The Texan's Return

by Karen Whiddon

  Next she attempted to roll left or right, any kind of movement that might knock something to the ground or create a sound to warn Mac at the front door. But she could barely move.

  A few moments later, her cell phone began to ring. She’d placed it on the dresser earlier while she’d napped, and couldn’t get to it. Fervently, she hoped Mac would hear it ringing. Closing her eyes, she thought hard. Even though she knew it was crazy, she concentrated on sending him thoughts, trying to find a way to telepathically let him know how much trouble she was in.

  * * *

  Whistling as he parked his truck in front of Hailey’s house, Mac grabbed the flowers and bounded up the front steps. He couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when she saw the flowers. And he’d come a little earlier than he’d planned, just in case she needed more time to get ready.

  He rapped on the door in a series of jaunty knocks. When the door swung open to reveal Aaron, appearing annoyed, Mac merely smiled and asked for Hailey.

  “She left.” Aaron shrugged, managing to look both disinterested and bored. “Said she had someplace she needed to be.”

  Perplexed, Mac shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Not only was the timing all wrong, but she wouldn’t have blown off Mac without a phone call. Plus, her car sat parked in the driveway.

  Not taking his eyes from Hailey’s stepfather, Mac pulled out his phone and called her.

  Though he could only hear it faintly, her phone rang from somewhere inside the house. He recognized her ringtone.

  “That’s her phone,” Mac pointed out.

  “Is it? She must have forgotten to take it with her.”

  “Where’d she go?”

  “Damned if I know.” Judging from the smirk on the older man’s face, Aaron appeared to be enjoying himself.

  “Mind if I come in and take a look?” Mac asked.

  “Actually, I do mind.”

  With Aaron blocking the doorway, clearly having no intention of letting Mac inside, Mac considered his options.

  “Look,” Aaron finally said, “though I told Hailey I wouldn’t get involved, she wanted me to give you a message. After I heard it, I told her that was the kind of thing a man needs to hear to his face, but she wouldn’t listen. She broke up with you, Mac. Her new boyfriend, one of those FBI fellers, picked her up to take her on a date.”

  Not sure how much of this obviously blatant lie, if any of it, was true, Mac decided to pretend to believe it. For now. What Aaron didn’t realize was how well Mac knew Hailey. Not only would she never do something like that, but attending Tom’s basketball game would be more important to her than anything else.

  “Who was the guy?” Mac growled. “Which FBI agent is poaching on my woman?”

  Now, this kind of language Aaron clearly understood. Grinning, barely able to contain his glee, he made up a description of a tall, muscular guy who looked like a cross between Brad Pitt and Channing Tatum.

  Not sure what else to do but aware something had gone very wrong, Mac stormed back to his truck, started it and drove off with a loud screech of his wheels. Once he’d reached the end of Hailey’s long, winding driveway, he parked and killed the engine.

  Then he hiked back to the house.

  Keeping to the trees on the edge of the lawn, he went around to the back. As he peered into one of the windows, he saw the empty living room. Nothing appeared disturbed. Worried, he debated breaking down the back door and confronting Aaron, but right now all he had to go on was instinct and the fact that the other man had told him a big, fat lie.

  Where was Hailey? Was she in danger? He didn’t for a moment think her recently paroled stepfather would harm her. But then why the lie?

  Returning to his truck, Mac tried to decide what to do. Just as he was about to get out and head back to the house, his cell phone rang. Detective Logan.

  “We’ve got a lead on the killer.” The usually laconic officer sounded excited. “We have surveillance video taken near where the last girl was found. There was a car, though we couldn’t get a good look at the driver. We were able to run the registration off the plates. The car is registered to a June Green, the mother of the first girl who was murdered.”

  Chapter 17

  Mac’s blood froze. “June’s in rehab. Her daughter Hailey has been using the car while June is recovering. The only other person who might have been driving is June’s husband, Aaron.”

  “Aaron Green?” Logan rustled some papers. “I wondered about the last name matching the first girl who died. He’s a definite person of interest. He works part-time for the janitorial service we’re investigating. Like some of the others, he has a criminal record, which is completely against the school district policy. He’s been asked to come in for questioning, but so far he hasn’t showed.”

  Suddenly, everything became crystal clear. Mac felt sick. “There’s a genuine possibility he’s the killer. He was here when Brenda Green was killed. He went to prison for ten years and came back, and the killings started again.” Mac took a deep breath. “And I think his stepdaughter, Hailey, is in danger.” He explained the situation, Hailey’s unlikely disappearance and the fact that Aaron had told a bald-faced lie.

  To his relief, Detective Logan took his suspicions seriously. “Stay put. Units have been dispatched. Do not—I repeat—do not—go back to the house or attempt to break in. This is definitely a serious situation.”

  Definitely?

  Though every instinct urged him to rush in and save Hailey, Mac agreed to wait and ended the call. But while pacing outside his truck, he had second thoughts. If Hailey was alone with Aaron in the house and in danger, he’d never forgive himself for not acting. Definitely?

  He checked his watch. Only two minutes had passed. How much longer until the police arrived?

  More to the point, how much more time did Hailey have before Aaron hurt or killed her?

  Waiting no longer seemed like an option. Decision made, he left his truck where he’d parked it and took off for the house at a dead run.

  Rounding the last bend in the long drive, he dashed into the trees as soon as the front of the house came into view. With the garage door open, Aaron was outside and had the trunk of the car up. Mac watched while Aaron made several trips into the garage, loading the trunk up with some sort of supplies. Remaining hidden—for now—Mac told himself it was okay as long as he could see Aaron. And of course, as long as Aaron didn’t load up a body.

  When Aaron made his third trip into the garage, he continued on into the house. He left the trunk still up. A moment later, he returned pushing a tied and gagged Hailey in front of him. Her eyes were wide and unfocused with terror.

  In that instant, Mac knew he didn’t have time to wait for reinforcements. He had to get to Hailey right now.

  * * *

  Every time she moved, the rough rope cut into her skin. As painful as it might be, Hailey knew that rope burns were the least of her worries. But her struggles to get free had no result. When Aaron finally returned and loosened the tie that tethered her to the bed, she thought he meant to kill her right then.

  Instead, he yanked her up and forced her to shuffle with him toward the open garage door. Each move brought excruciating pain. Her legs had gone numb, and the rope continued to chafe.

  When she saw her car with its large trunk door open, she balked. If she got in there, she knew he would take her to some remote location and kill her. The idea of being enclosed in such a small space filled her with panic.

  No. If he was going to kill her anyway, she’d rather die here, in her own driveway. She knew she had to fight now, if she wanted to have even half a prayer of surviving.

  As he reached to shove her into the truck, she head-butted him as hard as she could, catching him under the chin. He staggered backward, anger darkening his face. He raised h
is fist to hit her, but someone yelled a warning.

  A dark shape moving fast came running from the woods. Straight at Aaron, still in the process of turning, and tackled him. As Aaron went down, Hailey saw who her rescuer was. The very person she’d been praying would save her. Mac.

  Joy blazed through the terror and pain. Her heart pounded so hard she thought it would jump out of her chest. With the gag still in her mouth, she concentrated on breathing through her nose. Still hobbled, she struggled to move away from the car and out of Mac’s way. Somehow, by some miracle, Mac had come back. Maybe her desperate mental plea had reached him, or perhaps he just had good instincts.

  Using a wrestling move she remembered seeing him use back in high school, Mac twisted Aaron’s arm behind him. One knee on his back, he held him in place as police cars came racing up the driveway. They skidded to a halt in front of Hailey’s car.

  Detective Logan was the first one out. He scowled when he saw Mac on top of Aaron. “I told you to wait for backup.”

  “And I would have, but he was loading her in the trunk of the car,” Mac responded. “Would you please have a couple officers come take custody of this guy?”

  While Aaron had his rights read to him and, handcuffed, was led away to the back of a squad car, Mac untied Hailey and removed the gag from her mouth. “Are you all right?” he asked.

  Eyes stinging, she looked at the bloody rope burns on her wrists and ankles and nodded.

  “Oh, honey, you don’t look all right,” Mac said, his silver gaze dark with worry. He reached for her and gathered her carefully into his arms. Until then, she’d stood frozen, her throat closing up, struggling to process what had almost happened to her. And what had happened ten years in the past.

  Now, with Mac holding her, she began quivering. “I had a killer living in my house, around Tom, and Tara, and Eli. I let them go off alone with him,” she cried out. “If something had happened to any one of them, I never would have been able to live with myself.”

  “But nothing did. They’re safe,” he murmured soothingly, using one hand to smooth back her hair. “You’re safe.”

  “And now every other fourteen-year-old girl in this town is safe,” Detective Logan put in, walking up and clapping Mac on the shoulder. “You’re not going to believe this, but Aaron confessed everything a minute ago. He even asked for a pad of paper and a pen so he could write it all out.”

  “Why?” She could do nothing but stare. “Why would he suddenly confess?”

  Logan shrugged. “He seems to think he’s in the right here. Keeps saying he really loved Brenda, and wants us to understand his point of view. It’s been a long time and maybe he’s tired of his feelings being undetected.”

  Though this boggled her mind, she managed to nod. “And he also might subconsciously realize he needs to be punished. I don’t know. I don’t pretend to understand killers. All that matters is we’ve got him.”

  It was over. It was really over. Relief flooded through her, making her knees weak. Thankful for Mac holding her up, she looked up at him. “You need to let Gus know.”

  “I do.” The smile that spread slowly over Mac’s face warmed a bit of the chill from her. But the numbness came back, spreading fast.

  “We’ll need to get to work on having him officially exonerated,” Detective Logan said. “He’s going to be so happy.”

  “He is,” Mac agreed, his gaze swinging back to find Hailey. “I want to tell him in person. Maybe we can do it together.”

  Somehow, she managed to smile back. It might have been a bit wobbly, but it was a start. “I’d like that. I also have to tell my mother.” Hailey wasn’t sure which she dreaded worse—telling the kids or June. “I just hope this doesn’t send her right back to the bottle. I’m pretty sure she was hoping for a reconciliation with Aaron.”

  Mac squeezed her tight, which helped a lot. She wondered why she felt so numb, as if she couldn’t yet process anything. “From what you said, your mom has made impressive progress. Think positive. There’s a good chance she’ll take all this in stride.”

  “Really?” Detective Logan looked from one to the other. “Would anyone take all this in stride?” Shaking his head, he walked away without waiting for an answer.

  “She’s a strong woman, Hailey,” Mac continued. “We’ve got to believe she’s strong enough to finally conquer her addiction. She may surprise you.”

  Gut churning, Hailey got out her phone. She didn’t know what she’d do if her mother relapsed and knowing June, it was entirely possible. “I might as well get this over with.”

  “You’re calling her now?”

  “Why not?” She grimaced. “I have to do it sometime. I’ll feel better with one less thing hanging over my head.” Or so she hoped. Dimly, she knew she should be feeling something—relief or joy, or maybe that knee-buckling rush of adrenaline now that everything was over—but she didn’t. At least this would be a good time to talk to her mother. One of them needed to be calm. It might as well be her. Good old reliable, steady Hailey. No one would know how close she’d come to being pushed off the edge of the tight rope on which she walked.

  “Would it be better to tell her in person?” Mac asked, his voice gentle.

  To her dismay, her eyes filled with tears. “I can’t,” she said, hating to admit this. “I just can’t.” Because one more thing, such as the sight of her mother breaking down, might just do her in.

  Hitting redial, using the last number June had called her from, Hailey waited, listening to the other phone ring. After a moment, someone answered.

  “May I speak to June Green?” Hailey asked pleasantly, she thought. A moment later, her mother came on the line.

  “I was just about to phone you.” June sounded frantic. “The police called, saying something about my car being at the scene of a murder. They were asking a lot of questions about Aaron. Do you know what’s going on? Is everything okay?”

  Hailey sighed, kind of glad for the numbness. “No, Mom. Everything is not okay.” Sticking strictly to the facts, she relayed what had happened, ending with the news that Aaron would be charged for the two recent murders and eventually for Brenda’s.

  June must have been shocked, because she went utterly silent. When she finally spoke again, Hailey could hear the tears in her voice. “I can’t... It’s hard to process this. I really want a drink.”

  “I know,” Hailey responded gently, though her stomach twisted at her mother’s words. “But you’ve got to find the strength not to.”

  Silence. Hailey knew June was most likely struggling with the concept of not having a crutch to fall back on when the world went crazy.

  * * *

  “Just promise me you won’t start drinking again. Mac says he’ll continue to pay for your stay there until you get well.”

  “Mac?” Again Hailey had clearly shocked her. “He’s paying for my rehab?”

  “Only what Medicaid won’t pay, but, yes, he is. Someday I hope to be able to pay him back.”

  “Oh, my word. I thought you and Aaron had gotten the cash together somehow.” This knowledge seemed to give June strength. “Please, tell Mac I’m fighting hard to stay clean, and I’ll continue to do so.” June took a deep breath. “I won’t let something like this be my excuse to drown myself back in a bottle.”

  Something like this. If June only knew. But Hailey hadn’t told her how close she’d come to becoming Aaron’s next victim, or that she was concerned he would have gone after Tara.

  “Hailey? Are you there? I give you my word I’ll continue on my path to stay sober.”

  “I’m so relieved.” Hailey swallowed hard, aware she’d drifted off. She wished she truly could feel what she knew she should. “I just have to figure out a way to break the news to the kids. I want to do it quickly, before they find out from TV or someone else.”

&
nbsp; “That’s a good idea. You know—” June’s voice cracked “—I should have known it was Aaron. All along, there had to be something I missed, a sign. I might have been able to save my Brenda.”

  Oddly enough, this statement coming from her mother cut through a little of the fog surrounding Hailey. “You can’t rewrite the past,” Hailey said, as she knew she had to. In addition to being responsible, she’d always been the reasonable one, too. She took a bit of comfort from the fact that she was stepping back in to the role she’d grown familiar with. “At least now, we know the truth. It’s awful two more girls lost their lives...” She paused, struggling to hold back her tears. “But Tara is safe, and that’s what matters.”

  “Was Tara ever in danger?” June’s voice rose.

  Hailey winced. Again, she’d clearly shocked her mother.

  “I think so.” For some reason, Hailey didn’t tell June that Aaron had meant to kill her, too, and if not for Mac’s intervention, he’d probably have succeeded.

  But June was speaking again. “Thank goodness she had you to keep her safe.”

  “I’ve got to go.” Keeping her tone gentle, Hailey said goodbye. For the first time she understood what it felt like to be shaking inside but trying to remain calm on the outside. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “Maybe not right now, but I will be. I’m strong, and I want to feel well enough to come back to my family.”

  After ending the call, Hailey stared at her phone for a few minutes, before realizing there was somewhere else she needed to be. And if she was going to hold on to her increasingly fragile sanity, she needed to do exactly what she was supposed to.

  “Tom’s basketball game,” she told Mac, tugging at his sleeve. “I almost forgot. If we hurry, we might make it in time to watch some of it before it gets over.”