Running On Fear

by Linda L Lattimer

  “Is that what I did the last time—act too hastily? Went running to prevent something that could have been stopped?”

  “I’m not saying that, son. I’m only saying stay calm.”

  “Yes, Dad. Did I ever tell you that you were the best dad around?”

  “Yes, many times.”

  “Duncan, the plane is ready to take us back,” Hargrove said from the top of the stairs. “Andrea is going to stay here and keep watch.”

  Duncan and his dad made their way up the basement stairs.

  “Tiffany, Matt, give me a hug. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

  “You and Mom will be back,” Matt corrected.

  “Yes, son, your mom and I.” Duncan threw his arms around both of them. “I love you both so much. Mom, these are great kids.” His eyes met his mothers lovely gray ones. She’d always been full of love, not only in her eyes but also in her heart. It always showed.

  “Son, did your dad speak to you?” she asked quietly.

  “He did. Don’t worry. I’ll be calm.”

  His mother embraced him. “You sure did pass me when you grew, son.” Her gaze lifted to look up at him.

  “Mom, it doesn’t matter how tall I grew. A son always looks up to his mother.”

  “Go bring that new daughter home to me. I want to meet the woman who finally melted that heart of yours and made you feel again.”

  Tears glistened in Duncan’s eyes. “I will, Mom.”

  Andrea watched the interaction between Duncan and his mother, and wiped away a tear. “I like it when a man shows a bit of weakness. It makes him human. Both of you best be careful.”

  Hargrove took her in his arms and pressed his lips to hers. “That’s for luck. You best be careful, too, and waiting for me when I return, little lady.” He winked.

  Andrea was breathless.

  Hargrove saw, and breathed a sigh of relief. “I still have it. Let’s go, Duncan. The company jet is waiting.” He gave Andrea a wink. “Hmm, I still leave the women breathless with my kisses. Tiffany, you make sure she’s still here when I get back. And, Matt, help your granddad keep a watchful eye.”

  “You bet, Uncle Dan.”

  Duncan eyed them all once more before he walked out the door. The next time he entered this home, he wanted to be carrying his new wife over the threshold. Soon, my darling Melanie. Just be safe, I pray this from the depths of my heart.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter 18

  By the time Duncan and Hargrove returned to the Nashville, Ramon and Wilson were waiting.

  “Ramon, I don’t want you doing this if you aren’t up to it,” Duncan stated.

  “You can’t keep me down. You’re my buddy. Melanie is your wife. As for Spencer, he’s a bad agent. The four of us will find him and bring her back—alive.” A dry laugh fell from his lips. “Leon wanted to come along, but he was already lending a hand with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on another case.”

  “I know why Leon wanted to come along. I haven’t forgotten what he said the first time he saw Melanie in those jeans.” Duncan thought back to that first day he’d seen her waiting for that bus to come down the hill. If only he could reverse the clock. He’d never have allowed her to be alone with that so-called policewoman.

  Hargrove gently touched his shoulder. “We have to think positive.”

  Duncan eyed each of them. Never had he met such a devoted bunch of men. Spencer had been that way until he’d changed sides. “I know. And Ramon is right. We’ll bring her back alive. Any word on Harris?”

  “Ramon and I have been keeping an eye on his place,” Wilson answered. “He’s in there. From what we can tell, he hasn’t come out for anything, and no one has gone in either. I say we all go pay the man a visit.”

  “I agree with you,” Duncan said, pulling the keys from his pocket. “I’ll drive.”

  Harris went over the plan once more. He’d go to Melanie’s, explain the situation, and then asked for protection. When that husband of hers found out he was indeed innocent, surely he’d put him in some witness protection program until all this blew over. Harris gathered his keys and headed for the door.

  “Going somewhere?” Duncan asked as the door opened.

  Harris saw the four men standing outside. “I…” What was he going to do now? Four of them blocked his way. Had the plan already taken shape? “If you must know, I was on my way to see you and Melanie.”

  “Well, I guess the four of us will have to do.” Duncan forced his way in, knocking Harris out of the way. “You here by yourself?”

  “Yes,” Harris said shakily, as the other three followed Duncan inside.

  Duncan grabbed his arm and pushed him roughly onto the sofa. “Why you so nervous, Galloway? Got something to hide?”

  “N-No. I just don’t know why … Why the four of you are here.” He clamped his hands together, trying to stop them from trembling.

  Duncan put his foot on the coffee table then leaned closer to Harris. “Where were you heading?”

  “I told you. I wanted to see you and Melanie.”

  “About what?” Duncan slowly pulled his gun from the holster and looked it over.

  Harris grew more nervous. “Look, I don’t know what all this is about, but I’m innocent. You have to believe me. Riley wanted to plant those drugs in Melanie’s office. I was against it from the beginning, but he threatened to kill me. He was already upset with Allison.”

  “Why was he upset with Allison? Why did he kill her? If you know something, Galloway, now’s your chance to talk. I’m not too happy as it is, and my finger just might slip and blow that little head of yours right off your shoulders. Now, that would be an ugly mess to leave for the cleaning lady. That white sofa would be a nice dark brown by the time anyone arrived to check on you.”

  “I demand to talk to Melanie. She will listen to me.”

  “Galloway, you are in no position to be making demands. Now, why was Riley upset with Allison?”

  “I have a right to a lawyer.”

  “Hey, the boys and I are only having a little chat. I don’t see why you’d need a lawyer for just a little conversation among friends, do you?” Duncan’s expression turned hard and cold. “No more stalling.”

  Harris looked at the other guys. “All right, all right. He was into making films … X-rated films. He wanted Allison to go into the business. She refused. He threatened to use Tiffany or Melanie if she didn’t consent. Allison said she was going to go to the police. He drugged her one night and made a film with her in it. But nothing really happened. It was only a setup. Allison didn’t know.”

  “Then why did she marry the guy?”

  “He used the fake video tape against her. He said he’d expose the film to her children if she didn’t. She had to pretend there was nothing wrong, make believe they were madly in love. McGregor, he was going to get the children started on drugs if she didn’t listen to him.”

  Duncan removed his foot from the coffee table and fanned his hand in the air. “And you just did your civic duty by standing by and allowing him to harm her? To threaten to harm the children?”

  “What could I do? He was going to harm Melanie, a woman who’s done nothing but be nice to me since I arrived in Nashville. Look at me, McGregor. All through school, I was the nerd. The one who was going to be beaten up by the whole world. I went into practice to try to help people like me. People who others think aren’t worth the effort.”

  “So that’s why he killed her?”

  Harris shook his head. “Allison had written a letter to the police about the tape and everything on Riley. She’d left the children with Melanie to go on her honeymoon, but Riley never intended for that to happen. He found out that Allison intended to expose him for the scum he was. That she was going to name Melanie and Tiffany as the next two females he intended on kidnapping and selling for profit. She had it all packaged to mail when he found it in the trunk of the car.”

  Duncan narrowed his eyes.
“How would you know about this, Galloway? Unless you were with him when he killed her?”

  Harris lowered his gaze to the floor in shame.

  “You sorry son of a—” Duncan placed the gun right between Harris’s eyes.

  “Duncan, don’t!” Hargrove shouted.

  “I couldn’t do anything. Riley tied me up, then tossed me in the trunk, McGregor. There was nothing I could do. Why do you think I behaved badly when I ran into you at Dollywood? Riley had me follow Melanie. He wanted me to kidnap her and hurt her. But I wouldn’t. I’d never harm a hair on Melanie’s head. She’s been too good to me, and those children … they’re children. You don’t hurt children. I didn’t see what Riley did to Allison. I only heard them shouting, and then the next thing I heard was…” His voice broke into sobs and tears rolled down his cheeks.

  Harris paused.

  “I heard Allison begging, then screaming. The next thing I heard was Riley laughing. It was a wicked horrible laugh that I’ll never forget for as long as I live. Go ahead. Pull the trigger. It doesn’t matter anymore. I was tied up in the trunk unable to do anything. Even if I could, I’d probably have been too frightened to lift a finger. Face it. I’m pathetic, a sorry excuse of a man, who’s weak.”

  Duncan put the gun back into its holster. He walked over to the fireplace, rubbing his hands over his face and let out a troubled breath. “Do you know anything about a man named Spencer?” He turned back around to face Harris.

  Harris swallowed hard then met the gaze of the other men. “I’ve met him. He was the one that put the money up for my bail. That’s why I was on my way to talk to Melanie. I wanted to tell her the truth about everything. I owed her the truth because of her kindness. I never wanted her or the children hurt, and especially not Allison dead. If I confessed, I was going to ask for protection from Spencer. He isn’t the kind of man you want to mess with either. I don’t want him to touch one hair on Melanie’s head.”

  “Where did he take her?” Duncan demanded to know.

  “What? Who?”

  Duncan flew back to the sofa. “Melanie, you moron!”

  Harris went pale. “M-Melanie?”

  “As if you didn’t know. You dressed up like a woman, went to the precinct, and stole Melanie right out from under our noses. So tell me, do you have her upstairs?”

  “You aren’t blaming me for anything else, McGregor. I don’t have Melanie. Honest.”

  “Do you know where she is?” Wilson questioned.

  “I-I might know where they took her. I heard them talking about a new plan. That’s why I was on my way to talk to Melanie. I thought they were going to wait until morning.”

  “They?” Duncan asked.

  “My brother and Spencer.”

  Duncan waved his hand. “Wait. Wait. When we met you at Dollywood, you said you were with your sister and some friends. Now you tell me that you were spying for Riley. You’ve got a lot of explaining to do. And I’m tired of lies, Galloway.”

  “I’m telling the truth. Riley had me spying on you at Dollywood. I don’t have a sister. I have a brother who’s a…” His eyes shifted to the others, then back Duncan. “He’s a transvestite. He went to Melanie to try to convince her to sign papers to help him get a sex-change operation. Melanie refused. I went to Dr. Marrow to try to convince him to help. Either that or speak to Melanie.”

  “Why wouldn’t Melanie help?” Hargrove asked.

  “My brother, Chris, kept pushing her. He wouldn’t let up. Melanie said she couldn’t sign any papers to help him. If things didn’t work out, she’d be in the middle of it all. She didn’t want that.”

  “Sort of like a malpractice suit, but without her performing the surgery?” Ramon mentioned.

  “Yes. If word had got out, it would have destroyed Melanie’s practice, and she’s worked so hard to build it.”

  “Yet all the drugs that you planted wouldn’t,” Duncan threw in.

  “Look, this thing with Chris was before all the drugs. Chris met Riley one day when he was coming out of Dr. Marrow’s office. Riley happened to be with Allison at the time.”

  “Chris saw Allison, put two and two together and decided to frame Melanie with Riley’s help?” Duncan asked, sitting down.

  “Exactly. Riley and Chris got cozy after that. Especially when Chris found out Riley was seeing Griffin Dunbar, too,” Harris replied, lowering his gaze.

  “Seems the whole world knew but us,” Duncan casually said.

  “They were going to take Melanie to Gatlinburg near the cabin,” Harris offered. “They’d bought one of those storage houses, made similar to the same stuff those igloo dog houses you can get. Chris wanted to teach her a lesson. He was going to sell her to someone in Mexico. They weren’t even supposed to meet up with him for two more days. I’m sure Chris only wanted to scare her for what she’d put him through.”

  “Which was entirely nothing!” Duncan said rising to his feet. “You’re so sure of yourself, Harris, it makes me sick! Just because she refuses to help some transvestite, she gets harmed. A transvestite and two men who decide to come out of the closet just have to end up dealing in murder and drugs.”

  “Don’t forget the X-rated movies,” Wilson threw in.

  “Might as well call the Bureau and tell them where we’re headed,” Duncan said.

  “That might not be a good idea,” Harris said.

  “And why is that?”

  “Agent McGregor, if my brother or Spencer suspect the area’s going to be swarming with Feds, they’ll get careless about the money. They’ll kill her on the spot.”

  “Duncan, he’s probably right.” Hargrove shrugged his shoulders, trying to get a kink out. “Galloway, whose idea was it to fake Spencer’s death?”

  “All I know is that Spencer approached Riley. Said he had a vendetta against someone in the Bureau. He wanted this person bad. Riley had a smile on his face as wide as the Grand Canyon. He hated any Fed. He told Spencer he was in. Said he’d pretend to kill him. Riley found some ole man that lived in the hills, snapped his neck, then beat his face in so he’d be unrecognizable. The guy was about the same size as Spencer. All he and Riley had to do was change the clothing and make sure there were no identifying marks. So far, I haven’t seen Spencer hurt anyone. He only mentioned he was out for blood.”

  Hargrove looked at Duncan. Spencer wasn’t the only one that wanted blood, he noticed, returning his attention to Harris. “Tell me, Galloway, is your brother expecting you to stand by the phone or anything?”

  “I can’t say for sure. I keep my cellphone handy, but no one’s called. I thought Spencer would, but … nothing.”

  Hargrove cracked his knuckles near Harris’s head. “Then I suggest you keep that phone handy. You’re going with us. And if there’s some map lying around here that you know of, you’d best go get it. Just a word of caution. The boys and I can only hold Duncan off for so long before he explodes. You’d best let him know if you hear a peep from Spencer or your brother.”

  Duncan threw the keys to Hargrove. “You drive. I want to keep my mind clear. We need to stop and get some hot coffee on the way. I don’t want to doze off until I have my wife back in my arms.” He took hold of Harris’s shirt and pulled the man to his feet. “Get the map or anything else you think we might need. You’re riding in the back, in the middle between Ramon and me. One false move and your name will be in the obituary column in the morning. Understand?”

  Harris nodded his head.

  “Good. Let’s get the lead out!”

  Melanie felt a chilly breeze blow along her arms and the back of her neck. Wherever the man was taking her was a lot cooler than Nashville. She wondered what had happened to the woman at the police station. One minute she’d been in an office, the next in a vehicle. She couldn’t remember anything that had happened along the way. She was hogtied and unable to see a thing. Her mouth felt like dry cotton balls had been stuck in it. She needed water, but she didn’t dare ask for any. She didn’t dare speak for f
ear of what might happen to her.

  The trip had been quite lengthy to get to wherever they were headed. There’d been some bumps and sharp twists in the road, but Melanie tried her best to sit still without falling over on the seat. The car came to a halt, and Melanie heard the man turning off the engine and removing the keys.

  “Guess you’re pretty hungry and thirsty about now?”

  “I could stand to go to the bathroom.”

  “I can arrange that,” the man said.

  The door opened on Melanie’s side. “Said she could use the bathroom.”

  “Have you offered her anything to drink?” another man asked as he placed a hand on Melanie’s thigh.

  Melanie wondered who this other man was with the raw sounding voice. Even the grip of his hand was strong.

  “Nope. Thought she could wait until we arrived. Got the shed ready?”

  “It’s ready.”

  “We’ll take her inside to the bathroom first, but she isn’t to remove that blindfold until we say so.” He swung Melanie’s legs around and yanked her out. “Now you listen carefully, girlie. I’m going to have to loosen your ropes so you can use the toilet, but if you try to peek, your children will suffer the consequences.”

  “You have Matt and Tiffany?” Melanie asked, almost terrified.

  Spencer saw the look on her face. It was dark out, but underneath the security lights he could see her alarm. He sent Chris a cold stare.

  Chris paid him no mind. “Yes, we have your children, and if you make one false move, that little gal is going to find out what a fun time I can grant her.”

  Melanie swallowed. “Please don’t hurt my children. I’ll do anything you ask.”

  Chris broadened his smile. “I thought you might. Now come along.”

  A muscle tightened in Spencer’s jaw. This wasn’t going to be easy, not one little bit.

  Moments later, Melanie was seated at a table.