Bone-a-fied Trouble

by Carolyn Haines

  “I took action because you failed to rein in your son. Had you done what you were supposed to do, we’d be sitting pretty now instead of worrying about what to do with…bodies.”

  All refinement was gone from Antoine’s voice. The hint of culture and continental influences had been replaced by a flat accent. Roger realized the man wasn’t even from Europe. He sounded more like he had ties to the Bronx. Roger forced himself to go limp when rough hands pulled him into a sitting position.

  “Snap out of it.” Antoine shook Roger. “Get out and walk. We don’t have time for this. We could just leave him in the trunk.”

  “Don’t be a fool,” Hannah said. “Get him in the house. Make sure he’s tied up good.”

  “Maybe you should help me. He’s your flesh and blood.”

  Footsteps crunched in the shells of a driveway. “Listen, Antoine, we can use Roger to our advantage. So far, we’ve played our roles perfectly. Yes, this is a tight spot, but Lisa East is the only person who’s dead, and we couldn’t have prevented that. Let’s get Roger inside.”

  Footsteps crunched away, and Roger felt strong hands pulling him out of the trunk. He moaned softly and rolled his head, looking all around. He saw a dark building set among trees. It was a cabin in the woods, a retreat. And he knew it. Big Samuel Long had built the cabin back in the 1940s as a get-away. Roger had hosted a few high school parties there. He and his buddies had followed the worn path to hangovers and regret that most teenagers traveled. They’d pretended to be all grown up and drank and told stories, played cards, talked about girls. The cabin had been a big part of high school summers.

  Since he’d assumed the mantel of running Long Agricultural, he’d almost forgotten the place existed. It was the perfect hideaway, nestled in dense woods with access to Moon Lake and no neighbors. Not far away was a small, isolated little island that he’d loved as a boy. Moon Lake had once been a part of the Mississippi River, but over time, the river had changed course, and this bend had been cut off, leaving a deep lake.

  Having a sense of where he was gave him a semblance of control. He’d also deduced that there was only Antoine and Hannah with him. But Antoine and his mother seemed worried about someone else.

  “Wake up. Come on, Roger, we have things to finish.” Antoine lifted Roger’s upper body out of the trunk.

  Roger had loosened the rope around his wrists, but he knew if he intended to take any action, his timing had to be perfect. He lolled forward, seeming to bang his head on the trunk lid.

  “Come on, stay on your feet,” Antoine ordered as he roughly grasped Roger’s upper arm.

  Roger made his move. He used his left leg to kick at Antoine’s ankles, sending the man sprawling into the shells of the drive. When Antoine was down, Roger didn’t hesitate. He stomped hard on his chest with all of his weight. The air left Antoine in a whoosh. Roger finished him off with a kick to the head.

  “Stay down,” Roger said. It took him another moment to work his hands free. He used the rope to secure Antoine and dragged him to the side of the driveway. He also recovered his cell phone from Antoine’s pocket. To his disgust, the phone was completely dead. He dropped it into his pocket and jogged toward the cabin.

  He’d moved Antoine out of sight in the weeds, but Hannah would be looking for him any minute. He knew his mother. She gave a command and expected instant obedience. Well, he had a surprise for her. At the thought of it, a tight smile crept over his face as he hurried to the cabin and silently climbed the steps.

  He listened for a moment at the front door, but no sounds came from inside. Without waiting, he kicked the door as hard as he could, sending it crashing from the frame. He stepped into the large den where Hannah stood. She was frozen in place, a kettle of water in her hand.

  “Hello, Mother,” he said.

  She hurled the kettle at him and took off for the back of the house, but he was quicker. “I don’t think so,” he said. “There’s a very inviting car trunk waiting for you. It might be a little crowded with Antoine in there too.”

  “How did you get loose? Listen, you have to stay here at the cabin,” she said. “I don’t have time to explain. Where’s Antoine?”

  “He’s a little indisposed. Now you can make this easy, or you can make it hard, but either way, I’m going to tie you up.”

  To her credit, Hannah didn’t resist him. In a few moments, he had her tied to a kitchen chair with the electrical cord from a lamp. “Now where is Trudy Wells?”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Mother, now isn’t the time to play games.”

  “I have no idea who you’re talking about.”

  “My employee. The young woman who worked as a receptionist.”

  Hannah lifted her chin in a classic move that Roger recognized, and couldn’t help but admire. Even tied to a chair with retribution staring her in the face, Hannah played it regale. “I don’t know where she is. Why should I?”

  “Because you and Antoine abducted her. I found his cufflink in her car, which was hidden in a thick brake on my land. Now spill it. I’ll tell the police you helped me find Trudy. I’ll ask for leniency.”

  “Roger, I’ve been trying to protect you, but you need to let me loose and get Antoine. We don’t have long.”

  Roger’s headache intensified. He was so close to finding Trudy. So close. “Sit tight, Mother. Then again, you don’t have a choice.” He quickly scouted out the rest of the cabin hoping that Trudy was stashed there somewhere. He didn’t want to punish his mother, not really. He only wanted to find Trudy and deliver her safety to her worried sister.

  Even though he tossed the rooms hurriedly, he found no evidence that Trudy had been held there. No sign that anyone had occupied the cabin. He felt his plan unraveling, and he returned to the kitchen. “Mother, where is Trudy? Let me help you.”

  “I don’t have a clue,” she said, staring past him. You always assume the worst of me, and I really don’t blame you. This is different, though. Antoine and I--”

  “Just stop!” His mother was going to do the thing she always did—find a way to cast herself as the victim. “Tell me now or I’m going to gag you and leave you here while I find that young woman.”

  “I swear to you, I didn’t have anything to do with Lisa East’s death or the disappearance of that other young woman. I swear it.”

  Roger held the gag right at her mouth. He took no pleasure in tormenting his mother but he also didn’t believe a word that came out of her mouth. And he didn’t trust that she would keep quiet in a pinch. He feared she’d willingly give his position away, given an opportunity. The hard facts were that if Trudy wasn’t with Antoine and Hannah, then they were working with someone else. Someone who could show up at the cabin any moment. Someone who might be armed. “Last chance. Where is Trudy?”

  “Let me loose and I’ll tell you everything I know. She’s safe, for the moment. I swear it. Antoine and I, we aren’t what you think. We’re involved in exploring this new cotton.”

  “I know. Big financial investment, right. Now where is Trudy?”

  “I don’t know. I swear to you. Antoine and I don’t have her.”

  A chill traced down Roger’s back. Hannah was an extremely good actress, and he couldn’t tell if she was pretending to be innocent or not. He faced her. “Look, if what you’re saying is true and you didn’t have anything to do with Lisa’s death or with Trudy’s abduction, I’m sure you’ll make out just fine with the authorities. Right now, I have to find Trudy and return her safely to her sister.” He started to put the gag in place.

  “Wait! What are you doing?”

  “I’m going to make sure you won’t try to warn anyone if your confederates show up here.”

  “Don’t tie me up and leave me here. Please. You don’t understand what the consequences will be. For me and for Antoine.”

  “You presume I care.” He had a thought. “Where’s your phone?”

  She indicated her jacket that hung over the back
of a kitchen chair. Roger fished the phone out. He didn’t remember Tabitha’s number, but Charline’s number was programmed into the phone. He made the call.

  “Hannah, where are you?” Charline answered, her voice frayed with worry. “Roger is missing. Do you know where he is?”

  Roger realized Charline had looked at the caller ID and presumed his mother was calling. “Aunt Charline, it’s me, Roger. Mother is here with me. She’s…detained. But she’s fine. Please tell Tabitha that I’m okay.”

  “I’m going to put you on speaker,” Charline said. “Tabitha is right here with me. Samuel and I have been worried sick about you. Where are you?”

  “The cabin on Moon Lake. Mother and Antoine are involved in some bad business, Aunt Charline. Would you call the sheriff’s department and ask DeWayne or Budgie to send some Coahoma County deputies to the cabin? I know you can give them directions. Mother and Antoine will be here. Restrained and waiting.”

  “I’ll take care of it.” Charline didn’t bother with extraneous questions. “Where are you going, Roger?”

  “Antoine knows where Trudy Wells is. He’s going to tell me. Now.”

  “Be careful, Roger. Antoine is not what he appears to be. Neither is your mother.”

  “I’ve come to that conclusion on my own.” Roger chuckled. “Mother is in this up to her neck.”

  “It grieves me to hear that, Roger. Hannah is difficult, but I’ve always cared about her. I know deep-down, you do too.”

  The gut punch hit Roger, and he had to acknowledge it. “I do love her. I’m sorry it’s come to this, but she has to answer for what she’s done. Is Tabitha okay?”

  “She is. She’s been worried too. She wants to talk to you.”

  “Listen, I hear someone driving up.” He knew his time was short and he had to get the basic information to Charline. “I’m going to find Trudy.”

  Charline’s voice was choked with emotion. “Remember the nature of a scorpion. They bite because that’s what they do. Antoine is a scorpion from everything Tabitha discovered.”

  “I’ll remember that, and I’ll call back when I can.” Roger had been watching his mother’s reaction to his conversation. When a slow smile curled her lips, he knew something was going on. He dodged left just as the front door banged open. Hannah’s scream rang out and the phone crashed to the floor, knocked out of Roger’s hand by a flying screw driver.

  “Don’t let Tabitha come here. Whatever you do, keep her away. It’s too--” Roger said before the phone went dead.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Tabitha froze in the kitchen, her gaze locking with Charline’s as the older woman called the Sunflower County sheriff’s office. Once DeWayne had promised to assist Roger, Charline sank into a chair. She dropped the phone to her side. “Help is on the way.”

  “Someone was there, at the cabin,” Tabitha said. She’d clearly heard the crashing of a door, though she hadn’t been able to decipher Roger’s last words.

  “Yes, I think someone Roger wasn’t expecting arrived.” Charline redialed the phone several times but there was no answer.

  Tabitha knew that Roger wouldn’t respond. Whatever he was caught up in, he couldn’t talk on the phone. “Do you know where Roger is? Where is this cabin?”

  Charline had gone pasty white. “He doesn’t want you there.”

  “Please.” Tabitha thought her chest would crack open from the pressure of her emotions. “I have to help him.”

  “You can’t. If you put yourself in danger, it will only backfire on Roger. He was clear, Tabitha. He said not to allow you to go to him.”

  “He said Trudy wasn’t at the cabin. So where is she?”

  Charline shook her head. “Hannah and Antoine were there. He said he allowed them to take him prisoner so he could find Trudy. Apparently, he somehow got the upper hand of them. Until…” She didn’t finish.

  Tabitha sank into a kitchen chair. “He’s put himself at great risk. I can’t let him do this alone. She’s my sister. He’s doing this for me.”

  “And Trudy is his employee. Don’t discount the fact that Hannah is his mother, and it seems she’s likely to blame for all of this. Hannah won’t hurt Roger. As awful as she is, she won’t harm her son.” Charline’s eyes blazed. “Especially if Roger is, as you suspect, Micah’s child. I do believe Micah Malone was the only person Hannah has ever truly loved.”

  Charline’s words allowed Tabitha to get a grip on her emotions. She nodded slowly. “What you say makes sense.”

  “If you go there and confront Hannah or Antoine, and if Roger is in their power, you may provoke them to harm him. Antoine has no kind feelings toward Roger. I’m sure he views all of us as barriers to what he hopes to achieve—getting his hands on Hannah’s money. She’s always been a fool about men and their motivations.”

  “And now Roger is with her.”

  “If anyone can bring her around, it’s Roger. I know how difficult it is, but you have to give him the room to convince her. If anyone can make her see reason, it’s him. And he deserves this opportunity. Hannah may end up in prison, but Roger needs to know that he did all he could to help her. Just like you need to know you turned over every rock to find your sister.”

  Charline was right. As difficult as it was going to be, she had to heed Roger’s request. Even if she died a little inside worrying about him and Trudy. She put her palms on the table and tried for a smile. “This is why so many famous songwriters explore the dangers of love. I’ve never felt such emotional pain.”

  Charline sighed. “Your feelings for Roger have grown deep and true, it seems.”

  “I don’t know what I really feel, except this all-consuming panic at the idea he might be hurt. The same panic I feel for my sister.”

  Charline’s smile was slow and rueful. “To love is to risk pain. Many songwriters have plowed that field.” Her expression was pensive. “Maybe one day soon Samuel, Roger, and I can hear you perform some of the songs you’ve written.”

  Tabitha didn’t hide her surprise. “I didn’t expect that from you. I came here with a lie on my lips. Now you want to encourage my songwriting.”

  “I know. It doesn’t make logical sense, but whatever lies you told, they were told for love. You didn’t know if you could trust us to help you or if we might have been behind your sister’s disappearance. I understand the subterfuge.”

  “Thank you.” Even though she was still desperately worried about Trudy and Roger, Tabitha felt as if a stone had been lifted from her heart. “I still need to go to that cabin. Please.”

  “I’m sorry. My nephew asks very little of me. This is one time I intend to make sure I deliver for him. And for you and your sister. You have to put some trust in Roger, in his abilities.”

  “It’s not that I don’t trust him, but he isn’t the kind of man to shoot another.”

  “I know. But give him a chance. Why don’t you see if you can find out more about Antoine Fresca? My gut tells me that he’s the dangerous element. The more we know, the better prepared we’ll be.”

  “You’re right, but I’d rather go to the cabin.”

  “Let’s wait to see what Budgie and DeWayne discover.”

  It wasn’t the plan Tabitha wanted, but she knew Charline was acting in Roger’s best interest. “Let me see what else I can find out about Antoine. Maybe he has an Achilles’ Heel we can use against him.”

  “I’ll get my laptop for you,” Charline offered. “Roger keeps trying to drag me into the information age, but I resist. You can put it to good use.”

  “Thank you.”

  Tabitha pushed her reluctant body up the steps and to her room. More than anything she wanted to take action, to go to the cabin where Roger was facing danger alone. Trudy wasn’t there, but maybe there was evidence that would lead them to her. Staying at Long plantation, working a keyboard, was the last thing she wanted to do.

  When Charline delivered the computer, Tabitha took it and sat at a small table by a window that gave a vie
w of the newly sprouted fields. The whirls of rows created a patchwork of brown and green. Lovely. She took a breath and went to work, checking financial companies, searching for any evidence of Antoine’s background.

  * * *

  Roger crouched in the tall grass behind the cabin. He’d cut his mother’s bonds before he darted out the backdoor. No matter what she might have done, she was still his mother. He couldn’t leave her tied in a chair when he didn’t know who was breaking into the cabin or what they intended to do. He circled around the cabin to the parked rental car. When he got there, he wasn’t surprised to find that Antoine was missing. Someone had set him free. The ropes remained in the trampled grass.

  “Damn.” Roger needed only ten minutes with Antoine to make him talk, and now that had been taken from him. He had to assume that whoever had freed Antoine was working with the dapper crook and Hannah. So his mother would not be harmed. She’d played him yet again. He could release his worry for her and concentrate on finding Trudy.

  Hidden behind the car, he scouted the area. The intruder had arrived in a silver sedan he didn’t recognize and he was positioned where he couldn’t see the license plates. Roger looked in the window of his mother’s car and saw the keys dangling from the ignition. Antoine had been in such a hurry, he’d failed to take the keys. It was a slim chance, but Roger had to take it. He opened the door, slid behind the wheel, and drove off. Luckily he knew where he was and could navigate the twists and turns of the lakeside road. He was also aware that there was only one road in and out of the cabin until it joined a paved road—County Road 409. All was not lost.

  At the junction of 409, he found a wooded drive that was almost hidden. He took the time to back into it, gritting his teeth at the sound of the branches digging into the paint of the expensive car. There was no help for it. When he was certain he couldn’t be seen from the road, he killed the engine. He had a clear, unobstructed view of the only road out of the cabin. And he knew what vehicle would be passing—the silver sedan he’d seen parked at the old cabin.