“You're going to grow to grow to be a very old woman,” Flint promised Haley, maneuvering up a dark hallway. A few minutes later, he arrived at the house. A set of overhead lights were on, casting an eerie, yellowish light down onto the house, giving it an ominous feel. He unlocked the handcuffs, then walked Haley up onto the front porch and handcuffed her right wrist to the porch railing. “All right, where is the body!” he yelled, holding his gun at the ready.
“Inside the house,” Haley answered, hoping her voice sounded like Glenda's.
Flint disappeared into the house. Walking into a living room tainted with the scent of fake blood, he paused. Why would anyone want to make a living room look as if it had risen up from a nightmare? Feeling goosebumps rise up on his flesh, he shook his head. Easing further into the living room, he stopped at a ripped brown couch covered with red stains.
Hearing a noise coming from the adjacent room, he braced himself. Drawing in a calm breath, he crept into a dining room bare of any furniture. Only a cold, ugly, red stained brown rug stood in the dining room, staring up at a white ceiling with cracks running through its core. The only other item in the dining room was a slumped over body shoved in the far corner.
“Hello Mayfield,” Flint whispered. He looked over his shoulder, expecting Gavin to appear at any moment, then hurried over to Mayfield and checked for a pulse. He found none. “Sit tight,” he said.
Jogging back out to the porch, Flint saw movement out in the fake trees. “Okay,” he told Haley, “I found the body. I need to call this in.”
“Now?” Haley whispered.
Flint shook his head. “Wait... and don't worry, I'll be okay.” Turning away from Haley, Flint began to make his way down the stairs. As he did, a single, poison dart exploded into the air and struck Flint on the side of his neck. Flint grabbed the side of his neck, and stumbled down the stairs, managing to keep his gun in his right hand as he did.
Hearing laughter, Haley looked out into the dark trees. A man wearing a black leather jacket and blue jeans suddenly appeared. “Bingo,” he laughed, walking up to Flint. He kicked at Flint's body with his heavy black boot. “How does it feel to be dead?” he said, laughing.
Haley looked at Gavin Mayfield. Smiling, she took her free hand, kissed it, and tossed the kiss at Gavin. “You were wonderful!”
“Do you think so?” Gavin asked, running his hands through a crop of thick, long, black wavy hair wet with rain. “Yeah, I guess I was.”
Haley continued to smile. “We really fooled everyone, didn't we? Now Haley Frost will be ours for the taking!”
Gavin grinned. “Your plan was brilliant, Glenda. Luring the cops out of the house.”
Haley looked at Flint, who was lying very still. For all intents and purposes, he appeared to be a dead man. “But we have a problem. Detective Flint has ordered patrols back at the house.”
Gavin rolled his eyes. “So what? I can handle this. Trust me, Glenda, Haley will be ours by nightfall. I know a way into the house no one else knows about, other than the cave. I'll sneak in tonight, kill off the Hardy Boys, take Haley, and vanish.”
Haley looked at Gavin. “Wonderful.”
Gavin stared back at Glenda. “But first,” he said pulling out a thin bamboo tube and reloading it with a second poisonous dart, “I have some unfinished business to take care of.”
“What are you doing?” Haley asked. “Gavin... what are you going to do?”
Gavin watched Haley begin fighting to free her handcuffed wrist. “Now, Glenda, do you really think I was going to let you kill Haley? Haley is mine... all mine.”
Haley watched Gavin's handsome face turn dark, murderous, deadly, and evil. “From the first day you showed me her photo, I knew she belonged to me. My mother sent me Haley... she sent me Haley to help me. But first, before I can have Haley, I have to punish you. I killed everyone you cared about. And now you, not Haley's father, have no one to turn to. How does it feel? How does it feel to be an orphan, Glenda? How does it feel to lose people you love?”
“Gavin...please...” Haley begged as tears began to fall from her eyes.
“Begging doesn't help,” Gavin said. Placing the bamboo tube to his mouth, he prepared to blow the dart. As he did, Flint rolled over onto his back, aimed his gun at Gavin, and fired off a single shot. Gavin's body jerked violently backward and then dropped to the floor.
“Go fish,” Flint said. Using his left hand, he yanked the poison dart sticking out of the fake skin he had wrapped around his neck.
Haley began crying. “You're alive!”
“Yep,” Flint said. He managed to smile as he got to his feet. Then he went over to Gavin to make sure the killer was dead. “Sometimes you gotta bait the hook just right.”
Hearing footsteps approaching, Flint lowered his gun. Tori burst into the clearing with her gun at the ready. When she saw Gavin lying dead, she lowered her gun. “Plan worked, I see.”
“Uncuff Haley,” Flint told her.
Tori walked up onto the front porch and took the handcuff off Haley's wrist. “What say we go out and eat tonight? I'm kinda tired of eating in.”
Haley smiled and hugged Tori. “That sounds wonderful.”
Flint bit down on his lower lip. He watched Haley take off the fake wig. Waiting patiently, he walked up onto the front porch and vanished into the house. Unfortunately, what Flint was expecting to happen outside took him by surprise inside the house.
As soon as Flint walked into the dining room, someone smashed him in the back of the head with a wooden baseball bat. Falling down to the floor, Flint went unconscious.
“Thank you for taking care of that annoying little man,” William said. Bending down, he took Flint's gun, then walked outside onto the front porch. “Ladies,” he said in a hideous voice, “how nice to see you again.”
Before Tori could react, William fired Flint's gun. A single bullet hit Tori in the chest, throwing her off the front porch.
“No!” Haley yelled.
“Oh yes, my dear,” William yelled back. “Now you are all mine. You belong to me, Haley... and only me.”
“Why?” Haley cried. “Why did you kill her?”
William grabbed Haley's right arm and pulled her to him. “Because you belong to me. I knew you belonged to me the first day I saw you.”
Terrified, Haley stared into William's deadly face. “You... you wrote those death threats to me... you...”
William pulled Haley back inside the house and threw her down on the couch. Then he kicked the front door shut. “I wrote the death threats because I was going to kill Gavin Mayfield and blame the letters on him. I was going to be your hero, Haley. Ah yes, I found about Glenda Frost and Gavin Mayfield. I found out all about their little plan. I had to come to your rescue, don't you see that?”
“You're insane,” Haley yelled at William. Throwing her eyes around the deranged living room, she suddenly felt as if she were in her movie, playing out her role in actual life.
“Don't you dare say that,” William said in a hurt voice. Dropping to his knees, he reached for Haley's hand. Haley pulled away. “Can't you see, we belong together… Haley, you belong with me and no one else. Can't you see that?”
“No,” Haley cried, turning her head away from William. “I belong to no one, you animal. Please, leave me alone. If you really care for me, leave me alone.”
“No!” William hollered standing up. “I have waited patiently for you, Haley Frost. I waited patiently in order to be your hero. I came here tonight to kill Gavin Mayfield. However, Detective Flint completed that annoying task for me. Now, my dear, we are free to leave this horrid place and be together forever.”
“You're insane,” Haley yelled. “You killed Tori! Why did you kill her? What did she ever do to you?”
“Detective Arnold would have prevented me from taking you. She had to die, can't you see that? We belong together, Haley. No one must stand in our way.”
“I will never love you, no matter what,” Haley cried
. “You are a monster. You killed an innocent woman. You killed my friend.”
“Oh, you will love me,” William said. “My yacht is waiting at the pier. I will sail us to the South Pacific, to a very remote island only very few people are aware of. I came across the island accidentally some years back. When we arrive at the island, I will teach you to love me.”
William went to reach for Haley's right hand to snatch her up. Realizing she had to either fight or die, Haley raised her right leg and kicked William in the stomach as hard as she could. Stumbling backward, William tripped over a broken coffee table and tumbled down onto the floor. Haley shot to her feet and ran into the dining room.
Spotting Flint lying unconscious on the floor and a second body lying very still in the far corner, she dashed into a run down, rusted kitchen. As she ran out of the back door, Gavin grabbed her.
“Be quiet,” he ordered Haley, pulling her into the fake trees.
“You're... alive...?” Haley asked, terrified.
“And you're not Glenda,” Gavin growled. “He'll pay for that. Your detective friend is going to pay for tricking me.”
“He's dead,” Haley cried.
“Shut up,” Gavin hissed. Throwing Haley down onto the ground, he pulled out the bamboo tube and loaded it with a poison dart. Waiting for William to show his face, Gavin knelt down. “I have on a protective vest,” he whispered. “I will come out of this alive.”
Inside, William struggled to his feet. “Haley!” he yelled, running into the dining room. Not expecting movement from Flint, he was shocked when Flint threw out his arms and grabbed his ankles. Falling down to the floor, he tried to aim the gun in his right hand at Flint's body. With lighting fast speed, Flint knocked the gun out of William's hand with his fist.
“Time to pay,” Flint said, bleeding from the back of his head. Before William could react, Flint knocked the man unconscious.
Rolling off William, Flint stood up and rubbed the back of his head. “Good thing you hit like a girl.” Locating his gun, he reached down and picked it up. Then he worked his way back onto the front porch. Tori was sitting on the ground, barely conscious, rubbing her chest. “Are you okay?” Flint whispered, running over to her.
“Took a bullet in the chest. Good thing I was wearing my vest,” Tori moaned in pain. “Where's Haley?”
“Gavin took her.”
“What about William?”
“He's taken care of. I figured he was the one writing the death threats to Haley. I'll explain later. Now listen to me, get inside the house and stay there. Gavin is still armed with poison darts... talk about being stupid. I thought I killed him.”
“Hey, no one's perfect, Flint,” Tori moaned. With Flint's help, she stood up. “Don't be so hard on yourself, partner.”
Flint rubbed the back of his head. Feeling blood, he bit down on his lower lip. “I'm going to end this right now. Go inside and watch William. If he moves, shoot him.”
Tori nodded. “With pleasure.”
Flint jogged off toward the front of the forest, hoping to circle around.
Gavin grabbed Haley's wrist. “Don't move,” he warned her.
“Why?” Haley begged. “What did I ever do to you?”
Gavin looked into Haley's eyes with a strangeness that sent chills down her spine. “My mother sent you to me, Haley. You resemble her in many ways, too.”
“I'm not your mother,” Haley said.
“I didn't say you were, now did I?” Gavin responded. “I said my mother sent you to me. She promised that she would, right before she died. My mother told me she was going to send me someone to comfort me and take care of me. When Glenda showed me your photo, I knew my mother was telling me you were that person, Haley. It's fate.”
“No, it's not fate,” Haley disagreed. “I'm sorry your mother died, but she didn't send me to you. You're a killer, a monster, just like William. Real men like Detective Flint are heroes, but you're a coward. Kill me if you want to, I don't care anymore. But I'm not going to be scared of you, do you hear me? And I will never love you.”
“You will,” Gavin said. “In time, you will love only me, you'll see. Right now you're confused, upset and scared. I understand. But once I end this and take you away, we'll be happy together.”
Haley shook her head. “You're going to have to kill me first because I'm not going anywhere with you. All of my life I've wanted someone to love me. And what happens I get stalked by two deranged psychos. Talk about ironic. But that's okay, because even if I die I got to become friends with two people who really cared about me. That's a treasure I will hold in my heart forever.”
Gavin turned his head and stared at Haley. Narrowing his eyes, he studied Haley's determined face. “Maybe my mother didn't send you to me after all?”
“Get a clue, loser, I'm not your property,” Haley said. And with those words, she balled up her little fist and hit Gavin in the head as hard as she could. To her surprise, the impact knocked Gavin off balance. Dropping down onto her backside, Haley raised her legs and kicked Gavin in the back as hard as she could. Gavin's body flew forward. Not wasting any time, Haley scrambled to her feet and took off running. When she reached the outer edge of the fake forest, a hand grabbed her. “No... let me go!”
“It's me. Flint.”
“Detective Flint?” Haley asked, staring at him through the darkness.
“I'm no White Knight, but yeah,” Flint said. “And Arnold, she's alive, okay. She's back at the house. Now where's Gavin?”
“In there... somewhere…” Haley began crying. Throwing her arms around Flint, she hugged him as tight as she possibly could. “I'm so scared,” she cried.
“I know,” Flint said gently, putting his arms around Haley the way a loving father would. “Listen, everything is okay. Now here is what I want you to do. Make tracks for that exit door over there, run top the guard shack, and call 911.”
“Okay,” Haley said, letting go of Flint. “But what about you and Tori?”
Flint stared into the dark forest. “Let me worry about that. Now go.”
Haley did as Flint ordered. Running to the exit door, she looked over her shoulder and saw Flint venture into the dark forest. “You're my White Knight,” she whispered.
Moving past one dark tree after another, Flint made his way back toward the house. When the yellowish glow from the lights hanging over the house came into view, Flint stopped. Kneeling down, he searched the area with cautious eyes. Then he moved forward a few feet. That's when he saw Gavin laying face down on the forest floor. Aiming his gun at the body, Flint maneuvered his way past the trees. “Hands up!” he yelled.
Gavin didn't move.
“Hands up!” Flint yelled again.
No response.
Using extreme caution, Flint used his right shoe and kicked Gavin's legs. Gavin didn't move. Expecting Gavin to explode on him at any second, Flint backed away and fired a shot next to the body. Gavin didn't move. “Okay,” Flint said carefully, “let's see.”
Kneeling down next to the body, Flint put out his left hand and checked Gavin for a pulse. Unable to find any sign of a pulse, Flint rolled the body over. A single poison dart was sticking out of Gavin's right cheek. “Well I'll be,” Flint whispered.
“Move it, pal,” Flint heard Tori yell at William. Raising his head, he spotted Tori marching William into the forest at gunpoint. William had his hands handcuffed behind his back. “Flint?” she yelled.
“Over here,” Flint yelled back.
“I heard shooting,” Tori said, approaching Flint. Spotting Gavin's body she froze. “Is he...”
“Yep,” Flint said, standing up. “Well, partner, what say we wrap this case up, huh?” Looking at William, Flint balled up his left fist. Before William could see what hit him, Flint decked him in the face. William dropped to the ground like a wet bag of sand. “That's for shooting my partner.”
“Oh, you do care,” Tori said, and then hugged Flint. She began to cry.
“Hey, it's o
kay,” Flint said, gently comforting Tori. “You did good, partner.”
“I got shot,” Tori cried. “I don't know what's worse… getting shot or paying for your Chinese food.”
Flint laughed. “Maybe both,” he said. Hearing running footsteps approaching, Flint swung around with his gun ready to fire. Dave and Matt appeared.
“We thought you could use some backup. I know you told us to stay at the house, but...” Matt said, then trailed off. Spotting tears in Tori eyes, he walked up to her, took her into his arms, and hugged her.
“Come on, let's leave them alone,” Flint told Dave. “Help me haul this piece of trash out of here.”
Dave put his gun away. “Is he... dead?” he asked, nodding his head down at Gavin.
“Dead bait,” Flint confirmed. “This case is over, guys. Now all I want to do is go get some good Chinese food and… oh no!”
“What?” Dave asked.
“I owe Melinda dinner. She's going to take me to the bank, too,” Flint moaned miserably.
Tori laughed through her tears. Looking up into Matt's face, she smiled. “Maybe we can make it a double date, Flint?”
“Double date... no Chinese food... get hit in the head with a baseball bat... Where's my reward?” Flint fussed. Reaching down, he grabbed William's right ankle, then began to drag him off. “Well don't just stand there, help me!” he barked at Dave.
Tori tipped Dave a wink. “You'll get used to him. Good Ol' Flint.”
*****
Sitting at a round table covered with a white and red oriental table cloth, Flint looked at Haley. Dressed in a soft yellow dress with her hair in a simple ponytail, Haley appeared both beautiful and humble. She smiled at Flint. Flint smiled back. Tori and Melinda were not smiling. Matt, sitting next to Tori, shifted uneasily in his seat.
“Flint,” Melinda snapped, “this is not the restaurant we’d agreed on.”
Tori gave Flint her You're-In-Trouble-Pal eye.
“Flint, what's wrong with you? I thought you were going to treat us all to a very nice dinner at a restaurant that does not serve soy sauce.”
Detective Flint Box Set: A Detective Story Box Set Books 1-3 Page 25
