CHAPTER TWELVE

 

Deputy Wheeler did as he said and stayed out of sight. He was so quiet Rachel almost forgot he was there. With every hour that passed waiting for the phone to ring, Rachel became more nervous. She was pacing the parlor floor when Barbara came in and said, “Rachel, honey, you’re going to wear a hole in that carpet. Why don’t you find something to occupy yourself? Go in the study and work on the books, or something. You can hear the phone ring in there.”

Agreeing with Barbara, Charlie said, “I’ll come find you Ms. Collier, if the phone rings.”

“Okay, but I’ll just be in the study,” she replied. Walking across the foyer and into the study, Rachel decided to leave the doors open so she wouldn’t miss the phone ringing.

Standing at the window looking outside she realized it had gotten dark. There was no moon out tonight, and with the porch light off she couldn’t see anything. Moving to the desk on the other side of the room she sat down and looked for something to do. She had the records all up to date, but she booted the computer up anyway. Once it was on, she started exploring some of Darlyn’s folders that she had not looked at before now.

Opening the folder marked miscellaneous, Rachel again read through the daily activities that were recorded here. Scrolling through them, she found a sub-folder that she had not seen before. Curious, she opened it. Not understanding it at first, she kept studying it. After a few minutes she realized it was a formula of some kind. There were no notes or worksheets with the formula to help her analyze it further. Getting frustrated with it, she gave up and closed the folder.

Shutting down the computer, she sat there and looked around the room. Now what can I do, she thought. Crossing her legs, she bumped her knee on the desk drawer. Pulling the drawer out, she started looking through it. She found only the usual desk supply stuff in this drawer. Reaching into the very back of the drawer and pulling everything forward, she sorted through the pens, paper clips and other odds and ends that had shifted to the back. Along with the odds and ends was a small brass key. Not sure what it went to she put it back in the drawer and closed it. Next she pulled out the bottom drawer on the right side of the desk and started going through the folders. Most of these were hardcopy duplicates of what was in the computer. Reaching the miscellaneous file, she took it out and placed it on top of the desk. Starting at the beginning of the file, she found newspaper clippings and copies of letters to different people.

* * * * *

Now that it was dark enough and she knew Rachel was occupied in the study, Barbara quietly went down the back stairs and out the back door. She had told Deputy Wheeler where she was going so they wouldn’t ask any questions. Charlie had promised to let Dora know when he went outside to make his rounds, so Dora could keep an eye on Rachel. Earlier that evening Barbara had pulled her car around to the back of the house, facing the lane. Rachel would not be able to hear the car start if she was in the study. Slowly and without headlights, Barbara started up the lane. Once she reached the highway, she turned the headlights on. Praying for her daughter’s safety, Barbara drove toward Evergreen down Highway 31. Several miles before town, she turned off the highway and onto a dirt road. Driving carefully down the long, twisting dirt road she finally came to her destination. By the number of vehicles parked outside the cabin, she knew she was the last to arrive. Getting out of the car and going to the cabin, she didn’t knock on the door; instead she just walked on in. Several men and a woman were in the room standing around a table looking at a map of the area.

As Barbara squeezed around the table with the others, Jake said, “Good. Now that everyone is here, we can get started. I don’t think the kidnappers have taken Ms. Collier very far. With that in mind, I have marked every abandoned cabin or old trailer I can think of. We’ll divide the area into sections and search each of these places. Does everyone have a radio?” Looking around to make sure everyone did, he continued, “Okay, I want you to report anything that looks remotely unusual.” Looking up at one of the other men he asked, “Are your people ready to move?”

“Yes, they’re in place.”

“Good. We’ll use this cabin as our base. Everything should be reported back here. Does anyone have any questions?” When no one answered, he looked at Barbara and said, “Ms. Barbara, I know how anxious you are for us to find Ms. Collier. I promise, we’ll do everything in our power to find her.”

“I know you will,” she responded. Going to a chair she sat down while they finished making their plans.

* * * * *

Taking the folder to the couch, Rachel sat down and started reading from the beginning. Things were starting to make sense to her now. The first newspaper clipping was about a local farm going out of business. The woman selling the farm was not available for comment. The second clipping was about an accident on another farm several months later, killing the owner, and the farm being auctioned off. The next object in the folder was a list of ingredients for something. Setting that paper to the side she continued looking through the folder.

So engrossed in what she was doing, Rachel did not hear Charlie as he went out the back door to make his rounds. He had promised the sheriff that he would check on things at the chicken house to make sure nothing was wrong. While he was outside he decided to stop for a smoke as well. Standing at the side of the lane leading to the chicken house he pulled out his lighter. Just before he lit it, he saw two figures creeping toward him. Dropping the lighter, Charlie reached for his gun. One of the figures jumped him before he could aim. Fighting over the gun, he did not see the other figure come at him from behind. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his ribs as a knife was plunged into him. As the deputy fell to the ground, one of the men caught him and dragged him to the underbrush, leaving him there to die. The last thing Charlie remembered seeing was the dark shadows of the men as they started for the house. He never saw the other two figures approach from the trees.

* * * * *

Angry that Rachel had involved the police, the boss and the other man stopped at the back of the house. Looking around the boss said, “I don’t think there are any more cops around, but just in case there are, I want you to stay out here and take care of them.” Snidely, he asked, “Do you think you can handle that?” Not waiting for an answer the boss walked stealthily to the back door of the house. Finding the back door unlocked he crept inside.

* * * * *

Beginning to understand everything she was reading, Rachel settled back on the couch, stretching out her legs. Her back was to the door so she didn’t see the man as he came into the room and silently slid the doors closed. Feeling the presence of someone watching her, Rachel sat up and looked behind her, the contents of the folder falling unnoticed to the floor. Standing before her was a man dressed all in black with a mask over his head, pointing a pistol at her. Her hands flying to her mouth in fright, she started to scream for help, but only a squeak came out. How did he get in here, she thought. Where was the deputy? Had he hurt her grandmother and Dora?

Laughing at her, the man said, “Well now, what do we have here?”

Finding her voice Rachel whispered, “Who are you? What do you want?”

“Who I am doesn’t matter. What I want does.” Stepping closer to Rachel, he again laughed as she stepped backward, away from him. Never taking his eyes off of her, the man bent down and retrieved the folder and papers from the floor.

“Well, this is just what I was looking for. Thanks for saving me the trouble of looking for it. Your aunt was a big pain in my side; she thought she was so smart. But I took care of her, just like I’m going to take care of you.” Before she could stop him, he grabbed her by the arm and took her to the desk. Pushing her roughly into the chair, he pulled a packet of papers from under his shirt and placed them on the desk. Unfolding the papers he handed her a pen and said, “Now sign this.”

“What is it?” she asked, stalling for time.

Waving the gun in front of her face he said, “You’re so smart, I think you can figure out what it is.”

Reluctantly she took the pen from him, and skimmed the paper with her eyes. The paper he wanted her to sign was a bill of sale for the farm. Forgetting her fear and letting the anger that was built up inside of her take over, she threw the pen at his face, screaming, “I won’t sign this paper, and you can’t make me!”

Snarling at her the man said, “You’re forgetting something aren’t you, Ms. Collier? You do want to see your mother again, don’t you?”

Horror and fear for her mother’s life made Rachel rethink the situation. There was still no sign of the deputy, her grandmother or Dora. “You wouldn’t harm her, would you?”

Knowing he had her where he wanted her, he leaned over her and answered, “I will if you don’t sign these papers.”

A plan forming in her mind, Rachel said, “I won’t sign this until I see for myself that my mother is all right. Take me to her, and then I’ll sign them.” If she could get to Sherry, maybe the two of them could escape together. If not, then at least she would know that her grandmother was safe with the man out of the house. The man’s cold, calculating eyes looking at her from behind the mask made Rachel shiver in fear. She could tell he was thinking about what she had said.

“Okay, if that’s what you want.” Taking her by the arm, again he manhandled her. Dragging her out from behind the desk and pushing her toward the doors, he said, “Don’t try anything stupid or you won’t see your mother or anyone else. Do you understand?” Feeling the pistol in her back, she nodded her head yes and started for the door.

Just before Rachel opened the door, they heard a gunshot outside. Her eyes wide with fear, she looked back at the man. Anger flashed from his eyes as he said, “Well, looks like we have company. Come on!” Sliding only one of the doors open, Rachel stepped out of the room and into the darkened foyer. Hesitating for only a moment, she felt the gun in her back forcing her to go on.

* * * * *

Deputy Wheeler had never come back from his rounds and Dora was worried that something had happened to him. Standing outside the study doors, Dora had heard everything that was said between Rachel and the intruder. She had to do something to help her. Quietly, Dora went into the parlor and took a log from the stack of firewood by the fireplace. Taking the log into the foyer she hid beside the study doors and waited. Timing was critical to what Dora had planned. As Rachel stepped into the foyer, Dora stuck out her foot and tripped her.

Stumbling, Rachel fell on the floor, never seeing what caused her to trip. The swish of something flying through the air over her head made her look back at the man. With Rachel watching in astonishment, Dora swung the log with all her strength at the man’s face. The sound of bones cracking could be heard as the log smashed into him, rendering him unconscious. Falling forward, the man landed on top of Rachel, knocking the breath out of her.

Throwing the log aside, Dora helped Rachel out from under the man. “Are you all right, Ms. Rachel?” she asked, as they stood up.

Hugging Dora tightly, she said, “Yes, thank you, I’m fine.”

Suddenly, the front door crashed open. Standing in the doorway with guns drawn was Jake and several of his deputies. The excitement and stress of everything she had gone through in the last hours pressed down on Rachel, and she felt she couldn’t take any more. The vision she thought she saw behind Jake was too much, and she fainted at Dora’s feet. Rushing to Rachel’s side, Jake picked her up and carried her to the parlor. Leaving her on the couch, he came back to the foyer. Kneeling beside the intruder, he pulled the mask off the man’s face. Blood was congealing around his nose and mouth, but they could still recognize him. “Is he dead?” asked the woman standing beside him.

Recognizing the intruder, Jake said to the woman, “No, he’s alive. You were right all along.”

“He’s still not the one I want,” she said.

Motioning for his men to take the man into custody, he continued, “Why don’t you and Ms. Barbara go check on Rachel, while my men and I clean up this mess.”

“Of course. She’s going to have a lot of questions when she wakes up.” Following Barbara and Dora, she went into the parlor with them. Dora turned on a lamp, while Barbara sat down on the love seat and waited for Rachel to wake up.

Unable to contain her fears any longer, Barbara asked, “Do you think Sherry is still alive?”

Standing above her, the woman tried to reassure her, saying, “I’m sure she is. The police are on their way to get her as we speak. We both heard what the policemen told Jake over the radio. The man they captured outside told them where she is.”

“Yes, you’re right, I’m just being my usual worrisome self. Thankfully this is almost over with.”

Interrupting, Dora asked, “Can I get you anything, Ms. Barbara?”

Taking Dora’s hand and squeezing it, Barbara answered, “Yes, you can pour me a brandy. Then, I guess, you’ll need to put some coffee on to brew. Looks like we will be up most of the night talking to Rachel and Sherry. We have a lot of explaining to do, don’t we, Darlyn?”

“Yes, Mother, we do,” she answered, taking a seat next to Barbara.

* * * * *

Regaining consciousness, Rachel could hear voices around her, and she instinctively opened her eyes and tried to sit up. Looking at Darlyn, she whispered, “You’re not dead?”

“No, Rachel, I’m alive and well.” Continuing, Darlyn said, “Now I’m sure you have a thousand questions, but if you don’t mind, let’s wait until your mother gets here. Okay?”

Rachel started to protest; however, Jake walked into the room, followed by a deputy. The deputy was escorting a prisoner. “Darlyn, is this the person who tried to kill you?”

“Yes, that’s the man, Jake. Who is he?”

This time Rachel spoke up saying, “What do you mean, who is he? That’s Guy Hicks, the gardener you hired.”

Astonished, Darlyn looked at Rachel and said, “Rachel, you know I’ve never had a gardener. Where did you get that idea?”

“From Ollie; he said you hired him.”

Jake interrupted the women saying, “Guy, why would Ollie say Mrs. MacKinstry hired you?”

Staring at the floor, Guy answered, “‘Cause, the boss told me to tell him that.” Raising his eyes to meet Jake’s, he added, “I ain’t saying nothing else. So don’t ask me no more questions.”

“That’s all I needed to know for now. Sammy, you can take the prisoner away now. I’ll be in later to question him further. Oh, Sammy, how is Charlie doing?”

“He’s stable sir, and on his way to the hospital as we speak.”

No one said anything else until the deputy had left with Guy. Rachel had started to get her senses back, and along with them a strong feeling of anger took over. Exploding in an emotional outburst, she cried, “Someone better start talking! What’s going on? Guy wasn’t the man in the study. Who was that? Was it the boss that Guy referred to? And what happened to Deputy Wheeler?”

Jake answered Rachel, saying, “He was stabbed while making his rounds. We had others stationed outside who found him and called us. That’s how we got here so fast.”

Speaking up for the first time, Barbara said, “Rachel, calm down this minute. We will explain everything to you in good time, but not until your mother gets here.”

Taking Jake by the arm, Rachel asked, “Is my mother really okay? They didn’t hurt her did they?” In answer to her questions, Sherry walked into the room followed by Oscar. The bruise on Sherry’s face where she had been punched hours earlier was starting to turn colors and swell, but that was the only sign of injury that Rachel could see. Rushing into Sherry’s arms, Rachel hugged her as tight as she could saying, “Mama, are you really all right? God, I was so worried.”

Patting Rachel on the back, Sherry said, “Yes, baby, I’m fine, thanks to Oscar and his people.”

Standing back and looking at Oscar, Rachel replied, “You mean his workers helped find you?”

“No, honey, I mean his agents.”

Totally confused, Rachel sat back down on the couch and said, “I don’t care who starts, but somebody better tell me what’s been going on.”

Sitting next to Rachel on the couch, Sherry added, “Yeah, I’d like to know how my sister raised up from the dead too!”

“I guess I will explain since it all started with me, if that’s all right with everyone.” Everyone seemed to be in agreement that Darlyn should explain everything to Rachel and Sherry.

“About a year ago, I started having a drop in my egg production. Each month it got a little worse. I started monitoring everything from the temperature in the coops to the amount of water and feed they consumed. Nothing was out of the ordinary. I could find no reason for my hens to stop laying as many eggs as they had in the past. Then other things started to happen. I caught someone breaking into the house one night and I took a shot at him. I thought I had hit him, but I couldn’t be sure.

“It was about that time I started reading in the newspaper about other farms in the area. For one reason or another they were going out of business. I tried contacting some of the owners to see if any of them had experienced anything similar to what my farm was going through. The first person I contacted would not respond, so I tried another. The owner of the second farm had been killed in a freak accident, so I tried the third one on my list. The owner called me one night and warned me to be careful, and that she would be sending me something in the mail. It arrived, just as she promised, a few days later. At first I couldn’t make heads or tails out of what it was supposed to be. Then a couple of days later it suddenly came to me. What the woman sent me was a list of ingredients in the feed for livestock and poultry. I suspected that Alec was putting something in the feed that was causing the hens egg production to drop. I took a sample of what my hens had been eating and put it aside to send to a friend I have at a laboratory in Birmingham. I thought he might need more than one sample so I started collecting a small bit out of each delivery Alec made.”

“Alec Jamison! He was the person behind all this?” asked Rachel.

“That’s right. That’s who was in the study with you. He was the mastermind behind all this. Anyway, the last time I took a sample, Alec caught me. I’m still not sure what tipped him off, but I was sure he suspected that I was on to him. He came back into the chicken house after I thought he had left. He said he wanted to talk to Ollie about something; never did say what. I didn’t want him to see what I was up too, so I got rid of him as quick as I could. Something told me I needed to get what samples I had and send them off that day, and I did just that. I told Ollie I had a doctor’s appointment and needed to leave early that day, then I drove straight to town and sent the samples to my friend.

“That night I saw a light at the chicken house. Since I hadn’t been there when Ollie locked up for the night, I thought he had left a light on. It was a trap. That man, Guy, was waiting for me. I managed to get out of the chicken house and climb one of the silos. He saw me and followed me up the ladder. I tried to get the door open and push him into the silo, but he overpowered me and started to choke me. When I struggled to get out of his grip, my foot slipped and I fell. The next thing I remember was coming to in the mortuary.” Walking to the bar she poured herself a drink and said, “Jake, you take over from there.”

“All right,” he said. “We got a call from Ollie about four-thirty that morning, saying that Darlyn was dead. He was so distraught we couldn’t understand what happened. My deputies and I got here as soon as we could. When we arrived, Ollie was sitting in his truck in shock. We found Darlyn still on the ground where she fell; no one else was around. I sent my deputies to look after Ollie and called Mr. Lynch, the coroner. After that I went back to cover her up with my jacket. That’s when I realized she wasn’t dead; she was unconscious. Some of her ribs were broken, along with her arm. We found out later that a rib had punctured one of her lungs causing her breathing to be so shallow Ollie thought she was dead. I sent Ollie back to town and waited for Mr. Lynch. Darlyn started coming to just as he got here. She tried to fight us at first, then when she realized who we were, she told us what happened. She needed a doctor’s care and I needed to keep her safe. That’s when Mr. Lynch and I came up with the plan to hide her away and let everyone think she was dead. That way I could carry out my investigation without anyone knowing what we suspected. Mr. Lynch got Doc Lowery to come to the mortuary and together they reset her arm. Her lung was another matter. Doc Lowery admitted her to the retirement home in town and was able to look after her. When she had recovered enough we needed another place to hide her, so she’s been staying at my Uncle Russell’s cabin ever since.” Looking at Rachel, he added, “He’s the one that took Darlyn to the hospital when you got hurt. You weren’t hallucinating that night.”

Darlyn broke into the conversation saying, “Russell also brought me to the house that second night you were here. You almost caught me when you came down to the study. I was running the Berkley Program and didn’t know the volume was turned up loud enough to be heard upstairs. I barely made it outside before you came down.”

Snapping at them, with fire flashing in her eyes, Rachel said, “I’m glad you all got a kick out of making me think I was losing my mind! I think it was inexcusable for you to cause all of us so much worry and grief, telling us Aunt Darlyn was dead!” Turning her anger toward Jake she continued, “How could you be so heartless? Didn’t you think of what you were putting my grandmother and mother through?”

Jake snapped right back at her, “Yes, I did! That’s why I called your grandmother that very night. She agreed to keep Darlyn’s secret!”

Gasping in shock at Barbara, Rachel asked, “Is that true? Grandmother, did you know all along that Darlyn was alive?”

Defiantly looking at Rachel, Barbara answered, “Yes. I thought it was the best thing to do at the time. And I still do.”

Sherry spoke up before Rachel could get into an argument with Barbara, saying, “I still don’t understand how Oscar became involved.”

“Well, then, let me explain from here,” he replied. “Rachel, first you have to know that I’m a retired ABI agent. My former superior with the agency called and said he was sending a couple of agents into my hometown to investigate a report of land fraud. When Ms. Darlyn was reported dead, I went to Jake and told him about our case. I asked to see the coroner’s report and he had to tell me what really happened. We suspected that your farm was the next one on the list to be bought out by a dummy corporation, so we worked out a plan that would solve both cases. That’s why I insisted on sending some of my workers over to help you out.”

Shaking her head in disbelief, Rachel asked, “You mean Maria and Juan are ABI agents?”

“That’s right…two of the best I’ve ever seen.”

“Go ahead, Oscar, tell us the rest of it,” said Sherry.

“After Maria and Juan got settled in here, they had a chance to snoop around. Yesterday, Rachel, when you went for a walk in the woods, Juan was right behind you. You never saw him did you?” Seeing Rachel shake her head, no, he continued. “They have been keeping an eye on the farm night and day. They were the ones who found Deputy Wheeler and called us. Anyway, we never expected your mother to get kidnapped; that was my screw up. I was late for our date. Sherry, I promise I’ll never be late for anything again.”

A knock at the parlor doors made everyone turn in that direction. Dora walked in pushing a cart. “You people still hashing this mess out?”

“No, Dora, we’re just finishing,” said Barbara.

“Well, then, I guess ya’ll are ready for some coffee and cake.”

Laughing, everyone agreed that they were indeed ready for some. Holding her cup in the air Darlyn said, “To Dora, the woman of the hour. Without you, Alec might have gotten way with his plans tonight.”

Showing the biggest smile Rachel had ever seen on her face, Dora said, “Like you always say, Ms. Darlyn, Hens Rule! I wasn’t about to let that ol’ rooster get away with nothing!”

Her emotions still churning, Rachel slipped from the room. She needed some fresh air and to calm down before she could celebrate. She was thankful that Darlyn was not really dead, but her pride was hurt thinking that her family would keep something this important from her. Leaning against the railing on the front porch, she wondered if her grandmother would ever think of her as an adult and treat her like one. She heard the front door close but did not turn to see who had followed her outside. A warm hand touched her back and she knew immediately that it was Jake. The heat radiating from his body caused her body to respond to his touch.

Jake had been unsure of how Rachel would respond to his caress after the way she yelled at him a short time ago. But he knew he had to make things right between them. He had done some heavy thinking the last two days and realized that he loved Rachel. At first he’d tried to deny it, but the more time he spent away from her the more he knew he had to have her in his life. Sighing softly, he whispered in her ear, “Rachel, I’m sorry. I know you’re mad and you have every right to be. I would be if the situation were reversed. Please don’t hate me.”

Slowly turning into his arms, Rachel said, “Oh, Jake I could never hate you. Don’t you know? I love you! That’s why it hurt so bad that you didn’t confide in me.”

Jake’s pulse raced when he heard her say she loved him. Pulling Rachel into his arms Jake said, “I love you too.” With an emotional kiss they both released all the fears and doubt they had for one another and let their love and respect shine through.

Rachel was the first to pull away. A smile radiating from her face, she looked at him and said, “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Laughing he said, “Where do you have in mind going?’

“How about that war zone you call a house.”

“All right, but tell me something first.”

“I told you I love you. What else do you need to know?”

“What was all that ‘Hens Rule’ business about?”

This time it was Rachel’s turn to laugh. Smiling coyly at Jake, she said, “Oh, I think you’ll figure it out eventually.”