Competition Can Be Murder

by Connie Shelton

  “Robert!” She released breath she must have been holding for fifteen minutes. “Do you have Richie?”

  Chapter 28

  We all held our breaths, watching for a signal, a word.

  “Oh.” When it came, the word didn’t sound positive. Sarah’s normally cheery face drooped. “Here, love, tell Charlie.” She handed the receiver to me.

  “Robert? What’s happening?” I asked.

  “Nothing,” he said. “I’m back in town. Couldn’t get a cell signal out there. Too many hills around the loch, I guess. Thought I’d better call in case you’ve heard anything.”

  “No, not a thing. We’re sitting here alternating between boredom and worry, wondering how it’s been going with you.”

  “I put the money in the waste bin, as the instructions said. I went to the next turnout and Richie wasn’t there. Waited a half hour. Searched a bit in the woods around but it’s pretty dark. Moonlight doesn’t make it through those trees very well. And I bloody well forgot to bring a torch with me.” He took a noisy breath. “Only traffic out here all night’s been two or three cars that whizzed right by.”

  “So, you’ve decided to come back?”

  “Don’t know what to do. Expect I better go back to the first turnout and collect the money. Someone’ll be along by morning if I don’t.”

  “Let me think about this,” I said. If Robert’s cell phone had been out of range, what if the kidnappers had tried to reach him and couldn’t? That didn’t make sense; we would have received another call here.

  “Is the money sack still in the trash can?” I asked.

  “Was ten minutes ago when I went by there. First thing I checked, by God.”

  “I don’t know, Robert. It sounds like, for some reason, they just aren’t going to make the rendezvous. What do you think?”

  “Don’t know. Just can’t give up on Richie, though, poor lad. Cold, scared, I know he is.”

  “Maybe I can come out there and help you watch. Let’s do this,” I said. “You go back to the money drop and make sure it’s there. Be visible, pace around, look perplexed.”

  “That won’t be so difficult,” he said.

  “I’ll leave here. If someone’s watching the house, that won’t look too odd. I’ll pretend to go home, but I’ll take a roundabout route and come down there. Once you see my car, you go down to the place where they said they’d leave Richie. Let’s see if we can’t get that boy home tonight.”

  My little pep talk, along with the hope that we were taking some action, seemed to perk up those in the room as well. I went back to the library and gathered my purse and cell phone. I placed a quick call to Drake and told him what we were doing. He insisted that I pick him up on the way.

  Five minutes later, I was walking out the front door of the castle, making a show of thanking Sarah for dinner and telling her to call me at the cottage if she received any news. My eyes strayed to the rock garden as I approached my car, wondering whether a spy lurked there. I couldn’t see anything in the shadows cast by the half moon.

  I stopped at the cottage, where I went inside, again making a show of getting out of the car and seeming to be in for the night. Drake and I went around the place, turning on the bedroom lights and turning off the ones downstairs. We brought two flashlights and warm jackets. Careful not to make noise as we left the cottage, we tiptoed out to the car and kept the headlights off until we were ready to pull out of our lane onto the main blacktop. I could only hope that the kidnappers didn’t have enough manpower to watch everyplace at once.

  Traffic was light through Inverness. I drove and Drake brought out the map, finding us a way that would take us through a myriad of residential streets before catching B862 again. It was after nine-thirty by the time we hit the Loch Ness Trail. Thick forest lined both sides of the road. I watched the odometer and slowed slightly as we approached the first turnout.

  Robert’s dark Land Rover sat there in the small space. He stood beside it, anxiously smoking a cigarette. He tossed it on the ground and stepped on it as I passed. That was the signal that he knew it was me.

  “What’s going on?” Drake asked in a muffled voice. We’d agreed that he would ride ducked out of sight as soon as we began to approach this point.

  “We just passed Robert,” I told him. “Our spot should be coming up soon.”

  Robert had told me that he’d noticed another turnout, larger than most, on the right side of the road. It would be just right for our needs. I found it, about a quarter mile beyond the money-drop site, but still well away from Robert’s post where he should be picking up Richie. I pulled into the turnout and nosed the Vector into the brush as far as I dared. With the curve in the road, oncoming drivers shouldn’t notice it. Even if someone got suspicious, they’d find out the car was a rental and would think some dumb tourists were out looking for Nessie.

  “Okay, we’re ready,” I told Drake.

  We zipped into our warm jackets and each grabbed a flashlight. Between the thick trees we caught occasional glimpses of the lake with silver moonlight glinting off its surface. We crossed the one-lane blacktopped road and ducked into the woods on the other side. A vehicle approached and we squatted behind a rock. Robert’s Range Rover sped past.

  Once we were safely out of view of any potential traffic, we switched on our lights and headed into the forest. We stayed parallel to the road as well as possible through the thick growth and jutting boulders. It was impossible to be completely quiet—twigs snapped and branches brushed against us, dampening our jackets with dew. In about ten minutes I spotted the smooth ground of the turnout and caught the gleam of moonlight off the edges of the metal waste bin there.

  I signaled Drake to slow up. We shone our lights around the area, looking for trampled grass, broken branches, or other signs of human occupancy. No one had been there.

  “Now what?” I whispered. “I just knew someone would have been watching this spot, waiting for us to screw up with the money drop or something.”

  “Hard to figure why they’d go to all this trouble, the notes and calls and all, and then not show up for their money.”

  A car drove slowly by and we ducked. It didn’t pause at our location, nor did the driver look our direction. I held my breath until its engine noise faded into the distance.

  “Maybe it’s got something to do with the witching hour of midnight,” Drake suggested. “It’s not quite eleven. Better get comfortable.”

  We found a spot where the ground wasn’t as rocky and a cushion of leaves added some extra padding. Switching off the flashlights, we settled in. In a whispered voice, I told Drake about my calls to the hospital in Aberdeen and to Ramona.

  “Don’t you find it odd that Ian would come home after several days’ absence and go out to his pastures after dark?” I asked.

  “Well, I know when I’m away from you, outside is the last place I’d want to spend my first night back home.” He reached out and squeezed my hand.

  “Yeah, exactly. Ian and Ramona are young. They should still have the hots for each other. But she didn’t even seem that upset by his being out.” I sighed. “I don’t know, just seems weird to me.”

  “So you think Ian could be the kidnapper?” he asked.

  “He’s certainly angry toward Robert Dunbar because of his position in Parliament. I heard him ranting on that subject several times. The Dunbars haven’t shared anything else with me that leads me to any other enemies, and they’ve certainly been adamant about not bringing the police into this. Doesn’t that seem strange? A man whose job involves the law, and he doesn’t want to turn to them for help?”

  “So what else have you turned up that might be leads?”

  “Well, certainly nothing of use at the club where the kids went. The owners of the place don’t remember Richie. The place was full of kids and he was just one of many. They said there wasn’t any scuffle or violence that night. So if Richie left from the dance floor, he went without a struggle. For all we know, he might
have walked down to his car for something and been accosted along the way. Here’s where the police would have the manpower to canvass the entire neighborhood and track down a lot of the kids from the club. I just can’t be everywhere.”

  A sudden wave of helplessness washed over me. My throat tightened. What was I doing here anyway?

  I took a deep breath and let it out. “Otherwise, the leads are few. Janie, the girlfriend, hasn’t seen him. She’s scared to death of what her father’s going to do when he finds out she’s pregnant, and she wants Richie back more than anyone at this point.”

  The sound of a car engine broke the night but it rushed right past. No hesitation whatsoever.

  “Ian seems to be our best bet on both motive and means. Someone’s been keeping a close watch on that household and he’s certainly able to do that.”

  Something skittered through the leaves behind me and I jumped.

  “Just a squirrel or something,” Drake said. He put his arm around my shoulders and I leaned into him. “Hey, we could make out in the bushes,” he teased.

  “Yeah, and get caught with our pants down. Whoever’s coming will surely do it at the least opportune moment.”

  “Wish I had night vision binoculars,” he said. “Bet you I’d spot Nessie out there.”

  “You don’t really believe in that monster stuff, do you?”

  “No, but I’ll bet you do. I’ll bet you’re keeping your eyes right on that open space in the trees right there. I’ll bet you’re just waiting for something dark and slimy to . . .”

  “Drake! Stop it! It’s creepy enough out here without your helping matters.”

  He slid his fingertips slowly from my shoulder to my neck, walking them underneath my hair and up my scalp. I reached for his ribs, the one ticklish spot on his body, and in seconds we were rolling on the ground.

  “Shh! What was that?” His whisper stopped me cold.

  I sat up and stared into the night, all senses on alert.

  “I don’t know. I didn’t hear anything.” I barely breathed the words out, trying for absolute silence.

  “Neither did I, but I got you to quit tickling me,” he whispered, absolutely serious.

  “Oh, you! For that—” I reached again for his ribs.

  Headlights rounded the curve suddenly and silenced us both. We dropped to the ground and watched as the car slowed, swerving erratically. Thumping, boombox music surrounded the vehicle and shrieks of teenage-girl laughter reached us as the driver regained control and they zoomed past.

  Drake and I lapsed into silence. Enough excitement for one evening, I thought. I just want to go home and climb into our nice warm bed. He pressed the button on his watch and the dial lit up.

  “Just now midnight,” he announced.

  “I wonder how much longer we should stay.”

  The early morning and very full day were beginning to tell. We huddled again and I felt myself becoming drowsy, despite the dampness creeping through the seat of my jeans. The moon reached its zenith. My eyelids drooped. No more than a few minutes passed, surely, but I snapped awake with Drake shaking me.

  “Car!” he whispered. “It’s pulling in.”

  My eyes flew open just in time to flinch against bright headlights. Drake pulled me down flat against the ground. Gigantic tires scrunched through the gravel, not twenty feet from my face. The engine stopped and the lights went out.

  “Wait, I think it’s—” Drake began.

  “Charlie! Drake!” Robert’s stage-whisper came through clearly. “Are you out here?”

  We stood creakily with stiff legs and numb rear ends. “Over here!” Drake answered.

  Robert stepped out from the driver’s door of the Land Rover and came toward us. “Hate to admit it, but I think it’s time to give up for the night. Take it there’s been no action here?”

  “Not a thing.”

  “Well, it’s going on two,” he said. His voice sounded scratchy and tired.

  I couldn’t believe I’d dozed off for nearly an hour and a half.

  “Give you a lift back to your car?” he offered.

  “Oh, no thanks,” Drake said. “We could use the stretch.”

  Robert reached into the trash can and retrieved the sack he’d deposited there over four hours ago, and tossed it into his vehicle. Drake and I shook hands with him and turned toward the road. Without having to pick our way through the woods, the walk back to our car took only three or four minutes and we cranked up the heater the minute we got inside.

  With Drake at the wheel, I dozed again until we made the turn onto the grounds of Dunworthy and the narrow lane to our cottage. I wasn’t aware of much else as I shed my clothes and fell into bed, until the phone rang.

  Chapter 29

  I rolled over with a groan. My legs and hips responded stiffly after our nighttime hours in the woods. Gray light filtered around the drapes and the room lay in shadows as deep as pre-dawn. The bedside clock said nine-thirty and I came awake with a start. Had I really slept more than seven hours?

  I reached for Drake before I realized he had leapt out of bed with the first ring of the telephone downstairs. His voice filtered up the stairway. I couldn’t pick out the words. I slipped into a terry robe and ran my fingers through my hair in a small effort to detangle and get it off my face.

  Nine-thirty?

  I pulled the drape aside and peered out. Rain poured off the slate roof, puddling on the flagstone courtyard in back, dripping from the edges of the wrought iron furniture and cement railing that defined our small veranda. Heavy, dark clouds obscured the forest beyond. The turrets of Dunworthy Castle were shrouded in mist. I could have easily fallen back into bed for another three hours, but curiosity about the phone call pulled at me. I cinched the belt on my robe and headed downstairs.

  Words here and there caught my attention, revealing that the call was about helicopter business. Although I wouldn’t have to fly on a day like this, since I wasn’t instrument rated yet, Drake might and I didn’t look forward to sending him out in the soup if it wasn’t necessary.

  I gave him a peck on his bare shoulder as he stood at the kitchen counter wearing only his shorts. Rounding the end of the counter, I rummaged for coffee and filled the machine with water.

  From Drake’s end of the conversation I gathered he was talking to Brian Swinney.

  “Okay then, later,” he said, ending the call just as the coffee began dripping fragrantly into the pot.

  “Brian’s back,” he said. I couldn’t read his expression but felt a wave of relief roll over me.

  “To stay?” I asked.

  “Probably not. His mother passed away and they had the funeral yesterday in London. He’ll have to go back in a week or two to settle some legal matters.”

  “Sorry to hear that. About his mother, I mean.”

  “Meanwhile, he’s planning to talk to the top guys with the oil company to find out how the union talks are going and to lodge a complaint about the harassment we’re getting. I’ll meet him at the office in an hour to go over everything together. Come along if you’d like.”

  “I better find out what’s going on next door,” I said. “I assume there aren’t any new developments or they would have called. Unless the phone rang early and I slept right through it.”

  He shivered, noticing that the room was chilly and he wasn’t exactly dressed for it. I opened my robe and pulled him into it.

  “Now this is what I’d really rather be doing on a rainy morning,” he said in a husky voice.

  “Better than driving down to the airport in the rain.” I rubbed against him. “Maybe I could think of a way to warm you up real fast.”

  “Real fast,” he said, scooping me into his arms and heading up the stairs.

  “Think we’ll manage more than a quickie anytime soon?” I asked him thirty minutes later under the shower.

  He grinned and promised we would. The shower was a fast one and we moved into overdrive, toweling off and pulling on clothing. I dashe
d downstairs while he shaved, and poured coffee into a travel mug, which I handed him as he reached for his rain jacket and keys.

  “Drive careful,” I murmured into his neck. “I’m counting on more of that soon.”

  He gave me a lingering kiss then reached for his favorite cap. “Soon,” he said.

  I watched him drive away, wishing I could slip back to sleep for another couple of hours but knowing I was too charged up to actually manage it. I closed the front door and returned to my coffee cup, from which I’d only managed two quick sips so far. Popping two slices of bread into the toaster, I decided a little breakfast was in order before checking in with the Dunbars.

  Sarah answered the phone with a breathless hello on the second ring.

  “Oh, Charlie, I’m so glad you called.”

  “Anything new on Richie?” I asked.

  “No, I’m afraid not, dear. And now Robert’s taken a chill. I’m just making him a hot lemonade for it.”

  “Uh-oh, I was afraid that damp air wasn’t doing him any good last night.”

  “Can you come over?” she asked. “Surely we’ll be getting some word today.”

  I felt myself hesitate. “Actually, Drake has some new developments going on out at the office.” It wasn’t exactly untrue. “And I have to be there for awhile this morning.” Okay, so that part was untrue, but I didn’t relish another day of sitting around the castle watching Elizabeth worry, Edward complain, Robert cough, and Sarah fuss over the rest of them. “I’ll have my cell phone with me,” I told her. “Call me if there’s any news.”

  “I will, dear.”

  The minute she hung up I began to feel guilty. I had the feeling Sarah was the glue holding the rest of them together—and keeping them from each other’s throats. I knew she could use some moral support.

  On the other hand, I had an uneasy feeling about things at the oil rigs. Brian had been content to leave everything in Drake’s hands until now. Despite pressing matters back in London he’d come home now. It made me wonder if the union situation was about to come to a boil.