“A taxi?” Harlan asked with great interest. “Did you notice anyone in it?”
“Looked like a man. Must have made a wrong turn,” the drunken man informed him. “Damn near ran over me in the parking lot.”
“Are you sure there was only a man in the back?” Harlan asked suspiciously.
The drunken man shook his head and nearly fell off his bar stool. “Not in the back. He was driving the cab,” he announced. “There was no one in the back. I’m positive.”
Harlan bought him another drink. “Thanks, you’ve been a big help.”
The drunken man took his drink and returned to the other end of the bar, allowing Sidney to return to the barstool beside Harlan.
“What do you suppose that means?” she practically gasped. “Trisha called a cab that doesn’t even exist and left with some boyfriend I know nothing about?”
Harlan shook his head and finished his cranberry juice. “No, it means there was one guy at the library and another who drove up with the cab.” He left a tip for Sam then stood. “I want to separate for a while,” he said as he guided her to the tavern door and outside into the parking lot.
Sidney stopped him short of her car. “Separate? Why?”
“I need to make a few calls from my motel room then do a little snooping,” he said simply.
“Why can’t I go with you?”
Harlan groaned lowly. “Because I’ll need someone to bail me out of the clink if I get caught.”
Sidney’s eyes widened. “You’re going to break into someone’s home?”
“That would depend if the doors are locked or not,” he remarked and forced her toward her car. “Just go to Mrs. Cooper’s house and talk to the old biddies. See if they know anything.”
Sidney attempted to protest, but Harlan was persistent.
Chapter Thirty-one
Sidney drove to the library since she knew that was where Mrs. Randall would be at that time of day. She entered the library and headed for the basement archives since she’d most likely find the local snoop there. It was a stroke of luck that she found both busybodies within the archives. Mrs. Randall saw Sidney and hurried toward her.
“Sidney, Mary Allister called me and said that Trisha is gone,” Mrs. Randall gasped while clutching Sidney’s hand with both of hers. The older woman’s hands were unusually cold despite the warm weather. “What happened? Where is the child?”
Sidney saw the concerned look in Mrs. Randall’s eyes and knew she was genuinely upset. She shook her head. “I don’t know where she is, Mrs. Randall.”
Mrs. Cooper approached with a horrified look in her old eyes as she gently rubbed her hands along her chilled arms. She shared her friend’s concern.
“She had received a death threat early yesterday morning,” Sidney informed them. “She was supposed to wait here for me after work, but when I got here, she was gone.”
Mrs. Randall shook her head vigorously with great fear. “No, not that poor child. What if something happened to her?” she gasped. “I just couldn’t live with myself if something happened to her.”
Mrs. Cooper gently patted Mrs. Randall’s shoulder. “I’m sure she’s fine,” Mrs. Cooper said with certainty then looked at Sidney. “It wouldn’t be the first time she’s up and left without telling anyone. She’s very independent and rather clever.”
“No,” Mrs. Randall gasped softly and looked back at Mrs. Cooper with horror in her eyes. “Something terrible has happened to her, I know it!”
“Calm down, Maria,” Mrs. Cooper said gently and rubbed both her shoulders. “Remember your blood pressure.”
“I’m trying,” Mrs. Randall said softly and wrenched her trembling fingers together. “I just feel so helpless.”
“We do have a lead,” Sidney said gently. “Mr. Taylor across the street said he saw a taxi here last night around the time of her disappearance.”
“There you have it, Maria,” Mrs. Cooper announced firmly. “She left town on her own.”
Sidney shook her head, disproving the theory. “No, I called the local taxi service. They said there weren’t any cabs in this area last night.”
“A taxi?” Mrs. Randall asked with some surprise in her eyes. “Could Mr. Taylor have been seeing things?”
“It was a consideration, but there was this man at Sam’s today who claimed he was almost hit by a taxi last night,” Sidney remarked. “It had a dented passenger side door.”
“Sounds like the car Sam bought last week,” Mrs. Cooper stated with a tilt of her head. “Wasted his money, if you ask me.”
Sidney’s heart skipped a beat as all the color drained from her face. “He what?”
Mrs. Randall suddenly gasped and placed a hand over her mouth. “Oh, my God, no!”
Mrs. Cooper looked at both women without a clue. “Surely you don’t think--?”
“I have to go,” Sidney announced as her heart began to pound uncontrollably.
Mrs. Randall grabbed Sidney’s wrist with a firm, harsh grip. Her icy fingers chilled Sidney’s skin. Mrs. Randall’s eyes were wide and frightened.
“Have you looked in the old, stone house?” she practically gasped. “Sam and my son, Billy’s father, used to hide out there as kids. If he has her, she’s there.”
Sidney felt a chill sweep through her body. She pulled away from Mrs. Randall and ran for the basement stairs. Sidney thundered up the stairs, ran out of the library, and bolted across the road directly in front of a car. The car slammed on its brakes with a screech, narrowly avoiding her. Sidney didn’t even stop to look back. She ran along the sidewalk, causing several people on the sidewalk to stop and watch her. Sidney made it to the woods in under two minutes. She turned the path to the stone house and jumped over several rocks in her way. She reached the clearing in just five minutes. Her heart was racing, and her breathing was rapid. She stopped a moment to stare at the old house then hurried at a brisk walk for the front porch.
Sidney walked onto the porch, the steps creaking under her weight. She paused before the door and noticed the padlock over the front door. It was old and rusted. No one had been through the front door in years. Sidney hurried across the rickety porch and jumped down the steps. She jogged around to the back of the house and paused before the half-rotted wooden cellar door. The padlock was fairly new and unlocked. Sidney’s heart raced as she removed the lock and pulled open the heavy door. The stone steps were broken, narrow, and steep. Sidney stared into the dimly lit cellar. Cobwebs seemed to line the walls, but none covered the stone steps. She couldn’t see much beyond them. She cautiously walked down the steps. When she reached the bottom, she saw Trisha tied to one of the thick, tree trunk support beams in the middle of the cellar. She had duct tape over her mouth, and her head hung down.
“Trisha,” Sidney gasped softly as fear and relief swept through her.
Trisha had a difficult time lifting her head but managed to look at Sidney. She was barely conscious, possibly doped up. Trisha groaned through the duct tape with a drowsy excitement. Sidney’s heart pounded, and she ran across the cellar to her friend.
“Trisha! Thank God you’re all right!” she cried out and removed the duct tape from her mouth.
“He stuck a needle in me,” Trisha gasped softly as her eyes rolled back then shut. “He’s going to make it look like I overdosed on drugs.”
Sidney then saw the needle, a candle, and a bag of white powder on a small table in the corner. Sidney slipped around Trisha and fumbled with the ropes. There was padding around her wrists to prevent marks from the ropes. It had to look like an overdose and bruising would look suspicious. Trisha was so doped up; she was unable to fight the ropes that bound her anyway. Sidney struggled with the tight knot.
“Sidney,” Trisha gasped with fear.
Sidney straightened and saw Sam appear at the bottom of the steps holding a semi-automatic handgun.
“You’re a clever girl,” Sam announced simply. “After I heard that story about the taxi nearly hitting that dru
nk, I wondered if someone would mention that I bought one.” He walked a few steps closer. “It’s a shame Trisha shot you when you tried to stop her from overdosing on cocaine. Friends are funny that way.”
Sidney stared at Sam with horror while shielding her helpless friend on the floor. There was a shadow on the steps. Harlan appeared at the bottom of the steps with a tire iron in his hand. Sidney held her breath, and her heart pounded nervously as Harlan crept up behind Sam with the tire iron coiled back. Sam must’ve heard something and whipped around. The tire iron struck him on the shoulder rather than the back of his head as intended. Sam cried out, and the gun flew from his hand. Harlan coiled back for another swing. Sam lunged for Harlan, and both men struggled for control of the tire iron. Sam whipped Harlan around and cast him against the first support beam just before Trisha. The beam moved, and the ceiling creaked loudly.
Sidney ran for the discarded gun, looking around the dirt floor. She saw it near the wall. Trisha screamed a warning as best she could. Sidney didn’t even have time to look behind her. She leaped for the gun, snatched it from the ground, and tossed herself into a sitting position with the gun aimed. The crowbar struck her hand. Sidney cried out in pain as the gun flew from her hand and hit the wall near her. Sam scrambled for the gun while Sidney clutched her hand in agony. She then saw Harlan lying unconscious on the floor near Trisha’s feet. Sidney stared at Sam and the gun he now pointed at her.
“Get up,” Sam ordered while breathing heavily as blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
Harlan apparently got a few shots in before he went down. Sidney nervously rose to her feet while keeping an eye on Sam.
“Untie your friend,” Sam demanded and motioned wildly with the gun.
She approached Trisha, checking Harlan’s condition as she passed, then untied her friend. Trisha dropped to the floor and attempted to pull herself to her knees. She once more collapsed. Sidney made a motion to help her.
“Leave her,” Sam ordered.
Sidney straightened and looked at Harlan, who still remained motionless. For a moment, she thought he might be dead. Her heartbeat quickened nervously. She had to do something, or they were all dead, but she didn’t know what to do.
“Pick up those ropes and bring them to me,” Sam announced firmly.
Sidney picked up the ropes and approached him without taking her eyes off him.
“These old houses are so unstable,” Sam remarked simply. “They can collapse at any time.” He kicked the weak support beam several times until it creaked and collapsed. The upper level creaked loudly as dirt fell to the basement.
“Sidney!” came her father’s voice from somewhere outside the house. “Sidney, where are you?”
Sidney’s heart raced with fear, knowing he’d shoot her father. How could she not warn him? She was dead already.
Sam looked back at Sidney with a scowl on his face. “You’re coming with me to the top of the steps. You tell him everything’s fine and convince him to leave, or I’ll shoot both you and him,” he growled. “Do you understand?”
Sidney nervously nodded. She feared for her father’s life, but mostly she feared what she might do to stop that from happening. Sam forced her to the basement steps and kept the gun on her while remaining out of sight. Sidney stepped partially out of the basement and stared at her father just near the edge of the house.
“Sidney,” he cried out with concern in his eyes. “What are you doing here? I nearly hit you with my car. What’s going on?”
“I found Trisha,” she said with a quiver in her voice. “You can tell her mother she’s all right. We’ll be along shortly.”
“She’s okay?” her father asked with a look of relief. “Thank God.”
“You’d better go tell her mother. She’ll be relieved to hear,” Sidney said and held her breath.
Her father’s eyes narrowed. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she replied and attempted to sound confident. “Everything is under control. Trisha doesn’t want to talk to anyone right now. Please, just find her mother and give her the message,” she almost begged as tears welled in her eyes.
“All right, baby,” he said gently.
Her father then tilted his head and pointed to the basement with knitted brows and a question in his eyes. Sidney’s heart nearly stopped as her mouth dropped open. He suspected something was wrong without even an ounce of suggestion. Her eyes widened. She made a gun with her left hand against her thigh so Sam couldn’t see. Her father nervously straightened and cleared his throat.
“Don’t be long,” he said simply then walked toward the side of the house.
When he disappeared around the corner, Sidney turned to Sam behind her on the steps near her right leg.
“He’s gone.”
Sam motioned for her to return to the basement. The ceiling continued to creak. Trisha lay motionless on the ground, possibly unconscious. To both their surprise, Harlan was gone! Sam stared at the spot where Harlan once lie then spun around. Harlan stepped out of the dark corner and kicked the gun from Sam’s hand, sending it flying across the cellar. Harlan held the knife from her father’s cabinet pointed inches from Sam’s face.
“Get Trisha,” Harlan shouted.
Sam stared coldly at the knife in his face without a word. Sidney ran to Trisha’s fallen side and attempted to pull her to her feet. She wouldn’t move or rouse.
“Drop it, Harlan,” Herb shouted from the steps.
Sidney heard the familiar sound of a rifle being cocked. She whirled around on her knees with surprise and horror, though she couldn’t see her father.
“Dad, no!”
Sam lunged for Harlan and the knife. They wrestled for control of the weapon. Harlan punched Sam roughly in the face. He fell into the support beam where Trisha had been tied. It moved and the ceiling buckled. Sam recovered and tackled Harlan to the floor as both men struggled with the knife. Dirt and wood dust clouded the cellar. Sidney’s father hurried into the cellar with his high-powered rifle aimed.
“Daddy, help me!” Sidney cried out and tried to lift Trisha’s limp body with her injured right hand.
Her father ran through the debris and gathered Trisha in his arms. She helped steady him as he lifted her friend. The house let out a thunderous crack. Herb sheltered Trisha in his arms and ran to the cellar steps. A plank from the ceiling crashed to the cellar narrowly missing the barely visible men still rolling around on the floor. Sidney sheltered her eyes and ran toward them. Sam seized the knife while beneath Harlan. He slashed at Harlan, who raised his arm for protection. The knife cut Harlan’s forearm, causing him to cry out. Sidney violently thrust her foot into Sam’s side. He cried out but didn’t release the knife. Sidney grabbed Harlan’s arm and pulled him to his feet with all her strength.
There was a loud crack. Harlan looked up, grabbed Sidney’s arm, and threw her toward the steps. The entire ceiling collapsed in one thunderous crash that vibrated the ground beneath their feet. Harlan and Sidney fell to the concrete steps as debris and dirt flew past them in a rolling cloud and a gust of air. They coughed and gasped. Sidney looked up and saw her father grabbing her arm as he pulled her to her feet. She slowly stood on her own and coughed from the dirt. Herb extended his hand to Harlan. Harlan stared at his hand a moment then accepted it, allowing him to help him to his feet. Once they climbed the crumbled basement steps, they turned to look at the house. The entire stone structure remained standing.
Chapter Thirty-two
Sidney paced the emergency room while waiting for word on Trisha’s condition. Her friend was unconscious when the ambulance brought her to the hospital. Sidney’s father remained at the stone house to assist the police with the collapsed interior. It was possible Sam was still alive. Harlan was taken for stitches, which seemed to be taking a long time. When she looked toward the emergency room doors, Billy hurried toward her.
“I came as soon as I heard Trisha was brought in,” he announced and gathered her in his arms.
Sidney returned the hug then pulled away and looked at him with some surprise. “You’re not taking care of her?”
“She’s with Dr. McQuinn. He’s an excellent doctor,” he informed her then shook his head. “Looks like a drug overdose. What happened?” He noticed her bruised wrist, held up her right arm, and examined her injury. “You’re hurt.”
“I’m alive,” she informed him. Sidney drew a deep breath and collapsed into one of the chairs. “Do you have an hour for the entire story?”
“Not really.”
Sidney gave a quick review of what had happened, which left Billy stunned.
“I can hardly believe things like that happen in Marilina,” he gasped. “And Sam--” He shook his head with disbelief. “We’ve known Sam for years. He was my father’s best friend. Do you know what motivated him to do something like that?”
“I suppose it had to do with the murder of Emily Fisher,” Sidney replied, now feeling weary from her ordeal. “There’s no other explanation, really.”
Billy continued to shake his head. “Wait until grandmother hears about this. It’ll kill her.”
“She already knows,” Sidney gently informed him.
He shot a look at her. “She knows? How?”
“It’s really a long story,” Sidney explained. “I’m sure she’ll tell you all about it when you get home.”
“I’m sure I’ll hear about it for weeks on end.” He then tilted his head. “She was rather fond of Sam. She may not want to discuss it. I’d better call her and see that she’s all right. Do you think she’s at home or at Mrs. Cooper’s?”
“I really couldn’t say,” she replied. “I saw her in the library with Mrs. Cooper. I think they’re probably together wherever they are.”
“Probably Mrs. Cooper’s house,” he said gently. “I’ll check on Trisha’s condition for you. I know how slow these doctors can be when you’re waiting for news. I’ll bring you some ice and a wrap for that wrist when I return. I just have to check on one of my patients first. Came in with a knife wound. Real unruly.” He shook his head. “Wouldn’t even allow me to look at the cut. The nurse had to take care of him.”
The Deadliest Institution Collection Page 84
