Jennie scribbled off a quick note to Mom and Rocky to tell them she was going out for a while with Lisa and Paige. She’d just returned to the living room when a gray car pulled up in front. Jennie jumped back from the window. Easy, McGrady, she told herself as Lisa emerged and waved. You’re jumpier than a frog with fleas.
Jennie drew in a ragged breath. Seeing the gray car, even if it wasn’t the gray car, reminded Jennie that the case was far from being solved. Someone driving a gray car had pulled a gun on her and Lisa—and had followed Jennie into the Crystal Springs Gardens. Okay, McGrady. The stalker did have a gray car. But this is Paige. She’s pregnant, for Pete’s sake—and suicidal.
Jennie hurried down the walk and crawled into the backseat behind Paige. She leaned up and squeezed Paige’s shoulder in greeting. Two round spots of color on Paige’s cheeks tried to disguise her pale skin, and failed miserably. “Umm…would you like me to drive?” Jennie offered. “I mean, if you’re not feeling well…”
“N-no, I’m fine.” Paige glanced at Lisa. “Did you tell her?”
Lisa nodded.
“It’s just morning sickness.” Paige lifted a trembling hand to the gearshift.
“Are you sure?” Jennie asked again, reluctant to ride with someone her cousin had described as suicidal.
“M-Maybe you’re right,” Paige said. “It would be better if you drove.”
Jennie and Paige switched places. After familiarizing herself with the vehicle, Jennie put it into drive and pulled away from the curve. “Nice car,” she said, admiring the plush gray leather seats and wishing Mom could trade their ’85 Buick in for a newer model.
“It belongs to my parents. They’ve gone out of town for a few weeks. Don’t worry,” she answered Jennie’s unspoken question. “I have permission to use it.”
“Where are we going?” Jennie asked.
“Just head for the Sunset Freeway.”
“I thought you wanted to go to Clackamas Town Center.” Lisa sent Jennie a worried look.
“I don’t want to be around a lot of people. I hope you don’t mind.” Her already soft voice had become even softer.
“It’s okay with me.” Jennie eased the car onto the freeway.
Paige leaned forward in her seat. “Isn’t it awful about Allison’s kidnapping?”
“Kidnapping?” Jennie asked.
“You didn’t know?” Paige became more animated. “I called this morning to see if they’d heard anything about Allison. They got a call from the kidnapper demanding a $500,000 ransom.”
The hairs on Jennie’s arms stood on end like tiny antennae that had just picked up some important message. Why hadn’t Rocky told her?
“Do they still think Jerry did it?” Lisa asked. “They’re not sure what to think.” Paige leaned back in her seat. “The caller was a woman.”
They drove in silence for a few minutes. Jennie glanced back at Paige, who’d gone white again and looked as though she were going to be sick.
Paige pointed ahead and to the right. “Pull off at the next exit. I need to find a restroom.”
They found a restroom near the first gas station. Jennie stepped out of the car to stretch her legs while Paige slipped into the restroom and Lisa went into the food mart for drinks. When Paige emerged, she dropped her cell phone into her bag. A smug look of satisfaction crossed over her face. It was fleeting, but unmistakable. Something strange was going on here. Paige might be nauseated and nervous, but she’s no more suicidal than Lisa or Jennie.
When Lisa arrived with drinks, Jennie jogged over to the passenger side and opened the door for her. As she went back around the car she glanced at the license plate and stopped dead. The last two numbers were zeros. The same as those on the car in the Murrays’ driveway.
Jennie tried to visualize Paige as the stalker, but couldn’t. The person who’d held a gun on her and Lisa had been taller, and Jennie felt certain it was a man. Or at least it had sounded like a man. It could have been Ed. The thought lodged itself in her mind.
Paige hurried toward them. She had that worried look again. Your imagination is running away with you, McGrady. Paige is pregnant. She and Ed are engaged. Their parents are rich—they certainly don’t need the money.
“Jennie,” Paige came up beside her. “Let’s get going. Is something wrong?”
Jennie drew in a deep breath. “No, I’m fine. I was just trying to decide whether or not I wanted some corn chips.”
“I’d rather you didn’t. My folks don’t like me to eat in their car. Anyway, the smell of those things makes me sick.”
Jennie slid under the steering wheel, trying to decide what to do next. Was this the car? She couldn’t be sure. Jennie glanced at Paige in the rearview mirror. “How long have your parents been gone?”
“About a week.”
“So do you let Ed drive it?”
“Yeah. So what?”
Jennie shrugged. “Just wondering.” Ed could have been the guy in the Murray’s driveway that night. And he could have made the threatening call.
She concentrated on snapping on her seat belt, adjusting the mirror, and putting the key in the ignition. A hundred questions tumbled through her mind. Why had Paige lied to get Lisa and her out here? Was Ed in on this too? Or someone else? What could she do about it? Somehow she had to let the police know.
“What are you waiting for?” Paige sounded irritated. “Let’s go.”
“Um…I think I’ll use the rest room while I’m here.”
“I don’t think so.” Paige leaned forward. Jennie felt something cool and hard press into the back of her neck. “Jennie,” Lisa squeaked. “Sh-she’s got a gun!”
“Don’t get any ideas, Jennie. I do know how to use it. Now start driving.”
For a moment Jennie’s mind went blank. She gripped the steering wheel, desperately fighting off the urge to scream. Stay calm, McGrady. Stay calm. You can do this. God, please help me. Jennie twisted the key in the ignition and the motor roared to life. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, put the car in drive, and drove out of the parking lot.
Paige directed her back toward the freeway and told her to head for Cannon Beach. “Where are we going?” Jennie asked.
“Up to the cabin.”
“Cabin?” Lisa and Jennie asked at the same time. “Yeah. My folks have a cabin only an hour from here. It’s in the coast range, on the Elk River—not very far from Cannon Beach. You’ll like it there.” She frowned, then smiled. “I don’t know why I said that. You won’t be able to go to the beach—at least not for a while.”
Jennie eased onto the freeway heading west. “Is that where you’re hiding Allison and Jerry?”
“Just shut up and drive.” Paige’s sharp response and the way she shoved the gun deeper into her neck told Jennie she’d guessed right.
Don’t panic, she told herself. Stay calm and try to keep her talking. “Look Paige, we’re on a freeway here. Do you think you could take the gun out of my neck—it’s getting really hard to concentrate on driving.” Jennie was surprised at the strength in her voice. “I’d hate for us to get killed in a car accident.”
Paige pulled the gun back and positioned herself behind Lisa. “All right. But try anything and Lisa dies.”
Good move. She cast Lisa a look that said I’m sorry. Lisa, eyes big as tennis balls, gripped the armrest and shot back a look of barely controlled panic.
Obviously Lisa wasn’t used to this. Jennie almost laughed at the thought. And you are? Okay, McGrady. Enough. She’s got you, and there’s nothing you can do for now except play along. Or was there? She may not be able to escape at the moment, but she could ask questions.
“Why are you doing this, Paige? I never pegged you as the criminal type.”
“I’m not a criminal.” Paige sounded genuinely surprised.
“Last time I looked, kidnapping was a federal offense. So is threatening a person at gunpoint. Which reminds me. Was it you or Ed that shot at me up at the falls?”
“He didn’t shoot at you—he shot at the log. We just wanted to scare you. It wasn’t his fault you went over the falls.”
“What about the kidnapping? Was that an accident too?”
“I didn’t mean…just shut up, Jennie. I’m not going to talk about it anymore.”
“Okay, just one more question, Paige. Are you really pregnant, or was that just a trick to get Lisa and me to come with you?”
“I-I’m pregnant.”
“How does Ed feel about it?” Jennie asked.
“At first he wanted me to get an abortion, but I told him no way. He’s gotten used to the idea. He wants us to go away and start a new life together…” Paige’s voice trailed off.
Jennie was beginning to get the picture. Ed had instigated the whole thing. He’d promised Paige a marriage and a home. Somehow she couldn’t picture Ed as a devoted husband and father. Paige was holding on to a fairy tale and was willing to do anything to make it come true.
Apparently Lisa had gotten the same message. The fear in her eyes had subsided. She turned in her seat and looked back at Paige. “You really love Ed, don’t you?”
Paige swallowed and blinked back the tears forming in her eyes. “He loves me too.”
Now why didn’t you think of that, McGrady. You were trying to get to her brain. Lisa is getting to her heart.
“You must have been really happy when Allison broke up with him,” Jennie said.
Paige stiffened. “She didn’t. Eddie dumped her. He said Allison lied to him about me. She’d told him I didn’t like him anymore.”
“That’s terrible,” Lisa empathized. “You must have been furious with her.”
Paige nodded. Anger contorted her face, erasing any beauty that had been there. “We both were. We decided she needed to be taught a lesson. When I found out she was getting flowers from Jerry…”
“You knew it was Jerry all along?” Jennie interrupted. “Yeah. He told Eddie what he was going to do.”
“So you sent the dead flowers and made threatening phone calls to scare her.” Jennie’s patience was wearing thin. “You figured the police would suspect Jerry of those too. How could you do something like that?”
Lisa cleared her throat. “Don’t mind Jennie. She doesn’t understand what it’s like to really be in love with someone.” When Paige didn’t answer, Lisa continued. “It must be scary being pregnant and getting married.”
“You know what would scare me?” Jennie glanced back at Paige. “I’d be afraid Ed would run off with the money and leave me to face charges of kidnapping.”
“Eddie wouldn’t do that!” Paige shouted.
“I bet he’s got the ransom money and is buying a ticket to Mexico right now.”
“Well, you’re wrong. He’s meeting me at the cabin. When we’ve gotten away we’ll call the police and tell them where you are.”
“I don’t think he’ll show up. And even if he did, he’d find a way to get rid of you. Ed’s not about to settle down…”
“Shut up!” Paige screamed. “I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to turn me against him. Well, it won’t work.”
Maybe not now, but the seed is planted. Jennie tucked the knowledge away. As she drove in silence, Jennie mentally kicked herself. Why hadn’t she seen it before? She’d suspected Paige and Ed, but only briefly. It didn’t make sense to stalk and kidnap someone over a few dates. Jennie couldn’t imagine anyone being so vindictive. She tried to imagine how she’d feel if Ryan dumped her for another girl. She’d be upset, hurt, but she couldn’t see herself being angry enough to commit a crime.
Paige and Ed had to be stupid—or desperate to go this far. And you weren’t too bright either, McGrady. You should have known the minute you saw her gray car pull up. You shouldn’t have gone. Jennie silenced the accusing voices. It wouldn’t help to keep bemoaning the fact that she’d messed up. As Gram would say, “There’s no use kicking a dead horse.” It was too late to change the past. All she could do now was look for a way out. Maybe at the cabin. Jennie felt certain Allison and Jerry would already be there, and maybe between the four of them they could stop Ed and Paige.
Forty minutes later, Paige motioned them off the main road and onto a narrow, winding driveway. Serenity Lane, the sign read. Jennie almost laughed at the irony of it. Jennie felt about as serene as a thunderstorm.
The cabin sat in a cleared area at the end of the drive. “Looks like Ed’s not here,” Jennie said as she stepped out of the car.
“He will be.” With the gun still trained on Lisa, Paige motioned them inside. The cabin had a damp, woodsy smell. Smoothly finished logs lined the interior. A stone fireplace covered one wall, and across from it, an open stairway led to a loft.
“Nice house,” Jennie said absently, dropping back so she could slip between Lisa and Paige. If she could distract Paige somehow, maybe she could knock the gun out of her hand.
Jennie looked up at the loft. “Is that where you’re hiding Allison and Jerry?”
Paige glanced up for an instant. Jennie slammed a fist down on Paige’s wrist and sent the gun skidding across the floor. She grabbed Paige’s forearm, spun her around, and held it taut behind her back.
“Ow, let me go!”
“Lisa, get the gun.” Lisa didn’t move. Her gaze was fixed at the top of the stairs. “I-I d-don’t think that would be a very good idea, Jennie,” Lisa stammered.
“Smart girl.” Ed leaned over the railing, a gun casually hanging from his hand. He raised his arm and pointed it at Jennie. “Let her go.”