by Jay Nadal
“Good.”
“Will you sign?”
Beth knew that once she signed, she would be dead. Was Pa Dexter going to send her on her way to press charges for kidnapping and assault? Risk her going around Chief Joseph and straight to the state troopers, or even the FBI?
“Where’s my daughter?”
“Safe. For now. How long she stays that way is up to you.”
“I need to see her. Show me she’s safe and unharmed and I’ll sign.”
“I’m not negotiating with you, Beth.” Pa Dexter talked like a kindly but firm grandfather chastising a wayward child. Beth noticed Jimmy hovering in the background, like the grim reaper. “I decide the terms.”
“Then the answer is no.”
“Disappointing. I thought a mother would have more concern for her child. Such a beautiful little girl, too. Bobby is quite smitten, from what Jimmy tells me.”
Beth suppressed the urge to run at the old man. Kick him. Bite him. Tear his throat out with her teeth if she could. They didn’t have Madison. She had gotten away.
“Bring me Madison and I will sign.”
“I admire your self-control. And your courage is commendable. You will need it. Jimmy.”
With that, Pa Dexter was gone. Before he left the room, he flung the heavy-bladed knife down with enough force it embedded itself in the dirt floor. The door scraped open and then closed. A heavy bolt thudded into place. Finally, Beth allowed herself to cry.
31
Cade tried Beth’s number again. Again, it went straight to voicemail. He had returned to her house from the attorney’s. Then he had prowled the house, waiting for Beth to come home with Madison. Waiting for Rissa to call back. Waiting for Nate to call back. Frustration built. He found a set of tools and set about repairing the doors damaged by the Dexters. There was nothing further he could do.
If Rissa could gather enough incriminating evidence and leak it online, it could break the partnership between Dexter and the Janger guy. If Nate could find Bobby’s prints on the shotgun, it would incriminate at least one of the Dexters. Gray clouds had swept over from behind Meers Hill, heralding a sheet of rain, the first rain he had seen since he’d arrived. He looked out the living room window at Riverside Drive, watching the rain hitting the tree branches and bouncing with increasing intensity off the road. A gray haze soon covered the view. Something was leached out of the view with the sun obscured. The houses seemed shabbier, the paintwork muted. It was a grim place without sunshine, Cade decided.
But then, wasn’t everywhere? He tried to picture himself settling down here. As what, he didn’t know. He couldn’t do much, and what could he do? A failed cop from out of state wasn’t about to be elected chief of police. He couldn’t see much trade for a PI around here, either. Cade frowned. Now where had that thought come from? His train of thought was interrupted by the house phone. He took a minute to find it. Finally, he saw a corner of black plastic sticking out from underneath the sofa where it could have been kicked during the altercation with the Dexters last night.
“Hello. Collins residence.”
“Hello. Is Beth or Brandon home?” a woman asked, anxiety heavy in her voice.
“No. Beth is out. I don’t know where she is. Brandon is… isn’t out of the hospital yet. I’m Tommy, Beth’s brother.”
“I’m Anne Graham. I live just down the street from Beth. Madison is here.”
“Madison! Alone?”
“Yes. She came running out of the trees at the end of our yard. She was in a terrible state. Madison seems to think she was being chased. Look. I don’t know who you are. Beth never mentioned a brother. Maybe I should just call the police.”
“No, wait! Please, Mrs. Graham. Can I come over and see Madison? She will recognize me. Will that be good enough?”
“I don’t know…”
“Mrs. Graham. I will come over. Do you know Beth’s friend Laura? I don’t know her last name.”
“I think so. She has a little girl Maddie’s age. Lives on Holland.”
“Could you call her? I think Beth has told her I’m staying with her. I’m going to come over anyway. Which house is yours?”
“You’ll see our name on the mailbox.”
Cade paused only long enough to grab his cell, and then he was running down the street. The Graham mailbox was bright red. The lawn was immaculate and bordered with small colorful flowers amid a border of round white rocks. Two young men in paint-streaked coveralls sat on the porch steps. They stood as Cade came up the driveway.
“No further, buddy,” said one, putting a hand to Cade’s chest.
Cade swatted the hand aside without a word, pushing past. Then something happened. He was on the porch, face pressed hard against the smooth wood, a thick arm locked around one of his arms, a knee dug into the small of his back.
“Not until Mrs. Graham says so, buddy,” said the same young man that had tried to stop him. Cade tried to get up. No, he tried to move anything. He was trussed up tight with nothing more than two arms and a leg.
“You’re only going to hurt yourself, pal. Ike here was All-State his senior year. So was I. You make it up, one of us is going to put you down again. Just chill.”
“My niece is in there.”
“It’s okay, boys,” came the voice of Anne Graham. “You can let him up.”
Cade was free. The two wrestling champs backed off a couple of steps to give him room.
“No offense, pal. We weren’t about to just let a stranger walk in and take that little girl.”
“None taken, son,” Cade rumbled. A sliver of pain ran down the right side of his neck and into his tricep where it had been twisted. Anne Graham was in the doorway with Maddie standing behind her. Anne had blue-gray hair and a face with entrenched lines around her eyes. Behind her, a man with a full beard shot through with silver had his hands protectively on Maddie’s shoulders. Maddie looked up at the man, and he smiled down at her.
“It’s okay, honey, if this is your uncle.”
Maddie ran to Tommy. He knelt to meet her, scooping her up in his arms.
“What happened to you, darlin’?” he asked.
She wore a light blue dress with white socks and pink sneakers. The dress was torn and stained. Maddie’s face had been scrubbed clean, but there were still streaks of dirt on her legs.
“Uncle Bobby chased me. Mommy said he would hurt me. She told me to run home over the hill,” Maddie said between sniffs and sobs.
“We’ve never heard of an Uncle Bobby, either,” the man said.
Cade shook his head. “He isn’t her uncle. Not family. Honey, do you know what happened to your mom?”
“No!” Maddie wailed. “I already said I don’t know. Mommy made me run away. I didn’t see. Uncle Bobby made Mommy crash the car, and then he was coming to get us, and I don’t know if he got Mommy or she ran away, too. Can we go look for her?” It was a breathless rush, interrupted by hiccups.
“And this was the other side of the hill? That hill over there?” He pointed to Meers Hill.
Maddie nodded.
“What’s over there?” Cade directed his question to the adults.
“It’s an industrial area, mostly. Can’t think what Beth was doing out there.”
“Have you called the police?”
“No, not yet. Not until we could get hold of Beth or Brandon.”
“Don’t. Look, I know how suspicious this all looks. And I appreciate the lengths you went to to protect my niece.”
“Those are our grandsons,” Anne Graham explained. “They were the ones that found Maddie. They were decorating for us.”
“Thank you, boys,” Cade said with genuine gratitude. “Beth and Brandon were in some trouble with the Dexters. And I think Chief Joseph is in Billy Dexter’s pocket. But I know an honest cop on the Burford PD.”
“I called Laura Hemmings. She says she can come right over and look after Maddie.”
“No!” Maddie cried from Cade’s embrace. “I want t
o stay with Uncle Tommy. Please, Uncle Tommy.”
Cade wanted nothing more, at that point, than to take Maddie and drive away from Burford. Away from everything that was putting her in danger. Protect her from all of it. He steeled himself to separate himself from her.
“Darlin’, I need to go find your mom. And I can’t do that and look after you, as well.”
“The bad men have her.”
“I know, darling. And I promise I’ll get her back safe and sound.”
“Promise?”
“Hey, do those bad men scare you?” Maddie nodded mutely. “Well, do you know what scares those bad men?” She shook her head. “A Texas lawman. That’s why I rode into town. And I’m going after those bad guys.”
He put the little girl down, feeling like he was tearing away a part of his body. She looked around and then retreated to Mr. Graham again. She was sucking her thumb.
“I’ll see you real soon, honey,” Cade told her. “Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Graham, and you boys.”
There was nothing more to say. The sight of Maddie’s tear-streaked face twisted a knife in his gut. He had to get away and do what had to be done. Cade’s face hardened as he strode back toward Beth’s house. He was done playing by the rules.
“Hi, Beth.” The greeting was delivered in a pleasant, friendly tone. It was so alien to the situation that it chilled her far more than the sight of the serrated knife Pa Dexter had left buried in the ground.
Bobby had entered the room. He crouched beside her, not far away. He was close enough to just about touch. A smell of fresh cologne wafted from him. The stink of stale sweat and alcohol tainted it. He took occasional swigs from a silver hip flask, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.
“How are you?” he asked. “Would you like a drink?”
“If it’s water,” Beth answered.
“It’s whiskey. Have some.” He tried to press the flask to her lips. She turned her head away, spluttering as a trickle of liquor spilled across her mouth.
“It’ll relax you,” he told her. “You’re just uptight. I want you to relax around me.”
“You kidnapped me.”
“Yeah, well, what else was I supposed to do? You wouldn’t look at me twice.”
He sounded genuinely hurt. Alarm bells were ringing for Beth in an entirely new way. She had expected threats and maybe even negotiation. But not this. Bobby sounded like he believed he was some kind of aggrieved suitor.
“I’m married, Bobby,” she said, trying to sound contrite. “I can’t change that.”
“Your husband ain’t around, and I am. Why don’t you give me a chance? Have another drink.”
She felt the metal nozzle of the flask pushing against her lips. This time he pushed hard enough for the flask to scrape against her clenched teeth. The burning liquor spilled across her gums to the corners of her mouth. She twisted her head, then spat. The flask clattered against the timber wall as Bobby threw it with anger before grabbing her face. He pressed his lips to hers in urgent, frantic kisses. Desperate hands grabbed at her breasts, then fumbled at her jeans.
Beth screamed for all she could, convulsing her body in its bonds. The chair bounced as she flung herself up and down, side to side, anything to move out of his filthy embrace. Bobby became more frantic. He yanked at her still-buttoned jeans and pulled them down to her hips. He grasped at the top of her exposed panties. For a moment, he stepped away, as though wanting to savor the sight of her. Then he came for her again.
“Bobby,” Jimmy Dexter bellowed from the doorway. “Get your sorry ass back from that girl.”
Jimmy crossed the room like a storm wind. Bobby scrambled back, keeping out of range. Jimmy stooped to pick up the flask and threw it at Bobby. It bounced off Bobby’s forehead, producing a yelp of pain.
“If that sick bastard touches me again, you’ll get nothing.”
Jimmy regarded her balefully. “You have any idea how much trouble you’re in, girl? You see my brother over there? He’s not a man. He’s an animal. He’s got no self-control…never has. You have any idea what he would do to you if I left the two of you alone?”
“If you don’t throw him out of this room right now and keep him out, he can do what he likes to me. I won’t sign anything.”
“Fine. We’ll just forge your signature, anyway,” Bobby spat.
“Shut up. Get outta here,” Jimmy ordered.
“You going to take orders from her?” Bobby demanded. His swagger was coming back. He approached Beth again, keeping out of Jimmy’s reach, but getting close enough to touch her. Her jeans still hung on her hips, revealing her underwear. Bobby cast fearful glances at Jimmy and covetous glances at her.
“Get out, right now, Bobby. Or I won’t let you back in.”
Bobby slunk from the room, grumbling to himself.
“The bank will check my signature against their records before they release the deeds to you. And you don’t know what it looks like.”
“Bobby is full of shit. Don’t take him seriously. Except about what he wants from you.”
“One more time,” Beth warned. She expected Jimmy to burst out laughing, but he didn’t. He seemed to take her seriously. On the outside, she tried to be like Tommy, a rock and a hard place combined. Inside, she was Jell-O.
Jimmy stepped forward and approached her. He tucked his fingers into the waistband of her pants, pushing them down against her hips slowly. Then he pulled the jeans up. Bobby had undone two buttons, which Jimmy refastened. Beth wanted to squirm away from his touch. Her muscles quivered from the proximity of his hands to her crotch. He licked his lips like he was tasting sweetness on them as he looked into her eyes.
“You’re running out of time. If you won’t break soon, we’re going to have to break you. Bobby’s not the only one in this family who’s into the rough stuff. Think it over.”
32
“Cade. It’s Nate.”
“Thank God. Give me some good news, son.”
Back at Beth’s house, Cade had found the files from Rissa mapping out the land controlled by the Dexters. He cross-referenced against Google Earth for anywhere they could have taken Beth. A building, an outhouse, or a barn. Somewhere out of the way where she couldn’t be heard, or in town but in a cellar. He had to be active—time wasn’t on his side—so he set about prioritizing the most likely places. He looked over their holdings grid by grid, zooming in on anything that looked like it would be large enough to accommodate at least one female.
“We found Bobby Dexter’s prints on the shotgun used to attack Charlie Biggs. We’ve got an arrest warrant.”
“Does the chief know?”
“He will soon. I put all the evidence I had before Captain Schneider of the state police. There’re grounds enough to go after Dexter, and the captain wants to see how Chief Joseph reacts. He’s concerned about why I felt the need to jump the chain of command and go straight to him.”
“Good job, Nate. Are you on your way back to town?”
“Yeah.”
“I want you to swing by Beth’s place and pick me up. The Dexters have her.”
“What? What in the hell are you talking about? The Dexters have her?”
“Shut up and listen. They ambushed her on the road and just took her. Maddie got away.”
“I can’t believe this. They’re not pretending anymore.”
“They’ve had the police in their pocket for so long now, they’re arrogant, not afraid of anybody.”
“Any idea where they may have taken her?”
“That’s where I need your help. I have a list of places, but, well, you’re a local guy. You know the town. I’m just guessin’ here. But if I show you this list, I’m hoping something will jump out at you.”
“I can take the list, but I can’t take you with me, Cade. You’re not a cop, and you’ve been a suspect at least once.”
“Bullshit. I’m fixin’ to find my sister. I can do that better with your help. But I’m doing it.”
“Cade…”
>
“Nate. This is happening. Now, they want the auto shop signed over to them,’cause they need that land to make the business deal to end all deals. They’ll torture her if they need to, and once she gives it up and signs… they’ll just plain kill her. I’ll follow you if I have to, and you better not get caught in the crossfire.”
“Okay, okay. Jesus, you’re a hardass. I don’t want to go up against the Dexters on my own anyway, and I don’t have backup. The staties are going after known hangouts of Bobby Dexter and known friends to track him down.”
“We’ll get to him first.”
“Okay. I’ll be there in fifteen.”
Nate arrived in less than ten. The cruiser screeched up to Beth’s house, and Cade was running down the driveway almost before it had come to a complete stop. Nate had grabbed the printed map Cade had made. Cade had marked on it his own best guesses at likely hiding places.
“I can’t help but think the best place to hide would be somewhere out of town. Then it doesn’t matter how much noise she makes or if she gets away. If they pick somewhere remote, they’d still have time to chase her down and bring her back,” Cade explained.
“Makes sense. Okay, so this is about the remotest spot we got.” He stabbed at a point well outside of town, east of the Grey River. From the satellite view of the map, it looked like a cluster of buildings surrounded by thick trees. It was at a point where the eastern sides of the Grey Valley began to pull away from the river. A ghost of a track was just visible leading to it.
“That track don’t seem to exist on the Traffic view,” Cade said. “Any idea what this is?”
“Old farm maybe. Looks like it’s in the right area for it. Well, there’s a few other spots on here we can try on our way down there. Might as well cross them off the list as we go.”
Nate hauled the cruiser around and barreled off down the street, lights and sirens on. As they dashed toward the first point on the map, the radio crackled to life. Nate picked up the handset while weaving through traffic.
