by Tonya Kappes
“I have a couple of questions.” I want to understand everything before he kills me. Thank God I know my Blackberry frontwards and backwards and it’s in my back pocket. I press the record button when Mac turned and put it on the pile of clothes next to me.
“What?” He turns on his heels towards me with an annoying infliction in his voice. “Does it matter? Because now I have to kill you.”
Damn! I put my hands up to my heart to keep it from pounding out of my chest. I pinch my hands together hoping not to feel any pain and praying this is a nightmare or vision. “Ouch,” I mutter. Nope, not a vision. I’d give anything for Aunt Matilda to be standing over me.
“I don’t have time for this.” He holds the gun up to me.
“Wait!” I want to know why. I put my hands on my legs and press down. I can’t keep them from shaking. My body is cold. I already feel dead.
“You ask why? Because of the money. We had a great thing going. Kent and I bagged the rich women. We got everything we could out of them. We were living large.” He starts to pace again, but this time his steps are harder, angrier. He throws his fists in the air. “Erin was a big score for us. She doesn’t have a family member to stand in our way.” He stops and walks to the window. He opens one slate of the blind and peeks out. “Too bad his heart got in the way.”
I can’t tell if he’s shaking out of fear, anger or sadness. I’m completely shaking out of terror. “Now I have to kill you.” He clinches his crooked teeth together.
With my keys in my hand and my finger on the pepper spray, I swing my hand around. With a hope and prayer that my finger is on the trigger. I press as soon as it’s in front of me.
A stream of spray goes right into his eyes. “Aaaaaa!” Mac screams out holding his eyes and falling to the ground along with his gun.
Before I can get the gun, the front door crashes to the floor. Carl rushes in, gun drawn, and pointed straight at Mac—Ian is right behind him.
“Don’t move!” Carl screams at Mac. Mac continues to roll around on the ground.
I throw my hands up in the air and stand still. My mouth opens and nothing comes out.
Ian grabs Mac’s hands and plants his knees in Mac’s back as he cuffs him, while Carl gets Mac’s gun.
Bradley runs over to me with panic in his eyes. “You’re all right.” He wraps his arms around me and my feet come flying off the ground as my heart sinks back into place. I can clear my throat now that the lump is gone.
Erin slumps back on the couch, resting her hand on her head.
I glance over my shoulder and Aunt Matilda rushes into the house. Immediately she makes sure Erin is okay.
“We got here just in time.” Carl watches Ian roll Mac on his back and read him his rights.
Shocked, I ask, “How did you know?” I look back and forth between Bradley, Carl and now Aunt Matilda. My heroes all lined up in front of me. Even Carl and Ian.
Ian lifts Mac up to standing. Mac’s eyes are swollen, red and still shut.
He jerks around and tries to get out of the cuffs. Ian takes him out of the house.
Carl says, “If it wasn’t for Bradley’s brother-in-law’s handy work, we would’ve never have traced the license plate back to Mac.”
Confused, I look at Bradley. “What?”
“As soon as my brother-in-law let me know that Mac Timmerman owned the BMW, I left the SPCA to get the information to Carl.” He turns to Carl.
“Well, Brittany did confess everything to Ian during her interrogation.” Carl is modest giving Ian most the credit. “As a matter of fact, she told them that Mac was looking for Erin because he knew Kent had confessed to Erin that he and Mac were a grifting team.” Carl nods towards Bradley. “Bradley came just in time with the news on the BMW. Brittany confirmed it’s Mac’s car.”
Bradley takes me back in his arms. “I was worried about you because you weren’t answering your phone.”
I slip out of his arms and grab my phone off the pile of clothes. “Oh, I almost forgot.” I hand my phone to Carl. “Everything you need to know is on here.” I might not be so bad at this sleuthing thing after all.
I look over at Erin who’s curled up in the fetal position on the couch, with Tramp by the neck.
She looks up. “Mac was going to kill us right here.” She sobs. She falls back on the couch and Tramp licks her face.
I walk over and sit by Erin since everything seems to be under control. Her sobbing has subsided to a dull whimper.
“You know I wasn’t going to let that happen.” I pat her leg for reassurance but I’m totally lying through my teeth because I thought we were goners for sure!
She smiles and says, “Of course you can say that since he’s in handcuffs.”
“Tramp!”
We turn to see Brittany coming in through the smashed doorway.
“Thank you for taking him.” She rushes over to the couch.
It’s interesting how Tramp doesn’t get up or wag his tail when he sees her.
“Tramp?”
I can see the hurt in her eyes and hear it in her voice as Tramp buries his face into Erin’s lap. I watch Tramp’s aura turn a nice crystal like Erin’s.
Brittany pats the top of his head. “I guess he does technically belong to you.”
“Yes, he does.” Erin isn’t about to let Tramp go.
Carl walks over and stands between Brittany and me. “We have cleared Ms. Darlington of any murder charges, but we do have the matter of the threatening emails.”
Brittany turns and begins to plead with me. “I told you they were just out of anger. I wasn’t going to do anything I promise.”
Carl puts his hand up and Brittany buttons up her lip. “Do you want to bring charges against Ms. Darlington?” he asks.
I look at Brittany. I take a quick step back as the gold band begins to surround her.
“Let’s just put it behind us.” I smile. I’m not about to mess with a gold aura or the guardian angels that come with it. “On one condition.”
“Anything,” Brittany quickly agrees without knowing what I’m going to say.
“You have to continue to work at the SPCA.” I smile.
Aunt Matilda walks over and puts her arm around me. Her sweet face lets me know everything is
going to be all right.
Thirty
“What do you say, kid?” Officer Carl looks at me like he has something more important to say.
“What?” I curiously look at him and Bradley.
“Since you’re so good at this aura business.” He glances at Aunt Matilda, and hands me a file that reads “unsolved”. “I’m moving up to the FBI division and I’d like you to help me figure out a few things.”
“Ouch!” I grab my shoulder from Aunt Matilda’s body nudge. I turn my head and raise my eyebrows. “What was that for?”
Aunt Matilda smiles. “You’re behind on your bills and your dumps because you have spent so much time on this case. You could use the money.” Aunt Matilda has always wanted me to embrace “the gift” and this is the perfect opportunity.
Bradley steps up behind Aunt Matilda and shakes his head. “No.” His face is stern. “This can be dangerous.”
I look into his eyes. “I’ve never been able to have a good job of my “gift.” I walk around Aunt Matilda and rub my hands down Bradley’s arms, resting them in his hands, “This is my chance to embrace the person I really am and use my gift for a good cause.”
Carl smiles with gratitude.
We all watch the police cruiser take Mac off to Park City Police Department where the FBI is waiting for him.
I turn back to Bradley and Aunt Matilda. “See,” I point to Ian’s cruiser rounding the corner, “I did something good. I didn’t break anyone’s heart and it feels good.”
Carl chimes in, “So can I assume it’s a yes?”
The excitement builds at the thought of using my gift to help people and to have a real job. But I also don’t want to hurt Bradley or disappoint Aunt Ma
tilda.
I face Carl, Aunt Matilda and Bradley. I hold the unsolved crime file in front of me. “Let me look at it and give me a couple days to think about it.”
This way I will be able to talk with Aunt Matilda and Bradley.
“A couple of days.” Carl walks over to Aunt Matilda. “What about that date we talked about?”
Erin and I look at each other and giggle like two little girls.
Aunt Matilda blushes.
“I guess I can take you back to your rightful owner.” Carl picks up Belle. “I’m assuming you don’t mind if I let Michael go?”
“No, I don’t mind.” I pat Belle on the head.
“I’ll call you.” Carl winks at Aunt Matilda.
I smile and watch Carl walk away, his amber aura floating around him. I have to believe I have something to do with it.
About The Author
Tonya Kappes is the International bestselling author of Carpe Bead ‘Em and The Ladybug Jinx. She’s also the author of two short stories which can be found in the Something Spooky This Way Comes and Believe Anthologies. Her, co-authored, non-fiction book The Tricked-Out Toolbox, helps writers explore the best promotional and marketing strategies for their career will be available January 2012.
Besides being the co-founder of the beyond quirky writer’s grog The Naked Hero, she is co-founder of The Writer’s Guide to E Publishing.
When she’s not writing about quirky characters and even quirkier situations, she’s busy being the princess, queen and jester of her domain which includes her BFF husband, her four teenage boys and two dogs in Kentucky.
To sign up for Tonya’s newsletter, view book trailer, and upcoming news, check out Tonya’s website, Tonyakappes.com.
Click on the titles below to read more books by Tonya Kappes
Carpe Bead’em
The Ladybug Jinx
