Lone Ranger

by VK Powell

  Clem seemed to consider his options. “I guess that’d be all right.”

  Donovan stepped between Clem and Emma. “This concerns an ongoing murder investigation, and since I’m the only law-enforcement officer present, I’ll conduct the interview.”

  Emma elbowed Donovan out of the way. She wasn’t about to railroad this man like she’d done Ann. Before Emma could tell her so, Clem waved her off.

  “No disrespect intended, but since Ms. Ferguson went to the trouble to find me. I’ll address my comments to her. Of course you’re free to listen.”

  Donovan’s cheeks reddened and she flashed Emma a killer stare, but didn’t respond.

  Emma grinned and slid the phone closer to Clem as they took seats around the small circular table. She chose a chair facing the front entrance and overlooking the main floor below so she could attract the sheriff’s attention when he arrived. She was about to ask her first question when a red light above the room’s two doors flashed and an alarm sounded.

  Donovan stood and looked around the warehouse floor. “What’s that?”

  “You sure are jumpy,” Clem said. “Lets me know somebody came in the back door. Hopefully it’s the sheriff.”

  “Clem, I’m ready when you are,” Emma said. “Do you want me to ask questions, or would you rather tell your story first?”

  “It would be easier for me to talk, and then you can ask questions.”

  “Okay. For the record, Clem Stevens will be telling me, Emma Ferguson, and BCI Agent Billie Donovan what he knows about the night Theodore Wayne Thompson died.”

  “I know more than I want to.” Clem rested his arms on the table and laced his fingers together. “I was working later than usual that night. Mr. Thompson liked me out of the building before ten thirty so they could close up, but I didn’t make it. I was in the third-floor office mopping when I heard an awful commotion from somewhere downstairs. There wasn’t supposed to be anybody else in the building, so I started down to see what was going on.

  “I was on the second-floor landing when I saw somebody dressed in dark clothes slip behind one of the staining vats. My first instinct was to run after him, but then I heard a yell from over by the chip pile. When I got closer, I saw Mr. Thompson screaming at Miss Ann West and creating a big ruckus. Mrs. Thompson and little Carter were huddled together in a corner. They were both pale as ghosts, and I could tell the child was scared to death.”

  “Could you hear what was being said, Clem?” Emma wanted details.

  “Not really. I wanted to step in, but I didn’t have to.”

  “And why not?” Donovan’s superior tone elicited only a sideways glance from Clem.

  “Because Miss Ann jumped on that man like a June bug on stink. Thompson bobbed and weaved like a drunkard, kept swinging and missing, and Miss Ann kept connecting. She landed a solid one right on the end of his nose, and he went down like a sack of flour.”

  Donovan slapped her hand on the table. “When did she shoot him? For God’s sake, man, get on with it. I don’t have all night.”

  This time Clem turned toward Donovan, and his calm eyes settled on her. “You’re the one who ran Miss Ann in, aren’t you? If you’d listen, you might learn something about your job and about people in general.”

  Emma laughed out loud and nodded for Clem to continue. Donovan’s face turned redder.

  “I moved closer in case Thompson got up, but he didn’t right away. Mrs. Thompson was still on the floor, holding her stomach and shielding the baby. Miss Ann ran over, helped them both up, and they left.”

  “But Ann came back, right?” Donovan’s voice spiked at the end.

  “No, ma’am, she didn’t. I decided to let Thompson suffer a little before I helped him. He was a nasty man, no respect for people or how hard they worked. After a few minutes, he got up, still wiping his nose with a handkerchief, and started toward the exit. Before he got far, somebody else showed up.”

  Emma scooted her chair closer to Clem. “Somebody else was there. Go on.”

  “It was the same person I’d seen earlier dressed in dark clothes by the vats. This time I was close enough to see he had a hood over his head and to hear what was being said. When they started talking, I realized he was really a she. The woman tried to help with Thompson’s bleeding nose, but he pushed her away. She begged him to leave his wife so they could be together.”

  “Well, don’t keep us in suspense. Who the hell was she?”

  Donovan’s lack of patience and tact didn’t surprise Emma, but it was becoming a nuisance. “Will you at least try to act like a professional? Let the man finish.”

  “Thanks, Ms. Ferguson. Next, Thompson laughed in this woman’s face. She stopped begging and got mad. She pounded on his chest with her fists, but he kept laughing. He told her he’d never leave his wife for her. She’d just been an easy lay. She clung to him, but he pushed her away again and slapped her hard across the face. That’s when the hood fell off, and I was finally able to see who it was.”

  “And…” Emma encouraged Clem without being pushy. She looked out across the wide expanse of boxes and wondered where the sheriff was. He really needed to hear this. If he’d come in several minutes before, he should’ve reached them by now.

  “It was one of the Smoltz sisters.”

  Donovan was on her feet. “What do you mean, one of the Smoltz sisters? Which one?”

  “I didn’t know then, and I don’t know now. They’re twins, and I never could tell them apart. That falls under the category of your job, doesn’t it?”

  Emma recalled the last nine days of information she’d accumulated. She’d never even seen Hannah Smoltz, but she’d spent a considerable amount of time with Harriett, who hadn’t done anything to raise Emma’s suspicions. Maybe Hannah was the killer and had skipped town when Emma started looking into the murder again, and Harriett was covering for her. Emma had hoped Clem could positively identify the killer.

  She returned her attention to Clem. “What happened after the slap?”

  “She pulled a gun out of her coat pocket and pointed it at Thompson. I heard a loud pop and saw him fall.”

  “And you did nothing?” Donovan rose from the table and paced.

  “Lady, the woman had a gun, and I wasn’t about to confront her unarmed. I just kept watching. I knew one day I’d have to tell what I’d seen, and I wanted to get it right.”

  “You’re doing a great job, Clem. Go on,” Emma said, patting his arm.

  “I couldn’t believe what happened next. She stripped him down, buried his body in the chip pile, and tossed his clothes in the incinerator. That was cold.”

  Donovan leaned over Clem’s shoulder and whispered. “I’ll tell you what’s cold, Mr. Stevens—not helping this man, leaving him to die, and then not telling anybody for thirty-seven years. Do you realize you can be charged with obstructing justice?”

  “I couldn’t have done a thing for that man. He was a goner when he hit the floor. She shot him right between the eyes. And as for your threat, do whatever you have to about that. I’d much rather take my chances with a jury now than back then. Nobody was going to believe a poor black janitor over a white woman. Besides, I would’ve come forward sooner if somebody was unjustly charged.”

  Emma shooed Donovan away from Clem and offered her hand. “And you proved that by telling your story now. Ann West can be cleared because of your statement.”

  “Thank you, ma’am. I’m glad I could help. Ann and Carter are good people.”

  “And if Agent Donovan follows through with her threat, I’ll serve as a character witness on your behalf.” Emma slid her phone toward the edge of the table and started to pick it up. When she did, the door behind her burst open, startling her. She dropped the phone, and it skidded under the table.

  Donovan reached for her gun.

  Chapter Twenty

  The figure reflected in the glass in front of Emma was dressed entirely in black, held a dark-colored gun, and motioned toward Donovan. “I wo
uldn’t do that. Keep your hands where I can see them.”

  The screeching voice sent shivers down Emma’s spine, but this woman didn’t look like Harriett Smoltz. Maybe this was her missing twin, Hannah.

  “You know, the old man’s got a point. Nobody would’ve believed him then, and they won’t believe him now, because they’re not going to hear his story. Donovan, drop your weapon and cell phone on the floor, and kick them over here.”

  “You’re making a big mistake.” Donovan’s voice sounded almost defiant. “It’s a felony to assault a law-enforcement officer with a weapon. You’re already in enough trouble.”

  Emma turned enough to look into the intruder’s eyes, and then she knew. “Donovan, I’d like you to meet the murderer of Theodore Wayne Thompson, Harriett Smoltz.” The woman’s shoulders jerked slightly. She’d called it right. “Of course, she’d have you believe it was her sister, Hannah, Daniel Tanner, or even Ann West. Isn’t that right, Harriett?”

  “You’re just too smart for your own good, Emma. Things were going fine until you showed up. Folks had nearly forgotten about Theodore and the blight he left on this town.”

  “But, Harriett, you had nothing but nice things to say about your lover before.”

  “Shut up.” Harriett waved the gun in Emma’s direction. “He was a lowlife who used me for his amusement.”

  Donovan asked. “What do you plan to do now? You can’t kill all of us.”

  “I did it before and got away with it for thirty-seven years. Your bodies won’t be found for days out here in the middle of nowhere, and by then I’ll be long gone.” She pulled a set of handcuffs from behind her back, slid them across the table, and motioned to Donovan and Clem. “Cuff yourselves to the chairs and each other. Be thorough. It’s important to be thorough. Don’t you agree, Emma? Intertwine your hands through the chair arms. I don’t want you trying to escape during the best part.”

  Emma would be next. This Harriett Smoltz bore no resemblance to the mild, helpful librarian she’d spoken with so many times recently. The black outfit clung to a toned body that had been hidden beneath her customary baggy garb. Her eyes flashed anger and hatred, and the corners of her mouth clamped tight with the determination of the deranged.

  When Harriett was satisfied that Donovan and Clem were restrained, she poked Emma in the back with the barrel of her gun. “Now, the moment I’ve waited for. You’ve been a tough one to stop. You wouldn’t take a simple warning, or even three, and leave town. We need to go for a walk. I’ll be back for the rest of you later.”

  Emma had to delay her and pray the sheriff showed up soon. “How did you find me?”

  “When I saw you rush into the sheriff’s office earlier, I knew you’d uncovered something important. He wasn’t around, so I read the note you left. Fortunately, you didn’t know anything about me, so I saw no harm in leaving it for him. My business here will be finished before he arrives, and he’ll still be in the dark. Now move.”

  As Emma turned to go with Harriett, a door creaked from the direction of the stairway behind her. Finally, the sheriff had arrived, and just in time. She held her breath, but Harriett had heard the noise as well.

  Harriett grabbed her around the neck from behind and spun her toward the office door, placing the pistol barrel against her temple. “Show yourself, or I’ll kill them all.” Seconds stretched into endless minutes with no response. “Last warning. Come in now!”

  Out of the corner of her eye, Emma saw Donovan struggling with her restraints. Would she risk her life to save Emma or Clem? She seriously doubted it. She was on her own.

  “I’m going to count to three, and then somebody dies. One…” Harriett backed them farther away from the door. “Two…”

  The door slowly opened, and Carter stood in the doorway, her gun trained on Harriett. “Drop the weapon and move away from Emma.”

  Instead, Harriett shoved the gun barrel harder against Emma’s temple. “Drop yours.”

  Emma’s knees shook as the expression on Carter’s face registered. She was afraid, but not for herself. Carter’s eyes found hers and in that moment relayed things she’d been unable to say before. Emma decided then she couldn’t die yet.

  Carter held firm, and Emma struggled to find a way to help her, to distract Harriett. But Harriet’s muscular arm squeezed her neck so tight, Emma could hardly breathe. She tried to move, but the cold barrel at her temple deterred her.

  “I think you better drop that gun, Ranger, unless you want me to kill your friend right here in front of you. Put it down, and get over there with the others.” Harriett barked the words and jerked Emma’s neck farther back.

  Emma gasped and stretched on her tiptoes to relieve the pressure.

  “Okay, okay. Just don’t hurt her.” Carter placed her weapon on the table, her eyes begging Emma to forgive her.

  When Carter reached the other two captives, Donovan grabbed her with her free hand and pulled her closer. “I knew you’d come.”

  “That’s disgusting.” Harriett spun Emma around toward Donovan and Carter. “How do you like your ranger lover now? It took the two of you four days before you were all over each other. She followed the agent to her hotel bed in a matter of hours.”

  Emma tried to turn and confront Harriett but was firmly restrained. “How could you possibly know that? Unless you’ve been stalking me.”

  “At last the light dawns. The first day you came to the library I knew you were going to be trouble. So, I kept you under surveillance. I saw you two groping and sweating all over each other. You proved whoring isn’t exclusive to the male of the species.” Harriett’s body stiffened and grew warmer as she talked.

  This could be Emma’s only chance. Her insides shook, but she took a deep breath. “You’d know about whoring, wouldn’t you, Harriett? You were sleeping with the biggest womanizer in town and didn’t even know it.”

  “Shut up, you perverted slut!” Harriett squeezed her arm tighter around Emma’s neck, and her vision blurred.

  “You thought you were special.” Emma struggled to speak above a whisper.

  “I said shut up, or I’ll snap your neck with my bare hands.”

  “He obviously didn’t think you were as good as his lesbian wife, because he wouldn’t leave her for you.” Emma’s attempt to laugh came out as a squeak.

  “I’m going to choke the life out of you. Lying bitch!” Harriett loosened her grip slightly and lowered the gun barrel as she repositioned herself.

  Emma took another gasping breath and jammed her right elbow backward into Harriett’s chest. An explosion ripped through the small room as the gun hit the floor. Somebody howled in pain, and she prayed it wasn’t Carter.

  Harriett stumbled back but maintained a grip on Emma’s shoulder with her left hand. Emma stomped Harriett’s right foot and swung her left arm up and out to break her hold. Before her captor recovered, Emma turned and shoved the heel of her hand into Harriett’s nose, crunching it into her face.

  “Bitch.” Harriett screamed and grabbed her nose as blood oozed between her fingers. “You broke my nose.” She fell against the wall and slid to the floor.

  When Emma stepped back, Carter was standing beside her with her gun pointed at Harriett. Carter pulled out her handcuffs, and together they restrained Harriett and set her at the table.

  “Remind me not to get on your bad side.” Carter was teasing her. “Are you okay?”

  “I think I’m fine.” She rubbed her neck and took a deep breath. “What are you doing here? Not that I’m unhappy to see you.”

  “Sheriff Echols, but we can talk about that later. Where did you learn those moves?”

  “Writing a story on self-defense. I never thought they’d come in handy.” The adrenaline dissipated, and Emma grabbed the table for support. She was safe. Carter was safe. She wanted to rush into Carter’s arms, but her legs wouldn’t move.

  “Hell—o.” Donovan waved from under the table. “Would somebody mind uncuffing us? And if anyone cares, I
’ve been hit.”

  Emma and Carter walked over to the pair under the table. Clem was staring at his cuff-mate with disdain, while she pointed to her butt. Planted in the center of her left cheek was a tiny hole in the tailored ninja suit surrounded by a small amount of blood.

  Emma snickered. “Yep. It’s a perfect bull’s-eye.”

  Clem offered his arm so Carter could unlock the cuffs. “She couldn’t have been hit anywhere else. When the fighting started, she dove under the table so fast she almost ripped my shoulder out of the socket.”

  “I was protecting the life of an innocent civilian and a prime witness.” Donovan’s voice regained some of its arrogance as she slid from beneath the table. “Somebody call an ambulance. I’ve been injured in the line of duty.”

  Emma retrieved her phone from under the table and clicked off the recorder. As she started to dial 911, the door lights and alarms sounded.

  Sheriff Echols led a group of deputies and EMTs up the stairs and into the room. “Is everybody all right?”

  “Everybody is certainly not all right,” Donovan said, pointing to her backside.

  “You okay, Emma?”

  “I’m good. What took you so long, Sheriff? You missed all the fun.”

  He motioned for his deputies to take Harriett away. “I see that. Sorry. I got sidetracked. I’ll fill you in tomorrow when everybody comes to the station for statements. Nine o’clock?”

  Emma nodded. “I’ve got Clem’s statement and Harriett’s admissions on my phone.”

  “Got to love technology.” Echols shook Carter’s hand on the way out. “Thanks for getting here so quickly. My guys will finish up. Why don’t the rest of you head home?”

  When the room cleared, Donovan hobbled over to Carter, ignoring Emma completely. She hooked her arm through Carter’s and said, “I told the EMT guys you’d take me to the hospital? Is that okay, hon?”

  Carter looked down and shook her head in disbelief. “No, as a matter of fact it’s not okay. And just for the record, I’m not now, nor have I ever been, your hon. After what you did to Ann and the way you played me, we don’t have anything else to talk about. Better hurry or you’ll miss your ride with the EMTs.”