02 Outwitted

by Beth Solheim

"You're overreacting. The fact the deputies are in Clay's cabin had nothing to do with us. Clay said they found an old skeleton. He said it had been there for a long time." As the baby's sobs let up, Pam paced the floor to keep the soothing motion flowing.

  "That's what has me worried. Kimmer wanted me to excavate some old stuff from under Clay's cabin. I'll bet it's the skeleton. Maybe dealing with Kimmer isn't such a good idea after all."

  "Nonsense. We decided to forego the middle man and that's exactly what we're going to do. I had a chat with Kimmer and he agreed to up our abduction fee."

  "You what?" Dan stared at Pam.

  "You heard me. I needed to see for myself what makes Kimmer tick. When you took Clay fishing, I went to visit him. He agreed to up the ante. Now relax. Grab a beer and sit down." Pam turned toward Dan as she walked into the cabin. "Don't underestimate me again, Dan."

  After feeding the baby, Pam closed the screen door behind her, easing the latch silently into place. Belly LaGossa whined with delight when Pam neared the Adirondack chair. "What's that repulsive dog doing here?" She pushed Belly aside with her foot. "You know I don't like him. He drools all over everything." Pam ran her fingers across the seat of the chair. She grimaced and held up her hand. "See what I mean. He slobbered on my chair."

  "I wouldn't worry about the dog, if I were you. You've got more important things to worry about." Dan held up a tag, letting it dangle from his fingers. "Look familiar?"

  Grabbing the tag, Pam said, "It's from the booties I bought. Where'd you get it?"

  "I found it under the chair." Dan pointed to the third wooden chair on the porch.

  "That can't be. I put it in the wastebasket in the bathroom. I put all the tags in there."

  "I'm telling you I found it under the chair." Dan's voice shook. "Now tell me Sadie wasn't up to something. I'll bet she dropped it. You were careless and now she's suspicious."

  "Why would she be? Every mother buys clothes for her newborn. No big deal." Pam stared at Dan. "What's wrong with you? Ever since you talked to Kimmer this afternoon, you've been a basket case."

  Dan drew a deep swig from his beer bottle. "You're probably right." He patted Pam's hand. "Sorry, Babe. Kimmer set me on edge. He asked twice when we intended to head back to Minneapolis. He acted like he had a hot poker up his butt. He got angry because I didn't do the excavation job like he had asked."

  "I didn't know he had set a time limit," Pam said. "He didn't indicate it when I visited with him."

  "He hadn't. In fact when he told me about the job, he led me to believe I could do it whenever I got around to it. Today he got all pissed because I hadn't taken care of it right away."

  Pam sat rigid. "Do you mean to tell me Kimmer had something to do with those bones?"

  "Maybe. He told me he'd make it worth my while if I didn't tell anyone about the job. He wasn't happy when I told him Clay would help. Something sure made him nervous."

  Pam and Dan jerked in unison as Clay walked out of their cabin and let the door slam behind him.

  He twisted the cap off a beer bottle. "I hope you don't mind, but I let myself in your back door. I'm out of beer."

  "Geez, Clay. You scared the crap out of me," Dan said.

  Pam winced and patted the air. She turned her ear toward the bedroom window. "Keep your voice down. I just got the baby to sleep."

  Clay dropped down into the third porch chair and placed his feet on the railing. "Are you sure you don't need me to help you with the hospital job? I sure could use the work."

  "What?" Dan glanced at Clay in alarm.

  "The hospital job. You know the one you got the blue prints for."

  Dan picked at the beer label with his thumb nail. "I decided not to do the job."

  "You're lying. I bet you hired the tall skinny guy instead of me. I suppose he'll work for a buck less an hour. He's too old. He can't do heavy work." Clay tossed his empty beer bottle over the railing onto the lawn. "It figures. I knew you'd stab me in the back. Everybody else does."

  One side of Dan's mouth twisted up in confusion as he stared at Pam.

  Pam shook her head and shrugged.

  "I don't have a clue what you're talking about. I considered doing a hospital job, but decided against it. Pam and I are heading back to Minneapolis. That's all there is to it."

  "Then why was the old guy looking at the blueprints in your cabin?"

  Two heads swiveled in unison toward Clay.

  Dan's fingers tightened around the chair's wooden arm. "Who did you see in our cabin?"

  "That tall guy. The one who's been drooling over the Witt sisters. You know. The one with the baggy face."

  "Bernie Johnson?"

  "Yeah. He and Sadie sat on your bed looking at the blueprints."

  "Shit," Dan mumbled, as the word stuck in his throat. "Did they say anything?"

  "I don't know. I peeked through the screen door, but I couldn't hear them. Sadie had some stuff in her hands when she left, though."

  "Why don't you run down to the liquor store and get some more beer." Dan stood and pulled his wallet from his back pocket. He pulled out a twenty and handed it to Clay. "Join us tonight and we'll make plans for tomorrow afternoon. I hear the fish are biting."

  "That's a great idea," Clay said. "I'll ask Aanders to go with us. You know the father-son thing."

  Pam waited until Clay cleared the paved path. "Why did you ask him to join us? What's the matter with you?"

  "Nothing's the matter with me. It's part of the plan. Sadie's on to us and we've got to get the hell out of here. Get in there and get everything packed and ready to go."

  "Right now? You mean we're leaving right now?"

  "Not now, Pam. Use your head. If Sadie suspects anything, she's probably watching our cabin. I'm going to the lodge and rent one of their boats for tomorrow afternoon. If she thinks we've got plans through tomorrow, she'll ease up."

  "I don't get it," Pam said. "Why pack now?"

  "Because we're going to leave tonight when everyone's sleeping. We'll set the alarm for 2:00 a.m. and head out before they have a chance to miss us."

  35

  Lon waved the telephone receiver in the air to notify the deputies the call they had been waiting for had come. "It's Sadie. The lights in the Avery's cabin just went off. She said the rest of the resort is quiet." Lon glanced at his wrist to synchronize watches. "I've got four minutes after midnight. We'll meet outside the lodge entrance. No lights. No sirens. No nothing. It's just the four of us going by vehicle and two deputies in a boat at the marina."

  Lon nodded to Deputy Wayne. "Give them a call. Tell them to put the boat in the water and be ready to back us up by 12:45."

  Lon placed a sketch of the Avery's cabin on the counter.

  Listening as Lon issued instructions, Deputy Wayne slipped into his Kevlar vest and buttoned his shirt over the protective gear.

  The men examined their magazines and nine millimeters before securing them into position on their belts.

  Lon pointed to Deputy Wayne. "You grab the baby. Nan's standing by to help once you've secured him. She's got extra blankets and will ride with you to the hospital."

  "I'm ready." Deputy Wayne signaled to the man assigned as his back-up.

  After the eight-minute drive to the resort, Lon rolled his patrol car to a stop next to the Witt's End main entrance and waited for Deputy Wayne to pull up behind him. He wiped his clammy palms against his pants. Lon had been involved in take-downs before, but not one involving the recovery of an infant. Because Sadie had found a nurse's uniform in the Avery's cabin, Lon and the sheriff opted not to notify the hospital until after the take down. Pam might have an accomplice in the hospital. They couldn't run the risk of ruining the element of surprise.

  Lon's main concern was the child. If the Averys slept soundly, catching them unaware would do the trick. If they suspected anything, and Dan had a chance to grab the pistol in his night stand, the child could be used as a pawn.

  Lon jerked when the sheriff shook
the antacid bottle and popped another handful of tablets in his mouth. The sheriff's skin tone had grown sallow as the clock approached the new hour.

  "You seeing a doctor for your heartburn?" The sheriff's health had gone south since learning Judge Kimmer might be involved in Celeste's death. Seeing the sheriff shake his head, Lon said, "I don't know why you're so stubborn. There must be a prescription more effective than the stuff you're chewing."

  Tension impacted everyone. Lon hadn't wanted the sheriff to participate in the recovery, but he had insisted. Lon headed up the team, but the sheriff made sure everyone knew he would have the final say.

  The sheriff sat in the passenger's seat with his hands clenched against his thighs. His persistent throat clearing grated on Lon's nerves. The same scent hung heavy around the sheriff that hung on rookies when they waited in ambush. It was the same scent Lon knew he exuded when he approached a scene of chaos. The scent of fear. That meant trouble. One hesitant misstep, and everyone could be in jeopardy.

  Both drivers extinguished their headlights as they entered the gate. They slowly proceeded past the lodge. The purr of motors and the crunch of gravel under tires broke the silence while the men maneuvered into position out of view of the Avery's cabin.

  Deputy Wayne positioned his patrol car so the passenger's door directly aligned with the pathway. Opening the car door, he lifted a box off the floor and placed it on the passenger seat. Reaching into the box, he ran his hand over the pillow, plumped it, unfolded a blanket and placed it over the pillow.

  Distracted by Lon's frantic gestures, the three deputies turned toward the direction Lon pointed, straining to understand his angry whisper. "Get her out of here," Lon rasped, attempting to wave the approaching figure away.

  With slippers slapping against the soles of her feet and her red satin robe flagging behind her, Sadie ran toward Lon's vehicle. "What took you so long? I called you over an hour ago. Is everything ready?"

  The sheriff looked at Deputy Wayne. "She's not wearing anything under her robe." He unscrewed the cap on the antacid and popped two more tablets in his mouth.

  Stepping in front of Sadie, Lon pulled her robe together in the middle and reached for the silk ties hanging at her sides. He looped a big knot in front of her stomach and pulled it tight. Redirecting her with a half spin, he put his arm around her shoulder and walked her back toward Cabin 14. Barely audible, he said, "We got your message. We have to wait to be sure the Averys are sleeping before we go in. Go back to your cabin and stay out of the way."

  "I want to stay here." Sadie attempted to remove his hand from her shoulder.

  "It's too dangerous. We don't know if he's armed or not."

  "I already told you he is. I saw a gun in the night stand."

  Lon put both hands on her shoulders. "I'm in charge here, Sadie. This is serious. The life of a child is at risk, and I can't be worrying about you, too."

  "We want to help. Bernie and Jane will do whatever you want." Sadie looked up at Lon over the rim of her glasses. "Bernie could put in a few good words with the big guy up stairs if you think it would help. He's got connections."

  Lon watched Deputy Wayne tap his watch and signal toward the Avery's cabin. "I'm not going to tell you again. Go back to your cabin. I'm concerned about the baby and if I have to worry about you, I might make a mistake. It's because of you the child might go home. When it's over, I promise you'll get credit for solving the case."

  Nan hurried over to Sadie and tugged on her arm. "Come on, Sadie. Do what Lon says."

  "Okay, but as soon as it's over, I'm coming out to see what happened."

  Lon walked over to his squad car and removed his shotgun before joining the other men who stood ready with revolvers in hand.

  One of the men pointed toward the path. Belly stood in the middle of the paved walkway with his tail moving slowly back and forth, not quite sure this was something worth getting excited over. He sniffed deeply, pulling in the scent of fear. He settled down on his haunches.

  Checking his watch, Lon held up his finger and gave the go ahead sign by pointing at the Avery's cabin.

  Deputy Wayne and his backup partner ran from the shadows to the wall of a cabin separating the Avery's cabin from the patrol cars. With backs against the logs, the two men held their revolvers at their sides. They stood still and listened. Hearing nothing, Deputy Wayne gave a head wave, signaling Lon and the sheriff to approach. After joining the others, Lon peered around the corner toward the Avery's cabin.

  A patrol boat bobbed near shore with one of the deputies slowly maneuvering an oar to keep the boat aligned with the shore. Reflections of a half-moon glistened against the calm water. The other deputy stood with his shotgun held inconspicuously at his side. Acknowledging Lon's hand sign with a nod, the deputy rowed closer to shore.

  Rotating his finger in the air, Lon instructed Deputy Wayne and his partner to take position at the rear of the Avery's cabin. Lon and the sheriff waited until they reached their designated spots before approaching. They came to a standstill with their backs against the massive logs. Lon's flashlight thumped against a log when he pressed his back against the wood. Freezing in place, Lon glanced sideways at the sheriff, who stared back in panic. Neither man drew a breath.

  Climbing over the porch railing, Lon settled onto the wooden decking and motioned for the sheriff to follow. After crouching low and duck-waddling below the window frame, Lon stood and crossed to the door. Satisfied the Averys were unaware of their presence, Lon gave the sheriff the go-ahead to assume stance on the other side of the door.

  Both men unhooked their flashlights from their belts and placed them alongside their weapons.

  Lon inhaled deeply to fill his lungs before slicing the air with three beats of his fingers.

  As Lon's finger sliced the air on the third beat, both men switched on their flashlights. Lon pulled back with all his strength and kicked at the doorknob with the heel of his boot. Wood splintering, the door swung on its hinges, slammed against the wall.

  The instant Deputy Wayne heard the shattered silence he raised his foot and struck the rear door. As the latch released its hold, the deputies shouted wildly to add to the pandemonium and entered the cabin through the kitchen. Passing through the rooms, Deputy Wayne shined his flashlight along the door frames and flipped light switches as he ran.

  Lon and the sheriff shouted loudly as they entered the cabin and ran toward the bedroom. "Sheriff's Department. Freeze. Don't move." Dan reached toward the pistol. Lon kicked at the stand causing it to tip over. Dan's Glock skittered across the floor and Lon kicked it out of range.

  A baby's cry pierced the air as Lon grabbed Pam's arm and pulled her from the bed. "On the floor. I said on the floor," he screamed at the confused woman. When she failed to respond, he grabbed her shoulder and forced her to lay face down on the floor.

  Lon aimed the shotgun at Dan. "Don't move," he shouted when Dan rose to his knees.

  Deputy Wayne's partner and one of the deputies from the patrol boat wrestled Dan to the floor and pressed his face into the rug.

  Pam's pleas went unheeded as a deputy pulled her wrists firmly behind her and secured a white plastic strip into place.

  Deputy Wayne lifted the screaming infant from the travel crib, enveloping him in his large arms.

  "Check the baby for a penis," Lon insisted, as he pulled Pam off the floor.

  "Let's see if your little girl sprouted a dick tonight," the sheriff said, watching Lon push Pam toward the child.

  Deputy Wayne struggled to unwrap the baby and unsnap the tiny diaper closures as the baby flailed in protest. The deputy peeled back one of the diaper tabs. "We got ourselves a baby boy. Here's the birthmark his mother talked about." The deputy pointed to a mark on the infant's hip.

  A keening cry of realization escaped from Pam and she turned toward Dan. "I told you I wanted to quit. I told you something like this would happen."

  "Shut up, you stupid bitch. Keep your mouth shut." Spittle sprayed from
Dan's lips.

  Deputy Wayne bolted through the door and headed for the patrol car before Dan ended his barrage of threats. Placing the baby in the box and covering him with the blanket, he waited until Nan belted the seatbelt before he started the motor. "Are you ready?"

  Nan put her arms around the box as the child screamed. "Is he okay? Was he injured?"

  "I don't think so. I think he's mad because they made him wear pink diapers." Deputy Wayne grinned and patted Nan's hand. "Everything's going to be okay. Relax. You're trembling so hard you're shaking the baby."

  "I'm trying." Nan clung to the box.

  Deputy Wayne waited until he passed through the resort gates before turning on his flashing lights and siren.

  Pressing the tab on the speaker attached to his shoulder, he said, "Dispatch. This is Deputy Wayne. Notify the hospital I'll be arriving in about ten minutes. Tell them we've located the infant abducted from the hospital and to prepare for our arrival." Grasping the infant's tiny hand between his thumb and forefinger, he wiggled it back and forth as he accelerated toward the glow of the city's lights.

  The driver of the patrol boat joined Lon after docking the boat. He stepped out of the way as they led Dan and Pam from the cabin. After situating Pam in the back seat of the second vehicle, Lon placed a call to dispatch requesting a crime scene investigation team. He finished by giving directions to the location.

  Lon removed the magazine from Dan's Glock and pulled the slide to the rear, extracting the round from the chamber. He tucked the round into his pocket. Lon waded through a cluster of onlookers who had gathered around the sheriff.

  Once the deputies strung crime scene tape around the Avery's cabin, the sheriff said, "Everything's going to be fine. Nothing to be upset about." He smiled at the many apprehensive faces staring back at him. "I want you to return to your cabins and go back to bed. Sorry to disturb you."

  The crowd moved to the right as a squad car pulled away. "If everything's okay, why is a deputy guarding the door?" Conjecture buzzed through the pajama-clad crowd as they mulled the prospects.