by Rachel Lee
“No other traffic?”
“I don’t remember any. It happened so fast. I couldn’t even figure out what happened when he scraped the side of my car. I think I wondered if he was drunk, but I’m not sure.”
Gage nodded, added a few notes and then closed the pad and rose. He winced, and Haley felt a lot of sympathy for him.
“Coffee?” Roger asked again.
“Thanks, but Justin will be headed back to college in a few days and I’ve been making a point of getting home to have dinner with him and Emma in the evening. Maybe next week?” He looked at Haley. “I’ll keep you posted. Thanks for your help. I’m pretty sure we’re looking for an abandoned Suburban now. That’ll help.”
“If he left some traces.”
Gage paused as he neared the door. “What’s the first thing you do when you get in a car you haven’t driven before?”
Roger thought about it for a second. “Plug the keys in the ignition and adjust the mirror.”
“Exactly. You’ll never believe how many thieves wipe down a car and forget to wipe the mirror. If we’re lucky, this clown isn’t any smarter than most.”
Roger saw him out then remarked to Haley, “Fingerprints are useful only if they’re on file. They’ll probably have to catch the guy first.”
Haley smiled. Her pain was beginning to ease and that made her feel so much better. “It’ll be okay. I can’t imagine what the guy was thinking, but right now I don’t much care.”
“Good,” said Roger. “That’s why we have the police. Let them worry about all of it.”
* * *
Edgar was once again feeling dumb. Driving by the McKinsey house, he saw light leaking through the front curtains and the saddler’s truck once again in the driveway. Room for it now that there was no subcompact.
He tried to assure himself that this was only temporary. That as soon as she could travel, she was going to get the hell out of Conard County. She had to realize she had been attacked for some unknown reason, which surely frightened her more than when he’d looked through her window.
Yeah, another week or so, and from what he’d gathered from gossip, she wasn’t going to be walking around the streets at all for a while. He didn’t have to hide as much as he had been. He told himself the woman would be headed home before the fall semester started.
It would be okay. He kept telling himself that even as the drumbeat of stupid, stupid tried to run through his head. Better if she had died, but she hadn’t. There was no way she could feel safe here now. No way.
And that’s what he’d needed, wasn’t it? For her to want to run away.
But as he tooled down the darkened highway, passing by the messed-up ditch where her car had landed, he saw something else that concerned him. In the distance, in the direction where he’d dumped the Suburban, there were flashing lights. Red, blue and yellow. They’d found the vehicle.
Okay. He’d planned on that happening eventually. Pretty soon they’d be questioning high school kids about taking a joyride. Nobody would look at him. Nobody.
Satisfied, ignoring the sickening sense that he might have screwed up again, he kept driving. The woman wouldn’t be on the street for a while. If necessary, he could take a short vacation from town until she returned to wherever her home was.
She had to know that someone had tried to kill her.
Only a lunatic would hang around for a repeat.
Chapter 11
Other than a few humiliating moments when Roger helped her into a comfortable nightgown and took her to the bathroom, Haley’s night passed in a bit of fog-filled pain. The meds helped, but the dose wasn’t strong enough to eliminate it, which was fine because she didn’t care for the way the drugs made her feel. She preferred a clear head.
But when she expressed embarrassment to Roger for the intimate ways he had to care for her, he reared back a little and flashed his charming grin. “Like you weren’t flaunting all of this to me just recently?”
One corner of her mouth lifted. “This is different.”
“I suppose you tell that to your patients, too. So think of me as your practical nurse until I can have my way with you again.”
That sounded delightful, but she suspected she was going to have to wait awhile. Damn.
Dreams bothered her that night. Her past and present intertwined until she dreamed that one monster was chasing her, following her through her entire life, seeking to destroy her. Whenever she woke with a start, Roger was right there. He’d spread his air mattress on the floor beside the couch, just inches away, ready to take care of her. If it was time, he pressed another pain pill on her, and made her take her deep breaths. At least she wasn’t coughing. God, the thought of pneumonia and how that coughing would feel was frightening all by itself.
Then she’d fall asleep again, wishing that she could turn over. Not to be, not yet.
In the morning he brought her breakfast, eggs and toast and some bacon, with a tall glass of milk. Her appetite still wasn’t great, but she noted that the aching and throbbing had eased. Not gone, but better. Better enough that she refused a pain pill. Roger was having none of it.
“One more, so you can rest up for Della. Then she can take over and you can argue with her.”
She gave in.
The next thing she knew, she heard Roger speaking to someone, introducing himself. Then she heard Della’s familiar and welcome voice.
“I swear,” her roomie said, “I feel like the only raisin in a bowl of bread pudding around here.”
Roger laughed heartily. “You’re not, but I can understand why you might think that.”
Then Della was bending over her, her deeply brown face and dark eyes both smiling and expressing concern.
“Victim,” Della said. “Girl, that ain’t you.”
“Wouldn’t have thought so,” Haley answered, glad that she was truly waking up. “Oh, man, Della, it’s so good to see you.”
“Of course it is. Nothing like an old, old friend at a time like this. I gather Roger is an old friend, too.”
“From childhood,” Haley agreed.
“He’ll do for a cowboy.”
Roger had cleared away his air mattress and now pulled one of the chairs over for Della to sit on. He stood in the background, smiling.
“Now get back to work,” Della said to him. “You make saddles, right? Someone must be riding bareback right now.”
Roger laughed again, and Haley wondered how many more times they might have spoken since her accident. Della seemed pretty well filled in.
“I’ll bring dinner over,” Roger said as he prepared to leave. “Time for Della to meet Maude’s steak sandwich.”
“That does sound good. Now scat.”
After the door closed behind him, Haley asked, “How’s Casey doing?”
“Really good. Relieved, needless to say. She’s going back to work tomorrow. She said to tell you she really missed dumping all her angst on you.”
Haley started to laugh then caught herself. “I’ll bet.”
“Misery does love company. Anyway, she and the others send their love, and Celeste sent a pillow. Let me get it for you.”
“A pillow?”
Della headed toward a bag she’d left by the door. “Should have had the cowboy bring in my suitcase. Not like I can’t handle it, but he needs to be put to use.”
“Oh, please, don’t make me laugh.”
“You know me. A chuckle a minute.” Della held out the deep blue pillow. “Celeste was making it for Casey, but the two of them decided you need it more.”
Haley drew a deep breath, annoying her rib, but well worth it. Celeste, who loved to embroider, had cross-stitched one word in gold thread on it: Hugs.
“Aww, that’s beautiful.”
“Also useful if you need to cough. Now let me look at your discharge or
ders and, while I do that, you promise me you’ll be a good patient.”
Haley hugged the pillow, feeling loved indeed.
* * *
Edgar started thinking about the ricin he’d made from castor beans stolen from his neighbor’s garden. It now sat in a small bottle on the highest shelf in his shed. Since he’d managed not to poison himself in the process of making it, he didn’t feel quite so stupid. But how to get it into something in Haley’s house?
What if she didn’t leave? God, he was beginning to doubt his own plan for her. Dead. She was no threat to him if she was dead.
Driving cautiously past her house, he saw that the saddler had left. There was, however, another compact car parked out front. He’d have to wait until tonight, perhaps, to try the mud porch. But first he had to know the dimensions of what was going on inside. Who was there? Colorado plates on the car told him nothing.
Damn it! He pounded his fist on the steering wheel and prodded his brain into action. He had to take care of this mess before it became a mess for him. Poisoning her was the sure way to do it. From what he’d read, it might take a few days for her to die—the symptoms were often mistaken for another illness.
Or she might die within hours.
But he began to think it was the only way to save himself.
Then he had a brainstorm.
* * *
Edith had stopped by to check on her, giving Della a warm welcome to town, and promising the church group would bring over enough food that no one would need to cook.
“Well, that cowboy is bringing dinner tonight,” Della told her.
“Roger?” Edie laughed. “Can’t keep that man out of Maude’s diner. Okay, I’ll tell the crowd to start running deliveries tomorrow morning. It’s so wonderful Haley has you to look after her.”
“And the cowboy,” Della added. “Seems awfully concerned.”
“I think more than average,” Edie responded. “Most men would be looking to take a hike into the mountains.”
Haley enjoyed listening to the two of them talk and laugh, but Della had encouraged her to take another of the pills, so the gauze kept her happily quiet. Friends. There was nothing on earth like friends.
At some point during the afternoon, the front bell rang. “You just stay put,” Della said. “I’ll get that.”
“Like I can move?” Haley asked. “When did you become a drug pusher anyway?”
“Only since you need it for another day or so. You won’t heal as fast if you’re knotted in pain, and you don’t need me to tell you that.”
“Yes, Nurse Ratched.”
Della was still chuckling as she went to the door. Unfortunately, in her position, Haley couldn’t see who was there.
“Sorry to intrude,” said a man’s voice. “But the gals at church thought you might like doughnuts for breakfast...”
At that instant, Haley’s world collapsed in on itself. She recognized that voice. It pierced her. Then the world swam as she fainted.
* * *
“Stop struggling,” Della said sharply. “Haley, don’t fight, you’ll hurt yourself.”
“What happened?” Gage Dalton asked. Seeing him startled Haley but only in a flash. Terror dominated.
“I don’t know. Some guy came to the door with a box of doughnuts from the church and when I turned around... Haley?”
Haley opened her eyes, welcoming the rush of pain that must have come from her struggles. “I need to go. Get me out of here!”
“Hold on, girl,” Della said firmly. “What the hell happened?”
“That voice... Oh, my God, I know that voice!”
“What voice?” Gage asked.
“The man... My kidnapper!”
Della used some words she rarely used and suddenly Gage’s scarred face swam before her eyes. “Your kidnapper?”
“Yeah.” Now it was hard to catch her breath. Adrenaline burned in her veins and her rib hurt so much. Had she loosened it? That seemed irrelevant. The voice. The voice of so many nightmares, so much horror and terror. She knew that voice.
“Metzler?” Gage straightened. “I saw him leaving as I arrived. From when you were five?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“I’ll take care of it. You don’t move. Listen to your friend.”
“Go, sheriff,” Della snapped. “I got this. Haley, I’m going to call Roger.”
Roger sounded like a bulwark against the storm. His strength, his innate power. Della could take care of her, but Roger could protect her.
She turned her face to the back of the couch, panting painfully, and feeling tears begin to flow.
It was happening again. All over again. The childhood trauma, the days—she never knew how many but it had seemed endless—when she’d been held captive by the sick man, and now here he was? Miles and years away from the crime? How was that even possible?
But she’d heard the voice. No mistaking it. It had haunted her most of her life, a recording at the back of her mind, ever ready to leap to the forefront if she let it.
He was here.
“Haley.” Della. “Take this pill now. Hell, take two. The bottle says you can. Just don’t fight me again.”
The adrenaline left her like the popping of the balloon. A kind of hopelessness filled her. She swallowed the pills as if she were a child again, and part of her was, and then, as if by magic, Roger was holding her hand and saying, “No one’s going to get near you, Haley. He’ll have to get through me. You’re safe. I swear I’ll keep you safe.”
She felt tremors ripping through her, each one a new kind of pain, but as she held Roger’s hand tightly, she felt the medicine take hold, its gauze easing everything, even stopping the helpless tears.
“Darlin’.” Warm lips against her cheek. “You’re not alone. You’ll never be alone again.”
“Well, now,” Della said, concern lacing her voice. “That’s my kind of cowboy.”
Then Haley let go. She had to. Reality had overwhelmed her.
* * *
By late afternoon, Haley had her self-control back. She awoke, was aware of pain, but it felt distant. Roger was there, and as soon as her eyes opened, he said, “Gage called. Edgar Metzger is in custody. You can relax.”
“Della?”
“In the kitchen unpacking Maude’s munificence. Since Gage called, I felt it was okay to run out fast and bring in dinner. Because Gage has the guy in a cell. Okay?”
More than okay. She summoned a smile. “They can hold him because of his voice? Because I recognized it?”
“Apparently so. Gage said to tell you they’ve begun questioning, Metzger isn’t as bright as he may think, the FBI is coming and please don’t eat the doughnuts.”
She blinked. “The doughnuts?”
“I didn’t ask why. I’m sure he’ll tell us when he can. In the meantime, I put the box in a garbage bag for him to collect.”
“Wow. That sounds serious.”
“I guess we’ll find out. Are you getting hungry? You haven’t eaten enough to keep a finch going these past few days.”
She was, she realized. An amazing sense of freedom was filling her, as if a cloud that had been hovering for most of her life was finally breaking up.
Della came in from the kitchen. “A ton of good down-home cooking awaits. Hey, gal, you want to eat here or try chairing your way to the table?”
“The table, please. I so need to change positions.”
The two of them lifted her easily into the wheelchair and Della made sure the leg rest was securely locked. “A few more days and you can sit normally again.” Before they moved, however, she pulled the sock off and checked Haley’s foot. “A-OK,” she said brightly. “Now, let’s go dig into that feast.”
It looked as if Roger had bought out the diner’s entire menu, including the chocolate pie and some pe
can pie. “I don’t mind leftovers,” he explained as he helped Della serve. “And if I know that church group, you’re going to be sick of tuna casserole by next Sunday.”
Haley laughed cautiously. God, she felt good. Her two favorite people in the whole world to share dinner with, and that creep behind bars. Assuming it was him. But his voice...
The dark cloud made a brief return as she recalled the sound. She closed her eyes, testing two memories, one very old against one only a few hours old. Yeah, it was the same voice. The shaft of ice it had speared her with had been no accident. It was him, and she hoped they’d be able to tell her why he was so near to her after all this time.
Her eyes popped open. “Did he cause my accident?”
Roger answered. “Judging by what Gage said about not eating the doughnuts, that would be my guess.”
“He wanted to kill me? But why?”
“Maybe,” Della said, “because he was afraid you’d do exactly what you did. Identify him.”
Roger nodded. “That would be my guess. I can’t imagine any other reason. Assuming he’s not just some nutjob. But you remembering his voice? That’s the only way I can put it together. And remember, there’s no statute of limitations on kidnapping. He can still be charged.”
“But I can’t prove it was him.”
Roger shook his head. “Darlin’, let’s just wait until Gage tells us what’s going on. All we can do is speculate.”
He was right. And she loved the way he called her darlin’. She hoped he didn’t say that to all the girls.
* * *
Haley spent the night on the couch again, with Roger nearby. Della took one of the rooms upstairs, making the two of them promise to call her if they ran into any trouble.
Morning came with bright sunshine and open curtains. Haley got into her wheelchair, feeling as if that sunlight pouring through the windows was bathing her soul. Warmth after a long, long night she’d learned to live with.
