The Cast Net

by Mille West

  Cooper replied, “What do you mean?”

  “A girl that pretty, living out here alone with you.”

  “James, I think I understand your insinuation and I’ll be nice about this. Miss Taylor is the director of the Heath Foundation and we have a professional relationship. I’d appreciate you showing her the respect she deserves.” Cooper’s voice became cold. “I think you have forgotten with whom you’re speaking.”

  James Burton—what a sorry big mouth—I’m thankful I have Cooper as my friend and defender.

  “Oh, come on, Ace, we’re buddies from way back.”

  “James, I’ll try to overlook this conversation. Let’s go back to the house.”

  Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were served on the porch. After drinking bourbon, James began to tell pilot stories about Cooper. “After Cooper and I left the Air Force, we both took jobs with the now-defunct Northern International Airlines. Cooper was copilot on a 727 from New York bound for Kansas City. It was his leg, and when the crew was executing landing procedures, it came to their attention that several ultralights were operating near the airport. One of those ultralights got in the wake turbulence of the 727 and plummeted a couple of thousand feet to the ground. For weeks, everyone teased Cooper about his confirmed kill and nicknamed him ‘Ace.’”

  “That’s a marvelous story, James,” Jeff told him.

  “I think so too—I need more bourbon,” James said, as he rose to fix another drink.

  By late afternoon, all the guests had departed, and Mills sat with Cooper on the screened porch. “Thank you for taking up for me this afternoon with James.”

  “You heard him?”

  “Yes.”

  “Mills, I’m sorry. I don’t understand his coarse behavior. He wasn’t always like this.”

  They were quiet for a moment and Mills asked, “What do you wish for?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, what do you want to accomplish in life that you haven’t already done?”

  He pondered her question, and then said, “What I want most in life is a wife who loves me and a family, my own children. I’m not sure if this is going to happen for me. What about you?”

  “I want a husband who loves me.”

  “I hope your dream comes true.”

  Mills looked intently into Cooper’s eyes. “Didn’t Elise love you?”

  “She did, for most of our marriage, but I think she ceased to love me. And I don’t know why.”

  They were quiet until Mills said, “Thank you for including me in your plans during the weekend.”

  “You’re welcome.” He smiled and said, “I’ll walk you to your cottage. I’m leaving for New Jersey in the morning and I’ll be away for the next two weeks. We’re beginning an expansion of the Newark terminal and my uncle wants me to supervise the project. I’ll stay in touch while I’m away.”

  CHAPTER 20

  Night Fires

  H alf asleep, Mills could not be certain if she was dreaming the knocking noise. As she began to wake, the sound became louder, and her name was called. “Mills, please come to the door. Let me in, honey!”

  She rose from the bed and realized that Cooper was calling to her with alarm in his voice. When she opened the door, he took her in his arms and held her. “Thank God, you’re all right. Where are your coat and slippers?”

  Still half asleep, Mills responded, “My coat and slippers are in the closet. Cooper, what’s wrong?”

  “There’s been an intruder on the property and the boathouse is on fire. I was so worried about you. The screen is off the window on your screened porch.” He went to her closet and returned with her coat and slippers. Cooper helped her put on her coat and then buttoned it while she slid on her shoes. “Charles is on his way over here and the fire department should be here soon. Thank God for Sam; his barking woke me.”

  As she stepped onto her porch, the smell of smoke filled the air. Flames from the boathouse were leaping into the night sky. Cooper took her hand and led her to his house. “We’re almost there,” he said.

  Once inside, they went into the hunting room, and Cooper removed the revolver that she had taken on the canoeing trips from the gun cabinet. “I’m going to the boathouse and this is for your self-defense.”

  “You’re not leaving me here. I’m going with you.”

  He took her hand and together they went out the door into the rear courtyard. “I called the fire department as soon as I saw the flames. They told me there were two other calls that came in right before mine.”

  As they watched, gas cans inside the boathouse ignited in succession and burning debris exploded into the surrounding darkness. Charles arrived a few minutes later. He stared at the burning structure and then turned to Cooper. “Who would do this?” he asked.

  “I have a good idea. A screen was off the window on Mills’s cottage.”

  In the light from the flames, Mills saw a deep frown on Charles’s face. Someone was after me!

  The boathouse was engulfed in flames; due to the gas cans stored inside, they could do nothing to fight the fire. The roof began to collapse, but because of light winds, the fire was not spreading into the woods.

  “Charles, I’m going to call Williston,” Cooper said.

  Mills tightly held his hand as they returned to his house. He let the phone ring several times at her residence before he replaced the receiver. “No answer. I’m going to check on her.”

  “I’m coming with you,” Mills said emphatically.

  “Let’s go.”

  As they neared Alston Station, red lights from emergency vehicles glowed against the blackness of night, and Mills shuddered at the sight. “Oh my God, they’re at Williston’s clinic,” Mills said, her voice unsteady with fear.

  Cooper parked as close to the building as possible and said, “Mills, listen to me. I’m going to lock the doors. I want you to stay in the truck.”

  She nodded and watched apprehensively as Cooper walked toward a group of firefighters who sprayed the side of the building with water. Mills was relieved when she saw Williston step out of the group of men and put her arms around Cooper. Thank God she’s all right.

  The fire was extinguished and, in the beams of light provided by the firefighters, the damage appeared to be superficial to the exterior wall of the building. Several minutes passed before Cooper returned to the Suburban with Williston. The first rays of light were illuminating the eastern sky, and Mills could see the weariness in Williston’s eyes as she got in the vehicle.

  “We’re going to drive to Eula’s. I have a bad feeling about this,” she said. When they arrived, all the lights were extinguished inside Eula’s trailer. Cooper went to the door and knocked repeatedly, but there was no answer.

  Mills had the window rolled down on the truck, and she could hear a faint voice calling for help.

  She got out of the truck and started in the direction of the noise. “Cooper . . . Williston, someone’s calling for help.”

  Cooper grabbed her hand and stepped in front of her. “Mills, I want you to stay behind me.” He held
the revolver as he rounded the corner of the structure. A horrific scene awaited them; Eula’s oldest son, Billy, was tied to a tree, and his mother lay motionless on the ground. Her burned schoolbooks rested near her.

  As soon as he saw Williston, Billy cried pathetically, “Dr. Will, please help her. She hasn’t moved in a long time.”

  As Cooper untied the boy from the tree, Williston examined Eula. The look on her face confirmed Mills’s worst fears. Released from the bonds, Billy ran to his mother and took her in his arms. “She’s so cold. We got to do something to get her warm.”

  Williston put her arms around Billy and said, “Son, I’m so sorry, but your mother has passed away.”

  A look of sheer terror gripped Billy, and he said, hysterically, “That bastard Lee Roy showed up here last night. He got inside our house and drug mama outside. I tried to fight him, but he smacked me and tied me to the tree.” He sobbed as he continued, “Lee Roy asked me how I liked it, each time he hit her.”

  Williston took Billy’s hand and led him away from her body. “Do you know where your sisters are?”

  “I hope they’re inside,” he responded.

  Mills looked with fear at Eula’s body; her teeth had been knocked out, destroying her beautiful dental work. She had been so proud of her smile, and Mills quivered as she stared at the body. That bastard Lee Roy.

  A strong arm went around Mills’s shoulder and she looked up into Cooper’s eyes. “Let’s join Williston,” he said as he led her away.

  After the sheriff and emergency personnel concluded their interviews with Williston, Eula’s children went with her to the clinic. In the daylight, their earlier observations were confirmed; there was only superficial fire damage to the clinic. Reverend Smalls and members of his church were there when they arrived. He explained that a third fire had been set at the Freedom School, but a local man returning from a trip noticed the flames on his way home. The fire department reached the building before it became engulfed.

  When Cooper and Mills returned home, there were two vehicles parked outside the house. One car was from the sheriff’s department and the other was an unmarked police vehicle driven by Lieutenant Barnes.

  As soon as he saw Cooper and Mills arrive, Lieutenant Barnes walked to the Suburban and opened the truck door for Mills. “Cooper, I see you had some excitement out here last night.”

  “That’s one way to put it. I didn’t realize you took an interest in arson cases, Lieutenant.”

  “I asked to be involved. Why would a man of your stature get involved with a guy like Lee Roy?”

  “Members of the community tried to help his wife and family improve their lives. I was one of them.”

  “I see.” He turned and faced Mills. “Miss Taylor, I should have said good morning to you.”

  “Lieutenant Barnes, good morning.”

  Barnes refocused his attention on Cooper. “It appears that Lee Roy went on a rampage last night. You two are very fortunate . . . I’d like to show you something.”

  He led them to Mills’s cottage and pushed aside an azalea bush; hidden underneath was a gas can and ropes. “Now, no one touch the gas can. I know this will frighten you, Miss Taylor, but there’s a possibility that Lee Roy has plans for you.”

  The flowers she had planted in front of her cottage had been trampled, and as Cooper had discovered, a screen had been removed from a window that had been raised a few inches.

  “He was interrupted before he completed his plans. Cooper, did you come and get Miss Taylor when you realized the boathouse was on fire?”

  “Yes, my dog was barking and he woke me.”

  “There’s a good reason dogs are called man’s best friend. You were probably just in time to spare her from Lee Roy’s plans. Nefarious individual, isn’t he?”

  The detective stepped out from the bushes. “I found out that your phone call was the third to come in for help. When there are two fire trucks and crews in the immediate area that means you wouldn’t get assistance. I wonder if he was smart enough to plan it that way—probably not. I’m sorry about Mrs. Mullinax and her family. I wish she’d put that guy in jail a long time ago.”

  The three of them walked down to the smoldering ruins of the boathouse. The Miss Elise was on the boat lift covered with ashes, but otherwise unharmed.

  Lieutenant Barnes looked at Cooper with a wry grin. “It looks like the boat named after your wife is unscathed. I keep hoping for the best on your wife, don’t you?”

  “Yes, Lieutenant, I do.”

  His grin faded and his face darkened. “I don’t think you and Miss Taylor should stay out here until Lee Roy is apprehended. There’s no way to know what else he might do.”

  After the policeman departed, Cooper put his hand on Mills’s shoulder. “For once I agree with Lieutenant Barnes. I think you should move into town.”

  When they went inside Cooper’s home, Marian was waiting for them in the kitchen. She hugged Mills and then Cooper. “Thank the Lord that wicked man didn’t hurt either of you.” Sam was at her feet and she patted the dog on the head. She looked into Cooper’s eyes and said, “Charles told me that Sam woke you. Thank God. Labradors are the souls of good people who have returned to earth.”

  While Marian fixed breakfast, Cooper called Ian, his uncle, from the study. Charles had already informed Ian of the intruder and arson, and Ian asked to speak with Mills.

  When she put the receiver to her ear, Ian said, “You’re family to us, dear, and I want you to be safe. If you prefer, you can move into the upstairs of my home while Cooper is away.”

  After a brief discussion, Mills agreed to move into Cooper’s townhome until Lee Roy was arrested and Ian told her he would check on her each day. They ate breakfast and then Cooper helped Mills pack her possessions. They were both stunned from the morning’s events and they quietly loaded the Suburban.

  When they finished packing, Mills spoke with Marian while Cooper prepared for his trip to Newark. He called out to Mills from the front of the house and she found him in his study. He was impeccably dressed in a deep navy business suit and was holding the photo of his wife, he said, “Mills, I have my failures in life—I fear Elise felt neglected by me.” He placed Elise’s photo on his desk and looked at Mills. Their eyes locked. “But—I will not fail you.”

  When they reached his townhome, Cooper helped her unpack her possessions. He then closed the door and put his arms around Mills. “Are you going to be all right here?”

  She looked into his eyes and nodded. Mills felt at ease in his arms and she would have remained in his embrace, but after a moment, he put his hands on her shoulders and they faced one another. “I want you to call Ian if you need anything. He’s just a few blocks away.”

  “Thank you, Cooper.” I wish you didn’t have to go.

  He paused for a moment. “Mills, this construction project has been planned for months and my uncle believes that my presence is necessary. Please forgive me for leaving right now.”

  “I understand.”

  Cooper took a deep breath before saying, “I’ll fly down for Eula’s funeral.”

  He started to walk toward the door but turned around. “He was
going to hurt you to get revenge on me for helping his wife. Thank God, he didn’t touch you.”

  Mills could tell he was as nervous as she was and she took his hand in hers. “I’ll be fine here. Don’t worry.”

  “I can’t help but worry.”

  “I’m going to be very busy with Dr. Warren. You know we have graduations coming up soon and we’re finishing up the scholarship applications.”

  She walked with him to the door and he held both her hands before stepping outside. Fine lines of worry had emerged on his face, and as he went down the steps, he looked back at her as she stood in the open doorway.

  Exhausted, Mills went upstairs and collapsed on a bed.

  The next morning, the Edisto fires and the murder of Eula Mullinax were on the front page of the Charleston Dispatch. The article, written by Lee Mencken, went into complete detail of the circumstances surrounding her death. An arrest warrant was issued for Lee Roy, but his whereabouts were unknown.

  Marian gave Mills’s phone number to her friends as they called about her. All of Cooper’s relatives contacted her and Joshua White called her from Washington, DC. Britton asked her to dinner that evening, and the last phone call of the morning came from Cooper, whose voice was still filled with anxiety.

  They had been apart for one day, but already she missed him. She was beginning to realize that her feelings for him went much deeper than brotherly love and this frightened her. I feel like I’ve cared about him for years.

  A Charleston County police officer phoned to let her know that the young man who stole her purse had been identified as Anthony Barre. He would not disclose the name of the other boy involved in the robbery, and as this was his first offense, he had been released into the custody of his grandmother. Mills also learned that a condition of his release was that Anthony was required to perform community service work and that Reverend Smalls would be his mentor.