Deadly Secrets

by Jude Pittman

  Kelly called her name again and waited. She didn’t answer and he started forward again, moving slowly in the direction of Anna’s stall. At the refreshment stand, he stopped and peered through the serving window. The old refrigerator cast its shadow across the tiled floor and his light glinted on the stacks of pots and pans lining the shelves.

  Kelly listened for a minute, then moved around to the small outdoor patio where Luis Morales served up the best hot tamales in Texas. With his stomach muscles clenched from anxiety instead of hunger, Kelly focused his eyes on the row of shops that ran along the wall next to the refreshment stand.

  One glance was all it took to confirm his hunch. There was a light coming from under the curtain that covered the front of Anna’s shop.

  Reaching into his pocket and removing his revolver, Kelly crossed the aisle and stopped in front of the shop. Parting the curtain, he peered into the room. There was no sign of Krystal but he spotted Bubba right away. He was on the floor, curled up in a fetal position with blood seeping from a wound on his head. Kelly tightened his grip on the revolver and stifled an urge to rush to Bubba’s side.

  Keeping his eye on the private enclave at the back of the room where Anna used to do her paperwork, Kelly sidled into the room and crouched with his back against the wall.

  Now that he had the full room in view, Kelly spotted Penny sprawled in Anna’s rocker. A blanket had been thrown over her shoulders and her head slumped against her chest.

  Kelly listened for several minutes but there was still no sign of Krystal. Finally, unable to stand it any longer, he crept across the room, grasped Bubba’s hand and wrapped his fingers around his wrist. Then he let out a sigh of relief. Bubba’s pulse was faint and rapid—not a good sign—but at least he was still alive.

  Taking off his jacket and covering Bubba as best he could, Kelly crossed to Penny. Bending his head to place his ear against her chest, Kelly heard the reassuring thump of her heartbeat. She’d been drugged from the looks of it but she too, was alive.

  “Stand right there!” Krystal’s voice, cold as ice, came from behind him. “Keep your hands where I can see them,” she snapped, when Kelly moved his arm.

  He stopped and stood motionless.

  “Now turn around, slowly.”

  Kelly turned and faced the girl he’d thought he loved. It was like looking into the face of a stranger. Her wide green eyes stared, unblinking, into his and her face flushed with a feverish glow.

  “Put the gun down on the floor.” She pointed a small pistol at Kelly’s head. When he hesitated, she stiffened her arm. “I’m an expert shot,” she said. “Don’t force me, Kelly.”

  Kelly crouched and laid his gun on the floor.

  “Back up,” Krystal moved forward and shoved the gun away with her foot.

  Keeping his eyes on Krystal, Kelly backed against the wall.

  Bubba groaned and Kelly turned his head to look at his friend. “At least let me see to Bubba.”

  “Why? He’s not going anywhere.” She waved the gun in a manner that made her meaning clear.

  “Gus is on his way,” Kelly tried again.

  She tossed her head. “Then I’ll just have to work faster.” She waved the gun again. “Get over there beside Penny and squat on the floor with your back toward me.”

  Kelly complied.

  “Now give me your hands.”

  Kelly extended his hands behind his back. She moved up behind him and his muscles tensed as he felt the smooth fiber of a nylon cord being wrapped around his wrists.

  “Now back up against that chair and bend your head.”

  Kelly did as she ordered.

  Krystal tugged the rope, taking up the slack until the fibers cut into Kelly’s flesh. “There!” She moved back in front of him. “I’ve wrapped that rope around Penny’s neck, so if you’ve got any ideas about trying to break loose, you better be prepared to strangle her.”

  Bubba moaned in the background and Krystal strode over to him. She stood for a minute, then bent down and picked up a flat piece of board. “We can’t have you waking up right now,” she said in a high, taunting voice. Then she lifted the board high in the air and brought it down on the side of Bubba’s head.

  Kelly jerked forward, felt the rope tighten and forced himself back against the chair.

  “What was the point of that?” He struggled to keep the anger out of his voice.

  Ignoring him, Krystal walked over to Anna’s cubbyhole and disappeared behind the wall. When she came back into Kelly’s view, she had a large gas can clutched in her hand.

  “What are you doing?” Kelly asked.

  She stopped and stared. Her wild, dilated eyes looked right through him. “Why couldn’t you have stayed out of this?”

  Kelly shuddered. Krystal’s intent was clear. She was going to set fire to the flea market and if Gus didn’t get here soon, he and Bubba and Penny would all be burned to death. Kelly’s only hope was to keep her talking.

  “Why did you bring Bubba into this?” he asked.

  “That nasty man.” She spit out the words. “He’s the kidnapper and he’s going to die in the fire. I’ll tell the police Penny and I came here looking for you and he trapped us inside this barn. Of course I’ll get away but unfortunately, I won’t be able to save Penny.”

  “That won’t work, you know,” Kelly said.

  “Why not? Because you’re here? Why did you have to come? By morning, it would’ve been all over and things could’ve still been good between us. Now I’m going to have to tell the police you came in here trying to save me and that man jumped you and got your gun away. Then he shot you.

  Kelly shook his head. “Gus already knows the truth, Krystal. I found the letters you had hidden in your toy box. That’s how I knew you’d killed your mother. Gus has them, so there’s nothing for you to do now but give yourself up. It’s too late for Anna and Andrew but Penny and Bubba don’t have to die. They’ve never done you any harm and Penny has been your friend. You don’t want to kill her, Krystal. You know you don’t.”

  “How would you know what I want? You’re just like all the rest of them—always telling me what’s best for me. Penny wasn’t my friend. She told on me. A friend wouldn’t do that. Now shut up. I don’t want you to talk anymore.” Krystal’s voice had risen to a shriek and seeing the look on her face, Kelly fell silent.

  He’d done his best. All he could do now was pray Stella had gotten hold of Gus. At least Krystal didn’t know about Stella being up in the cabin. Maybe, if they were lucky, she’d see the flames and get help before it was too late.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Inside the cabin, Stella glanced around the small living room and spotted the telephone on a table next to Kelly’s rocker. An address book lay beside the phone and picking it up, she flipped the pages until she found Augustus Graham and put her finger on the spot.

  After punching out the number, she leaned against the arm of the rocker and waited for the rings.

  “Hello!” A warm, womanly voice answered.

  “May I speak to Detective Graham?” Stella asked.

  “He’s not here right now. Would you like to leave a message?” “Oh!” Stella wasn’t sure what she should do. “Do you have any way of reaching him?” The woman hesitated for a moment. “Is this something to do with his job?”

  “I’m sorry,” Stella said. “I should’ve identified myself. My name is Stella Davis and I’m calling for Kelly McWinter. We’re out at Indian Creek. He asked me to call Gus and tell him to get over here right away.”

  “Oh, dear!” The woman’s voice held genuine concern. “Gus took one of the little boys from Big Brothers out to a ball game. He has his pager with him though. I’ll give him a call. Is Kelly okay?”

  “I don’t know. Would you tell Gus that Kelly has located Krystal inside the flea market and he’s gone in after her.”

  “Of course. I’ll get Gus. Relax and don’t worry. Kelly has a cop’s instincts and he won’t put himself in harm’s
way without a backup.”

  Stella said goodbye and hung up. Spotting an old jacket hanging on a hook, she slipped it over her shoulders and let herself out of the cabin.

  The path was only dimly lit by moonlight and stepping carefully to keep her footing, Stella made her way down the hill. At the entrance to the flea market, Jake stood guard and Stella bent to introduce herself. Jake sniffed her hand and after satisfying himself with their acquaintance, he bent his head to accept an ear rub.

  “What do you think, Jake?” Stella asked. “Should we go inside and see what Kelly’s up to, or should we stay out here and wait?”

  In answer, Jake stepped over to the door and turned to Stella with an expectant look in his eye.

  “I guess that means ‘yes’.” She grabbed the wooden handle and when Jake voiced no objection, she tugged open the door and stepped inside. In the darkness, Stella could see nothing but shadowy images of the long rows of tables.

  “Wait a minute,” she whispered to Jake. In the small bag she carried over her shoulder, Stella had a penlight attached to her key ring. It didn’t give off much light but at least she wouldn’t be bumping into things.

  “Ready?” She switched on the light. In response, Jake moved in front and pressed his body against her legs.

  “Okay,” she said. “You go first.”

  Jake, with Stella close behind, skirted the tables and headed for the far side of the barn. When he reached the row of shops, he moved in close to the wall and stopped.

  Stella, spotting a glimmer of light showing around the entrance to one of the shops, aimed her penlight directly at the floor and waited for Jake to move on.

  Slowly, padding on silent paws, Jake approached the light. Behind him, Stella crept forward, carefully placing one foot in front of the other so as to make no sound on the concrete floor.

  At the entrance, Jake stopped. Stella moved up beside him. She reached out and parted the curtain, pulling it back far enough that she could peek into the shop. Standing in the middle of the room, her back to the curtain and a pistol in her hand, Krystal was speaking.

  “I’m sorry, Kelly. I liked you…really I did but this is something I had to do for my father. You can see that, can’t you?” Krystal’s voice broke into a squeal of pain when Jake took a flying leap into the shop and fastened his teeth onto her wrist.

  The gun clattered to the floor and the weight of the dog hanging onto her arm brought Krystal to her knees.

  Stella, recovering from the shock of Jake’s action, ran across the room and grabbed the gun.

  “Keep her covered!” Kelly warned when Stella started turning toward him.

  Jake, who’d been standing teeth bared in front of Krystal, growled and backed toward Kelly.

  Stella, gun in hand, stepped in front of Krystal. “What were you doing?” she asked. “Were you going to kill all these people? Isn’t it bad enough that you’ve already killed your mother and your uncle?”

  “Dear Stella,” Krystal spat the words. “As if you cared about them. The only thing that matters to you is the money. Go ahead! Shoot me. Once I’m dead, you’ll have it all.”

  Stung, Stella lowered the gun and backed away.

  Krystal threw back her head and laughed. “I always knew you were a coward,” she spat, just before she whirled around and raced out of the shop.

  “There’s a knife on the counter.” Kelly’s low, gentle voice brought Stella out of her shock.

  “Oh, my God!” She ran to the counter, grabbed the knife and approached the rocking chair.

  “Be careful,” he said. “The rope is wrapped around Penny’s neck. You’ll have to keep that section slack while you cut me loose.”

  Stella nodded and grasped the rope next to Kelly’s hands. With a sawing motion, working slowly and using one hand to keep the rope that led to Penny slack, she worked through the strands until Kelly’s hands were free.

  “I’ll see to Bubba.” Kelly pulled the rope off his chest and got to his feet. “You get Penny loose.”

  “What about Krystal?”

  “We haven’t got time to worry about her. We’ve got to get these two out of here and get the paramedics.”

  “Is there a phone in here? Do you want me to call them?”

  “No! Krystal was planning on setting fire to this place and she might have another gas can. We need to get out of here, now. We can call from the cabin. Do you think you can carry Penny?”

  “Of course. She’s only a little bit of a thing.”

  “Okay. Let’s go then. Jake, you lead the way. I doubt if she’ll try anything else,” Kelly lifted Bubba to his shoulder and turned to Stella, “but be prepared. If Jake starts to growl, you lay Penny on the ground and get down yourself.”

  Stella nodded and placing one arm under Penny’s knees and the other around her back, she lifted the sleeping girl into her arms. “I’m ready,” she said.

  Kelly switched on his flashlight and led the way out of the barn.

  Outside, the clouds had cleared and the moon lit the path to the cabin. They made their way up the hill, slowly, with Jake in the lead. There was no sign of Krystal and once inside the cabin, Kelly sent Stella to the bedroom with Penny while he stretched Bubba out on the couch and called 9-1-1.

  “I don’t like his color,” he said when Stella came back into the room. “You just hang in there, little buddy.” He covered Bubba with a blanket Stella brought from the bedroom. “Did you get hold of Gus?”

  Stella shook her head. “His wife said she’d page him.

  “That’d be Betty. She’ll track him down. Do you want some coffee?”

  Stella shook her head. “I couldn’t swallow,” she said in a choked voice.

  Wordlessly, the two of them sat at the kitchen table until finally, the sound of approaching sirens reached their ears.

  “Here they come.” Kelly headed out to the porch.

  Within minutes, pandemonium broke loose. An emergency unit and two fire trucks screamed into the yard and Kelly had no sooner finished assisting them with the stretchers, than Gus’ official car, followed by two patrol cars, came screeching into the yard.

  “What’s going on?” Gus asked when Kelly met him at his car.

  “Krystal had Bubba and Penny trapped inside Anna’s stall. They’re both alive but Bubba’s in pretty bad shape. I think she’s still down there,” Kelly said. “If you’ll wait until they get Bubba and Penny transported, I’ll show you.”

  “No.” Gus shook his head. “We’ll take it from here. You go along with the medics.

  “Okay.” Kelly accepted Gus’ decision without comment, knowing that given his previous relationship with Krystal, it would be best all the way around if he wasn’t involved in her apprehension.

  “I’ll see you at the hospital when it’s over,” Gus called after him.

  Kelly nodded his head and walked over to join Stella. “We’ll take the car and follow them in,” he said and Stella wordlessly handed over the keys.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  At the hospital, after a couple of tense hours, Kelly was allowed to visit Bubba in his room. The doctors had already assured him that Bubba and Penny would be fine given a couple of days to rest from their ordeal. When Kelly returned to the lobby he found Gus waiting with Stella.

  “Did you find her?” Kelly asked and sank wearily into one of the chairs.

  Gus nodded. “She’s dead,” he said.

  Kelly’s head jerked up in surprise. “How come?”

  Gus shook his head. “We found her hanging from one of the beams. Looks like she went back into the stall after you’d left took the rope she’d use to tie you and Penny with, wrapped it around her neck and tied it to the beam. Then she climbed up on the counter and jumped off.”

  “What a damn shame nobody figured out how twisted she was before it ever came to something like this.”

  “I know,” Gus said. “I’ve just been telling Stella, there’s nothing either one of you could’ve done to change the outco
me. She got lost a long time ago and by the time anybody realized how bad she was, it was already way too late.”

  There hadn’t been much to say after that. Stella drove Kelly out to Indian Creek and when he offered a bed for the night, she refused, thanking him for his offer but explaining she needed to get back home. There were still things that needed to be dealt with concerning both Krystal and Andrew and she wouldn’t be able to sleep in any event.

  Kelly gave her a hug and promised to visit in the future. After she pulled out of the yard, he went into the cabin and climbed, fully dressed, into his bed.

  * * * * *

  Two days later, after a long, dark session of soul-searching, Kelly was back at the Hideaway preparing to tie up the last loose end surrounding the death of his old friend, Anna.

  “You okay?” Cam called across the room.

  Kelly, who’d been staring blankly at the ceiling, shifted his attention to Cam. “Yeah, fine. How about giving Bubba a call and asking him to come over here and join us?”

  “Sure thing!” Cam reached for the phone. After speaking to Bubba, he replaced the receiver and turned back to Kelly. “Bubba’ll be right over.”

  “Good!” Kelly nodded and turned his attention to Cam.

  The barman was antsy as a cricket on a hot griddle and Kelly figured it was time to put him out of his misery. “Why don’t you grab a couple longnecks out of the cooler and come take a load off. I want to talk to both you and Bubba and I reckon you’d appreciate an update on your own situation.”

  “Coming right up.” Cam practically danced over to the cooler.

  Kelly leaned back in the booth and flexed his shoulder blades. He hoped he was doing the right thing about Frank. He had an idea how to handle the situation but he’d have to see what Bubba thought.

  Cam slid into the booth and pushed a bottle across the table. “So what’s up?” He fixed his anxious brown eyes on Kelly’s face.