“Once they all calm down, I’ll tell Bertha she has nothing to worry about with you,” Ted finally said. “Man, I’m sorry about thinking the worst of you. When it comes to my girls, I can be pretty fierce.”
Parker nodded, though he didn’t say anything in the way of absolution. Not yet, at least. He wasn’t quite ready.
“All’s well that ends well,” Ted finally said, jamming his hands into his jean pockets.
“It’s not over, not by a long shot,” Parker replied, his tone as firm as his resolve. “Donella mentioned my friend’s sister Nicole. Nicole is the entire reason I came to Getaway in the first place. We’ve got to find her, and whoever grabbed her, before he decides to kill her.”
* * *
Rayna insisted on driving Donella to the ER, waiting in the hall outside the examination room with her parents. Again, Parker remained silent, even going so far as to take a seat in the main waiting room rather than the smaller one behind the double doors. Part of Rayna—the woman, not the law enforcement professional—wanted to go to him and take him in her arms.
Of course she couldn’t. She had to be the sheriff right now. There was no other choice.
“I still don’t understand why we’re even here,” Bertha grumbled, her arms crossed. “Donella already told everyone that he never touched her.”
“I know. But this is just a precaution,” Rayna told Bertha for the third time. Behind her, Elmer nodded his agreement. “We need to make sure he didn’t hurt her in any way.”
“She said he didn’t touch her.” Bertha’s shrill voice contained both anger and angst. “I believe her.”
“I do, too,” Rayna soothed. “We just need to check her out, then she can go home.”
Elmer spoke up. “Let the doctors look her over, Bertha. I’d rather know beyond a shadow of any doubt that our baby girl’s okay.”
Slowly, the tension in Bertha’s firm jaw relaxed and she nodded.
The door opened and the doctor, a young female with large glasses and dark hair in a neat bun, asked Bertha and Elmer to come inside so they could speak in private. A few minutes later, Elmer emerged, beaming.
“She’s fine,” he said, clearly relieved. “We’re going to take her on home. Bertha’s helping her get dressed.” He shook Rayna’s hand. “I’m going to go fetch the truck.” And he rushed off to do exactly that.
While she waited, Rayna called Larry on his direct line and asked him to make sure and have the entire crew assembled at the station. “I’ll be there in thirty minutes,” she said, checking her watch.
“Uh, yeah.” Larry’s normally calm voice was agitated. “Mary needs to talk to you, right now.” Without waiting, he put her on hold. A second later, Mary picked up.
“Rayna,” Mary said, alarm in her voice, “I’ve got someone on the phone claiming to be Myrna Maple. She says she’s being held prisoner by her own son. She sounded really weak, too, and hung up before I could ask for more details.”
Rayna froze. “I visited with Phillip Maple the other day when I was out trying to drum up potential witnesses. He acted like everything was normal.” She cursed. “Mary, call Special Agent in Charge Prado and let him know what’s going on. Tell him I’d like the FBI’s help. I’ll be there as quickly as I can. I’m leaving now.” She ended the call.
“What’s going on?” Parker asked. While she’d been talking, he’d crossed the room to her side. “I heard you mention Myrna Maple’s son.”
Quickly, she filled him in. “There’s the chance—and keep in mind that this is a chance only—that Phillip could be the serial killer.”
His expression went hard. “Are you serious?”
“Well, we don’t have much to go on,” she admitted. “It could be that he just snapped and did something to his mother.” While she spoke, she frantically did an internet search on her phone, certain she could find a photograph of him somewhere. Finally, she did. He’d attended the Fourth of July parade, riding along in the Cadillac convertible with his mother.
“I need to show this to Donella,” she said. “Wait here.”
Before she could push through the double doors, Bertha and Donella emerged, arms around each other.
“Donella, I have a really quick question,” Rayna said. “Take a look at my phone. Have you ever seen this man before?”
Glancing at the screen, Donella started shaking. “That’s him,” she whispered, her mouth working. “I can’t believe it. That’s the man who kept me and Nicky in his basement.”
“Thank you.” Ignoring Bertha’s glare, Rayna patted the teenager’s shoulder. She pivoted, hurrying toward her car, while calling Mary and asking her to get a rush search warrant for Phillip Maple’s home. “I don’t care if you have to get Judge Waters out of the bath, do it. We don’t really need one, since Myrna called asking for help, but I prefer to cover all the bases.”
She busted outside, running. When she reached her cruiser, she realized Parker was right by her side. Shaking her head at him, she didn’t argue when he climbed in the passenger side.
When they screeched in front of the station and parked, she rushed inside, gratified to see her entire force had assembled.
“I filled them in,” Mary supplied. “And Judge Waters has issued an emergency search warrant.”
“Good.” Her officers were already suited up, just awaiting her orders. “I’ll need two of you to stay here with Mary, in case something else happens in town that has to be handled. Any volunteers?”
No one raised their hands. She couldn’t blame them. “Fine. I can’t take the entire sheriff’s department. Sid, you and Angel will remain here. Larry, Tom and Russell, I want you to go out there with me.”
“I’m going, too.” Parker stepped forward, his jaw firm.
The room went silent. All the deputies watched to see what Rayna would do.
“I can’t allow you to come this time,” Rayna said regretfully. “We have protocols for this type of thing. Bringing a civilian is against all the rules. We can’t allow you to put yourself in that much danger.”
“Then deputize me, or whatever you have to do. I will be an asset, I promise you. I have military training,” Parker insisted, the hardness of his expression telling her this time, he wasn’t backing down. “I did a lot of recon missions. Let me help.” He took a deep breath. “As a bonus, I have my CHL, so I’m already armed.”
“Mary already called the FBI,” she began, looking for another excuse. Mary nodded.
“And they’ll have to drive in from Lubbock or Midland or wherever,” Parker said. “I figure they won’t be able to be here for at least an hour, maybe more. You know as well as I do that time is of the essence.”
“Agreed.”
“But Parker,” Larry interjected, clearly trying to be helpful, “we don’t even know if Nicole is in there. It’s entirely possible Phillip Maple just has a seriously unhealthy relationship with his mother.”
“Donella Abernathy IDed him as the guy who held her captive. Didn’t Mary tell you?”
Mary grimaced. “I tried. But there was so much information and I was trying to deal with the FBI, that I might have left something out.”
The room erupted as everyone began talking at once. Just like that, several officers understood the stakes had been raised.
“We don’t know if Nicole is alive,” Rayna said softly. “I hope she is, but...”
“She is.” Parker tapped his chest. “Gut reaction, Rayna. Serenity was right. She said Donella and Nicole were still alive. We need to get out there now. Phillip Maple is our guy.”
Larry nodded in agreement. “I think he’s right,” he said. “And Rayna, deputize him. We need all the help we can get.”
Taking a deep breath, Rayna looked around at her officers. “What do the rest of you think?”
Overwhelmingly, everyone voted to let Parker join them. Even Mary, who hesitated a
moment before muttering “What the hell” under her breath. “Sam would vote yes, too,” Mary said, her nose twitching. “This is a small town and we’ve always done things our way here.”
Though she supposed she could call Sam and ask his opinion, they didn’t have time. Especially if the reason Myrna’s call had been cut off was because Phillip had discovered her making it.
“Looks like you’re in,” Rayna said. “I don’t know about deputizing you, but please don’t shoot anyone unless your life is in danger.”
Solemnly, he nodded. “You have my word.”
Chapter 15
Even though he had extensive training in this type of operation due to his time in the military, Parker planned to do his best to keep out of Rayna and her team’s way. He’d learned the hard way how a lack of teamwork could screw with an operation.
Though if the chance arose to get in and rescue Nicole, he knew he would take it.
Three squad cars pulled up onto the Maple property, the fourth remaining at the station with Getaway’s two remaining officers.
Rayna got out, gesturing to everyone else to take up position using their vehicles as makeshift shields. Which meant she thought there was a very real possibility Phillip was armed and should be considered dangerous. Even though they blocked the only way to drive out of the place, fields were on the other side of the house. It might seem unlikely their quarry would try to escape on foot, especially with a seriously weakened captive, but he knew enough to consider all and any possibilities.
“Phillip Maple.” Rayna got on the bullhorn. “This is Sheriff Coombs. We have a search warrant and want you to come out with your hands raised.”
The front door opened. Would this really go down so easily? But no, instead of Phillips, an elderly woman staggered out from the open door, which promptly slammed behind her. Attempting to walk toward them, she fell and went sprawling in the gravel.
Heedless of her own safety, Rayna went in at a crouching run and helped the woman to her feet. Half carrying, half urging her along, she brought her over toward the rest of them.
Once she was close, Parker kept the shock from showing on his face. Some of the other deputies weren’t able to do the same. Myrna was filthy and stick thin, and her parchment skin displayed numerous bruises, some purple and red, others having already faded to pale yellow. Shaking, she could barely stand.
Rayna asked Larry to call for an ambulance. She got Myrna to sit in the passenger side of her vehicle. “Can you tell me what happened?” she asked, kneeling.
“Phillip’s gone crazy,” Myrna cried. “All this time, I thought he was being helpful, caring for me. I finally figured out he was putting pills in my tea. All I did was sleep. I took to my bed and he made sure I never got out of it.”
She took a deep, shuddering breath. “When I stopped drinking the tea, he started beating me. I thought he was going to kill me.”
Carefully, Rayna gave Myrna a soft hug. “Was there anyone else in there with you?”
Parker held his breath while he waited for her answer.
Myrna turned her rheumy eyes on Rayna. “Honey, there were several. He was always bringing young women home. The thing is, I never saw any of them leave.” She began to go weak in earnest, wheezing as she tried to breathe. “I don’t know what kind of monster my boy has become.”
“I’m sorry,” Rayna said.
Myrna’s Adam’s apple bobbed in her too-thin, wrinkled throat. “Please don’t hurt him,” she begged. “I know he’s sick, but he’s still my son. Don’t shoot him unless you absolutely have to.”
Parker stepped forward. “Ma’am, we’ll do our best,” he said. “Do you know if he has any young women in there with him right now?”
Nothing but confusion filled the elderly woman’s eyes as she looked at him. “I... I don’t know. It’s possible.”
His heart sank, though he tried not to show it. He met Rayna’s gaze, noticing that nothing but a kind of quiet competence filled her beautiful and determined face.
Rayna nodded once before turning her attention back to her team. “Are you ready to go in?” she asked.
“Wait.” Myrna gripped her arm. “I’m supposed to give you a message. I almost forgot—all the drugs he gave me must have muddled my mind. Phillip told me to tell you to leave. He sent me out, and he wants you to go.”
“I’m sorry, we can’t do that.”
“He said if you don’t, he’ll kill the girl.”
Everyone froze. “What girl?” Rayna barked. “I thought you said you didn’t know if he had someone else in there or not.”
Confusion once again settled over Myrna’s face. “Well, there must be. Or else why would Phillip have said that?”
For the first time Parker realized the old lady might be deliberately trying to fool them. Clearly, Rayna thought the same thing, judging by the way she shook her head in disgust.
Rayna gestured toward Larry and Tom. “You two, go around to the back. You two, take the east side, you two, take the west. The rest of you, come with me. We’re going to try to go in the front door.”
The most dangerous possibility. Of course. Rayna wasn’t the type of leader who would send her people into hell and hang back herself.
“I’m going with you,” Parker said, as if there’d ever been any doubt.
Drawing her weapon, she eyed Parker, who’d also drawn his. “Stay close to me.”
He stared at her for a heartbeat, and then jerked his head in a quick nod. While he’d learned to take orders in the military, every masculine instinct he had urged him to protect her, not the other way around. Still, he understood the basic concepts of teamwork, and how one person refusing to follow orders could put all the others in danger.
Yet, he could see the flaws in Rayna’s plan. He opened his mouth to tell her, but she cut him off with a single sharp glance.
The house would be surrounded. By Rayna’s way of thinking, Phillip would either realize he had no way of escaping, and he’d surrender, or he’d try to go out with guns blazing. Clearly, the third possibility had not yet occurred to her.
Phillip could decide to go scorched-earth and burn it all to the ground. Parker had seen enough hostage situations go south to believe it very well could be the latter.
“Don’t kill my son!” Myrna wailed. “Please. Give him a chance to turn himself in.” She crumpled to the ground, crying out in pain.
Rayna rushed over to her and helped her up, half carrying her to the front seat of her car. “Sit here until medical help arrives. Please, let us do our jobs. We’re trying everything we can before we resort to violence.”
Once she’d walked away from the elderly woman, she shook her head. “This just sucks.”
Parker took her arm. “What about hostage negotiation?” he asked. “Don’t you think you ought to try that first? Before we rush the place?”
She stopped so quickly that he nearly mowed her over and raised a questioning brow as she eyed him. “Are you trained in hostage negotiation?”
“No,” he admitted. “Though I’ve sat in on my fair share of them. What about you?”
“No training.” She sighed. “But my people won’t move until I give them the order.” Reversing direction, she jogged back to her car and grabbed the bullhorn. Handing it to him, she nodded. “Give it your best shot.”
Gratified by her trust in him, he accepted the bullhorn. “Phillip Maple, this is Parker Norton. I’m not with the sheriff’s office. I want to talk to you about letting this end peacefully.”
Nothing but silence. But then he hadn’t expected Phillip to simply pop out of the house with his hands up.
“Do you have Myrna Maple’s landline phone number?” he asked Rayna. “Maybe he’ll talk to me that way.”
“I can get it.” Pulling out her cell, Rayna called Mary and asked for the information.
Pa
rker waited with his phone ready. As Rayna called out the numbers, he dialed. Listening, he counted one ring, two, three and four. Just as he’d begun to believe Phillip Maple wasn’t going to answer, Phillip picked up the phone.
“What?” Phillip snarled.
“Thank you for answering,” Parker said calmly. “My name is—”
“Parker Norton. I know who you are. Sam Norton’s nephew. You probably don’t remember me, but we met once when we were kids.”
“Did we?” Keeping his voice calm and respectful, Parker figured the other man was giving him an easy way to try and establish trust.
“Yeah. You were with your uncle at the fair. All the other kids wanted to be your friend.”
Was that a trace of bitterness he heard in Phillip’s voice? Parker decided to pretend he didn’t notice. “I always felt so out of place around the kids who lived here,” he said. One thing he’d learned early on was in this type of situation, sticking to the truth as much as possible worked best.
“I don’t believe you,” Phillip snarled. “You were always so cool, so happy. And everyone said you were nice. Friendly.” He laughed, the sound not only devoid of humor, but full of menace, causing Parker’s neck to tingle in warning.
“But not to me,” Phillip continued. “When I finally got up enough nerve to try and talk to you, you acted like I was beneath you. A chubby, awkward boy in glasses. I bet you never knew you made me cry.”
Confusion filled Parker. He didn’t have any memory of meeting Phillip, never mind dissing him. In fact, even as a kid, Parker had made it a practice to always be as kind as possible to everyone.
Now, however, he knew better than to say that to Phillip.
“I’m sorry,” he said instead. “I wish we could have a do-over.”
Silence. Perspiring slightly, Parker waited to see how the other man would respond.
Rayna’s radio crackled. “Awaiting orders,” Larry said. “We’re all in place.”
“Hold tight,” she murmured, turning away from Parker in apparent hopes of keeping Phillip from hearing. “Parker’s talking to him now.”
Texas Sheriff's Deadly Mission Page 21