Bone-a-fied Trouble

by Carolyn Haines

  “And you know this how?”

  “Trudy. She was very interested in runes. She said she had a friend in New Orleans who used them to tell fortunes. She cast the stones a few times for me, but just for fun.”

  “And how do runes work?” It made sense. Tabitha had friends who’d given her enough schooling in psychic methodology to pass herself off. She’d learned it in the French Quarter where she and Trudy lived.

  “The symbols have specific meanings. The stones are cast and the pattern they fall in tells the person reading them answers to questions.”

  “And this rune?”

  “I couldn’t say. Look it up on the internet.”

  “Brilliant! Can I borrow your phone?” Roger asked.

  Dirk handed over his cell phone. “Go ahead, man. I’m going to finish this drink and try to figure out how to piece my life back together. You always told me playing around would end up hurting me. I should have listened.”

  Roger clicked through the screens until he came to a website with illustrated runes. It took only a moment to find the one he recognized. When he did, he felt a cold chill. The rune represented poison. He examined it closely to be sure. There was no mistake. Trudy had been trying to tell them something with the symbol in the car—and it was the same thing that was on her calendar the day she disappeared.

  “I’m going to make a few calls,” Roger told Dirk.

  “Sure. Help yourself.” Dirk motioned the bartender for another drink as Roger stepped away from the bar for some privacy.

  * * *

  Tabitha took the call on the first ring. She was parked outside Tom’s Big Sizzle, killing time until her “date” with Alan Dotsun. Budgie was there, out of uniform and posing as a typical customer. Everything was perfectly set up—except she didn’t know where Roger was or what had happened to him. Beside her, Trouble stared out the window, watching people come and go.

  “Roger! Where are you? Are you okay?” The relief she felt was so overwhelming she wanted to cry. It was the release from fear and worry.

  “Fine. I’m in Zinnia at the Prince Albert bar with Dirk. Let me tell you what I know.”

  Tabitha caught a glimpse of a fancy car pulling into the jammed parking lot. Tom’s Big Sizzle was a hopping dinner place. Blues throbbed in the night, along with laughter. This was a good place to meet someone she was suspicious of, she thought, watching as a young woman got out of the fancy car—a woman who looked vaguely familiar to Tabitha.

  “Make it quick, Roger. I’ve got five minutes before I need to go inside and start this charade of a date. I’d like to get inside before he arrives so I can watch him.” Trouble sat up and put a paw on the window button. The glass rolled down and the cat took off, disappearing into the night.

  “The symbol on Trudy’s calendar and in her car represents poison. You have to be really careful, Tabitha. I don’t understand how everything fits, but I believe Trudy has been investigating the cotton from the beginning. Grundle Seed may be behind all of this. They stand to lose a huge amount of money if that seed is poisonous or doesn’t live up to the hype.”

  “Poison?” That stopped Tabitha.

  “I don’t know what Trudy may have meant, but I found out from Dirk that the symbol is a rune. Trudy told him that much. Did your sister ever study Celtic runes?”

  Tabitha tried to keep an eye on Trouble, but he’d disappeared. “Maybe. She had a lot of the same friends I did in New Orleans. We’ve always been around tarot cards and other things like that. Runes are just another tool.” She hesitated. “I think maybe Trudy had a set of the stones. I seem to remember them.”

  “Okay, so what role does the poison play?”

  Tabitha knew. It was so simple. So absolutely simple. “It’s the cotton seed. Trudy was studying it and she must have realized the seed was dangerous. Poisonous. Lisa was clutching seed in her hand when she died, remember?”

  “Don’t leave that restaurant. I’m on my way,” Roger said.

  “Budgie and Trouble are here with me. Where are Hannah and Antoine?”

  “I don’t know and don’t really care right now. I just want you to stay safe until I get there. Whatever you do, don’t leave the restaurant. Especially not with anyone from Grundle Seed company. You could be in real danger, Tabitha.”

  “And so could my sister,” Tabitha said. She got out of the car and started into the restaurant. “I have to go, Roger.” She clicked the phone off, slid it into her purse, and walked into the restaurant with a smile.

  Budgie leaned against the bar, sipping a cola, along with four or five other single men. There were plenty of available women there too, and in the dining area, couples watched the band and the action at the bar. Tabitha checked her watch. She was on time, but there was no sign of Alan Dotsun. The dating service had sent her a video profile and she’d studied his features. He simply wasn’t at the restaurant.

  “Tabitha!” A woman called out to her. She faced Felicity Montgomery, who had taken a table and was waving her over.

  “I didn’t expect to see you here,” Tabitha said. She was a little unnerved to find Roger’s employee there, but she realized she shouldn’t have been. The Delta was a very social place and music was at the heart of it. Music and good food. And she could smell the delicious aroma of grilling steaks.

  Felicity stood to whisper in her ear. “Alan sent me. Something came up. It’s about Trudy.” Felicity could barely contain her excitement. “I know where she is. Alan asked me to meet you and bring you to her.”

  Tabitha swallowed. “You know where Trudy is? Is she okay?”

  “She is. But you need to come with me. Alan said he could help us negotiate for her freedom. We don’t have long. Come on!”

  Tabitha glanced back at the bar. She had to alert Budgie. She’d promised she wouldn’t leave the bar. To her surprise, the man sitting next to Budgie took a swing at him. The deputy countered the swing, but in a matter of seconds, several people were engaged in the brawl, which seemed to be spreading. “What the hell?”

  Felicity laughed. “That’s Howdy Howell. He starts a fight somewhere every night. Budgie can handle him. Let’s go.”

  Tabitha looked around for Trouble. She couldn’t just leave the cat. “Have you seen that black cat?”

  “Yeah, he went out the door. He’s smart enough to avoid a bar fight.” Felicity lightly grasped her wrist. “Come on. Alan said time was of the essence.”

  Tabitha left her lingering doubt behind. If Felicity knew where Trudy was, then she had no option but to go with the young woman. Besides, Roger trusted her. She was his employee. “Let’s go.”

  Two minutes later they were tearing out of the parking lot and headed south.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  I can’t believe Tabitha ditched me. Left me standing right beside the car. And I don’t have a good feeling at all about this. I can still see Felicity’s taillights on that long, straight stretch of highway. And thank the gods, Roger is pulling up and he sees me on the edge of the parking lot. He’s opening the door and I’m hopping in. All I can do is yowl and hiss and indicate he should drive like a bat out of hell down the road. And he is doing it! All those little training moments when I showed him that I needed to go to the Prince Albert or the offices are now paying off. He is listening to me without hesitation. Felicity’s taillights are barely visible, but Roger is making up for lost time. Listen to this fancy car purr. Sounds almost as good as I do. We’ll be on them before long, and meanwhile, Roger is calling Budgie.

  He is wearing his frowny face, which means Budgie confessed that Tabitha slipped away from him while he was dodging fists. Not really Budgie’s fault, but I don’t blame Roger for being upset too.

  “So are we following Tabitha?” Roger casts a look at me.

  “Me-ow!” Which is feline for ab-so-lute-ly. And he gets it. He understands! I have sold this biped short for the last time. He is almost an honorary cat with his keen perception and ability to apply logic

  We’v
e closed the gap on the car in front of us and now Roger is slowing down so that we aren’t too obvious. The man has learned much from me in the past few days. His tailing techniques have greatly improved. If I could hang around with him for a month or two, he’d be an excellent detective. Tabitha too. Somehow, I suspect they have other career ambitions.

  Now that the pace is less frantic, Roger is calling Tabitha. Her phone is ringing, but there’s no answer. She’s just in the car ahead of us. There’s no reason she shouldn’t answer her phone. And now Roger is as worried as I am.

  The longer we drive the more I wonder if Felicity really knows where Trudy is being held. I’m not a native of this region, but in checking the stars, I get a sense that we’re almost driving without a real destination. I give Roger a little nudge.

  “I hear you, Trouble. This is making me concerned. I wish you could tell me why Tabitha isn’t answering her cell phone.”

  Now that’s something not even I can answer. But we’re going to find out, and soon, I think. Felicity is turning into a dirt lane. She’s going too slow, lingering, which puts us too close to her. Felicity knows this rental car. It’s been parked at the Long house for several days. If we slow or stop, she’ll be sure to take note. And now, I have big questions about who Felicity is and where her loyalties lie.

  Felicity moves slowly down the narrow, rutted path, and Roger drives past at a blistering pace. Good. Now he’s doing a turn around, and we’re headed back. About a hundred yards down the road, Roger finds another lay-by and we park, pushing back into the brush on the side of the road. It’s not a great hiding place, but the best we can do. I only hope that we don’t have a long, long walk in the dark on rough terrain. But whatever awaits us, it’s time to get the show on the road.

  * * *

  Felicity had kept up a steady stream of easy conversation as she drove, but when she turned down the narrow, rutted dirt road, she fell silent. Tabitha glanced over at her, feeling a lurch in her stomach at the other woman’s concentration. And fear. Felicity was afraid of something.

  “Who is with Trudy?” she asked.

  “I don’t know for certain. Alan wasn’t specific. He just said to bring you, that you might be able to convince Trudy to give them what they want.”

  “What do they want?” she asked, realizing that this was a question she should have asked before she got in the car with Felicity.

  “Something about that cotton. Trudy ran some tests or did something and they want her evidence or her proof or whatever. She should just give it to them. Save her own skin.”

  And now mine too, Tabitha thought, but she didn’t say it. She had begun to realize that instead of helping her sister, it was possible she was about to make life a lot more difficult. “Did Alan say what he thought Trudy knew?”

  “Nope. He just said there was more money than anyone knew on the line. He set up the date with you so he could have a chance to talk to you.”

  “You know about the dating service?” Tabitha was a little surprised that Alan would share that information.

  “I put that together,” Felicity said. “Trudy used that matchmaking service, and then when I picked you up across the street from it…two plus two equals four. I figured you were going to follow in Trudy’s footsteps, see if you could retrace some of her movements. I would do that if I was looking for my sister.”

  The car slowed and in the distance, Tabitha could make out a large building. “What is this place?”

  “It’s a research facility that Grundle Seed owns. They do a lot of testing on crops, particularly cotton, corn, and soybeans.”

  “Why is it so hidden back here? There weren’t any signs or any indication…”

  “Research is highly secretive and lots of companies try to steal results and information. Grundle never wanted to have a high profile.”

  “Is Roger aware of this place?” She suddenly believed he wasn’t. The skin on the back of her neck was prickling, and she knew it was fear.

  Felicity only laughed. “He’s a cotton farmer. He knows that research is the only thing that keeps him in business.”

  “I should call Roger. He’ll be worried about me.”

  “He does seem to care about you,” Felicity said as she continued slowly toward the building. “You’ll get all your answers in just a moment. Whatever else, try to convince Trudy to just cooperate. That’ll be the best thing for everyone.”

  Tabitha realized she’d gotten into a car with a woman she barely knew and rushed into what looked like serious trouble. Even stupider, she’d left without the cat. Trouble could have made a big difference for her. And so would a weapon. She reached into her purse for her phone. She was going to call Roger right away.

  “Oh, I forgot to tell you. There’s no reception here. The seed company blocks out the signal.”

  Tabitha checked her phone. The ‘no service’ light was on. She tucked the phone away in her pocket feeling more alone than she’d ever felt in her life. And she had no one to blame but herself. She’d come to believe that Felicity was not her friend, so she stopped asking questions. She didn’t expect an honest answer any longer. She was on her own and it was up to her to protect herself. If Trudy was in the research facility, it would all be worth it.

  The building was cement, tin, and glass, like an industrial building. When they arrived at the front door, it opened without a key and Felicity held the door for her to step inside. “Where’s Trudy?”

  “You’re almost there.” Felicity urged her forward. They crossed an open space that echoed with their footsteps and went to another door. Felicity opened it with a key and ushered Tabitha inside a corridor lined with doors. She could hear voices coming from one of the rooms, and she didn’t wait for Felicity but ran toward the sound. Trudy! She had to find Trudy. When she pushed open a metal door, she stopped in her tracks. Antoine and Hannah were seated at a long conference table. But that wasn’t what stopped her. To the right of the door, Alan Dotsun lay in a pool of blood. He was very dead.

  “Welcome, Tabitha,” Hannah said. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

  Tabitha turned to Felicity. She hadn’t trusted her, but she hadn’t expected to be betrayed in this fashion. “What—”

  Felicity ducked out backward and slammed the door, shutting Tabitha in with her two enemies and a dead body.

  * * *

  Roger trudged through the darkness, following the black cat. Trouble’s keener vision was an asset because Roger didn’t know if possible guards had been set around the perimeter. He needed stealth and surprise. Tabitha was in trouble. A lot of trouble.

  As if he could read minds, the cat stopped and looked up at him. “Me-ow.” His cry was soft and plaintive. Yeah, the cat knew too. Tabitha needed them.

  They came upon the building—all tin and cinder block—no windows, Roger tried his cell phone again to call the deputies. He had no signal. The building was large—a warehouse or industrial plant size. He didn’t have time to circle it and investigate the exterior. The cat led him to a glass door that gave a view of an empty space. The door was unlocked and opened at his touch.

  The cat shot inside ahead of him and headed to a door in the far wall. He clawed at the door, but softly, as if he were aware of the need for stealth. Roger realized he was disadvantaged. He’d come without a weapon or means of communication. He couldn’t stop now, though. Tabitha was somewhere inside this building, and he meant to find her.

  He opened the door for the cat and was stepping through himself when he heard the front door open and female voices.

  “She’s here, just like I promised.”

  “And Dirk? Were you able to get him here?”

  “He’s on his way,” the first woman said. “I’ve done everything you asked. Now I need to be paid. I’ve got a ticket for an island far from here.”

  “Of course, Felicity. I don’t have the cash on me.” The woman laughed. “But first thing in the morning, stop by Daddy’s office. I left an envelope there for you an
d instructions to give it to you.”

  “I’m leaving.”

  “A smart move on your part.”

  “You’re going to let Trudy go, aren’t you?” There was worry in the question. “You said you wouldn’t hurt her.”

  “I didn’t intend to hurt Lisa East. She rushed me. The gun went off accidentally. All she had to do was tell me where she was meeting Trudy, and she wouldn’t. She laughed at me and said I was a ‘stupid, jealous, twit.’ And then she lunged at me. I pulled the trigger instinctively.”

  “I don’t care. I just want my money and to get out of the country.”

  Roger recognized the voice then—his employee Felicity Montgomery. She was involved in Trudy’s abduction up to her ears—and Lisa’s murder too, or so it seemed. But who was the second woman? He cracked the door and peeked. Felicity approached, accompanied by Lily Kennedy, the daughter of the wealthiest man in the region and Dirk Cotwell’s fiancée. Of all the people he’d suspected, it had never been Lily.

  He heard the footsteps of the two women approaching and he hurried down the hallway and into the first door on his right. The room was a neat office and it was empty. Roger let the cat in just before he heard the women coming down the hallway. When they were past, he realized that while he didn’t have phone service, there was a computer on the desk.

  With a few clicks of the mouse he had a connection to the local sheriff’s office. He sent a message to DeWayne with directions. “Be careful. They have Tabitha and Trudy. It’s Felicity Montgomery and Lily Kennedy. My mother and Antoine are also involved. I don’t know what’s going on—completely—but they’re up to their ears in this mess. Please hurry.”

  He shut down the computer and opened the office door, listening intently. Trouble was out into the hallway before he could stop the cat.

  Two doors down, a metal door opened and Roger found himself face to face with his mother. The gun she held looked deadly and it was pointed right at his heart.