Pineapple Puppies

by Amy Vansant

  And then there was Gemma, moping around outside her room when she should have been riding.

  No, she couldn’t kill Gemma first thanks to Payne’s big mouth, and she couldn’t kill Payne first because Gemma knew the truth.

  How do you kill two people at once?

  Think. Think. Think.

  What are things that kill multiple people?

  Bombs.

  No. Where was she going to get a bomb? Not to mention they were a little messy. Hard to blow up a bomb and make it look like an accident. Plus she had no idea how to make one. There were probably instructions online but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t end up blowing herself up instead.

  Storms. Nope. Can’t control the weather. Maybe a sinking boat. Maybe some kind of accident…

  Her gaze slid down to the Miata parked in the spot in front of the barn.

  You don’t want to wrap this thing around a tree.

  The hunk had said that to her.

  The Miata was, in itself, an accident waiting to happen. The thing was a death trap of faulty seat belts and slipping gears.

  The girls were always begging her to let them go riding. It was a fun little car.

  In a small convertible like that...

  The passengers wouldn’t stand a chance.

  Lyndsey grinned.

  Bingo.

  Lyndsey opened her kitchen drawer and retrieved the key to her bathroom.

  First things first.

  She disappeared inside for forty-five minutes and then returned feeling invigorated.

  I am an avenging goddess.

  She locked the door and returned the key to its secret spot at the back of the drawer. She’d got as far as the door when she had a thought and returned to the knife block. She pulled out the sharpest knife and took it with her.

  Lyndsey was leaning against the back of the Miata when the girls came back with their horses.

  “Hey girls, you want to go for a drive?”

  “In the Miata?” asked Payne, her excitement poorly hidden behind her trademark pout.

  Gemma touched her sister’s hand. “She’s trying to bribe us.”

  “Bribe you?” Lyndsey shook her head. “Why would I want to bribe you?”

  “Because you know we know what you did.”

  “Don’t be stupid. Why would I want to hurt Uncle Kimber?”

  “Don’t you mean Daddy?” asked Payne.

  Lyndsey rolled her eyes. “Whatever. You’re both idiots. I came back into the house to go to the bathroom, that’s all. I was covered in puppy spit and I had to pee. You try to drive with puppies walking all over your bladder.”

  Payne looked at the Miata and then back to Gemma. “Let her bribe us. We can still do whatever we want.”

  Gemma frowned at Lyndsey. “You can’t buy us off, you know.”

  “No, she can,” said Payne. “That’s the point. We’re blackmailing her.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “And I will pay, too,” said Lyndsey, trying to look as sincere as possible. “I’ve been thinking about it. Even though I didn’t sneak back into the house to kill Uncle Kimber, I do intend to share my inheritance with you.”

  “Half?” asked Payne.

  “Thirty percent, actually.”

  “Each?”

  “Sure. You two are like my little sisters.” The strain of adding a sweet smile to the end of her sentence nearly gave her an aneurysm.

  “We really are cousins now.”

  “I know, right? That’s what I mean. We’re family. Put the horses away and hop in.”

  The girls dragged their mounts to the stable and after a quick untacking, returned out of breath and ready.

  “Shotgun!” screamed Payne, jumping for the passenger seat.

  Gemma pouted. “I get it on the way home then.”

  “We’ll see.”

  Gemma hopped in the back.

  Payne reached over her shoulder. Not finding what she was looking for, she twisted to inspect things. “There’s no seatbelt.”

  “No. It’s an old car. They were rotting. I’m having them replaced,” said Lyndsey, buckling hers. She took a moment to be sure it was extra tight.

  Payne scowled. “But you have one.”

  “I have to, by law.”

  “We all have to by law,” said Gemma. “But there’s none back here either.”

  “I had this one done on rush but it was more expensive. It’s usually just me so I wasn’t in a hurry with the others. You’ll be fine. We won’t go far anyway.”

  Payne shrugged and raised her arms above her head. “Let’s go cruisin’!”

  Lyndsey grinned. “Let’s go!”

  She reached down, pretending to scratch her ankle, and tucked the paring knife she’d used to cut out the belts a little farther under the mat. If the girls weren’t killed in the crash, she might need it.

  After two tries to get the car into gear, Lyndsey tore down the long gravel drive.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Charlotte held a hose on the one front-yard flower brave enough to return for a second showing, musing about a new way to nail Lyndsey. The moment they approached her about re-taking the paternity test, she’d know they were on to her. At that point, they’d never get her to confess. They had a very small window to try and trick her.

  Maybe I should try throwing Declan at her one more time? He was her secret weapon. And he said he didn’t like being a sexy spy, but she could tell he kind of liked the intrigue. After listening to his recording, it was obvious Lyndsey was attracted to him. She’d almost suffered a flash of jealousy hearing the horse trainer coax him towards her bed.

  Oh who am I kidding? I did suffer a flash of jealousy.

  Charlotte’s phone rang in her pocket and she fished it out.

  Mina. Probably wondering how things had gone.

  “Hello?”

  “Charlotte, you have to come quick!” Mina sounded in a full-blown panic.

  “What is it?”

  “Lyndsey just drove off with the twins.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The Miata is gone.”

  “What does that mean? Are you saying she kidnapped them?”

  “No, I don’t know. But it can’t be good. The twins are obsessed with that car and she knows it. She never lets them ride in it. It’s was her mother’s. Denying the girls rides is her favorite tease.”

  “But suddenly she took them out?”

  “Exactly. It doesn’t feel right. I’m afraid she’s up to no good.”

  “Do you have any idea where she might take them?”

  “I know she likes to ride on that curvy road that goes through the swamp forest. Do you know where I mean? It’s over by you, I think.”

  Charlotte knew the road. It curved, picturesque, through swampy land with large moss-covered trees arching overhead. She could see how the road would be fun to zip through in a little sports car.

  “Call the sheriff. Tell him you’re worried and you need him to try and find her. I’ll head to the road—I think it’s Rt. 14?—and see if I can find them.”

  “Oh Charlotte...” Mina had begun to sob. “I feel so terrible suspecting her. I raised her. It’s horrible of me to think—”

  “Better safe than sorry. I’m going to go. Call the sheriff.”

  Charlotte hung up and ran to turn off the hose and grab her car keys.

  Hopping into the Volvo, she realized her tank of a car would never catch Lyndsey if she was speeding around like Mina suggested. Guessing her quarry would head from north to south, she took a faster road paralleling Rt. 14 to the opposite end and entered from there, hoping to head toward the Miata. Hopefully, that way they would meet in the middle somewhere before Lyndsey did whatever was on her mind.

  Charlotte drove as fast as she dared until she spotted what looked like a small car speeding towards her. She’d already seen two false alarms, but this car looked to be the right color, and as it grew closer, she spotted three heads.
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  At least she hasn’t thrown the girls out yet.

  As the car sped by her in the opposite direction, Lyndsey turned her head.

  She saw me.

  Good.

  Charlotte hit the brakes and did a U-turn, stomping on the gas to try and catch up.

  Lyndsey increased her speed until Charlotte found herself gripping the wheel with both hands, fighting to keep her lumbering juggernaut on the road.

  She glimpsed at her speedometer.

  Ninety-seven miles per hour.

  Charlotte swallowed. She was close enough that Lyndsey could see she was being followed. That’s really all she needed to do, make sure the woman knew anything she tried would be witnessed, but she feared both for her own safety and that of all three girls in the Miata. She second-guessed her plan.

  Should I let her go? Am I forcing her to wreck the car by following her?

  Now she knew how police felt during high-speed chases.

  And why was Lyndsey going so fast? Was she trying to lose her? Or had that been her plan all along? An innocent, high-speed joy ride? Maybe she had taken Charlotte’s appearance as a challenge.

  Lyndsey came up behind another car on the one-lane road, her brake lights flashing red as she was forced to slow down. Charlotte soon caught up and followed at a safe distance. Twice she saw the twins twist to look at her. Who knew what Lyndsey was telling them about her pursuit?

  The moment Rt. 14 dumped onto a two-lane highway, Lyndsey hit the gas and passed the Toyota in front of her. Payne raised both hands over her head as if she was on a roller coaster.

  They drove like that, one after the other close to one hundred miles an hour, until Charlotte knew where they were heading.

  Back to the farm.

  The Miata slowed to take the turn on to the Miller’s driveway and then peeled off again. Charlotte did the same. She wasn’t sure how she was going to explain why she’d been racing around behind them, but she couldn’t stop now. No matter what she came up with, she had to admit Lyndsey was now officially tipped off to their suspicions.

  At the end of the driveway, Lyndsey stomped her brakes and the Miata fishtailed, sliding across the stone drive until it came to rest against the railing post leading up the front steps. Charlotte heard the twins scream. Lyndsey was out of the car in a heartbeat, running around the side of the house towards the barn.

  She never glanced back at Charlotte.

  Uh oh. That can’t be good.

  Charlotte pulled up and scrambled out of her own car.

  “Are you two okay?”

  “She’s crazy!” screamed Gemma as she spilled out the Miata.

  Payne jumped out, her eyes wild. “That was nuts.”

  “Why were you chasing us?” asked Gemma, looking wobbly on her feet.

  Charlotte moved to open the hatch of the Volvo and found her gun tucked in the spare tire well. For once she’d remembered to put it where it might be useful to her. “You two stay out of sight. I don’t know what she’s up to.”

  “Are you going to shoot her?” asked Payne, her expression telegraphing excitement much more than concern.

  “That’s not the plan.”

  Mina appeared on the porch, gaping at the Miata squeezed against the front of the house.

  “You’ve found them. What’s going on?”

  Charlotte motioned to Mina. “Go in the house. Take them inside, lock the doors and hide. Call nine-one-one.”

  “And tell them what?”

  “Lyndsey’s gone loco,” said Payne, already mounting the stairs.

  There was a gunshot and Charlotte felt something whiz by her head. A hole magically appeared in the trunk of the Miata behind her.

  Holy—

  The twins screamed and ran up the steps into Mina’s open arms as the woman herded them inside.

  The path of the bullet lay between Charlotte and the porch. She didn’t feel great about crossing that path to follow the others into the house, so instead she spun and dove behind the Volvo, squatting, her back against the bumper. Lyndsey could hit her tank of a car with an RPG missile and she’d still have a fighting chance.

  “Lyndsey!” she called at the top of her lungs. “It doesn’t have to be like this!”

  “I’m not going to prison!” Lyndsey screamed back. “I’m not letting those bitches take my whole life!”

  Charlotte rolled her eyes. Again with the bitches. Lyndsey was not a member of the twins’ fan club. Charlotte was beginning to think what Mina had taken as a form of sibling rivalry was really Lyndsey’s hate-fueled loathing for the twins.

  Charlotte peeked around the corner of her car. Lyndsey stood by the corner of the riding ring’s fence. Seeing Charlotte, she raised her gun and Charlotte ducked back as another bullet flew by and disappeared somewhere on the opposite side of the yard, barely missing the barn Jeep.

  Yikes. This woman means business.

  Charlotte peeked again and saw Lyndsey walking towards her.

  Crap.

  “I have a gun, too. Don’t make me use it!” screamed Charlotte.

  Lyndsey kept walking.

  Damn. I’m going to have to prove it.

  Charlotte leaned to the side and shot fifty feet above Lyndsey’s head. There wasn’t a chance in a billion she’d hit her, but it looked as if she meant business and it proved she was armed.

  Lyndsey whirled and ran back to the fence to hide behind the corner posts.

  Charlotte pressed her back against her bumper and stared at the Jeep.

  All the cars are over here.

  Lyndsey needed to escape, but couldn’t get to a vehicle without coming into range of Charlotte’s weapon. That was good in the sense Lyndsey couldn’t get far, but bad for her crouching among the vehicles. There was no real way for Charlotte to escape to safety.

  “It isn’t your fault. We know it isn’t your fault,” she called. If she could get the woman talking, maybe she could kill enough time for the police to arrive.

  Charlotte waited for a response but none came. Taking a deep breath, she peeked again.

  Lyndsey was gone.

  Charlotte heard screams.

  She’s in the house.

  Standing, she ran to the front door to find it locked. Inside, she could hear Lyndsey barking commands.

  Here we go.

  Charlotte shot at the lock and kicked the door open before twirling to throw her back against the outer wall.

  No bullets flew by.

  She heard Lyndsey’s voice again. Judging by the sound, she was in the kitchen.

  Charlotte crept into the house, hugging the wall. No sooner was she in than the twins appeared, backing from the kitchen into the great hall with their hands in the air.

  Like synchronized swimmers, the twins ducked away and slammed their backs against the wall of the great hall, one on each side of the archway leading into the kitchen.

  Charlotte marveled that the girls had made the same move simultaneously, without sharing a word.

  I guess that twin ESP really does work.

  Charlotte scurried up beside Payne, who’d spun towards her side of the room.

  “What’s going on?” she whispered.

  “She’s got Mina. She’s holding a gun to her head. She looks crazy.”

  Payne’s usual mask of bravado had slipped, her face pale.

  Charlotte pointed to Gemma to get her attention and then pointed to the exit. “You two go outside and drive off in whatever car you can. I’ll keep her distracted.”

  “The Miata?” asked Payne.

  “Whatever has keys. Sure. Or my car.”

  Payne’s lip curled. “That thing?”

  Charlotte frowned.

  Her life’s in danger and she’s still a little brat.

  Something small and dark moved at Charlotte’s feet and she and Payne both yelped. She pointed her gun downward.

  One of the puppies had trotted into the hall. It looked up at her, mouth open, pink tongue flashing, teeth showing as if it was
smiling. Charlotte pointed her gun back at the ceiling.

  “What’s it doing here?” she asked.

  “Mina was letting them run,” said Payne.

  The puppy pounced on Payne’s sneaker and clamped its tiny teeth on her laces, growling like an angry munchkin.

  Charlotte leaned forward and motioned to Gemma to go around the back of the center staircase and head for the front door. Gemma nodded and jogged around the center stair, using it as a wall between her and Lyndsey’s line of vision through the kitchen exit.

  “Go, take him,” said Charlotte to Payne, motioning to the puppy.

  Payne scooped up the Yorkie and ran to her sister at the front door, where she conveyed Charlotte’s instructions. Charlotte heard the word Miata twice and felt a little pang of disappointment that Payne didn’t see the Volvo was clearly the safer vehicle to take with a potential sniper at their back.

  “Are you sure you can drive the Miata?” hissed Charlotte.

  Payne nodded. “We drive it around every time Lyndsey goes anywhere.”

  Charlotte held up a finger. “Let me distract her so she doesn’t shoot you through the window.”

  The girls grimaced, gazes darting to the Miata. Driving seemed to appear less fun to them.

  “Lyndsey, I’m here,” called Charlotte.

  “Stay back or I’ll kill her.”

  Charlotte peered around the corner to see Lyndsey with her gun pressed against Mina’s head. She had her other arm wrapped around her throat so that Mina’s head tucked into the crook of her elbow.

  Charlotte motioned with her left hand for the twins to go and stepped into the archway, her gun at her side. Another puppy sprang from nowhere and landed on her flip-flop to gnaw on the strap between her toes.

  “Lyndsey, you wouldn’t hurt Mina. Ow!”

  The dog caught a bit of her flesh in its tiny chompers.

  She shook her foot to dislodge the dog and continued. “She’s been like a mother to you.”

  “I have a mother.”

  “But Mina took you in, ow! You little—”

  Angry to be unseated, the puppy had pounced back on her foot and begun munching her toes. She could feel its tiny needle teeth working through her flesh and once again she shook the ankle shark loose. The movement of her foot caught the attention of another puppy, who came bounding toward her like a squirrel assassin. The new one slammed into the original attacker and the two of them rolled like a tumbleweed to the left, locked in a high-pitched, growling battle.