To Write a Wrong

by Robin Caroll

  Hayden’s feet took root. He nudged Rafe and pointed to the sign. “Vince. Vance.” Hayden shook his head. “How could we not make the connection?” He finally found his footing and rushed out the door.

  Rafe followed. “His father having an antique shop before he died. The one his father sold just before leaving them.”

  Hayden started the car’s engine and sped toward the interstate. “Riley told me he was dangerous. Told me he’d been abusive toward Emily.” He filled Rafe in on the details as they raced along the highway. “I can’t believe I didn’t figure this out earlier.”

  “None of us did.”

  He reached for his cell, called into the office, and requested Bob obtain a warrant for Thomas Vince’s home and business. “The man has been in my mother’s home. He sat at the table with us and ate Mom’s cooking.”

  Rafe nodded, his concentration on the road. “He fooled us all, Hayden. Not just you. I was there that night as well, and I didn’t have a clue either.”

  Hayden glanced at the clock on the dashboard—11:20. “I’m going to call the house and quietly ask Mom to keep Emily there with Riley.” He punched the speed-dial number for his mother.

  “If we get Vince at his home or shop, we’ll all sleep easier tonight.”

  Every ring felt like an eternity. Where was Mom?

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Mom. What are y’all doing?”

  “Hi, honey. I’m just puttering around in the kitchen. What’s up?”

  “Where are Riley and Emily?”

  “At her doctor’s appointment.”

  Hayden’s eyes went back to the clock. “Mom, Riley’s appointment was at ten fifteen.”

  “Oh, honey, the doctor probably ran late. Or the girls are out shopping or getting their nails done. You know how girls are.”

  He didn’t want to alarm his mother, but . . . “When they get back, do me a favor and have them call my cell.”

  “Is something wrong, son?”

  “I don’t think so. Mom, whatever you do, don’t let Thomas near the house, okay?” He looked over at Rafe. “We have reason to believe he’s the one who put the hit out on Riley, and I know he’s the one who cut Emily’s face.”

  “Oh no. She swore it was an accident.”

  “It’s going to be okay, but I need you to have them call me as soon as they get back, okay?”

  “Yes. Yes. Okay.”

  “Thanks, Mom. Love you.” He shut the phone and told Rafe they weren’t back yet, pressing the speed-dial button for Em’s cell.

  Rafe was on the phone but said, “I’m calling Riley’s cell.”

  Hayden exited, heading to the police station. They needed those warrants to come through.

  “Ri, it’s Rafe. It’s 11:27. Call me as soon as you get this message.” He hung up the phone and shook his head at Hayden.

  “Hi, this is Emily, sorry you missed me. You know what to do at the tone.” A beep sounded.

  “Em, it’s Hayden. Call me immediately.” He shut the phone as he pulled into his parking space and turned off the car. “Went straight to voice mail.” He flung open the passenger door. “I don’t like this.”

  “Me either.”

  “Bob! Do we have those warrants yet?”

  “Oh, that’s something a friend of a friend gave me.” Thomas smiled.

  It made Riley want to take a shower. Friend of a friend. Yeah, right. “Well, it’s unique.” And she’d have Hayden come by and check it out as soon as she got out of here and called him.

  “I have a wonderful idea. Why don’t I take you two lovely ladies out to lunch?” The charm oozed from his every pore.

  He creeped Riley out. Maybe because he stared at her like he wanted to bite her head off, or maybe because she knew what he’d done to Emily and that reminded her too much of Garrison. Either way, she did not want to have lunch with him.

  Emily, on the other hand, lit up like a new lightbulb. “Oh, that sounds like fun, doesn’t it?”

  Riley widened her eyes as she stared at Emily. “Did you forget? Your mom is cooking us lunch.” She hoped Em took the hint.

  “Don’t worry. Mom’s used to me not showing up. She’ll be fine.” She smiled at Thomas. “Where were you thinking?”

  “Oh, I have a special place in mind. Shall we?” He held out his arm, allowing them to precede him out of the office.

  Something was wrong. Whether his eyes, the smarmy way he looked at her, or the heat that indicated he wouldn’t accept a no, Riley didn’t like the idea, but she didn’t have a car. She fingered her purse and remembered her cell phone. At least she could call Hayden for a ride if things went south. Riley wanted to get another look at the framed box. Maybe later.

  “Michael, I’m taking these beautiful ladies to lunch. Handle the shop while I’m gone.” Thomas held the door open for them.

  “Why don’t we follow you?” Riley asked. That way, she could fake a stomachache and ask Emily to take her home as soon as she could.

  “Oh, nonsense. Don’t deprive me of your company. I’ll drive, of course.” He unlocked the doors of the four-door sedan, opening the back for Riley, seating her, then shutting the door before doing the same for Emily in the front passenger seat.

  He got behind the steering wheel. “So, ladies, what have you been up to this morning?”

  “Oh, I took Riley to her doctor’s appointment.”

  “Yes. I noticed the sling was absent.” He looked at Riley in his rearview mirror. “I’m assuming the doctor is pleased with your shoulder’s progress?”

  “Yeah. He says I’m doing great.” Riley couldn’t help but wonder where they were going for lunch. Perhaps she could call Rafe or Hayden from the bathroom and have them come up with some type of emergency.

  “Wonderful.” He cut his gaze to Emily, then stared back at Riley in the mirror.

  Little warnings tinged her stomach. The way he looked at her . . .

  “Oh, rats. I’ve left my wallet at home. I can’t believe how forgetful I’ve become lately.” He smiled at Emily. “I think you distract me, my dear.”

  She laughed, but it sounded forced to Riley. Had Emily finally picked up on the creepy vibe?

  “If you will indulge me, I’ll run by the house and fetch it.”

  “No, that’s okay. Actually, my shoulder’s starting to hurt. Guess the doctor poked it a little too much. Why don’t you just take us back to Emily’s car and we’ll head back home?”

  “Nonsense. We’re almost to my house now.” He turned into a residential area. “This won’t take but a moment.”

  “I should probably take a pain pill and lie down.”

  “Silly, girl. You can’t take pain medication on an empty stomach.” He pulled into a driveway. “Come in. Have a glass of water. You’ll feel a bit better. I’ll get my wallet and we’ll be on our way.”

  Not that she wanted to be in his house, but maybe, just maybe, she’d see something else suspicious she could tell Hayden about. “Fine.”

  “Excellent.” He parked the car in the garage, then shut the door. “My dear?” He smiled at Emily.

  Riley hung back trying to nudge Emily, but he kept his arm firmly around her friend’s shoulders. Even as he unlocked the door inside the garage to the house, he kept Emily close to him. Once inside, Riley tried to pay attention to everything she saw.

  “Now, where did I leave my wallet? Oh, the powder room is right down the hall. First door on your right.”

  She hadn’t asked, but maybe she could figure something out. “Thanks.” Riley winked at Emily as she headed down the hall.

  After finding the bathroom, she locked the door and took a quick inventory. The man was weirder than she’d thought. Who used potpourri anymore?

  She peeked behind the shower curtain
. Seriously? Soap on a rope? Hadn’t that gone out in like the eighties? Self-adhesive nonslip decals on the bottom of the tub?

  This guy was crazy. She’d tell Emily to stay far, far away from him.

  A knock sounded on the door. “Riley, are you okay? Is your shoulder hurting you? Would you like an aspirin?” His voice had risen. It came out almost nasally.

  She turned on the water at the sink. “I’m okay. I’ll be out in just a second.” True that. The bathroom was freaking her out.

  After washing her hands and drying them on the lacy hand towel, Riley turned off the light and opened the door.

  A sharp scent burnt her nose.

  She drew back, then someone had her pinned.

  A rag pressed against her nose and mouth. A rag with that horrid smell.

  Pain shot through her shoulder.

  Riley opened her mouth to yell. She inhaled the wet, smelly rag.

  Room spun. Round and round and round and . . .

  Nothing.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.”

  REVELATION 19:11

  Hayden hung up on Emily’s voice mail. “Still nothing. You?”

  Rafe shook his head.

  “Bob, do I have my warrants yet?”

  “Working on them.”

  “Something’s wrong. I feel it.”

  Rafe nodded.

  Hayden headed to the back door with Rafe following. “We’re heading to Vince’s antique shop. Bring me the warrant when it comes through.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Gravel crunched as Hayden peeled out. “Emily never turns that stupid cell phone off. Never.”

  “Riley either. Said a reporter has to be ready at all times to catch a scoop.”

  Hayden’s chest ached. Physically. Like it never had before. “I’ve been thinking about what you said.”

  Rafe shot him a glance. “About what?”

  “About Riley. Me. Us. Hurdles.”

  “And you want to talk about this now?”

  He turned down the road toward the antique shop. “Yeah, because just the idea that she could be in trouble turns me inside out.”

  “That’s not enough.”

  “For now, it’ll have to be.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying, we’ll work around the hurdles. Riley and me. Together. If she’s interested, that is.”

  Rafe remained silent as Hayden parked the car. The two of them rushed into the shop. A bell sounded as they entered.

  A young man smiled at them. “Good afternoon, gentlemen. I’m Michael. How may I assist you today?”

  Hayden wasn’t in the mood. He flashed his badge. “Hi, Michael. I’m Police Commissioner Simpson. I need to speak to Thomas.”

  Michael wasn’t all smiley now. “I’m sorry, sir. He’s out to lunch.”

  “Where?”

  “I don’t know. Perhaps I can assist you?”

  Rafe flashed his badge as well. “Was he alone when he left?”

  “No, sir. He was with Ms. Simpson and another lady.”

  Hayden pulse went into overdrive. “How long ago did they leave?”

  Michael looked at his watch. “Maybe twenty or thirty minutes ago.”

  “Do you know where they were going?” Rafe pushed against the counter. “It’s really important.”

  “I’m sorry, sir. No.” Michael shook his head.

  “Thank you, Michael. You’ve been a big help.” Hayden nearly sprinted out the door. He reached for his cell and called the station as he unlocked the cruiser. “Do we have warrants yet?”

  “Almost. The judge should be signing them right now.”

  “I’m going to his house. You take the shop, but have Gaston bring me the one for his house. I’m on my way now.” He hung up and started to turn over the engine.

  Then stopped.

  “What? Why aren’t we going?” Rafe asked.

  Hayden nodded. “That’s Em’s car.”

  “They’re with him.”

  Hayden started the car, punched the gas, and flipped on the flashing lights. “We’ll have the warrant by the time we get there.”

  “Dear, Lord, I hope so.”

  But Hayden was already praying for a hedge of protection around Riley and Emily both as he sped to Thomas Vince’s address.

  Someone was hammering her head.

  No, the banging was inside her head.

  Riley moved, only to realize she couldn’t. She struggled to open her eyes. To see.

  She sat in a chair in the middle of a room. A very dim room. Her legs were stuck to the chair. No, not stuck. Tied. She was tied to a chair. Her hands were bound behind her.

  What?

  She opened her mouth to scream out. Cotton-mouthed. No, something was in her mouth. Between her teeth.

  The last thing she remembered was potpourri.

  No, wait. At Thomas’s. The bathroom. Soap-on-a-rope. The nasty smell.

  He’d drugged her. Of all the nerve. How dare he—?

  Emily!

  She rocked the chair, her gaze shooting around the room. The part she could see. Not in that corner. Was that a body lying on the ground in that corner? There? Was that—?

  “You are quite a hard woman to dispose of, Riley Baxter.”

  His voice, void of any emotion, stilled her movements. Where was he? Behind her somewhere . . . that’s where his voice had come from. Behind and to the right.

  “You just couldn’t mind your own business, could you? You had to keep digging. Keep prying. Asking the questions you shouldn’t.” Thomas moved and stood directly in front of her. “I’m going to remove your gag, but I’m warning you. Don’t scream.”

  He reached for her head, then paused. “Not because I’m afraid someone will hear you, of course, but because screaming hurts my ears.” He squatted and looked her directly in the eye. “Do you understand?”

  She nodded.

  “Good.” He straightened and removed the gag from her mouth.

  Riley gulped in air. She wanted to scream. Wanted to ask where Emily was, but she needed to keep her wits. Needed to play along, pay attention, and wait for her opportunity. That’s what Rafe had taught her and Maddie both.

  “Water,” she croaked. Get him remembering she’s a human with basic needs like water. It would also give her opportunity to get some sort of feel for the layout.

  “Maybe later.”

  Okay, scratch that.

  He stared at her like she was a bug under a microscope. She’d never felt so naked, so vulnerable in all her life.

  He paced in front of her. “Aren’t you going to ask why?” His voice was so cold . . . so flat . . . so dull.

  “You already told me.”

  “I did?”

  No sense acting stupid. He knew she wasn’t. “You said I wouldn’t stop asking questions. Poking my nose where it didn’t belong.”

  He stopped pacing and clapped his hands. “Very good, Ms. Baxter. Well done.” He popped his hands on his hips. “Not that it will help you any, but it’s refreshing not to have to play games.”

  “If I might ask a question or two . . .”

  “Of course. You’re a reporter. It’s your nature.” He spread his arms. “Please, ask away.”

  “Your involvement in the robbery?”

  “Yes.” A slow smile stretched his lips taut. “I was there. And you are correct in your assumption. That piece in my office was from the robbery. I like to display it, an inside joke that I can’t be caught. However, that wasn’t the reason for the robbery.”

 
She had to keep him talking. Give Rafe and Hayden time to realize she and Emily were missing. She made a show of looking confused. “Then why rob the museum? Those artifacts were priceless. Irreplaceable.”

  Just the thought of Hayden made her heart seize.

  “To satisfy your final curiosity,” he moved his hand as if punctuating final, “I’ll tell you. I needed ammunition to blackmail the governor for my pardon. The robbery of the artifacts was all a cover.”

  A cover for a blackmail scheme put Armand Wilson in prison.

  “I do enjoy owning the artifacts. It amuses me to show them to people and know that I’ve gotten away with such a theft. It gives me pleasure to know I pulled it all off. With the help of Cam Thayer. His brother apparently needed the insurance money for his artifacts. He’d gotten into a little bit of a financial bind and couldn’t sell the artifacts outright for enough money quickly. Insurance is good about paying quickly when someone is held accountable for the crime. Did you know that?”

  “Armand Wilson?”

  “Oh, you were quite correct in your assumption and in your reporting. The man had nothing to do with the robbery or the shooting. He wasn’t even there.”

  She knew it!

  “Also shocking is that the guard was never supposed to be shot. No one was supposed to be injured during the robbery.” He sighed. “Unfortunately, one of the idiots involved panicked and pulled the trigger. Messy. I killed him by breaking his neck.”

  His bragging sent ice into her veins.

  “Would you like to know how many people I’ve killed, Riley Baxter?”

  “If you’d like to tell me.” She forced her voice not to crack.

  “Aren’t you curious what number you’ll be?”

  “Not particularly.”

  He laughed, but it was dry and humorless. “Well, for my own amusement, then.”

  “As you wish.”

  “First there were the two doctors who failed to save my leg.”

  Her mouth went drier than it already was.

  “Then there was the first subcommittee cochair, Mr. Vermillion. Oh, wait. I forgot the spawn of my mother and that pimp-pusher of hers. Does an infant count?”

  He killed a baby? She forced her expression not to change. “So that’s four.”