Deadly Dozen: 12 Mysteries/Thrillers

by Diane Capri

  Williams pushed her, laughing as she fell down the last three steps, landing hard, scraping her hands on the concrete floor.

  “Crawl to him, Sarah. I want to see you crawl.”

  Sarah crawled the remaining distance between her and Gavin. She tried to smile, convey her love. At least if they were going to die, they would die together.

  Sarah felt the hands in her hair again, biting her lip against the pain as he jerked her up, pushing her into the second chair.

  “What should I do first, Sarah? Rape you? Or should I tie you up and let you watch while I rape the kid?”

  Rage boiled inside Sarah. She wanted to claw his eyes out. Beat him until there was nothing left but bloody pulp. Torture him like he’d tortured her for the past six years.

  “Do whatever you want,” she spat at him.

  He turned away from her as Ella Mae descended the stairs. “Good.” Tossing the rope he’d been holding to Ella Mae, he laughed again. “Tie her up.”

  “Philip, what are you going to do?” Ella Mae whimpered.

  He slapped her hard, the sound echoing in the room. “See what you’ve reduced me to, Sarah? A mousy little piece of shit for a wife.”

  He drew back his hand to hit her again, but Ella Mae shied away from him, taking the rope and approaching Sarah.

  “Tie her tight,” he ordered, taking a long thin blade from the scabbard on his waist.

  Grabbing Gavin by the hair, he pulled his head back, exposing the neck. His black eyes focused on Sarah’s face, as he laid the blade against Gavin’s throat. “You’re gonna scream for me, aren’t you, sweetheart?”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  Nikki.

  Nikki glanced away from the door she’d been tugging and kicking on. Cory stood in the shadows, motioning to the window.

  “The bad man?” Nikki whispered, her voice quivering.

  Cory nodded. It’s time to hide.

  Nikki didn’t want to hide. She wanted to find her Mommy and Gavin. Mommy’s radio was in the truck. She could call for help. Pushing aside the curtains, she pushed upward on the window. It wouldn’t budge.

  “I can’t do it!” she cried.

  Yes, you can. Push harder.

  Nikki’s face screwed up in concentration as she studied the window. Mommy always locked their windows. Reaching up as far as she could on tiptoes, she felt along the top of the window, finding the clasp and turning it. “Shew,” she breathed out hard and pushed again. She felt the window move. She pushed again and again until the window was wide open. She glanced down at the ground. It was a long way off.

  You’ll have to jump to the tree and climb down.

  Nikki glanced at the tree growing a few feet away, to the right of the window.

  “I wish I was a ghost like you; then I could just go through the walls.”

  Cory smiled, her eyes sad as she shook her head. It’s not your time.

  “It wasn’t your time either,” Nikki cried. “He did it, didn’t he? Just like he’s going to kill Mommy and Gavin.” Her tiny face screwed up, tears flowing from her eyes.

  It’s time to go. Time to hide.

  Nikki wiped the tears from her face. She climbed up on the window sill, steadying herself. She could do this. She had to. Taking a deep breath, she jumped for the huge branch a few feet away. Her fingers clutched and held. Moving slowly, she swung herself up onto the branch and quickly climbed down. Cory was waiting for her at the bottom of the tree.

  Come on. Cory motioned for Nikki to follow and headed toward the woods.

  Nikki shook her head. “I have to help Mommy and Gavin.” Not waiting for an answer, Nikki raced around the house, headed for the car. Her eyes were darting toward the house as she opened the car door slowly, quietly closing it behind her. Mommy had never let her use the radio before, but she’d watched her. Taking the microphone, she hit the button on the left panel and whispered, “Help! Mommy needs help.”

  Joshua heard the crackle of the radio, the quivering whisper, and grabbed the microphone.

  “Nikki, honey, is that you?”

  “Mommy and Gavin need help.”

  Joshua tried to steady his voice, calm the fear that gripped him. “It’s gonna be okay, honey. Tell me where you are.”

  “Ella Mae’s.”

  “Nikki, honey, listen to me. I want you to hide. I’m on my way, sweetheart.”

  “The bad man’s here.”

  The fear turned to terror. “I know, sweetie. But I’m the sheriff, remember. The sheriff always puts the bad men away.”

  Nikki dropped the microphone and crawled behind the seats, hunching down on the floorboard. She shivered at the night sounds, the darkness. What if Joshua was too late? Her fingers touched a holster, and Nikki pulled out the small .22 pistol her mother kept hidden for emergencies. Mommy had told her she could never touch the guns. That was a grown up thing, and guns were only used when lives were in danger. The bad man had killed Cory. He probably killed Marisa, too. Now he was going to kill Mommy and Gavin. She’d be all alone. Nikki didn’t want to be all alone. Taking the gun, she climbed out of the car and started toward the house.

  #

  “Thomas, get everybody you can out to the old Sampson place. Sarah’s in trouble.” Joshua closed the cell phone, maneuvering another sharp curve. He cursed himself for missing the signs. It had been there right in front of him all the time.

  “Damn.” Joshua swerved to miss the 1947 Cadillac headed straight at him. The Jeep careened off the road, plowing into a tree.

  “Oh, God, Clarence, that’s Joshua!” Millie screamed as Clarence slammed on the brakes, the car skidding into a spin. Clarence fought the wheel, letting off the brake and allowing the car to right itself. He tapped the brakes lightly as the car turned 180 degrees, headed in the opposite direction, before coming to a stop.

  Clarence pushed open the car door and ran to the steaming truck. He jerked its door open, Millie right at his heels.

  “Joshua, are you all right?”

  Joshua stared at them blankly, blood oozing from the knot swelling on his forehead. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “No time,” Clarence stated, pulling him out of the truck.

  “Sarah’s in trouble,” Millie added, grabbing one arm and helping Clarence load him in the back seat next to Carl.

  Clarence climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine. He whipped the car around.

  “You’re going the wrong way!” Joshua yelled.

  Slamming on the brakes, Clarence stopped the car.

  “He’s already got them. Old Sampson place.”

  Clarence nodded, not bothering to ask questions. He spun the car around and floored it.

  Joshua glanced at Carl. “You don’t look so good, partner.”

  “Shit,” Carl groaned, “look in a fucking mirror. Ain’t no sleeping beauty yourself.”

  “He’s just mad because I told him he couldn’t smoke in the car!” Millie yelled over the screeching wheels, as Clarence took another curve.

  Carl lit a cigarette and blew smoke into the front seat. “Hell, way Clarence’s driving, I figure he’s gonna kill us all anyway. Dying man gets one last request.”

  #

  Standing at the top of the porch steps, Nikki held tightly to the pistol, holding it out in front of her with both hands, the way she’d seen her mother do. She studied the pistol, trying to remember what it was Mommy always did. Something about safety. Turning the pistol over, she found the small lever and pushed it. Slipping off her shoes, she crept silently into the house and over to the basement door. She stood for a moment, listening to the sound of the evil man’s voice.

  Don’t do it, Nikki. Come with me.

  Cory stood in the shadows near the front door. Nikki shook her head, biting her lip to control the trembling. She wiped the tears from her face and steadied the gun. Mommy needed her.

  Sarah’s eyes widened in fear at the sight of Nikki descending the stairs. She shook her head no, straining
against the ropes.

  “Get away from my mommy!” Nikki’s voice rang out in the room, loud, clear.

  Williams stepped away from Sarah, edging toward Nikki.

  “Nikki, run!” Sarah screamed.

  “Get the gun, Ella Mae.”

  Ella Mae reached for the gun, grabbing it from the child’s shaking hands.

  “She’s got spirit, Sarah. Just like you. I like that. Yeah, I like that,” he growled, reaching out and grabbing the strawberry curls, jerking Nikki toward him. “I’ll bet you scream real good, don’t you, sweetie?” He flung her across the room towards Sarah.

  Gavin strained against the ropes as Nikki buried her face in Sarah’s lap, her sobs echoing off the basement walls.

  “I’m going to kill you, Williams,” Gavin stated in a voice harder than steel.

  “Oh, I don’t think so.” Williams smiled sardonically.

  The sound of a vehicle approaching fast, bouncing over the rocky driveway, wiped the smile from his face.

  He glared at Ella Mae, his eyes filled with disgust.

  “I’ll bet it’s that goddamn deputy of yours. Give me the gun.”

  He’ll kill him.

  Ella Mae trembled, her foot on the bottom step. Poised for flight. She couldn’t let him kill Joshua. She struggled to hold the pistol in her shaking hands, bringing it upright, pointed at William’s chest.

  “Stay away from me,” she whispered.

  He’ll kill him.

  He held up both hands, laughing. “You gonna shoot me, Ella Mae? An unarmed man? That’s murder. You’ll go to jail.” He walked towards her, covering the distance slowly. “You don’t want to go to jail, do you, Ella Mae? They beat you there, you know. Every day. Beat you and shove things up inside you.”

  “Stay away from me!” she screamed, her finger tightening on the trigger.

  His face twisted as he snarled contemptuously, “You ugly whore. Do you know how ugly you are? How much touching you made me want to puke? You disgust me.”

  It isn’t murder. Some people deserve to die.

  Ella Mae heard the voice inside her head. He drew closer, almost within reaching distance. It wouldn’t be murder. Some people deserved to die.

  Steadying her hands on the gun, she looked straight into the black eyes.

  “I’m not ugly,” she whispered. She pulled the trigger again and again, watching as his shirt turned red and the black eyes dimmed. He stumbled once, hands outstretched, clutching the air. Ella Mae continued to pull the trigger, the hammer clicking on empty chambers uselessly.

  #

  “Give me your gun.” Clarence turned to Joshua as the shots rang out inside the house.

  “I’m going in,” Joshua stated, hand on the doorknob.

  Carl reached over and grabbed Joshua’s arm. “Give him your gun, son. You ain’t in no shape, and neither am I.” Carl met Clarence’s gaze over the back seat. “Besides, I have a feeling he knows how to use it.”

  Clarence nodded, taking the revolver and checking it quickly. He glanced at Millie. “I ain’t got time to argue. You’re staying here.”

  Millie opened her mouth, but shut it as Clarence slammed the door and raced up the steps, slipping quietly into the now silent house.

  Joshua glanced at Carl. “Can’t do it. Can’t just sit here.”

  “Me neither.” Carl muttered. “Help me out of this damned death trap.”

  Joshua opened the door, standing up slowly, letting the dizzy spell subside.

  “Damned fools,” Millie muttered, getting out of the car. “Come on, Joshua, let’s get him out. Probably get his fool self shot again.”

  “Lord, God,” Millie whispered, her eyes growing huge as Clarence came out the front door with Sarah, the two of them supporting Gavin between them. Ella Mae followed behind them, Nikki cradled in her arms.

  Joshua helped Carl from the backseat, motioning for Millie to help. “Come on, pard. Looks like we missed all the fun.”

  Sirens blared in the distance, headlights bumping and jolting as the cars sped over the rocky road.

  “Yeah, and here comes the Calvary,” Carl grumbled. “Late, as usual.”

  Clarence helped Sarah lower Gavin to the porch and waited for the trio. Joshua and Millie lowered Carl slowly to the porch, seated next to Gavin.

  “Williams?” Joshua placed his hand on Sarah’s shoulder.

  “In the basement.” Her voice was thick, one arm wound tightly around Nikki, the other around Gavin.

  Tommy, Matt and Jed raced up to the porch, guns drawn, eyes darting from Joshua to the group seated on the old porch steps.

  “In the basement,” Joshua stated, sinking down on the step beside Sarah, placing an arm around her. Delegation. Sarah had told him he’d have to learn to delegate. Now seemed as good a time as any to start.

  Sarah glanced up just in time to see Ella Mae walk away from the others. A lonely silhouette, head bowed, as moonlight created dancing shadows from her trembling hands. Placing Nikki in Gavin’s lap, she kissed him. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Ella Mae?”

  She jumped, startled, but raised her head. “It was murder. I guess you’ll have to tell Joshua. Put me in jail.”

  Sarah shook her head, holding out her arms. “No one’s arresting anybody. You saved our lives.”

  Ella Mae stepped into the arms, sobs shaking her thin frame, arms grasping Sarah.

  “It’s okay,” Sarah whispered, stroking the stringy hair, much as she’d stroked Nikki’s earlier. “It wasn’t murder, Ella Mae. Some people deserve to die.”

  #

  Sarah glanced in the mirror, her face glowing with anticipation. The church was full to capacity with Glade Springs residents. Gavin had insisted they get married immediately. He wasn’t letting her out of his sight again.

  “Ain’t you ready yet?” Carl jerked on the tie that threatened to choke him. “Damn monkey suit is killing me.”

  “Shush, Carl,” Millie chastised him, reaching up to loosen the tie. “Won’t hurt you none to look civilized for once in your life.”

  “Humph,” Carl grumbled.

  “I’ll be ready in just a minute.”

  Sarah turned around, smiling at them before turning back to the mirror and smoothing her hair into place. She stared into her own blue eyes, shining with excitement. She’d never have to wear contacts again. And with Williams gone, she didn’t have to leave Glade Springs. David and Claire Nix were gone. She could stay here. Millie and Clarence were staying. She smiled, remembering the look on Joshua’s face when she’d told him she wanted him to stay on as sheriff. She was trading in her badge for an apron. She knew the dreams would continue. But Jacody Ives could deal with those. She’d convinced Gavin not to give him up. After all, he was a part of what she’d fallen in love with. True love didn’t force people to change. It only enhanced what they really were.

  Her thoughts turned to Ella Mae. She was talking about attending night classes, maybe becoming a deputy. Millie had taken her under her wing. It wouldn’t be easy, but with the love of Joshua and Mary, Millie and Sarah, maybe Ella Mae could finally find herself.

  The last week had been a nightmare. Carl and Gavin had been right about the cards left with the bodies of the young girls. Williams had hoped the cards would hit the paper. Hoped that Sarah would see them. Know it was him. Show herself. Campbell had speeded up the process by looking for his daughter’s killer. Somehow he’d uncovered Sarah’s story, gone to Corrine Larson, put two and two together. They still weren’t sure how he’d found and killed the Coopers, taking the Reverend’s place. Finding a starving prostitute to play his wife. They didn’t know why he’d killed Jasmine Little. There would always be questions. He’d come here, seen Nikki, and confused her with his own daughter. His tortured mind had seen what it wanted to see.

  They still didn’t know for sure who had cut the line on Johanna Nelson’s brakes, but they were pretty sure Williams was responsible for Marisa’s death. Gavin had called it a Gordian puzzle
.

  Sarah shook her head. Today wasn’t for questions. Today was meant for happiness, love and laughter. Today was the first day of a new life. A real life, without secrets and lies.

  Smiling again, she turned from the mirror and picked up Carl’s cane. She handed it to him and took his arm. “Let’s go get married.”

  “About damn time,” Carl grumbled, the glow of pride on his face belying his anger as he pushed Millie out of the room ahead of him. “Get on down that aisle, woman. We ain’t got all day.”

  “Humph,” Millie snorted, signaling the organist to start playing.

  Sarah could see Gavin standing at the altar, his eyes sparkling with promise, as Nikki walked slowly in front of her, tossing rose petals.

  “Look, Mommy, rainbows,” Nikki whispered, just loud enough to be heard. Chuckles rang out in the church.

  The sun was shining through the stained glass windows, creating rainbows on the rose petals. The only thing missing was Joshua and Mary. The baby had chosen a perfect day to enter the world. They were all going to the hospital as soon as the ceremony was over.

  Reaching the altar, Carl placed Sarah’s hand in Gavin’s, squeezing them both before he took his seat on the family row next to Millie.

  “Do you, Gavin McAllister, take Sarah McKnight to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, honor, cherish and obey until death do you part?”

  Gavin smiled at her, his eyes full of love.

  “I do.”

  “Do you, Sarah McKnight, take Gavin McAllister to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, honor, cherish and obey until death do you part?”

  Nikki was pulling frantically on her dress.

  “Look, Mommy!”

  Sarah glanced at Gavin before they both followed Nikki’s gaze. Standing in the back of the church, shimmering like the rainbows, stood Rob and Cory, hand in hand. Tears filled Sarah’s eyes as she turned to Gavin. Smiling tremulously, she squeezed his hand, and in a clear, loud voice said, “I do.”

  EPILOGUE

  “It’s almost time, Mrs. McAllister. Would you like me to turn on the television?”