by Kira Chase
“He's alive, but unconscious,” she said anxiously. “Where the hell is the ambulance?”
Frankie left her to tend to the officer and walked slowly around the police car. She cautiously made her way to the driver's side. The door was slightly ajar. She shined the light inside. The sight that greeted her shocked her. She almost dropped the flashlight then quickly got herself under control. “Over here, Kate,” Frankie shouted.
She peered inside the rest of the car sweeping her flashlight around and checking the back seat. When she was certain that no one was crouching on the floor she concentrated the beam of light on the officer. He was slumped over the steering wheel. A stream of blood trickled down the side of the officer's face.
Kate rushed to her side. She immediately checked his pulse then inhaled sharply. “He's dead. Clean shot to the head. Looks like they were ambushed.”
Frankie shivered as she peered into the darkness. “He's here, Kate. Probably watching us right now.” Suddenly she realized how foolish they'd been opening the gate and even more foolish to have left it open. She looked up when she heard a car approaching and breathed a sigh of relief.
The sheriff's car screeched to a stop and the car doors opened and then slammed shut as Sheriff Ryker and Deputy Paton exited the car and hurried to where the women stood.
Before George could respond, Kate began filling him in. “The officer in the car has a bullet to the head,” she stated. “The one on the ground has a pulse, but I don't know his condition. I called for an ambulance and backup.”
George turned to Arlan. “Request all available units. Then call the command center and fill them in.” He turned to Kate.
Frankie braced herself. She could almost feel the tension oozing from his body as he stood rigidly glaring at the young deputy.
Arlan glanced at Kate before racing back to the Sheriff's car.
George's face showed the rage he felt. “What are you two doing on this side of the gate? And why the hell is that gate open!” He jabbed a finger toward the open gate. “Do you know how foolish that was, Deputy Allen?” he demanded.
Before Kate could reply Frankie jumped in. She hoped to take some of the pressure off her friend. “I opened it, George. It's my fault.”
“Why the hell would you do that?” he shouted. “And why the hell are you even out here and not in the house, Frankie? Do you know what a risk you put yourself in? Arlan and I might have arrived to find you and Kate in the same condition as the officers,” he fumed. “What were you thinking?”
Frankie's face twitched. “I wasn't thinking clearly,” she admitted.
“Stop, Frankie,” Kate said. She straightened her shoulders as she looked at George. “She's covering for me. I instructed her to open the gate and leave it open, Sheriff. I take full responsibility.”
Sheriff Ryker glanced around the darkened area. “That wasn't a smart move on your part, Deputy Allen. You put not only yourself, but also Frankie at great risk. I hope you realize that.”
Kate drew a deep breath. “I'm sorry, Sheriff.”
“Sorry isn't good enough! We'll discuss it later,” he replied gruffly.
Frankie couldn't let Kate take all of the blame. “It's my fault, too, George. I insisted on coming with her. She tried to stop me.”
“I said we'll discuss it later,” George replied. “Right now we need to assess the situation. Did either of you see or hear anything before you opened the gate?”
“No,” they replied in unison.
It suddenly occurred to Frankie that it could have been Kate and Arlan in the car if they'd been allowed to guard the gate as they'd wanted to. She swallowed hard. Even though she was upset that two officers sent to protect her had been severely wounded and killed, she was relieved that it wasn't Kate and Arlan.
Frankie looked in Arlan's direction. He'd started towards them, but stopped, waiting for George to finish his dressing down of Kate. He looked like he didn't know whether to run to Kate and pull her into his arms to comfort her or stay where he was. His expression was pained as he looked at his fiancée. Frankie felt like crap.
“I've radioed it in,” Arlan said rejoining them. “Every available unit is on the way.”
They all turned as flashing lights lit up the driveway. Two ambulances, sirens wailing, halted behind the Sheriff's car. Paramedics jumped from the vehicles.
Arlan waited until George walked to meet the paramedics and then finally moved to where Kate stood and turned to her. “Don't worry, Kate. Give him time to cool off. I wish you'd stayed put like you were supposed to, though. It scares me to think what could have happened to you and Frankie. I think that's what has George so angry.”
“I know,” she replied quietly. “I had a lapse in judgment.”
“Just don't scare me like that again. Let's see if the officer is able to tell us anything.”
Kate nodded as she followed him to where the paramedics were rushing to the wounded officer's side.
George nodded to the paramedics and sauntered over to Frankie. “Where's Johanna?” he asked looking around.
“At the house. We told her to lock the door behind us.” She looked George in the eye. “Please don't blame Kate for my actions. You know me well enough to know that there is no way I wouldn't go with Kate.” She set her jaw. “It's just as much my fault.”
George shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Yes, I know that, Frankie. What I'm pissed about is the fact that Kate left the house in the first place and then had you open the gate and leave it open.” His jaw twitched. “My God, Frankie, he could have been hiding in the brush.”
Frankie lowered her eyes. “You're right. It wasn't one of my smartest moves. If I could undo it, I would.”
George laid a hand on her arm. She raised her eyes, surprised.
He sighed heavily. “Well, we know Fellows is close.” He looked up at the pitch dark sky. “Probably hiding out in the woods. We'll be sending men and dogs in.” He glanced around the property. “You have a lot of wooded land here. It could take a while.”
“It's all fenced except for several feet on the sides before the gate. Even if he went in there he wouldn't get far.” She shivered. “Do you think he might have left the property after he shot the officers?” She knew after the words were out of her mouth that she didn't believe them. Her skin crawled. He was near. How near she didn't know. But she could feel his presence. He was watching…waiting.
“He wouldn't come this far and leave before he finished what he came for.” George squinted at her. “You know that as well as I do, Frankie.”
Yes, she did know that. Right now she felt so helpless. She was a sitting duck not knowing when or where he'd make himself known.
The sheriff watched as cars and vans filled with officers began converging on the area. Units spilled out of the vehicles awaiting their orders as others set up large searchlights.
Frankie watched as the entire area was soon bathed in light. She saw cars filled with curious spectators pulling up on the road.
George scratched his head. “A road block is being set up. We'll get rid of all these curious onlookers.” He looked at her. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “As well as can be expected under the circumstances. It's just a waiting game right now.”
He looked at her curiously. “I'm worried about you, Frankie. You don't have to put on an act with me. If I were in your shoes, I'd be scared shitless.”
Frankie's eyes shifted. “I'm fine.” She scratched her jaw. “I still can't figure out how Fellows is avoiding capture. Any leads yet on who's helping him?” she asked. “Has Alice been found? If it isn't her then my bet is on a guard.”
“You're right. I was going to tell you in the morning, but since all this happened…” His eyes shifted to the scene in front of them. “We got a break in the case tonight. A little too late, I'm afraid. If it would have come sooner, Fellows would have been captured before he got to his first victim. The info came through shortly before Kate called
.” He rubbed his jaw. “It was a guard. Bradley Michaels. Michaels had a clean record, no problems, got along well with his co-workers…nothing negative at all on his record. Now he'll most likely be spending the rest of his life behind bars.”
“How'd they end up connecting him to Fellows? I thought everyone, even going years back, had checked out.”
“He was a pro at covering his tracks. I doubt Fellows was the first inmate he'd helped. I'm sure when they've finished the investigation more charges will be levied against him. After Fellows was released he kept in touch with him. Said he felt sorry for Fellows because no one gave a damn whether he rotted in prison. Since Fellows had no allies when he got out, Michaels knew it would be even more difficult for Fellows on the outside. He'd have a hell of a time re-entering society without one person in the world who gave a shit about him.”
“Oh…my heart bleeds for the scumbag,” Frankie said sarcastically.
“My feelings exactly. Anyway, Michaels met Fellows about twenty years ago. He occasionally brought little treats to him…candy bars, cigarettes…things like that.”
“Why did he come forward now?”
George shook his head slowly back and forth. “There's nothing I hate more, Frankie, than someone who's not only dirty, but when something goes wrong for him, expects all stops to be pulled out to help him out.”
Frankie frowned. “I'm not sure I know what you mean.”
“The rotten bastard never came forward when Fellows' victims' bodies began piling up. He only came forward because he's worried about his sister's involvement with Fellows.”
Frankie's eyes grew wide. “Bradley Michaels’ sister is with Fellows? Is that what you're saying? She's been helping him?”
George nodded. “He'd introduced his sister, Lisa, to Fellows shortly after Fellows’ release. According to him, they hit it off and were seeing each other regularly.”
“She must be as sick as he is. A real piece of work. Who in their right mind would want a relationship with someone who sexually violated little girls and murdered his wife?” she asked disgustedly.
“I agree. Seems she had quite a bit of money from some inheritance. Her brother found out she was planning to run away with Fellows.”
Frankie frowned. “It still doesn't seem like his crime would be severe enough to warrant life in prison. I've seen dirty cops do worse and get off with a freaking slap on the wrist.”
“There's more. Michaels supplied Fellows with guns and even ordered uniforms for him. The items he couldn't get, he set Fellows up with contacts for everything he'd need to pass as a legitimate police officer. Since Michaels kept his nose clean, no one was the wiser.”
“So he obviously did this before,” Frankie surmised shaking her head in disgust.
“Most likely he'd had this nice little money maker on the side all along.”
“If Fellows had no money, then how was he financially compensated? Michaels knew Fellows had no one to float him some when he got out.”
“This is where it gets interesting. Through his sister. Seems he was jealous over the inheritance and figured this was a way to get some of her money.”
“What an asshole!” Frankie spat out. “So why's he worried about his sister now? Money run out?”
George cleared his throat. “He says he became worried when calls to his sister's cell phone started to go unanswered. She'd checked in with him daily since she left. He's afraid that Fellows has done something to her.”
“You think? What the hell did he think that psycho would do to her when he no longer needed her?”
“He claims he was just giving Fellows a chance to get far away where no one would know him so he could start fresh with his sister.”
“And he needed guns and to pass himself off as a cop to accomplish that?”
“There's more.”
Frankie's eyes slanted. “I can't imagine how there could be, but let me have it.” She braced herself.
His face was grim. “We have reason to believe that he knew that his sister supplied Fellows with the current addresses of the victims. His sister worked for a high profile company that performs nothing but in depth background checks.”
“Unbelievable! There's one thing I still can't figure out. Why the hell would Fellows send that letter to his former cellmate? That doesn't make sense. He could have gone on his killing spree for a long time, all over the country, without anyone making a connection.” She shivered. He could have easily gotten to me, she thought.
George grunted. “My personal opinion is that he got a sick thrill out of it. Wearing the uniform gave him power he didn't earn or deserve and gave him a sense of satisfaction at law enforcement's expense.”
“So the victims, of course, trusted a police officer probably assuming he'd been sent to guard them. Then after he'd gained their trust, he went for the kill.” She rammed her hands into her jacket pockets. “Son-of-a-bitch! He played all of us!”
“Catching him tonight will let his other potential victims breathe a sigh of relief.” He glanced around. “He knows by now that he won't get away. His luck has run out. I can't wait until we bring him down. It's almost over, Frankie.”
Frankie chewed her bottom lip. “I just had a chilling thought, George.” She raised her hands sweeping them out in front of her. “If he's in a police uniform then how do we know he's not here right now mingling in with everyone else?”
“Every unit assigned here is thoroughly checked before entering the property.” He patted her shoulder. “He won't get in.”
Frankie swallowed hard. “But, George, if he was already here, which we assume he was because of what's been done to the officers, then he's already been able to blend right in undetected with everyone else. Who would know? And I left the damned gate open,” she choked. “I gave that fucking bastard clear access to my house. Oh my God, Johanna's at the house!”
“Do you have your cell phone on you?” George asked.
Frankie nodded. “Yes.”
“Call her. Make sure she's okay. Tell her we'll be right there and not to answer the door to anyone but Arlan, Kate, you or me.”
Frankie pulled her cell phone from her jacket pocket and shook as she punched speed dial for Johanna's cell phone. She waited, impatiently chewing her lip, but Johanna didn't answer and her call went to voicemail. She began to tremble. “She's not picking up, George.” Her heart constricted. “She always answers. George, you don't think—” The rest of the words caught in her throat. She blinked back tears.
“Maybe she's in the bathroom,” George reasoned, trying to calm her.
“She'd have her phone with her. Her phone is never out of her reach.”
“Dammit!” George turned to Kate who had rejoined them while Frankie was making her call. “Deputy Allen, if anything has happened to Johanna, this is on you!” He stabbed a finger in her face. “Do you hear me? You were not supposed to leave the house! You disobeyed a direct order!”
Kate stood stiffly. “I take full responsibility, Sheriff. Deputy Paton filled me in on the contact.” She cleared her throat. “I'm sorry, Sir.”
Frankie, white faced, turned on her heel. “I'm going up to the house. I need to make sure she's okay. Can you drive me, Kate?”
George grabbed her arm. “We need to get some men up there and you need to stay put, Frankie.”
“But, George, that bastard could be in my house right now doing God knows what to her,” Frankie cried as she tried to free her arm.
“Give me a minute and I'll take you myself.”
Arlan took Kate's arm and led her to where the paramedics were finally loading the wounded police officer into the back of an ambulance.
“Is he going to make it?” Arlan asked.
One of the paramedics looked at him. “I don't know. He's in pretty bad shape.” He nodded in the direction of the deceased officer. “He died instantly. Probably never knew what hit him.”
Kate inhaled sharply. “I screwed up, Arlan.” She swallowed hard. “I
really screwed up!”
“I probably would have done the same thing. It was a tough call. Don't be so hard on yourself.” Arlan gave her arm a quick squeeze then glanced around. He spotted Frankie and motioned to her.
Frankie had been standing a short distance away, but still within hearing range, listening to the exchange between Kate and Arlan while George requested every available officer to converge on her home. By the expression on Arlan's face it was evident that he wished he could pull Kate into his arms and console her. She was sure as soon as this was over that's exactly what he would do. She walked closer to where they stood.
“I'm sorry, Frankie,” Kate said. “I take full responsibility for putting your life in danger.” She blinked hard. “If I could do it over I would.”
“You couldn't have stopped me, Kate. You tried. Short of handcuffing me to a chair, there was nothing you could do. Don't blame yourself.”
“I do, Frankie. It's not just that you came with me; I shouldn't have left the house. I was irresponsible.”
“You only did what I would have done, too.” She smiled faintly. “Just stop beating yourself up over it.”
“That's what I've been telling you, Kate,” Arlan said gently.
Frankie gripped her cell phone. “I'm waiting for George to take me back to the house. Johanna's still not answering her phone.” Her voice wobbled, then broke. “She would have answered by now.” She sniffed. “I'm not waiting for him any longer. I'm going up there now. If anything's happened to her…” she broke off in sobs.
Kate was immediately at her side enclosing her in her arms. “You need to wait for George,” she said in a cracked voice. “I'm so sorry, Frankie.”
Arlan placed a hand on her shoulder. “George will let us know what's going on. I'm sure Johanna is fine.”
