The Ring of Fire: The Dragon Dream: Book Two

by Robin Janney

  “Hang on…he’s not too far away…”

  Thankfully the boy didn’t pepper him with questions. Craig looked at his stepmother, who was still giving him a smug smile. “I swear to God, if any harm comes to my wife…you will regret it.”

  Veronica sniffed at him. “Like you would do anything. You’re weak, Craig. You’ve always been weak.”

  “You might be surprised.”

  She rolled her eyes at him and finally left his room.

  “Craig? What’s going on?” asked Jared on the other end of the phone, sounding alarmed.

  “Have you got to Rick yet?”

  “Yeah, here…”

  “What’s up boss?” the foreman asked as he came on the line.

  “I need you to call whoever is trailing behind my wife. I need to know…”

  “I doubt they’ve caught up to her yet.” The other man sounded apologetic. “She had a good three-hour head start on us before we realized she was gone.”

  “Oh my God,” Craig whispered. The same feeling of dread he had experienced when that horrid yellow van had come to a stop between him and his wife almost five years ago returned. Tenfold. His wife was in danger and he was too far away to help. “Oh my God. Sound the alarm, full scale search. Call 9-1-1. There’s been a threat to her life. Tell Jared to log back into the security cameras, see if she can be spotted that way. I need her located. Call me the second you find my wife.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He disconnected the phone call and decided he’d better check on his father. From his phone app, he emailed the detectives investigating Katie’s death as he walked from his bedroom and around the curve in the hallway to his father’s room. The sight of his stepmother sitting calmly at his father’s bedside slowed him momentarily, and Craig gave her wide berth to walk around to the other side of the hospital bed his father was in. She had changed back into the clothes she had been wearing earlier in the day and looked cool and collected.

  His father was obviously breathing, but Craig felt for a pulse at his father’s wrist anyway. Why was the phone off the hook? Keep her talking, prompted that little voice inside. “What did you give him?”

  Her lip curled with contempt. “Just a sleeping pill. I’m not stupid enough to kill him in any way looking like suicide. His life insurance policy would be void.”

  “Is that all we are to you?” he asked her angrily. “A bank account?”

  “More or less,” Veronica admitted, crossing her legs and leaning back seductively in her chair. “I got everything with your family. Money, status, instant family, decent sex. I like the power and influence marrying into your family brought me.”

  His hand trembled on his father’s wrist. “And the two boys who came with the package? Did you ever regard them as your sons?”

  That made her hesitate. “For a time. Yes.”

  “You should never have stopped!”

  “Please, Craig, I saw how you looked at me as a teen…”

  “You were my mother!” Fury was the only thing he knew. He wiped a hand across his eyes. “The only mother I ever knew! I never looked you as anything but that. Neither did Tim, no matter what you turned him into.”

  She seemed suddenly unsure of herself. He’d never shown her anger like this before, he’d always cowered. “Craig…”

  “Just shut the fuck up!”

  “I’d really like her to go on talking,” Les commented suddenly, his fingers pressing the bed controls and raising the head of the bed.

  Veronica jumped up from her chair, violently startled. “Oh my God, Les! Your son tried…”

  “Spare me, Ronni. I watched the live feed from my son’s room while you were trying to seduce him and assaulted him when that failed. He’s done nothing wrong; he never has.”

  “But you should have been asleep!” Her control vanished at one man’s anger and the other’s calm disdain.

  “I didn’t drink the wine,” Les said matter-of-factly. “Tim told me about your old tricks.”

  There was a solid knocking at the main door of the penthouse.

  “It’s about time. Son, go let the police in,” Les told Craig. “Not a word to them, just bring them back here.

  “Yes, sir.” Eyes down, Craig left the room, anger beginning to dissipate. His father had been watching? His face burned with shame. He was mildly surprised to find the two detectives from before there, along with two uniforms.

  “I got your email,” Leila said as they entered the penthouse. “I hope you have more proof than a potentially illegal recording and your say so.”

  “I was told to bring you directly to my father.” He hoped that wasn’t saying too much.

  Watching from the sidelines as the four police officers conferred with his father and stepmother in the master bedroom, Craig felt like he was watching an episode of a cop show on television. The phone had been replaced in its cradle and he wondered if his father had been on the phone with the police. Craig was unable to follow the conversation happening in the room around him, even though much of it was about him. Apparently the recordings from his fahter’s security system were considered valid because Veronica had been aware of their installation. At least his father refused to play it back for the police while Veronica was in the room.

  “This isn’t over,” she said to father and son as the uniforms placed her hands behind her back and handcuffed them. “My lawyers will have a field day with your intrusion of my rights. And Angela will still be dead by nightfall.”

  “Just to remind you, you’ve already been read your rights,” Leila said primly, exchanging a steady look with her partner. “Anything you say from here on out can and will be held against you.”

  Veronica looked at her husband for a moment, a glimmer of the woman they thought they’d known showing herself again. “I’m sorry, Les.”

  “I don’t believe you,” was his biting reply.

  When the uniforms pressed her, she walked from the room with her head held high.

  “You’re going to need my clothes,” Les said to the remaining detectives. “I have no idea what she tried drugging me with, but she was clearly expecting me to be out for a while. There was a spill on the table, and the glass she brought me. I don’t know if she cleaned it up or not.”

  “I’ll check on that while Leon bags your clothes,” replied the female detective. “Permission to search the premises?”

  “Yes,” replied Les without hesitation. “Although I ask to be present if you need to go into my son’s room for anything.”

  “Doubtful,” she said. “But I’ll make sure you’re there if we need to.” Craig didn’t see the look of compassion on the detective’s face because he was studiously avoiding eye contact with everyone in the room. The detective removed herself from the room, shutting the door behind her.

  Detective Stafford helped with the removal of the older man’s clothes, bagged them while Craig found fresh clothes for his father. His shame made him want to flee his father, but he couldn’t abandon him either.

  “I dumped some down my diaper,” Les was saying to the detective, not sounding the least bit embarrassed. Angry perhaps. “Had to do something with it. You probably have enough evidence, but I want the bitch buried…legally speaking.”

  The detective nodded, his lips stretching in a faint smile. “Do you know where your wife would have gotten the drug from?”

  “No. I don’t take sleeping pills, but I know she has before. Our medicine cabinet is in the master bath.” Les motioned. “She’s been staying in my older son’s old bedroom, because I needed the extra room for all this. I can show you where once we’re done here.”

  “You know we’re going to need a copy of the video you say you have,” Stafford was saying as he and Craig helped Les into his wheelchair. “Especially if Craig intends to press charges.”

  “What?” Craig stepped back. “No, I…”

  “Give me a minute with my son?” Les asked the detective.

  Stafford nodded. “
I’ll just step into the bathroom, look around in the medicine cabinet.” And he did exactly that.

  “Craig, come here son…”

  He looked down at his father’s outstretched arm and dropped down to his knees beside the wheelchair to be within his father’s reach. He flinched at the gentle touch of Les’ hand on the back of his head. It took all his strength not to bury his face in his father’s chest as he had the few times he’d been allowed when much younger. “I…am so sorry, Dad…I’ll get out of your home as soon as I can.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “But I didn’t do anything to stop her. If you were watching, you know that.” Craig blinked his eyes, wiping at the tears sliding out.

  “I raised both you boys to not harm women and to obey Veronica as your mother. I don’t think you’d ever be able to stop her.” Leaning close, Les dropped his voice, his free hand gently wiping away his son’s tears. “I should have pressed charges against her as soon as she confessed what she did to you boys. I’m sorry for believing her when she wanted to a chance to change. I’m sorry for failing you again, Craig. You know as well as I do, she’s probably going to press her own charges of assault against you for putting her up against the wall. You must press your own charges today. It will give the DA more leverage to bring her up on child abuse as well.”

  Craig nodded and looked up at his father, shocked to see tears on the older man’s face. “I’ve made such a mess of things, and I don’t even know if my wife is safe.”

  “Then we need to get things wrapped up, so you can get out of here.” Les patted his son’s face. “Get up, go make whatever phone calls you need to. I’ll talk with the detectives to see when you can get out of here.”

  Craig obeyed his father and stood to his feet, but hesitated. He was vaguely aware of the detective returning from the master bath area. “Dad, what trust fund was Veronica talking about?”

  “I was wondering that myself,” admitted Stafford. He held filled evidence bags in his hands and set them with the rest of his pile on the bed. “Money is one of the biggest motives.”

  Sighing, Les motioned the detective closer. To his son, he said, “The one I started shortly after your wife came out of her coma. I changed my entire will after your ceremony on the farm. I shifted a few million around so there’d be an even five for your fifth anniversary. If the two of you were still married then, otherwise it would have been dissolved.”

  “That’s just around the corner,” said Craig numbly.

  “No kidding. Until today, Angela was going to get a small portion of my estate when I die as well.” Les began wheeling towards the doorway. “That’s going to be jumping up now. I never had doubts about the two of you, Craig. Not after I saw the two of you together. I doubted Veronica however, and I’m pissed I didn’t see through her sooner.”

  “You saw it too then?” Craig asked as he opened the door for his father. “How she looked at Angela that day?”

  “I did. She was highly vocal on the way home about your wife’s cool greeting. I’m not sure why she thought she’d be greeted any other way. I also saw how Veronica looked at you when she thought no one could see. I should have…” Les sighed. “Could have, should have, would have – will get us nowhere. Now, go. I’ll finish this up.”

  Craig nodded and returned to his bedroom. He sat on the floor with his back to the door again, drew his knees to his chest. Pulling his iPhone back out he was dismayed to see nothing from his foreman or Jared. Maybe they needed more time. There was a lot of land for them to cover.

  Opening the Contacts in his smartphone, Craig found his father-in-law’s information. One thing at a time, he reminded himself. He prayed it was Philip who answered, he didn’t think his pregnant mother-in-law needed to deal with this first hand. Angela had mentioned her mother’s pregnancry during one of their chats that he’d foolishly rushed through just a few days ago. They’d spent only a minute on it, and it was on the growing list of his current regrets.

  Lightning flickered outside his bedroom window as the storm continued. Through the door at his back, Craig could hear the muffled voices of his father and the detectives.

  “Carman residence.”

  “Philip, I don’t know where to start. Angela’s in danger and I don’t know if I’m free to leave the city yet.” Shame filled him anew.

  There was a sharp intake of air on the other end. When Philip spoke again, it wasn’t the normal kindly voice he was used to. “Explain,” was the simple command.

  “I’ve been trying to get ahold of Angela since the middle of the night, because we argued, and I said so much shit to her. Oh my God, Philip, I was an asshole. Jared says she took off for a ride this morning and no one was with her…” Every breath was a struggle to breathe, and spots were dancing at the corners of his eyes. “My stepmother claims she’s arranged for my wife’s murder. I’ve managed to start the search back home. I’m afraid I’m too late and my wife’s going to die thinking I cheated on her when I didn’t.”

  There was a crash on the other end of the phone. “And why can’t you leave the city yet?”

  This had to be what Angela referred to as the angry father side the other man had. He had never wanted to face this side of the older man, but he had brought this on himself. Craig struggled to explain, trying to remember to breathe. “I was a person of interest in a murder this morning. Veronica admitted to having arranged for my ex-girlfriend’s murder, but I don’t know if that’s enough to clear me yet. My dad’s working on it. And…I’m not sure what else I have to do…to file my own charges against Veronica.” His breathing was beginning to remind him of his wife when she was on the verge of an anxiety attack. “I think…I think I’m having a panic attack. I’ve never been more scared in my life.”

  “Breathe, Craig.” The angry father’s voice gentled. “One thing at a time, just like we tell Angela. You’ve started the search back home, so I assume they’ve called the police to help. I need you to think…could your stepmother actually pull something like that off, or was it a taunt?”

  Watching the lightning dance outside his bedroom window, he struggled to control his breathing. “I believe she could. She tried to drug my Dad. It didn’t work because of something Tim told him. And she said something about how it was easy to arrange things because of his usual clients. He has a lot of high profile…organized…Is there anything Crane can do to help with the search back home? I know it’s a stretch, but…” Any hope, no matter how desperate, was better than none.

  “Odds are he can,” replied Philip. He took a deep breath, made a small disgruntled sound. “You’re not the only one obsessed with protecting Angela. Look, I’ll call him and get that rolling. You work on getting yourself home.”

  “Hang on, Jared’s calling. I’ll have all three of us on in a sec.” With swift swipes across the phone’s touchscreen, Craig turned the call into a conference call. “Jared, I’ve got your father on the line too. Have you found her yet?”

  Jared’s young voice was grim. “No. Not all the cameras you have out in the woods are working. Angie’s note said something about going to the Northern Ridge. Rick seemed to understand it so that’s where the search is going to be focused.”

  “Does she have her phone with her?” asked Craig, he rubbed at his nose. “I have a locator app on our phones…”

  “No, it’s upstairs on the charger.” Jared sighed. “It doesn’t look like she saw any of the messages before she left this morning, including your voicemail.”

  “Crap,” he muttered. There was a tap at his door. “I have to go. I’ll be in contact when I can.” Ending the call, he stood and opened his door. His father sat there in his wheelchair.

  “They want you to go down to the station,” Les said. “Make an official statement, and then you’re free to go. You’ll probably have to come back for the trial, because you know she’ll never plead guilty.”

  He nodded, eyes closed in pain as shame filled him. Taking a deep breath, Craig opene
d his eyes and looked down at his disabled father. “I don’t know if I can do this, Dad.”

  Les sighed. “Son, you’re stronger than you know, and I’ll be with you the entire time. It won’t be just your word against hers. They’re going to be interviewing your brother as well. Again. I wish I’d known about that sooner; dammit, I just spoke with him and he never said a word. But for now, pack your things, and when we’re done at the station, I’ll sit with you at the airport until they release planes for departure.”

  Craig could only nod his head. “Are you going to be alright here on your own?”

  “I will be. I’ll be calling the agency on the way to the police station to let them know I’ll need aides a little more often for a while. I’ll be fine, son.”

  Nodding again, Craig decided to take time for a quick shower. He needed to get the feel of his stepmother off him. “I’ll be ready in a few minutes,” he told his father.

  42

  M aude came out of the laundry room and into the kitchen in time to see her husband slam the phone receiver back into its wall cradle. A shiver of old emotions jolted through her. Shards of a porcelain coffee mug lay on the floor at his feet, the dark coffee splattered on the wall and floor. “Who was that?” she asked, moving quickly to the refrigerator.

  “Craig,” replied Philip, his hand lifting the receiver back up and his fingers rapidly dialing a number. “Hang on, honey.”

  Maude continued about her business in silence. It was early yet for dinner, but she wanted a tossed salad. Cassie had been eating so much of it, it was hard to keep in the house. And something in her husband’s tone gave her the need to be busy. She would wait until he was out of the way before cleaning up the mess he’d made.

  Her husband waited for the call to be answered on the other end of the phone, then spoke rapidly. “Rhett, I don’t know all the details, but Angela’s in danger and she’s been gone since this morning. Do you…what do you mean you already know? Dammit, have you left yet? Of course, I’m going with you! She’s our daughter. I’ll be there; don’t leave without me.”