Running Scared

by Shirlee McCoy

  “The way I remember it, you walked out on me. Then you went to the police and lied about me and my business. Caused me thousands of dollars and a lot of hours. You owe me.”

  “So give me a bill, and I’ll pay.”

  “Do you really think I’d make it so easy for you, Angel?” He smiled and crooked a finger. “You’re looking good, babe. Better than you did three years ago. Come on up here. Give me the kind of hello I like.”

  “I’ll do whatever you say after I see Edith. I want to make sure she’s okay.”

  “You really think I’d hurt an old lady?”

  “You hurt me.”

  “You weren’t an old lady. You were a snotty little witch who thought she could tell me what was what. I bet you’ve changed, though, haven’t you? I bet you realize how good you had it when you were with me.” His eyes were wild, and Maggie wondered if he was on something.

  She took a deep breath and tried to clear her head. She needed to think, not panic. That was the only way she was going to keep Edith and herself alive.

  “You always took good care of me, Derrick,” she offered, the words rasping out past her dry throat. She needed him to relax his guard, to begin to believe that he had the upper hand.

  “You’re right. And how did you repay me, huh? How? I’ll tell you how, you lied about me. Tried to get me thrown in jail, but it didn’t work, did it?”

  “No.” It was all she could manage. Derrick was high on something. Knowing him, he’d taken a few hits of cocaine, and it was speeding through his blood, making him even more dangerous than usual.

  “Because you’re stupid, Angel. That’s why. You don’t know squat about anything. Now, get up here. We’ve got some unfinished business to take care of.”

  She didn’t want to. She wanted to turn around and run out the door, but that would mean leaving Edith, and she couldn’t do that.

  “Come on. Hurry it up, or you’ll make me mad. You don’t want to do that, do you?”

  “No.” She moved reluctantly, her body shaking with a fear she didn’t dare acknowledge. If she did, she’d collapse into a puddle on the floor, and any hope of escape would be lost.

  As soon as she reached the top step, Derrick lunged, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her up against the wall. She saw stars and felt herself sliding into darkness.

  “What? You don’t fight anymore?”

  She heard his voice through a haze of pain, and she struggled to keep her grip on consciousness. “I’ve changed.”

  “Changed? No one changes, Angel. Not for real, anyway.” He dragged her away from the wall and pulled her so close she could feel the heat of his body and smell the putrid scent of his breath. She gagged, her stomach heaving as Derrick shoved her in through the open door of the apartment.

  She stumbled, landing on her hands and knees and scrambling to get back on her feet.

  The door slammed, the lock turned and the world went silent as Derrick stalked toward her, lithe and dangerous. Five years ago, she’d fallen hard for those things, never noticing the darkness in his eyes, the wildness.

  “It’s finally just the two of us again. I’ve been waiting a long time for this, Angel. A long time.” He ran a finger down her cheek, and she shuddered.

  “Please, let me check on Edith. Let me make sure she’s okay.”

  “I told you she was. Isn’t my word good enough for you?”

  Maggie recognized the sharp tone, the tightening fists. He could knock her down and out with one blow, and she’d be no good to Edith or to herself.

  “It is, but Edith has a heart condition, and she’s not strong. Too much stress could kill her,” she lied, praying that it would work.

  “She’s fine.” Derrick dragged Maggie into his arms, tried to pull her close.

  “I can’t.” She shoved away, moving back, trying to smile past her terror. “I’m too worried. You know how I am. You know I can’t stand to think of an older person hurting. It reminds me too much of my grandmother.” That much was true, and Maggie hoped that Derrick would see that through his drug-dazed brain.

  He stared at her for a moment, his eyes hard and hot and angry, and then he shrugged, grabbing her upper arm and squeezing hard as he dragged her down the hall and into her room.

  Edith was there, tied up in a chair Derrick must have dragged from the dining room, her mouth covered with duct tape, her eyes wide with terror. “Edith, are you okay?”

  Maggie tried to cross the room, but Derrick dragged her back. “She’s fine, and she’ll stay that way as long as you do exactly what I say. You hear me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. We’re going to walk down the stairs. We’re going to get in your car, and we’re going to leave town.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “For a ride.”

  She needed to get more information now, while Edith was listening. “To a hotel?”

  “To a friend’s place. He’s got a nice little setup in the mountains, and I think we’ll be plenty cozy there.”

  It wasn’t much to go on, but Maggie didn’t have a chance to ask more. Derrick yanked her back out the door and shoved her into the living room. “You stay here while I take care of Grandma.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Just what I said.” He turned to walk down the hall, and Maggie threw herself at his legs, hoping to bring him down.

  He went, falling with a crash that seemed to shake the house.

  She tried to run down the hall and into the bedroom, but he grabbed her ankle and yanked hard.

  Maggie screamed as she fell, her head slamming into the wall. For a moment she knew nothing, and then Derrick’s hands wrapped around her throat, tightening, and she knew she had to fight or die.

  She tried to scream as she clawed at his hands, tried to loosen his grip.

  Please, God. I don’t want to die. I don’t want Edith to die. Please, help us.

  The prayer welled up from the deepest part of her soul, welled out and filled her head until she could hear nothing else. Not Derrick’s panting breaths, not her pulsing blood, not the frantic throb of her terror.

  Somewhere in the distance a phone rang, the sound seeping into Maggie’s mind, drawing her attention. It must have drawn Derrick’s, too. His grip loosened, and Maggie was able to twist away and stand up. The phone continued to ring. Not her home phone, her cell phone, which was still in her back pocket.

  “It’s my friend. If I don’t pick up, he’ll come looking for me,” she rasped out, wondering if it was true. If Kane really could be calling.

  “Friend? You mean that guy who was over here last night? Guy whose kid you found?” Derrick blinked, seeming to come out of the rage that had nearly gotten Maggie killed.

  “Yes.”

  “Let him come. I can deal with him.”

  “But he’ll bring the sheriff with him. They know you’re in town, and if they can’t contact me, they’ll assume it’s because of you.”

  He frowned, then nodded. “Okay, answer it, but you say anything I don’t like and I’ll march into the bedroom and wring your friend’s neck.”

  He would. Maggie knew it.

  She pulled the phone from her pocket, her hand shaking as she pushed talk.

  Please, God, let it be Kane. Please let him understand that I need help.

  She pressed it to her ear and tried to speak. Failed.

  “Hello? Maggie?” It was Kane, his voice anchoring her to reality, reminding her that she wasn’t Angel Simmons anymore. Reminding her that she wasn’t alone. That there were people who cared, who’d help.

  “I’m here.”

  “Are you home or still on the road?”

  “Home.”

  “Great. How about I come pick you up?”

  “That’s not necessary.”

  “Maybe not, but it’ll make me feel better. I know there’s a deputy outside Edith’s house, but anything could happen between there and here.”

  “Something already has,” sh
e said, her gaze shooting to Derrick. He frowned and moved a step closer.

  “What?” The alarm in Kane’s voice was obvious, and Maggie wondered if Derrick could hear it.

  “Finish the conversation. Now!” Derrick hissed, and Maggie had no choice but to obey.

  “I won’t be able to make it tonight. I’ve got too much to do before I return to school on Monday.”

  “You mean for college?”

  “No, for Eli’s class. I’ve got grading and stuff to do.” She shot another quick glance in Derrick’s direction. He was losing patience, and she was running out of time.

  “You’re going back to work?”

  “On Monday. Just like I was planning.”

  “I see. My parents will be disappointed to not see you again before they leave, but I’ll explain things to them.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’d better let you get back to work. I’ll see you at church Sunday.” Did he not get it? Did he not understand that Maggie wouldn’t be seeing anyone again unless help arrived fast?

  “All right. Goodbye.”

  “Bye.” He hung up, and Maggie didn’t have the heart to end the call, to cut off the only connection she had with safety.

  “Good job, Angel. Maybe I’ll let your friend live after all.” Derrick smiled, the ugly, evil look in his eyes saying something entirely different.

  “You said we were going to go to your friend’s in the mountains.”

  “We’ve got time, so how about you make me a sandwich and we’ll discuss all the different ways you can pay for your friend’s life?” He dropped down onto the sofa, put his feet on the coffee table and stared Maggie down.

  Whatever drug he’d taken had scrambled his thinking. He wanted to be served, and he wanted her to do the serving. In his mind that equated to power and powerlessness, and that was all he seemed to care about.

  In Maggie’s mind, it was a reprieve, a little extra time to think and to plan.

  “I could make you some soup, too. I have tomato or clam chowder.”

  “You know I love chowder. Make me that and the sandwich, and then we’ll work out that payment plan. And don’t try anything funny.”

  “I won’t.”

  Unless she could think of something that would work.

  She hurried into the kitchen, her hands shaking as she pulled out the can of soup and got to work.

  SEVENTEEN

  Kane kept his headlights off as he parked a few houses away from Edith’s place. The dark sedan was exactly where it had been for the past twenty-four hours, but Kane doubted a deputy was in it. He wasn’t sure how Derrick had managed it, but he breached security and was inside Edith’s house. God willing, he hadn’t killed anyone to get there. God willing, he wouldn’t kill anyone to escape. The sheriff’s cruiser was parked in a driveway across the street, and Kane was sure there were other police cars and officers close by. He doubted any of them would be happy that he was there, but he didn’t care. Maggie was in trouble. He’d heard it in her voice the moment she’d answered the phone. He had wanted to tell her he understood and that help was on the way. He hadn’t been able to, of course. Not without cluing Lyons in and ruining the element of surprise.

  Adrenaline pumping, Kane opened his car door, easing out into the darkness and sliding into the shadows. The air seemed thick with expectancy, the night too silent and still. A shadow broke away from a small cove of trees, stepping toward Kane as he approached Edith’s house.

  “What are you doing here, Dougherty?” the sheriff asked in a whisper that carried through the darkness.

  “The same thing you are. Saving Maggie.”

  “We have things under control. Adding a civilian into the mix is a potential hazard that I’m not willing to risk. Go back to your car. Stay there until further notice.”

  “This isn’t the military, Sheriff, and I’m not one of your men.”

  “If you care about Maggie, you’ll act like you are.”

  “And do what?”

  “Stay out of the way.”

  “I’ll be out of the way. I can assure you of that.” But he wouldn’t be in the car. He was going to walk the perimeter of the house and see if he could find a way in.

  “Look, Dougherty, I know you’re concerned, and I know you want to help. I even know that in your position, I’d be doing the same, but it’s too dangerous for everyone if I include you in this rescue operation.”

  “How are you planning on getting Maggie and Lyons out?” Kane asked, completely ignoring the sheriff’s comments. There was no way he was going to leave without knowing exactly what the plan was.

  “I’m sending someone to the door to ring the bell, hoping Maggie will come to open it with Lyons. If he does, I’ve got a sharpshooter ready to take him out.”

  “If he doesn’t take Maggie out first.”

  “We can’t know for sure that he hasn’t already done that. We’ve got an officer down with a severe head injury. Anything could have happened inside that house.” It was true, but Kane didn’t want to hear it. Didn’t even want to contemplate the idea.

  “I spoke to Maggie less than fifteen minutes ago, and she was fine.”

  “A lot can happen in fifteen minutes.”

  Kane knew that better than anyone else, and his muscles tightened, his heart pounding a heavy beat. “I’ll ring the doorbell.”

  “It’s too risky. You move the wrong way, and you may be the one lying dead instead of Lyons. The best thing you can do is get in your car and wait.”

  “I have no intention of getting between Lyons and a gun.” He walked toward Edith’s house, completely ignoring the sheriff’s protest until the other man grabbed his arm and yanked him to a stop.

  “I can’t allow a civilian to get involved in this.”

  “Do you really think Lyons isn’t going to recognize a cop when he sees one? He’s a career criminal, a man who’s spent his life avoiding the consequences of his behavior.”

  “We’ll take him out long before he realizes we’re there.”

  “And that’ll be a lot easier to do if you’ll let me go in. I’ll ring the doorbell. Maggie will answer it. She knows me, and if Lyons has been watching her for the past few days, he’ll have seen me, too. Neither will suspect that I brought police officers with me, and that’ll put you at the advantage.”

  The sheriff frowned and ran a hand down his jaw, his gaze on Edith’s house. “I’m not sure I like the idea, but I think it might work. Give me three minutes to communicate with my men. Then ring the doorbell. Once the door opens, see if you can get Maggie to step out onto the porch. That’ll give our sharpshooters an easier shot at anyone in the house.”

  “Will do.” Kane glanced at his watch, then waited a minute. Two. Adrenaline and fear made him want to forget waiting, forget everything but getting into the house and freeing Maggie.

  At the three-minute mark he walked to the door, then rang the doorbell, praying the plan would work.

  A minute passed, and the door remained closed. Kane rang the doorbell again, pushing so hard that the peal repeated for several seconds.

  Inside the house the foyer light came on, and Kane braced himself. Please, God, let this work.

  A shadow passed in front of the window to the left of the door, and a bolt slid open. Finally, the door cracked open and Maggie’s pale face and deep-blue eyes stared out at him.

  “Kane! What are you doing here?” Her voice was raspy and dry, and even the dim foyer light couldn’t hide the blue smudges on her neck and jaw.

  She was bruised. Terrified. But she was alive, and Kane had every intention of making sure she stayed that way.

  “Hoping to convince you to have dinner with my family.” Come on. Open the door a little more. Give them a clear shot at anyone who might be standing behind you.

  “I can’t, but thank you. It means a lot that you’d want me to be there.”

  “This is about what happened last night, isn’t it?” he asked, pulling at straws, desperate to get
the door opened wider.

  “Last night?”

  “The kiss.”

  “Kane, I have a lot more on my mind than a kiss.”

  “Why don’t you come out on the porch and tell me about it?”

  “I can’t. I have to go. Give Eli my love, okay?” There were tears in her eyes and in her voice, and Kane knew she was going to close the door.

  “Wait.” He slammed his hand against it, keeping it open.

  “I really have to go. I’m exhausted and I’ve got a lot to do between now and Monday.”

  “Understood, but it wouldn’t hurt to spend a few minutes with a friend, would it?” He stepped close to the door and looked down into Maggie’s eyes. She blinked and seemed to see him for the first time since she’d opened the door.

  “I—”

  “It’ll be okay. I promise.” He smiled and eased his foot into the opening of the door. Maggie wasn’t going to open the door wider, that much was for sure. So he’d either have to walk away and wait for the sheriff to come up with a new plan, or he’d have to take matters into his own hands and pray that it worked out.

  He took a deep breath and knew what he had to do.

  Then he took a step back, lifted his foot and slammed it into the door, grabbing Maggie’s shoulder as she fell backward and shoving her to the side as a figure lunged toward them. Kane caught a glimpse of shiny metal, saw a knife blade slice the air inches from his face and heard Maggie scream.

  A shot rang out, but Lyons kept coming, the knife raised, a snarl twisting his features so that he looked nothing like the photos Kane had seen of him.

  Kane dodged to the left, colliding with Maggie as she dove to the right. He wrapped an arm around her waist, swinging her around and out of the way as Lyons attacked again.

  Kane grabbed his wrist, twisting it up behind his back, trying to get him to loosen his grip on the knife, but Lyons was just as determined to keep it. He twisted out from Kane’s hold and turned to face him, a cold, hard smile on his face.

  “So, you’re the guy Angel thought she’d replace me with. Too bad I don’t want to be replaced.”

  “Too bad you don’t have a choice,” Kane responded, dodging the knife blade again and wondering what was taking the sheriff so long.