Sawmill Springs

by Gerri Hill

  “So you want to…skip the date and just—”

  “I want to sleep with you,” Kayla said bluntly. She tilted her head. “Do you want to sleep with me?”

  The tone of her voice was teasing, playful, but Murphy wondered if Kayla doubted her interest. If they weren’t on foot, in the middle of the woods, and on the run from a murderer, she’d take the time to show her just how interested she was. However, she didn’t want their first kiss to be out here. She smiled and started walking again. Kayla fell into step beside her.

  “So…is that a yes or a no?”

  Murphy laughed. “Can I use my handcuffs?”

  Kayla laughed too. “Not the first time. I want my hands free to touch you.” Her voice lowered. “All over.”

  Murphy nearly stumbled and Kayla grabbed her arm to steady her.

  “We should probably change the subject,” she said. “You’re dangerous.”

  Kayla’s laughter rang out again, and Murphy walked beside her, a smile on her face as she imagined them in bed together. Most likely, it would be an experience she would never forget.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Kayla saw the headlights seconds before Murphy did. “Kill your light,” she said and moved them to the side of the road.

  “I thought we wanted to flag someone down?”

  “It’s a truck. It could be Uncle Ned on his way back to the cabin.”

  He’d locked the gate behind him, but she still had the keys in her pocket. Once on Zimmerman Road, they’d headed north, walking mostly in silence. They’d reached the first road, taking it to the right. She thought they were making good time. It had only taken them twenty minutes to reach the gate and another fifteen on Zimmerman before they turned. Her hope of flagging down a vehicle was vanishing with each step and each tick of the clock. Even though it was a Friday night, there weren’t many residences out this way. It would be pure luck for someone to be out. She thought they would have a better chance once they reached the county road, even though it would be after midnight before they got that far.

  Now, as headlights approached, she feared they were sitting ducks. They went into the ditch and up against the fence, taking cover behind a small cedar tree. As the truck approached, it seemed to slow, and she gripped Murphy’s arm tighter. When it passed by, she relaxed. It was a light-colored truck. Her uncle’s truck was black. Even so, she didn’t put her flashlight on to try to get their attention. She let them drive on. For some reason, she had gotten a bad vibe.

  “What is it?”

  She stared in the direction of where the truck had gone. “I’m not sure.” She took a deep breath, wondering at her nervousness.

  “Well, come on. Let’s hit it.”

  She nodded, following Murphy back out onto the road. They walked on in silence, their footsteps barely making a sound on the pavement. A few times, the clouds parted, revealing the half-moon, but it was soon swallowed up again. Their flashlights cast a gentle glow that bounced around them as they walked. The night, while humid, wasn’t overly warm and she felt comfortable with the slight breeze that blew through the trees. Still, she looked forward to a cool shower and sleeping in air-conditioned comfort. She glanced over at Murphy. When they got back to town, dare she suggest they share a bed? She mentally shook her head. No. Now wasn’t the time. Who knew if they would even get to bed? Her uncle was out there somewhere…looking for hidden money. Finding him was at the top of the list. Sleeping with Murphy would have to wait.

  “I hear a car.”

  Kayla heard it too, but there were no headlights to be seen. The woods were thick and the road curved. She looked behind them, but all was dark. Up ahead through the trees, they saw a flash of light. As before, they got to the side of the road, but it wasn’t a truck that was heading their way.

  “Let’s flag them down,” Murphy said, stepping out onto the road. She waved her flashlight around as Kayla stood beside her, waving her arms over her head. The car slowed and Murphy moved to the middle of the road.

  “Be careful.”

  “Yeah…they’re stopping.”

  It was a newer model Honda, and when the window buzzed down, a teenaged boy stared back at them. Kayla stepped forward, giving him a smile.

  “We’re having a little car trouble,” she said. “We could really use a lift into town.”

  He looked at her suspiciously. “Where’s your car?”

  She pointed behind them. “Several miles down on Zimmerman.”

  “I could maybe take a look at it for you. I’m pretty handy with that sort of thing.”

  Murphy leaned down, looking into the window. “We just need a ride into town.”

  “I’m Kayla Dixon,” she said. “Chief Dixon’s daughter,” she clarified. “If you could take us to the police station, that would be great.”

  He nodded. “Okay…yeah, sure.” She heard the doors unlock and she opened the back. “Those beer cans back there…those aren’t mine,” he said nervously.

  Murphy got in the front beside him, and Kayla slipped into the back. Her feet rattled the beer cans around. There were at least six.

  “Had a little party, did you?”

  “No, no. Like I said, those aren’t mine. My dad must have—”

  “Right.”

  “You have a rather youthful appearance for being over twenty-one,” Murphy said, her lips twitching as she tried to hide a smile.

  “Yeah…well…I’m…you know…”

  “I was a teenager once too,” Murphy said. “No worries. Just be careful.”

  He made a wide turn and headed back toward the county road. He was driving at least ten miles per hour slower than the speed limit, which suited her fine. When they got into town, he slowed even more, and they were nearly crawling as they approached the station. When he finally came to a stop, he sat upright, both hands clutched on the wheel, his eyes staring straight ahead. She leaned forward and touched his shoulder.

  “Thanks for the lift.”

  Murphy turned to him, waiting until he looked at her. “We’re both police officers, by the way,” she said. “Don’t let us ever catch you driving around this town after you’ve been drinking.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Look, if you’re going to sneak beer, you sure as hell don’t drive around with the empty cans in your car.”

  “No, ma’am. We…we had a six-pack. I just had one beer, I swear.”

  “Okay, kid.” Murphy got out, then stuck her head back inside. “You be careful going home.”

  “I will. Yes, ma’am.”

  He pulled away slowly, and they stood there watching him. Kayla finally laughed.

  “He probably won’t sleep tonight.”

  “Good. He looked like he was barely sixteen.”

  “Well, as you said, we were all teenagers once.”

  “You were a cop’s daughter. Don’t tell me you did that too?”

  They headed into the station and she nodded. “Kevin and I would each sneak a beer from our parents’ fridge and go out to Braden’s Hill. By the time we got there, the beer was warm, but we didn’t really care.”

  Yolanda, the night dispatcher, was the only one at the station. Kayla thought they should let her know that they were there, but Murphy was already going into the squad room so she followed. It was after midnight, but her father answered his phone on the second ring.

  “It’s me,” she said.

  “Where the hell are you? I’ve been calling you for the last two hours,” he said. “Ned’s not answering his phone either. I was about to head out there and check on you.”

  “Yeah, well, you would have found us tied to chairs,” she said. “Everything Murphy told you is true. Ned—”

  “Ain’t a goddamn killer!”

  “He is a goddamn killer,” she yelled back. “You’ve got to listen to me, Dad. He took our phones and our weapons. He knifed the tires on my car. He took off. He left us tied up. He—”

  “He’s my brother. He wouldn’t do that,”
he said stubbornly.

  “But he did do it.”

  “There has to be some mistake. He’s scared. There has to be—”

  “It’s not a mistake.”

  Murphy took the phone from her. “Goddamn it, Earl, quit burying your head in the sand. Ned Dixon killed four people. Ned Dixon held a gun to my head. Ned Dixon threatened to kill your daughter, for God’s sake! Now what in the hell are we going to do to find him?”

  Kayla met Murphy’s gaze, watching as Murphy nodded. “Fine.” She handed the phone back, and Kayla took it.

  “Aunt Charlotte knows, Dad. She knows what he’s done. Apparently Lance Foster hid some cash and he’s looking for it. Then, I don’t know, he said he’d be back.”

  “Goddamn,” her father muttered. “Okay. Jesus. Okay, I’ll go by their house. I’ll bring her in.”

  “We’ll meet you there.”

  “I don’t need any goddamn help!”

  “Tough. And bring Mom’s cell phone. I’ll need to borrow it.” She hung up the phone and looked at Murphy. “What did he say to you?”

  “He said I better be right about this or I’d be looking for another job.”

  “He’s so stubborn,” she said. “Come on. We’re meeting him at their house.”

  “They’re not going to be there.”

  “I know.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Ned and Charlotte Dixon lived on the south side of town in an old neighborhood with large homes and yards, much like the one she was renting. She slowed as they approached, finding Earl’s patrol car parked in the driveway. He was standing beside it, pacing.

  “Nobody’s here,” he said when they walked up to him.

  “Cars?”

  “Nothing. Her car is gone too.”

  “He said that Lance Foster had hidden money somewhere,” Kayla said. “Do you know if he owned some property other than his house?”

  “Something like Ned owned, back in the woods,” she added.

  Earl took off his white Stetson and scratched his head. “Not that I know of. But hell, he was the real estate guy. He could own several places, for all I know.” He put his hat back on. “Are you sure Ned’s mixed up in this?” His question was directed at Kayla, not her.

  Kayla nodded. “I’m sorry, Dad, but yes. He…he grabbed Murphy, held a gun to her head, threatened to kill her too. He said he found out that they were taking a bigger cut of the money than he was. Lance was supposed to have had some cash from the drugs they were selling on the side. That’s what he was after.”

  Earl shook his head slowly. “My own goddamn brother.”

  “Maybe they decided to leave without the money,” she said. “Or maybe he found it already.”

  “Could be headed to Mexico by now, I guess,” Kayla said. “But I don’t think he’d leave without the money. That was the whole point of this, wasn’t it?”

  “Maybe the point was revenge. He was pissed at all of them.”

  “Pissed?” Earl said. “You don’t go kill four people because you’re pissed.”

  She shrugged. “Pissed. Angry. Furious.” She shrugged again. “I’m just saying, maybe it wasn’t only about the money. You said yourself that they wouldn’t have given him the time of day out on the street. In his eyes, he’s doing all the work; he’s taking all the chances moving the drugs. They’re the ones raking in the cash though, not him.”

  Kayla nodded. “I agree with Murphy. I think most of this was driven by anger. He felt slighted. I imagine he felt like he was being taken advantage of.”

  Earl pounded the side of his truck. “This makes no goddamn sense. When we went out there, Ned was scared. Hell, you both saw him. There’s got to be some explanation for this. Maybe this Mr. X is making him do it. Maybe—”

  “There is no Mr. X,” Kayla said. “That was just something Lance Foster came up with. Ned said he was the guy who brought the money.” Kayla wrapped her fingers around his arm. “Dad, I know this is a shock to you. It is to me too. But we’ve got to do something. Put a BOLO out on their vehicles, something. You need to let Sheriff Ramsey know. You need—”

  “No. Not yet.”

  “Dad—”

  “No! As far as Ned knows, you two are still tied up. I’m going out there, wait on him.”

  “Earl—”

  “Goddamn it! I’m in charge here, not you two.”

  “He may not go back there,” Murphy said. “Once he finds the money, what reason would he have to go back?”

  “He said he’d be back by daybreak,” Kayla reminded her. “As far as he knows, Dad doesn’t know anything. He thinks we’re still out there. Guy’s funeral is tomorrow. Well, today now, I guess, but really, the whole town will be there. He’s got to feel like he’s got time.”

  “But why go back out there?” she asked again. “What’s there that he would need?”

  “He’s got cash somewhere,” Kayla said. “Maybe he has his own hiding spot out in the woods. He finds Lance’s stash, then comes back, packs up and heads out to…I don’t know…maybe Mexico. The funeral is at ten. I’m sure he thinks he has until eleven or so before Dad is free and tries to contact us.”

  “I don’t know. That seems kinda reckless. You find Lance Foster’s money, then you get the hell out of town.” She pointed at the house. “Your aunt is gone. He’s obviously contacted her. I think we should be looking for them around town.” She turned to Earl. “Kayla is right. We should put a BOLO out.”

  “I don’t give a goddamn what you think, Murphy. He’s going back to the cabin because you two are supposed to be at the cabin. Unfinished business.”

  Kayla’s eyes widened. “You think he’s going to return to the cabin to kill us?”

  “As much as it pains me to say it, yes.”

  “Then why not kill us up front?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. Maybe he wanted you for leverage, in case something went wrong. Leverage against me,” Earl clarified. He reached in his pocket and brought out a phone. He handed it to Kayla. “Here. It’s your mom’s. She said to bring it back in one piece.”

  “What do you want us to do?”

  “Get some sleep.”

  “We should go out there with you,” Kayla said.

  “I can handle Ned,” he said.

  “Dad—”

  “If he doesn’t show, then we’ll get the ball rolling first thing in the morning. I’ll call Ramsey, we’ll put the alert out, everything. But if I can bring him in quietly, without getting the whole goddamn town involved, then that’s what I want to do.”

  Murphy glanced at her watch. It was nearly two. “He said he’d be back by daybreak.”

  “I’ll give it until six thirty or so,” Earl said. “Now, go get some sleep. We’ll meet in the morning.”

  He got in his car and slammed the door, ending the discussion. They stepped away as he backed out of the driveway.

  “I don’t like the plan either,” Kayla said before Murphy could speak. “I just hope Kabir has something for me in the morning. The warrant we got didn’t include Uncle Ned, but I’ll see if he can include him in the loop too.”

  “You think financials will help us at this point?”

  “I don’t know. We still have the drugs to consider.”

  “And that’ll get pushed down to Houston and it’ll go nowhere,” she said. “If they were using Niemeyer’s so-called ghost trucks and some dude named X was bringing the cash, it’s a dead-end. Especially without the recordings that Lance Foster made.”

  “How do you think Uncle Ned knew about the camera?”

  She shrugged. “How do you think he got Lance Foster to pull the memory cards out of his secret hiding place?”

  “He probably admitted to killing Guy Woodard and maybe threatened Lance’s wife or something,” Kayla said. “Lance was scared enough to hand them over.”

  “If that was the case, why didn’t he also give up the hiding place of his cash?”

  “I don’t know. Lance Foster was all about ma
king money. Maybe the cash meant more to him than the recordings did. Maybe he knew he was going to be killed one way or the other, so why give Ned what he wanted?”

  “I guess,” she said with sigh. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”

  They walked toward her truck, but before either of them opened their doors, Kayla stopped and looked at her across the hood.

  “If you take me home, then you’ll just have to come pick me up in the morning.”

  The streetlight cast just enough light for her to make out Kayla’s eyes. She smiled back at her.

  “Well, I guess you could stay with me. There’s like four bedrooms in the place.”

  “Right. I guess I’ll have my pick then.”

  They swung by Kayla’s duplex so she could get a change of clothes, but by the time they were heading to Murphy’s house, they were both yawning profusely. Wherever Kayla decided to sleep, sleep was just what they’d do.

  “I haven’t used this bathroom, but I think there are some towels in there,” she said as she pointed out the spare room to Kayla.

  “Go take your own shower. I’ll find everything I need.”

  Murphy went into the kitchen and got a bottle of water from the fridge, drinking nearly the whole thing. As she made her way to the back bedroom, she heard the water running in the shower. She tried not to picture Kayla—naked—standing under the warm spray. She shook the image away and stripped off her clothes, relishing her own shower. It had been a very long, very stressful day, and she felt some of the tension slip away as the water bounced off her shoulders.

  When she went back into her bedroom, she wasn’t really surprised to find Kayla in her bed. She was, however, a little disappointed to find that she was fast asleep. She covered her mouth to hide a yawn, her body telling her that it was going on three a.m. and she needed some sleep. So she quietly pulled the covers back and slipped in beside Kayla. Kayla’s only response was to reach out a sluggish hand and wrap her fingers around her arm. Murphy sighed contentedly and closed her eyes.