Toxic

by Debra Jupe

  “Did anyone think to bring flashlights?”

  “I brought two, but they’re small.” Krystal opened the car door, reached into her purse, and took out the miniature penlights. She flipped the switches on then off, and nodded before she handed one to Quinn, stuffing the second into her back pocket.

  Vivian held up her phone. “My cell has a decent light.”

  Gracie stuck a hand into her jeans and brought her cell out. “I think mine has a flashlight as well.” She turned on the light, satisfied with the appearance of the beam. “Yes, this works.”

  “I say we split up. Gracie and I can explore the west side, and Quinn and Vivian can take the east.”

  Vivian walked a few steps away from the group and shined her light at the sealed greenhouse where Mike’s body had been discovered. Yellow tape surrounded the enclosure and rattled from the near non-existent breeze. “What exactly are we looking for?”

  “We’re trying to discover if plants are still being taken,” Krystal explained.

  Vivian returned to the party and gazed at Krystal. “You’ve been taking care of them. Surely you’d noticed blank spaces.”

  “There hasn’t been any missing since Mike’s death.” Krystal’s expression turned solemn as she scrutinized the darkness once more. “But that doesn’t mean someone isn’t going to show up tonight. If nothing else, maybe we can discover how they’re getting them out without anyone spotting them.”

  “And if we find another exit, then what?”

  “I don’t know.” Krystal sounded frustrated. “I just want to prove Mike wasn’t robbing his business for money.”

  “I’m all for clearing Mike’s name,” Vivian said. “But you think we’re going to find anything roaming around?”

  “Doubtful, because we didn’t plan this very well,” Quinn pointed out. “We were supposed to talk about details at dinner, but we forgot.”

  Krystal released a discouraged moan. “You’re right. This idea blows.”

  “We can at least walk the fence line,” Gracie suggested, hoping to make Krystal feel better. “If we find where they’re breaking in, we’d have a start.”

  Quinn swished her light down gravel road as she strolled into the night. “Yeah, we might as well do something since we’re here. I hate to waste a tank of gas.”

  Vivian lifted a shoulder before she followed Quinn into the gloom. “Her concern is beyond touching, isn’t it?”

  Krystal tugged at Gracie’s upper arm, urging her to move the other way. “Come on, let’s make this quick.”

  They trudged deep into the blackness, following the dimly lit path, their small rays offering the only light. A muggy wind had risen and whistled through the trees bordering the nursery’s boundaries. Insects and night crawlers remained mum. Almost as if they understood the edgy atmosphere and chose not to participate. Even the stars elected to take the evening off.

  Flowery scents intoxicated the air. Smells reminiscent of a distant past usually pacified, but instead of a calming, the odors made the evening seem more ominous.

  “Krystal.” Gracie’s soft voice ricocheted into the nothingness. “I don’t know if the thefts are still going on, but it’s dead here tonight.”

  Krystal flitted her shaft from the fence, to the trail, returning to the fence. “I was thinking the same thing.”

  “We ought to call it a night. We’ll come back when we’re more organized. Bring some protection in case we encounter whatever or whoever we’re looking for.”

  “We should have postponed in the first place. I’ve been so focused on exonerating Mike, my mind hasn’t been straight. I’ll call Vivian and tell her and Quinn to meet us up front.” Krystal stopped and slid a hand into her pocket for her cell phone. She pressed the “on” button. “Damn. My battery is dead.” She returned the device to her jeans and looked at Gracie. “Do you have Vivian’s number programed?”

  “No. We were work friends, but our friendship never made it to the point of exchanging personal stuff.”

  “I won’t even ask if you’ve stored Quinn’s information.”

  Gracie chuckled. “That’d be the dumbest question ever. Let’s go to the car and wait for them.”

  The two women turned around and retraced their steps. Neither spoke as they made their short journey back passing rows of greenhouses. Doors had been left ajar to ventilate. From inside, silhouettes of oversized leaves vaulted within the dimness, giving the eerie impression of darkened demons flying over the mutedly lit floors. Plastic coverings rattled adding to the night’s peculiarity.

  “I keep a set of office keys in my purse,” Krystal said as they approached the building. “We’ll sneak inside, and I’ll call Vivian from there.”

  “Do you know the alarm code?”

  “Yes. Mike changed it every—”

  A loud crack exploding from the other side of the nursery interrupted her.

  Several short screams trailed. Both women stopped in their tracks. Krystal switched off her flashlight.

  “What was that?” Gracie stretched her neck, her gaze searching the dark.

  “No clue, but it can’t be good.” Krystal jerked Gracie’s arm, dragging her in the direction the sound came from. “We need to find Quinn and Vivian.”

  “Wait.” Gracie yanked her back. “That sounded like a gun. We need to stay here.” The inside of her mouth became instantly parched. Someone lurked within the darkness, and her gut indicated that person wanted to do them harm. She scanned the ground for something to use as a weapon.

  An alarmed Krystal considered her suggestion. “We can’t leave them if someone is out here firing a gun.”

  “What if whoever is shooting is Mike’s killer?”

  “Our friends need our help,” Krystal argued.

  “We should call the police first.”

  “That’d be Sheriff Bud, and he’s already downed a twelve pack of his favorite brew by now. We may all be dead by the time he gets here.”

  Another blast boomed, trailed by several more shots.

  Chills peppered across Gracie’s neck, traveling over her arms. “We need someone to find our bodies.” She looked at her friend and held out her phone. “Call Bud, Krystal. He’s better than nothing.”

  Krystal carefully opened the car door and extinguished the interior lights.

  “Damn it.” Quinn’s intonation vibrated through the obscurity.

  “They’re okay.” Krystal murmured, relieved, then she shouted, “Quinn! Hey Qui—”

  “Krystal.” Gracie grabbed her arm and yanked her down as she squatted. “Krystal, think. We can’t yell. Someone might be roaming the nursery with a gun.”

  “Krystal,” Quinn hollered. “Where are you?”

  “Over here.” Krystal flashed the light for a split second to give Quinn their location. “Be quiet though. We don’t need to draw any added attention.”

  Quinn hurried to them, panting, her complexion ghostly white.

  “Are you all right?” Gracie came to her feet. “What happened?”

  Quinn motioned over the top of her head. “A bullet. Whizzed right by me just as I tripped on a rock,” she rushed in between pants. “I jumped up and started to run. Another shot ripped past my ear.”

  Gracie and Krystal exchanged a worried glance. The fears Gracie hoped were an overactive imagination ignited and caught on fire. “You’re sure someone was shooting at you?”

  Quinn held up her left hand. “I swear.”

  “Did you see anyone?” Gracie asked. “Where did the shots come from?”

  “I don’t know on both counts.”

  A low engine rumbled from the rear of the nursery. White flashes glinted though the trees’ thickness. The noise increased, growing closer. A pickup’s shadow materialized in the distance, heading toward the exit.

  “Hide,” Krystal cried in a whispered shout.

  They scattered and crouched behind the front of Quinn’s car, peeking above the hood. Gracie’s insides shuddered as she watched the truck.
Something was all too familiar about that vehicle. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip, glancing at her companions, hoping they weren’t getting the same vibe.

  The three ducked lower as the truck passed them, then it flew through the opened gates.

  The ladies rose, their gazes glued to the sinking taillights.

  “Did anyone get a good look?” Gracie elevated to her tippy-toes for a better view of the disappearing red dots. “I couldn’t see a thing.” This was almost the truth. She really couldn’t make out the truck, though instincts told her exactly who it belonged to.

  “Me either.” Krystal brushed the dirt from her jeans. “I wonder if that was our shooter.”

  “We should follow them.” Quinn sprinted to the driver’s side and yanked the door open.

  “They’re gone.” Gracie’s gaze remained on the now empty road, her interiors still churning. The last thing she wanted was a confirmation on her suspicions. Sometimes it was better not to know. “I doubt if we’d catch them, even as fast as you drive.”

  “Quinn?” Krystal brow furrowed as she glanced at the other woman as she slammed the car door. “Where’s Vivian?”

  “We got separated when all the ruckus began.”

  Krystal flipped her flashlight’s switch. “We need to find her, then we should get the hell out of here.”

  “We ought to bring in the police.” Quinn planted her feet. “Some serious crap is going on. I almost died back there.”

  “You’re right and we will. As soon as we know what to call them for.”

  “Someone was shooting at me, Krystal.”

  “I don’t doubt you; I heard the gunfire. Except the only thing we have is you tripping over a rock and you’re not hurt. No proof of anything. The nursery is located in the middle of nowhere. Gunshots are common out here. People hunt wild hogs or get drunk and shoot just because.”

  “Krystal’s right,” Gracie agreed. “And we’ll need to make sure we’re not involved.”

  Quinn motioned toward the opened gate and pointed. “What ’bout the truck?”

  “Okay,” Krystal reasoned. “Trespassers. So are we. We could get into trouble for being here without permission.”

  “Vivian’s disappeared?” Quinn raised her chin and placed her fists on her hips. “We might want to call them to find her.”

  “Let’s search for her before we do that.” Krystal positioned the light to shine ahead, wandering into the night. “She’s probably hidden and is waiting until she’s sure the coast is clear before she makes an appearance.”

  The women traveled over the nursery shining lights into crevices and culverts, calling Vivian softly. They stood in doorways of the greenhouses, directing their soft glimmers insides. No sign of Vivian. Curving to the rear, they approached the last rows of houses.

  Spears stabbed the back of Gracie’s neck, her hair stood on end as she hurried past a field of decorative statuary for sale. Instead of ornamental, now they resembled headstones in the waning twilight.

  Quinn sped to the next to the last house and gestured to a spot in the dirt. “This is where I fell. I bet that house is riddled with bullet holes.”

  “Riddled from a couple of shots?” Krystal laughed as she shined her light around the area. Gracie stood at the entrance of the nearest house, positioning her phone to comb the insides. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary.

  Krystal spun to Quinn. “Do you remember where you lost Vivian?”

  “When I tripped.”

  “Was she ahead of you, or behind you?” Gracie carefully guided the bright stream across the house one more time.

  “Behind me.”

  Gracie stepped away from the doorway and swept the ray over the row. “She might be on the far side of the nursery looking for us.”

  “Or,” Quinn’s voice quivered. “Whoever was in that truck took her?”

  Gracie and Krystal stared at each other. The possibility seemed farfetched, but there didn’t appear to be another explanation.

  Gracie scanned the night again. “It’s so dark out. I’m betting we missed her, and she’s up front waiting for us. One of us should go back to the car while the others keep looking.”

  “Alone?” Quinn asked in a high-pitch squeak. “I’m not going anywhere else by myself out here. Truthfully, I don’t feel safe with us together.”

  “I’m uneasy about a split, too,” Krystal said. “We’ve already lost one person. Separating isn’t a good idea.”

  “We have our phones.” Gracie pulled hers out of her jeans. “Well, almost. Krystal’s battery is dead.”

  “Mine works. I can call Vivian.” Quinn reached inside her shirt pocket for her cell and pushed a button. She put the devise to her ear. “It’s ringing.” There was a long silence. “No answer.” She tapped “end” on her screen. “Voicemail.”

  Gracie returned to the threshold of the greenhouse. Krystal moved behind her and shined a light inside. The brightness reflected spectral outlines of large palms springing in the feathery breeze.

  Gracie held out a hand. “Over there. On the floor.” She directed her beam to the center.

  Krystal leaned forward. “What is that?”

  Quinn wiggled between them and squinted. “It isn’t a plant.” She took a step inside.

  Gracie snatched the edge of Quinn’s shirt and yanked her back. “Don’t go in.” Gracie gulped twice and choked. “I think that’s a body.”

  Chapter 21

  The three women stood stunned, their gazes fixated on the lifeless individual.

  Krystal adjusted her shoulders, leaned forward, and squinted, shining her light inside. “That certainly looks like a dead person. There are legs and a torso, and it doesn’t appear to be breathing. The head is hidden by the big pots of geraniums, so I can’t see who it is.”

  Gracie let her flashlight drop to her side and twisted toward the others. “We should call Sheriff Bud now. Drunk or not, he needs to be notified.” She glanced at Quinn. “Do you want to dial 911, or would you prefer me to?”

  Quinn stood motionless, her eyes wide as she gaped into the greenhouse. Out of the blue, she released an earsplitting screech and pointed. “That’s Vivian. Vivian’s dead.” Then she bolted, running down the pathway.

  “Crap.” Krystal faced in the direction Quinn sprinted. “Come back, Quinn. We need to wait for the authorities.” But her pleas fell on deaf ears. Quinn continued her run, disappearing into the darkness. Hands on her hips, Krystal stared after her a long time. She spun around and walked past Gracie to the doorway, gazing at the deceased in question.

  Gracie thrust out a hand. “Don’t disturb anything.”

  Krystal gestured at the corpse. “Do you think that could be Vivian?”

  “She wore a dark shirt, similar—she’s disappeared.” She gazed at Krystal. “I can’t tell if it’s a man or a woman the way the body is positioned.”

  “How will we find out who that is without going inside?”

  “The person might be shot in the head, like Mike. Do we want to be up close and personal?”

  “What if they’re not dead, and just hurt?”

  “None of us are trained to help. We need to round up Quinn, and get the hell out of here the minute after we phone the police.”

  “Vivian was my friend, Gracie. Yours too.” Krystal sniveled and wiped her eyes. “If that’s her, we’re not leaving.” She stepped closer to the threshold.

  Gracie grabbed her forearm and yanked. “Krystal don’t.”

  She stopped and turned to Gracie. “We’ve known her for years. We spent most of the day with her and shared a meal with her less than an hour ago.”

  “I understand, Krystal.” The memory of the pickup driving through the nursery only a few minutes before swept through her mind. Ethan’s truck. She was almost sure. Except she didn’t want to believe he did something so horrendous. “The pickup. Whoever is inside might’ve done this. But Krystal, what if they were here for another reason. The killer may still be on the grounds. Waiting�
�for us.”

  Krystal seemed to consider the theory. “Gracie, I’m sure whoever was in the truck is responsible for all the weird stuff happening recently.”

  “I’m betting several people are involved in this plant stealing scheme, and maybe the vehicle is connected. We believe Mike’s death is tied to stolen material. Most likely he died because he interfered. We’re snooping too. Vivian is possibly dead, missing for sure. Someone shot at Quinn. They may not want us here. That person might be hiding anywhere, listening to our every word. It’s so dark, we wouldn’t have a clue.” Gracie tugged Krystal’s arm. “We’re not safe. A deserted area is ideal for getting rid of people. Killers would be long gone before anyone found us.”

  Krystal remained still.

  “Come on. Let the authorities handle this.” Gracie gazed out into the night. “I hope Quinn didn’t go off the deep end more than usual and leave without us.”

  “You’re right. We do need to get out of here.” Krystal took a step then stopped, clutching her abdomen. “I’m not sure I can make it though. My stomach is upset.”

  Gracie slanted closer to her friend. Krystal’s brow was wet from sweat, her complexion pale under her tanned skin. “Yeah, you don’t look so good.”

  “I don’t feel so good.”

  “Probably from stress.” Gracie looped her arm though Krystal’s. “I’ll help you.”

  Krystal nodded. Gracie guided her down the graveled path. “If you want to stop, or anything else, just say so.”

  They moved at a slow pace, traveling in silence, jumping at every sound. Thankfully, the wind had picked up, and the air wasn’t as sticky as before. The warm breeze would’ve been comfortable if the circumstances were different.

  The massive area was well laid out. During the daylight, the nursery was easy to maneuver, but at night the place appeared distorted. Eerie. It seemed like they walked forever before they caught sight of Quinn’s vehicle.

  “Good,” Gracie said relieved as they approached. “She’s still here.”

  “The car is, but Quinn’s not.” Krystal wandered to the front of the vehicle, catching her second wind. “We’ve got to find her. Especially if someone’s out to kill us. They’ll shoot Quinn first, for sure.”