Up Shute Creek: Rose Gardner Investigation #4

by Denise Grover Swank

  I needed to talk to Marsha, then head home. James could chase me there if he wanted, but I still wasn’t in any mood to deal with him.

  Stuffing my phone in my pocket, I approached the women.

  Marsha’s friend looked wary, but Marsha squinted. “Rose?”

  “Hey, Marsha. Can I help you get to your car?”

  Relief covered her friend’s face. “Thank you. We’re in a bit of a hurry.”

  I wasn’t sure why, but I didn’t have a problem with it. I didn’t really want to stick around either. “Not a problem.”

  I lifted Marsha’s free arm over my shoulder, and the three of us started walking.

  “You smell like your man,” she mumbled.

  I wasn’t surprised, but rather than comment I asked, “Did you find Sarah’s journal?”

  She whipped her head around so quickly she stumbled. “How’d you know about the journal?”

  “Stewie told me.”

  “Oh,” she said in defeat.

  “We scoured Sarah’s room and never found it. Where was it?” I asked.

  “In Conrad’s tackle box in the garage.” She started to cry. “He’s been sleepin’ with her for over a year.”

  “Marsha,” I said, my stomach roiling. Conrad had claimed he was fishing the Sunday she disappeared. “Did Sarah say she didn’t want to have sex with him?”

  Marsha stopped walking and turned to face me. Guilt filled her eyes. “She didn’t. He forced her and held her down. And then apologized like it could be forgiven with a floral arrangement.”

  So Conrad had been the one to give her the bruises. And the flowers.

  I grabbed her upper arms and studied her face. “Marsha, this is important. Do you think Conrad killed Sarah?”

  Her chin quivered, and she stared at me for several seconds before she said, “I found Sarah’s panties in his tackle box too. Yeah. I think that monster killed my baby.”

  Flashing red and white lights caught my attention, and I turned to see a shiny new police car pull into the parking lot with Sugar Branch Police emblazoned on the side.

  “Dammit,” Marsha’s friend muttered. “We didn’t get out of here fast enough.”

  I now realized what the bartender had regretted doing—calling the police. And Marsha and her friend had been trying to outrun them.

  The car door opened and a man in jeans and a T-shirt got out, slamming his door shut behind him.

  “Good evenin’, ladies,” he said as he walked over. He looked to be in his thirties, and there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes. I could see a resemblance to Stewie, so I gathered this was his cousin, Johnnie. “Tell me your names and what you’re up to this evenin’.”

  “I’m Theresa Hancock,” Marsha’s friend said. “And this is Marsha Freestone.”

  “You know who I am!” Marsha shouted. “Why’re you actin’ all prissy, Johnnie Frasier?”

  Officer Frasier shifted his weight. “Tony called a disorderly on ya, Marsha. Sorry. I gotta haul you in.” Only his grin didn’t make him look all that sorry.

  “You can’t do that!” Marsha retorted.

  “But I can.” He pulled his handcuffs out of his back pocket and took a step toward her.

  Marsha began to sob.

  “Officer Frasier,” I said, being extra nice. “If you only knew the circumstances, you might be more understandin’. Poor Marsha just found out that her boyfriend has been molestin’ her daughter, and she thinks she has proof he killed her.”

  His eye shot wide, and he turned to me with new interest. “And you are?”

  I swallowed, then steeled my back. “I’m Rose Gardner. Marsha hired me and my friend to investigate Sarah’s disappearance.”

  Officer Frasier hooked his thumbs on his waistband and studied the lot of us. Then he shook his head with a smug grin and said, “Looks like I just solved me a crime. Marsha, you run on home, but only if Theresa drives ya.”

  “I will,” Theresa assured him, her head bobbing.

  “You wait for me to come by tomorrow to get your statement. I’m gonna give you some time to sober up.”

  “Thank you,” Theresa said. “My car’s right over there,” she said to me, pointing to a vehicle a couple of cars down. We got Marsha into the passenger seat while Officer Frasier watched. After Theresa got into the driver’s seat, he finally came forward and opened the driver’s side door. “I think it would be better for all involved if we forget that we ever met in this here parking lot tonight. We’ll just say that Marsha called me in the morning.” He paused and gave her cold blooded stare. “You catch my drift?”

  Theresa looked up into his face for a moment. Then her glance shifted to me before returning to him. She nodded, her hands shaking.

  Cold dread washed through my body and I took a step back.

  Officer Frasier shut the door and stalked toward me with a leer. “Rose Gardner, you’re comin’ with me.”

  Chapter 31

  Before I even had time to think, he was on me, spinning me around and slapping handcuffs on my wrists behind my back.

  I struggled to stay calm. Panicking wouldn’t help. “May I ask what I’m being arrested for?”

  “Obstruction of justice.”

  “And how exactly did I do that?” I asked as he grabbed my upper arm and marched me toward his police car. He hadn’t given me my Miranda rights, but I suspected he didn’t need to give them in this situation.

  “We’ll talk about it at the station.” He opened the back door and stuffed me inside.

  I stared up at him, fear slithering in my gut. “I wasn’t aware that Sugar Branch had a police station.”

  An evil grin spread across his face as he slammed the door shut.

  He pulled out his phone and placed a call, then climbed into the driver’s seat. “You’ll never guess who I just apprehended.” He started his car but left it in park. “Rose Gardner.” He glanced over his seat at me and grinned. “I know he won’t, but he’ll never know. We’ll hand her over to Carmichael. He’s been gettin’ a little too suspicious anyway. He won’t realize we’re playin’ him. I’m gonna need you to come pick up her truck.”

  Icy fear swam through my blood, and I felt close to passing out.

  Don’t panic. I had my phone and James had sworn he was coming to find me. He’d follow me with the app on the phone.

  Suddenly, I wasn’t so pissed about his invasion of my privacy.

  But I couldn’t count on James to save me. I needed to rely on my own self.

  Take inventory of the situation.

  I realized these weren’t regulation police cars. There wasn’t a divider between the front and the back, and the car didn’t have a computer console. It looked like a civilian car with a light bar on top and a professional paint job. I also realized the interior light hadn’t come on when he opened the doors.

  “You’ll find them on the front seat. Meet you there,” Officer Frasier said as he ended the call and got out of the car. He opened the back door and leaned inside. “I need your keys.”

  “They’re already in the truck,” I lied. If he searched me, he’d find my phone.

  And my gun.

  Sure, the gun wouldn’t do me much good with my hands cuffed behind my back, but it was somewhat comforting to have a plan in place in case I could get to it.

  “Now, now, Rose Gardner, it’s not good to lie to the police.” He placed his hands on either side of my waist and slowly slid up to my breasts, making it clear this wouldn’t be a routine pat-down.

  I only had one shot at this.

  I quickly spun sideways on the seat, bracing my shoulders on the door behind me, and kicked him as hard as I could in the chest. But I lost leverage and the blow wasn’t as effective as I’d hoped. He grabbed my ankles with both hands and spread my legs open, then lowered himself on top of me.

  I had no doubt about what he planned to do.

  “You want it rough, huh?” he asked, clearly aroused. Then he leaned back and placed his hand on my thigh,
sliding up to my holster. “What do we have here?” He sounded amused. “You got a permit for this, Ms. Gardner?”

  “Yes,” I said, trying to sound strong, but his hand shifted up my thigh and I froze.

  Malicious glee filled his eyes as he pulled out my gun. He tossed it over the front seat, pinning me down with his weight.

  When his hand returned to my upper thigh, I smothered a sob. I would not give this asshole the satisfaction of breaking down.

  Voices floated into the night sky, moving closer, and irritation filled the officer’s eyes as he rose up and looked out the window, cursing his bad luck. Then he grinned. “No worries. We’ll get back to this later.”

  “I’ll kill you if you try,” I spat out.

  He laughed. “Sarah Freestone said the same thing, but look at which one of us is still alive and kickin’.” Then he grabbed my keys out of my pocket and got out, shutting the door behind him.

  Why hadn’t he grabbed my phone? Then I realized it must have fallen out of my pocket when he’d pushed up my skirt. I glanced down at the floor and saw it was partially hidden under the seat.

  I was still so dazed from his attack that it took me a couple of seconds to realize he’d admitted to raping Sarah, and possibly killing her. I sat upright.

  I had to get out of here or he’d do the same to me.

  Using my foot, I nudged my phone closer. Once it was lined up with my hands, I lowered myself to the floorboard. I fit just enough to pick up my phone. Getting back up on the seat, I scooted to the door, reaching back for the door handle on the passenger side. To my shock, it actually opened. A quick glance toward my truck confirmed that the officer was opening my truck door, putting my keys inside.

  I didn’t have time to lose. Pushing the door open as quietly as possible, I slid out of the car and carefully shut the door. I briefly considered taking precious extra seconds to try to get the gun out of the front, but I couldn’t shoot it with my hands cuffed behind me. I’d have a better chance if I hid in the woods at the back of the property.

  The voices had quieted, and I saw the bystanders had gotten into a car. I briefly considered running to them for help, but I just as quickly nixed it. I’d be putting them in danger, for one thing, and there was no knowing whose side they’d be on.

  Instead, I ran to the side of the building, thankful for the poor lighting. I hid in the shadows as I ran toward the back, glancing over my shoulder to see the officer returning to the patrol car. He was shifting his jeans and wearing a shit-eating grin. I only had a precious few seconds until he discovered I was gone. I couldn’t make a call, but hopefully the tracking app was good enough to lead James straight to me.

  I took off in a sprint toward the tree line, but running was awkward with my pinned hands. I only made it about ten feet before something tripped me in the dark. I stumbled, my shoulder hitting a tree, and bit my lip to swallow a cry of pain.

  Frasier called out from the parking lot, “I love me a good game of hide-and-seek. You better hide good, Rose.”

  I closed my eyes and took a breath before I took off again. Only a few steps in, I realized it would be worth the few extra seconds it would take to get my arms in front of me. I got down on my back, slipped my hands under my butt—clutching my phone tightly in my palm—and then looped my legs the rest of the way through.

  I was too close to the tree line to suit me, so I went several more feet before finding a tree large enough to hide behind.

  “Rose!” Frasier called out from the edge of the tree line, and I realized he was waiting to hear a sound to know which direction to go.

  James was likely on his way. I only had to bide my time. But would he know I was back here?

  It struck me that the man chasing me was a policeman. The Sugar Branch police force was notoriously corrupt, but this was still a huge mess. Ultimately, it would be my word against his. I needed to record this for evidence. But first I needed to text James and tell him where he could find me.

  I could see Frasier take a few steps into the trees, the lights in the parking lot making him look like a silhouette.

  Holding my phone close to my body, I opened the screen and sent James a text.

  I’m trapped in the woods behind Tiggy’s. The Sugar Branch police tried to kidnap me.

  He quickly sent back: I’m on my way. Hang tight.

  I quickly switched over to my camera, turning on the video, and prayed the tree I’d chosen was big enough that the light from my phone hadn’t given me away.

  “Where is she?” I heard another male voice ask.

  I turned the phone in his direction.

  “I think she took off into the trees. I’m listening for her to give herself away.”

  “Snatchin’ her was a stupid move,” the other voice said in a disgusted tone. “He’s gonna go on a fucking rampage when he finds out she’s dead. If he ever ties it to us…”

  A shiver ran down my back.

  “He won’t,” Frasier insisted. “How would he?”

  The crunch of leaves confirmed they were entering the woods, but I stayed put.

  “We’ll need to hide her body,” the other man said. “And her truck. Just like we did with the other girl.”

  “No one’s found her yet, have they?” Frasier countered. “I told you the junkyard was the perfect place. All the more reason to shut this one up, if you ask me. Rose is the only one diggin’ into her disappearance.”

  “That friend of hers was helpin’. They’re like peas and carrots.”

  “Peas are worthless without carrots. We only need to do away with this one.”

  Neely Kate was going to be furious when I told her they’d called her peas.

  “I don’t like it,” the new guy said.

  “It’s too damn late now. It’s either we kill her or he kills us for screwin’ up his plan. I pick her.”

  “Yeah,” the new guy conceded. “Her.”

  They were closer now, so close I let my breath out slowly for fear they’d hear me.

  “Shit,” the new guy said. “He’s callin’ again.”

  “Don’t answer it.”

  “I’ve sent it to voice mail three times now, and the last time we didn’t answer, he nearly killed us.” His tone then changed as he grunted, “Yeah,” presumably into the speaker of his phone. He paused a second. “Right now? We’re in the middle of a traffic stop.” He paused again, then said, “Yeah, him too. It’s a tricky one.” He had to be the other Sugar Branch police officer, Flem Horton.

  Frasier cursed softly.

  “Yeah,” Horton said. “I hear you. We’re comin’ right now.” Seconds later, he cursed, cluing me in that he’d hung up. “He says we have to go now.”

  “We can’t leave her. She’ll talk.”

  “We’ll take care of her later,” the new guy said, getting angrier by the second. “If you’d left her alone like you should have done in the first place, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

  “I’m tellin’ you, she’s gonna go straight to Malcolm or her sheriff buddy, and one or the other is gonna come after us, guns blazin’. We can’t leave her or we’re dead.” He paused. “And she was right there for the pluckin’. Man, she’s soft. I’m gonna love buryin’ myself in her.”

  “You’re not gonna do any such thing, you moron. That’s what got us into trouble in the first place. You got a fuckin’ hard-on for that girl when you saw her at Lincoln’s mercy after she stole his money, and you just had to go and complicate things. Now we’re hiding his murder and hers. We just need to sit tight a little longer, and soon we’ll have enough money to move to Mexico.”

  My phone buzzed with a text, and it was just loud enough to be heard in the silent woods.

  “Come on, Rose,” Frasier called out. “I just want to play.”

  He was on the other side of the tree, and I knew there was no way I could outrun him. But I was sure going to try.

  I dodged to the right, then ran straight for the parking lot, not daring to look back
. I’d nearly made it when I was tackled from behind. I felt Frasier’s hot breath in my ear as he whispered, “Gotcha.”

  My phone skittered out of my hand, onto the pavement.

  “You can’t screw her,” Horton said impatiently, sounding breathless behind us. “There’s no time.”

  Frasier’s weight was suddenly gone. Then Horton hauled me to my feet and wrapped his hands around my throat. “Sorry, Rose, but I’ve got to clean up this shithead’s mess.”

  I kicked at him and clawed at his hands as I felt the airflow cut off, but he didn’t budge. His grip was like iron.

  “Shit!” Frasier whined. “You’re stranglin’ her? That’s cold man.”

  “We can’t risk shootin’ her with our guns. Especially with…”

  I didn’t hear the rest. My consciousness was fading, and I realized James wasn’t going to make it in time.

  Just as everything turned to black, I heard several soft pings, and then the grip on my neck was gone. I crumpled to a heap, blinking as my oxygen-deprived brain tried to figure out what had just happened.

  A face I recognized but found difficult to place in my haze loomed over me.

  “Tell Malcolm I owe him for this, and you owe me one free job. I’ll be in touch.”

  Then everything faded to black and Denny Carmichael was gone.

  Chapter 32

  When I came to, it was Joe’s face I saw next, not James’s, and I blinked in confusion.

  “What are you doin’ here?” My voice sounded hoarse.

  He was fumbling with my hands as he said, “I was worried about you, for good reason, apparently. I decided to check on you.” He sounded terrified as his gaze searched my abdomen.

  I reached down to help push myself up, only then realizing he must have removed my cuffs.

  Joe gently pushed me back down, sounding frantic. “Stay where you are. The ambulance is on its way. I’m tryin’ to find out where you’re bleedin’ from. I can’t find it.”

  “It’s from him.” I gestured to the body next to me. “I was only strangled. I wasn’t shot. I don’t think.” I pushed his hand away and sat up, glancing down at my body. Sure enough, my side was soaked with blood, but it was from the dead man next to me.