by Geri Foster
At the last minute he took the turnoff to Frankie’s Bar. He’d been there on several occasions and found it a nice place to drink a beer without a lot of noise or nosy people. And that was exactly what he needed tonight.
Chapter 6
The girls had accomplished more in two and a half hours than Nancy ever thought possible. They even found time to run by the hardware store and started George Humphries mixing up paint for the interior of the house.
She couldn’t wait. Saturday afternoon everything would be delivered, and she was over the moon, envisioning her new digs. Candi gave her the name of a man who painted her and Austin’s new house, and she planned to contact him tomorrow morning, first thing.
To celebrate their success, they decided to stop at Frankie’s and have a cold beer before going home. Entering the rowdy place, she waited for her eyes to adjust. They found a table while Kendall went over to the bar to talk to Frankie, the owner. Her husband, Marcus, and he were good friends and she wanted his help on planning a surprise birthday party for her husband.
“Frankie’s a strange character,” Rachel said. “You rarely see him outside of this bar.”
“He comes to the bank only once a week,” she offered. “But, you’re right, he stays to himself.”
“He never got married?” Candi asked.
“Not according to Lucas. Claims to be a confirmed bachelor.”
“He’s still young. Give him time.”
Four beers arrived, and they all were thirstier than they imagined because twenty minutes later they were ready to leave.
Before heading out, she decided to visit the ladies’ room. When she returned, they headed for the car, laughing and making plans for Saturday afternoon. Not for the first time today, she realized how lucky she was to have such good friends. And it didn’t hurt living in Rainwater, either. The people were kind and she knew everyone in town.
All in a straight line, they approached Kendall’s car. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a man jumped out and grabbed her from behind, pinning her arms to her sides. She and Candi, who was behind her and saw the whole thing, screamed, which brought Rachel and Kendall to a sudden halt.
They turned to face her attacker as she kicked and squirmed, the man trying to pull her away. She expected one of the girls to take out a phone and dial 911, but they didn’t. Instead, they charged the guy, holding and pounding him on the head, kicking his legs. She was jostled forward and almost fell to her knees as Candi pounded him on the back.
He grunted and cursed, but when she righted herself enough to stomp down with her boot on his sneakered foot, he yelled out in pain and released her. She turned around and swung at the man’s face and missed. Then, she tried again. This time her fist connected hard with the man’s jaw.
She reached up and tried to yank the ski mask off his face to allow them to identify the attacker, but he kept it out of her reach. Kendall had the man by the front of his jacket and kicked him in the groin. He immediately bent over, and she grabbed the top of the mask and pulled.
It came off and he scrunched down in his jacket and ran away. The next thing she knew, Frankie ran out with his shotgun. “What’s going on out here?”
“Call Lucas, we were just attacked,” Rachel ordered.
Frankie darted inside for just a moment before returning and motioning them back inside. “You’ll be safe in here. Anyone besides Lucas comes through that door and they’re dead.”
Several male customers went out in the parking lot and searched for the person who tried to hurt them. In complete shock over everything that had just happened, she shook from the top of her head to her toes. Nothing like that had ever happened to her before. She covered her face and tried to fight back the tears. “I think he was after me.”
Frankie stood nearby, refusing to leave their sides. “Why do you say that?”
“He grabbed her, and she was in the middle,” Candi explained. “If he was just after anyone he would have taken me—I was in the back of the line.”
Kendall came over and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. “My God, who would do this to you?”
Candi rubbed her back and Rachel held her hand.
“I can’t imagine,” she managed to say in a voice wobbly with fear. “I have no idea who that was.”
“Don’t worry,” Rachel said. “Lucas will get to the bottom of this.”
Candi spoke up. “I called Austin, too. If he finds out what happened from someone else, he’ll be furious.”
“Marcus is on the way too.”
“Okay,” Frankie said, pointing to a table in the far back. “You ladies sit over there. I’m nervous with you still so close to the door.”
“Thanks for your help,” she said. “I really appreciate you stepping in.”
“I didn’t do anything, you ladies had him on the run before I hit the door. Maybe I should hire you out as bouncers on Friday and Saturday night.” He chuckled as he moved behind the bar, his shotgun remaining close by.
The reassuring sound of sirens could be heard in the distance.
“Thank goodness,” she breathed.
* * *
Glad he’d parked his car away from the bar’s parking lot, Alec was gasping for air by the time he reached the vehicle. Opening the door, he slumped inside and ran his hands over his sweaty face. He was lucky they hadn’t managed to see him. That woman from the bank would’ve recognized him immediately.
Resting his head back, he wondered what the hell just happened. Why didn’t those women run away, screaming for their lives? He cradled his crotch gently. Hell no, they stayed and fought like they didn’t own a brain. Damn near unmanning him. He’d be lucky to walk tomorrow.
After what happened, he regretted going after the Wigan woman with her friends there to take up for her. That had been a mistake that could’ve gotten him arrested and up before a judge. The last thing he needed.
His cell phone rung, and he knew who the caller was without even looking. The damn Commander. He grew tired of the man’s constant insistence he get the job done quickly. If he couldn’t get the job done fast enough, he could come and kill Crawley himself.
“Yeah?”
“I’m just checking to see if I can be of any help.”
“How in the hell do you plan to help? You’re thousands of miles away. Nice and safe. I’m the one in the trenches and it’s dangerous as hell, so lay off.”
He found himself shouting, and he didn’t like to do that. Not when he hid among a bunch of trees trying not to be found. He took a deep breath and grimaced. Damn, he hurt. Those women had practically killed him. Now they’d all die.
“Don’t get upset,” the Commander said in a soothing voice. “We’ve waited this long, what’s the rush?”
He liked the man less and less every time they spoke. “I need money. If I’m going to pull this off I need some cash.”
“How, how much?”
“Couple a thousand.”
He figured if he had to do the dirty work, why not make a few extra bucks in the process. Of course, he’d kill Crawley free of charge, but if he could squeeze the Commander for a little cash, he would do that too. Didn’t those officers make a lot of money? They made more than he did.
“I’ll take care of it. Where should I send it?”
“To a Western Union in Denton. I’ll get back to you.”
He hung up and started his car. It would be a struggle, but he’d make it back to his apartment and some ice. Rubbing his neck, he felt something sticky. Panicked, he turned on the interior lights and glanced in the rearview mirror.
Scratches and gouges covered his face. His lip bled, and his jaw ached—those witches practically peeled all the skin off his face. He pulled over to the side of the road, reached in the back and grabbed the rag he had planned to tie up the broad with. Shaking his head, he ran the cloth over his face. Looking down he only saw blood.
Damn, they’d pay for this. But, in the meantime, he’d have to stay holed up in his apartmen
t until some of the marks faded. He hated the delay, but he did have the Commander’s money to look forward to. That’d buy him a good woman for the night and a decent hotel room in Denton. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day. The night would be for sure.
* * *
Jeff pulled into the parking lot of Frankie’s Bar just as sirens reached his ears. Unsure what had happened, he got out of his truck and waited for Lucas or David before going inside. If there was trouble inside, he belonged out here.
As it turned out, his nephew showed up first, with the noise coming in behind him. Then, another car. By the time everyone had exited their vehicles, Lucas, Austin and Marcus were running toward the door of Frankie’s Bar.
He stepped over and grabbed Austin by the arm, intercepting him. “What happened?”
“The girls were attacked in the parking lot.”
His heart skipped a beat and he swallowed hard.
Nancy.
Had she been caught up in this? He knew those men and the women they were attached to. They were friends of Nancy’s.
He fell in behind Austin and they came to a halt at a back table. His eyes scanned the group and immediately found her. She looked scared, pale and on the verge of tears. He stepped around everyone and put his hand on her shoulder, making her aware of his presence.
She gazed up at him and placed her palm on top of his hand and squeezed. “Oh, Jeff. It was awful. A man tried to drag me across the parking lot.”
Suddenly all four women were talking, and none could really be heard. Lucas held up his arm and shouted. “Quiet down. Everyone just hold on. You’ll each get the chance to speak.”
Lucas pointed to Nancy, who the other women were trying to protect. “What happened tonight, Nancy?”
She swallowed and looked up at him for guidance. His stomach in knots, he nodded. Turning to Lucas, she explained, “We went shopping and stopped here to grab a quick beer before Kendall drove us home.”
“No problems while inside the bar?”
“No, no, none at all. We were minding our own business.”
“Did you notice if anyone followed you out of the door? Could there have been a customer watching, perhaps waiting for you to leave?”
“No, I don’t think so. This guy just ran up and tried to kidnap me.”
“Was he after you, specifically?”
Again, they all started talking at once. This time, Austin spoke the loudest. “Only one at a time, ladies.” He pointed to Nancy. “Why do you think he wanted you?”
Her mouth agape and at a loss for words, Candi tightened her mouth and answered for her. “Because he grabbed her, and she was in between us all. I was the last in line. I saw the whole thing. He went straight for her.”
Lucas glanced at Austin. “Nancy, would you please stand up?”
She complied, although he suspected her knees were a bit wobbly. Lucas put his hands up. “Is it okay if I touch you? So we can understand what happened?”
Shaky, she nodded nonetheless. Lucas slowly put his arms around her waist, making sure not to hold her too tightly. “Like this?” he asked. “Is this how it happened?”
She nodded. “I didn’t know anyone was behind us. So, I walked between Candi and Rachel. We were heading for Kendall’s car to go home. Then suddenly a man—”
“How do you know it was a man?” he interjected. “It could’ve been a tall woman, right?”
“No,” she replied shaking her head. “This guy wasn’t a big man like you.” She blushed. “I mean, as tall and wide as you, but I felt his biceps and they belonged to a man.”
Kendall crossed her arms across her chest and glared at her husband, Marcus. “Ask me how I know he was a man.”
“Okay,” Marcus said, his head cocked. “How do you know it was a man?”
She gritted her teeth. “Because I kicked him right in the nuts.”
Nancy averted her face and the other women looked like they’d suddenly been placed in the Twilight Zone.
“You kicked him?” Lucas asked. “Then what did he do?”
“He almost dropped to the ground, groaning like a baby,” Rachel spat out, her hands fisted.
“Then Nancy turned around and punched him right in the face,” Candi said proudly.
“I bet he’ll think twice before attacking another woman,” Kendall shot back, shaking her fist.
“Hell yeah!” Rachel screamed.
He knew they were just coming down off an adrenaline rush and they would be calm soon, but for right now, they looked mad enough to take on a defensive linebacker. He hid a smile. Not that he took Nancy being attacked lightly. No, his gut called foul and he felt driven to get to the bottom of what happened, even without a badge. But seeing their tenacity in the face of such a scary situation was reassuring.
Lucas held up his arms again. “Ladies, I couldn’t be prouder of all you for sticking together and fighting back, however, we have to know all the facts. Starting with, are you sure this was an attack and not some bumbling drunk?”
Nancy shoved closer to the table and tossed something down. “Is this proof enough?”
No one touched it. Instead, every man moved closer and stared down. Finally, Lucas took a pen out of his pocket and held the shredded fabric up. “Is this a ski mask?”
“Yes,” Candi hissed. “Nancy yanked it off his head. That’s when he ran off. I’d guess, if she hadn’t done that, he would’ve stayed and fought us.”
Kendall looked at the mask. “I’d say he was afraid someone might identify him.” She glanced at Austin and raised a brow. “Wouldn’t you?”
Austin and Lucas shared a silent look. He knew exactly what they were thinking. Who the hell walked around Rainwater wearing a ski mask?
Rachel looked up. “Maybe Frankie saw something.”
Marcus called the owner over. Clearly, he didn’t look happy this happened on his property. “What did you see?”
“Not a thing. The ladies had a beer a piece then left. They weren’t here more than thirty minutes. Nancy went to the restroom alone, and when she came back they all walked out together. The man who attacked them didn’t come out of this bar. If he had, I’d have followed.” He gazed at Marcus. “You know how crazy I am about stuff like that happening.”
Marcus patted him on the shoulder. “I do. And I know you would’ve protected these women.
“What happened when you ran out the door?” Lucas asked. “Were you armed?”
“I had my shotgun the minute I heard one of them scream. I came over the bar with it loaded and ready to use. I kicked open the door and caught a glimpse of a man running toward the tree line on the North side.”
“Okay, we’ll check it out,” Austin said. “He probably parked his vehicle somewhere out of sight.”
Candi jammed her hands on her hips. “Are you thinking he was going to drag Nancy all the way to a waiting car?”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Kendall said.
“It would if he had someone waiting to help him. Say, a partner,” Marcus surmised. “Or, he could’ve had a weapon he didn’t have time to pull out because he was stunned by the attack.”
“I think we have enough to take a better look tomorrow. You can all go home, but I’ll be checking in if I have any more questions.” Lucas looked around. “Marcus, you better follow Kendall home. Austin, you have Candi, and I’ll take Rachel. We’ll drop Nancy off.”
“No,” he said. “I’ll see Nancy gets home.”
“Good idea,” Austin agreed. “That way we know they’ll all be safe.”
“Tomorrow morning, Nancy,” Lucas said. “David or I will pick you up for work.”
“That won’t be necessary,” he stated, taking her arm. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”
Lucas passed the ski mask to Austin. “Can you see if the FBI can get anything off this?”
“I’ll take it to Dallas tomorrow myself.”
Lucas put his arm around Rachel and turned to go when he suddenly grabbed her hand and held it
to the light. “Wait a second. Did you girls scratch him? That mask was torn to shreds. Was that you guys?”
Rachel nodded. “You bet we did. Might be a girly way to fight but it was effective.”
“Right. Anyone who scratched him needs to come to the station with me now. We might be able to match his DNA in the system.”
After everyone was checked, Nancy, whose nails were clean, walked out of Frankie’s Bar with him. When they got to the pickup, he opened the door for her and helped her secure the seatbelt. She shook like a she was burning up with fever, though he knew that wasn’t the case.
As soon as he slipped in front of the steering wheel, she said. “I’m so sorry about this. You could’ve let Lucas take me home.”
“I didn’t want him to. It’s better I take you home and make sure no one is waiting for your return.”
She bit her lip and looked away. If he wasn’t mistaken, another blush coated her cheeks. Facing the road, he pulled out. I’m just looking out for her. That’s all…
He didn’t even believe himself with that one.
Chapter 7
Nancy feared her brain had turned to mush. She couldn’t seem to string a cohesive thought together. Every time she tried, her tongue twisted and she ended up muttering like a crazy person.
“I’m so sorry to put you out, Jeff.”
“No bother to me. I want to make sure when we get to your house no one is waiting.”
Instinctively she grabbed his arm. “You don’t think this will go beyond the parking lot back there, do you?”
He turned and gazed at her, making the butterflies in her stomach flutter even more. “I can’t say for sure.”
She rubbed her forehead and leaned back. “Who would want to hurt me, and why?”
“You probably can’t think straight right now, so give yourself a break. You’ll feel better tomorrow.” He hesitated, then added, “I think you might be better off out at my place tonight. No problem getting you to work in the morning.”
