As he neared the edge of town, he tromped on the gas pedal. The Buick responded. Turner hoped that the police officer had pulled into a doughnut shop for coffee and wouldn’t notice the silver blur streaking north.
Turner reached the open road and watched the speedometer register triple digits. Still, the five-mile drive to the turnoff seemed to last forever.
Anxiety filled his heart as he considered what Slick’s arrival meant. Had the oily-haired man taken Mary by surprise and forced the information of Cassandra’s whereabouts from her? Had Slick and Twitch threatened Loretta and Harvey? Were one or all of them being held captive somewhere, trussed up and gagged . . . or worse?
The possibilities were awful to consider.
CHAPTER 25
CASSANDRA SMILED AS she watched Justin. He was sitting on the carpet near her, coloring a picture and humming under his breath. His tongue worked from side to side as he tried to stay between the lines, and his expression was a study in concentration.
“Look at my picture, Mommy,” he said, holding it up for her to see.
“It’s nice, sweetie,” she said, trying to ignore the incessant throbbing of her ankle. She was unable to sit comfortably for any length of time.
When Justin returned to his coloring, she tried to distract herself by thinking about the day they had spent at the lake, canoeing and having the water fight and skipping rocks. She had never felt more relaxed in her life. Even the hike was enjoyable . . . at least the first half. And since arriving at the cabin, she had found a deep, personal level of tranquility. She wondered if she’d ever be able to recapture it once they left.
She also wondered if she’d ever again meet someone like Turner. He continued to impress her. His outdoor skills, first aid knowledge, and familiarity with the flora and fauna of the area were encyclopedic. But more than that, he was kind to her and so good with Justin. It was a blessing to be with him. How could she have ever known back in high school the important role he would eventually play in her life?
She was also surprised at how little she had thought of Brad during her time here. And Justin hadn't spoken of him since the night they left. Did he also feel safer without Brad around? Her heart broke at the thought.
As she shifted in her chair to get comfortable, she heard car tires skid in the front yard. This was followed by the sound of a car door slamming and footsteps thudding on the front porch seconds later. The front door opened, and Turner came rushing into the room.
“They found us!” he said.
Cassandra put a hand to her throat and glanced at Justin, who smiled at Turner and then returned to his coloring. Her son’s innocence and vulnerability tore at her insides, twisting them into knots. “How?” she stammered. The tranquility she had experienced moments earlier was shattered by those three words. They found us!
“I don’t know,” Turner replied. “But we’ve got to get out of here. Now.” He scooped up Justin in his arms. “Come on, little man,” he said. “We’ve got to go.”
“But I want to color my picture.”
“I know. But right now, we’re going on an adventure.”
Justin relented and clutched Turner around the neck as they disappeared out the door.
Cassandra waited, heart pounding. Then a new terror gripped her heart. Loretta and Mary! Had something happened to them?
Turner returned. Wordlessly he put his back to her, and she climbed on.
“Loretta and Mary are the only ones who know where we are,” she said.
She felt Turner’s back muscles stiffen. “That’s what worries me too,” he replied.
“You don’t think those guys got to them, do you? They’re all right, aren’t they?”
Turner didn’t reply. Instead he ducked as he went through the door and said, “We’ve got to leave. If those guys reach the main road turnoff before we do, we’re hooped. They’ll block the road.”
At the car, Turner eased her to the ground and Cassandra stood up, balancing on her good foot. She understood the urgency of the situation. If their escape route was cut off, they’d be captured and handed over to Brad, who would repay Turner back tenfold for his role in helping her. And she didn’t even want to consider what wages her sins would net her.
Turner got her situated in the car and then rushed back for their luggage.
Cassandra unrolled the window and listened for sounds of an approaching car. Nothing. Nor could she see telltale signs of dust rising above the trees, kicked up as if the Tasmanian Devil—Justin’s favorite cartoon character—had leaped from the television and was now tearing down the road, drooling as he came.
“When are we going on our adventure?” Justin asked.
“Just as soon as Turner comes back, sweetie.” She tried to keep the terror out of her voice as she glanced anxiously toward the cabin.
Justin knelt up in the backseat and looked out the side window. “I like going on adventures with Turner.”
Cassandra felt a weight press against her heart. Justin’s comment was so innocent, so natural. It was as if his life in Las Vegas with Brad and her never existed. And maybe to Justin it no longer did.
Turner emerged from the cabin with his arms filled with luggage and bags. He used his foot to close the door, not stopping to lock the cabin, and raced for the car.
“Did you remember to get the monkey?” she called to him.
It seemed ridiculous even to her to worry about the monkey at a time like this, but Turner didn’t hesitate to respond.
“Got it!” He opened the trunk and tossed everything inside.
Then he climbed in behind the wheel and reached for the keys.
“Let’s go, Turner,” Justin said.
“Good advice, little man.”
As Turner inserted the key in the ignition, Cassandra heard a roaring in the distance, born of rubber urgently traversing gravel. A cloud of dust rose above the treetops, in the direction of the main road. She glanced at Turner and knew he heard it too. And she didn’t need two guesses to know what that meant.
The Tasmanian Devil had arrived.
CHAPTER 26
TURNER’S IDEALISTIC SELF considered making an attempt to talk things over with Slick, mano a mano. But his rational self laughed him to scorn. Slick would never trust him now because Turner had lied to him. And Turner would never be able to convince the oily-haired man that he was willing to cooperate, or at least strike a deal.
Slick and Twitch didn’t seem like the compassionate and understanding types, and Turner knew it would be useless to try and talk his way out of the situation.
After ramming the car in gear, he drove across the yard and plunged into a growth of silverberry bushes. He winced as the branches scratched their way down the length of the Buick like gnarled fingernails, as saw-toothed as car keys. The screech of wood against metal set his teeth on edge.
“What are you doing?” Cassandra gasped, grabbing the dashboard and looking at him as if he’d just lost his mind.
“Hopefully, buying us a few extra minutes. He slammed on the brakes and lurched to a stop. Loretta was not going to be pleased with the new designs on her car. But since Slick was going to hand him over to Brad so he could rearrange his—Turner’s—dental work before killing him, he wouldn’t have to worry about losing Sunday dinner privileges with the Joneses.
“Can we go for another ride?” Justin asked excitedly.
“Sorry, little man,” Turner said, glancing up at the storm clouds. “We’re going to have to go on foot.” Reaching back, he lifted Justin into the front seat and held him tight. Then he pushed the door open, straining against the resistance of the compacted undergrowth. “They’ll be here any minute,” he said, as the sounds of the approaching car grew louder.
“Who?” Justin asked.
“Just some guys.” He set Justin down and looked at him earnestly. “Do you want to play a game of hide-and-seek, little man?”
“Yeah!”
“Okay, we’re going to go hide. But you ha
ve to be very quiet so no one finds us. Promise?”
“Promise.”
Turner helped Cassandra out of the car and bent over so she could climb on his back. Then he gripped Justin’s hand and led the way through the bushes, determined to put as much distance between themselves and the car as possible.
He headed for the trail they had taken yesterday. There was an outcrop of rock partway up, overlooking the cabin. From that vantage point and using the bushes as cover, he could watch the men’s moves. They would undoubtedly search the cabin, find it vacant, and hopefully wander down to the lake to search there. At this point he could sneak back down the trail with Cassandra and Justin and disable their car. Then they could make their escape in the newly pinstriped Buick. He’d call Loretta and Mary at the first opportunity to check on them, and then keep driving. In some distant town they’d go to the police and file a report.
For the moment it was important that Justin not see the men. He might call out to them, giving away Turner and Cassandra’s position. Then they would be caught for certain since the men were carrying nothing heavier than handguns and grudges, while Turner was loaded for bear, with a four-year-old in tow.
They ascended the trail much faster than they had the day before. Turner continually reminded Justin about the game of hide-and-seek they were playing and that there was no time to stop and look at bugs or flowers. At one point he had to take Justin by the hand and encourage him along when a squirrel scurried in front of them and disappeared up a tree.
By the time they reached the outcrop, Turner was out of breath. He set Cassandra down and had Justin remain with her. Then he crawled onto the outcrop of rock and peered down on the cabin below.
He saw the two men cautiously approach the front door and try the handle. The door swung open but they hesitated before entering, perhaps sensing a trap. They peered through the front window and then conversed for a moment. Leaving Twitch to guard the front door, Slick went around to the side window and cupped his hands against the glass.
He circled the cabin completely and came back to the front door, shaking his head at Twitch. The two men pulled handguns from their belts and gripped them assault style as they disappeared inside the cabin.
Turner could hear the men shouting for the fugitives to give themselves up. This was followed by the sounds of furniture being overturned and doors being slammed. The men were trashing the place, and Turner wondered how he would explain the damage to Mary and her friend who owned the cabin.
A short time later Slick emerged, followed closely by Twitch. Turner watched to see which direction they continued their search. Not surprisingly they didn’t have the courtesy to close the front door and call a house-cleaning company before moving into the front yard and scanning the area, slowly turning in a complete circle.
When the plane of their view intersected with his, Turner ducked behind the camouflage. After waiting a minute, he dared another peek. The men were nowhere to be seen.
He scanned the trail, wondering if they had somehow caught sight of him or perhaps had heard his heart beating. From the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of movement and flinched involuntarily. But it was only a swallow flying overhead, its shadow racing across the ground in an effort to keep pace.
He glanced back at Cassandra, planning an escape route should the men make their way up the trail. She was busy trying to distract Justin by pointing out a caterpillar that was inching its way up the stalk of a purple flower.
When he turned back, he saw the men moving down toward to the lake. He felt a rush of relief because they were going the wrong way. This would give him the chance to carry Cassandra back down the trail, disable the men’s car, and escape in the Buick. Just a few more yards and the men would be completely obscured by the foliage.
His relief quickly faded as he saw Slick leave the trail and head toward a thick growth of silverberry bushes. He watched as Slick tore at the protruding branches, exposing the Buick. The oily-haired man called to Twitch, and Turner could almost see an evil smile spread across Slick’s face at the discovery.
“I know you’re here somewhere,” Slick shouted, his voice echoing menacingly.
Turner prayed Justin wouldn’t call out: “Here we are!”
Fortunately he didn’t. But Turner felt the cold realization that now it was a game of hide-and-seek, and the stakes had increased significantly. And depending on which direction the men continued their search, the game would either end in a hurry or endure for an eternity.
Turner watched as they rustled around in the bushes. He heard metallic sounds and guessed they were searching the Buick’s interior. Surely they didn’t think the three fugitives were slumped down in the seats, hoping no one would think to look there.
The men emerged from the bushes a short time later, and Turner readied himself to collect Cassandra and Justin and flee farther up the trail if need be. But the men headed for the path that led down to the lake and disappeared in the foliage.
Crawling back to Cassandra and Justin, he whispered, “Let’s go.”
Cassandra climbed onto his back, and together they made their way back down the trail. Several times Turner’s feet slipped in the loose earth and pine needles that carpeted the path, but he managed to maintain his balance.
When they reached the bottom of the trail, Turner put Cassandra down. “Stay here while I make sure the coast is clear,” he whispered.
There was always the chance the men had doubled back. If that was the case, he didn’t want the three of them to be taken all at once. Cassandra would still have an opportunity to climb into a hiding place with Justin and wait until dark, while Slick and Twitch tried to worm information out of Turner using a variety of tried and tested techniques meant to inspire cooperation.
“I wanna come too,” Justin said.
Cassandra leaned down and whispered, “You stay here and protect Mommy from bears.”
Justin sucked in his breath excitedly and began scanning the trees for any sign of them.
Turner left Cassandra there, sitting in the shade of some bushes. Justin stood beside her with a stick in his hand, wielding it like a sword.
After scurrying across the clearing, Turner darted into the thick vegetation and ducked behind a rotted tree stump. He could hardly hear above the sound of blood pounding in his ears. It was a staccato drumbeat, gradually increasing in tempo, heightening the suspense.
He waited to make sure his presence was still undetected and then followed the Buick’s entrance into the bushes. It was now a matter of starting the car and backing up into the clearing to pick up Cassandra and Justin. Then he would slash the tires on Slick’s car and be gone in one palpitating heartbeat.
As he hurried to the driver’s door, he noticed that the hood of the Buick was ajar. Perhaps the latch had been sprung during their frantic plunge into the bushes. He wondered how he could close the hood without attracting attention. Deciding not to risk it, he climbed in the car, inserted the key, and turned it.
Nothing.
He turned the key again.
Still nothing.
The truth struck him with force. Slick had turned the tables on him and incapacitated the Buick instead. That explained the hood being partially open. Nobody would be leaving by Buick.
He slipped into the clearing and approached the black Mercedes, hoping the keys were still in the ignition. They weren’t. And the blinking red light on the dashboard told him that if he as much as touched the door handle, the alarm would sound and the men would come running.
He hurried back to Cassandra to explain the situation and work out a plan.
She took the news hard but stoically. “We’ve got to find a place to hide until we can figure out what to do.”
“Let’s go to the cave,” Justin said.
Turner stared at him in surprise and then looked at Cassandra. How much of their situation did the little boy actually comprehend? Something told him he had underestimated Justin.
Glancing up
the trail, Turner tried to visualize their journey. It would not be easy, but the cave was a better idea than anything he could come up with. The clouds continued to roll ominously overhead, and he hoped the three of them would get there ahead of the rain. A deluge now would make the steep part of the trail difficult to negotiate, and the rocky embankment, impossible.
Patting Justin on the head, he asked, “Think we can make it, little man?”
Justin’s big, blue eyes looked directly at him. “Sure, Turner.”
Inspired by Justin’s implicit confidence and trust, Turner turned to Cassandra. “It won’t be much of a home, I’m afraid. But it will be shelter.” Once more his gaze swept the sky. “We’ll need your pain medication and a few other things from the car,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”
He returned to the car and was about to open the trunk when he heard a twig snap nearby. Ducking down, he peeked around the rear fender and saw Twitch making his way back up the trail. In seconds his pursuer would come into plain view, and it would be too late to make an escape.
Abandoning the car, Turner crouched down and scurried back to Cassandra. “Someone’s coming,” he whispered. “We’ve got to go right now.”
She nodded resolutely and reached around his neck. He lifted her into position, grabbed Justin by the hand, and headed up the trail, moving quickly toward the thicker vegetation that lined the path a short distance ahead.
When they reached the denser foliage, Turner slowed down, being careful to pace himself because there was still a long hike ahead.
“Do you think anyone spotted us?” Cassandra asked anxiously.
“I don’t think so,” he replied, aware of the tension in her arms.
Justin slipped out of Turner’s hand and walked ahead.
“Come on,” he said.
“Right behind you, little man,” Turner said as they continued up the trail, homeward bound.
The Return of Cassandra Todd Page 15