Killer Reads: A Collection of the Best in Inspirational Suspense

by Luana Ehrlich

  Denny’s mustache twitched as he smiled. “Good to know. Good to know. Robbie, call your dad and tell him it’s a go.”

  “Do not listen to him.” Theresa’s eyes landed on Robbie. “You haven’t done anything at this point that can’t be fixed. It can be worked out. You want to be able to watch your child grow up, don’t you?”

  Denny’s hand darted out and slapped Theresa across the face. “You shut up. Or you’ll be sorry.”

  Blood trickled from her lip.

  “I will not shut up. Why should Robbie and LaTisha’s life be ruined because of your greed? Billy was right about you.”

  His hand raised up again. Reggie flinched waiting for him to hit Theresa again. “You don’t know nothing about it. It’s so easy for you, thanks to Billy and his money. But life isn’t like that in the real world.” His hand lowered but was still in striking position.

  Theresa licked at the blood oozing from her lip. “I understand how upset you’re are. But let me help me. Like you said, Billy has money. We can help.”

  Denny’s threw his head back and he laughed. “Yeah, right. You’ll help me right to a jail cell.”

  “Billy knows people. He can help. He can fix this.”

  Denny pointed the gun at her. “I don’t need nobody’s help. I take care of my own.” He looked over at Robbie and the still sobbing LaTisha. “Tie her up. We gotta get going. They’ll be safe here while we’re gone. I’ll take care of them later.”

  “I’m not going to tie up LaTisha.”

  “Look boy, you gotta. If you don’t, she’ll be calling the cops the minute our backs are turned. We ain’t gonna hurt her. It’s just to keep her here until we’re finished. Once we got the money, she’ll be singing a different tune.”

  Robbie’s eyes darted around the horse stall. He shook his head and looked as if he might be ill. “I can’t.”

  “Fine. Go out to the truck and find that cell phone of hers. I’ll take care of things here.”

  “Don’t hurt her.”

  “I won’t.”

  Robbie stood up. His hand trailed LaTisha’s arm.

  “Robbie, don’t leave me. You can’t trust him.” She grabbed at him but he was out of her reach. “Robbie.”

  “It’ll be all right, Tish. Just for a few hours and then it’ll all be over.” He turned his back.

  Denny grabbed some rope draped over the stall. He turned back to LaTisha. She crawled backwards away from him. When her back hit the wall, a look of panic crossed her face. “Yea, just a few hours and it will all be over.”

  “Don’t fight him, LaTisha. You don’t want to hurt the baby.” Reggie cried out. She’d be able to free all of them after they left and get far away from these crazy people.

  “No.” Her foot kicked out at Denny. “Don’t trust him.”

  “Let him tie you up. He said he wouldn’t hurt you.” Theresa urged the young pregnant woman.

  “Listen to your friend, LaTisha. I’m not going to hurt you. I just gotta make sure you don’t do something stupid like call the cops while we’re gone.”

  LaTisha sobbed and kicked at him but it didn’t matter. He managed to tie her up. He stood and walked to the stall door.

  He turned back, a cruel glint in his eyes. He sneered at them and said, “Robbie’s right about one thing. In a few hours it will all be over.”

  CHAPTER 55

  LaTisha sobbed.

  Reggie kept quiet. She wanted to be sure they were alone before she showed them she was untied.

  Theresa scooted closer to the young woman. “Don’t worry. God will keep you and your baby safe. You need to take deep breaths and calm down.”

  Tears coursed down LaTisha’s cheeks. “I don’t understand...I can’t believe what’s—” She bent over and moaned.

  “Are you okay?” Theresa’s voice was anxious.

  “A cramp.”

  “Breathe through it.” Theresa panted showing LaTisha what to do.

  Reggie unwrapped the rope from her wrists and held them in front of her. “”I managed to untie myself. Robbie didn’t actually do that good of a job. I’m sure on purpose.”

  “Oh, thank you, God.” Theresa said.

  Reggie reached down and untied her legs. She stood up and stretched. “We need to make sure they’re gone before we leave.”

  She walked over and untied Theresa’s arms, then walked over to LaTisha. “My name’s Reggie. I’m a friend of Theresa’s”

  The girl nodded and sniffed back a sob. “I’m so sorry Robbie did this.”

  She bent down and untied LaTisha’s feet. “You didn’t do anything to be sorry for.” Theresa grabbed one arm and she grabbed the other. With a nod, the two women gently helped LaTisha to a standing position.

  “Still got the cramp.”

  Bent over with a hand on her huge belly, LaTisha smiled up at them. “A little but it’s better.” She took a deep breath and straightened up. “Really.”

  Theresa released her arm and ran a hand through her hair. “Now, what should we do?”

  “How well do you know the woods?” Reggie looked at LaTisha waiting for an answer.

  LaTisha shook her head. “Not real well. But I do know if we go south, we’ll eventually come to PawPaw.”

  “Sounds like a plan to me.”

  “Can you walk, LaTisha?” Theresa, always the nurse, asked.

  She nodded.

  Reggie walked out of the stall and looked toward the back of the barn. No door. Rats, she’d hoped there would be a back way out but she wasn’t seeing one. Guess they’d have to go out the front. “LaTisha is there another way out of here?”

  “No, only the one door.”

  She led the way but stopped when they arrived at the barn door. Looking back at Theresa, she asked. “Are we ready?”

  Reggie pushed the huge barn door opened a few inches. It creaked on the rusty hinges. She poked her head out. “I don’t see anything.”

  “Let’s move fast and get into the woods. After that we can take our time.” Theresa told them.

  Her palms were slick with sweat. Who knew she’d feel safer in the barn than outside where freedom waited? Reggie took a deep breath and walked out into the bright sunlight. The earlier drizzle gone.

  She stepped to the side and waited for Theresa and LaTisha to come out.

  They stepped out into the day. LaTisha looked around nervously, but Theresa stayed focused. She grabbed the pregnant woman’s arm. “Let’s go.”

  Reggie walked a few steps behind, her gaze scanning the area. She was so busy watching behind her, Theresa and LaTisha got away from her. She jogged several steps to catch up with them.

  LaTisha gasped and bent over. “Another cramp.”

  “We’ve got to keep moving. Just until we get to the woods.” Reggie’s voice was tense.

  “I can’t.” LaTisha pushed Theresa away from her. “Go. Just go. I can take care of myself. They won’t hurt me.”

  Reggie thought of Denny’s eyes when he’d said that it would all be over soon. There’d been evil in them. He had no intention of letting LaTisha live. He knew she’d eventually tell someone the truth.

  Her eyes met Theresa’s. She shook her head. “No. We aren’t leaving you. Come on, we can do this.”

  They each grabbed an elbow. LaTisha took a step. A sigh of pain escaped. Reggie knew the woman was in pain but they had no choice. They had to get into the woods.

  She heard a vehicle approaching. A glance behind her. Robbie’s pick-up truck. “Run.” She yelled.

  The driver gunned the motor.

  LaTisha pushed them away. “Go, just go.” She crumpled to her knees.

  Theresa looked up at Reggie. “Run. Get out of here.”

  “I’m not leaving you.”

  “Yes you are. I’ll stay here. You go get help.”

  Reggie nodded and released Latisha’s arm.

  She didn’t like leaving them but it made sense.

  She sprinted toward the woods.

  Cursing
and screaming behind her made her heart sink. With all her strength, she pushed her legs to move faster, but moments later strong arms curled around her and they both fell to the ground.

  CHAPTER 56

  Reggie rolled over on her back breathing hard. When her gaze found his, she said, “Robbie, this isn’t going to end well for any of you, but you can still salvage a life with LaTisha and your child. Let me go. They don’t have to know you let me go.”

  “I can’t do that.” He lifted himself off of her but kept hold of her arm. He pulled her up along with him. Robbie’s hand shook has he pulled a gun out from the band of his pants. “Back to the barn.”

  “Robbie, let me go.”

  He chewed on the inside of his cheek, making him look as if was twelve. He shook his head. “Can’t do it. Too late.”

  “It’s not too late. You believe in God. I know you do. God can work this out. If you do the right thing now.”

  He looked around as if checking to see who was watching him. Maybe, there was hope. Maybe, he would listen to what she was saying.

  He pointed the gun at her. “You got to go back to the barn. Don’t worry. He’s not going to hurt you.”

  “Yes, he is, Robbie. He plans to kill all of us, including your wife. Maybe, even you.”

  “Denny would never kill me or LaTisha. We’re family. He wouldn’t.” The gun wobbled in his hand as he pointed at her then the barn. “Let’s go.”

  “You’re family. Latisha’s not.” They rounded the corner of the barn. LaTisha and Theresa were nowhere to be seen. Her heart sunk.

  Robbie jabbed her back with the gun. “In the barn.”

  Right back where they started. Nothing had changed except Denny Reagan was no doubt angrier than before. The smell of horse hit her as she walked through the door. Day had turned to dusk. They walked into the broken down barn. Brandishing the gun like a magic wand, Denny pointed at a wall. “Sit down.”

  After she did, he looked at Robbie. “Tie them up with that rope.”

  LaTisha and Theresa were huddled together on the floor.

  “Robbie, what are you doing? Have you lost your mind?” LaTisha screamed.

  His face flushed red and he wouldn’t look at his wife. “I’m sorry, but I gotta do this. Now get up and help me.”

  LaTisha shook her head. “No, you don’t, Robbie.”

  Theresa’s voice was calm. “I know you. This isn’t like you. Whatever’s going on, Billy and I can help you.”

  Denny raised the gun and shot it in the air. “No, you can’t and I’m tired of hearing you say you can.” He pointed the gun at Reggie. “If you say it one more time, I’ll shoot her.”

  He paced around and glared at them, then stomped off toward the door.

  “Robbie, stop this right now.” Tears fell on LaTisha’s cheeks as she wrapped her arms around her belly and rocked.”I think the baby’s coming.”

  “Just get up and help me tie them up so Uncle Denny don’t get any madder than he already is.” Robbie whispered.

  Still holding her stomach, Latisha shook her head. Her shoulders went back and her chin jutted out. She looked her husband in the eye. “I won’t help. And when I leave here, you will never see your child. Ever.”

  Robbie looked around as if being chased by a ghost. “Just do it. You gotta do it.”

  “I not only don’t have to do it. I’m not doing it. And you need to put that gun away and let Miss Theresa and her friend leave right now. I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s gone far enough.”

  Uncertainty and doubt crossed his face. The gun moved down an inch. Reggie felt her muscles relax. Maybe, LaTisha could change Robbie’s mind.

  “Stop all that whispering over there. Boy, get over here if you’re done tying’em up.”

  The barn door opened. A man walked in. His eyes moved from one woman to the other. Then he looked at Denny Reagan. “You weren’t supposed to pull a gun on them. Just keep them busy for awhile. That’s all you had to do.”

  Denny nodded. “That girl of his was supposed to pretend it was her time but she wouldn’t cooperate.”

  “Didn’t matter, Daddy. Billy and his friend didn’t come with them. We still don’t know what they’re doing.”

  Denny sneered at them. “I knew that no count boy of yours couldn’t do it right.” He nodded toward them. “Tie’em up. Including that worthless wife of his.”

  “You leave her alone, Denny.” Robbie moved closer to his wife.

  “I’ll do no such thing. She had her chance to prove she was part of this family, but she made the wrong choice.”

  LaTisha glared at the men. “I knew you were all up to no good. And when Mr. Billy came to the store worried about his wife. I should’ve known. I should’ve known right then. Robbie, why would you let them talk you into this? We were doing so good.” The last words came out as a sob.

  “We got no time for any of this.” Denny picked up the rope and tossed it to the other man. “Tie’em up. And make sure you do it right, not like him. He’s the reason they almost got away.”

  Robbie reached for the rope to take it from the man. “I can do it, Dad. You go on with Denny and go do what you’ve got to do.”

  His father grabbed it back. “I’ll do it myself. This is quite the mess we got here.”

  “This isn’t the way it was supposed to be.” Robbie whined. “It was supposed to be easy money. Dad could pay off the back taxes on our land and it would all be over. That’s what you promised.”

  “But now we got to deal with it.” Denny’s eyes glittered even in the dimness of the barn. “If that girl had done what she was supposed to do, it would have been fine. This is all your fault.” He moved the gun upwards and aimed it at LaTisha.

  Robbie jumped in front of LaTisha, knocking her down and out of the line of fire. Denny shot off two shots but in the same moment, Robbie’s dad pushed him from behind.

  “Are you nuts? That’s my son you’re shooting at.”

  Denny turned toward the father. “I don’t care who they are. They aren’t going to mess this up for me. I’ve been waiting my whole life for this kind of pay day.”

  Robbie moaned.

  Reggie’s gaze moved from the fighting men to Robbie on the ground. Blood gushed from his shoulder. Theresa crawled over to the injured Robbie. She looked up at Robbie’s dad. “Untie me. Let me help him.”

  The man walked to them.

  Denny snarled. “Don’t you untie them. It’s a trick.”

  Anger burned in the Robbie’s father’s eyes. He leaned down and untied her wrists. Wasting no time, Theresa yelled at no one in particular, “I need something to press against the wound to stop the bleeding.”

  Without a word, the man took off his shirt and tossed it to Theresa.

  Latisha cradled his head in her lap and cried.

  Theresa ripped open his shirt and looked at the wound. “It’s not that bad, LaTisha. He’s going—”

  Robbie’s father turned toward Denny Reagan. “You shot my boy.”

  Robbie’s dad lunged for the gun.

  CHAPTER 57

  Billy Clyde stomped around the deck, glaring at the people inside. “How long does it take to gather up some evidence?”

  Dylan shrugged. “Speaking of time, I can’t believe Reggie or Theresa hasn’t called yet.”

  Billy Clyde stared at his watch. “Must have their hands full. When Theresa’s on a call, I might not hear from her for six or seven hours. One time, it was eleven hours. Can you believe that? Eleven hours.”

  Dylan propped his knee on the picnic table. “So, what’s the story with Robbie and LaTisha?”

  Billy Clyde stopped glaring at the technicians though the patio window and focused on Dylan. “Oh, they’re good kids. Robbie’s been in some trouble but since he married LaTisha, she’s kept him on the straight and narrow.”

  “A good woman will do that.”

  He punched Dylan on the shoulder. “You should know, Monroe. Robbie built them a little house out on
family land. A few miles out of town. His family’s a little crazy, but Robbie seems to be a good guy.”

  “A little crazy how?” He didn’t like the idea of Reggie being out somewhere with some crazy people.

  “Oh, they tend to stay off to themselves and don’t really bother anyone. Of course, I did hear a rumor they were having some kind of problem. Seems they haven’t paid any property taxes in a long time.”

  Dylan made a face. “Oh, that’s not good.”

  “Not good at all. The government put a lien on their land and are threatening to foreclose if they don’t pay the money real soon. The land’s been in their family for generations.”

  “That’s too bad.”

  Billy Clyde nodded. “You’re right. That is too bad.” He smiled. “I think an anonymous donor might just help them out of the situation.”

  That sounded just like something his friend would do. “I’m sure that would be a wonderful thing for someone to do. Someone anonymous, of course.”

  “Of course. There would have been a time the family would have stepped in and done something about it on their own. But now their harmless. Or at least as harmless as they can be for snake handlers.”

  Dylan’s heart thumped a little faster at the word snake. He flashed back to that bathtub and the hissing of those rattlers. He looked over at Billy Clyde. “Snake handlers as in rattlesnakes?”

  Billy Clyde’s voice held an edge as he asked, “What was that verse Reggie said she saw tattooed on the man?”

  “Mark 16: 18.”

  Billy Clyde stood up. “There’s a Bible in my glove compartment.”

  Dylan followed Billy Clyde to the van, neither man talking.

  Billy Clyde opened his van door and pulled out a Bible. “Wanta look up that verse. I can’t see without my reading glasses.”

  Dylan paged through until he found the spot. He read the verse. “They will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."