Rivaled in Murder

by Helen Gray

  John pulled out his own phone and dialed the police department. He asked for Detective Allen. "Melody called," he reported when he had the man on the line, and repeated Melody’s message.

  John listened for several seconds, and then held the phone over close to Toni’s mouth. "He wants their cell numbers."

  She cited them to the detective.

  "I'll have that call traced and contact you as soon as possible," he said crisply.

  When John took the phone back, Toni pulled onto the highway. She drove to an empty lot near the edge of town and parked. "We'll wait here for Detective Allen to call back, hopefully with a location for us."

  They sat in tense silence for several minutes before her phone rang. Toni jerked it to her ear. “Yes.”

  "They're in the Paxton area,” the detective reported. “That’s helpful to know, but it doesn't tell us where they're headed next. We're checking to find out what kind of car the boy they're with drives. As soon as we know, I'll put an APB on it."

  "We'll let you know if we hear from them again," Toni promised. When the call ended, she relayed the detective’s words to John.

  "Do you think there's any chance they would go back to that crime scene?" John wondered aloud. "Angie arranged to meet Linda there. Do you think she could have contacted Zoe and Melody and asked them to meet her there?"

  The very thought made Toni's blood run cold. She smacked the steering wheel again. "When I get my hands on those two, I'll wring their necks."

  "And hug them."

  She heaved a sigh. "You're right. I don't think Melody's call sounded like they know where Angie is, but let's check the crime site anyhow. We can't afford to overlook any possibilities, and I can't just sit here."

  "If they're looking for Angie, she surely hasn't been in contact with them. But you're right. We can't be too careful."

  Toni pulled back onto the highway. A few minutes later the site where three deaths had recently occurred swallowed them in eerie darkness. Her eyes followed the beam of the van’s headlights into the woods, straining for sight of life or movement. She steered right and drove at a snail's pace in a small circle. "This place is deserted. Do you have any more ideas where they might go?"

  Before John could answer, Toni’s phone rang. She braked to a stop and checked the caller ID. "It's the police number."

  John flipped on the cab light as she pressed the phone to her ear, frowning in concentration. “Where are you?” Buck asked.

  “At the crime scene.”

  "Angela Decker's phone records show two calls to Linda shortly before the time of her death. My theory is that's when she called and ordered Linda to meet her there."

  As he spoke, Toni's gaze drifted to the spot where Linda's body had lain. "What about Angie's computer? Do you have it?"

  "Detective Allen does. He said the technician is finding postings she made on both Facebook and that teen hangout site. He's still examining her e-mails, but he said the paint they found on Farris's bumper matches Angie's car that they found parked in her parents’ drive."

  "That's it?"

  "Yes." The phone went silent.

  Toni relayed the information to John while putting the van back in motion. Not sure where to go next, she headed back toward Clearmount. As they drove within a mile of town, her phone rang again. Braking to a stop beside the road, she held it up and read the ID. "It's Melody," she nearly shouted.

  "Mrs. Donovan." Melody's frightened whisper filtered through the line. "We wanted to ask Farris if he could tell us where to find Angie."

  "Where are you?"

  "At the hospital." The girl's voice quavered. "We were going to see Farris in his room, but when we got to the door we heard someone inside. We peeked in, and it’s Angie. She's talking crazy and crying. I don't know where Mr. and Mrs. Gunther are."

  Keeping the phone to her ear, Toni shot back onto the road. "”We’re on our way.” She shoved the accelerator to the floor, thankful for a nearly deserted highway as the van lurched forward. "Are the nurses aware that she's there?"

  "Zoe's gone to tell them. Forrest's brother and I are around the corner by the waiting room where we can watch the door." The phone went silent.

  Chapter 20

  Without taking her eyes from the highway, Toni repeated Melody’s message to John.

  He dialed his phone. "Detective Allen, please. Tell him it's an emergency."

  He waited several seconds. "Melody called and said they're at the hospital. They went to see Farris and found Angie in his room."

  He disconnected. "The police are on their way."

  Minutes later Toni made a sharp turn into the hospital parking lot.

  Lord, let us get there before anything happens, she prayed silently as they rushed inside the building and raced up two flights of stairs rather than wait for the elevator. As they ran onto the floor and rounded the corner, they observed a flurry at the nurses' station. Zoe stood at the counter arguing with an older, stern faced nurse.

  Mr. and Mrs. Gunther stepped from the elevator at that moment and started toward their son's room. Toni darted past the nurses' station and caught up to them. "Mr. and Mrs. Gunther, did you admit anyone into your son's room to visit him?"

  They stopped and stared at her in puzzlement. The mother shook her head. "Why, no. He seemed to be resting peacefully, so we went to the cafeteria for something to eat. He was alone."

  Suddenly Melody and a boy who bore a resemblance to Farris came hurrying around the corner toward them. From down the hall behind them loud voices erupted.

  "Your other son brought Zoe and Melody to see Farris again," Toni explained in a rush to the Gunthers. "They called me and said they found someone in the room with him. It's the girl we believe hurt him." She didn't add that Angie had also killed three teens. They were too scared to hear that.

  The couple started toward the room, but Toni grabbed an arm of each. "Please don't go in there. The police will be here any minute. Let me see if I can talk to her."

  Melody and her male companion reached them. "We've been in the waiting room keeping an eye on the door while Zoe told the nurses what's going on," she explained breathlessly.

  "The police are due any time," Toni repeated. "Will you all wait here while I see if Angie will talk to me?"

  Melody nodded and took Mrs. Gunther's arm. The younger brother took his dad's arm. Together they moved to stand against the wall.

  Toni took a deep breath and marched to the door of Farris's room. She eased it open just a crack and peered inside. The bed next to the door no longer had an occupant. Good.

  She heard a sniffle, and then a sobbing voice. "I'm sorry, Farris,” the voice said. “Don't worry. I won't hurt you any more. By tonight it'll all be over. I'll make sure you're cleared."

  Sweat broke out over Toni's body. Angie's intent was not to hurt Farris. She meant to end her own life. Did the girl have a weapon with her?

  "Angie," she called softly. "Is that you in there?"

  Silence.

  Toni eased the door open a little farther. The curtain that hung from a circular ceiling rail had been pulled around the bed at the far side of the room. She scanned the room. No feet were visible below the curtain. Angie must be on the side of the bed next to the window. "Please, Angie, we know it's you. Come out and talk to us. Let us help you."

  "No! It's too late. You can't help me."

  Good. She had made contact and gotten the girl talking. Toni eased the door open another couple of inches.

  "Stay away from me. I warned you. Don’t you listen?” the girl shouted in a voice nasal from crying.

  “Yes, you left me a note threatening my children, didn’t you?”

  “Yes! Now shut that door!" she screamed.

  Afraid of what might happen, Toni pulled the door almost closed, but not enough to latch it. "Angie, you have to talk to someone. Think of your parents. They love you and want to help you."

  "They can't. My life is already over."

  Toni wiped
her damp palms on her slacks. Her mouth had gone dry. "Tell me what happened," she said, speaking through the closed door as calmly as possible. "Why did all this happen? Make me understand."

  "That little sneak went out with Brant when she knew he was mine."

  Angie sounded petulant, like a kid deprived of a favorite possession or privilege, which sure didn't fit the image of someone capable of committing three cold-blooded murders. "So it was Shelby, not Brant, that you were mad at," Toni said, glancing over her shoulder at the group of spectators John was detaining in the hallway.

  "She went behind my back. She was only a silly little freshman. Why couldn't she have left him alone?"

  "What about Linda? Did she date Brant?"

  A long moment of silence passed. "I don't think so. She was too much of a suck-up to do anything that nervy."

  "But she was nervy enough to create a phony Facebook page for you."

  "She thought that was a joke when she did it. Then she changed her mind and wanted to tell the police everything. Why couldn't she have just kept her big mouth shut? I had to stop her."

  "It was wrong, Angie. But you can get through this. Your parents love you and will get help for you. Others will, too."

  "Go away. Leave me alone." She was screaming again.

  For a moment Toni thought she heard Farris groan. Fear coursed through her. She hoped he was still unconscious and that Angie wouldn't change her mind about hurting him.

  Protect him, Lord. Protect us all.

  "Angie, are you pregnant? Is that what really set you off?"

  Silence.

  "Let's end this," Toni pleaded. "No one else should get hurt, including you." To her left she spotted movement. Turning her head slightly, she saw two police officers rush up to where Zoe still stood at the nurses' station. They spoke briefly, and then Zoe pointed at Toni. They veered toward her.

  Through the crack in the door Toni detected motion inside the room. She gripped the door handle and pushed it a little further. Suddenly it was yanked from her grasp, throwing her off balance. Before she could assimilate what was happening, Angie gave her a shove and shot through the door. Toni scrambled to her feet and took off in pursuit.

  Angie ran down the hall and turned at the waiting room, apparently thinking it was an exit. She halted and started to turn back, but spotted Toni. Wild-eyed, she ran to the other side of the room, and hesitated.

  In a reflexive motion Toni stooped down and grabbed the edge of the rug that lay under the coffee table. It extended far enough that Angie's feet were on the edge of it. Toni jerked it as hard as she could.

  Taken by surprise, Angie fell forward on her hands and knees. As Toni started toward her, she stumbled to her feet and ran around the coffee table, dodging as Toni leaped over it after her. Toni’s toe caught the stack of magazines and sent them flying, and she landed on top of the table on all fours. The mishap allowed Angie the split second needed to get to the door and take off down the hall.

  Behind them the floor had come to life with activity. Toni ignored it and kept after the girl. Footsteps pounded behind them. Angie ran past the elevator and made it to the stairs. Down two floors and across the lobby, Toni gained steadily on her. She was within a foot of her when Angie ran through the front exit and slammed the door in Toni's face.

  For a moment their eyes locked from opposite sides of the glass partition. Then Angie released her hold, spun, and took off across the parking lot.

  The night air was icy cold and clear as Toni exited the building. Her breath formed white puffs in the frigid air, and every breath she took stabbed her lungs. Her coat flapping open, she ignored the bitter cold and kept her eyes focused on the fleeing girl.

  Angie wound around a row of cars and cut between a pair of motorcycles, making her way to a dark pickup in the next row. Toni inched nearer, but she couldn't reach the girl before she had wrenched the driver’s door open. Angie threw herself across the seat of the vehicle, landing on her stomach with her feet sticking out behind her, and reached to the floorboard.

  Lunging, Toni wrapped her arms around Angie's waist and tried to pull her from the vehicle. But Angie twisted and flung up her right hand. It held a knife, probably one of her dad's hunting knives. Running feet approached. Officers had guns, but Toni knew that someone with a knife was deadly, capable of taking out someone with a gun.

  "She has a knife," Toni screamed.

  In a desperate rage, Angie writhed and swung the knife in an arc. It plunged down toward her chest.

  Toni reacted automatically, grabbing at the girl's arm in a desperate attempt to deflect the knife and keep Angie from killing herself. Pain roared through Toni as the weapon slashed the palm of her hand. The tip of the blade caught her watchband, wrenching her wrist so violently she almost fainted. Dimly aware of the snap of the clasp and the watch slipping from her arm, she fought frantically to hold onto the crazed girl's arm.

  Suddenly two officers grabbed Angie, one on either side, and pulled her from the pickup. The knife clattered to the pavement. John appeared and pulled Toni away from the scene.

  Toni tried to push away. "I'm bleeding. You'll ruin your clothes."

  He placed a hand over her mouth. "That's not important. Let's get you back inside to the emergency room."

  *

  Her husband crossed the room to where Toni had curled up on the sofa after taking a shower. A bandage swathed her right palm and wrist. It had taken sixteen stitches to close the slash in her hand, so John had driven her home and called Jenny to come get him. She was still high on pain medication.

  "You should stay home tomorrow," Kyle insisted.

  She shook her head. "I have special duties tomorrow. I can't bail out at the last minute. And I don't have lesson plans prepared for a sub."

  He sat beside her and pulled her to him. "I can see your mind is made up, but I wish you'd reconsider. I understand your loyalty to your students, but don't you think all this was too much?"

  Toni snuggled against his chest. "Maybe. But it’s my life, and I don’t want to miss a minute of it.” She gave him a satisfied grin.

  Epilogue

  Wednesday morning Toni forced her tired body out of bed and dressed for school. She gently worked her bandaged hand through the sleeve of her black blazer. It hurt, but she didn’t want to take any pain medication that could affect her ability to drive.

  An hour later, she stopped by the teacher’s lounge on the way to her classroom, two capsules clutched in her left hand.

  “We heard about your adventure on the morning news,” the librarian commented. “It’s all everyone is talking about. Sorry you got hurt, but glad you caught the gal.”

  Toni reached for the coffee pot. “I’m glad the whole thing is over.”

  “Here, let me do that.” Loretta poured a cup and handed it to her.

  Toni took it and downed the pills. “I hope these things don’t have me hanging from the light fixtures during class.”

  Loretta snorted. “You should be at home taking it easy.”

  Toni shook her head. “I had to bring the boys to school. And I need to stay busy.”

  “I guess I can understand that,” she allowed.

  It was a long day. By lunch time Toni’s hand was throbbing so painfully that she practically ran to the lounge for another cup of coffee and two more capsules.

  Zoe and Melody were present sixth hour, but sat quietly and participated in classroom discussions only when necessary. At the end of class, students gathered around them, asking questions and talking about the most exciting story of the day—or week—or their lives. The girls responded with quiet reserve.

  Toni understood. She had also spent the day fielding questions. She felt she had done the right thing in attending that day, but she still welcomed the ring of the final dismissal bell.

  As she drove home, Toni ignored the boys’ chatter, wondering what would happen to the baby Angie would have in prison. The girl’s parents had some major decisions to make, and a
lot more heartache ahead of them. They seemed like hard working people. She felt sorry for them.

  Kyle was home early and already had supper started when they arrived, bless his heart. It didn’t matter if he overcooked the meat a bit.

  They had just finished eating when Toni heard a car pull up outside. She peeked out the window and was surprised to recognize Melody’s little blue car. She, Zoe, and a woman she didn’t recognize emerged from it.

  Toni met them at the door. “Come in,” she invited.

  “We can’t stay but a few moments,” the petite woman said. “But we’ll come in out of the cold.” She hugged her coat around her, a purse dangling from one wrist. Her dark hair was pulled back into a no-nonsense ponytail, her mouth solemn.

  Once all three of her guests were inside the foyer, Toni closed the door.

  “Mrs. Donovan, this is Selena Warren, Shelby’s mother,” Zoe said, placing a hand on the woman’s arm.

  Selena studied Toni for a moment, her eyes huge and round. “I wanted to meet you,” she said with a touch of timidity. “I want to thank you for …” She paused to bite down on her quivering lip. “Thank you for your part in catching my daughter’s killer.”

  A wave of sympathy rushed through Toni. Selena Warren had lost so much, a loss beyond her comprehension. Unable to speak, she moved forward and wrapped her arms around the woman.

  Selena leaned into her for several moments, and then stepped back. She reached into her purse and withdrew a photograph. She held it up for Toni to see. “I’m trying to focus on happier times,” she said, gazing at the picture adoringly.

  Toni studied it. Four girls, dressed in matching red tee shirts and black shorts, stood in a row, their faces glowing. Rounded cheeks, hair glinting in the sun, they held a small trophy in front of them, each girl touching it.

  Toni glanced at Zoe, then Melody, and then back at the photo. “Those two are you,” she said, pointing at two of the girls in the picture. They both smiled and nodded.