The Wedding Gift

by Judy Kentrus

  “Please, sit down. This is Samantha Kingsley, one of our best friends and Cindi’s maid of honor. The little guy in her arms is Donut.”

  “Thanks for coming in, Bill,” Samantha said. “We are desperate for any information you might have.”

  “In November, a patient out of my Stevensville office came in for his annual checkup. He appeared under the weather, and I asked what caused his bloodshot eyes. He’d been on a man weekend, carousing with his three cousins in a hunting cabin just outside of Falling Waters State Park. They don’t hunt, just play cards and get drunk. He mentioned one of his cousins is Thomas Leland and the cabin belongs to their Aunt Bertie.”

  “That’s it! I can’t believe I missed it!” Preston grabbed Bill Knightly’s hand and pumped it in gratitude. Hope in the form of adrenalin shot throughout his body. “I’ve been concentrating totally on Leland and never did a search for Abbott.”

  “I take it that’s the information you’ve needed?” Bill asked.

  “Absolutely! I can’t thank you enough.”

  “No. Thank you. I hate that guy, and it goes back to high school. He used strong-arm tactics to get people to do his papers. He wanted me to do his chemistry because my academic record was a 4.0. I got beat up twice, but there was no proof Leland was behind it. He eventually left me alone.”

  “He’s not going to get away this time,” Preston assured him.

  Bill stood up from his chair and patted Donut on the head. “Glad to be of help. I’m going home to share a bottle of wine with my wife. We’re going to drink to Leland’s demise.” He left the room.

  Preston went right to his laptop. “When you said the name Abbott, bells went off in my head, and then Bill Knightly showed up.” His fingers flew across the keyboard, and two of the wall screens filled with data. “Well, shit! It’s no wonder Leland wanted to get rid of Bertie. She is land rich and very wealthy. Do me a favor. Let everyone know what we’ve found. I need to get an actual location on this cabin.”

  “Will do. Come on, Donut. We’re going to get your mommy!”

  Samantha was rewarded by kisses on her cheek.

  As soon as Preston was alone, he said, “If you can hear me, Cindi Pearl, I’m getting close. Soon I will hold you in my arms and I’ll never let you go.”

  Forty miles away, the women sat around the poker table and prepared for battle.

  “We all know what to do, but let’s review the steps. Number one: When Leland gets here, I’ll join him in the other room.”

  “You sound just like Lee Marvin in The Dirty Dozen when they were reviewing their plans to roust the Germans.” Muriel laughed. “My second husband loved war movies, and it wasn’t any hardship watching Lee Marvin.”

  “Number two: Don’t start yelling fire too soon, because you want to hear what he has to say,” Bertie said.

  Sadie held up her knitting needles. “We’ll jab them in the ass with these babies!”

  “Number three: As soon as they come in, clunk them on the back of the head with a piece of wood. Number four: Follow through with the SING maneuver,” Cindi continued.

  “Once they’re down, we’ll tie them up with the nylon tent rope we found in the storage box. I’m for using duct tape on their mouths,” Bertie added.

  “Number five: Open the windows. Number six: Close the flue. Number seven: Get out through the water closet,” Muriel said.

  Bertie patted Cindi’s hand. “Don’t worry. We’ll do our part. Our purses, coats, and flashlights are already by the door. You never did tell us how you plan to handle Leland.”

  “To tell you the truth, I’m still working on it.” She’d been so busy setting up a plan for the ladies that she hadn’t given her own escape a great deal of thought.

  “And when were you going to tell us?” Muriel asked, raising a brow.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll think of something. We’ll meet in front of the cabin, take their vehicle, and get out of Dodge.”

  They resumed playing cards, but some of the enthusiasm in the room faded the closer it got to zero hour.

  The enthusiasm in Preston’s office was running hot. He accessed land maps and privately owned hunting cabins through tax records and put them up on the wall screen. “Here! Right here!” he said, tapping the Abbott location. “The property is in the middle of God’s country.”

  “You can’t get any more remote than that.” Lincoln needed to escape the bedlam in his office. Along with the good news that they were zeroing in on Cindi’s location, Donut became the ambassador to put smiles on everyone’s faces. The pygmy goat lapped up all of their personal attention.

  Preston was already printing out mapping data. “We can’t go barging into the area because we don’t have any jurisdiction. Do you know anyone in the park service?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do,” Lincoln said. “You know Henry Long’s campground borders state game lands. A few weeks ago, I went out to check the progress on the construction of the Laurel Heights Inn. The park ranger who oversees the area just happened to be there. Her name is Valerie Sinatra. I have her number, and once I explain the situation, I’m sure she’ll give us a hand. Jessie is going to want in, and she’ll contact the state police, since they share jurisdiction. Give me a few minutes to make my calls and let the other’s know what’s happening.”

  Since the location was so remote, Preston doubted they’d get any type of GPS signal, so he printed out additional maps of the area. He’d just finished shoving the paperwork in the back pocket of his jeans when Lincoln returned.

  “Jessie is on her way here and Valerie can’t make it, but she’ll call the ranger station in that area and someone will meet us on Pebble Road. That’s the closest cross road to the dirt lane that leads to the Abbott cabin. By the time we get there, it’s going to be totally dark. That will give us plenty of cover.”

  “Let’s go get my woman.”

  To keep things on an even keel, the ladies kept up their harassment of the men, banging on the door, asking to go to the bathroom. Cindi took her turn, just so she could get a layout of the other room.

  “Did they say anything to you when you went to the bathroom earlier?” Sadie asked Cindi. “To them, it would have been the first time you were out of this room since you woke up.”

  Cindi added three pieces of wood to the fire in the stove. “No. I wanted to take a look around, but Blockhead walked me around the back and stood watch while I did my business. The sun was already down behind the trees and some of the stars were coming out, so I judged it to be close to five o’clock. I asked when we were going to get something to eat. He said dinner would be here around six. I mentioned not seeing a vehicle, and asked if they ordered pizza to be delivered. He called me a wise bitch and said I was hanging around with the old broads too much.”

  “I can’t wait to kick his ass,” Muriel said. “Age is a state of mind, so I don’t consider myself an old broad.”

  The sound of a car door slamming killed the forced frivolity in the room. Cindi was scared to the bone, and prayed everything would go as planned. She tried to shield her apprehension from the three women she loved dearly. “I’m going to say this now. If for any reason I can’t get away from Leland, I want you to leave and save yourselves.”

  Before the Lemon Sisters could voice their protest, the door opened.

  Chapter 15

  “Well, if it isn’t my pain-in-the-ass nephew.” Bertie issued her usual snarly greeting and smiled at her friends. “Ladies, you can thank him for this mini-vacation and these lovely accommodations.”

  “Turn around and bend over so I can show our gratitude with my foot,” Muriel sneered.

  Cindi gave half an ear to the insulting greeting. She’d debated how to react when she came face to face with the bastard who’d created such havoc in their lives. Giving in to the scared-to-death feeling would make her appear weak, and that wasn’t an option. She crossed her arms over her breasts and cocked a hip before going into sarcastic-bitch mode. “If it isn’t Thom
as Leland, the pizza delivery boy. I hope you brought one with pepperoni.”

  “I’m truly going to miss that smart mouth, Cindi Pearl Sullivan.”

  His grin was a sign she’d chosen the right persona. He wore an expensive-looking black sports jacket over an open-neck white shirt. “Are you going somewhere? Did you get your mama’s permission to come out and play?”

  “Leave my mother out of this. What I have to say is between you and me.”

  “Keeping secrets from your mommy? It’s usually the other way around.”

  “When it comes to you, we have an understanding.”

  “You still don’t know much about your mother.”

  He ignored her uncomplimentary comment and swept a hand toward the other room. “Care to join me for dinner?”

  “What about your Aunt Bertie, Muriel, and Sadie?”

  “The guys will bring it to them.”

  “In that case, okay.” She winked at the Lemon Sisters and slowly followed Leland, wanting to get a layout of the room. Their jailers’ sleeping bags covered the cushions on the brown leather couches. Cereal boxes, paper bowls, half a loaf of bread, peanut butter and jelly, and empty boxes of donuts littered a large table. Two garbage cans were filled to the top with soda and beer cans. The men lived like pigs. They must have figured out how to make a fire in the wood stove, because the room was warm. She wandered a little more and paused to look out the only window that offered a view of the front of the house. A single bulb illuminated the small porch and partially reflected on the night-dark driveway. The back end of the van was visible and two motorcycles were parked along the side.

  “Looking for a way to escape?”

  “And what’s to stop me?”

  “Cindi, you are in the middle of nowhere. Its pitch dark and you would never leave those old women. You’d have to disable three large men before you could get the keys from my pocket. Now, turn around. I have a surprise.”

  You have no clue, she said to herself.

  Her eyes widened when she saw a smaller table had been set with a white linen cloth, candles, china, and wine glasses. A single lighted candle surrounded by a ring of fresh flowers occupied the center of the table.

  “Are you expecting company?”

  “No. I told you I wanted to spend some time together.”

  “You never give up.”

  The men came in, each carrying two large thermal bags.

  “Where do you want these?” asked the one Cindi knew as Blockhead.

  “Set the silver one on the floor by the table. The other three are for you and the women.”

  “Where are we supposed to eat?” asked the one Cindi knew as Dufus. The ladies’ description had been accurate. He looked big, dumb, and stupid.

  “In the other room.”

  “With those nutty broads?” Dufus said.

  “Am I hearing right?” Thom said. “Two big, strong men afraid of three old ladies?”

  “All right,” Blockhead reluctantly agreed.

  Having the men eat with the girls was something Cindi had never considered. Steps one through four went right out the window. Cindi needed to speak to the Lemon Sisters. The men were about to open the door. “Wait, they’re frightened. Let me assure them you mean no harm.”

  The two men looked to their boss for confirmation.

  “Go ahead.”

  The women were seated at the table, playing cards. “Ladies, you are going to have two charming gentlemen for dinner companions. I’ve been invited to join Mr. Leland. The men assure me they’ll be on their best behavior.” Cindi gave Muriel a quick hug. “Eat dinner first,” she whispered to her. “Improvise on parts one through four then do what you have to do.”

  Muriel winked at Cindi before offering the two men walking into the room a big smile. “After we eat, how about playing cards to pass the time. Are you familiar with strip poker?”

  Leland removed the pre-portioned meals from the bag and poured each of them a glass of rich Burgundy wine. “I hope you like filet mignon and baked potatoes.”

  To eat or not to eat? Her mouth watered at the sight of the beautifully prepared beef. Medium rare, her favorite. The last meal she’d eaten was lunch yesterday. It really wouldn’t hurt if she ate something. Sustaining her energy was the least of her problems. She still hadn’t figured out how to get away from Thomas Leland.

  “How come you’re not eating?” Thomas cut into his rare steak and savored the first bite before taking a sip of wine.

  “No, just thinking.”

  “Of Reynolds?”

  “Of course. What man wouldn’t be out of his mind with worry when his fiancée gets kidnapped by a psychopath three days before the wedding?”

  “If he’d kept his nose out of my business, you wouldn’t be here. So what else is on your mind?”

  Cindi picked at the foil surrounding her baked potato. “What really brought you back to Stevensville?”

  “You mean, was it you?”

  Cindi shrugged a shoulder. “You can put it that way.”

  “Have I been pining away for the girl I left behind fifteen years ago?” He raised his arms and tented his fingers over his dinner plate. “Honestly? No. I lost track of you these past fifteen years. You were very sweet and entertaining, but not the girl for me.”

  “Obviously, your momma took care of that. She did me a favor. If I didn’t move to New York, I never would have met Preston Reynolds.” A watery film covered her eyes and her heart ached from thinking how much she loved and missed him. “He is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

  “It was Reynolds’ name that drew me to the article I read a few months ago about the new soapbox derby track in Laurel Heights. You were given credit for orchestrating the venture. I wasn’t surprised, because I remembered you love to volunteer. Your engagement to Reynolds was quite a shocker.”

  “Why? Because I wasn’t beautiful enough to meet your high standards?”

  “On the contrary. The article included photos, and you took my breath away. Cindi, you are quite beautiful.”

  “With all the lying you do, it’s no wonder you don’t trip over your nose and you still haven’t answered my question.”

  “Direct and to the point, as always,” Thom said. “I knew who he was before the holiday social. I have a personal dossier on your fiancée. He’s quite wealthy and a true hero, but I couldn’t ignore the man responsible for sending my father to prison and was ultimately liable for his death. My plan was to reacquaint myself with the all-grown-up, sexy Cindi Pearl and break up your engagement.”

  “Your father is dead?”

  “He committed suicide a year ago. We kept his death low key. I wanted Reynolds to find out what it felt like to lose someone. My plan was for him to see us in an compromising situation, but obviously my plan fell through.”

  “That’s because I would never cheat on Preston,” Cindi said. “You don’t know what real love is and never will. I’m sorry your father took his own life, but you can’t blame my fiancée for your father’s dishonesty. From what I’ve recently learned, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

  “As I said, if Reynolds had kept his nose out of my business, you wouldn’t be sitting here. I was surprised to learn how close you are to my aunt. I’ve made quite a bit of money off her fortune, but it’s time to move on. Her estate will be tied up in legal battles for years, but it will no longer be my problem. I’ve got plenty stashed away, and I’ll use the five million Preston Reynolds is going to pay for you as tip money. He has till twelve noon on Saturday to deposit the money in my account. Once I confirm it’s there, the guys will drop you off at Trinity Church in time for your wedding.”

  “Five million dollars! You’re expecting him to pay that ridiculous amount?” The boobs had spoken the truth. Leland had no idea his mother had altered the plan.

  “From what I know and observed, he’ll pay any amount to get you back.”

  Their conversation was interrupted by a loud thump, fo
llowed by a second thump, coming from the other room.

  “They must be having quite a party,” Cindi said with false enthusiasm, and put a piece of meat in her mouth.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Maybe your guys were being gentlemen and moved firewood around for the ladies.”

  When all was quiet, Leland went back to eating his dinner. Cindi continued to eat, but her eyes kept drifting toward the single front window, looking for any sign of the Lemon Sisters. The food wasn’t sitting well in her nervous stomach. The clattering of Leland’s fork on the china plate drew her attention.

  “I smell smoke.”

  “It’s probably coming from the wood stove in the corner,” Cindi blurted, trying to recall what step they were doing. Number six, close the flue, but did they remember five, open the windows? They should be getting out.

  Leland stood up and away from the table. “It’s coming from under the door!”

  “Maybe you should check on your men.” If she could get him into the room first, she could close and lock the door.

  “Cindi, fifteen years ago I would have taken the word of a sweet, innocent girl, but frankly, my dear, I just don’t trust you. Let’s check out the room together.”

  Cindi’s hopes faded when he gripped her hand, none too lightly.

  Thom opened the door and was shocked to see black smoke billowing out of the wood stove. The men and women had disappeared. He yanked her into the room. “What’s going on? Where did everyone go?”

  “Right here!”

  Cindi swung around just in time to see a log crash into the back of Thomas Leland’s head.

  “Muriel! What are you doing here?” Cindi stepped over Leland’s body and gave her avenging angel a hug.

  “Saving you! When you said you didn’t know how you were going to handle Leland, we made up our own plan. We figured he would come in here to investigate the smoke as soon as we shut down the flue. The windows are open, but this room is going to fill up quick. Let’s put him with the other guys.”

  “Where are they?”