Rick walked past me carrying the lantern, but I couldn’t seem to move. I felt frozen to the spot, still looking at all the equipment in the room.
“Come—”
Before I could turn, another hand clamped over my mouth and nose. A rough cloth held tightly to my face, the smell of ether…
Thirty
When I opened my eyes, dizziness and nausea made my head spin. I took deep breaths to clear the awful smell of ether from my brain. I looked around. It took a moment or two, but I finally got my bearings. We were in a different part of the old shed, away from the meth lab.
The interior was lit with an old kerosene lantern. The three of us sat in its faint pool of light. It had a smell of old grease, gasoline, and dust. Pigeons cooed faintly in the rafters. I sat on the rough dirt floor with my hands behind my back, tied to the center pole. The coarse timber rubbed against the sensitive skin on the inside of my wrist. Rick was behind me on the other side, tied the same way. He was slumped over, unconscious. Benny sat a few feet away with a rifle trained on us.
Was this the way my life would end? In a dirty old shed, dispatched by the town’s joke? Everything in me rebelled at the thought.
Rick moaned softly, and I suddenly felt his hand clutch my arm. The images the touch conveyed began to overwhelm me. I couldn’t afford to lose myself in visions right now. I had to think of a way out of this for us both. My life would not end without a fight. We would get loose somehow. It was too much to hope Rick had a knife. Even if he did, there would be no way to get to it with our hands bound.
Benny’s eyes never wavered. He reminded me of a cat watching a mouse hole, just waiting to pounce at the first movement. I watched him watching us. What if I appealed to his sense of mercy? I knew Benny was only his brother’s dupe, and there was an undercurrent of anxiety emanating from him.
“Benny, you really don’t want to hurt us. This is all your brother’s idea. Bad things are going to happen if you don’t let us go.”
“No, they won’t. Jake said everything would be fine. We’re going to make lots of money on these drugs and give it to the cause. They’ll be so grateful, and Jake and me are going to be important. Jake said so.”
“Don’t you care that these drugs are going to hurt people?”
“Jake said they’re all a bunch of losers anyway and they deserve what happens to them.”
I let my mind reach out to his. Regardless of what he said, his uncertainty was palpable. However, I sensed it was overridden by his enduring loyalty to his brother.
“Benny, I’m telling you, bad things are going to happen if you don’t stop this now.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re just trying to scare me.”
“No, I’m not, Benny. I know things. I have the sight,” I said, trying to sound confident.
“You’re lying. You’re just a woman, and the librarian to boot. You don’t have no powers.”
Benny sounded sure of himself, but his eyes wouldn’t meet mine.
“If I don’t have the sight, how do I know about the time Jake found you out behind the barn with those dirty books?”
Benny blanched. “Just shut up.”
I concentrated on Benny, searching for something else to convince him. Suddenly, my mind became aware of something more, deep within the earth. It was power—the power I had always scoffed at—Abby’s power. The power of magick.
It was one of those places Abby had told Rick about the night he discovered she was a witch. This shed had been built over a place of energy, and I could feel it moving like electricity beneath me, just like Abby said it did.
What had she always told me about the preparation, before you call on the forces? Damn, I couldn’t remember. Why hadn’t I paid attention? But this was our only chance, and I knew it.
I sent a silent, humble apology and asked for help. Closing my eyes, I let my breath come deep from the diaphragm as Abby had tried to teach me. While I did, I emptied my mind of all except the power. At first it came like a warm flush engulfing my body, but it gained in intensity. From outside the shed the wind seemed to blow in harmony with the energy flowing around and through me. The pigeons responded by rustling their feathers. I heard the night sounds out there with amazing clarity.
I opened my eyes and let my gaze drill Benny. His eyes flew wide in surprise.
“Benny, you must let us go.”
Benny shook his head in disbelief at my demand. I tried again.
“Benny, not only do I have the sight, but I’m a witch. Can’t you feel my power?” I focused on him. “The spirits are angry that you’re holding us. Do you want the spirits angry?”
I felt the energy dancing in the space between us; so did Benny. It was written on his face. The pigeons were becoming agitated and left their perches, flapping their wings and circling overhead. The very air crackled. The wind outside surged; a coyote howled in the distance.
It was the howl that really spooked Benny. He stumbled to his feet, looking recklessly around and clutching his gun to his chest. His eyes bugged out and he looked terrified.
“Benny, let us go.”
At the sound of my voice, his gun thudded to the floor. Running over, he began to untie the knots. I sent a heartfelt thank-you to the power.
“Benny, what in the hell are you doing?” said a voice from the doorway.
The power stopped as abruptly as if someone had thrown a light switch. The wind ceased and the pigeons scattered. Benny’s fingers froze on the knots. We both twisted simultaneously to see Jake and Adam Hoffman silhouetted in the open doorway.
Benny cowered at my side when he heard his brother’s voice. Jake rushed over to where we sat, trussed like turkeys. He grabbed Benny by his collar and flung him away from us. Adam Hoffman stood in the doorway, watching and holding a very deadly looking little gun in his hand.
“You fool. You were going to turn them loose, weren’t you?” Jake towered over his cringing brother.
“Jake, she’s spooky. She’s a witch, and she was going to hex me if I didn’t.”
“You’re an idiot, Benny. She’s a stupid woman. What have I always told you about women?”
“That you have to watch them, that they’re always trying to trick you.” Benny’s eyes glistened with tears. “I’m sorry, Jake. She was scaring me.”
“What kind of a man are you? Do you think the cause wants a man who’s such a sissy that he lets some librarian scare him?”
Benny hung his head in shame. Since Jake had made his point, his anger evaporated like rain on hot cement. He bent over and pulled Benny to his feet.
He threw an arm around Benny’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Benny. You’re not going to do anything else stupid, are you?”
Benny shook his head, his face shining with admiration for his brother, and my hope vanished as quickly as the magick.
All this time, Rick had remained silent. I thought maybe he had slipped back into unconsciousness, but I felt a tug on my ropes and a slight squeeze on my arm. The unspoken message was clear. Rick was awake and working the knots Benny had loosened.
With Rick behind me, he was out of the vision of the three men. We needed a distraction so they wouldn’t notice what Rick was doing. The effort I had made summoning the magick left me drained, and I didn’t have the strength to try it again.
“Mr. Hoffman, so you’re involved in this, too,” I said to draw their attention to me and not Rick.
“You don’t seem surprised, Ophelia.”
I needed something to spook Benny again.
“No, I’m not.” I shrugged, trying to bluff my way through. “When I ran into you at your house, I saw your aura as gray. I sensed a dark side and that you were hiding something.”
My statement had the desired effect on Benny. His face lost its color and he turned to his brother.
“See, I told you, Jake, she’s a witch.”
“Shut up, Benny.”
I felt Jake’s anger spark.
Ad
am was unfazed and he laughed. “Really, Ophelia, that mumbo jumbo might work on poor Benny, but not me. If you are a witch, what are you doing here? Where were your powers when Jake caught you?”
He had a point. I wished Rick would hurry up with those knots.
“I have a couple of questions for you, Adam,” I said. “Was Ashley’s death the reason you left the Army? And did Fisher recruit you for the militia?”
A direct hit. Adam quit smiling.
“You know about Fisher. I wondered how long it would take the authorities to discover his identity.” Adam looked petulant. “It’s all your fault. If you hadn’t been stupid enough to find Fisher’s body, none of this would’ve happened. I could’ve finished my work here and left town. But now you’ve forced me to kill you.”
His last remark seemed like a big leap in logic to me, but since Adam held the gun, not me, I knew that arguing with him might not be such a good idea.
“You didn’t answer my question about Ashley.”
“Nina showed you Ashley’s room. I thought so,” Adam said, more to himself than me. “That woman talks too much. I’ll have to make sure she’s more isolated.”
“You’re dodging the question, Adam. What about Ashley?” I persisted.
His eyes shifted from me to Benny and Jake, and then back again. “Ashley is no concern of yours.”
“Was Ashley’s accidental death—”
His eyes flew wide and he took a step closer. The gun trembled in his hand.
Adam exploded. “It wasn’t an accident!” he raged, waving the gun. “She was raped and murdered! At the trial, that soldier, that Blake Smith, lied! Ashley would never have done the things he said.”
Spit formed at the corners of his mouth, and as he shouted, it sprayed toward me. I shifted to avoid getting hit.
“She didn’t deserve to die.” His voice thundered through the machine shed.
“You’re right, Adam. She didn’t,” I said quietly.
Adam’s hand, holding the gun, dropped and his body seemed to droop, his grief overcoming his rage. “Ashley was the light of my life. A beautiful, beautiful girl. An innocent girl. But the court believed Smith’s lies. They found him guilty of manslaughter. He’ll be released in two more years,” he said, his eyes flat and lifeless. “And when he’s out, I will hunt him down and kill him.”
“But in the meantime you’re planning on overthrowing the government?”
“The government,” Adam scoffed. “The government is supposed to protect young girls. But they are so inept that they let murderers run free. Ashley’s death was the turning point for me. What kind of a country do we live in? It couldn’t even protect my daughter from scum. That’s when Fisher talked to me about the militia movement. And the difference was obvious. They’ll return our country to what it was meant to be. They are the true patriots.”
His eyes were no longer flat and lifeless. They glowed with the light of fanaticism. And he slowly raised his gun.
I winced, expecting a bullet at any moment. We had to get loose; this guy was crazy. In desperation, I tugged at my ropes, but Rick’s hand squeezed my wrist, stopping me. Keep him talking was the unspoken message. Thoughts tumbled through my mind while I scrambled to think of something to say.
“Ahh, so life will be better if the militia were in charge?”
I groaned. My comment sounded so lame, but Adam didn’t notice. He lowered the gun and rocked back and forth on his heels, like a teacher about to give a lecture.
“Of course life will be better. If the militia were in control, they wouldn’t allow young, innocent girls to be raped and murdered. And if anyone tried, the militia’s justice would be swift and sure,” he said with a smug smile.
On cue, like puppets in the hands of a master puppeteer, Jake and Benny nodded their heads in agreement.
“But what about the young girls who will die from the stuff you’re selling. Aren’t you concerned about them?”
“Yes. However, the cause needs money; weapons are expensive. There’s an obscene amount of money in drugs. If they knew, some of the leaders might not approve of my methods, but they have yet to refuse my donations. Young girls dying? Unfortunately, every revolution must have its martyrs.” He smiled again. He actually smiled.
His fanaticism and complacent attitude made me angry. I thought of poor Doug Jones and his family. How could Adam Hoffman be willing to subject other families to the pain of losing a child, the same pain he had experienced? And all in the name of a cause. For the first time in my life I wanted to work Abby’s magick against someone.
“What about you, Mr. Delaney? I know you’re awake.” He shifted his position and waved the gun at Rick. “Do you have any questions before we kill you?”
Rick’s shoulders tensed. “A few—did you kill Sergeant Fisher or did Jake?”
“I did. The man was becoming a problem. He wanted to try his hand at some environmental terrorism, but I couldn’t allow it. He even had the audacity to show up in Summerset during the Korn Karnival. Ned, unfortunately, took his picture while he was chatting with Jake. In light of Fisher’s fate, I needed those pictures destroyed. Jake and Benny took care of it for me.”
“Who trashed my room?”
“Jake, with help from Benny.”
“Figures. You’d have your stooges do a job like that.”
Jake made a move forward. Adam held his arm out, stopping him.
“Who was stalking Ophelia? You or Jake?”
“Oh, that was a joint operation. I left the warning on her desk, but she was too dumb to pay attention to it. Benny had seen her, you know, that day she set off the smoke grenade. Jake wasn’t pleased that Ophelia ruined our training exercises.”
“The dead coyote?”
“That was me,” Jake said, smirking. “That damn dog of hers almost ruined it, though. Heard me on the porch and went wild. Thought she was going to tear the door down. Think after we’re done with you, I’ll go back and shoot her. Never could stand that dog.”
If my hands were free, I’d have thrown them up in the air. Of course, the scratches on the front door. Lady had made them, trying to get at Jake.
Rick ignored Jake. “Well, Adam, I’d say that covers it. I am rather disappointed in myself that we weren’t on to you sooner. I should have known Jake and Benny weren’t in charge of this. Neither one of them could find their ass in the dark, let alone run an operation like this.”
From his position by Benny, Jake glowered at Rick.
“Never mind,” Adam said, turning to Jake. “Mr. Delaney won’t be able to insult you much longer. Luckily it’s stopped snowing. It will be easier to get rid of the bodies. After we do, I want to dismantle everything and shut down for a while. I plan on taking a little vacation with my wife. I’ve made arrangements for you and Benny to go to the training camp in Montana. I want you to stay there until I’m sure there are no more loose ends.”
“Did you hear that, Jake?” Benny looked like he had won the lottery. “Me and you get to go to Montana. I ain’t never been out of Iowa.”
I wondered if Jake and Benny would actually make it to Montana. I was sure Adam considered Jake and Benny two of his loose ends. We were running out of time. A sense of foreboding trembled through me.
From deep inside my soul came a call for help; I didn’t want to die. My sense of awareness sharpened, once again I felt the stirrings of the power. With one short burst of energy, I sent the vibrations out and away from me.
All became quiet—more than quiet, it was a total absence of sound. It hung in the air, heavy and oppressive around us. Benny’s face flared with fear. Jake spun this way and that, brandishing his gun. Adam Hoffman’s eyes narrowed and bore into me.
My senses sharpened, and I felt the rhythm of my heart. First beat, second beat—the knots broke and the shed exploded in a conflagration of sound. Harsh, discordant sound. The pigeons took flight in a mad flurry of flapping wings. The wind raged against the building, making the rafters groan. Out of the
darkness came the rats scurrying, squeaking, rushing the three men. In the pandemonium, I lost sight of Adam.
Benny fell to his knees, his chest heaving. Jake fired wildly at the rats. One of the bullets struck the pole above me. Rick jumped to his feet, pulling me with him.
“Run!” he yelled above the din.
Clutching his hand, I was propelled forward through the door into the night while the sound of gunshots echoed around us.
Thirty-one
We ran, heedless of where we were going, while the wind spun the snow around us. In the cloud of snow, I had no sense of direction. We could have been running in circles for all I knew, but it did seem the sound of the gunshots grew fainter and fainter. Were we headed toward the woods or away from them? Were they following us? I fought the urge to look.
I tried to ask Rick, but I didn’t have enough air in my lungs to speak. My legs felt as heavy as tree stumps, wading through the deep snow. Sweat at the exertion ran down my back under my heavy coat. I clung tightly to Rick’s hand. It seemed the only reality in the all-white world. All-white world—just like the Hoffman’s house. A hysterical giggle bubbled inside of me.
While we ran, the wind seemed to slowly diminish till finally it was only a whisper. The air became clear, no longer full of spinning snow. The storm had passed, and the full moon lit the glistening landscape. I still didn’t know where we were. A gate appeared in front of us. Rick pulled me toward it. From behind me came the sound of labored breathing. They’re following us registered right before the pop of a gun sent a dusting of snow into the air to my right. Rick must have heard it, too. He let go of my hand and flung the gate open. Grabbing my arm, he pulled me through the open gate.
A sense of déjà vu hit me. I knew where we were now—the old cemetery from my dream. The head-stones from the dream were now covered with snow. Great white lumps sparkling in the moonlight.
I tugged on Rick’s hand. “Wait—”
“We can’t. They’re right behind us.”
Witch Way to Murder Page 23