Too Many Suspects

by E B Corbin

  “Already done. But they might have a couple of phonies. Remember Taggart used an alias to get in.”

  “Well, there can’t be that many flights to Ireland in a day. Why don’t you assign someone to watch the boarding gates?” she said.

  “Wish we could,” he told her. “But we’re shorthanded to begin with and don’t have the resources to check every passenger on a flight. They came across the Canadian border so they might try to sneak out that way, too.”

  “Well... shit,” Roxanne said.

  Callahan drew her close and kissed her forehead. “Don’t you worry about it. You should be out of the picture now that Sean’s in custody. This is my problem.”

  “But I want to help,” she protested.

  “You can help by staying safe,” Callahan said as he rose, pulling her up with him. “Now, I’ve got to go talk to Ron about tomorrow.”

  They stood so close she could feel his breath. She grabbed both his hands, then stood on tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek. But he turned his head so that their lips brushed. Roxanne didn’t want the moment to end.

  “Okay,” Callahan said as he stepped back with a smirk. “Stay out of trouble, okay?”

  After he left, as the residents of the B & B settled in for the night, Roxanne wished she could flip a switch and turn her mind off. Instead she tossed in her bed shifting from one side to other, kicking off the comforter when she became too hot and pulling it back up again when she felt the chilly air. She had enjoyed seeing Maureen and Patrick, but now everything she hadn’t told them came galloping back—the money, Pearse and Seamus, and what on earth was she going to do about Callahan?

  She never thought to mention the hulking black SUV to either Pete or Callahan. Maybe it was a good thing. Why should she trust Roxy’s intuition and start another incident? Besides, they didn’t get a license plate number or see the passengers, and Roxanne couldn’t identify the make or model of the vehicle. She probably did need to be more observant, as Roxy had pointed out, but she was tired of jumping at shadows.

  At least she could forget about Sean. After all the trouble he’d caused her, he no longer posed a threat. With that reassuring thought, Roxanne turned over, ready to cover her head with a pillow.

  A tell-tale squeak from the loose step on the stairway to the second floor made her straighten up instead.

  - 5 -

  In the stillness of the night it was impossible not to hear the creaking of the step; Roxanne’s bed sat against the wall, the staircase directly behind it. She wondered who else was up at 2:30 in the morning and what they were doing.

  The sound of a second squeak popped her eyes wide open. Someone else was coming upstairs. Her curiosity got the better of her as she rolled out of bed and slowly approached her door. She cracked it a bit to see who was roaming around at this late hour, sucked in a breath and began to quickly close it as soon as she spotted two large men in ski masks creeping down the hall.

  The one in front jerked to a halt when her door opened. In the dark, she saw the pupils of his eyes retract as he stared back at her. He signaled his accomplice with a flick of his wrist before they picked up speed. In a second, they reached her door and tried to push it open. She struggled to shut it, applying pressure in the opposite direction.

  Her instinct for self-preservation kicked in. The thought of screaming her lungs out came and went. First she had to secure the door.

  She dropped her weight as she planted her feet and continued to struggle to shut the door far enough to throw the deadbolt. But her strength was no match for the two men on the other side. She’d gain an inch then they pushed back, advancing two inches to her one.

  She struggled to keep the door from flying open. Once that happened, it was game over. She realized that her silence was just what they wanted. She screamed at the top of her lungs.

  The door across the hallway opened and Sam Turner stepped into the moonlight that slanted through a window on the right. She glowered at them with a snub-nosed .44 magnum revolver aimed in their direction. Her two-handed stance left no doubt she knew how to use it. Her finger rested on the outside of the trigger guard, close enough to shoot in a split second but still avoid a wild shot from a twitchy finger. The hammer was cocked and ready.

  “Back off. Now.”

  With their hands up, both men backed away. They took one last glance at Roxanne’s door, then pivoted in tandem. They were down the steps and out the door as Ron stumbled from his room, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Pete flew out of his suite, eyeballed everyone in the hall and started after the intruders, his 9mm in his hand.

  Roxanne stared at the gun Sam Turner brandished. She looked at ease with it and definitely gave the impression she wasn’t afraid to use it.

  While they waited for Pete to return, Ron and Sam asked her what happened in whispered murmurs. She lifted her shoulders to indicate she wasn’t sure.

  Ron gestured at Sam’s gun. “That’s a serious weapon you have there.”

  Sam shrugged. “It comes in handy at times.”

  “I take it you have a permit?”

  “Of course,” Sam laughed. “Concealed carry and everything.”

  Roxanne was too busy trying to get her heartbeat under control to worry about whether or not Sam’s weapon was legitimate. Thank God she had it, was all Roxanne thought. She once again wished for the Beretta Tomcat that Walters had confiscated after she shot Luke. Maybe now that Pete was in charge, she could ask for it back. She’d have to remember to bring it up to him.

  All three swung around when they heard someone on the stairs. Since the front door hadn’t opened to signal Pete’s return, Sam brought the gun up in a flash.

  Wrapped in a plaid flannel robe, Kate stepped slowly around the corner and inhaled a startled breath when she saw them standing in the hall. Her eyes grew wide at the revolver in Sam’s hand. “What’s going on?”

  “Two men tried to get into Roxanne’s room,” Sam said in a matter-of-facet tone before Roxanne had a chance to answer. She lowered her weapon and gently slid the hammer home.

  Kate turned her attention to Roxanne. “Are you all right? Who were they? Did you know them?”

  “Whoa, slow down... I’m fine. They didn’t get in, thanks to Sam’s quick action. And I didn’t see their faces so I don’t know who they were for sure. They were big, too big to be Seamus and Pearse. So I don’t know...” Roxanne’s voice trailed off as they heard the front door open and click shut.

  Ron peered down the steps and stage-whispered, “They got away?”

  Pete answered in the same muted tone. “Yeah. Must’ve had a car waiting around the corner. I heard an engine start but couldn’t see anything. They were long gone by the time I got close enough to see down the block.”

  He started up the steps, taking care to avoid the squeaky one. Roxanne noticed Sam slip the revolver into the pocket of her silk shantung robe before Pete reached the top. She wondered why their new boarder was hiding it, but didn’t want to confront the woman who’d just saved her from those goons.

  “Good thing we never got around to fixing that loose board,” Kate said.

  “I knew procrastination would come in handy someday.” Pete stuck his pistol into the waistband of the jeans he’d thrown on before taking off after the prowlers. His broad shoulders and flat abs were on display for all to see, since he hadn’t taken the time to put on a shirt before taking off after the prowlers.

  Roxanne caught Sam staring at Pete with a hint of admiration and was struck by the attractive blonde’s enigma. The thought faded as her body started to tremble in a delayed reaction to the attack. She crossed her arms to steady herself, tucking her nightgown more closely around her. “This isn’t right. Who were those men and how did they get in past the alarm system?”

  “Power’s out,” Kate said. “That’s what woke me. I thought it was due to a snowstorm or somethin
g until I looked out the window. It’s clear as glass outside.”

  “Well, shit.” Roxanne pulled herself together well enough to keep her voice from wobbling. “That’s it. I can’t stay here.”

  “You can and you will.” Kate’s remark held all the authority she usually reserved for correcting Jonathon.

  “Kate’s right,” Pete said. “This is the safest place for you. If you’d been alone tonight, those two would have grabbed you without any problem.”

  “But...”

  “No buts about it,” Sam broke in. “They’re right.”

  “I’ll be putting you in danger, too,” Roxanne protested.

  “I’ve been in worse situations,” Sam told her. “And without the added backup of two very capable law enforcers.” She smiled at Ron and Pete.

  “Well, shit,” Roxanne said again.

  “You need to work on your vocabulary,” Kate said. “It’s unanimous. You’re staying.”

  Roxanne gave in for the moment. Nothing she could do about it in the middle of the night, anyway. At least those two gorillas would think twice about coming back anytime soon.

  Kate yawned. “If you will excuse me, I have to get some sleep.”

  “We all do,” Pete said. “Roxanne, will you be okay?”

  “Sure.” She hoped she wasn’t lying. Then she felt the weakness in her limbs as well as an overwhelming urge to lie down. Fatigue set in with a vengeance. At least now she should be able to get some sleep without tossing and turning. “Let’s all turn in. We can discuss it more in the morning.”

  “Sounds good.” Sam retreated to her room.

  They bid each other good-night and the B & B quieted down once more.

  Without the hum of electricity, the inn took on an eerie silence. Roxanne pulled up the down comforter and settled her head on the pillow. Within seconds, she slept.

  The next morning, Roxanne woke to the sound of activity outside her window. An electric company truck sat parked near the pole in front of the B & B. Men in a bucket worked with the wires leading to the house. They looked competent enough to her untrained eye.

  She glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand as the second hand began to move. Faint buzzes filled the room. The bedside light blinked on; her computer powered up and her phone blipped. The electricity was back and with it Roxanne’s sense of responsibility. No matter what Kate or anyone else said, her presence here acted like a lightning rod, drawing danger to the inn. She had to come up with an alternative.

  After a shower that should have relaxed her but didn’t, Roxanne dressed in one of the new outfits she’d picked up yesterday. The navy suit and white silk blouse lent her an aura of professionalism. A day at the office doing banal legal work like writing wills and approving real estate contracts was just what she needed.

  Sam and Pete had their heads together at the table when she entered the kitchen. They sprang apart before she said a word.

  The blonde recovered quicker than Pete. “Roxanne! How did you sleep after the commotion last night?”

  “Surprisingly well.” Roxanne looked around the kitchen. “I see the power came back on. Did Kate get Jonathon off on time this morning?”

  “They’re gone—had to hurry to catch the bus. She should be back any minute.” Pete held up his coffee mug. “You want some?”

  “I’ll get it. Stay seated.” Roxanne dropped a pod into the coffeemaker and stood waiting for the steaming beverage to fill the cup. “You two were deep in conversation. What did I miss?”

  “Er, nothing.” Sam slid a sideways warning glance at Pete.

  Roxanne sensed some kind of collusion. If Sam and Pete had something personal going on, she didn’t want to stick her nose in. “It’s none of my business. Forget I asked.”

  When she joined them with her steaming mug, Sam had her hands clasped tightly in front of her and Pete tapped his fingers on the table. All attempts at conversation had ceased. They were obviously uncomfortable carrying on their conversation with Roxanne there.

  After only a few seconds, Roxanne jumped up. “Okay, I can see I’m interrupting.”

  “No, no, sit,” Sam insisted.

  “We were just discussing the need for a generator for the inn,” Pete said.

  “A generator?”

  “Yeah, you know, that thing that kicks in when the power goes out.” Sam waved her hands around to take in the entire kitchen. “When Kate has paying guests, she needs to be able to serve them breakfast, make certain they’re comfortable and have heat and hot water.”

  “If I’m not here, she won’t need to worry,” Roxanne said.

  “And what happens if there’s a storm or some other reason the power goes out?” Pete’s scowl did nothing to mar the handsome lines of his face. “It’s happened twice already, not including last night. Once when a tree fell across the street and another time when a transformer blew somewhere in town. Kate and I have discussed it before. Running a business, she needs a backup power supply. We need to figure out which type to get, and Sam’s been helping us decide.”

  Roxanne looked questioningly at Sam. “You know about generators and stuff?”

  The other woman laughed. “I’m a software engineer by trade, but I know a few things about electrical gadgets and how they work.”

  “Oh.” Roxanne felt like a fool for jumping to conclusions about their discussion. Before she could apologize, a bing sounded from the front door, quickly followed by several beeps indicating the alarm system worked as it should.

  A cool breeze followed Kate as she swept into the kitchen and called, “Look who I found hanging with the guys from the electric company.”

  Callahan entered with a frown on his face. “I understand you had some trouble here last night.”

  “Nothing we couldn’t handle.” Sam grinned at him, as if she relished the prospect of facing danger.

  For whatever reason, Sam’s response to Callahan didn’t bring on that twinge of jealousy Roxanne expected. Maybe it was because Sam and Pete seemed to hit it off, or maybe Sam was just a nice person—one you couldn’t help but like… completely the antithesis of Tiffany.

  “What happened? The power guys said a line coming into the house was snipped.” He addressed Pete ignoring Sam’s attempt to gloss over the situation.

  “Yeah. Two thugs cut the electricity and disabled the alarm before they broke in around 2:30 this morning,” Pete said.

  “They were stupid enough to try to rip-off the chief of police’s house?” Callahan looked incredulous.

  “They weren’t robbers,” Roxanne said. “They were focused on getting into my room.”

  “Aw, shit.” Callahan swiped a hand down his face.

  “My words exactly,” Roxanne said.

  “Was it Pearse and Seamus?” he asked.

  “Nope, don’t think so.” Roxanne took a sip of coffee, needing the caffeine to keep her blood pumping. “They wore ski masks but they seemed too big for Seamus and Pearse.”

  “Seamus is pretty large,” Callahan said.

  “But Pearse is short and both of these guys looked like Godzilla,” Pete said. “I tend to agree with Roxanne. I don’t think it was our missing fugitives.”

  “Well, hell,” Callahan muttered, then turned to Roxanne. “Who else have you aggravated?”

  “I think I resent that remark.” Roxanne slammed the mug on the table, in faux anger and smiled to take the sting out of her remark. “But, Roxy thought a black SUV was following us yesterday when we left her cabin. Maybe she was right.”

  “Why didn’t you mention this before?” Callahan turned to Pete. “Did you know about this?”

  “First I’ve heard of it.” Pete shrugged as his eyes narrowed at Roxanne. “Do you want to explain?”

  “Aw, geez. I didn’t tell you because it wasn’t important. I doubt it has anything to do with me. R
oxy noticed a black SUV pull out of the Game Lands and follow us into town yesterday. Nothing happened. It didn’t seem threatening, but Roxy insisted they were on our tail. I was ready to pull into the parking area at the police station, but she talked me out of it. I pulled a U-turn on Main Street instead, and the SUV kept rolling in the opposite direction.”

  “Did you get a license number?” Pete pulled a small notebook from his pocket.

  “No, I was too busy trying to keep my eyes on the road and the rearview mirror at the same time. And, before you ask, the windows were tinted so we couldn’t see the occupants as we passed them.”

  “Make and model?” Callahan asked.

  “It was big and black,” Roxanne said. “That’s all I can tell you. But it didn’t change course after I pulled the U, so I think Roxy was being overly suspicious.”

  “It wouldn’t hurt you to be a little more attentive.” Callahan’s creased brows pointed at her. “Someone did try to get to you last night.”

  Roxanne sighed. She had no rebuttal. Both Roxy and Callahan had warned her to be more aware of her surroundings and she could no longer brush them off. From now on, she’d keep alert; nothing would get past her if she could help it. She turned to Pete. “That reminds me. Can I get my gun back?”

  “Huh?” Pete’s expression went blank.

  “After I shot Luke, the chief took my gun. He never gave it back, even after I was cleared of any wrongdoing. It must still be wherever they keep evidence.” Roxanne raised her shoulders, then dropped them. “After last night, I’d feel more comfortable if I had some protection of my own. I can’t count on Sam to be around all the time.”

  “Sam?” Callahan asked in surprise.

  “It was nothing,” Sam said. “Since my room is closest to Roxanne’s, I heard the scuffle first and stepped out into the hall.”

  “With a gun,” Roxanne broke in. “A serious gun.”

  “My father was a gun collector,” Sam explained. “That was my favorite, although it has a hell of a kick.”

  “You carry it around with you?” Callahan asked.