by Cindy Bell
“It can be, trust me. But you're right, I do enjoy it.”
“Even when you're working with Luke?” Ally tried to be as casual as possible about how she asked the question.
“Oh, not a fan of Luke?” Julian smirked. “Well, I don't blame you. He is such a stickler, and he doesn't exactly have the friendliest demeanor. He's not a bad guy though.”
Ally frowned.
“Really? He seems a little shady to me.” Ally met Julian's eyes.
“I wouldn't say that. He's not looking to make friends, but he does his job. In fact sometimes it's hard to get him to just relax and not take everything so seriously.” He took a long swallow of his soda. “You know sometimes you just have to let things go. You don't have to follow the letter of the law.”
Ally shifted in her chair. She toyed with the top of her soda can. She heard what Julian said, but it made her uncomfortable. He acted as if Luke was a stellar detective. Why would he act that way if he knew or suspected Luke was involved in smuggling? Maybe he had no idea?
“You don't think he might be hiding something?” Ally pressed. Julian's smile faded. He set down his can of soda.
“What are you getting at, Ally?”
“Nothing really. He just seems like he might be putting on a false front.” She shrugged.
“Good at reading people are you?” Julian chuckled. “Maybe you should be my partner instead of Luke.”
Ally smiled at his words. “I don't know if that's such a good idea.”
A knock on the front door summoned Julian's attention. “I'll be right back.” He stood up and went to answer the door. Ally really didn't want to finish the soda, but she didn't want to appear rude. She walked over to the sink and poured the contents down the drain. Then she looked around for a recycling bin. She saw a small trashcan, but she was a big believer in never throwing out a can. She opened the pantry beside the back door. Inside was a small, square box. It had other cans and plastic bottles in it. Pleased that she had found it, Ally dropped the can into the box. As she started to turn around something caught her eye. A box on the shelf. A box from ‘Charlotte’s Chocolate Heaven’. It looked exactly like the box of chocolates that was meant to be delivered on the day that Connor died. In shock, she reached out to pick it up.
“Ally.”
She jumped at the sound of Julian's voice right behind her. The box fell from her hands and broke open. Tiny salted caramel chocolate roses scattered in all directions. There was no question that they were the same chocolates.
“Julian I…” Ally couldn't get any words out of her tightening throat.
“I really wish that you hadn't seen that.” Julian sighed with dismay. “To be honest with you I should have just thrown them out, but your grandmother's chocolates are so good! I couldn't let them go to waste.” He shook his head. “I guess this is all my fault. But what's done is done. Right Ally?”
Ally stared at him with building fear. The way he spoke was so calculated and even a little bit amused. It was unsettling to her.
“I know there's an explanation, Julian, you don't have to worry about me.” Ally took a slight step back away from him.
“I really wish you hadn't seen that,” Julian repeated as he stepped back from the pantry. “I mean, things could have been different.” He swung the pantry door shut. Ally heard him put something against the door. At first she was too shocked to react. Then panic set in.
“Julian!” She tried to open the door, when it wouldn’t budge she pounded on it. “What are you doing? Let me out!”
Julian didn't respond. A minute or so later Ally heard loud music begin to play in the house. She knew that it was to cover the sounds of her pounding and screaming.
“Julian, this is crazy! Let me out!” She slammed her body against the door. She kicked and punched it. The door did not budge. She had flashbacks of being stuck in the locker. At least the pantry was a larger space, but Julian knew she was there. What did he plan to do with her, or to her?
A sinking sensation rocked Ally's stomach as she realized that she had left her purse sitting on the table. Her cell phone was inside it. Unlike the day before when she had a lifeline to save her, now she had nothing. Not only that but no one would ever suspect Julian. In fact, she was still having a hard time believing that Julian had just locked her inside his pantry. Could she have been so wrong about him? Was he just as deeply involved in the crime taking place as Luke? Had he really been involved in Connor's murder? Tears sprung to her eyes at the thought.
Would Julian really have killed Connor just to protect an illegal cigarette smuggling ring? She blinked back her tears and tried to focus. The pantry was at least large enough for her to move around in. There were foodstuffs lined up on the shelves. She searched for anything that she thought might help her to get the lock open. In a panic she swept boxes and cans right off the shelves. There was nothing. She grabbed the knob and twisted it hard. It didn't even budge.
She knew that getting out of the pantry was going to be impossible. Even if she did, Julian was likely waiting right outside for her. Had he left? She could barely hear anything because of the music. Was he going to come back? What would he do with her? Ally's jaw clenched as it occurred to her that he might kill her. If he had killed Connor, why wouldn't he kill her, too? Her stomach ached with repulsion. The man she had a crush on from the time she was a young girl had turned out to be the complete opposite of what she expected. Would her childhood crush really kill her?
Chapter Fifteen
Ally stopped thinking about how to get out and started thinking about what she could use as a weapon. There was a giant can of creamed corn on a bottom shelf. She picked it up. It strained her muscles enough to make her believe that it could knock Julian out. Then it was only a waiting game. A terrifying, waiting game. Ally thought of all of the choices she had made that had landed her locked up in a pantry. What it all came down to was that her grandmother was right, yet again. A little more caution would have gone a long way to prevent her current situation.
The music continued to play. Ally's heart pounded. The door knob started to turn. Ally's stomach twisted with fear as she heard the key turn in the lock. The door swung open. Ally heaved the can of creamed corn at Julian's head. Julian ducked to the side and the can sailed right past him.
“Stupid move, Ally.” He grabbed her hard by the hair and pulled her out of the pantry. Ally ignored the pain in her scalp. It was her only chance to get away from him. She shoved her elbow into his side and stomped on his foot. In all of the movies she had seen this was all it took to escape the bad guy. However, Julian was a fit and muscular police detective that was used to restraining criminals. He easily twisted Ally in his grasp and pinned her back against his chest. He held her arms across her body and lifted her feet from the floor.
“Now you listen to me. We're going to go for a ride.”
“No!” Ally screamed. “I'm not going anywhere with you, Julian!”
“Yes, you are. If you fight me, we're going to make a stop at your grandmother's place and invite her along. Is that what you want, Ally? You want your precious Mee-Maw to keep you company?” The snarl in his voice made Ally certain that he would follow through with the threat.
“No.” Ally was so scared that the word sounded more like a squeak.
“So, you're going to behave?” Julian tightened his grasp on her.
Ally nodded. Her chest tightened to the point that it was painful to breathe. She didn't know if it was fear or his strong grip.
“Let's go.” He pulled her towards the door. “When we get outside you need to walk slowly to the car. Act like you're happy to be with me.” He met her eyes. “If you don't, then maybe you'll get someone's attention. Maybe they'll interfere. But who is going to believe you? Ally! She's going through a divorce, she's a little emotional, maybe she needs some medication to help her through these hallucinations. Can you believe what she accused Julian of doing?” He sneered at her. “No one will believe you ove
r me, Ally. You'll get locked away in a mental institution, and I'll be free to take my anger out on Charlotte.”
“No please!” Ally's heart raced.
“Behave,” he ordered her. Then he released his grasp on her. He held out his hand to her. It took Ally a moment to realize that he wanted her to hold it, as if they were friends, or more than that. It made her sick to even consider it. Not long before she had thought maybe they could be more than friends, but now all she could think of was escaping from him.
“Ally?” He glared at her. Ally curled her hand around his. Her hand was trembling. He tightened his grip on it to hide the shaking. Then he opened the door. When Ally saw the driveway she remembered her car was parked not far away. She considered whether she would be able to make it to the car before Julian could catch her. He gave her hand a firm tug and she was reminded of the consequences of her actions. Julian wasn't going to let her escape. He hadn't let Connor escape.
When they reached the car Julian opened the passenger side door. Ally heard a car door slam closed at the same time. Her eyes lifted in the direction of the sound. Anxiety flooded her as she saw Luke walk up the driveway. In his jeans and taut t-shirt he looked harmless and handsome. But Ally knew that behind those reflective sunglasses was a ring leader. Was he there to finish the job for Julian?
“Behave,” Julian hissed beside her ear. “Hi Luke.” He smiled.
Anxiety gave way to confusion that made Ally just as dizzy. Luke nodded at Julian and then looked towards Ally.
“Ally.”
When he said her name Ally's entire body sparked. She didn't know why. Was it fear? Was it hope?
“I don't know anything, Luke, I swear!” Ally’s words spilled from her lips before she could even think them through. Julian squeezed her hand so hard that Ally thought her fingers might break. Luke reached up and took off his sunglasses. His expression was as devoid of emotion as always.
“What?” He stared at her.
“She's a little drunk.” Julian chuckled. “That's why I'm giving her a ride home.”
“I thought you were working on paperwork?” Luke didn't look away from Ally, though he spoke to Julian. Ally's fogged mind began to put together that Luke didn't seem to know what Julian was up to. Did that mean that Julian hadn't told him that she had found the chocolates? Did that mean that he didn’t know that she knew about the illegal cigarettes?
“Oh I was, but then Ally stopped by, and we had a few drinks. This girl can't hold her liquor. Never could.” He winked at Ally. “Isn't that right, sweetheart?”
Ally swallowed thickly, her mouth was so dry. She had no idea what to do. She could only hope that Julian was hiding the truth from Luke because he was planning to let her go, instead of allowing Luke to kill her.
“Yes,” she struggled to get the word out.
Luke continued to stare at her, hard. “Well, I can take her home. Then you can finish the paperwork. It has to be in by tomorrow.”
“No!” Julian tugged Ally closer to him. “I mean, she doesn't know you very well.”
“And?” Luke laughed. “You think I'm going to hurt you, Ally?” He looked at Ally with amusement in his eyes.
When he laughed his expression became warm. Ally had never seen him look so friendly before. He didn't seem dangerous or cold at all when he looked at her. In the back of her mind she wondered if the assumptions she had made about Luke were wrong.
“Ally?” Luke took a step closer to her. “You all right?”
“Why wouldn't she be all right?” Julian frowned. “Get in the car, Ally.” He released her hand so that she could get in the car. For a split-second Ally thought about flinging herself into Luke's arms. She could imagine feeling an immense sense of relief when he wrapped his arms around her. But she knew that Julian was right. No one would believe her, least of all Luke, who even suspected her of being involved in Connor's death. She couldn't risk what Julian might do to her, or her grandmother. She also didn’t know if she could trust Luke.
“I'm fine,” Ally managed to say. “But if you could check on my grandmother. Let her know that my cat, Peaches, is missing. I can't find her anywhere. She should get her favorite toy from my bedroom and use it to find her. Maybe you could help her look, Luke. Would you do that?” Ally looked at him with as much fear as she could contain in her eyes. She could only hope that he would get the message. She had locked away Peaches to make sure that she didn't actually escape, but now she needed someone to realize that she was in trouble. This was the only way that she could think of doing that. If Luke went to the cottage looking for her missing cat and her grandmother found her hidden in her room, then there would be no question that Ally had lied about the cat being missing. Hopefully that would be enough to get her grandmother's attention. But that would only work if Luke actually went to tell her grandmother to look for the cat.
“Well, I don't usually make house calls for cats.” Luke rubbed the back of his neck.
“Ally, don't be silly, I'm taking you home right now,” Julian reminded her. There was a subtle growl of warning in his tone. Ally gulped as she had forgotten about Julian's lie. “Once you're settled into bed, I'll help Charlotte find your cat. I promise you that. Now get in the car.”
Instantly she heard the threat in Julian's voice. He wasn't just going to take care of her, he was going after her grandmother and even Peaches, too. She knew that she had to find a way to protect them.
“No Julian, please. I can't let her see me like this. She'll be so upset. Luke will go and check on her, right? Won't you, Luke?” Ally looked at the man who she had been suspicious of since the day she met him. She pleaded with him silently for help, with little hope that he would actually follow through. She needed him to. If Luke was at the house then Julian wouldn't be able to hurt her grandmother. At least that was what Ally hoped.
“Fine, I guess. But aren't you a little old to be worried about getting in trouble with your grandmother?” Luke offered her a wry smile. Ally didn't bother to respond. She doubted he would believe her story or even go speak to her grandmother.
“In the car, Ally,” Julian instructed her through gritted teeth.
Ally eased herself into the passenger seat. As Julian shut the door she had a terrible feeling that she wasn't going to get out of the car alive. She looked out the window to where Luke stood, but he had already walked away. Her last hope faded. She closed her eyes as Julian climbed into the car beside her.
“I know what you tried to do there. Not wise, Ally.” He started the car. Ally reached for the door handle, but it was locked. She went to unlock it, but the lock was broken off. Julian smirked at her and began to back down the driveway. Ally could see Luke sitting in his car parked beside the driveway watching them leave. Julian drove right out of town. It didn't take Ally long to recognize the path. He was taking her to the factory. She tried to remain calm. There was no point in fighting.
Chapter Sixteen
Charlotte walked up to the cottage with Arnold snorting and rooting the entire way. She knew that he had something he was trying to search out, but she was impatient. She still hadn't heard from Ally and was starting to worry. When she looked up at the front door of the cottage she saw Luke Elm waiting for her. The sight of him made her breath catch in her throat. He was handsome, young enough to be her grandson, but that wasn't what had startled her. It was the knowledge that he was likely a killer. Luke turned to face her. His face was tight with concern.
“Hello Charlotte.”
“Hi.” Charlotte walked closer to him. Arnold continued to root. “What are you doing here, Luke?”
“Ally asked me to let you know that her cat is missing.” He focused on the pig that was snorting at his shoes.
“Peaches is missing?” Charlotte looked puzzled. “I didn't know that.” She opened the door to the cottage. “Why didn't she call me?”
“Uh.” Luke wagged his head back and forth. “She was a little occupied.”
Charlotte narrowed her ey
es. She knew that he was hiding something. “Really?”
“Anyway, if you need help looking for the cat, I could look with you.” Luke seemed awkward about the offer. Charlotte got the feeling that he was well aware that she was not very fond of him.
Just then they both heard a loud meow from inside the cottage. “Peaches?” Charlotte stepped inside. Arnold trotted in as well. He never turned down the opportunity to curl up on the rug. However, he made a bee-line straight for Ally's room. The meowing continued.
“It sounds like she's in Ally's room.” Charlotte laughed. “I guess she's not missing after all.”
She opened the door to Ally's bedroom. Peaches stood by the door ready to race out. Arnold snorted right in her face. Peaches snarled and ran straight for the closet. Arnold ran straight after her.
“Oh dear!” Charlotte held onto the leash, but it was long enough for Arnold to reach the closet. Luke stood staring at the entire fiasco with a shocked expression.
“Well, don't just stand there, help me get the pig!” Charlotte demanded.
Luke blinked at her. “You want me to touch it?”
“It's just a pig, city boy, it's not going to hurt you.” Charlotte had to laugh at the horror in his eyes. Luke cleared his throat. He moved a little closer to the pig. Arnold was no longer paying any attention to Peaches. He had found something more interesting in the back of the closet. He was rooting and snorting as he bumped his nose against something hidden.
Luke reached down in an attempt to wrangle the pig. The pig snorted, squirmed, and backed up.
“What's this?” Luke asked. He stood up holding the silver case that Ally had found at the old factory. Just as Charlotte opened her mouth to make up a lie and tell him not to touch Ally's personal things, the case popped open and the gun inside tumbled out. It landed on the floor.
“Watch out!” Luke shouted. He jumped in front of Charlotte. “It could have gone off,” he growled. “Do you know how irresponsible it is to keep a gun like this?” He snatched the gun up off the floor. Charlotte stared at him with confusion.