The Deadliest Institution Collection

by Holly Copella

  “Professor,” she cried out, though she didn’t touch him.

  He moaned and looked at her. “That stupid horse,” he muttered lowly. He cried out in pain. “Oh, oh, my leg!” He half sat up and touched his pinned leg.

  Monique sprang to her feet and attempted to move the tree. It wouldn’t budge. He stared at her as she attempted to move the excessively large tree.

  “It’s, uh, a little too heavy for you,” Professor casually pointed out.

  Monique appeared defeated and looked at Professor with concern. “Is your leg broke?” she asked nervously.

  “It hurts,” he replied, “but I can move my foot. Maybe you should get some help.”

  She nodded. “Asher’s house is just ten minutes from here. If we can get some rope, we can pull the tree from your leg with our horses.”

  “Good idea,” he said and cringed.

  “Will you be okay?” she timidly asked. “Neither of us wants to go to Asher’s house alone.”

  “I’ll be fine. Just don’t be too long,” he informed her and attempted a smile.

  She nodded, sprang onto her horse, and rode for the steep slope. Professor watched as she raced up the hill and shook his head with disbelief.

  “They make it look so easy,” he muttered.

  †

  Professor remained pinned beneath the tree and attempted to look casual while strumming his fingers on the trunk. The girls had been gone nearly fifteen minutes already. He looked around, appeared frustrated, and finally pushed on the log with his free foot. He yelped in pain.

  “Bad idea--very bad idea.”

  A vehicle could be heard approaching on the road near where he was pinned. The jeep stopped a few feet away. As the driver got out, Professor strained to see him.

  “Oh, thank God. Am I ever glad to see you,” Professor chanted without actually seeing the approaching man.

  Asher walked around the jeep and observed where Professor lie in the ditch. He looked at Professor calmly and without emotion.

  “Are you hurt badly?”

  “No,” Professor replied with an embarrassed laugh. “More like stuck. The two girls I was riding with rode for help. I’m worried about them. They went to some guy’s house, whom they suspected might be a killer.”

  Asher raised a curious, cold brow and looked at him cynically. “Oh? Do you think he’s done away with them?” he asked as he limped along the area with his cane. He looked back at Professor quizzically. “Would they happen to be Jacey’s young houseguests?”

  Professor nodded vigorously. “I’m really worried about them,” he informed Asher. “They’ve gotten themselves involved in something. They could be in serious danger.”

  Asher approached the tree and the man pinned beneath it. “What sort of danger?” he asked with a curious tilt of his head.

  “They found a blackmail note,” Professor informed him and motioned him closer to help. “Please, help me with this tree. I need to find them.”

  Asher’s eyes narrowed in question. “Blackmail note? Now that is interesting.”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Monique and Coleen rode around the back of Asher’s house at a trot and rounded the corner to the front. It had taken them fifteen minutes to reach Asher’s house despite their fast gait. Both stopped when they saw Jameson’s police blazer in the driveway.

  “The police are here,” Monique announced with surprise.

  “Good,” Coleen remarked. “I feel better now.”

  They dismounted their horses, tied them to the porch, and hurried to the front door. Both knocked on it with urgency. Only a minute passed before Jameson opened the door. He looked at them and appeared surprised or possibly concerned.

  “Oh, Deputy Jameson,” Monique cried. “Thank God we ran into you first. Professor’s trapped under a tree in the woods. You have to help us. We don’t know how badly he’s hurt.”

  “A tree?” Jameson gasped. “Is he conscious?”

  Both nodded.

  “But his leg may be broke,” Coleen announced.

  “Then we’d better get to him,” Jameson said. “Just give me two seconds here. And don’t touch anything.”

  Both girls looked confused as Jameson darted back into the house. They stepped into the living room and looked around.

  “What’s going on?” Coleen asked.

  “Where’s Mr. Asher?” Monique asked curiously.

  They watched Jameson gather plastic bags. One contained a scalpel with plant dirt on it. The other was a piece of paper.

  “Good question,” Jameson remarked lowly. “I’d like to know where he is myself.”

  “What happened?” Monique gasped as her eyes widened.

  “Looks like we’ll be arresting him for the murder of Roseanne,” Jameson informed them.

  Both girls gasped.

  “You two lead the way to your friend. I’ll follow with my truck,” Jameson announced.

  Coleen looked at Monique and appeared alarmed. “Didn’t Jacey say Asher was going to the party with her tonight?”

  Monique nodded. “Yes, you’re right. She did.”

  Jameson’s head tilted with apparent concern. “The institution?” He sank into thought then looked at them. “Sheriff Monroe is there already. I’ll call a paramedic for your friend, but I have to get to the institution. There’s no telling what Asher might do in his state of mind.”

  “State of mind?” Coleen gasped as her eyes widened.

  Jameson nodded as he frowned. “Our theory is that Asher murdered his wife in a jealous fit of rage over an affair she’d been having, although we don’t know the man’s identity. I’m afraid Jacey might be his next victim.”

  “But he adores Jacey,” Monique protested with a look of concern in her eyes.

  “Exactly,” Jameson snapped. “And she’s interested in someone else.”

  “Do you suppose Roseanne was blackmailing Asher, and that’s why he killed her?” Monique suddenly asked.

  Jameson was momentarily stunned. “Blackmail? How did you know she was blackmailing him?”

  Monique produced the letter. Jameson looked at it then looked at the paper in the plastic bag.

  “A little more complicated than I’d feared,” Jameson said softly. “Can I keep this as evidence?”

  Monique nodded and appeared embarrassed. “Sorry we didn’t give it to you sooner.”

  “Where did you get this?” he then asked.

  “It must’ve fallen out of one of the boxes we helped Dr. Talbert carry from Roseanne’s apartment,” Monique replied.

  “Show him the drawing,” Coleen announced.

  “Later,” Monique informed her friend. “We have to get back to Professor.” She looked at Jameson and his puzzled expression.

  “What drawing? Does it have something to do with the murder?” he asked with concern.

  “We’ll show it to you later,” Monique informed him. “You’ll call the paramedics for Professor, right?”

  He nodded. “Whatever evidence you girls have, I suggest you keep it to yourselves until I have a look at it.”

  They nodded.

  †

  Monique and Coleen galloped along the untraveled, dirt road and skidded to a stop near the steep path. It was now seven o’clock and thirty minutes had passed since Professor was trapped under the tree. They carefully rode down the path one at a time and approached the fallen tree. Both stared blankly. Professor was gone! They looked around with concern.

  “Professor,” both called nervously.

  There was no response. They spun their horses around several times while looking around the surrounding woods.

  “Where is he?” Monique demanded to know.

  “He couldn’t have gotten far,” Coleen commented. “His leg was injured.”

  “We’ll go back to Jacey’s,” Monique announced with wide, fearful eyes. “He’ll probably return there for the van. You take the main road, and I’ll take the mining road.”

  “The paramedics wi
ll be here soon. Shouldn’t we wait?”

  “I’m not waiting around,” Monique practically shouted then galloped toward the slope and raced up it.

  Coleen turned her horse in a circle then looked toward the dirt road that led to the main road. She took a deep breath then galloped in that direction. Monique rode along the old mining road. There was another path that led to the main road as well, but she rode in the direction of Jacey’s farm. Within twenty minutes, she appeared on Jacey’s property. She’d made good time, having galloped almost the entire way. She galloped alongside the fence and saw the white van was still parked before the house. Professor’s horse grazed in the yard near the house. She pulled her horse to a sliding halt just near the house and practically dived off. Monique ran onto the porch and into the house.

  “Professor,” she called out as ran through the empty kitchen and into the living room. She looked around with some confusion. “Shelly?” There was no response.

  Monique hurried back through the kitchen and looked out the crudely patched window on the door. Shelly’s car and an unfamiliar motorcycle were parked in the driveway. Her brows knitted with confusion. There was a creak from upstairs. Monique’s head snapped upward, and she stared at the ceiling a moment. She approached the stairs and cautiously walked up them. There was a loud clunk from one of the bedrooms. Monique stopped near the top of the stairs and held her breath while staring down the small hallway. She stepped into the hallway and crept along it, looking into the open bedroom to her right. She approached the closed bedroom door on her left. The door opened, and Shelly hustled into the hallway while buttoning her shirt. Monique jumped and let out a startled scream along with Shelly.

  “Don’t do that,” Monique cried out.

  “I wasn’t expecting you to be sneaking around the hallway,” Shelly replied.

  “If you would’ve answered me, I wouldn’t have been sneaking,” Monique snapped back. “Did you see the man we went riding with? His horse is back, but he’s not here.”

  Shelly nervously raked her fingers through her slightly mussed hair. “No, I haven’t seen anyone since Jacey left. Where’s Coleen?”

  “She’s coming back by the main road. We can’t find Professor,” she announced. “He was injured, but now he’s missing. I’d better call the institution.”

  Shelly shook her head. “It’s no use,” she remarked. “I tried calling the institution, and I got an answering machine. I guess they’re not answering the phone tonight.”

  “We have to search for Professor,” Monique informed her. “Could you call the hospitals and see if someone took him there?”

  Shelly nodded. “I suggest you stay put now. I don’t want Jacey thinking I let you girls run all over the place.”

  “We will,” Monique announced. “Just as soon as we find Professor.” She turned and hurried down the stairs.

  Monique ran through the kitchen and onto the porch. Coleen galloped along the dirt driveway and slowed as she neared the house. “Is he here?” Coleen asked.

  “No,” Monique replied and ran to her horse. She mounted with ease. “I think we should take another look around the woods. Shelly’s going to call the hospitals and see if someone picked him up along the road.”

  “Maybe Jameson found him and took him to the hospital,” Coleen suggested. “It’s going to be dark soon.”

  “I know,” Monique said with concern. “So we’d better hurry. We can’t call the institution. They must’ve turned the ringer off for the party. We’ll have to ride out there and see if Professor called or turned up there. We’ll call Shelly from the institution and let her know where we are.”

  “Jameson said he was going there too,” Coleen remarked. “He was going to arrest Asher. You don’t really think Asher would hurt Jacey, do you?”

  “Certainly not at a party,” Monique informed her. “Besides, I’m sure Jameson has him in custody already.”

  They galloped toward the barn and turned onto a path that would eventually lead them to the institution.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Jacey sipped her champagne and appeared bored while looking around the ballroom filled with well-dressed men and women of obvious wealth. It was now 7:30 P.M. Asher was almost ninety minutes late. It wasn’t like him to be late for anything. She hoped he didn’t run into traffic driving to the city for his tuxedo. She remained with Angela, who talked endlessly and mostly insulted Jacey and her town. It was almost torturous being stuck with the insufferable woman. She found herself daydreaming and watching others seemingly having a good time. Dr. Talbert looked proud as he escorted young widow Glease through the crowded room. He wasn’t lying when he said she was the most attractive widow in town. Widow Glease was a thirty-something, strawberry blonde with the largest green eyes. The longer Jacey stared, the more she wondered if the young widow wore colored contacts. No one’s eyes could be that shade of emerald green. Jacey suddenly realized Angela was still droning on about the dregs of Stony Ridge.

  “I mean, it’s nothing personal against you,” Angela announced in a casual tone. “You can’t help that you were raised in an intellectually inferior town.” She then smiled with a look of pity. “I’d hate to see you embarrass yourself when everyone starts talking above you.”

  Jacey held the glass to her lips and glared at the woman before her. She contained her comment, sipped her champagne, and then lowered the glass while straightening proudly.

  “I think I’ll manage just fine. Fortunately for me, Brian and Timon are kind enough to help with the formalities of dealing with the snobs of society,” she hissed and wondered if Angela got her subtle hint.

  Angela cocked her head to one side. “I’d like to speak to you about that.” She then smiled in a chastising manner. “Those two are only after one thing, Jacey, and it’s certainly not your sense of humor.”

  Jacey’s eyes narrowed as her hostility rose. She was about to let this woman have it, when Maxwell approached Angela from behind and smiled charmingly at both.

  “How are you two getting along?” he asked pleasantly to either even though he mostly stared at Jacey.

  Angela looked back at him and flashed a fake smile. “We’re getting along just fine,” she announced cheerfully. “Was the mayor impressed with you?”

  “If I understood people, I’d be a psychiatrist,” Maxwell replied with a timid smile. His eyes again strayed to Jacey, possibly noticing her cleavage, and then looked back at Angela. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to introduce Jacey to some of our investors.”

  Angela flashed a humored smile. “Sure,” she replied. “That should be entertaining.”

  Maxwell smiled at Jacey and extended his hand to her. Jacey held her breath, forced a smile, and accepted his hand. He led her across the room to a small group of men. Angela glided behind them with a sly grin plastered on her face. Jacey could hear her snickering the entire way. She was introduced to four of the men, who appeared pleased to meet her--or so they claimed. Their smiles appeared genuine enough. Mayor Howard Norad was with the four men. Jacey had very little interaction with the mayor of Stony Ridge over the years. She knew him by sight, but he didn’t appear to recognize her. As he talked to her, she was certain he didn’t know she was a resident of Stony Ridge. He treated her like one of the wealthy investor guests. It was almost laughable. The men asked Jacey about her occupation. She was slightly embarrassed to admit she wasn’t a professional of any kind. They didn’t seem to care and included her all the same. Their interest in her despite her non-professional status irritated Angela. The conversation strayed to investments and stocks, involving everyone except Jacey. She shifted nervously from foot to foot and wished she could crawl into the woodwork. Jacey had almost zero knowledge of stocks and investments, probably because she only made enough money between the library and press to clear expenses. She was horse broke. Caring for that many horses wasn’t cheap and training them for resale was a long process with small rewards.

  “Do you invest, Jacey?�
�� Angela asked slyly in an obvious attempt to embarrass her.

  Maxwell’s eyes fixated on Angela and gave her a look of disapproval. Angela was getting some sick pleasure out of embarrassing her, and she would continue all evening if allowed. It became apparent to Jacey; she’d be leaving early. A hand touched Jacey’s waist, startling her.

  “Jacey’s far too sensible to play that little game of Russian roulette,” came Asher’s calm voice.

  Jacey looked at the man who stood beside her and smiled with relief. Asher had finally arrived, and she felt better already. The four investors laughed. Howard glared at Asher and frowned in response. Asher looked at Howard and smiled almost pleasantly, but it was obvious there was some animosity between them.

  “Wish I hadn’t gotten started myself,” one man replied while shaking his head.

  “And who are you, sir?” the second man asked.

  “Allow me to introduce Konrad Asher,” Maxwell announced with a broad smile.

  He then introduced the other men to Asher, and they politely shook hands. Howard made a hasty departure during the introductions. Asher seemed to mold into one of the high society men, never forgetting his calm demeanor. His smile was confident yet defensive. Jacey marveled at the way Asher handled himself around perfect strangers. She’d never really seen that side of him. She’d heard about his charm before he became the infamous legend she’d come to know. His presence was commanding and yet endearing. He was a hit!

  “Are you gentlemen from New York?” Asher questioned with a slightly raised brow.