by Anne R. Tan
His question shocked her, not because it was unexpected, but because of the full weight behind the words. They came to a new understanding of each other over the last few months. It had been a long road in the last decade to get to where they were at now. No, she would not keep any secrets from him.
“Sweetie, are you sitting down?”
“I’m on the sofa, but your tone is scaring me.”
Raina took a deep breath. She would have liked to have this conversation with him in person instead of over the phone. “You have to pretend to be shocked when Blue talks to you about this later. I don’t want him to think that I’m untrustworthy.”
“Oookay.” There was a note of hesitation in her fiancé's voice.
“Blue and you have something in common. It’s your dad. Blue is your half-brother.”
Matthew sucked in a breath. There was another long silence, but this time she could hear his rapid breathing through the phone. She sat there, clutching the phone, giving him the time to process what she had just said.
“I…I…”
“Deep breaths, hon. Deep breaths.”
His breathing was too jagged for comfort.
“Do you need me to drive—”
“I have to go, Rainy. Love you.” He hung up before she could say another word.
Raina stared at the phone in her hands. Should she go back to Gold Springs for a few days? Or should she stay here and give Matthew the space he needed? Her fiancé liked to hide when he worked through his emotions. He might subconsciously lash out at her. No, she better stay here. Hopefully, Matthew would figure out what he would say to Blue the next time they met as brothers.
19
Storming the Castle
The next morning, Raina checked her brother's room before heading downstairs. Since Win wasn't the type to make his bed, she couldn't tell if he had slept in it the night before. She had stayed up as late as she could—to about midnight—but he hadn’t come home. Her brother had the freedom to come and go as he pleased since high school, so no one seemed too concerned with his absence.
As she waited for the coffee to brew in the kitchen, she texted her brother.
Where are you? Haven't seen you since the
Japanese Tea Garden. I'm getting worried.
She held onto the phone, willing it to give her an incoming text message. After several minutes, she sighed and slipped the phone into her back pocket. Was her brother still mad at her? He seemed so keen on helping her with the murder investigation, but he hadn’t understood the danger. Did he misinterpret her rejection of his help as a rejection of him?
Raina poured a cup of coffee and fixed it with half-and-half and hazelnut syrup. She opened one cabinet door after another, looking for breakfast. She had eaten the last of the cereal yesterday. Normally, when she stayed at the Victorian for more than a couple of days, she made a grocery run and prepared meals for everyone in the house. But this time, she had been too busy spreading herself between the wedding and the murder investigation.
The doorbell rang.
Raina left the coffee on the countertop and went to answer it. A courier stood at the top stoop. He wore bright yellow and black biker shirt and shorts. Because he was several pounds heavier than he probably needed to be, he looked like a giant bumblebee. The logo on his shirt matched the logo on his bike: Letters with Wings.
The courier glanced up from his electronic device. “Miss Raina Sun?”
Raina nodded.
He held out his electronic device and handed her a stylus. “Sign here.”
She did and handed the device back to him. He used it to scan the barcode on the envelope and handed it to her. He shoved the electronic device back into his messenger bag and scurried down the stairs to his bike.
Raina glanced at the envelope. “Who is this from?”
The courier unlocked his bike. "It's on the envelope."
The return address looked like chicken scrawl. “I can’t read the handwriting.”
The guy swung onto his bike and took off, calling over his shoulder, “You’ll have to take it up with the customer.”
Raina hated receiving anything by courier service. Usually it wasn’t something she wanted. After all, if it were regular business, it would have come through the U.S. Postal Service. Courier service meant either it was urgent or bad news.
She decided it could wait until after she had more fortifying sips of coffee and went back into the kitchen. After several sips, it was time to face the music. She hoped no one was serving her papers for a court case. She opened up the envelope, and a slip of paper fell to the ground. She picked it up and unfolded it. She gasped at the message.
The three typed sentences read:
Come to the winery now.
I have your brother.
Tell no one or you’ll find his body.
Raina’s adrenaline spiked and sweat broke out on the small of her back. Her hands shook so badly that the paper rustled in front of her. She grabbed her cell phone, but it squirted out of her hands like a bar of soap. She picked up the phone from the floor and called her brother, but it went to voicemail. She left Win a message, asking him to call her back.
Raina texted her brother next. But even with AutoCorrect, she missed half the words and had to start over again. She took a deep breath. “This is not the time to panic,” she whispered to herself. She tried again.
I just got a ransom note for you.
Is this a hoax or real?
She could feel herself getting lightheaded and grabbed onto the countertop but knocked over her coffee mug instead. The hot liquid splashed across the surface and splashed onto her shirt. She yelped at the heat. As the brown liquid leaked down to the floor, her cell phone chirped with an incoming message.
She held her breath and tapped on the app.
The ransom note is no joke.
I have your brother.
Raina must have screamed because the next thing she knew, Po Po was thundering down the stairs. Her grandma burst into the kitchen brandishing an umbrella sword and screaming like a banshee. Raina jumped out of the way, flattened herself against the wall.
Po Po spun around, waving the sword, and finally lowered it in confusion. “Where’s the intruder?”
“What are you talking about?” Raina asked.
“You were screaming.” Po Po noticed the letter on the floor and picked it up.
Before her grandma could hand it to her, Raina said, “Read it. It’s the reason for the screaming.”
Po Po read the note and heaved, dropping the umbrella sword on the floor. One inch closer, and it would have cut off her big toe. She sank to the ground. “What are we going to do? Should we call the police?”
Raina grabbed her phone and rushed for the front door. “I have to go to the winery,” she said, calling out over her shoulder.
“Wait! I’m coming with you,” her grandma said, hurrying after her.
“The note said I have to go alone,” Raina said, jamming her feet into tennis shoes.
Po Po jumped in front of the door, blocking Raina from leaving. “Rainy, slow down for a moment. This could be dangerous.”
“I know. But I have to save my baby brother.”
“I’m calling Detective Wise,” Po Po said.
“Good. I don’t think I can do this alone.”
Po Po grabbed Raina and gave her a fierce hug. “Let’s talk to her first.”
Raina moved her grandma aside. “There’s no time.” She gave Po Po a piercing a look. “I’m counting on you to ride in with the cavalry. You have to save us. I may not be able to do anything but delay her from hurting Win.”
Po Po squeezed Raina's hand. “I won’t let you down, dear girl. I’ll tell Detective Wise that Bridget kidnapped Win.” She kissed Raina on the cheek and stepped back.
Raina bolted outside and ran toward her car, glad she’d found a parking spot on the street the night before. For once, Mom had gotten home before Raina did. She pulled out and got stuck in
the morning commute. A good way to start a rescue mission.
Why did Bridget kidnap her brother? Did her brother try to play detective and get caught? The stupid little fool. She snorted to herself. It wasn't like she was acting any smarter.
The note didn't specify what time she was meeting the kidnapper. She hoped that Bridget had accounted for the traffic. The thought of the kidnapper hurting her brother because of the morning commute chilled Raina’s blood. The courier and note were probably arranged yesterday when her brother didn’t come home. This meant Raina was running headlong into a trap. She gripped the steering wheel. What choice did she have?
Around and around these thoughts swirled in her head as she made her way onto the Bay Bridge. She glanced at the clock on her dashboard. It would probably take her another hour to drive to Livermore. Po Po would be at least two hours behind her. If her grandma was able to get a hold of Detective Wise, the detective would probably get to the winery before Raina did. If not, then she was on her own. So whatever she found at the winery, she had to make Bridget talk and drag things out for two hours. Easy peasy.
Raina inventoried what she had on her and what could be used as a weapon. There were the magnifying glass and Po Po’s birdwatching binoculars in the murder kit her grandma had thrown into her purse. It was useless in this situation. She had her pepper spray and her keys. They were no help against a gun. She assumed Bridget would have a gun with her to force Raina to comply with her evil plan, much like she probably did with Arianna. Raina shivered and prayed to her ancestors. Please watch over me and Win. We are too young to join you.
She had her emergency seatbelt cutter and window hammer gadget. This could prove handy. The head was quite heavy. She could throw it if necessary. With one hand on the wheel, she reached in the side pocket on her door. She rummaged through the junk and pulled out the little window hammer. Matthew had insisted they put one in every car. In fact, she had her roadside emergency kit as well. He had stocked a gym bag with flares, a coffee can, a candle, and a lighter.
When Raina pulled off the freeway and turned onto the street that would lead her to the winery, she wondered where exactly she was supposed to meet Bridget. The winery was a big place. And what about Hal and his staff? They were all over the place. Wouldn’t they eventually stumble on Bridget and Raina? The thought made her feel much better. Yep, she just had to keep the woman talking until someone showed up to help.
Raina parked at the empty lot and got out. She slipped the window hammer into her back pocket, and the pepper spray into her front pocket. She unlocked the trunk and took out the small gym bag that held her roadside emergency kit and put the strap across her body. She held onto her keys and took a deep breath. Time to rock and roll.
She texted her brother’s number.
I'm here. Where are you?
The reply was immediate, almost as if Bridget was watching her from afar. Probably with binoculars.
Raina shivered. She tapped to open the message.
The aging cave.
Raina forwarded the message to her grandma and turned off the volume of her ringtone. She didn’t want her phone to give away her location if she had to do any sneaking around. She squared her shoulders and marched toward the hillside.
20
Death Comes Knocking
As Raina strode past the event center, she glanced at the windows. It was completely dark, so there would be no help coming from this direction. As she continued across the grass lawn and through the grapevines, she frowned. Where was Bridget’s white minivan? If she didn’t park at the event center lot, did she park in the employee lot by the processing area?
She glanced at the foot of the hill in front of her. One of the double barn-styled doors was opened. The kidnapper had to be watching Raina’s progress with binoculars. It was only fair for her to do the same.
Raina paused and whipped out her grandma’s birdwatching binoculars from the murder kit. A glint flashed and disappeared from the aging cave. The kidnapper must have seen Raina pulled out her binoculars and ducked back in, but not before the sunlight caught her lenses. She wasn’t interested in the person in the cave at the moment though. She turned and trained the binoculars at the employee parking lot. It was empty, except for one car. The vehicle was not a minivan.
She swallowed her rising fear. Where was everyone? The late model gold Toyota Camry looked familiar, but she couldn’t recall when she’d last seen it. Maybe she should slow her steps. After all, the aging cave was still a good half-mile ahead. This would give the cavalry more time to get here.
Her purse started vibrating, and Raina jumped at the buzzing sound. She pulled out her cell phone and tapped on the text app. It was an image of Win, bound and gagged on a concrete floor. Underneath it were two words: Hurry up.
Raina’s hands turned clammy, and she had a hard time slipping the phone back into her purse. Her vision went white and narrowed to a small dot in front her. Even as she swayed, Raina knew she was going to pass out and struggled against it.
Fear was her worst enemy at the moment. She had to concentrate on something else. Something logical to beat back the animal instinct to cower and hide from fear. Her gaze returned to the Toyota Camry. She had seen the car before. It was not outside Bridget’s office. It was not Smith’s vehicle. There was only one suspect left—Jason Cobb.
She had assumed that he had no connection to the winery. But what if Arianna did? She was in the business of making Angel loans. What if Hal borrowed money from Arianna? The event center was less than five years old, and a huge financial investment. If this was true, Hal probably wined and dined the Cobbs at the winery before they signed the paperwork. Jason would have seen and walked through every square inch. And it would be perfectly normal for him to check up on their investment occasionally. It would explain how Jason could come and go without anyone raising an eyebrow.
Raina’s senses sharpened. She smelled the warm earth underneath her and felt the wind fluttering strands of her curly hair across her face. Her vision returned to normal, and she found herself down on one knee on the ground. She didn’t remember stumbling or falling.
She peeked at the aging cave and saw Jason lumbering toward her. He probably saw her fall and thought she wouldn’t make it to the cave. Well, she better give him what he expected. She swayed some more and fell limply to the ground. She palmed the pepper spray in her hand and made sure she could access the window hammer. If he pulled out a gun, she would hurl it at his face.
Jason probably wouldn’t shoot her out in the open because the shot would echo through the valley. He would have to carry her inside the aging cave first. She shuddered at the thought of him touching her, but until she knew the location of her brother, there wasn’t much of an option.
Time slowed. Raina turned her head and saw the clouds drifting overhead. A hummingbird zoomed past her. If she died this morning, at least it would be out in the open and trying to save someone she loved. She had been foolish to come here alone, and she hoped her grandma would forgive her.
A cloud of dust swirled around her, and she fluttered her eyes. Jason loomed over her.
“Miss Sun, what are you doing here?” he asked. His tone was friendly, but he didn’t attempt to help her up. He probably thought she didn’t know his true nature.
“Who?” Raina whispered, playing along. “My head…” She touched her brow. “I must have hit a rock…everything is spinning.”
“Can you walk?” Jason asked.
“No…my legs…”
Jason bent down, grabbed one arm, and hoisted Raina up by the armpit. She offered no assistance. She might be a petite Chinese girl, but she was still heavier than she looked, especially when she was a dead weight. And Jason was an overweight fifty-year-old man. Maybe he could throw out his back trying to drag her into the aging cave.
Within a few feet, sweat popped out on Jason’s forehead. “Can't you help me here?”
Raina pretended to stumble and bumped into him, almost
knocking him off his feet. “Sorry...my legs feel weak...what happened…”
“You shouldn't be out here alone. Is anyone with you?”
“No...ouch...my head…”
As they drew closer to the aging cave, Raina swallowed her rising panic. Once inside, she would be utterly alone until someone came for her. The cavernous space was entirely soundproof, and the staff had no reason to check on the barrels of wine until it was time to bottle them, which could be months from now.
Raina grabbed onto Jason’s arm and went limp, dragging both of them to the ground. “…the wedding planner...Bridget...she kidnapped my brother.”
Jason struggled to stand, grunting as he dragged her the remaining few steps. “I didn’t see a rock,” he said, heaving from exertion. Sweat ran down his face in small rivers. His armpits were covered with sweat stains.
Raina breathed through her mouth to keep from gagging at the fetid combination of Old Spice and musky body odor.
Once they were inside far enough to close the door, he dropped her. He hunched over, resting his hands on his thighs. His chest heaved, and for a crazy moment, Raina was worried he might have a heart attack.
As he straightened, Raina whipped out the window hammer and smacked him on the side of his face. He crumbled like a stone. She scrambled away on hands and knees and got up in a crouch with her pepper spray in front of her and the window hammer ready to do more damage. He didn't move.
Raina glanced around and saw the wire ties next to the door. She shuddered. He was planning to tie her up like he did with her brother. A flash of anger ran through her. How dare he! She grabbed a handful of wire ties and snaked it around his arms. As the plastic straps tightened around his hands and legs, the tension eased from the back of her shoulders.
She straightened and took a deep breath. Her heart continued to race. She marched up to the sliding barn door and slammed it shut. Now it was her turn to ask some questions.
