“Hey, guys! I think I found something!” Cooper called out to them.
Sam and Johnny jogged over to where Cooper was bent over studying something on the ground with a stick. Abby and Piper weren’t far behind.
“Gross! What is it?” Johnny peered down and grimaced, clearly disgusted but unable to look away.
“It’s puke.”
“We should bag it and get it to the vet,” Sam said.
“I am not touching that,” Cooper said, pointing to the puddle with the stick, his nose wrinkled.
Sam chuckled and looked at him. “Go get a bag for me. Johnny, you go get a small gardening shovel. I’ll do the dirty work.”
“Aunt Piper’s a nurse. She should do it.”
“I handle people vomit, not animal vomit.”
“Well, if I woulda had to touch that,” he pointed to it again, his face twisting as he pretended to gag, “you woulda had people vomit. Mine.”
“Don’t be such a girl,” Piper teased him.
“Hey!” Abby said. I take offense to that. Besides, what do you think you are?”
“Tough,” Piper said, flexing her bicep muscle.
“In your dreams.” Abby shook her head. “I’m sure glad you’re having a grand ole’ time when Gus is in serious trouble.”
Piper made a face. “Sorry,” she grumbled.
“You almost sounded sincere.” Abby glared at her. She looked at the boys, still standing there watching the family squabble. “Go,” she ordered, pointing.
Both boys went to get their designated item, returning simultaneously. Sam scooped up the puddle and handed the bag to Abby. She studied it closely.
“Looks like it may have been hamburger at one time. As well as chocolate. And lots of it,” she said.
Suddenly, as if being poked with an electrical rod, she stood up ramrod straight. Her mind told her what she should do, but her feet wouldn’t obey. She finally broke free of the spell fear had over her and went to the refrigerator, opening the door slowly. The rest of them had followed her and now stood behind her watching as she peered inside. Last night’s leftover hamburger meat was gone. She slowly closed the door and turned to them, her face ghostly white.
“Sam? Do you think you could watch the boys while I run this to the vet?”
“Of course, Ms. S.”
“My dad is somewhere on the grounds if you need him to take over. Piper, come with me.” She turned to look at Cooper. “Boys, why don’t you go up to Cooper’s room and play video games until we get back, okay? No leaving Cooper’s bedroom for anything. And Victoria is in the store so no sneaking out. She’ll hear you.”
Neither needed to be told a second time. Given the green light to play video games during the daytime rather than shooed outside was a dream come true.
“Sam, if you see either of them outside, could you keep them right by you or send them back upstairs?”
“Sure. Is everything okay Ms. S?”
“I’ll fill you in when we get back, okay? For now, I just really need you to keep the boys in your sight at all times if they’re outside. In fact, if you’d rather have Victoria on kid duty, ask her and you can watch the store.
“Naw. I’m fine with the kiddos.”
She waved over her shoulder and grasped Piper’s arm with the other hand. “Come on, Pip.”
“I’m coming!” The car door barely had time to close before Abby was tearing out of the driveway, Piper holding onto the dash, eyes wide. “Mind telling me what’s going on?”
“Someone took the leftover hamburger from the fridge last night. Not to mention getting a whole lot of chocolate from somewhere. Chocolate I didn’t have in the house unless they raided the store shelves. Did you notice anything missing from the store?”
“I’m not familiar enough with it to know if anything was missing.” Piper grabbed the dash with her left hand, the door with her right as Abby sped around a corner at record speed. “There was a stop sign back there. Guess you were going too fast to see it,” she mumbled.
“We both know Cooper or Johnny wouldn’t poison Gus, and both the boys insisted they didn’t come in the house last night. So who was in my house?” Abby said.
Her thoughts were flying as fast as the car’s tires on the pavement. “It had to be Gabriel or Hunter. Which one of them is this sick?” When Piper didn’t answer, Abby glanced over and saw her still clutching the dash. Who could blame her for not saying anything? “I’m betting it was Hunter,” Abby said. “But Gabriel was the one at the campground. I just don’t think he’s this twisted. Or I don’t want to believe it. But I didn’t think Hunter was as twisted as he was either. I just don’t know—”
“What I know is you have to slow down. Driving and talking. We’re never going to get there in once piece at this rate, and you’re talking so fast you’re making no sense. Take a breath.”
Abby looked over at Piper, her freckles showing more clearly in her pale complexion.
“Sorry.”
When she dropped the bag off with the assistant— Mary, according to her name plate—Abby insisted on seeing Gus. Mary came out from behind the desk and disappeared through the swinging doors leading back to the treatment area, emerging again a moment later.
“Follow me,” Mary said.
She did as she was told and turned to see Piper standing rooted in place, phone to her ear. Piper waved Abby on as she listened intently to the person on the other end of the line.
When Gus saw Abby, his ears perked up. She nuzzled her face into his neck. “You can get through this, boy. You’re strong.”
The vet came into the room behind her, startling her when he spoke.
“I think he’s going to be fine, but we’ll still need to keep him here for a day or two until he responds to the treatment. The stomach contents you brought in matched what I found. Pretty serious amounts of fudge. Made with baker’s cocoa, to be exact. That makes it even more toxic.”
“And the hamburger?”
“Probably to get him to eat more of the fudge.”
“So you don’t think it was accidental?” She asked a question she already knew the answer to. She hoped the vet would say differently. No such luck.
“I guess it could have been if someone happened to leave it lying around a campsite. But mixed with the hamburger tells me otherwise. I don’t know about you, but I don’t mix fudge in with my hamburger patties.”
Abby shook her head vigorously, clearing the image of someone feeding this stuff to Gus.
“I can’t understand who could do such a thing,” she said.
“You’d be amazed at what people will do to animals. I’ve seen a lot more than I’d ever thought I would. It may have been someone wanting to target rodents. Gus just happened to come along first.”
“That would have been enough to kill several if it did this much damage to Gus. He’s a big boy. Besides that, what are the chances someone would actually be stupid enough to use raw hamburger and fudge to poison rodents?” She thought about the missing hamburger and shivered.
“I’ve seen some stupid people,” he answered. “But his size is probably what saved him. That and the fact that you got him here as quick as you did.”
Abby shook her head, still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that someone could do this to Gus. She shook his hand, thanked him and left, Piper right behind her.
“Who’d you call?” Piper didn’t answer. “Pip?”
“Dad.”
“Did Sam already fill him in?”
“I didn’t call him just to fill him in.”
“Then why?” Abby looked across the seat to her sister. “Piper, what are you not telling me?”
“I asked Dad if he’d talk to Gabriel.”
Her voice was little more than a murmur, and Abby was sure she’d misheard. “You what?”
“You heard me. If Gabriel is behind this, then we need to know. If he’s not, then you need to stop taking your focus off of Hunter. That would only give him the advant
age.”
“I can’t believe you asked Dad to get involved.”
“For God’s sake, Abby, wake up! He’s already involved. You’re so busy trying to be superwoman and protect everyone, that you’re putting everyone in danger.” Her eyes flashed with anger. “Yes, I thought you were overreacting at first with all of your conspiracy theory crap, but obviously, you’ve been right all along. I’m glad you’ve come clean with Cooper, but you wouldn’t have if Dad hadn’t started it. And coming clean with him was only a start. You all need to keep your guard up. Way up!”
Abby stayed quiet, Piper’s words piercing her. Why did being a grown-up have to be so stupid hard and complicated?
“Honey,” Piper’s voice calmed down, “Hunter is every bit the monster he’s always been. Pretending otherwise in front of Cooper doesn’t make him immune from Hunter’s insanity. It makes him Hunter’s prey.”
“I know,” she whispered, tears stinging her eyes. “Even if Gabriel was behind everything else that has happened, he would never do this to Gus. Or to Cooper.”
“Nor to you.”
Abby looked at her warily and Piper put her hands up, palms facing Abby.
“Just my two cents worth,” Piper said. “But will you give the guy a chance to explain himself? Please.”
“I need to focus on what’s happening to my family at my own home. The place where we’re supposed to feel safe and sheltered, we’re in the most danger. How does that even make sense?”
“I’ve spoken with Gabriel.”
Abby stiffened with betrayal. “So he’s calling you? For what, Piper? So you’ll feel sorry for him? And I suppose you do.” Her voice was hard, her words tight.
“He didn’t call me. I called him.”
“How cozy.”
“Abby—”
Abby put her hand up, palm facing her sister. “No, Piper. You’re my sister. And as my sister, that was a really poor judgment call.” Tears of anger and betrayal threatened to erupt.
“Abby, he’s been getting letters—”
“I don’t want to hear it.”
“Abby—”
“I said I don’t want to hear it. But you promise me you won’t go behind my back and do that again. Ever. You have no right.” Abby’s lips were a thin line as she looked at Piper, waiting for confirmation of her demand. “Promise me, Piper.”
“Promise,” Piper mumbled with frustration.
“You sounded like Cooper when you said that.”
“Well, I’d say you’re acting like Cooper, but even Cooper acts more adult than you are right now.”
The car was filled with silence that was pregnant with tension.
“I’ve been thinking,” Piper said.
“Piper …” Abby warned, her tone the equivalent of a dog’s growl.
“Hear me out. You need to know for sure who it is that’s behind all of this. I think you should install security cameras on the property. Or better yet, one of those night cameras that captures wildlife.
“I had a camera set up shortly after we moved here but it was broken somehow.” She froze when she’d heard the words out loud. “Oh my Lord!” she whispered, looking at Piper in horror. “Could it have started all the way back then?” Her heart started to race. “I didn’t even know Gabriel back then.”
She slowed down to turn the corner into the driveway. “That looks like Stewart’s car.” She pointed to the dark blue Honda Accord to the right of the house. She pulled up next to it and saw Johnny and his grandma walking to the car. “Guess not.” Abby got out of the car and slammed the door shut. “Hi, Mrs. Parker.
“Abby.” Her voice was terse, and she avoided looking at Abby. She proceeded to the driver’s door, opening it. “Johnny, get in.”
“Was Johnny supposed to be home at a certain time?” If he was, she had completely missed it.
“No.” Her eyes looked hard. “But he wasn’t supposed to be left alone, either.” Her words were clipped.
“He wasn’t alone. Sam and my—”
“You weren’t here. The next time you decide to run off and leave him alone, I’d kindly ask you to call me first.”
Abby felt her face flush, her cheeks hot. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Parker.”
“Good day.” Her car door closed firmly, and Abby and Piper were left staring at the car as it backed out of the driveway.
28
Monday morning dawned and Abby woke early, as had become the usual, to have her coffee on the porch. Later this morning there would be a mass exodus since it marked the end of the holiday weekend. With the fourth falling on Saturday, most of the people she’d spoken with had Monday off as a paid holiday. All of the cabins and all but two of the campsites stayed until today. She remembered well the perks of a job with paid holidays from when she worked at the school. Though that would never be again, living here was like one continuous holiday. By Monday evening, it would feel like a ghost town. At least until Tuesday when it filled back up again.
The cabins were all booked for the week and almost all of the campsites as well, but compared to the activity level over the weekend, it promised to be calm. Or at least that was Sam’s prediction. And he had a lot more experience at this gig than she did. She was looking forward to calm. Especially after the weekend and with all of the stuff that had been going on lately.
The creaking of the white wooden porch rocker soothed her nerves as she tried to come up with what she would say to Gabriel when he checked out. She’d decided the night before as she lay in bed that she was going to face him, no matter what. It was time she took charge and figured out who was intent on scaring her to death. If it was Hunter, she had no doubt he would do more than scare her. His past behavior proved it. If it was Gabe, she needed to know why. She needed to know if everything he’d said to her was a lie. She didn’t want to believe that, but she didn’t want to be stupid again, either.
As she ran through ideas of what to say to Gabriel, no matter what she came up with sounded all wrong. Hey, have you been stalking me? He’d think she was arrogant and full of herself. Why have you been terrorizing me? No, that would be an accusation and do nothing but shut the conversation down before it even started. Gabriel, we need to talk. Too demanding. I need to know what happened. Again, demanding and an accusation.
Why is this so hard for you, Abby? She scolded herself, fearing the answer. Despite everything he might have done, she still had feelings for him. She was the poster child for the good girl choosing the bad boy.
Unable to come up with anything acceptable, she finally stopped trying to plan the conversation with Gabriel and began talking to God, something she had been neglecting in the heat of things.
God, guide me in the conversation I need to have with Gabriel. Show me how not to control the conversation but to follow Your lead. Give me a mind and heart that reflects Your own, and the words that honor You, leaving the outcome to You. Thy will, not mine, be done.
Her shoulders felt lighter, her head clearer. She was amazed at the power she received in giving up the control. So why did she always take it back like a two-year-old with a toy and an obsession with the word mine?
She smiled at the irony and glanced at her watch. It was time to wake up Piper so she could get ready to leave for the airport. She woke up Cooper and her father, as well, so they could all have breakfast together. Gus was sprawled out on Cooper’s floor, looking healthy once again and peaceful.
“Hey, Coop,” Jeremiah said, dipping a piece of toast in his over-easy eggs. “Why don’t I take you fishing this evening?”
“Gabriel said he’d take me today.”
Abby’s attention perked up. “When did he tell you that?”
“Yesterday.”
She felt a slight tremor in her hand as she reached for her coffee cup. “Honey, you need to ask me before you go making plans with people.”
“I forgot. I can go, right? It’s Gabriel.” Said as if Cooper thought Gabriel were God himself.
“I don’t—”
“I talked with him yesterday.” Jeremiah’s voice, calm and casual.
Abby looked at Piper who was doing her best to pretend she was concentrating on her food. “I’m sure you did. Seems everyone has been talking to him.”
“Why wouldn’t we?” Cooper asked, his forehead wrinkled.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Abby said.
“Well you act like talking to him is something weird. We always talk to him.”
“The man would like to know what he did,” Jeremiah interjected. “I told him what’s been going on around here. He’s not the one been doing it.”
“What, he would tell you if it was?” Abby glanced at Cooper and shifted in discomfort.
“Someone got into his camper a few weeks ago. He found his flannel shirt on the chair outside the camper. Wouldn’t a done that himself.”
“Did he report it?”
“Nope.”
“Why not?”
“Said he looked around and didn’t appear anything went missing. His shirt was moved and some old lighter that he used to light his camp stove was missing. Besides,” he added, “you’re the last person who should condemn him for not reporting it.”
Abby’s neck tightened. “What did this lighter look like?”
“Don’t know. Some old blue thing. Nothing of value. Just that he noticed it missing when he wanted to light his camp stove.”
Abby and Piper locked eyes before Abby looked at her father. “Why didn’t he tell me about all this?”
“Wanted to but you wasn’t talking to him. Someone’s been sending him letters, too.”
“What kind of letters?”
“I tried to tell you about them in the car, ” Piper said to her.
Abby glanced at Piper. She felt her cheeks hot with shame for blaming without just cause. For being so quick to jump to conclusions.
“What kind of letters?” Abby asked again.
“Someone’s been threatening him. Telling him to stay away from you and Coop or he’d pay the price.”
“This is why you believe it’s Hunter?” she asked incredulously.
Finding Abby: A Romantic Suspense set in the Colorado Mountains (Whispering Pines Mysteries) Page 26
