I nodded, picking up that Misti was slightly embarrassed, but, if I had ulterior motives like her mother claimed, she was best suited to deal with it.
Ulterior motives? Crap. If she’d convinced Misti to doubt me so quickly, she was a force to be reckoned with. But I was up for it. I could read her mind, so I had a huge advantage. If I was wrong then fine, but if she was a murderer, she needed to pay.
I stepped toward the house, and Coco immediately followed. “Oh, hey boy… you need to stay here. I’m just going inside for a minute, but I’ll be right back. Okay?” Coco sat on his haunches and stared at me. I ruffled the fur around his ears and gave him a pat. “Stay.”
He woofed, but this time it wasn’t yup like I expected. It sounded almost like a growl. Watch out. Hearing that took me by surprise. “Watch out?”
Yup.
I nodded and smiled. “I’ll be careful.”
Yup.
I entered the house, glancing over my shoulder to see Coco in the exact spot that I’d told him to stay. He hadn’t moved an inch. He was lying down on his stomach with his head up and his ears standing tall. Wow. That was impressive, and it was nice to know I had backup if I needed it.
I passed through the kitchen and into the big, open floor of the main house. To my left, a large staircase, with a heavy, wooden balustrade, went up to the second floor. It seemed to take forever to get to the top, but that was probably just my nerves.
At the top, I continued to the end of the hall, where a door leading into a bedroom stood open. I stepped inside and found Carolyn sitting in a plush, scarlet-colored, wingback chair. She sat straight and tall, as if the chair was her throne, and I’d been granted an audience.
Her sharp eyes were gray and cold, matching her silver hair. She was a little pale, but she looked pretty spry to me, and I wondered how sick she really was. She wore a yellow blouse over white capri pants, and the sandals on her feet showed off her red painted toenails.
“Shelby Nichols.” She tilted her head to study me. “You’ve certainly made a nuisance of yourself. Why are you filling my daughter’s mind with lies? What do you want?” Her piercing gaze caught mine with glittering accusation.
“I’m investigating Mack Haywood’s murder, and I want the truth.”
“That has nothing to do with me.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. It must have been a surprise to see Mack after all these years. You probably didn’t recognize him at first. When did you figure it out?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Ignoring her, I continued. “Was it after he called you on the phone and mentioned that he’d lost his daughter all those years ago?”
She swallowed. “He didn’t tell me anything about that.”
“Is that why you agreed to meet him at his house? So you could convince him that Misti wasn’t his missing daughter?”
“Stop it. You don’t know what you’re talking about. We never spoke about that.”
My brows rose. “But he did invite you to his house… maybe to look at some of his old photos? Like this one?” I held the photo out to her. “Go ahead. Take a good look and tell me that’s not Misti… or should I say… Macie?”
She twitched, but otherwise held onto her regal demeanor. She stared at the photo and hesitated before snatching it from my hands. “This means nothing. You can do all kinds of things on the computer these days.”
Guilt and fear tore into her. She couldn’t believe I had come to ruin all of her carefully laid plans. This couldn’t be happening. Not right now. Why had Mack ever found them? If only Ava hadn’t run away. She thought she’d taken care of it by killing Mack, but now I was there. Me and that damn dog.
She turned her head to gaze out the window, and I could see that she had a perfect view of the back yard. With the window open, the sounds of Ava and Misti talking were easy to pick up, and I knew she’d heard every word of my conversation with Misti. Coco sat in the same spot, and I realized he hadn’t moved, even with Ava trying to distract him.
Glancing back at me, she gave in to her anger and ripped the photo in half. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You have no proof. And now you’re trying to spread these horrible lies. Misti doesn’t believe you. She won’t believe that I’m not her mother. I’ve been a good mother, and I’ve taken care of her all her life. She won’t throw that away.”
I shook my head. “It’s too late for that. She’s seen the photo. She wants to know the truth. You can’t keep it from her anymore. It’s time she found out who her real family is, and what you did all those years ago.”
“I don’t know what you mean, but if you’re looking for a payout, I might consider it, as long as you take your dog and get out. Otherwise, I’m calling the police.”
My brows rose. “You think I want to blackmail you?”
“You’re here and you’re upsetting my daughter. What else is there?”
My eyes widened. “I don’t want your money. You’ve just… you’ve gotten away with this for a long time, but you crossed the line when you killed Mack Haywood. When Misti finds out that you kidnapped her and killed her father, do you think she’ll stand by you?
“This won’t have a happy ending, but there’s a chance you could still salvage something if you tell Misti your side of things. If she hears it from you, it might make a difference, but, once you go to jail, you know it will be too late. She’ll never want to talk to you again.”
I knew that appealing to her sense of right and wrong was a long shot, but it was worth a try.
Carolyn shook her head, and slumped in her chair. “You think you have this all figured out, but you’re wrong. When she was little, she got lost in the woods. Her parents were negligent and careless. They lost her. It was their fault, and they didn’t deserve a child.”
I picked up her thoughts that Mack was a horrible parent because he’d let Misti wander away. Her memory of that day came through loud and clear. Misti had wandered off while Mack had his back turned, and Carolyn had seen an opportunity and followed the child. She’d scooped up the little girl and taken her home, and she’d done it for the child’s own good.
“When did Mack figure it out?”
She sighed and closed her eyes, remembering how shocked she’d been to see him with the search party. After the elation of finding Ava had died down, Mack had approached her. He’d marveled at how much Ava looked like his missing daughter.
Carolyn had feigned ignorance, and agreed to keep in touch, knowing he was a danger to her if he ever figured it out. Only a few days had gone by before he invited her to his house, telling her he wanted to show her something. She knew right then that he had to go.
He’d been so trusting, even putting the dog in the other room, and when he turned his back, she didn’t hesitate to kill him. She had to do it to protect Misti and Ava. It was her duty.
Whoa. Hearing that chilled my blood, and the hairs on my arms stood on end. How was I going to get her to confess? She seemed half crazy. I needed Misti to hear all of this, but how could I get her up here?
Carolyn straightened and caught my gaze. “I’m not letting her go.”
I shook my head. “I’m going to tell Misti the truth, but I’ll make one concession; I’ll bring her up here and you can tell her your side of it first, before I tell her mine. Then we’ll let her decide who to believe.”
“No. No… you can’t tell her. She can’t know anything about it. She’ll leave me. I… I need her.” Her regal bearing disappeared and desperation filled her voice. “You don’t understand. She’s all I’ve got. I’m an old woman. I’m not going to last much longer. I have congestive heart failure… and the doctor told me that I only have a few months left. You can’t do this to me.”
She hadn’t started begging yet, so I shook my head, not about to be taken in by her act. She picked up on that and continued, sounding even more desperate. “Think about Misti… and Ava. This will devastate them both. Misti… might never
get over it. She’ll never what to see me again.”
I took a deep breath and shook my head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “But… can’t you see that I’m dying? I can’t face my death without my daughter. The one person I love more than anything in this world. I need her by my side. I don’t want to die alone. Please… can’t you wait?”
She picked up my reticence, and tried a different tactic. “I’ll give you money… whatever you want. Just give me a little more time with her. Please… it’s my only wish before I die, the only thing that I want. It’s the only thing I have left. Please… I’m sorry for everything that happened. But you… have to understand… please… don’t tell her… just wait until I’m gone.”
I didn’t know if she was telling the truth about dying or not, but I wasn’t about to agree with her. She’d taken a little girl from her family and killed her father to keep it a secret. She didn’t deserve my compassion… but I had to give her an out. “You might not have to die alone if you tell Misti the truth and ask for her forgiveness. But that’s the only way this is happening. I’m going to tell her. Do you want to tell her your side of it, or not?”
She shrank into herself with grief. I would have felt sorry for her if I hadn’t picked up the barely controlled rage that simmered just below the surface. She was thinking that I was heartless and cruel, making her go through this right before the end.
“All right,” she said, her voice shaking. Tears fell from her eyes. “I’ll agree. Just let me talk to her alone first. Then you can join us.” She glanced up and met my gaze. Beneath all those tears, her eyes glittered with rage.
Yikes. A need to run washed over me, and I quickly agreed with her. “Good. I’ll get her.”
I turned on my heel and stepped into the hallway, relieved to get out of there. Nearing the head of the stairs, I heard a rustling noise. Glancing over my shoulder, I caught sight of her right behind me. Holding a hammer in a tight grip, she raised her arm above her head, and swung with all her might.
With a yelp, I dodged the blow and rushed toward the stairs. She followed closely behind, surprising me with her speed. Before I could put any distance between us, she swung again. I jerked to the side and stumbled on the top stair.
I managed to stop my fall, but a shove from behind sent me tumbling down the staircase. I hit my shoulder hard and began to roll, sending pain into my hips and arms with every turn. I managed to raise my arms protectively around my head and kept rolling to the bottom. Coming to an abrupt stop, I took in a shaky breath, dazed and disoriented.
Dizziness engulfed me, and I wasn’t sure I could move without something hurting. I lay flat on my back and had a clear view of Carolyn gasping at the top of the staircase. Her eyes widened to see me looking at her, and her face turned dark and vicious.
She slowly made her way down the stairs, her focus laser sharp and her eyes full of contempt. In one hand, she held the hammer; and with the other, she clung to the railing. As she descended, her breath came in little gasps, but her eyes held an angry gleam. She could hardly wait to kill me.
I got my arms under me and pushed to a sitting position. Pain exploded in my shoulder, but I fought through it. As I tried to stand, another sharp pain burst from my ankle. With no time to lose, I scooted backwards on my butt, looking for anything I could use as a weapon to stop her.
Coco began barking frantically at the patio door, his paws scratching against the glass. I kept backing up, reaching a small round table with a lamp on top. I grabbed the table leg, hoping to knock it into Carolyn’s path and slow her down.
Seeing this, Carolyn rushed down the last few steps, desperate to finish me off. She raised the hammer with both hands, her face a mask of rage.
The patio door burst open, and Coco charged into the room. Without hesitation, he rushed at Carolyn, his bark sounding more menacing than I’d ever heard it. She screamed, and he knocked her down with his front legs. The hammer fell from her hand, and he stood over her with his teeth bared and his growl deep.
I felt his readiness to rip her throat out. He recognized her smell, and knew at once that she was the one who’d killed his master. His bark turned deadly, and I thought for sure he was going to kill her.
“Coco. Stop. Stop.”
He kept barking, but a part of him heard me, so I continued to talk to him, telling him to stop. After a tense moment, his barking turned into a low growl, and l let out a breath, finding Carolyn cowering against the wall at the bottom of the stairs. Other than quivering with fright, she wasn’t harmed.
Coco stood over her, continuing to growl with his teeth bared and his jaws inches from her face. Carolyn whimpered under him. She tucked her face into her chest and raised her arms to cover her head.
“Coco. That’s enough. Come here. Come. Now.” I got to my knees and managed to push into a standing position. I tested my ankle and found that I could put a little weight on it to keep my balance. I carefully moved toward Coco, needing to grab him if he didn’t retreat. I couldn’t let him hurt her. They’d have him killed for it.
From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Misti and Ava watching, horror and fear on their faces. They didn’t understand what was going on, but Coco’s menacing growl and bared teeth frightened them.
Coco’s growling slowed, and he sensed the person under him was no longer a threat. Listening to my direction, he backed a few steps away, never taking his eyes off Carolyn. As soon as he reached my side, I took a knee and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Good boy, Coco. Good boy.”
“What happened?” Misti asked. “Mother, what’s going on?”
Carolyn scooted closer against the wall, hiding the hammer under her, thinking she’d hit the dog if he got close again. Seeing Misti’s confused gaze, she spoke. “That woman tried to kill me. She pushed me down the stairs when I wouldn’t give in to her demands. You need to call the police.” She glanced my way. “And get that dog out of my house.”
Coco lowered his head and bared his teeth, his low growl rumbled through the room. Instinctively, Carolyn raised the hammer in front of her, surprising Misti that she had a weapon and was strong enough to hold it.
Carolyn opened her mouth to yell, but Coco barked with menace and took a step toward her. Carolyn snapped her mouth shut and cowered against the wall, still holding the hammer in front of her.
I glanced at Misti. “I’ll call the police.” In my tumble down the stairs, my purse had come off my shoulder and landed on the floor a few steps away. As I limped toward it, I groaned with pain.
Coco turned his head to glance my way and whined. “I’m okay, boy. You’re doing great. Stay right there.”
That brought Misti out of her shock, and she turned to me with a whisper. “Did she push you?”
“Yes.”
Misti glanced Carolyn’s way, noticing the sheen of sweat on her face, and unsure about what to do.
Carolyn caught Misti’s gaze and spoke. “What are you waiting for? Get that dog away from me and call the police.”
At her outburst, Coco lowered his head and growled again. It shut Carolyn up, and I finally got my phone out of my purse. Misti had been holding Ava in her arms and now took her into the kitchen to call her husband, needing his help to get this sorted out.
Since I didn’t have Williams’s or Clue’s numbers in my contacts list, I called Dimples. He answered right away. “Hey Shelby. How’s it going?”
“Um… okay, but… I’m in kind of a tight spot.” I quickly explained where I was and asked him to send a car and the detectives. “She attacked me. Coco’s guarding her, so we’re good for now, but I need help.”
“Right… got it. Hang on.” I heard him talking, and then he came back on. “Are you okay?”
“Oh… I’m a little banged up. She pushed me down some stairs, but I’ll survive.”
“Damn. I’m coming too.”
“You don’t—” He’d already hung up, so I slipped the phone b
ack into my purse. Needing to sit down, I sat on the rug and leaned against the back of the couch, close to the stairs, while Coco kept guard over Carolyn.
A few minutes later, Misti came out, still holding Ava on her hip. She wasn’t sure what to do about Carolyn. With her mother sitting at the bottom of the steps, and holding a hammer like she knew how to use it, Misti decided to let the cops handle it.
“The police are on their way,” I said, hoping to sound reassuring. I even tried to smile, but it hurt my cheek where I’d hit the stairs a few times.
Misti nodded. “My husband’s coming too. I’m worried about Ava.” The little girl was sucking her thumb and resting her head against Misti’s shoulder. Her eyes drooped, like she was ready for a nap. “Is it okay if I take her outside and wait for the police out there?”
“Sure.”
As Misti opened the door, Carolyn perked up. “Where do you think you’re going? You come back here. You can’t leave me with that dog.” Coco put his head down, bared his teeth, and growled. That shut her up and she cowered back into her corner. With a shiver, Misti slipped out, grateful to be away from Carolyn.
The minutes slowly ticked by. Carolyn tried to get up a couple of times, but Coco growled to keep her there. She yelled at me once, threatening to sue me if I didn’t get my dog away from her, but Coco snapped at her and she shut up.
Eight minutes later, the police showed up. Misti had left the door open, and I heard them asking her to explain what was going on. Upon hearing a dog was involved, one of them suggested they call animal control.
At that, Carolyn started yelling. “Help. That dog’s trying to kill me.”
The officer rushed in, took one look at the dog standing over her, and assumed she told the truth. As she continued to yell, Coco barked and stepped closer until she shut up. Worried the dog was ready to attack, the cop fingered his gun, thinking he might have to shoot Coco.
Dying Wishes: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Novel (Shelby Nichols Adventure Book 14) Page 26
