Running On Fear

by Linda L Lattimer

  A few minutes later, he eased back into the house. Chris was still sleeping. Casually, he took a chair and sat down at the dining table then laid his head on the table. Perhaps Chris would believe he’d fallen asleep and that Melanie had been the one to distort the shed enough to make a getaway. He should have gone to the cabin with her, so he could have seen her hiding place, but he couldn’t take the chance of being away too long.

  Melanie was nearing her cabin when she heard the twig snap. Could it be a bear this early in the morning? She didn’t have far to make it to the cabin, but then she’d have to get the key from inside the pot plant and get inside. Those little bears could sure move fast when they lit out after people. She’d just have to be faster. She took another step, then stopped.

  “Oh thank goodness. I thought it was—“she never finished. The blow to her head brought sudden darkness.

  “Sorry, Melanie. You can’t go anywhere yet. I should have known Spencer would release you. The man is sometimes too easy when it comes to women. Well, he’s not going to be around much longer by the time Duncan reaches him. I’ve got just the place for you until all this is over.” He lifted her in his arms and carried her away.

  Spencer felt a hand nudge him. He sat up straight in the chair, stretching his arms. “Is it time?”

  “We should get her ready. I’m going to go bring her in and allow her to wash up and comb her hair. I thought you were going to keep watch.” There was anger in Chris’s voice.

  “Don’t be snapping those jaws at me. I did keep watch. If I recall, you mentioned the both of us had a long night ahead, and I sure wasn’t the one stretched out on that sofa!”

  Chris held a hand up in defense. “All right. We were both tired. It’s not like she’s going anywhere. And, I sure didn’t see that snake in the grass, Ramon, nearby keeping watch.”

  “Want me to go bring her in?”

  “I’ll do it. We’ve got to get on the road.”

  “Where are we going to meet up with the dealer?”

  “The last I was told it was the entrance to the park.”

  “There’s more than one entrance to the Smokey Mountain Park.”

  “The source said the one after the last red light as you leave Gatlinburg, the main one. No one will suspect anything out of the ordinary there.”

  Spencer nodded as he rose from the chair.

  Chris stepped outside.

  Spencer held his breath. The storm would blow in right about … now.

  “She’s gone!” Chris said bursting back through the door.

  Spencer flew past him. “What do you mean gone?” He saw the distorted place in the shed and lumbered back inside the cabin. “Did you happen to search her jeans pocket when you brought her here?”

  “Why the devil would I search her? She didn’t even have a purse with her when I kidnapped her at the station.”

  Spencer held a small nail clipper up in his face. He had made sure to open it so the small file showed. “Well, someone sure enough showed her how to do some disassembling. I wouldn’t put it past McGregor to have taught her a few tricks. I can’t wait to get my hands on that man!” He clamped his fists together, striking his side.

  “Well, one of us best get out there and start searching for her. We lost money with the death of her sister. I’m not about to lose money on this little blonde.”

  “One of us? I say both of us best get out there and search. Besides, you’re the one that so desperately wants to punish her. I’m only in it for the drugs and the money.”

  “Well, she can’t get very far. And after she gets her bearings, I know exactly where she’ll go. Her cabin. It’s not that far from here. She’ll be like putty in our hands again.”

  Spencer shook his head and walked into the bathroom. He needed to make a call, but he couldn’t do it with Galloway stuck to him like glue. And even in the bathroom, he’d be overheard. He had to think of something.

  “There it is,” Duncan said. “I overheard voices coming from inside the cabin. Matt was right. It’s not far from Melanie’s. I say we rush them.”

  “Rush them? What about Melanie?” Hargrove asked.

  “They aren’t going to harm her. They need her. Besides, she said she was in some shed. We can see the shed. With them in the house, they won’t be firing at Melanie.”

  Wilson and Hargrove both eyed Duncan.

  “What?”

  “Don’t make this a revenge attack against Spencer McCain. You remember Jean?”

  “Hargrove!” Duncan flushed with anger.

  “All I’m saying is there’s a possibility that Melanie might not even be in that shed. They could have taken her inside. This vendetta you have against Spencer needs to stop. Just let me and Wilson go in. You heard what Melanie said on the phone. Take it to heart for once in your life, Duncan. After five years, let it stay buried!”

  Duncan’s gaze bore deep into Hargrove’s. Perhaps he was right. Duncan wondered if he was even thinking clearly, right now. “Maybe you’re right. You and Wilson go ahead. I’ll stay behind in case Melanie’s in the shed. I can get her out.”

  “And you won’t go in shooting at Spencer?”

  A muscle twitched in Duncan’s jaw.

  “Duncan?”

  “Did the Bureau tell you to keep an eye on me, Hargrove?”

  “You know me. I never give anything away. You’re my friend. I don’t want to see you in any trouble. You kill Spencer, and they’ll lock you away. Then what will happen to Melanie and the children?”

  “All right! We haven’t seen any sign of Ramon. Who’s to say they haven’t killed him?”

  “He’s good at keeping himself camouflaged. He could be making preparations for our arrival. He knows every inch of these woods,” Hargrove reminded him.

  “Fine, you two watch your backs.”

  There was a sound, and they all drew their guns.

  “Don’t shoot,” Galloway whispered. “I decided to catch up with you guys.”

  “You almost got yourself killed!” Duncan snarled.

  “We don’t have time for this,” Wilson said. “Hargrove, if you’re with me, let’s go.”

  Duncan watched them leave and waited for a minute. “No, that’s my wife down there. My wife. And I’m not sitting this one out. Galloway, stay or follow, it doesn’t matter to me.”

  By the time Hargrove and Wilson drew near to the cabin, Duncan and Galloway were right behind them.

  “Whoa, I thought you were going to stay behind, Duncan,” Hargrove said.

  “She’s my wife. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything stupid.”

  Ramon jumped out in front of them.

  “That’s a good way to get yourself killed!” Hargrove said pointing his gun at the returning agent, then slowly lowering his arm. “Where the devil have you been?”

  “Remember my tree house? I climbed up there to see if I could see anything.”

  “And?” Duncan asked.

  Ramon smiled. “You aren’t going to believe this. Ole Spencer went out and let Melanie go. I saw him through the glasses. The next thing that happened, Melanie was racing off into the woods.”

  “To her cabin,” Duncan sighed. “Maybe he wanted to help her. That means that the other Galloway and Spencer are alone in the cabin. You didn’t see anyone else did you?”

  Ramon shook his head. “Just two little birdies pacing the kitchen floor. Bet ole Galloway is none too happy she got away.”

  “Yeah I just bet he is,” Duncan said. “Let’s go after them, then I’ll go get Melanie. She’ll know where to hide. But I still wonder what Spencer’s up to.”

  “I’ll go around to the other side and meet you guys in the middle,” Ramon said, checking his gun.

  Spencer walked out of the bathroom to have a gun pointed right at his face.

  “Took you a long time in there. Just what were you up to?” Chris inquired.

  “It’s a bathroom, with a toilet. Figure it out! Now, are we going after her or are we going to sta
nd here flapping our tongues.”

  Chris put the gun back in his waistband. “We’d better hurry. They won’t wait long at the park. It’ll look too suspicious.”

  Spencer grabbed his jacket and started out the door. Chris was ahead of him. They’d no sooner stepped off the back of the porch than Hargrove, Duncan and Wilson met them with loaded guns pointing in their direction.

  “Don’t even think of trying anything!” Duncan barked.

  Spencer slowly turned around to meet his foe. “You plan on shooting me here, or when we get in the car, McGregor?”

  “Who said anything about shooting you? All I want is my wife.”

  “She’s not here. She broke out of her little hole early this morning. You must have taught her some of your tricks.”

  Chris started to reach for his gun when a shot was fired. He fell to the ground. Spencer started to go for his gun when he heard other gunfire.

  “They’ve got me!” Ramon shouted in the distance. “I can’t move my leg.”

  More gunshots were fired. The men rushed into the cabin. Wilson and Hargrove were pulling Chris inside.

  “Is he dead?” Harris asked kneeling near his brother.

  “He’s pretty bad,” Wilson answered. “I don’t know if he’ll make it or not. Someone wanted him dead.”

  “I’d say someone who didn’t want him to identify the people he was scheduled to meet.” Spencer said, keeping low as he looked out the window. The sound of gunfire had stopped.

  “Should we go check on Ramon?” Wilson asked.

  “We’ll be sitting ducks,” Spencer commented.

  Duncan grabbed hold of his jacket, yanking Spencer to his feet. “Give me one good reason.” His face was inches from Spencer’s.

  “Look, I helped your wife escape. I staged the shed to appear she got free.”

  “And why would you do that, McCain?”

  “Why don’t you think about it? Five years ago, you were the best agent we had. Ramon and I tried to top you, but you were always the best at everything. The best should have a good mind. One that isn’t cloudy. But something happened and you lost your objectivity. Face it, when it comes to having a family that human side of us often comes out. The Bureau doesn’t teach us about that side.”

  Duncan released his hold on the jacket and moved away.

  Spencer raked a hand through his hair. He looked at Chris, who was bleeding from the chest. “He’s not going to make it is he, Hargrove?”

  “No.”

  Blood seeped out of the corner of Chris’s mouth. “Harris, I need to tell you something,” he whispered.

  Harris took his brother’s hand in his.

  “If I had to do it all over, I would. That woman wouldn’t help me, and neither would you. I’d have killed my own brother to get what I wanted. I never did like you, Harris. You were such a weakling. Why our mother kept you I never knew.”

  Harris suddenly let go of his brother’s hand. A hand that felt like a block of ice. “It doesn’t matter, Chris. I forgive you. And I love you.”

  “That’s your misfortune, Harris.” Chris closed his eyes, then opened them as he reached toward his chest to feel the blood. He caught the look on the others’ faces and in one last act of defiance, pulled another gun from inside his jacket and fired it at Spencer.

  Hargrove hurriedly jerked the gun from Chris’s hand. “I didn’t know he had another gun. We didn’t even think to search him after he got shot.”

  Chris eyed Spencer as he held to his arm. “You dirty agent. Here I thought you were working with us. The whole time you were trying to get us to ‘fess up so you could lock us away.” With one breath, he closed his eyes.

  Wilson checked his pulse. “He’s gone.”

  “Let me see that arm,” Duncan said, as he pulled Spencer by his jacket.

  “I think he only grazed it.”

  “I didn’t ask about it, you idiot. I said let me see it.”

  “McGregor, I see you still have the bark in you.”

  Duncan ignored the remark and tore the shirt sleeve open to look at Spencer’s arm. “Guess he wasn’t that good of a shot lying on his back. You’ll live.”

  “You sound really happy about that.” Spencer eyed Harris, who was standing off toward the corner. “So, you’re his brother Harris?”

  Harris nodded.

  “Let me tell you something. You’re a much better brother than he will ever be. We need to find Melanie and get our other culprit before we go after the others. I’ve already phoned the Bureau. They have some agents en route to grab the dealers, but we should be at the park when they arrive.”

  “One of us should go find Ramon,” Wilson said.

  “You really think you’re going to find him out there?” Spencer prompted.

  They all looked at him.

  “He blared out that he was shot in the leg. How many men do you think were out there shooting at us? They must have all fled to head to the park if they were the ones,” Hargrove said.

  Spencer put his jacket back on then placed his gun in his holster. “Now you, Duncan, I thought would have got all this figured by now. Oh, I admit, it did take me some time, but something tells me your wife has worked it out. She figured out everything else pretty fast. I even allowed her to sneak my phone from my jacket pocket to call you. Of course, I never let on that I knew.”

  “What the devil are you talking about?” Hargrove said, rising to his feet and stepping over the dead body. “You know who’s behind this?”

  “Think about it. Who could have so easily sabotaged the brake line? Not just this time round, but five years ago? Who knows our private phone numbers and has access to our records? Wouldn’t you fellows recognize my voice, if I wasn’t far from a tree house and you called me on the radio? Yet you didn’t bother to look for me right away? Who could easily sneak inside the cabin to leave letters on Tiffany’s bed and Melanie’s?”

  Duncan looked at Hargrove and Wilson. “You aren’t implying…”

  “You thought I was behind all of this. Who else was with us five years ago, buddy? It sure wasn’t Wilson.”

  “Hey, don’t look at me,” Hargrove said. “I only started helping Ramon keep an eye up here when he got shot.”

  “A shot he himself could have inflicted in his leg. And where is he now? Has he been with you the whole time you were up here?”

  “No. He said he went to the tree house. He saw you release Melanie, then he said she took off. No doubt to the cabin for safety.” Duncan said, as the room seemed to reel under his feet, leaving his heart suspended in mid-air.

  He didn’t stay any longer to hear anything else. There’d been no more shots. There wouldn’t be. Ramon had been behind the drug dealing and selling of women all along. He’d worked right under Duncan’s nose when Duncan had thought it was Spencer. The whole bloody time it had been Ramon. Ramon, who’d always shown interest five years ago when Duncan was getting awards and going on special assignments. Yes, Ramon, who with each passing year had been planning a silent, heated vengeance against Duncan.

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  Chapter 22

  By the time Duncan got to the hill he was out of breath. He looked in the flowerpot and retrieved the cabin key. He knew now that Melanie wouldn’t be inside, not without the key. There was a note on the kitchen cabinet.

  How does it feel to lose another wife, McGregor? How does it feel to be so popular with the Department yet lose your loved ones? You’re probably feeling a little ill right about now, especially knowing that it was me all these years who wanted to pay you back. Spencer and Jean never had an affair. I made it all up. Gave false information to Hargrove and the Bureau. I could have been better than you, but they always chose you, McGregor. Always the “Great Duncan McGregor”. I have your wife. And before you even find her, I’ll have your children. Tiffany will bring me muchos dinero too.

  Duncan rubbed a hand over his face then tightened a fist and slammed it twice on the table as the others ente
red the cabin.

  Spencer took the note and read it. “He couldn’t have gotten far. They were to meet at the entrance of the park. I’ll call the Bureau and tell them to keep a watch on the children. Are they with your parents?”

  Duncan could only nod. He was completely numb.

  Spencer patted his back. “Look, we’re going to find her. Let’s go. Where’s your vehicle?”

  “Just down the road,” Hargrove said.

  “Mine’s not far from here. We’ll take it to yours. That way we’ll have two vehicles to try to cut him off. Let’s go. McGregor?”

  “Ramon Delepaz is mine! And Hargrove, not one word! Not this time.”

  They all saw the look of destruction in Duncan’s eyes. They didn’t argue.

  Melanie began to stir in the seat. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see that the sun was up. It would have been a beautiful sun to see as it rose above the mountains, but her head hurt and, for some reason, she was in handcuffs. Where was she? And who had hit her on the head? She remembered seeing…

  “Ramon.” Melanie tried wriggling her hands out of the cuffs, but it was impossible. She looked around inside the vehicle. It was the SUV the insurance had given them to drive after the other had been wrecked. How had it gotten here and, better yet, how was she going to get free? She needed to get her hands in front of her, so she could try to get out. She had no idea where Ramon was, but he was sure to be back any minute. And there was no way she intended to be sold into slavery so she could make money for some drug lord in Mexico.

  “Come on, Melanie, you can do it. Think positive. Think of the children.” She managed to get her arms past the back of her body and move her hands out from under her ankles. “Yes. I did it—just like in the movies. Now, if I could only pick the lock of these handcuffs, or even get one hand out.” A loud scream exploded from her lips when someone appeared at the window.

  It was Ramon. He opened the door and got behind the steering wheel. “Miss me, darlin’?” He said it in Spanish, but she understood. She only hoped he didn’t know she could speak Spanish and interpret his words. Maybe that would help her with her great escape.