26
Into The Fire
Tanner and Caleb were east of Laredo while headed toward the vicinity of Peaksville. The heat and humidity were high, and Caleb had shed his suit coat but kept on the vest beneath it. Caleb was driving and had the air-conditioning cranked up.
They made a stop for gas before cruising across the highway to shop at a strip mall. One of the merchants there sold electronic equipment.
Their rented vehicle was a black Land Rover that had only a few thousand miles on the odometer. The luxury SUV moved along smoothly and was fully-equipped. It was devoid of one item Tanner wanted, a police band radio.
While he visited an electronics shop to purchase the device, Caleb said he was going to visit another store.
“I’ll take the wheel when we leave here,” Tanner said, and Caleb agreed, as he wanted to use his laptop.
When Tanner returned with the police scanner, Caleb handed him a chocolate ice-cream cone. The treat matched the one Caleb was licking at with gusto.
Tanner tasted the ice cream and a look of pleasure brightened his face.
“I can’t remember the last time I had a cone.”
“I love them, and I recall Mom saying once that you always chose chocolate.”
“Did she talk about us often?”
“All the time. She wanted me to know my family. I remember her saying that Jill hated lima beans and that Jessie had a thing for white teddy bears. When Dad was young, he was in a local band that called themselves The Ranch Hands. Mom said he played the guitar and sang a little.”
Tanner grinned. “I’d forgotten all about that, but yeah, once in a while he would bring out the guitar and sing, usually around a campfire.” The grin left Tanner’s face. “We lost so much when they all died, Caleb. Until I learned of you, I’d thought I’d lost everything. I’m glad we’re out here together; I think I needed to spend time with you.”
Caleb nudged him in the ribs with an elbow.
“I like hanging out with my big brother, you’re a cool guy, Cody.”
“Cool? I’ve been called deadly, dangerous, and things far worse, but never cool.”
“That’s Tanner you’re talking about. I’m speaking about you, Cody Parker. I did some reading about the family history on the internet and found out that you had ridden in rodeos and won shooting competitions.”
“Yeah, when I was a kid, I was into all that.”
“You won trophies. I even came across a grainy photo of you holding one; the thing was huge. The picture was so bad though that I couldn’t tell it was you.”
Tanner gave a little laugh. “I remember that day. I was fifteen, Dad treated me to a new pair of boots, and we shared a beer.”
“He drank with you?”
“One beer, and he knew I snuck one from the fridge once in a while anyway. On the drive back home from that rodeo… Dad said he was proud of me.”
“I’d wish I’d known him.”
“You see him when you look in the mirror, Caleb. That’s how much you remind me of him.”
“And you’ve got Mom’s eyes. Our parents, they’re both gone, Cody, yeah, but in some ways, they’ll live on through us.”
They sat quietly for a while, as they enjoyed their ice cream. When they were both finished, Tanner turned on the police scanner, then handed it to Caleb.
“Let’s go find Wicks and his crew.”
“And Dr. Mao too,” Caleb said.
After cresting the hill to run back the way she had just traveled, Jen was in a state of panic. She kept expecting to hear the thunderous crack of a shot being fired or to feel the searing pain of a bullet piercing her flesh. She didn’t stop moving until she’d returned to the spot where she’d first glimpsed the farmhouse. She was panting and bent over at the waist but relieved by what she was seeing, which was nothing.
In her imagination, Jen had envisioned Wicks gaining on her while aiming his gun at a vital spot between her shoulder blades. As panic subsided and reason took control, Jen realized that the alcoholic could never have made it up the steep hill without falling down.
“He’s back in the box truck,” she said aloud.
Not knowing what else to do, Jen headed in a different direction, one that she thought would take her toward the road. Despite having the truck, Wicks could only be in one place at a time. The shape of the box truck would be easy to discern from a distance, allowing her time to hide as she attempted to flag down a motorist.
When she was forced to stop and rest again, Jen checked the phone and saw that she had a signal.
“Yes! Yes!”
After dialing 9-1-1, she was connected to the police dispatcher for the local law. The dispatcher was a middle-aged mother of three who had twelve years’ experience.
“My name is Dr. Jen Mao and I was kidnapped.”
“Ma’am, did you say you were Dr. Mao?”
“Yes, and I was kidnapped by four men, one of whom is gravely wounded.”
Over the phone, Jen could hear the dispatcher snapping her fingers loudly, as if to gain someone’s attention.
“What’s your location, Dr. Mao?”
“I escaped the house they were holding me in and now I’m out in a field, but um, I remember the last street sign I saw on the way here had the name Borough Lane on it.”
“All right, that helps, Borough Lane is on the far side of town, and it’s only six miles long. What about the men who took you, are they pursuing you?”
“One of them is, his name is Roy Wicks, and he’s driving a small white box truck, you know, a converted van… he’s also armed.”
“And the other men?”
“I drugged them; they should be out for hours.”
“Good girl,” said the dispatcher, making Jen laugh.
“Can you get back to Borough Lane, Doctor?”
“I think so, I can see a strip of asphalt in the distance, but I haven’t spotted a car yet.”
“Borough Lane doesn’t get much traffic since the small bridge there washed out last year. Walk toward the road but stay out of sight until you see a police car. Several of our officers are headed your way.”
Jen was shedding tears of relief and happiness. “Thank you.”
“You stay on the line, hon, and I’ll keep you company until you’re safe.”
“What’s your name?”
“I’m Mary, Doctor.”
“And I’m Jen, Mary.”
“Hang in there, Jen; you’re almost home free.”
On Borough Lane, Wicks was forced to slam on the brakes as a vintage Caddy sped in front of him and parked across the road, blocking his way. Moments earlier, he had come close to side-swiping the vehicle as he sped by it while weaving. With his reflexes dulled by alcohol, Wicks came within two inches of ramming the Caddy while also hitting his right knee against the bottom of the pickup’s dashboard.
The old woman who got out of the silver Caddy was both taller and broader than Wicks. Bright blue eyes blazed from a face that was crisscrossed with deep wrinkles. Her name was Maddie Ramsey. Maddie’s family had lived in the area for eight generations. If there was one thing she couldn’t abide, it was a drunk.
Maddie pointed a finger at Wicks with one hand while holding her phone in the other, as the breeze whipped her white mane about.
“You damn drunk drivers make me sick. You were weaving all over the road, idiot.”
“Move your car, you old bitch.”
“What did you call me, cretin?”
“Move the damn car or you’ll be sorry.”
Maddie moved faster than Wicks would have thought possible and planted a fist into his stomach. Before Wicks could react, Maddie grabbed a handful of his hair and was forcing him to the ground. Wicks tumbled atop the road beside his stolen pickup and felt the air leave his lungs as Maddie straddled him. The old woman was using her knees to pin his arms down.
She smiled at him. “You didn’t see that coming, did ya?”
Agent Eriksen was in the air mi
nutes after the news came in about Jen’s call. Her estimated time of arrival to the scene was less than half an hour.
Agent Greene spoke to her with the aid of headphones.
“The doctor stated that Wicks was in the truck we’ve been trying to track down but that the other men were either wounded or drugged.”
“I know, once we have Wicks it sounds like the others won’t be a problem.”
“Thank God, I hate standoffs and hostage crises.”
“I’ve a feeling Wicks won’t go down easy.”
“The hell with him. At least the doctor is safe.”
Eriksen smiled. “Thank God for that.”
Jen had been walking in a depression along the surface of the land that obscured the road from her view. When she heard the sound of vehicles braking sharply, she increased her pace. Voices soon followed but were too indistinct to make out well. Jen was able to discern that one of the voices belonged to a female.
As she came out of the dip in the terrain, she spotted the silver Cadillac and the red pickup truck over on the left. She spoke to the police dispatcher who was still on the line.
“I see the road now, Mary. It looks like there’s been an accident.”
“A car accident?”
“Yes, an old Cadillac and a pickup truck.”
“How old is the Caddy, is it the type with the fins?”
“Yeah, how did you know?”
“That’s Maddie Ramsey’s car, everyone around here knows her, and Maddie’s a friend of mine too.”
Jen looked along the road in both directions as she grew closer to the vehicles. There was no sign of a box truck.
“I’ll wait here with your friend until an officer shows up.”
There was no response, and Jen wondered if she had lost the connection. Before she could check the phone, Mary spoke again.
“Good news, hon. One of our officers has found the box truck that belongs to your abductors. It looks like it sustained damage and was abandoned.”
“And what about Roy Wicks?”
“He must have left the scene, possibly on foot. You stay where you are, keep out of sight, and someone will be there soon.”
“All right,” Jen said, as she drew nearer to the vehicles on the road. She saw no reason to stay hidden. The vehicles ahead of her had no serious damage done to them. If Wicks showed up on foot, Jen figured one of the drivers could ferry her away to safety. There was no one in sight, but odd sounds were coming from the other side of the pickup truck.
Wicks had managed to free himself from beneath Maddie’s girth only to feel her hands close around his throat. He responded in kind and the two of them struggled to see who would strangle whom first. Wicks was finding it impossible to breathe when Maddie’s grip loosened, and her eyes bulged. Wicks kept up the pressure on the old woman’s neck, grunting with effort, until he was certain she was dead.
He rose from behind the pickup, exhausted, sweaty, and saw Jen walking around the front end of the Cadillac.
Jen began shouting into the phone she was holding. “Wicks is here! Mary, Wicks is here!”
Wicks plucked his gun off the front seat of the pickup where he’d left it and aimed it at Jen’s face.
“Who the hell are you talking to?” Wicks’ voice was hoarse, the condition had been caused by Maddie Ramsey’s hands.
“The police, and they’ll be here any minute.”
Wicks made an unintelligible sound as he rushed at Jen. He slammed into her and knocked her to the ground. The phone she’d been holding skittered away and Jen was rendered insensible from having met the road’s surface with the back of her head.
Wicks grabbed her beneath the arms and, with much clumsiness, managed to shove her into the rear of the Caddy. Jen was drifting in and out of consciousness and unable to resist him.
Between the struggle with the old woman and the exertion of handling Jen, Wicks was panting as he got behind the wheel of the Cadillac.
When the sound of a motor reached his ears, he feared it was the cops, but no, it was another vehicle, an old Jeep. Wicks jumped out of the car and began waving the driver down, as the Jeep came from the opposite direction that Wicks had traveled. With the Cadillac blocking the road, the Jeep’s driver had little choice but to stop.
It was a teenager, a boy. When Wicks took out his gun and pointed it at him, the kid raised his hands up.
“Shit, don’t shoot. What the hell is going on?”
“There’s a woman in this car; I want you to put her in yours.”
“What?”
“Just do it, kid.”
The teen stepped out of his Jeep. When he spotted Maddie’s body his mouth dropped open in shock.
“That’s Mrs. Ramsey.”
“I don’t care who she is, just move the other woman into your car.”
The boy did as he was told. He was muscular, fit, and handled Jen’s weight well. At one point during the transfer, Jen’s eyes fluttered open and she muttered a question.
“Who are you?”
“I’m so sorry, lady, but this guy has a gun.”
Jen lost consciousness again and the boy settled her into the passenger seat.
After claiming the keys from the Cadillac and the pickup truck, Wicks climbed into the Jeep.
When he locked eyes with the teen, he did so while aiming the gun at his chest.
“Are you gonna kill me, mister?”
Wicks’ face screwed up as he said. “I never meant to kill anyone.” And then he performed a U-turn and sped off.
27
One Down
Tanner and Caleb were listening to a portable police band radio as they drove toward the vicinity of Peaksville. Chatter on the radio told them that Roy Wicks was in the area they were passing through and that he was on foot and armed.
“Damn it,” Caleb said. “It sounds like they’ll capture him at any moment.”
“Yeah, but Doctor Mao got away from him. She’s lucky Wicks and his friends didn’t kill her.”
“Let’s drive around the area. Who knows, we might get a break and spot Wicks first.”
“They mentioned a street called Borough Lane. I’ll head there.”
Caleb reached over to program the Land Rover’s navigation system.
“Borough Lane is about seven miles from here.”
“Keep your eyes on the terrain along the sides of the road when we get closer. If Wicks is on foot, he’d be wise to avoid being out in the open. With the doctor free, he has to know the cops are looking for him.”
“I guess Agent Ericksen is on her way here too.”
“No doubt,” Tanner said.
Eriksen and her partner Greene were still in the air. They had each received a text moments earlier. The kid from the jeep called the cops and told them about Wicks’ second abduction of Jen.
The man Wicks had shot in the chest and shoulder was discovered by the cop who had found the abandoned box truck. That man was alive and expected to live, unlike the old woman, Maddie Ramsey. Maddie had been a well-liked eccentric and a pillar of her community. She was also the grandaunt of the town’s police chief. Every cop on the force wanted Wicks in the worst way.
“It sounds like Wicks has lost it,” Greene said, “strangling an old woman to death like that.”
“I know,” Eriksen said, as she fidgeted in her seat. “Dr. Mao is in great danger. Damn it, can’t this thing fly any faster?”
Eriksen’s words had been directed over the headphones she wore and heard only by Greene; however, the pilot addressed her concern about their arrival time.
“Good news, Agents, I’ve been told by the town’s police department that there’s a flat field near the scene where I can set down. Our ETA is eight minutes.”
“Thank you for the update,” Eriksen said.
Greene shook his head sadly. “I’m getting a bad feeling about this.”
“You are?”
“Yes.”
Eriksen moaned. She wasn’t superstitious by
nature, but Greene was known for the accuracy of his “bad feelings.” Whenever the man had gotten one in the past something unexpected had happened, and once, an agent had died.
“Keep your feelings to yourself, Larry.”
“Sorry.”
Wicks had reached the end of Borough Lane where the bridge had collapsed. He was releasing a string of curses in frustration at his luck when he realized he was sitting in a vehicle with off-road capability.
In the seat beside him, Jen groaned as if experiencing a bad dream. Wicks was tempted to shoot her and leave her body on the side of the road, but there was a chance that Darren Stepp might still need her medical skills.
After backing the jeep up about a hundred feet, Wicks turned the wheel, got the jeep moving again and headed off the road surface and onto a field. After shifting into neutral, he engaged the Jeep’s four-wheel-drive function, then shifted gears again.
As they bounced along the field, Wicks thought about what his next move should be. His recent activities and exertions had cleared his drunken mind a bit, although he was far from being sober.
“We need a diversion,” he said to himself. As he looked at the trees ahead of him, an idea formed in his pickled brain.
Carl Taylor cried out in shock and rolled over onto his back after Wicks dumped half a bucket of cold water over him; the other half was splashed onto Hendricks. Before rousing them from their drug-induced stupor, Wicks had gone into his room and grabbed his last two bottles of whisky.
“Get up and get moving, the cops are on their way here,” Wicks told them. Before waking them, he had locked Jen back inside the powder room. Along with the china cabinet Taylor had earlier shoved in front of the door to block it, Wicks had added a couch, two chairs, and an old console TV. It was too much weight for Jen to push out of the way on her own.
Taylor sat up, but it was an effort. The drug Jen had given him was making his eyes close on their own. Hendricks was worse and seemed on the verge of drifting off again. Wicks blurted out the bad news, hoping it would shock them to alertness.
A Man Of Respect Page 13
