Murderous Intent and Deadly Desires

by Angela C. Blackmoore

  “If it ever got to trial,” the sheriff said. “I’m pretty sure Senator Clark would have an easy time burying this and brushing it aside. We need a lot more than this. We have to keep digging and get the mayor back in his head. He knows people who can dig for information. In the meantime, I won’t give the report that you just gave me. I’ll just say you don’t remember much. I’ll put the real report somewhere safe.”

  “Can we ask John Troutdale for help?” Abby asked, “or Reggie?”

  “Maybe, but we must be careful,” the sheriff said. “John’s trying to get out of that game, so we have to respect his decision if he should decide against helping. Even if it’s just information, it could attract the wrong kind of attention for him and his family.”

  “I’ll talk to Reggie and see what he has to say,” Lanie said. “Sheriff? Can you talk to the mayor again? Do you think he will listen?”

  The sheriff shook his head. “I can talk to him, but it won’t do any good. He’s too used to ignoring me. Abby, it’s going to have to be you, and you’re going to have to be brutal. He needs a wake-up call, and you’re the one to give it to him.”

  Abby nodded, not looking forward to the talk, but determined to break the man out of his depression, no matter what it took.

  Chapter 28

  The mayor had been wheeled into his living room and sat facing the big picture window that overlooked his yard. He had been reading a book when Abby showed up at his doorstep, walking in only after he’d granted her permission. He seemed in better spirits, but he also appeared to be suspicious of Abby’s visit.

  And he had every right to be suspicious.

  The silver-haired man was in an old flannel bathrobe with blue pajamas underneath. It was so stereotypical that Abby almost laughed, but instead held her amusement as he reached down to pet Cheerio. Her dog returned his enthusiasm, happy to see the older man before finally curling up at his feet.

  “Such a fine dog,” the mayor said, smiling down at Cheerio’s black, white, and brown form. “Maybe I’ll finally have time to get a dog.”

  Abby pursed her lips before answering. “That’s going to be difficult if you have to work all the time. Maybe you can bring him to work with you?”

  The mayor made a derisive noise before looking up at Abby with a sneer. “I knew it. I knew you were sent here to change my mind. Well, it isn’t going to happen, Abby. I’m done. Let them vote me out.”

  Abby rolled her eyes and dug in her heels. “Why? Because politics can be ugly sometimes? You know that’s all this is, someone pulling a dirty, underhanded trick on you, and you’re falling for it, big time.”

  “I gave my life for this town!” the mayor yelled, waving his good hand in the air before wincing at some pain it caused. “Dammit! I have worked my fingers to the bone for these people, and they were just about to vote me out!”

  “You don’t know that, Mr. Mayor,” Abby said calmly. “Yes, the board had been compromised, but that’s the easy part. Yes, lots of people had been made terrified and put over a barrel, but it wasn’t the people of this town that did that to themselves. They fell for it, sure, but they didn’t do it. You know very well who’s to blame.”

  “Doesn’t matter!” the mayor said but there was a waiver in his voice. “They still did it! Hell, if Don were alive I’d shake his hand and hand him my coat.”

  “Stop being a baby,” Abby said.

  “What!?” the mayor spluttered. “I am no baby! I’m so far from being a baby! Besides, I’m tired. I want to enjoy my life. Is that too much to ask?”

  “It would be if you didn’t feel so strongly about this town,” Abby answered. “If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t have gotten so angry. Mr. Mayor, this town needs you more than ever. We’re under assault by Senator Clark,” she said, leaning in and whispering fiercely. “Don Buckshire was murdered by Wallace and Bakes, the leaders of the Sun Riders. Except they screwed it up. They killed him before the vote happened. If you hadn’t called a recess, and the vote was taken immediately, Don would have been killed after the vote. How would that have made you look, Mr. Mayor?”

  The old man opened his mouth to respond heatedly, but stopped. He closed it slowly as he mulled over what Abby had just told him, finally leaning back and answering. “It would have looked like I or one of my friends had killed him for calling for the vote. That would have destroyed any defense I could have raised, making sure the vote would go against me.”

  “Exactly, Mr. Mayor,” Abby said angrily. “That’s not the town trying to attack you, that’s Senator Clark!”

  “Dammit!” the mayor said, pounding his fist against his wheelchair arm. “That sneaky… get me my coat. I’m going to the office!”

  Abby grinned and bounced up, running to the hall closet and retrieving one of the mayor’s jackets. She came back before realizing he was still in his pajamas. “Do you want to get changed?”

  The mayor grunted, looking down at himself before shaking his head. “No, it would take too long and we’ve got work to do. Move it, young lady!”

  Abby grinned, helping him on with his coat before wheeling him outside and toward her PT Cruiser. It would be a tight fit, but she’d get him to his office.

  Chapter 29

  Abby was tired. Gabe had met her at the mayor’s office, and the three had sat and chatted about the current state of events in the town. The mayor had been keeping his head in the sand, but now seemed eager to absorb all the information, as well as listening to Abby once again describe what had happened to her at the abandoned shed.

  She didn’t enjoy talking about it, but was finding it somewhat cathartic to discuss it with the people who were important to her and who might be able to help. When she’d finished, the mayor was almost speechless.

  The senator wants the Morgan Family Treasure badly,” the mayor said, shifting in his seat.

  “What?” Abby asked, shocked at the sudden turn the conversation had made.

  “You know what I said,” the mayor said. “I know it’s not a rumor. There’s a reason the senator is attacking this town, and it’s always been about the Morgans. The problem is, we don’t know why he wants the treasure. There’s got to be something that happened way back in the day that might give us a clue. Something that Kat Morgan did to someone, or maybe who she took it away from that’s driving the senator. He’s rich, he doesn’t need more gold. No, the senator is willing to kill for a reason, but it’s not wealth.”

  Abby didn’t know what to do, but before she could deny anything, the mayor held up his hands. “Don’t worry, Abby. I don’t have any proof of what I just said, but it’s painfully obvious. I don’t know if you can ask Hazel about this, but it might be time to push her for some answers.”

  “She doesn’t know,” Abby said. “She said Kat never spoke about it. She doesn’t know where it came from.”

  Gabe blinked, having just about laughed at what the mayor was saying, he was pulled up short by Abby’s answer. “Are you saying its real?”

  Abby shrugged. “I’m not betraying anything because the rumor is all over town, but please don’t say anything. Besides, the mayor has already figured it out,” Abby said, then looked back at the mayor. “I can ask again, or maybe see if there’s any documents. I can’t promise anything. I’m not supposed to say anything.”

  “If it’s any consolation, I’ve suspected something for years,” the mayor said. “There’s got to be a reason the treasure is secret. The statute of limitations on that money is long, long past. Do what you can, Abby. In the meantime, it’s late and you should head on home.” He paused and then shifted, looking Abby squarely in the eyes. “Thank you, for everything you said. I needed a kick in the pants. This town doesn’t deserve to have someone like Senator Clark win.”

  “You’re welcome, Mayor,” Abby said, standing with Gabe’s help. Her thigh still hurt, amongst a hundred other aches and bruises she was still getting over. She smiled at Gabe, caressing his arm for a moment before they headed out to their
vehicles. Abby was anxious to get home and glad the sheriff had offered to come by later to pick up the mayor.

  Despite Bakes and Wallace being dead, she still paused at the door to the municipal building the mayor’s office was in, looking out into the darkness. After a moment, with Gabe standing patiently beside her, she moved down the steps and toward her PT Cruiser. Gabe made sure she got into her car before moving around his truck and climbing up into the driver’s seat.

  He followed her as she drove back home, trundling over the bridge before heading up to the roundabout that stood in front of the old, yellow home. She’d gotten out of her car and was just taking Gabe’s hand when she saw two motorcycles parked in the darkness near the bushes.

  They were old and dirty, clearly more dirt bike than roadster, but they still made Abby freeze. Were there other Sun Riders out for revenge? Her mind was reeling from the implications and her eyes started to dart around, but Gabe came to her rescue.

  At least, somewhat.

  “Those are Gloria and Demsey’s bikes,” Gabe said slowly, eyeing the two machines.

  “What? Gloria and Demsey?” Abby said, shaking herself and inspecting the bikes. When she looked closer, she remembered them from when they’d seen the two at Butters. “What are they doing here?”

  Gabe firmed his lips and looked up at the house, but there were no signs of damage or the house being broken into. Mr. Wilberson had fixed the window days ago, and despite the newer paint, it looked just fine. “I don’t know, but stay behind me.”

  The two moved up onto the porch, and Gabe slowly opened the screen and then the front door. Pausing, they both strained their ears, but only heard calm talking from inside. Hazel was there, along with another woman’s voice. They didn’t hear Demsey, but he never had been one for talking. Either way, her grandmother didn’t seem stressed, so they continued inside.

  Walking forward, they moved through the hall and passed the kitchen. Hazel was sitting in one of the chairs next to the sofa with a glass of tea, talking with the occupants of the sofa, Gloria and Demsey. Despite the calmness of the scene, Abby couldn’t help but worry about what this might mean.

  Then Demsey saw her, and his face turned into a mix of fear and sorrow. The big man nudged Gloria, pointing at Abby as he began to whimper. Abby had no idea what to make of it.

  Gloria, her worn face grim, looked up at Abby and then took Demsey’s hand, patting it comfortingly. “It’s okay, Demsey. We’re here for a good reason. We’re here to talk to Abby. It’s okay. We’ll get some ice-cream if you can do this.”

  After a moment, Demsey calmed, though he by no means looked comfortable. Still, he stopped whimpering though he wouldn’t meet Abby’s gaze as she and Gabe walked into the living room.

  “What’s going on, Grandma?” Abby asked, not moving near the two on the sofa.

  “Well,” Hazel said, looking up with a frown. “Gloria is here to ask for our help.”

  “Help?” Abby said, confused.

  “Yes,” Gloria said. Her voice was harsh but not unpleasant ,and she seemed to be trying to gather her thoughts. “We need your help, Abby. Someone killed Buck in prison. We think someone’s trying to kill Demsey and Samantha, too. No one else will believe us!”

  “But why me?” Abby asked, aghast.

  “Because you put them in prison, and it’s your fault that Buck is dead,” Gloria said, almost angrily. “If Demsey or Samantha dies too, it’s on you!”

  “Oh, jackrabbits!” Abby said.

  Excerpt for Deadly Desires and Killer Instincts – Book 6 of the Red Pine Falls Cozy Mysteries

  Chapter 1

  Abby felt her eyes snap open, awake in an instant. For a moment she didn’t know where she was, glancing around herself wildly at the strangely familiar scene. Dark, grime covered walls surrounded her and the floor was littered with dust that gave everything a sameness that was jarring. Then it hit her.

  She was back in the shed. But how? Why? She jerked her arms and felt the tight cord holding them to the wooden chair. Whimpering, she tugged futilely at them for a few moments as she began to panic. Then she heard a faint shuffling.

  “What’s wrong, Princess?” came a voice from the darkness, an all-too-familiar, sugary-sweet voice that sent chills up and down Abby’s spine. A moment later, a horse-faced woman peered over Abby’s shoulder, her crazy eyes glistening in the half-light that leaked into the grimy windows. “Did you think I’d forgotten about your finger?”

  Abby shook her head, jerking away from Bakes and almost unsettling the chair she was on. She didn’t care if she fell, as long as she got away from Bakes. Bakes and her knife, which slowly slid into view arresting Abby’s attention. The cold, black mottled steel slid through the air like a viper.

  Quickly, Bakes reached for Abby’s hand, pulling up one of the fingers as she came around to the front of the chair. As she did so, Abby could clearly see the spreading red stain on the front of her shirt. She could even see a ragged bullet hole in Bake’s biker jacket.

  “How? How aren’t you dead?” Abby breathed even as she tried to pry her finger from Bakes’ grip.

  “Oh, dear Abby,” Bakes purred. “I am dead. Don’t worry, you’ll be joining me soon enough. But not before I get my fun!” The crazed woman’s voice rose at the last, almost shrieking as her anger boiled over. She reared back, cackling like some sick movie villain, and in the light Abby could see the pallor of death over the woman’s face.

  “Bakes!” barked another familiar voice. “Shut up, Bakes! You know the boss has business!” Wallace slumped out of the darkness. His front jacket was a ruin of blood and bullet holes where Detective Mike had shot him. Abby could only stare dumb-founded as the man gave her a sly smile, then opened the door to the shed.

  Instead of a forest beyond the door, there was an other-worldly corpse-light glow. Abby could feel her face frozen in a horrified stare as something moved within that light. At first, she thought it was a figure, but it was swaying side to side. She couldn’t make sense of it, until it solidified into the body of a gigantic snake. The figure she thought was of a person was simply its upper body held high, and the swaying was it slithering closer.

  But instead of a serpent’s head, it had the face of a man. Abby could feel herself whimper again as terror gripped her. It flashed through her body, turning every nerve into a firebrand that had her kicking at the floor to get away.

  Bakes laughed, once again behind her to keep the chair from moving, and she peered over Abby’s shoulder. “Don’t you like him, Abby?” Bakes said with a sickly-sweet tone. “He’s just been dying to meet you. Or is that you dying to meet him? Either way, Senator Clark has been a very patient man.”

  Senator Clark’s figure paused, wavering like a cobra ready to strike as Abby watched him slowly rear even higher. A hood opened up around his head as he laughed. It was a strange, hissing mix of his normal human laugh and a viper. “So, Abby Morgan. You are to be Hazel’s heir? How delicious.”

  “What? How did you know?” Abby heard herself say in a whisper, though the senator clearly heard every word she said. Senator Clark lowered his head and moved toward her, his huge snake body coiling around her. Abby could feel the dry scales rub along her legs, making her skin crawl.

  “Oh, I know so much more than you do, dear Abby,” the senator said in a sibilant hiss. “I’m going to take back the treasure. I’m going to take it back, and then I’m going to take great care to destroy that house with your precious grandmother inside.”

  Suddenly, in a flash of light, Abby saw her and Hazel’s house through the front door of the shed. It was daytime, and there was a large bulldozer out front that was just roaring to life. Black clouds of smoke erupted out of its exhaust stack, and then the machine began grinding forward.

  Abby cried out, screaming for it to stop, but the bulldozer moved forward with a horrible inevitability. Then the blade of the great machine bit into the old wood of the porch and beyond, deep into the house itself. With a great groan
as if a huge beast mortally wounded, the house began to list, and then crashed in on itself around the hole the bulldozer had made.

  Then Abby heard the scream. A faint, pitiful wail from an old woman that was cut off just as suddenly as it started, followed by a hissing chuckle in Abby’s ear.

  “Wake up, Abby. Wake up.”

  Abby jerked, screaming at the fading image of Senator Clark’s face as she sat bolt upright in bed. Familiar, soft comforters slid off her shoulder as she stared, wide-eyed and half awake, into the worried eyes of her grandmother.

  “Oh, dear,” Hazel said from the edge of Abby’s bed. “Was it the dream again?”

  Abby nodded, then crumpled into Hazel’s arms and sobbed.

  Chapter 2

  Abby sipped quietly at her tea, her eyes still somewhat glazed from the vivid nightmare as Hazel sat across from her at the kitchen table. A small flower arrangement on the tablecloth was currently her focus, though her mind wasn’t really registering it.

  They were both wrapped up in warm bathrobes as the heat in the house slowly came to life. At three in the morning, it was going to take a little time, so the tea was a necessity.

  “I’m sorry, Abby,” Hazel said softly, her old eyes full of concern. “I wish there was something I could do to help.”

  Abby blinked, then looked up at her grandmother, studying the wrinkles that traveled in pleasing lines across the woman’s face. After a moment, she absorbed what her grandmother had actually said and shook her head. “No, there’s nothing you can do. Don’t apologize for something someone else did.”

  “But if I hadn’t brought you here, you wouldn’t have gotten caught up in all of this-” Hazel began but Abby cut her off.

  “If you hadn’t brought me here, I wouldn’t have found a town full of friends and a wonderful man like Gabe,” Abby said in a tone that brooked no argument. “I wouldn’t have gotten a wonderful grandmother and a wonderful house to call home.” Abby paused for a moment before whispering. “I wouldn’t have gotten my life back.”