Mountain Peril

by Sandra Robbins

  Will came around his desk and stood beside him. “What’s happened to her?”

  “I don’t know.”

  He told Will everything he knew from the time he’d seen her the night before until the present. When he’d finished, Will nodded. “Sounds like an abduction.”

  Jack pushed out of the chair, his fists clenched. “What if it’s the same killer? What if Danielle’s next?”

  Will clamped his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Now calm down. You’re too involved with Danielle to be thinking rationally. We have to approach this like we would any other case.”

  Jack couldn’t deny it anymore. “This is different. I love her.”

  He expected a wisecrack from Will. Instead he received a sympathetic look and a nod. “I know. That’s why we have to be careful and not run around in circles.” He stepped back behind his desk. “Something came in this morning that may help.”

  “What?”

  Will picked up a paper with some scribbled notes on it. “I had a call from a detective in Chapel Hill. His captain decided they needed to examine some cold-case files. This guy got the assignment on the Stan Winters case.”

  “Danielle’s fiancé?”

  “Yeah. He pulled the file, and he’s been going through it. There was a fingerprint from the crime scene in it that had never been identified. He ran it through the state data bank and was surprised when he got a match from one of our murders.”

  Jack leaned over the desk to read what Will had written. “Which one?”

  “There was an unidentified fingerprint on the cell phone underneath Tricia Peterson’s body. It matched one in Stan Winters’s apartment.”

  Jack gave a low whistle. “So our killer was also with Stan. Do we have a name to add to the print?”

  Will shook his head. “No, and the prints don’t match Landon Morse.”

  “So, the killer knew both victims. It stands to reason that Flynn and Stan were killed by the same person, and it wasn’t Landon Morse.”

  Will sat down behind his desk. “Who else in Webster Falls would have a reason to be in Stan Winters’s apartment?”

  Jack thought for a moment. “I remember Danielle telling me that Jeff Newman and Nathan Webster both visited her there.”

  “You think it could be one of them?”

  The hair on Jack’s neck stood up, and his skin prickled. “Nathan Webster was the last person known to have seen Danielle before she disappeared.”

  Will jumped up and reached for his jacket. “Then let’s go to the school and question him.”

  Jack held out a hand to stop him. “He’s not at school today. Recuperating from the fundraiser the secretary said.” His hand trembled, and his chin quivered. “What if he’s home because he’s done something to Danielle?”

  Will’s eyes widened. “Let’s not think that way yet. Not until we talk to him.”

  Jack turned and rushed from the office with Will behind. There was no time to waste. Lucky for him he’d attended the party with Danielle at Nathan’s home. He knew the way. He only hoped he wasn’t too late to save her.

  Thirty minutes later Jack stopped the car at Nathan Webster’s mountain home. He was bounding up the front steps before Will could even crawl from the passenger side. Jack pushed the doorbell and waited.

  When no one answered, he rang again. This time the door opened. Nathan Webster, wearing khaki pants and a pullover, smiled at them. “Good morning. To what do I owe the honor of a visit from the police?”

  Jack restrained himself from throttling the man and demanding to know what had happened to Danielle. “May we speak with you for a moment?”

  Nathan motioned them inside. “Of course.”

  Jack let his gaze wander over the surroundings as he and Will stepped into Nathan’s home. Nothing appeared to have been changed since the night of the party. An eerie silence hovered over the room.

  In the entry a spiral staircase rose to the upper level of the home. A suitcase sat on the floor next to the bottom step. Jack cocked an eyebrow and inclined his head toward the luggage. “Taking a trip, Mr. Webster?”

  Nathan nodded. “I always spend the month of December at my villa in Italy. With the fundraiser over, I don’t have any commitments at the school until after the first of the year.”

  Jack and Will followed Nathan into the den and sat down on the sofa. A fire crackling in the fireplace reminded Jack of the night he and Danielle attended the party. He tried to push the thoughts from his mind and concentrate on his present mission.

  Will settled back in the cushions. “When are you planning to leave?”

  “Later today.” Nathan sat down in a chair facing them, crossed his legs and rested his hands on his knee. “Now, gentlemen, what did you want to talk with me about?”

  Jack cleared his throat. “It’s about Danielle.”

  A frown pulled at Nathan’s forehead. “I hated to lose her at the university, but I understand her wanting to work with her parents. We’re all going to miss her.”

  Jack cast a quick glance at Will. “Have you seen her this morning?”

  Nathan’s eyes grew wide. “Why, no. I suppose she’s already left for Atlanta.”

  Jack shook his head. “She didn’t come home last night, and her parents can’t reach her. They’ve asked us to find out where she might be.”

  Nathan sat forward, concern lining his face. “Do you think something has happened to her?”

  “We don’t know. That’s why we’re here. You were seen talking with her in the parking lot at the fundraiser last night. As far as we can determine, that’s the last time anybody saw her.”

  Nathan nodded. “I saw her leave the dining room, and I went to check on her. In fact, I carried her a cup of punch. We talked for a few minutes, and she said she wasn’t feeling well and needed to go home. I went back inside and didn’t see her again.”

  Will scooted to the edge of the couch. “What was she doing the last time you saw her?”

  “I looked over my shoulder, and she was walking toward her car.”

  Jack stood and stared down at him. “Are you sure?”

  Nathan rose and turned a cold glare at him. “Yes, Detective. If for some reason you think Danielle might be here, I invite you to search this house.”

  Jack stood and shook his head. “That won’t be necessary, Mr. Webster. I’ll take your word that she isn’t here.”

  Nathan led them toward the hallway. He held the door open as they stepped onto the porch. “I wouldn’t worry about Danielle if I were you. I’m sure she’ll turn up soon.”

  Jack nodded. “I hope so. Thank you for your time and have a good trip to Italy.”

  “I will.” Nathan walked to the edge of the porch as Jack and Will headed toward their car. “Have a Merry Christmas.”

  Jack slammed the car door and turned the ignition. Beside him Will buckled his seat belt. “What do you think?”

  Jack gripped the steering wheel and pulled onto the road. “I don’t think I’ve ever had to work so hard to keep from shoving a guy to the wall and beating him until he told me what I wanted to know.” He swallowed and glanced at Will. “He’s done something to her.”

  “What makes you think so?”

  “I’ve seen how he is around Danielle. It’s almost like he worships her. If he didn’t know where she was, he would have been on the phone calling out every agency in the state to look for her.” Jack shook his head. “He knows where she is all right.”

  Will swiveled in his seat. “Then why didn’t we search his house, and why are we going home?”

  “We didn’t search his house because he wouldn’t have offered if she’d been there.” Jack made a left turn onto a dirt road that curved into the mountains. “And we’re not going home. While I’m finding a hiding place for this car, you alert the department where we are. We’re going to sneak back to Webster’s house and stake it out. He has to come out sometime, and when he does, maybe he’ll lead us to Danielle.”

  Exhausted, D
anielle stumbled down the stairs and fell on the bed. The skin beneath her chipped fingernails burned, and her hands ached from her repeated attempts to get the trapdoor open. She’d explored every inch of her prison, and escape was impossible.

  Her head throbbed, probably a side effect from whatever drug Nathan had given her. She pounded her fists against the mattress. How could she have been so stupid? Even though she’d suspected for several years that Nathan was in love with her, she’d ignored it and continued their friendship. When he told her he loved her weeks ago, she should have sensed the evil in him then, but she was too caught up in her feelings for Jack.

  A tear ran from the corner of her eye. “Oh, Jack, please find me.”

  She covered her eyes with her hands and shook her head. There was no way he could. She didn’t even know the location of the fallout shelter. Nathan could have transported her miles away from Webster Falls while she was asleep in the trunk of his car.

  And her parents. What about them? They must be frantic because she hadn’t called them. They were probably praying for her right now.

  She sat up straight and wiped the tears from her face. Her father’s words drifted into her mind, and she smiled. He’d often told her of a scripture that helped him get through the tough times in rehab—Whoever listens to Me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.

  Her father had listened, and he’d survived. If she was to escape from Nathan, there was only one hope, and that was God.

  She slipped to her knees and bowed her head. “Dear God, Even if I don’t know where I am, You do. I feel Your presence, and I put my trust in You. Be with me and help me not to fear what may come whatever it may be. I love You, Lord. Amen.”

  Peace flowed through Danielle’s heart, and she rose from her knees. She stretched out on the bed, her arms at her sides, and waited for Nathan to come for her.

  Jack and Will had lain on their stomachs and watched from the thick forest beside Nathan’s house for two hours, but there had been no movement. What if Webster didn’t know Danielle’s whereabouts? They might be wasting time here.

  Will squirmed. “I’m getting a cramp in my leg, and I’m cold.”

  “Me, too. What I wouldn’t give for a cup of coffee right now.”

  “And a hamburger.”

  “And a piece of apple pie.”

  They looked at each other and grinned. The game they played on stakeouts helped to pass the time, but it did have its drawbacks. It usually increased the hunger pangs in their stomachs.

  Will propped himself up on his elbows. “How long are we going to stay here?”

  “Any time you want to leave, feel free. I can’t until I know for sure that Webster isn’t involved in Danielle’s disappearance.”

  Will cocked an eyebrow. “And how are you going to know that?”

  Jack shook his head in resignation and directed his gaze to the house’s backyard. A tall birdbath stood in the center of the lawn, and a concrete ring about three feet wide lay to the left of it.

  Jack pointed toward the strange yard decoration. “What is that? A birdbath and a sundial?”

  Will nodded. “That’s what it looks like to me.”

  A garage sat to the rear of the house, and Jack could see a car inside. If Webster was going anywhere in his vehicle, he’d have to walk right in front of where he and Will hid.

  Jack glanced at his watch. Three o’clock. Danielle had now been missing for eighteen hours.

  He had to do something. But what? The answer he needed came in the last words she spoke to him. He squinted and tried to remember exactly what she’d said to him at the fundraiser. At some point in your life, you’re going to be faced with something you can’t handle. I hope you change your mind then.

  Danielle’s words sounded like a prophecy. He was faced with something he couldn’t handle alone, and he needed help. She said her faith had gotten her through her rough times, and she’d survived.

  He hadn’t had the assurance he saw in her, and his feelings had been like stone until she came into his life. Suddenly he wanted what she had. He wanted to know that he wasn’t alone, that someone stood beside him, guiding him and giving him strength to face life’s problems.

  Jack had thought her faith to be childish, but he was the one who needed to become like a child and trust something he didn’t yet understand. After all, that’s what faith meant.

  God knew where Danielle was, and only God could lead him to her. He closed his eyes and laid his head on his outstretched arms. With a breaking heart he begged God to forgive him and give him the peace He offered. He asked forgiveness for blaming his father for his own shortcomings. And he prayed for forgiveness for rejecting the wonderful gift God had sent him in Danielle. “Please don’t punish Danielle for my sins, Lord. I love her so. Please give me the chance to tell her,” he whispered.

  Will nudged him. “Are you all right?”

  He wiped at his eyes and raised his head. “Yeah, I’m fine. Webster said he was leaving for Italy today, so it shouldn’t be too long before he makes his move.”

  Jack directed his focus to the back of the Webster house. Peace flowed through him, and he clenched his teeth. He was ready to face whatever happened next.

  TWENTY-TWO

  Thirty minutes later Jack snapped his attention to the back door of the Webster home. Nathan emerged carrying the black suitcase Jack had seen in the hallway. Neither Jack nor Will moved a muscle as Nathan walked to the garage, popped the car’s trunk and heaved the suitcase inside. Jack hardly dared breathe.

  Nathan walked from the garage and stopped at the sundial. He pulled something from his pocket and stared down as if he were in deep thought. After a moment he bent forward and pushed whatever he held into the top of the sundial.

  Jack raised his head and peeked through the mountain laurel bush in front of him to get a better view. His eyes grew wide as Nathan grabbed hold of the dome’s top and pulled.

  The concrete slab slid to the side to reveal a hole in the ground. Jack and Will stared at each other in disbelief as Nathan stepped into the opening and disappeared from view.

  “That’s no sundial,” Jack croaked. “That’s some kind of underground bunker.”

  Will nodded. “Yeah. And that birdbath must be an air vent. Webster has a perfect place for hiding a hostage.”

  They pushed to their feet and pulled the guns from their belts. “Ready?” Jack whispered.

  His heart raced, and his stomach felt as if it was resting in his throat. Will nodded, and Jack breathed one last prayer for Danielle before he and Will crept across the yard.

  Danielle sat on the bed, her right hand clutching the wedge-heeled pump she’d worn to the fundraiser. At the first sound of the trapdoor opening, she circled the toe of the shoe with her fingers and slipped her hand behind her back.

  Nathan descended the steps and stopped in front of her. He reached out and trailed his fingers down the side of her face. “It’s time, my darling. They’re waiting at the judge’s chambers in Asheville for us. Everything’s ready for the wedding.”

  She stroked the skirt of her dress with her left hand. “This dress is wrinkled. It doesn’t look good enough for a wedding.”

  He chuckled. “Don’t worry. My housekeeper is waiting there with a dress. I checked your closet for the right size. I promise you’re going to look beautiful.” He held out his hand. “Are you ready to go?”

  She nodded. “Almost. There’s just one more thing.”

  His eyes sparkled. “What’s that?”

  “This!”

  Danielle sprang from the bed and threw the full force of her weight into the arc of her arm. The wedge heel connected with his temple, and blood spurted down his face. Nathan stumbled back and sank to his knees.

  Hiking her long dress to her thighs, she bounded toward the stairs. The concrete floor scrapped at her bare feet, but she raced for the sunlight. The metal of the steps felt cool to her feet, and she moved upward.

  About ha
lfway up, a rage-filled roar split the air, and a hand clamped around her ankle. She fell to her knees and clawed at the steps for a hold, but Nathan pulled her back to the floor. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he picked her up and threw her across the room.

  She struck the wall behind the bed and bounced onto the mattress. Before she could scramble to her feet, he lunged onto the bed and circled his fingers around her neck. His eyes glared like dark orbs, and his chest pumped with deep breaths.

  “You’re just like all the rest! I would have given you everything. Now you have to die.”

  Danielle balled her fists and struck at his face. He drew back one hand, slapped her and regained his hold on her neck. His fingers tightened, and she struggled to breathe. The room grew dark. She blinked in an attempt to remain conscious, but Nathan’s face faded before her eyes.

  Jack and Will had crept about halfway across the yard when an almost inhuman bellow erupted through the top of the bunker. A woman’s scream followed the roar, and Jack sprinted forward.

  Without thought for his own safety, he jumped into the hole and landed on a staircase. At the bottom he could see Nathan bending over a bed. Jack couldn’t see her face, but he recognized the dress Danielle had worn the night before.

  Leaping to the floor, he lunged forward and tackled Nathan. The impact sent Nathan sprawling, and Jack was on top of him by the time Nathan hit the floor. Jack pressed his gun to Nathan’s head. “Give me an excuse to pull the trigger.”

  Will appeared at his side and grabbed Nathan’s arms. Together they dragged him to the staircase and handcuffed him to the railing.

  Jack whirled and dashed back to the bed where Danielle lay unconscious. “She has a weak pulse, and I don’t think she’s breathing.”

  Will headed toward the steps. “I can’t get a phone signal in here. I’ll go outside and call nine-one-one.”

  “Wait,” Jack yelled. “Help me get her onto the floor.”

  Will ran back to Jack and grabbed Danielle’s legs. Jack took her shoulders, and they laid her on the floor. Jack leaned over her, tilted her head back and listened for breathing, but he heard nothing. “I’m going to start CPR. You go call for help.”