Reed Ferguson 1-3

by Renee Pawlish

  I ducked down and hurried to the barn door. I winced as the hinges creaked. I slipped inside and slowly pulled the door closed, trying to minimize the noise. I could barely see a thing. How was I going to search for a key? A door slamming stopped me cold. I eased the barn door open a crack, praying it wouldn’t squeak, and looked through. Marv stood near the picnic table, staring out into the field. He held a flashlight, which he flicked on as he started walking out toward the puppy mill. Did they suspect something? Or was he just checking on the dogs? Either way, I needed to make my escape. I wouldn’t be able to rescue Aesop right now, but I could go back to the sheriff’s office and insist they send someone out here. I waited until the sound of Marv’s footsteps faded, and then I slipped out through the door.

  Something stirred the air. I half-turned around and saw a chunk of firewood flying at my head. I ducked but not in time. The wood clunked me behind my ear. Stars danced in my vision as I slumped to the ground, dazed.

  Footsteps approached.

  “Come on, get him in here,” Jack said.

  Hands grabbed me roughly and dragged me into the barn. Bright light suddenly blinded me. I moaned and kicked out, but my legs were like rubber. The hands dropped me and my head thumped on the barn floor with a crack. I tried to sit up but a booted foot pressed me back down. A hand pulled my gun from where it was tucked in my jeans.

  “You won’t need this,” Marv said.

  I reached for it, but he slapped my hand away.

  “Tie him up,” Marv said.

  I cocked my head and Jack’s face came into my vision. Then he sidled around behind me and yanked my arms up. He taped my hands together with duct tape, then wrapped more tape around my ankles. The pressure on my sprained ankle was excruciating. Once Jack finished, they rolled me over. Marv searched my pockets, taking my keys, camera, cell phone, and wallet.

  “Taking pictures.” Jack shook his head.

  I glared at him.

  Marv turned on the camera and fiddled with it. “You better look at this Jack.” He held the camera out. They both squinted as they perused the shots I’d taken.

  “He’s got it all,” Marv said. “There’s me taking that stupid dog last night. And your truck.” He put his face up close to the camera. “I’ll bet those pictures have your license plate number. That’s how he found your place.”

  “This is not good,” Jack muttered.

  Marv began pacing. “What are we going to do?” He threw up his hands.

  Jack stared down at me. “Is Marv right?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know,” I said.

  Jack opened my wallet. “Reed Ferguson,” he read from my license. He tapped the card on his hand. “What’s a guy from Denver doing out here?”

  I clamped my mouth shut.

  Marv kicked me in the side. “Answer him,” he sneered.

  I sucked in a breath, trying to ignore the shooting pain in my side.

  Marv glowered at me, fire in his eyes. He kicked me again and I grunted.

  “Stop it,” Jack ordered.

  Marv backed up and paced again.

  Jack continued tapping my license on his hand. “What do we do with him?” he finally asked.

  Marv shrugged. “Kill him.”

  Jack shook his head in disgust. “Be serious.”

  “We need to talk to Chuck,” Marv suggested.

  “He’s in Denver visiting his girl, remember?” Jack said. “He won’t be back until tomorrow.”

  Marv ran a hand over his jaw. “We can’t leave him here.”

  “Why not?” Jack waved a hand around. “Who’s going to find him?”

  “What if he told someone else where he is?” Marv asked. “And they come looking for him.”

  Jack thought about that. So did I. I’d told Cal I was going to visit the sheriff in Strasburg and if that didn’t work, I’d come out here. But Cal wouldn’t be expecting me to call him until tomorrow or maybe the day after. No one else knew where I was. I cursed myself. Why didn’t I tell anyone else I was coming out here? Nooo, Reed, that would’ve made too much sense.

  “We’ll drug him,” Jack finally said. “Put him in a stall until morning. When Chuck’s back, we’ll see what he says. The whole puppy mill thing was his idea.”

  “That’ll work.” Marv headed for the door. “I’ll get Connie. She’s got something for the dogs that ought to work on him.”

  After Marv left, Jack dragged me into a stall.

  “You won’t get away with this,” I said.

  “We’ve gotten away with this for a while now,” Jack snorted. He leaned me against the back of the stall. “We’ve had trespassers before. We can handle you.”

  “Sounds like you’re not too sure,” I said. “Since you have to wait for Chuck to tell you what to do.”

  Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Shut up.” Then he kicked my leg.

  I tried to get more comfortable as Marv returned with Connie.

  “Geez, Jack!” Connie yelled when she saw me. “What the hell are you two doing?”

  “Just drug him,” Jack said. “Give him something you give to the dogs. We need him quiet until Chuck comes back tomorrow. He’ll know what to do.”

  Connie cursed under her breath and walked away.

  “You two are too stupid to handle things on your own,” I said, stalling for time. Although pissing them off might not be the best strategy. I wasn’t thinking too clearly.

  Marv made a fist and leaned in close to my face. “He won’t quit talking. But I can take care of that.”

  “Don’t,” Jack said. “I’ll shut him up.” He found the duct tape, tore off a piece and slapped it across my mouth.

  Jack stepped back and surveyed his work. “That’s an improvement.”

  Connie returned, holding one of the bottles I’d seen in the bag and a syringe. She prepped the syringe, and a tiny stream of liquid squirted from the needle.

  “Roll him over,” she ordered. I thrashed as they grabbed me, but it was two-against-one. I lost. As Jack and Marv held me still, Connie knelt down next to me. She pulled up my coat sleeve, then my shirtsleeve. I squirmed but it was useless. I felt a pinprick on my arm.

  “Okay, let him go,” she said.

  They let go of me and jumped away. I swept my legs out, trying to trip them, but they were out of range.

  “That’ll keep him quiet until morning,” Connie said. She glared at Jack. “I hope to hell you know what you’re doing.”

  “Don’t worry, hon,” Jack said to her. “Go back in the house. We’ll be there in a minute.”

  Connie stormed off.

  I gazed up at Jack and Marv. They shimmered in and out of focus. Then everything turned black.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  I startled awake. Light streamed through a crack in the wall. Lying on my side, I shivered and coughed, struggling for oxygen. And then I began to panic, which made breathing even harder.

  Calm down, I thought. I worked to settle myself. I was finally able to suck enough air through my nose to breathe okay. And then I could think clearly.

  What time was it? Morning? Where was I? Memory slowly returned. I was trying to rescue Aesop. Jack and Marv caught me. They mentioned Chuck. It was his operation, so he probably lived around Deer Trail somewhere. Where had I heard that name recently?

  The motel clerk! His name was Chuck. If I could’ve snapped my fingers, I would’ve. That’s how Marv knew where I lived. I’d filled out a form at the motel and I’d put my address on it. So Chuck was involved in the puppy mill as well.

  I looked around. A couple of thin blankets had been thrown over me. “How nice of them,” I thought sarcastically. Jack and Marv didn’t want me to freeze to death before Chuck arrived and gave them orders to kill me. I pushed myself into a sitting position, silently yelping at the pain and stiffness in my muscles and joints.

  I had to get away, or at least, let someone know I was here. Cal knew where to find me, but it was too early for him to worry. If I could get my cell ph
one out of my pocket, I could call him…I shouted through tape that covered my mouth. No, wait – they’d taken my phone. Damn! That was a brand new phone, too.

  My entire body ached and I was freezing. I moved my lips behind the tape. Maybe if I could get the tape off, I could yell for help. But the barn was solidly built and I was in the middle of nowhere, so who would hear me?

  Footsteps approached and the barn door creaked opened. A shaft of light suddenly illuminated the room. A moment later Jack appeared in front of me.

  “You’re awake,” he grunted. He bent down, threw off the blankets and jostled me, checking to make sure I was still securely tied. I was.

  “Connie and I are going to breakfast,” he said. He patted me on the cheek. “You just stay here. We’ll be back with Chuck. And we’ll deal with you then.” He slapped me hard, once. “I don’t want to drug you again and have you passed out all day, but in case you get any ideas that you’re going to get up and walk out of here, think twice. I’m putting a padlock on the door.” He stood up, chuckled, and left.

  As he shut the barn door, darkness enveloped me. I sat for a second, not sure what to do. I heard the rev of the truck’s diesel engine, and then the sound faded away.

  I squirmed around, trying to pull my wrists free, but the tape stuck. I tried to separate my arms and stretch the tape but to no avail. It just hurt my arms and shoulders. Even with the cold, sweat rolled down my cheek. I slid my back down the side of the stall until I was lying prone. I felt along the wood with my hands. If I could find the end of a nail, or a jagged edge of wood, maybe I could cut the tape. Then I’d deal with the locked door.

  My fingers skimmed as far as I could reach, which wasn’t much. I slithered a little farther and felt again. Still nothing. My shoulders ached.

  My frustration grew and I silently cursed. I had to escape. My breathing came in ragged gasps as I struggled.

  I was so focused I didn’t hear it at first. But then I heard a rattling at the door, as if someone was fiddling with the padlock. Had Jack come back? A moment later a loud thump echoed in the barn. It sounded like someone was trying to break the door down. Two more thumps resounded through the dark and then the barn door creaked open. I squinted into the shadows.

  Quiets steps moved around the barn. I froze. I figured it wasn’t Marv or Jack because they would come right to me. Who? Chuck? I gulped.

  Then a face materialized above me.

  “Cal!” I shouted. Since my mouth was taped, it came out a muffled mess.

  “Reed!” he hissed, dropping to his knees. “Am I glad I found you!”

  “Mfft,” I said back.

  “What?” He ripped the tape off my face and I yelped at the pain.

  “And I’m glad to see you!” I managed to say.

  “Come on, we’ve got to get you out of here,” Cal hissed.

  “How’d you break the lock on the door?” I croaked. My mouth was dry and I felt like I had swallowed paste.

  “It was a cheap lock,” he said. “I used a piece of firewood to loosen the hasp from the wood. A couple of good whacks and the screws pulled out and I yanked the whole thing off.”

  “Good thinking,” I said. “Help me get this tape off my arms and legs,”

  “I’m trying,” he said. “It’d be better if I had a knife.”

  “Why’d you come out here now? I didn’t think you’d –”

  “Be worried,” he finished. He huffed as he tried to tear the tape. “I’d like to stay out of your detective work, at least the dangerous stuff, but when I couldn’t get ahold of you last night or this morning, I figured you’d gotten yourself into some kind of trouble again. So I drove out here.” He sat back on his haunches. “This isn’t working. Let me see if I can find a knife or something to cut that tape.”

  “Hurry,” I said, my voice hoarse. “Jack and his wife went for breakfast. They’ll be coming back with Marv and Chuck.”

  “I know,” Cal’s faraway voice said. “I was watching the house and I saw them leave. Who’s Chuck?”

  “He’s the mastermind of their operation,” I muttered. Every square inch of my being ached and I was desperate to be freed.

  “What operation?” Cal called from across the barn.

  “A puppy mill.”

  “A puppy mill? That’s awful.”

  “Tell me about it,” I said.

  “Here we go.” Cal returned with a hacksaw. “This should work.”

  Cal cut through the tape, careful to avoid my wrists. My arms broke free.

  “Argh,” I groaned as I flexed my shoulders and arms. They were completely stiff and numb.

  Cal hacked through the tape wrapped around my ankles and then he helped me stand up.

  “Can you walk?”

  I leaned against him as my legs wobbled. “I need your help.”

  We staggered to the barn door and Cal cautiously gazed out. “We’re good. Let’s head straight to the fence. My car’s parked down the road.”

  “To the west?”

  “Yes.” Cal searched my face. “What?”

  “They would’ve seen it when they drove into town.”

  He shook his head. “I pulled onto a side road so no one can see it from the main road. It’s a bit of a walk, but…”

  “My car’s closer,” I said, pointing in the opposite direction. “We can get it and then pick up yours.”

  “Good idea.”

  We struck off to the north, through the back yard. I scowled in pain but hurried as fast as my sore legs would carry me. With each step my limbs began to stretch out, but our progress was slow. We crossed the lane and reached the fence. Cal made a space in the barbed wire and I ducked through. Then I held the wire for him. He stooped and jumped through the gap, but his coat snagged on a barb.

  “Dang it,” he halted. “I love this coat.”

  “Hold on.” I plucked at the fabric. My fingers were like jelly and they didn’t want to work.

  “Hurry!” he said.

  The rumbling of a truck split the air.

  “They’re coming back,” Cal whispered.

  I nodded. “They must’ve skipped breakfast.”

  “Come on!” Cal pushed forward.

  “Got it!” I said.

  Cal stumbled forward and stood up. I put my arm around his shoulder and we rushed through the field.

  “It’ll only take them a second to see that the barn’s been broken into and they’ll know I’m gone,” I wheezed.

  “Where’s your car?”

  “Not too much farther.”

  We turned toward the road and soon arrived at the 4-Runner.

  Cal leaned me against the passenger door. “Where are the keys?”

  “They took mine,” I said. “But there’s a spare in the wheel well on the other side. The rear tire.”

  “Isn’t that creative?” he said as he ran around the car.

  “It might be cliché but it’s saving out asses,” I replied.

  “Got it,” he hollered. The car shook as he hopped in and unlocked the doors.

  I piled in. “Go!”

  “I’m going, I’m going.”

  Cal started the car and floored the gas. We shot into the road. A minute later we neared Jack’s house. His blue truck was just turning onto the road.

  “What’s he doing?” Cal hollered.

  “Going for help, I guess.”

  Cal eased off the gas.

  “Don’t stop!” I shouted. “Go around him!”

  Cal jerked the wheel and the 4-Runner veered to the left. I ducked down, but not soon enough. Jack spotted me anyway. As we zoomed by, Jack’s face was visible through the windshield. He was yelling something at us.

  Cal glanced in the rearview mirror. “He’s chasing us,” he said, his voice shaking.

  “Floor it,” I said. “We’ve got to get to Strasburg, to the sheriff.”

  “Call 911,” Cal said. His white knuckles clutched the steering wheel hard.

  “They took my phone.”
>
  “Here’s mine.” Cal let go with one hand and the car careened toward the ditch.

  “You’re going to get us killed! Just drive,” I ordered.

  We hurtled down the road. I turned around and looked through the rear window. The truck was gaining on us.

  “Can’t you go any faster?” I yelled.

  “I can’t.”

  We drove in silence and I watched the truck edge closer.

  “There’s the main road up ahead,” Cal said.

  He slowed down for the turn. I glanced ahead, then back again. The truck’s big front end came dangerously close to us. Cal cranked the wheel and we lurched onto the paved road with a squeal of tires. Up ahead an old red Toyota 4x4 raced straight toward us.

  “What the hell!” Cal shouted.

  “That’s Chuck,” I said, recognizing the shock of gray hair and baseball cap.

  The Toyota swerved into our lane. Cal cranked the wheel and we zipped by the truck, clipping its front end. The 4-Runner slid to the side, jostling us. Cal frantically worked to keep us from spinning out of control. We looped around and Cal hit the brakes. The 4-Runner jerked to a stop, facing the opposite direction. Ahead of us, the Toyota screeched to a halt just before it slammed into Jack’s truck. Jack was waving his hands and yelling as he backed up his truck.

  “Let’s get out of here,” I said.

  Cal backed up and made a U-turn, then slammed on the gas again. We shot around the curve, past the Phillips 66.

  I checked behind us. Jack and Chuck were nowhere in sight.

  “I don’t think they’re following us,” Cal said.

  “Just get us to Strasburg before they decide to catch up to us.”

  Cal shook all over. “I’m not a detective, Reed,” he muttered, his knuckles white as he clutched the wheel. “I like my quiet existence in the mountains.”

  I glanced over at him. “I owe you, big time.”

  Cal remained silent as he turned onto the interstate entrance.

  I glanced behind us. “Maybe they’ve given up,” I said. I sat back and let my muscles relax. I longed for a drink of water but didn’t want to stop.