A Murder State of Mind Boxed Set

by Jude Pittman

  "Stand right there!" Krystal's voice, cold as ice, came from behind him. Kelly moved his arm. "Keep your hands where I can see them!"

  He stopped and stood motionless.

  "Now turn around. Slowly."

  Kelly turned and faced the girl he'd thought he loved. Now he was looking at a stranger. Her wide green eyes stared unblinking into his and her face flushed with a feverish glow.

  "Put the gun down on the floor." She pointed a small pistol at Kelly's head. He hesitated and she stiffened her arm. "I'm an expert shot. Don’t force me, Kelly."

  Kelly crouched and laid his gun on the floor.

  "Back up." Krystal moved forward and shoved the gun away with her foot.

  Kelly backed against the wall. He didn’t take his eyes off her.

  Bubba groaned and Kelly turned his head to look at his friend. "At least let me see to Bubba."

  "Why? He's not going anywhere." She waved the gun in a manner that made her meaning clear.

  "Gus is on his way.”

  She tossed her head. "Then I'll just have to work faster." She waved the gun again. "Get over there beside Penny and squat on the floor with your back toward me."

  Kelly complied.

  "Now give me your hands."

  Kelly extended his hands behind his back. She moved up behind him and his muscles tensed as he felt the smooth fiber of a nylon cord being wrapped around his wrists.

  "Now back up against that chair and bend your head."

  Kelly did as she ordered.

  Krystal tugged the rope, taking up the slack until the fibers cut into Kelly's flesh. "There!" She moved back in front of him. "That rope’s wrapped around Penny's neck, so if you've got any ideas about trying to break loose, you better be prepared to strangle her."

  Bubba moaned in the background and Krystal strode over to him. She stood for a minute, then bent down and picked up a flat piece of board. "We can't have you waking up right now," she said in a high, taunting voice. Then she lifted the board high in the air and brought it down on the side of Bubba's head.

  Kelly jerked forward, felt the rope tighten and forced himself back against the chair.

  "What was the point of that?"

  Krystal ignored him and Krystal walked over to Anna's cubbyhole and disappeared behind the wall. When she came back in his view, she carried a large gas can.

  "What are you doing?" Kelly asked.

  She stopped and stared. Her wild, dilated eyes looked right through him. "Why couldn't you have stayed out of this?"

  Kelly shuddered. Her intent was clear. She was going to set fire to the flea market and if Gus didn't get here soon, he and Bubba and Penny would all be dead. Kelly's only hope was to keep her talking.

  "Why did you bring Bubba into this?"

  "That nasty man." She spit the words out. "He's the kidnapper and he's going to die in the fire. I'll tell the police Penny and I came here looking for you and he trapped us inside this barn. Of course I'll get away, and I’ll be so sorry I wasn’t able to save Penny."

  "That won't work, you know," Kelly said.

  "Why not? Because you're here? Why did you have to come? By morning, it would've been all over and things could've still been good between us. Now I'm going to have to tell the police you came in here trying to save me and that man jumped you and got your gun away. Then he shot you."

  Kelly shook his head. "Gus already knows the truth, Krystal. I found the letters you’d hidden in your toy box. After I read them, I knew you'd killed your mother. Gus has them now, so there's nothing for you to do now but give yourself up. It's too late for Anna and Andrew but Penny and Bubba don't have to die. They've never done you any harm and Penny’s been your friend. You don't want to kill her, Krystal. You know you don't."

  "How would you know what I want? You're just like all the rest of them. Always telling me what's best for me. Penny wasn't my friend. She told on me! A friend wouldn't do that. Now shut up. I don't want you to talk anymore!" Krystal's voice had risen to a shriek. The look on her face sent Kelly into silence.

  He'd done his best. All he could do now was pray Stella had gotten hold of Gus. At least Krystal didn't know Stella was up in the cabin. Maybe, if they were lucky, she'd see the flames and get help before it was too late.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Inside the cabin, Stella glanced around the small living room and spotted the telephone on a table next to Kelly's rocker. An address book lay beside the phone. She picked it up and flipped the pages until she found Augustus Graham and put her finger on the spot.

  She leaned against the arm of the rocker while she counted the rings.

  "Hello!" A warm, womanly voice answered.

  "May I speak to Detective Graham?" Stella asked.

  "He's not here right now. Would you like to leave a message?"

  "Oh!" Stella wasn't sure what she should do. "Do you have any way of reaching him?"

  The woman hesitated. "Is this something to do with his job?"

  "I'm sorry," Stella said. "I should've identified myself. My name is Stella Davis and I'm calling for Kelly McWinter. We're out at Indian Creek. He asked me to call Gus and tell him to get over here right away."

  "Oh, dear!" The woman's voice held genuine concern. "Gus took one of the little boys from Big Brothers out to a ball game. He has his phone with him though. I'll give him a call. Is Kelly okay?"

  "I don't know. Can you please tell Gus Kelly’s located Krystal inside the flea market and gone in after her."

  "Of course. I'll get Gus. Relax and don't worry. Kelly has a cop's instincts, he won't put himself in harm's way without a backup."

  Stella said goodbye and hung up. She spotted an old jacket hanging on a hook, slipped it over her shoulders and let herself out of the cabin.

  The path was only dimly lit by moonlight. She stepped carefully to keep her footing and made her way down the hill. Jake stood guard at the entrance to the flea market and Stella bent to introduce herself. Jake sniffed her hand and after satisfying himself with their acquaintance, he bent his head to accept an ear rub.

  "What do you think, Jake?" Stella asked. "Should we go inside and see what Kelly's up to, or should we stay out here and wait?"

  In answer, Jake stepped over to the door and turned to Stella with an expectant look in his eye.

  "I guess that means yes, huh?" She grabbed the wooden handle and tugged open the door. She stepped into the darkness and saw nothing but shadowy images of the long rows of tables.

  "Wait a minute," she whispered to Jake. She pulled her key ring out of her shoulder bag. The penlight on her key ring didn't give off much light but at least she wouldn't be bumping into things.

  "Ready?" She switched on the light. Jake moved in front and pressed his body against her legs.

  "Okay," she said. "You go first."

  Jake, with Stella close behind, skirted the tables and headed for the far side of the barn. When he reached the row of shops, he moved in close to the wall and stopped.

  Stella spotted a glimmer of light showing around the entrance to one of the shops and aimed her penlight directly at the floor. She waited for Jake to move on.

  Slowly, padding on silent paws, Jake approached the light. Stella crept forward, following. She placed one foot in front of the other slowly, making no sound on the concrete floor.

  Jake stopped at the entrance and Stella moved up beside him. She reached out and parted the curtain, pulling it back far enough that she could peek into the shop. Krystal stood in the middle of the room, her back to the curtain and a pistol in her hand.

  "I'm sorry, Kelly. I liked you. Really I did but this is something I had to do for my father. You can see that, can't you?" Jake took a flying leap into the shop and fastened his teeth onto her wrist. She squealed with pain and the gun clattered to the floor. Jake’s weight hanging onto her arm brought her to her knees.

  Stella ran across the room and grabbed the gun.

  "Keep her covered!" Kelly shouted.

  Jake sto
od, teeth bared in front of Krystal. He growled as he backed toward Kelly.

  Stella stepped in front of Krystal, still holding the gun. "What were you doing? Were you going to kill all these people? It wasn’t enough to kill your mother and your uncle?"

  "Dear Stella!" Krystal spat the words. "As if you cared about them. The only thing that matters to you is money. Go ahead! Shoot me. Once I'm dead, you'll have it all."

  Stella lowered the gun and backed away.

  Krystal threw back her head and laughed. "I always knew you were a coward!" She whirled around and raced out of the shop.

  "There's a knife on the counter." Kelly's voice brought Stella out of her shock.

  "Oh, my God!" She ran to the counter and grabbed the knife, racing back to the rocking chair.

  "Be careful," Kelly said. "The rope’s wrapped around Penny's neck. You'll have to keep that section slack while you cut me loose."

  Stella nodded and grasped the rope next to Kelly's hands. With a sawing motion, working slowly and using one hand to keep the rope that led to Penny slack, she worked through the strands until Kelly's hands were free.

  "I'll see to Bubba." Kelly pulled the rope off his chest and got to his feet. "You get Penny loose."

  "What about Krystal?"

  "We haven't got time to worry about her. We've got to get these two out of here and get the paramedics."

  "Is there a phone in here? Do you want me to call them?"

  "No! Krystal planned on setting fire to this place and she might have another gas can. We need to get out of here. Now. We can call from the cabin. Do you think you can carry Penny?"

  "Of course. She's only a little bit of a thing."

  "Okay. Let's go then. Jake, you lead the way. I doubt if she'll try anything else." Kelly lifted Bubba to his shoulder and turned to Stella. "Be prepared, though, just in case. If Jake starts growling, lay Penny on the ground and get down yourself."

  Stella nodded. She placed one arm under Penny's knees and the other around her back, lifting the sleeping girl into her arms. "I'm ready," she said.

  Kelly switched on his flashlight and led the way out of the barn.

  Outside, the clouds had cleared and the moon lit the path to the cabin. They made their way up the hill, slowly, with Jake in the lead. There was no sign of Krystal. Once inside the cabin, Kelly sent Stella to the bedroom with Penny while he stretched Bubba out on the couch and called 9-1-1.

  "I don't like his color," he said when Stella came back into the room. "You just hang in there, little buddy." He covered Bubba with a blanket Stella brought from the bedroom. "Did you get hold of Gus?"

  Stella shook her head. "His wife said she'd get him."

  "That'd be Betty. She'll track him down. Do you want some coffee?"

  Stella shook her head. "I couldn't swallow," she said in a choked voice.

  Wordlessly, the two of them sat at the kitchen table until finally, the sound of approaching sirens reached their ears.

  "Here they come." Kelly headed out to the porch.

  Pandemonium broke loose within minutes. An emergency unit and two fire trucks screamed into the yard. Kelly’d just finished assisting them with the stretchers when Gus' official car, followed by two patrol cars, screeched into the yard. Kelly met him at his car.

  "What's going on?"

  "Krystal had Bubba and Penny trapped inside Anna's stall. They're both alive but Bubba's in pretty bad shape. I think she's still down there," Kelly said. "If you'll wait until they get Bubba and Penny transported, I'll show you."

  "No." Gus shook his head. "We'll take it from here. You go along with the medics."

  "Okay." Kelly accepted Gus' decision without comment. Given his previous relationship with Krystal, he shouldn’t be involved in her apprehension.

  "I'll see you at the hospital when it's over," Gus called after him.

  Kelly nodded his head and walked over to join Stella. "We'll take the car and follow them in." Stella wordlessly handed over the keys.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Finally, after a couple of tense hours, Kelly was allowed to visit Bubba in his hospital room. The doctors had already assured him both Bubba and Penny would be fine given a couple of days to rest from their ordeal. When Kelly returned to the lobby he found Gus waiting with Stella.

  "Did you find her?" Kelly asked and sank wearily into one of the chairs.

  Gus nodded. "She's dead," he said.

  Kelly's head jerked up in surprise. "How come?"

  Gus shook his head. "We found her hanging from one of the beams. Looks like she went back into the stall after you'd left, took the rope she'd tied you and Penny with, wrapped it around her neck and tied it to the beam. Then she climbed up on the counter and jumped off."

  "What a damn shame nobody figured out how twisted she was before it ever came to something like this."

  "I know," Gus said. "I've just been telling Stella, there's nothing either one of you could've done to change the outcome. She got lost a long time ago and by the time anybody realized how bad she was, it was already way too late."

  There wasn’t much to say after that. Stella drove Kelly out to Indian Creek and when he offered a bed for the night, she thanked him for his offer but said she needed to get back home. There were still things that had to be dealt with concerning both Krystal and Andrew and she wouldn't be able to sleep in any event.

  Kelly gave her a hug and promised to visit in the future. After she pulled out of the yard, he went into the cabin and fell onto his bed. He didn’t bother to undress.

  * * *

  Two days later, after a long, dark session of soul-searching, Kelly was back at the Hideaway, ready to tie up the last loose end surrounding the death of his old friend, Anna.

  "You okay?" Cam called across the room.

  Kelly’d been staring blankly at the ceiling and shifted his attention to Cam. "Yeah, fine. How about giving Bubba a call and asking him to come over here and join us?"

  "Sure thing!" Cam reached for the phone. He turned back to Kelly after he hung up. "He’ll be right over."

  "Good!" Kelly nodded and turned his attention to Cam.

  The barman was antsy as a cricket on a hot griddle and Kelly figured it was time to put him out of his misery. "Why don't you grab a couple longnecks out of the cooler and come take a load off. I want to talk to both you and Bubba and I reckon you'd appreciate an update on your own situation."

  "Coming right up." Cam practically danced over to the cooler.

  Kelly leaned back in the booth and flexed his shoulder blades. He hoped he was doing the right thing about Frank. He had an idea how to handle the situation but he'd have to see what Bubba thought.

  Cam slid into the booth and pushed a bottle across the table. "So what's up?" He fixed his anxious brown eyes on Kelly's face.

  "Gus has talked to the DA," Kelly's face relaxed into a weary smile. "They've decided not to press the burglary charge."

  Cam dropped his arms on the table. "You don't know what a load that takes off me," he said. "I've been heaving my guts out every time I thought about those charges."

  "I know. It's been a rotten time for all of us but now that it's over maybe we can get back to some semblance of normalcy."

  Cam nodded and heaved a sigh. "So where does that leaves things with Frank?"

  "I take it he talked."

  "Oh, yeah. The little weasel took the money all right."

  "How'd you manage to sweat it out of him?"

  Cam's grin was almost back to normal. "I invited him over to the house and fed him a couple dozen beers, then I laid it on thick about how he'd set himself up for a murder charge. Before I finished, I had him bawling like a baby."

  "Was I right about his inheritance?"

  "Yep. It was just like you figured. Frank was livid when he found out he wasn't even mentioned in his sister's will. He'd been expecting at least twenty grand. I think he'd already ordered the boat on his expectations. So when he overheard Anna telling me she'd put the
fish camp money in her stash, it must've seemed made to order. He already knew her hiding place, so all he had to do was wait 'til she started in on the whiskey, then go help himself."

  "How'd he know about her hiding place?"

  Cam shrugged. "Snooping as usual. I guess he heard her mention it to Bubba one night and first chance he got, he snuck into her cabin and checked it out."

  "Did he tell you when he took the money?"

  "Yeah, it was while I was up on the bridge with Anna. He already had the box open when he heard our voices up on the bridge. He figured we were on our way over to the cabin, so he dropped everything and high-tailed it over to his boat."

  "Little bastard," Kelly said.

  "I know. I've already told him how much I appreciate his telling the cops about my fight with Anna. The son of a bitch was hoping they'd hang the robbery on me along with the murder."

  "Hi, guys." Bubba strode in the door and called out a greeting. "What's up?" he asked, after he'd shuffled over to their table."

  "You feeling okay?" Kelly slid into the booth to make room.

  "Aw, sure!" Bubba reached up and touched the bandage covering the spot on his head where Krystal had whacked him with the board. "It's lucky she hit me on the head though. Otherwise, she might've done some serious damage."

  Kelly grinned and clapped the little guy on the back. "We were just having a talk about Frank," he said, once Bubba had settled into the booth. "Cam says he's already told you about Frank taking Anna's money."

  "Yeah! I'm not sure what we ought to do, though. It goes against my grain to turn anybody over to the cops. Even a snake like Frank."

  "I figured as much," Kelly said. "That's what gave me this idea I've been mulling around."

  "What idea is that?"

  Kelly turned his head to include Cam in the conversation.

  Then, with both their attention fixed, he turned back to Bubba.

  "Now that Krystal's dead, you'll inherit under the terms of Anna's will, so the bulk of her estate, after a few bequests are paid off, belongs to you."