by Tori Scott
"Aaron wouldn't hurt anyone. You're looking for the wrong guy."
"Then who should I be looking for, if not Aaron? Who else, Doc?"
Doc shook his head. "I don't know."
"You know what I think? I think you feel guilty about what he's done, so you've denied it to yourself for so long that you believe your own lies." Rand stood, hoping his superior position would give him the air of authority he so desperately needed right now. "I think you know you're going to prison for the murder of Maddie's father and for harboring a fugitive if we catch Aaron and can tie this all together."
"He was never charged, so how could I be harboring a fugitive? You're just fishing, Rand, and your bait stinks."
"Do you really have so little feeling that you don't care that my daughter is in danger?"
"I'm not telling you anything. I want that lawyer now."
Well, that was that. Once a prisoner lawyered up, the interview was over until one arrived.
Rand couldn't resist one last parting shot. "You know that if he doesn't turn himself in, if we catch him out in the open, there's nothing I can do to keep one of my deputies from killing him, right? So I'd suggest if you know where he is, you call him and tell him to come in for a chat. If he's innocent like you say, he has nothing to fear. But if he's hurt my daughter, I will kill him myself."
Doc blanched, but only lowered his head again, completely shut off now.
Rand stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He sagged against the wall. How was he going to find Aaron in this sparsely populated part of East Texas? He could be anywhere. One reason the area was so popular with meth dealers was because there were so many places to hide, out of view of roads and neighbors. A lot of the area was heavily forested, impenetrable by car or helicopter.
Linda hurried down the hall toward him. "Boss, I've got something!"
Rand was instantly alert. "What? Did you find Brandy?"
"No, but look at this. I've been doing some research. Seems Aaron never went up north. He's been in the area all along, except for a stint in a private hospital for mental health issues. Doc had him committed a few years ago, but he got out in December. " Linda handed him her notes and he flipped through them while she filled him in. "Before he was committed, he was staying in an old cabin Doc owns on the Sabine river, but I can't find any trace of where he's been the last six months."
"How the hell could he be right under our noses all these years and we didn't know it?"
"Well, we weren't exactly looking for him, now were we? We didn't have any reason to doubt what Doc told us."
"Okay, round up the men, tell them to get back here as fast as they can. We'll head out to the cabin and see if he's been there."
"You got it, boss."
"And Linda? Thank you."
"No problem, boss. Just doin' my job."
Rand went to his office and grabbed his gun, extra ammunition, and after a moment's thought, his rifle. When he walked back into the lobby, a small group of people still stood around, waiting, though they'd all been told to go back to their businesses and keep an eye out. Gertie, Andy, even old Harold Sims.
"Sheriff, is it true you think Doc's son has Maddie's little girl?" Andy asked.
"Yes, Andy, it's true. Why, do you know something about that?"
Andy's white head bobbed. "I just might know where he'd hide out. Doc took me fishing, once, down on the river. He had a cabin there, but he wouldn't let me go inside, even to git outta the sun. You reckon that might be where his boy is?"
Rand put a hand on his shoulder. "Appreciate the info, but we're already on it. Headed out there as soon as I round up some of the men." He continued across the lobby and down the hall to the locked room where he kept extra weapons and ammunition. He started pulling out riot guns, extra clips, long-range rifles, Kevlar vests and helmets. They probably wouldn't find anything at the cabin--Aaron seemed too smart for that--but they'd go in prepared for anything.
This was the hardest part of his job. He knew he needed to act quickly, but he also knew going in unprepared could cost someone their life--including Brandy. A delay could have the same result. Best he not think about it. Do what needed to be done, as quickly as possible.
The men came in a few minutes later, their faces grim as they put on the vests and loaded up on equipment. Rand gave them a run down of what he'd learned, where they were headed, and what to expect when they got there. Then he led the way back to the now empty lobby and out the doors to the traffic jam of squad cars and pickups in the parking lot. Cody stayed close on his heels with his riot gun in hand and a semi-automatic pistol strapped to his side, ready, finally, for action.
Before they'd even reached Rand's unit, his cell phone rang. "McCade," he barked into the phone.
"Rand? It's Ellie."
"Ellie? What's up? I'm kind of busy…"
"He's got Maddie, too, Rand. Took her right out of the hospital. Impersonated a deputy. They're looking for the real one now."
CHAPTER EIGHT
Aaron stopped the car in a wooded area, careful to hide it from the road. He locked the doors, leaving Maddie trapped inside. Then he walked back to the road and obliterated the tire tracks. As long as the old man kept his mouth shut, no one would have a clue where he was. And the old man knew he had as much to lose as Aaron did. If he talked, Aaron would kill him.
Should have done it years ago.
He worked his way back to the car, clearing the tracks as he went. Finally, he unlocked the back door and dragged Maddie out. "We've got a bit of a walk. Don't go getting any ideas about running or leaving a trail. I have your daughter, and I will kill her if you screw up."
He pushed Maddie forward. "Keep walking straight ahead until I tell you to turn."
Maddie did as he said.
He'd dreamed of this day for years. Had relived it over and over, but the dream had never really been fulfilled. Until now. Now he would finally kill the woman who had screwed up his entire life, who'd forced him to live like an animal, hiding, always afraid of being caught. And she didn't even know how close she'd come to exposing him, what she'd said that made his father realize who had really killed the McCades. If she just hadn't told Doc what time her father had left the house, what time she'd tried to call the McCade house, he would have believed that Maddie's father had killed them.
But she had told him, and his father had figured it out. He'd tried to have him committed, but Aaron had run, hiding in the old cabin his father rarely used. Somehow the old man also figured out who was killing the red headed girls from the very beginning. Aaron should have killed him after their first confrontation, but instead they'd come to an uneasy truce. He wouldn't tell if his father didn't. Because he knew exactly how far his father had gone to protect his reputation. Not his son, but his standing in the community. He didn't give a shit about his son.
So he'd let Aaron stay in the cabin, occasionally bringing him food and supplies, but mostly leaving him to fend for himself, a teenage kid alone in the woods. What kind of father did that?
The kind of father who cared more about himself than his own child.
He hadn't been back to the cabin since he left the mental hospital his father had stuck him in. Until today, that is. He'd been living out of the car he'd stolen from a guy at a rest stop. That guy wouldn't be needing it anymore. And as a bonus it had come complete with a laptop in the trunk, one he'd used to keep tabs on Brandy via whatever hot spot he could find.
Maddie stumbled and fell. "Stupid bitch. Can't you even walk straight? You've already screwed up my plans, making me do this earlier than I'd planned. You better not screw up anything else."
He yanked her to her feet and pushed her forward again. "And you might want to hurry. Your daughter might be having a bit of trouble breathing with that tape over her mouth."
***
Brandy was in full panic mode. She had to pee so badly she was about to wet her pants, and then she'd die of embarrassment. Was he ever coming back? Wh
at was happening to her mom? Was he bringing her here, or had he already killed her? No, she couldn't think like that. Her mom always taught her that thoughts had a way of becoming reality, so be careful what you think about. So she'd think about her mom and dad, safe together, coming to find her. It would be even better than the old dream about her dad showing up with presents. She didn't care about stupid presents anymore. She just wanted her parents.
If they lived through this, she would never disobey her mom again. She'd never forget to feed Domino. She'd never talk back or be rude. She'd clean her room every single day. She'd even get her homework done on time. Please, God. I don't want to die. I don't want my mom to die.
She heard a noise outside, then the door knob jiggled. She waited, but the door didn't open.
A minute later, a window slid open and an old man stuck his head inside. He held a finger to his lips, then glanced around the cabin. "You alone?" he mouthed, not making a sound.
Brandy nodded.
"Help is coming. Your dad knows where you are. He's bringing a posse. You hang on, ya hear?" He quietly slid the window closed again.
Who was he? Why didn't he come inside and rescue her? But just a couple of minutes later she had her answer when the door opened and Sam shoved her mom into the room. Brandy tried to shout, but all that came out were muffled sounds. Her mom looked up at her from the floor where she'd fallen and shook her head, just a slight movement, but enough to make Brandy stop.
Aaron walked over and ripped the tape from her mouth, leaving behind a burn that made her face feel like it was on fire. "Now, Brandy, see who I've got? I brought your mom to you. You cried for her enough all the way here."
He stood with his feet wide, hands on his hips, right in front of her. If her feet weren't bound to the chair she'd kick him in the balls. But they wouldn't move, no matter how hard she tried.
He laughed at the look she gave him.
"I need to go to the bathroom, really bad."
"No."
"Please? I don't want to wet my pants."
He muttered a few choice curse words. "I gotta secure the Dragon first."
Brandy wiggled in her chair, in real agony. She didn't have to fake it. But what would she do once he turned her loose? If she tried to run, would that make him mad enough to kill her mom before her dad could save them? Should she act scared? Well, that wouldn't be an act. She was terrified. But maybe if she was submissive, he'd think she wasn't a threat and not tape her to the chair again.
Her decision made, she waited as patiently as she could while he taped her mom's wrists behind her back, and then her ankles, then taped her wrist to her ankles so she looked like a roped calf. He slapped a piece of tape over her mom's mouth. She had to get him outside before he hurt her. "Sam, pleeaase. I have to go bad!"
Finally, he cut through the tape holding her to the chair. He yanked a coil of rope off the wall, and to her horror, made it into a noose that he slipped around her neck. He grinned at the look of horror on her face and tightened the noose. "Just in case you get any wild ideas about running."
***
Maddie felt like throwing up when Aaron slipped the rope over Brandy's head and tightened it. Was he taking her outside to hang her like he'd done the others? She twisted her body as hard as she could, but the tape didn't give an inch. She rolled over onto her stomach and looked around. She couldn't see much above floor level, but there was nothing. No weapon, no sharp edges she could use to cut through the tape.
When a couple of minutes passed with no sign of them returning, she started screaming--or tried to. Very little noise made it past the tape over her mouth.
A window slid open on the wall opposite the door and first Andy, then Gertie, climbed through. "Shhh. Rand should be here any minute. I got me a gun, and I know how t'use it," Andy whispered.
Through the open window, Harold Sims waved at her. Oh God, she was being rescued by the geriatric squad.
Gertie made quick work of the tape and helped Maddie to her feet. "Harold's keeping watch. He'll let us know when they come back into the clearing."
Maddie grabbed Gertie's arm. "He took Brandy out with a noose around her neck!"
"We saw. But he was talkin' to her like they was old friends. I don't think he's gonna hurt her. He said something about taking her away from Greendale. She was playin' along, actin' like that's what she wanted, too. You got a smart little girl, Maddie."
Harold stuck his head through the window. "They're coming," he whispered, then quietly slid the window closed. Gertie pulled Maddie behind Andy, who'd taken up a position behind the door, holding a shotgun in shaky hands.
This was insane. Aaron would kill them all. If Andy didn't do it first by accident.
They could hear him talking on the other side of the door. "It's got to be this way, Brandy. I'm sorry, but it just has to be." Aaron opened the door and shoved Brandy inside, the noose still around her neck. But he didn't come inside.
Maddie held her breath, afraid Brandy would say something when she saw the others there, but though her eyes widened, she didn't make a sound.
The door closed again, the lock clicked, and they heard Aaron moving around outside.
Then they smelled the gasoline.
He was going to burn them alive!
Maddie wracked her brain, trying to figure out what would make him change his pattern. He'd hung the others, then cut out their tongues. So why had he chosen to burn the cabin down, instead? Lack of time? Because of Brandy? Because there were two of them and he might not be able to control them both? None of this made sense.
Until Andy whispered, "As dry as it's been, the whole damned forest is gonna light up like a Christmas tree."
Then she understood. A forest fire would keep anyone from chasing after him. They'd be too busy trying to stop the fire from spreading. And it would cover his tracks.
Gertie and Andy dropped to the ground and crawled over to sit under the window where Aaron couldn't see them if he looked inside. "Lay down like you're still taped up," Gertie told her. "And Brandy, go put your arms around your mama like you're trying to protect her."
They did as she said and sure enough, a minute later Aaron's face appeared at the window, checking to see that his prisoners were where he'd left them.
And then he moved away and they heard the whoosh as he ignited the fire, They smelled the smoke before the flames began to blacken the windows.
***
Rand sent his best shooters ahead to circle the cabin, with Cody in the lead. The dogs whined and tugged at their leashes, ready to do their jobs as well. It was a good two mile hike to the river, and they had to move quietly so they wouldn't alert Aaron if he happened to be in the woods. The agonizingly slow pace drove Rand nuts. He wanted to run, to crash through the woods and get to the cabin the fastest way possible. But that could get Maddie and Brandy killed.
They'd covered about half the distance between the road and the cabin when they smelled the smoke. Rand didn't even have to issue an order. The men broke into a run, spread out, weapons ready. God, please let us get there in time.
When they broke into the clearing, Rand was totally unprepared for the sight that greeted him.
Harold pumped water from the well as hard as his skinny arms would let him, Brandy and Maddie carried buckets to the fire and Gertie barked orders while she tossed water on the flames around the cabin. Andy wielded a shovel, scraping dirt over the flames.
A number of emotions raced through him. Relief that Maddie and Brandy were safe. Disappointment that he hadn't been able to keep them safe in the first place. Frustration that he hadn't been the one to save them. He'd poured his whole life into law enforcement, nearly giving up hope of ever having a family of his own, and now that he had a daughter who'd needed him, all his training, his dedication, hadn't done a thing to help. Three elderly townspeople did his job for him.
Several of the deputies jumped in to help, taking over for the exhausted crew. The rest fanned out to look for
Aaron.
Andy said, "They ain't gonna find him. He took the boat we rode in on. He knows this area better than any of us."
Rand called in to the station to tell Linda to alert the highway patrol to watch both highways that crossed the river nearby. They would catch him if he didn't stop somewhere in between.
He went to Brandy and gently wrapped his daughter in his arms. "I'm sorry baby. I tried, but I couldn't keep you safe."
"It's okay, Dad. It was my fault." She sobbed against his shoulder. "I thought he was someone else. I broke Mom's number one rule, and he found us. Because of me."
Maddie walked over to where they stood and Brandy turned away from Rand to curl herself into her mother's arms.
And there it was again. He was on the outside, watching, but not part of the family. He'd always felt like that at home, with his parents. They were a closed circle, while he was the kid looking longingly through the window.
Maybe that was what had drawn him to Maddie in the beginning. Though he was popular at school, he knew what it felt like to be left out. With Maddie, he'd always been the most important person in her life. Until she'd left him without looking back, and he'd been alone. Again.
***
Word had spread by the time they put the fire out and returned to Greendale. Gertie, Andy, and Harold had bummed a ride with the deputies. He couldn't believe they'd beaten him there by going up the river. Rand was still kicking himself for not thinking of that. He might have arrived in time to be the one to rescue them.
He shut down that line of thinking. Maddie and Brandy were safe, and it really didn't matter who got to play the hero. The old folks were eating up the attention. Andy beamed as he told and retold the story, Harold nodded and occasionally managed to get a word in. Gertie rolled her eyes at both of them, but Rand noticed when she slipped her hand into Andy's and he smiled down at her. Definitely a budding romance there.
He glanced across the crowd at Maddie and Brandy. They stood close together, arms around each others' waist. At some point, he needed to get statements from everyone involved, before details were forgotten or their perspectives changed. But he'd allow them their few moments of glory before he went back to acting like a sheriff.