping when she reached the sliding door. The door was locked. “Crud.”

  She scooted forward and grasped the passenger door handle. It was also locked.

  Her next stop was the rear cargo doors. She tried the handles before cupping her hands to her eyes and peering into the dark interior.

  A set of jumper cables, a shovel and what appeared to be a grocery bag were on the floor.

  Liz peeked around the corner. “Are you done snooping?”

  “Almost.” Gloria approached the driver’s side window and spied a drink cup in the center console. She eased to the left, bouncing onto the tips of her toes as she struggled to catch a glimpse of the rear bench seat.

  She inched back and studied the van’s running boards. Gloria grasped the side mirror and hoisted herself up, teetering back and forth before managing to steady herself. From her perch, she had an unobstructed view.

  Her breath caught in her throat when she caught sight of what was on the bench seat.

  Chapter 23

  Gloria stumbled off the running board, her hand trembling as she fumbled to pull her cell phone from her pocket. She scrolled the screen and dialed the Montbay County Sheriff’s Department.

  “Montbay County Sheriff. What’s your emergency?”

  “I need to speak with Officer Nelson or Deputy Bowman.”

  “Officer Nelson is on patrol. Deputy Bowman is here. Let me connect you.”

  “Thanks.” Gloria squeezed her eyes shut and began to pray.

  “Deputy Elaine Bowman speaking.”

  “Yes. This is Gloria Kennedy. I’m at 2110 Krampton Road in Rockville. I think I may have found the van involved in the recent child abduction.” Gloria remembered Bea’s clue of the license having a three or an eight. She ran around back and found both a three and an eight on the license plate.

  “Deputies are on the way,” Bowman said. “Don’t touch anything.”

  “I’ll wait out front.” Gloria disconnected the call and hurried to where Liz waited.

  “You think this is it?”

  “Without a doubt. We need to hightail it out of here before someone shows up.”

  “You should have thought of that before you decided to trespass.” Liz struggled to keep up as she dug inside her purse for her keys. “Did you see a weapon?”

  “I saw a set of jumper cables and a shovel.”

  Liz made a strangling sound. “I wonder how many people this man has kidnapped and buried. Maybe he’s a serial killer.”

  “I don’t even want to think about that.”

  Liz climbed inside and started the SUV while Gloria ran around to the other side. “Now what?”

  “We find a spot to hang out and wait for the police.”

  Liz checked the rearview mirror before steering the SUV onto the road. She drove to the corner and pulled into a vacant lot. “We’ll wait here.”

  The minutes ticked slowly by as Gloria anxiously peered out the front windshield.

  Chirp. Gloria clutched her chest, nearly jumping out of her skin when her cell phone chimed. It was Ruth. “I forgot to call Ruth.”

  She pressed the answer button. “Hey, Ruth. We found something. The cops are on the way. You need to keep Cliff there.”

  “That’s why I’m calling. He’s getting ready to leave.”

  “No!” Gloria shouted. “You have to stall him. Do whatever it takes.”

  “I…uh. Okay. Margaret is with me. We’ll think of something.”

  “I’m counting on you. We have to give the authorities time to look around.”

  “I’m on it,” Ruth promised.

  *****

  Ruth disconnected the call and waved her phone at Margaret. “We gotta do something.”

  “Do something?” Margaret frowned.

  “We need to stall Cliff and stop him from leaving.”

  Ruth grabbed Margaret’s arm and dragged her out of the office. “Gloria is at his house. She’s onto something, and the investigators are on the way. We have to give them time to look around before he gets there.”

  “The cops are on the way? On the way could mean hours from now,” Margaret said.

  “Seriously. We can’t let him leave. Hopefully, he and Leonard are still at the pavilion. We’ll take the go-kart. It will be faster.” Ruth fired up the contraption, barely giving Margaret time to climb in before stomping on the gas pedal. She nearly clipped the back of her van as she swerved onto the road.

  Margaret clutched the side of the seat, becoming airborne as they flew over a rut in the road. “What if we slash his tires?”

  “That’s a little extreme. We could let the air out of them instead.” Ruth reached inside the glove compartment and handed Margaret a set of screwdrivers. “I’ll stall Cliff while you let the air out of one of his tires.”

  “What if someone sees me?”

  “I… It can’t be helped. The chili cookoff is getting ready to start, so no one should be hanging around. You’ll have to move fast.”

  “Somehow, I see this blowing up in our faces.” Margaret removed a small screwdriver and examined the tip. “But then, I suppose we’ve done worse.”

  “Much worse. This should be a walk in the park. I see Cliff’s vehicle. It’s the beater Chevy.” Ruth slowed long enough for Margaret to jump out. She ran to the vehicle and crouched next to the front tire before Ruth could even take off.

  Ruth sped to the pavilion and let out a sigh of relief when she spotted Cliff talking to Leonard. She bolted from the go-kart, jogging past a group of convention-goers until she reached the men. “I’m glad you’re both still here,” she said breathlessly.

  “What’s up?”

  “I…uh. Well, I was thinking. I know Cliff is getting ready to leave, but I’m feeling kind of under the weather.” Ruth clutched her stomach. “I’m not sure I’m up to judging the chili cookoff.”

  “The way you’re running around, I can see why,” Leonard said. “Your face is flushed. Do you have a fever?”

  “No.” Ruth pressed a hand to her cheek. “It’s something else. Maybe a little indigestion.”

  “I would like to stay and help, but I have some errands to take care of before the last event this evening,” Cliff said.

  “I could really use a hand,” Ruth grimaced.

  “I’m sorry, Ruth. I can’t. I’m sure you’ll get by with one less judge.” Cliff placed a light hand on her arm before turning to go. “Perhaps Bernie can help instead.”

  Ruth lunged to the side, blocking his exit. “I’m sure she would do in a pinch, but are you sure?”

  The smile never left Cliff’s face as he carefully sidestepped her. “What about your friend…the one who was just with you? Perhaps she can fill in.”

  “She…uh. Margaret is a vegetarian. Yeah. She doesn’t eat meat. Or beans.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Ruth,” Leonard said. “I’m sure we won’t have any trouble finding someone to take your place.”

  Cliff gave a quick wave. “I’ll see you both later.”

  Ruth reluctantly watched him walk away, praying she’d given Margaret enough time to do the deed.

  “Are you okay, Ruth?” Leonard cast her a concern
ed look. “Your face is really red.”

  “I’ll…I’ll be fine. At least I hope I’ll be fine. If someone doesn’t give me a heart attack.” Ruth made small talk with Leonard for a few more minutes before excusing herself.

  She returned to the spot where she’d dropped Margaret off.

  Margaret was nowhere in sight. Cliff’s blazer was still there – and so was Cliff.

  Ruth pulled up next to him. “I thought you were leaving.”

  “Someone let the air out of my tire.” Cliff pointed to the flat tire.

  “Maybe you ran over something.”

  “No. I checked. The tire is fine. The valve cap is missing. I also found this.” He held up Ruth’s screwdriver.

  “Who would do such a thing? I’m sure there’s an air pump around here somewhere.”

  “There’s one in the office’s storage closet.” Cliff tossed the screwdriver on the ground. “I’ll need the keys.”

  “Hop in. I’ll give you a lift.” They reached the office, and Ruth led the way inside. She watched as he unlocked the closet door and removed a portable air pump.

  “Would you like a ride back?”

  “Thanks, but I think I’ll walk.”

  Ruth waited for him to stroll past the window. She closed the door before pulling out her cell phone and dialing Gloria’s number.

  “Hey, Ruth.”

  “Hey, Gloria. Are the cops there?”

  “Not yet. Where’s Cliff?”

  “He’s outside putting air in his tire.”

  “You let the air out of his tire?”

  “Margaret did. He’ll have it aired up in a few and then be on his way.” Ruth quickly calculated the distance from the flea market to Rockville. “You have half an hour, tops.”

  “If the cops don’t get here soon, I don’t know what we’ll do. He could refuse to let them on his property, and then they’ll have to spend precious time getting a search warrant. By then, the potential evidence could be long gone.”

  “They won’t be able to access the inside of his vehicle without a warrant,” Ruth said.

  “Yes, but they’ll be able to see the wig from the driver’s side window.”

  “The wig?”

  “Matching the description Ryan and the other boy gave,” Gloria said. “Think about it. He drives the van to drop off tables. Then, he tells you it’s in the shop when it’s parked next to his house.”

  “And he mentioned Ryan’s brother,” Ruth said.

  “Because Ryan mentioned Tyler when they met yesterday. Don’t you see? It’s him. Oh, and there’s a shovel in the back of his van.”

  Ruth let out a low whistle. “Unbelievable. I never would’ve suspected Cliff.”

  There was a muffled sound on the other end. “Gotta go, Ruth. The cops just turned onto the road.”

  *****

  Liz waited until two patrol cars passed by and then followed behind, returning to the same spot where they’d parked earlier.

  Gloria jumped out of the SUV and met Deputy Bowman in the driveway. “Just a heads up – the property owner is on his way.”

  “What have you got?” Bowman asked.

  “Follow me.” Gloria led them to the van and the driver’s side window. “This van matches the description of the van the Bearney boy gave. Bea McQueen, a Belhaven resident, also spotted a suspicious vehicle matching this description. She remembers the license plate had either a three or an eight.”

  “We spoke with Ms. McQueen.” The deputy strode to the back of the vehicle to inspect the license plate. “Do you know who owns this vehicle?”

  “I do.” Gloria explained the owner, Cliff Gates, was one of the NASCA convention coordinators.

  “I don’t understand why this vehicle wasn’t already searched,” Bowman shook her head.

  “Because Gates only drove this to the convention once, when he was dropping off tables. He’s been driving an older Chevy blazer since then. He told Ruth Carpenter, the person in charge of the convention, that his van was in the shop.”

  Bowman lifted a brow. “We have no proof this vehicle was involved. Mr. Gates will need to give us permission to search the van, or we’ll need some sort of reasonable cause.”

  “Would a wig matching the abductor’s description give you reasonable cause?”

  “I…yes.”

  “Then perhaps you should take a look at the backseat and tell me if that isn’t a long-haired wig.”

  The deputy stared at Gloria for a moment before peering into the window. She gave a quick intake of breath and reached for her radio. “It’s time for us to get a search warrant.”

  “I know for a fact Cliff Gates is on his way here.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Positive,” Gloria said.

  The deputy motioned to the others. “Time to move out if we want to catch him off guard.” She turned to Gloria. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave for your own safety.”

  Liz, who had been standing nearby, nudged her sister. “We’re out of here. We can find out what happened later.”

  “I suppose,” Gloria and Liz fell into step. “If this is him, I hope we put him out of business, and he isn’t able to hurt another child.”

  “Which is the most important thing.”

  As they drove off, Gloria could see the patrol cars back out of the driveway and head in the opposite direction. “Ten bucks says they’re going to hang out in the field down the road. That’s where I would hide if I was going for the element of surprise.”

  Liz stopped at the corner, waiting for a rusty blazer to turn onto the road. Gloria caught a glimpse of the driver. It was Cliff Gates. “There he is. We got out of there in the nick of time. What would it hurt to hang out here and watch?”

  “I…” Liz tightened her grip on the steering wheel. “If we stay, does that mean I have a place to hang my hat if Margaret isn’t quite ready for me yet?”

  Gloria studied the side mirror. She could see the blazer hit the brakes before turning into the driveway. Moments later, the police cars sped down the road. They stopped in front of the property, blocking the entrance. “Of course, you do. Even if we don’t stay.”

  From where they were parked, the only thing Gloria could see was the front of the mailbox and a row of trees. Fifteen minutes passed, twenty and then half an hour.

  “I have to go to the bathroom.” Liz wiggled uncomfortably. “Obviously, the police are onto something, or they would’ve left already.”

  “Yeah. We can go.” Gloria reached for her seatbelt. “Why do I always miss all of the good stuff?”

  Liz eased the SUV onto the road. Flashing lights appeared as two more patrol cars roared past them. “More cops. My guess is they nailed him.”

  “Yes, Liz. I believe you’re right.”

  The women arrived at the flea market to find Ruth, Margaret, Lucy and Rose taking a break inside the office.

  “Well?” Ruth waited for the women to join them. “Was it him?”

  “I’m almost positive it’s him.” Gloria plopped down in an empty chair. “Deputy Bowman told us we had to leave, so we drove to the end of the road and watched.” She explained how several more police cars arrived at the scene.

  “Cliff is having a bad day. You should’ve seen him when he found out someone let the air out of his tire.”

  Liz wandered across the room and gave Margaret a light tap on the shoulder. “Are you ready for a roommate?”

  “I am. I thought you were still a couple of days out.”

  “She’s driving a speed demon vehicle,” Gloria joked. “It shortened the trip.”

  “I don’t want to impose. If it’s a problem, I’ll hang out at Gloria’s place for a couple of days.”

  “I’m ready for you. Actually, I’m looking forward to the company.”

  “Whew.” Gloria wiped an imaginary hand across her brow.

  “It’s time to check out the chili cookoff,” Ruth said. “Anyone care to sample the goods?”

  “I’m star
ving.” Lucy patted her stomach. “I think I need something sweet first.”

  “There are plenty of goodies over there,” Ruth grabbed her keys. “Let’s go.”

  The cookoff lasted a couple of hours. All the while, Gloria wondered what happened when the authorities confronted Cliff. Finally, she couldn’t stand it any longer and called the sheriff’s department, asking to be transferred to Deputy Bowman or Officer Nelson.

  After a brief hold, Nelson picked up. “Joe Nelson speaking.”

  “Hey, Joe. It’s Gloria. I’m calling to see if there’s been an arrest in the abduction case.”

  “Yes.” Nelson cleared his throat. “We’re still working the investigation, but I can confirm we have a suspect in custody.”

  Chapter 24

  It wasn’t until the following day Gloria found out Cliff Gates had been charged with the abduction of the Lakeville boy and the attempted abduction of the Bearney boy.

  Not only did the authorities find a shovel, the wig and duct tape inside his van, but they also found a notebook filled with dates, names, addresses and other information. Cliff Gates had been targeting young boys for some time and, from what they surmised, made his first attempted abduction starting with the Bearney boy.

  Ruth’s convention was winding down, and she seemed almost relieved when the last attendee pulled out of the grounds and drove off, leaving Gloria, Helena and Ruth behind.

  “It was quite a week,” Gloria said. “Elvis sightings, alien encounters, chili cookoffs.”

  “It was awesome,” Helena said. “My prepper website is getting tons of traffic. People are sharing ideas and tips, not to mention recipes.”

  “How’s Liz?” Ruth asked.

  “Driving Margaret crazy,” Gloria laughed. “It’s motivating her to finish packing. I think she’s finally ready for the move.”

  “Liz is Liz,” Ruth waved dismissively. “Do you think she’s moving back for good? I thought she hated the long winters.”

  “I don’t know. All joking aside about how she drives me crazy, I’m glad she’s away from Martin. He was bad news.”