by Barbara Gee
There was no way I could get back out the window in time without making a whole lot of noise, so the decision was made for me. Heart pounding, I grabbed the rungs, praying they were solidly anchored to the wall.
Quiet and quick, I climbed up through the hole, pulling my legs up out of sight and carefully stepping off the ladder, afraid the floor might squeak under my weight. Fighting panic I huddled there right by the opening, my face buried in my coat again, nose burning and stomach rolling. I didn’t dare move as I listened to Willard stomping around in the room below.
“Do you have the fan running, Willy?” Haley called out. “It’s awful strong in here.”
“I’ll kick it up a notch,” he said. “I think Bobby messed this batch up. It shouldn’t smell this bad.”
“I did not,” Bobby yelled. “I know the amounts by heart.”
“That’s what worries me,” Willard yelled back. “You’re not careful. You think you know what you’re doing but you get distracted way too easy.”
I had the presence of mind to take advantage of the yelling to creep across the floor, hoping any creaks would be drowned out by the raised voices. When I got close enough to the railing I laid down on my stomach, pushing aside a musty old sleeping bag and shuddering as I imagined a whole family of mice inside.
I shoved that disgusting thought from my mind and slowly raised my head, my heart thumping in my ears as the room below came into view. I soon realized that my vantage point was almost perfect. The only light in the cabin was from the windows and a couple of old floor lamps, which left the higher loft area in the back of the cabin much murkier, masking my stealthy movements.
I could see Haley and Bobby seated at a small table in the kitchen area, Bobby unwrapping another burger as Haley sat with her arms folded, one leg crossed over the other, her foot bouncing impatiently up and down.
I studied Bobby for a moment. Although he was seated, I could tell he was on the short side. He was also very skinny, his shoulders almost as narrow as Haley’s. His hair was dark and worn in a buzz cut which, when combined with his small stature, made him look like a teenager.
I needed to text Ava, but I didn’t want to light up my phone screen. It was dark enough up here that the glow might be visible. Grimacing I moved it under a fold of the gross sleeping bag, shielding it. I sent Ava a quick text telling her I was in a safe spot. I told her to start recording and I’d get out when I could. I also told her there was no need for video. Being this close would ensure that Haley’s voice on audio was unmistakable.
Ava: Ok I’m going to blank the screen so there’s no light.
Me: Good. I’ll go straight to my car once I’m out. Call JP and tell him I’ll be coming to Adalyn’s. I’ll tell him everything then, and you can call on his phone and tell us what you’re hearing here. Bye.
Willard returned to the front room and I got my first good look at him. He was tall and leanly muscled, his forearms covered in tattoos. Haley smiled coyly up at him while Bobby continued to defend his meth-making skills between bites of hamburger.
“Just shut up about it,” Willard finally said. “If this batch is off we’ll just cut it in with some other stuff and it’ll be fine.”
“Just make sure the supply isn’t interrupted,” Haley griped. “That’s the last thing we need.”
“Don’t give me orders,” Willard warned. “You’ve only been part of this for a year, and it’s only because of Rosie that we let you in at all.”
“Hey, you’re the one who told her to call me. You needed some new investors and I found them for you, don’t forget that. You wouldn’t have been able to double your operation without my help.”
“That doesn’t make you the boss,” Willard replied. “In fact, I’d be real careful about ticking me and Bobby off if I was you. Your money-bag boyfriends are close to making bank on this right now, but if you screw it up they’ll dump you and move on without looking back.” He gave a mean-sounding chuckle. “Then you’ll have to start using our own product instead of those high-dollar pills you like so much.”
Haley tossed her head. “And ruin my skin and teeth? No thanks.” She watched Willard closely as he took a seat across from her. “No need to worry, Willy, I’m an expert at finding money-bag boyfriends. If these go bye-bye, I’ll just find some better ones. There’s a whole wide world outside of Garnett, Tennessee. You should try it sometime.”
Willard grunted as he bit into a hamburger. “You always did think you were too good for us,” he said with his mouth full. “I’m surprised you and Rosie are still friends.”
“Your sister’s my BFF. You know that, Willy.” She leaned across the table and gave him a wide, sugary smile. “You and me had some good times, too, back in the day. I thought we might have some more.” The smile disappeared and her face grew hard. “But now that I know you screwed up the job I asked you to do this morning, I’m a little less inclined.”
Without warning, Willard slammed his palm down on the table, making the other two jump. “There was a guy sitting on his porch right across the street, Haley! You think I’m gonna pick the lock with him watchin’ my every move?”
“Ever heard of a back door?” Haley asked sarcastically.
Willard angrily pointed a finger at her. “There was a fence around the whole backyard! I couldn’t even see a gate. Might’ve looked a little funny for me to go feelin’ along the fence to see if there was a way in, don’t ya think? Did ya miss the part about the neighbor sittin’ right there watchin’ us?”
Cowed by his anger, Haley held up her hands. “Okay, okay. I’m just disappointed, ya know? I want to ruin that skank’s life like she did mine. If it wasn’t for her, my baby-daddy and I would be together.”
“Don’t be so sure,” Willard said cruelly, tipping back a bottle of beer. “From what Rosie told me, you were way more into him than he ever was you.”
“That’s not true!”
Willard chuckled and Bobby grinned before stuffing a handful of fries in his mouth, clearly enjoying the exchange.
“If he was so into you,” Willard drawled, “then why’d you have to drug him to get him to do ya?”
Haley gasped. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play innocent,” Willard said, sounding disgusted. “Rosie told me all about it. Said you got her to help. She distracted him while you powdered up his drink with a nice little mixture. From what I hear, you practically overdosed him and barely got to your hotel room before he crashed. Had to wait for him to sleep some of it off before he could get the job done.”
Haley gave a furious growl and shoved away from the table, pacing with her arms folded tightly across her chest, grumbling something I couldn’t make out.
My winter coat felt stifling as heat suffused my body. I should have fled the cabin as soon as Ava had taken control of my phone, but I’d gotten caught up in the conversation and now I just laid there in shock.
What had I just heard?
Blood thundered in my ears and fury like I’d never known rolled through me.
Haley had drugged JP!
It was absolutely all I could do to stay still, and I only managed because I knew my life would be in danger if I gave myself away. I wanted to fly down the ladder and wrap my hands around Haley’s neck. I’d never felt the urge to harm another human being, but I felt it now. It was wrong, but in the heat of the moment I acknowledged the ferocity of my reaction—the intense desire for revenge against someone who had hurt a person I loved.
I forced myself to take slow, even breaths as the rage crested. I lowered my head onto my arms and lay in rigid silence, gutted at the knowledge of what Haley had done. The thought of JP lying all but unconscious on the bed while she undressed him and relied on his body’s natural instincts to give her what she wanted—it was a despicable act of assault and my hatred was white-hot and vicious.
I wanted her to suffer, oh how I wanted her to suffer.
I felt a sharp pain in my right hand and realized I wa
s gripping my phone hard enough to cramp the muscles. I stared at the blank screen, gradually comprehending that Ava, and probably Jude as well, had heard what Willard had said.
Good. It helped to know I wasn’t the only one feeling like I was going to explode. I could only imagine Jude’s reaction. Let’s just say Haley was lucky he wasn’t here.
“How dare you!” Haley spat from down below, bringing my head back up. Was she really still pretending to be irate at Willard’s accusation?
“No, how dare you?” Willard countered. “Kinda reeks of desperation to drug him, don’t ya think? Poor guy wasn’t given a choice in the matter. That’s rape, if you ask me.”
“Shut up!” Haley yelled. “Just shut up!” She stormed back to the table and grabbed one of the uneaten hamburgers. “This is for my trouble,” she said, holding it up. “Next time you can get your own.”
“We’d get it a lot faster,” Bobby said with a harsh laugh.
Haley ignored him and glared at Willard. “I’m leaving now, and I’m going to pretend we never had this conversation.”
Willard sat back in his chair and smiled evilly. “Fine with me. Just don’t get any ideas about talking to our investors, Haley. If any of them pull out, I’ll look up baby-daddy and make sure he knows all about what happened that night. And don’t ask for any more favors out in Hidden Creek. We’re all done with that. I wouldn’t have gone in the first place if Rosie hadn’t begged me to take pity on you. I never could say no to my baby sister, ya know?”
“Fine, but don’t forget we’re still business partners.” Haley’s voice shook, diminishing the warning. “I have a stake in this. You can’t cut me out.”
“I’m not plannin’ on it. Be good and you’ll get your money every month like usual. Just don’t expect anything more. And quit usin’ Rosie for your dirty side jobs. If you get her in trouble, you’ll have me to answer to.”
“Your precious Rosie isn’t as pure and innocent as you think!” Haley shot back.
Willard rose to his feet. He wasn’t a huge man, but he was definitely intimidating to the tiny, emaciated Haley.
“You said you were leaving,” he growled. “Better git while you still can.”
She whirled and rushed outside without another word. The two men stared at the door she’d slammed, then burst out laughing.
“Nice goin’,” Bobby said as they exchanged a high-five. “About time you got rid of that sassy brat. I got real tired of her hangin’ around this week. Seems like she’s mostly done with the shakes though. I figured it’d take a lot longer to come off the pills.”
“I thought you wanted a piece of her,” Willard teased. “That’s the only reason I was puttin’ up with her.”
“I might not say no if she’s puttin’ it out there for free, but Haley always wants somethin’ in return.” Bobby grimaced and shook his head. “That one’s a snake. Was that true about her druggin’ that guy?”
“Yep. Every bit.”
“I heard it could happen to guys but man, if I got a lady needin’ somethin’ from me she ain’t gotta doctor up my drink to get it!”
“Yeah well Haley wants it from men who aren’t desperate like you. I was real mad when I found out Rosie helped with it. They coulda killed the guy. I don’t know why she lets that witch talk her into things.”
They continued to discuss it and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the images in my mind. To top it all off, these two drug dealers were sitting there acting all virtuous—like their sins were less than Haley’s.
It was way past time for me to make my escape. I had everything I needed and more concerning Haley and the two men, and it was all recorded at Ava’s end. I didn’t even have to leave my phone. I just needed to get out…..now.
Carefully pushing up on my arms, I backed away from the rail without a sound. I needed to get out while they were still eating, before they went to check on the meth in the room below me. My movements were smooth and soundless…and then something rustled in that awful, stinky sleeping bag.
Ahhhh! I managed to keep the scream in my throat, but I jerked enough to cause the toes of my boots to scrape across the rough wooden floor.
The sound was slight but it still might have been audible down below. I froze, blood once again pounding in my ears. I was completely trapped up there, the ladder the only way out. If one of them came up to investigate, there would be no escape.
I held my breath and listened. There was no noticeable break in the conversation, but I was way too scared to move. I closed my eyes, feeling light-headed from both fear and the acrid fumes I’d been breathing. I finally took a shallow breath, and then another, steadfastly refusing to let myself think about whatever was living in the sleeping bag right beside me.
The men kept talking, and after a few more minutes passed I was ready to try for the ladder again.
I had already moved far enough to get out of view from below, so I slowly rose to a crouch and ever so cautiously made my way toward the hole. Once there I fought against the urge to fling myself down the ladder and launch myself through the window, putting speed before stealth. I knew I could move fast and would probably beat the men outside, but they would immediately come looking. While I was confident I could find my way back to my car, there were two of them and they were no doubt armed. I didn’t want to be out in the woods for any amount of time with them hunting me.
Best to get out slow and soundless and leave them there at the table chewing the fat, none the wiser.
Moving with careful purpose, I descended the ladder. Halfway across the trash-strewn floor, the voices went quiet. My pulse rate immediately increased. I couldn’t speed up because of the trash—consisting primarily of empty cold medicine packets. The noise of the fan was helpful, but it wouldn’t cover the noise of me crunching over the debris. I had no choice but to keep on carefully shoving piles aside so I could step quietly, like I’d done on the way in.
I was trembling, expecting Willard to appear in the doorway at any second. But he didn’t and I made it to the window.
Since the drop to the ground was farther than the distance from sill to floor, I couldn’t go head first like on the way in. Feet first took longer and was more awkward, but I managed, using my coat to protect my stomach as I slid down across the rough sill. When I was finally free of the window and had my feet planted firmly on the ground, I whirled around, eager to run into the safety of the woods and hide.
Instead, I ran smack into Willard.
I gasped and jumped back, coming up against the rough wall of the cabin. He stepped forward, crowding but not touching me. His small, hazel eyes appeared more curious than angry.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here? Not a rat in the attic after all.”
Chapter 32
S
o they had heard me up in the loft, they’d just pretended not to.
I was cornered and I knew it, so I drew on my army training again. I’d failed at the evasion part—thanks to whatever vermin was in that sleeping bag—and now I had to move into resist-and-escape mode.
My stomach twisted with dread, but I straightened my shoulders and raised my chin, refusing to show my fear. I also just managed to keep my hand from going to check on the phone in my pocket. Best not to draw attention to it. If Ava was still recording, now would be a real good time to call in some help.
“Actually, you do have rats in the attic,” I informed Willard. “They’re living in a sleeping bag.”
His brows shot up in surprise at my bravado, then he burst out laughing. “Who the heck are you and what made you stupid enough to come way out here to spy on my operation?”
I shook my head slowly. “I’m not interested in your operation.”
“Riiiiiiight,” he drawled.
“I’m not. If I was, I would’ve had the cops here a long time ago.”
He turned his head and spit something, then eyed me again. “That wouldn’t be easy to do, considerin’ your phone won’t work out here i
n the woods.” He folded his arms and squinted. “So how about you tell me what you are interested in,” he said as Bobby hurried around the corner of the house.
“There’s no one else in the loft.” The other man looked me up and down, then raised his brows at Willard. “You sure she was the one up there? I didn’t expect a purty girl.”
“Yep. Saw her come out the window.” Willard grinned at me again. “Answer the questions, sweetheart. Who are you, and what are you after way out here?”
The only believable thing I could come up with was the truth. “I was looking for Haley Knight. I’m her baby-daddy’s girlfriend.” I hated that term with a passion but I used it for effect.
His eyes narrowed in surprise. “Well, then I guess you found her, didn’t ya? Too bad she didn’t stick around.”
“How’d you know she was comin’ here?” Bobby asked.
I studied them as surreptitiously as I could. Were they armed? I couldn’t tell. Both of them were wearing baggy jackets that would hide the bulge of a gun at their waistline or in a pocket. I had to assume they were, though.
I tried to calculate how soon help would arrive. If my phone was still recording,—and knowing Ava, it was—she and Jude would have already called the police. As far as I knew, Garnett was the closest town, so it would be at least thirty minutes until they arrived. Maybe more, because finding this place, even with Ava’s exact coordinates, could take a while.
I couldn’t stall for that long. I had to get away somehow.
“Uh, I heard Haley was working with you,” I said, knowing the answer was inadequate.
“How’d you know about this place?” Willard was still smiling, pretending to be all friendly and easygoing, like he could charm me. But his eyes were growing cold. He was smarter than Bobby, and he was realizing he had a real problem on his hands. I might have come there looking for Haley, but now I knew all about his meth lab. Which meant he couldn’t let me walk away.
Which meant I had a real problem as well.
My mouth went dry as I looked from one man to the other. They were waiting for an answer, but I knew it really didn’t matter what I said. I could tell the truth or I could lie—neither one would change the outcome. They couldn’t let me go.
