Ace pointed the gun at her, his hand trembling. “Don’t you dare feel bad for me. Don’t you dare!”
This guy wasn’t stable. “I have millions of dollars I can transfer right now,” Jake blurted out. “Why don’t we get to a computer so you two can get your money and go?”
Ace didn’t respond, just stared sullenly at Chanel. He took a step in her direction.
A red-haired woman emerged from the trees. “I’ll take some of that money.”
“Olivia?” Ruby gasped.
“We need to eliminate a few extras.” Willy pivoted half a step and pointed his gun at Jake. “He looks like the biggest threat.” Willy’s finger lingered over the trigger. Jake dodged to the side, pushing Chanel out of the way.
Don leaped onto Willy. The huge man stuttered off balance and tripped over some undergrowth. He screamed as he fell. A gunshot rang through the forest.
Jake jumped to his feet and grabbed Ace’s right arm. He wrestled the gun from Ace’s hand and wrenched the arm behind his back. Ace cursed and fought, but Jake held on. Chanel rushed to his side. He handed the gun to her and focused on restraining Ace.
Olivia pointed her gun at Ruby and Michael. “Don’t move. I spared you two because you weren’t sick and your romance was so sweet. You can thank me by getting me money.”
“I don’t think so, sweetheart,” a loud voice came from behind her.
Olivia whirled. Officer Barnes knocked her gun to the spongy earth and pulled out his handcuffs. He grinned. “I believe several of you are under arrest.”
Willy pushed a bloody Don off his chest. He stood and pointed his gun at the police officer. Shaking his head, he laughed loudly. “Dumb hick cop, comes alone to a shootout.”
Steven Barnes smiled. “I may be a dumb hick, but I am definitely not alone.”
Several officers appeared behind Willy. One disarmed him while two of their cohorts flipped Willy onto his stomach, shoving his face into the spongy earth. Another policeman came to relieve Jake of his prisoner. The policeman jerked Ace through the woods. He turned and called to Chanel, “You shouldn’t have turned on me.”
“You’re pathetic, Ace,” she said.
“You’ll be sorry,” he screamed until they couldn’t hear him anymore.
Jake rushed to Don’s side and rolled him over. Blood was everywhere. “No, Grandpa. Please be okay.”
Though his face was ashen and his eyes full of pain, Don smiled the first real smile Jake had seen since his return. “It just hit my arm, son.”
Jake rocked back on his heels. This man had betrayed him and threatened his beloved grandmother, but had also just saved his life. “Thank you,” Jake said.
Don shook his head. “I’m your grandpa. It was the least I could do.”
Jake helped him to his feet, ignoring the glare from Ruby.
“Thanks for the call, miss,” Officer Barnes said to Chanel, leering at her chest.
Ruby stepped forward and confronted Olivia. “Why did you kill my friends, Olivia?”
Her head pivoted and she looked at the policeman.
“Yes.” He grinned at her. “We know all about the murders, and you’re taking the rap by yourself.”
“No,” Olivia shrieked. She whirled to face Ruby. “It wasn’t me. It was all my aunt. You know, Mrs. Smelter. We were really just helping them because they were sick. I gave them that drink. It was a high dose of the medicine propranolol, but it didn’t kill them. She murdered them—I didn’t. And now she’s put my money into some investment that I can’t touch because she knew my husband would lose it all. But I need it now or he’s going to beat me and my boys will never finish college!” She talked so fast it looked like she was going to hyperventilate. “That’s why I had to follow Don and try and get my share.”
“The medicine didn’t kill them?” Ruby asked, swaying. Michael held onto her.
Olivia took a deep breath, responding with a little more poise than before, “The medicine made them cough and have a hard time breathing. When we got enough down them, it would slow their heart rate so the cops would think they were dead. Alaina would come and declare them dead, then once she got the bodies to her lab, she would cut them open and dig out their organs to sell to the black market. She wanted them fresh.”
“Who would buy organs of old people?” Officer Barnes asked.
Olivia looked at him like he was slow in the head. “We didn’t reveal the age of the organs to the buyers.”
“Marissa wasn’t dead when we saw her?” Ruby whispered.
Michael wrapped an arm around her. “Oh, love, that’s awful. I’m so sorry.”
Olivia was led away, protesting that the mortician had taken all of her money and was to blame.
A stretcher arrived for Don. Ellie wasn’t far behind. The paramedics loaded Don onto the stretcher, staunching the bleeding of his arm. He raised his head and looked at Ruby. “Forgive me,” he squeaked.
“I forgive you.” She raised her chin. “But don’t ever come back.”
“Good girl.” Ellie clapped her on the back.
“Whatever you want,” Don muttered.
“Goodbye, Don,” Ruby said just before the paramedics hauled him away.
Michael pulled Ruby to him and kissed her thoroughly.
Ellie grabbed Ruby’s arm, wrenching them apart. “Come on, we gotta go.”
“Where are we going?” Ruby asked.
“Are you telling me you don’t want to watch them wrestle Alaina Smelter to the ground?”
Ruby frowned. “I’ve got a few words for that woman.” She glanced at Michael. “You coming?”
“If you’re going to be there.”
She smiled. “Oh, I’ll be there.”
“Anywhere you go, I’m right beside you.”
Ruby kissed him again, took his hand, and followed the entourage of police officers.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Jake looked at Chanel. She studied him with wide eyes, then walked past him and collapsed on the park bench. The relief over Grandma Ruby’s and Chanel’s safety almost made him weak. His eyes moved back and forth from where his grandma had disappeared, to the beauty seated a few feet away.
He started to follow his grandma, but then stopped. She had Michael and Ellie to help her. It was time Jake started his own life. He crossed the distance to the beautiful woman who had just proven she didn’t love her ex-boyfriend. “Is this seat available?” Jake asked, pointing to the empty spot next to Chanel.
“Only to you.” She bit her lip.
He sat. “So, that was Ace?”
Chanel closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly. “It’s cool that you got to meet him, huh?”
“Oh, yeah. A real pleasure.”
When she opened her eyes, Jake saw her pain. He wanted to hold her. He cleared his throat and managed, “You okay?”
“No.” She glanced at him. “But I know how I could be.”
His lips twitched. “Really, how is that?”
Chanel scooted closer to him . “You could help out a bit.”
Jake took her in his arms, inhaling her warmth, her essence. She lifted her face to him, and he didn’t need to be invited twice. He kissed her, his body flooded with desire and a feeling of depth and warmth that told him Chanel was the only one he wanted to be with.
When he released her, she smiled up at him. “Thanks. I feel better.”
He grinned. “Me too. Anything else you need?”
Her smile slowly faded. “Actually there is.” She took a deep breath. “I need you to do something just for me.”
“Anything,” he breathed.
“I need you to forgive yourself for Angela’s death.”
Jake swallowed hard. Anything but that. Clinging to Chanel, he rested his cheek against her smooth hair so she couldn’t see his eyes. “I don’t know if I can do that.”
“You have to if we’re ever going to work, and I really want us to work.”
Jake grunted. “Me too.”
Ge
ntly, Chanel massaged his back and neck. “It’s okay, Jake. We all make mistakes.”
He lifted his head, gazing at her. “Bet you’ve never made that big of a mistake.”
“You were a teenager,” she said.
“No excuse.”
“Crap happens, Jake.” Her hands worked magic on his neck, dispelling some of the tension. “You didn’t want Angela to die. You didn’t make your buddy roll the Jeep. You’ve got to forgive yourself.”
His eyes burned. He’d heard those words hundreds of times, but he never thought they might be true until that moment. He swallowed hard and said, “Why should I believe any of that?”
“Because if you don’t, you’ll never be able to have a life of your own.”
“I don’t deserve a life of my own.”
Chanel took his face in her hands. “Yes, you do.” Gently, she kissed him. “And so do I.”
Jake pulled her close and kissed her until the pain seeped away. He released her mouth and held her in his arms. Silently, he prayed for the strength to forgive himself.
Several minutes later, Chanel smiled tentatively at him. “Better?”
“You think you’re the one to help me move on, eh?”
She traced her fingers along his jaw. “I know I am.” Pressing against him, she kissed him hard. “Now I’ve just got to convince you.”
“I don’t think that will be too hard.” He kissed her again. “I’m sorry about how rude I was earlier,” he murmured against her cheek.
She took a deep breath. “No, don’t be. I was just as ornery.”
“True.”
She pulled away.
Jake tugged her back. “I wasn’t being fair with you,” he admitted. “I realized this morning that I asked for all the benefits, but offered none of the attachments.”
Chanel licked her lips. “So what do you want now?”
He wrapped an arm around her waist. “You.” He kissed her. “Watching Ace touch you was torture. Thinking you might go with him or get hurt almost destroyed me.” Jake shook his head. “You know what you said to old Ace about,” he gulped, “me kind of… sort of… loving you?”
She glanced at him shyly. “Yeah, kind of… sort of.”
“Well.” Jake brushed his lips across hers. “It’s true.”
“When did you start feeling that way?”
“The first time you tackled me in Glendale Reservoir.” He grinned. “Besides, you gotta love a girl who’s willing to take a bullet for your grandma.”
“Good reasons.” Chanel smiled and kissed him again.
***
Ruby, Michael, and Ellie caught up with Officer Barnes. He turned to stare at Ruby. “Thanks for your help, Mrs. Merrill. If it weren’t for you, we never would’ve found out about this scheme of Mrs. Smelter’s.”
Ruby blushed. “Wish I could’ve figured it out sooner.”
Ellie nodded. “Don’t we all.”
“How did you get here so quickly?” Ruby asked the officer, not wanting to dwell on the loss of her friends and cousin. “Last time I called the ambulance it was twenty minutes before anybody came.”
“I was already here,” Officer Barnes said, “and when their fellow officer puts out a request the other officers come screaming.”
“Why were you here?” Ruby asked.
“There was another death.” He scowled, stroking his goatee. “I guess it was another murder to chalk up to Olivia and Mrs. Smelter.”
Ruby’s stomach lurched. “Another murder? Who?” she asked in horror.
“Jennalou Hoskins.”
Ruby’s gaze darted to Ellie. They’d teased and fought with Jennalou since high school. Ellie glanced away, and Ruby guessed she felt guilty too.
They trudged along for a few more seconds before an idea struck Ruby. “Did Mrs. Smelter already take Jennalou away?” she asked the policeman.
“Yes. A few minutes before I came to help you.”
Ruby grabbed Michael’s arm. “We could still save her. Remember? Olivia said the medicine didn’t kill them—it was Mrs. Smelter cutting into…” She couldn’t finish.
Officer Barnes whirled to face Ruby, his eyes wide. Then he raced to the front of the center, where his patrol car must’ve been parked. Ellie’s garage was close by.
“Keys?” Ruby said to Ellie.
“In the car,” Ellie said, already pushing the code for her garage door.
“I’m driving,” Michael said.
Ellie glared at him but didn’t argue.
A minute later, they were speeding in front of a police cruiser with its flashing lights on, but they had no intention of stopping or getting out of the way. They flew through town and parked on the front lawn of the mortuary. Running up the stairs, Officer Barnes led the charge. Ruby wished for younger legs as she clung to Michael and tried to keep up. Two more police cars careened around the corner and pulled up at the curb.
The mortuary’s front door was locked. Officer Barnes pounded again and again. Finally, a soft voice came. “Who is it?”
“Open the door or I’ll bust it in,” Officer Barnes said.
The door creaked open. Barnes put his shoulder into it, knocking the mortician off her feet and against the wall.
“What is going on here?” Mrs. Smelter cried out.
Michael, Ruby, and the officer rushed past the mortician, but Ellie shook her fist in Mrs. Smelter’s face. “You’re going to the devil’s own lair, wench.”
As they raced down the hall and into the back room, Ruby prayed. Maybe they could save one life, even if it wasn’t sweet Marissa. Jennalou’s large frame covered the stainless-steel bed. Barnes beat them there, but soon they were all crowded around the bed.
Mrs. Smelter tottered behind them, protesting, “I don’t know what you think you’re doing here.”
“No blood,” Ellie whispered.
They all sighed. Officer Barnes was closest to the bed. He put his fingers to Jennalou’s throat. “There’s a pulse. It’s barely there, but it’s there.”
“What?” Mrs. Smelter exploded. “She’s dead. Now, if you’ll kindly leave—”
More policemen burst into the room. Officer Barnes glanced over his shoulder. “Arrest her.” He pointed at the mortician.
Mrs. Smelter kicked and screamed as her hands were wrenched behind her back and she was read her rights.
“You’re making a mistake,” she said. “I was just helping those who were sick, who were ready to die and trying to get enough money to help Olivia escape her husband.”
After the mortician was escorted from the room, Michael reached an arm around Ruby’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you, love. You saved Jennalou’s life.”
Ruby nodded wearily.
“Let’s get out of here before she wakes up,” Ellie said. “I don’t want her to know we saved her life. Then I’d have to be nice to her. I don’t need another psycho friend.” She put an arm around Ruby’s waist, grinned at Michael, and said to the officer, “Good luck with that one.”
“Which one?” Officer Barnes said. “We already took the murderer away.”
“She’ll be much worse than the murderer.” Ellie pointed at Jennalou. “We’re leaving that crotchety female in your care. If I were you I’d rush her to the hospital before she wakes up.”
“Thanks for the advice.” He smiled and saluted them.
Ellie pushed between Ruby and Michael, linking her arms through theirs. “Well, kids, we’ve done our good deed for the day. What do you say we pick up some pizzas and go fuss over baby Michael?”
The grown-up Michael grinned at Ruby over Ellie’s head. “As long as I get to tag along with you two.” He pointed at Ruby. “Especially you. I’ll be there.”
Ellie raised her eyebrows and mouthed, “‘Especially you.’”
Ruby smiled. “Excuse me, Ellie, but I need a few minutes.”
“No, excuse me.” Ellie slipped from between them. “I’ll go cool down the car while you two heat up the hallway.”
Michael pulled Ruby close. “Oh, love. I’m so glad you’re safe.”
“I’ll always be safe with you around.”
He grinned. “So you’re planning on keeping me?”
“Yes.” Ruby gave him a lingering kiss and whispered, “Until one of us retires to heaven.”
Michael brushed her cheek with his hand. “I’ll go first and wait for you.”
Ruby shook her head. “No.”
He arched an eyebrow. “No?”
“No. We’ll go together. I’m not letting you go ever again.”
The End
About the Author
Cami is a part-time author, part-time exercise consultant, part-time housekeeper, full-time wife, and overtime mother of four adorable boys. Sleep and relaxation are fond memories. She’s never been happier.
Please refer to her book blog – http://camicheckettsbooks.blogpost.com for more information about her books. For fitness articles and exercise advice – http://fitnessformom.blogspot.com
Other books by Cami:
The Fourth of July
The Sister Pact
Dead Running
Dying to Run
The Broken Path
If you enjoyed Poison Me please consider posting a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or your personal blog. Thank you for helping to spread the word.
A portion of the proceeds from Poison Me will be donated to The Child and Family Support Center. For more information on this worthy cause – www.cachecfsc.org
www.camichecketts.com
Poison Me Page 22
