Angie carried Holly’s baby gift and the tote bag holding the door prizes into the fellowship hall of St. Stephen’s. Good grief—they must be expecting half the town, she thought as she took in table with the huge sheet cake decorated with pink storks and icing balloons with “Welcome to the world, Courtney Adamcik!” emblazoned in bold pink letters. Another table was covered with generous platters of mouth-watering hors d’oeuvres.
Jimmy Adamcik and Jack Briscoe were across the room setting up folding chairs, and Caroline Briscoe and Misty Martinez, who had been in the shop just this morning, were putting a tablecloth on yet another table. Angie spotted Cathy coming out of the kitchen with a white-coated chef on crutches trailing after her.
“Honestly, Armando, the bacon wraps are delicious,” Cathy said impatiently. She spotted Angie and motioned her over. “Angie, this is Armando. Armando, Angie.” She pointed to chicken and bacon and jalapeno pepper appetizers on toothpicks. “Try one and tell Mr. Perfection here that he didn’t get them overdone.”
“Glad to meet you, Armando,” Angie said. She put the gift and the game prizes down and snagged one of the appetizers in question. The flavor of smoky bacon and jalapeno hit her appreciative taste buds. “God, that’s good,” she said as the flavors continued to mingle in her mouth. “Relax, Armando, they’re just right.”
The anxious-looking chef relaxed visibly. “I just want them to be perfect for Holly,” he said as he glanced over at the guest of honor, dressed in a summery maternity sundress and smiling like the happiest woman on earth. “She’s done so much for me.”
Cathy nodded. “For all of us. Angie, are those the door prizes?” She picked up Angie’s bag and sneaked a peek. “How lovely. How can we thank you?”
She pointed at the tray of appetizers. “Let me be first in line in front of those.”
Angie volunteered to help and pretty soon she was setting out paper goods and helping Cathy mix the punch. At the appointed hour the fellowship hall filled with what did seem like half of Verde, men and women alike, as everyone from Holly’s support group to the Regional High School faculty, to the citizens of Heaven’s Point crowded into the hall.
And there were plenty of guests from out of town, also. Angie hadn’t spotted Russ yet but he was planning to attend and Angie seriously doubted that he would disappoint his sister. Angie wondered if attending baby showers bothered him or if he was able to take them in stride. They didn’t bother Angie, in part because she was always so genuinely happy for the parents-to-be but mostly because she knew that when it was her turn she, too, would be given a party.
That is, if she ever could afford an adoption, she thought ruefully as she waved and made a face for Jason Donahue’s video camera. Right now she was more worried about making her house payment and putting food on the table. Even though it had been almost three weeks since Maizie’s shooting and there had been no more baskets since, business continued to be sparse.
Russ had pursued every lead and still had no idea who was behind the baskets. He’d even driven back to Huntsville for a third interview with Buck, he told her last night over dinner. But Buck, whose health had deteriorated even further since Russ’s last interview with him, still refused to give up the name of the woman he was seeing at the time of the arrest, and until Buck gave up her name or another basket was delivered, Russ was at an impasse.
And what would they do if Buck died before he could be persuaded to talk?
She and Russ had yet to have the discussion they’d promised one another. In the two weeks since their visit to the winery they had come out openly as a couple. They had gone out several times and enjoyed a weekend in San Antonio that could truthfully be described as smoking, but they had yet to broach the subject that sat like the proverbial elephant on the sofa—the strong feelings they had for one another and where those feelings were going to take them.
She was definitely thinking of Russ as a potential husband. Was he thinking of her as a lifelong partner? Could he see himself giving up his playboy lifestyle or was he simply too entrenched in his wild ways to ever change?
Caroline and Misty welcomed everyone and encouraged them to help themselves to the food and find a place to sit to watch Holly open her gifts. As she filled a plate, Angie spotted Russ coming through the door and smiled and winked at him across the room. He met her eyes with a glance, brief but smoldering, and gave her a jaunty wave before making a beeline for his mother and father.
“My, my, is it my imagination or did Russ Riley just eat you with his eyes?” Roxanne Pruett said in Angie’s ear. She looked from Angie to Russ and back to Angie. “Ah, well, I wondered why he never called me back. Seems the boy’s attention was elsewhere.”
“We’re dating,” Angie confirmed. “Nothing serious.”
Roxanne’s smile faded a notch. “It’s better not to do serious,” she said. An odd expression flitted across Roxanne’s face before her mischievous smile returned. “Anyway, have fun with Lothario there.”
“Uh, I will,” Angie said, her blush deepening when Roxanne giggled wickedly.
Since Russ was sitting with his mother and father, Angie found a chair beside Lisa. Cathy and Caroline showed Holly to a seat where she could be seen by everyone and the opening of the gifts began.
And lovely gifts they were. Receiving blankets and baby gowns and ruffled onesies and baby booties and tiny socks and bedding for the crib. There were bath towels and baby bowls and spoons and baby bottles and more than one thoughtful but practical person brought big boxes of disposable diapers.
Nadine and Dell’s big package contained a fancy high chair, the Regional faculty had gone in together to buy a lovely folding baby carriage, and Russ had gone in with Emily and Jason to get the necessary portable crib/playpen.
Ben and Patsy presented a gift certificate for the crib and matching dresser, and Beatrice Harrington handed over a savings account passbook that had Jimmy’s eyes running out on stalks. Janelle gave them not one but two car seats, one for each of their cars, and the three hostesses, Caroline, Misty, and Cathy, went in together and paid for the first month of childcare.
It took the better part of an hour for Holly to unwrap all the gifts and there were only a few packages left when Misty handed Holly the gift box from Ida Puckett. Holly carefully opened the box and her eyes widened as she stared down at the most beautiful christening gown Angie had ever seen. The little gown was long and white and exquisitely trimmed in hand-crocheted pink lace with tiny rosebuds. A matching lace cap and similarly lace-lined and embroidered receiving blanket completed the set. With trembling fingers Holly picked up the little gown and held it up in front of her. “Ida, this is the most beautiful christening gown I have ever seen,” she breathed. “You made this, didn’t you?”
Ida nodded. Jimmy looked almost stunned and Carrie climbed out of her chair so she could see the gown more closely. “I have one like this,” she said. “Daddy has a picture of me in it on his dresser. He told me that the dress was very special, didn’t you, Daddy?”
“Yes, I did, honeybun,” Jimmy said. “I said your Grandma Puckett made it special for you because you’re her granddaughter.”
Holly’s eyes widened as she looked over at Ida. “I wanted Courtney to have her own,” Ida said a little diffidently. “The pattern’s been in the family for five generations. All the Puckett grandchildren get one.”
Good for you, Ida, Angie thought as Holly’s eyes glistened a little and her smile went megawatt. “And this Puckett grandbaby will be absolutely beautiful in hers,” Holly said as she beamed at Ida. “Thank you, Ida. Thank you so very much.”
*****
“I guess wonders will never cease,” Holly said quietly as Ida Puckett disappeared into the hot August sunlight.
The party had broken up for the most part, with most of the townspeople gone and the hostesses, with a little help from Angie, Lisa, Emily, and Patsy Riley, putting away the extra food and clearing off the tables.
Russ, Jack Briscoe, and Jason Donahue were loading the gifts into Jimmy’s Navigator and Angie’s van while Jimmy and Beatrice Harrington helped Holly put the right gift cards with the huge pile of opened gift boxes.
“First Mom and Dad manage to be civil for thirty minutes onstage together at my wedding, then Dad and Russ start speaking to one another without snarling, and now Ida Puckett wants to be a grandmother to Courtney.” Holly’s eyes danced wickedly, and she made a production of fanning herself. “I don’t know what to think.”
“I think we don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” Jimmy said. “I’m just grateful she doesn’t plan to spend the next twenty years making Courtney feel left out.”
“Oh, I don’t think she would have done that,” Angie said as the rest of the cleanup group joined them. “She’s a good person. All she needed was a little nudge.”
Cathy laughed and elbowed Angie. “Come on, Angie, be honest. Was it a nudge or a shove?”
“What kind of nudge did you give her?” Holly asked curiously. “Did you use a bulldozer?”
Angie laughed. “It didn’t take a bulldozer. I just reminded her that the Hightowers and Rileys were certainly making Carrie their own and that love is more important than blood.”
“Well, you must have made your point,” Misty observed.
“If I was all that effective at making that point I would have convinced Molly Baxter of a few home truths a long time ago. She still trots out her ‘blood is everything’ song and dance on a regular basis,” Angie replied.
“Speaking of Mrs. Baxter, where was she this afternoon?” Cathy asked.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” Caroline said. “She called me yesterday afternoon to tell me she couldn’t make it after all. Something about having to go to Huntsville to see Buck.”
“I hope she and Buck have a nice visit,” Angie said irritably. “Maybe he’ll talk to her.”
“Talk to her about what?” Cathy asked.
“The bastard knows something crucial to the case but he won’t give it up,” Russ said sharply. “Three damn trips to Huntsville and he won’t tell me.”
He picked up another load of gifts and stalked out the door.
“Ouch. Looks like he’s taking it personally,” Misty said.
“I guess we both are,” Angie said. “If we don’t get a break in the case soon, my business is going to go under. As it is, I can’t give Wade the money I planned to for his tuition. It’s too late to apply for more student loans and we’re both sweating blood. But enough about me. Misty, are you serving as Jimmy’s campaign manager again?”
“Sure am,” Misty said. As they cleaned up Misty filled everyone in on the campaign she and Jimmy were planning.
Finally the food was packed up and the cars loaded and the fellowship hall returned to its normal state. Caroline and Misty handed everyone sacks of leftovers for their dinners and Angie wished everyone a good evening. She was heading out the door to take Holly’s gifts back to the Point when Beatrice Harrington took her by the elbow. “Could I have a moment of your time?” she asked Angie quietly.
“Sure.” Beatrice pointed to Patsy Riley’s Lexus where Patsy and Ben were waiting for her. Together they walked across the parking lot, and as Beatrice opened the car door she pressed something into Angie’s hand. “Pay me back when you can,” she said quietly. “Which will be soon, I predict. Russ will have this mess with your baskets solved in no time.” She slid in Patsy’s car and winked at Angie as she pulled shut the door.
Angie looked down and gasped. Beatrice Harrington had written a check for exactly the amount of money she needed to give Wade. Tears of gratitude and relief blurred her eyes and she stood there wordlessly as the Lexus left the parking lot. She swiped the tears from her cheeks and was still staring at the check when she felt Russ’s arm go around her.
“Grandma appreciated the little nudge you gave Ida Puckett,” he said quietly. “Just her way of saying thank you.”
Angie nodded. “Quite a thank you. God bless her.”
Russ headed for home to change into his uniform and go to work. Emily and Jason were meeting Wade and Benny for dinner at the café, and Misty was heading out to Jack and Caroline’s for dinner before going back to Austin.
Angie, along with Jimmy and Holly, headed back to Heaven’s Point to unload gifts. Laughing, talking, their guards down, nobody noticed anything untoward.
*****
“Aw, come on, Russ. I haven’t had all that much to drink,” Otis Hibler wheedled thickly as Russ motioned for him to get out of the car. Damn, he hated arresting this wounded warrior, but Otis was weaving down the road and smelled like a distillery and was a danger to himself and others. “So, whatcha gonna do? Arrest me?”
“Otis, if you’ve had as much to drink as I think you have, I don’t have a choice,” Russ said firmly. “Now, how about you walk a straight line for me?”
Otis walked a few faltering steps before collapsing in a heap on the side of the road. “She left me,” he said as he put his head in his hands and started to cry.
“Who left you?”
“My wife. Fifteen years ago today. She said she wasn’t putting up with a damn nutcase and she left. Took my boy with her. Haven’t seen either of them since.”
Well, hell, Russ thought. “Tell you what, Otis. I’m taking you over to the justice center and you can sleep this off tonight. Holly or someone from the support group can drive you home in the morning.” Russ drove Otis to the justice center and had just finished putting him into an unlocked cell when the night dispatcher waved his arms wildly flagging Russ down.
“Russ, you have to get out to the highway in front of the Briscoe place. There’s a woman beat half to death by the side of the road and one of those damn baskets with her. A passing motorist called it in. Denton and two other deputies are already on their way and I’ve already called for the Lifelift chopper.”
“Call Caroline Briscoe and tell her to get out there but to be damned careful,” Russ snapped. “The perp might still be hanging around.”
Swearing under his breath, Russ hit the lights and siren and tore down the road. Damn, what had happened now? he wondered as two more cruisers, also running hot, fell in behind him. Who was the woman by the side of the road? How badly was she injured? Was this their final play? The last blow that would force Angie out of business and cost her a lifelong dream and her income?
Russ spotted Denton’s cruiser and Caroline Briscoe’s SUV as well as a beat-up old Buick parked along the side of the road about a half-mile down from the entrance to the Briscoe ranch. A white late-model Toyota with the back tires shot out was sitting at an angle a few yards down the highway. He pulled to a stop and directed the other two deputies to put up roadblocks and determine the best place for the chopper to land before he raced across the highway. A college-aged girl stood by the Buick wringing her hands while Caroline and Denton were both crouched over the victim. A cellophane-wrapped basket was sitting to one side. “I tried to help her,” the girl was saying. “I tried to help her but she didn’t respond.”
Russ started to lean down but at that moment Caroline Briscoe turned around with a devastated expression on her face. “It’s Misty,” she said brokenly. “The basket vandals attacked Misty.”
Russ cringed and knelt down beside the brutalized woman. If not for the head of beautiful dark hair and the dress he remembered from the shower, he would have been hard-pressed to recognize Caroline’s best friend. Both of her eyes were blackened, her lip was split in two places and her cheekbone was crushed in. She had a bleeding cut on her forehead and probably more under the thick curtain of hair shielding her scalp. Her arms and legs were bruised and from her wheezing breaths, Russ concluded that at least one rib and probably more were broken. But it was the utter stillness of her body that frightened Russ—that and the look on Caroline’s face that told him just how bad this was.
Russ schooled his expression and turned to Caroline. “Is there any other damage here that isn’t readily apparent?” he asked.
“Other than a possible skull fracture? Probably, but I’m waiting for help to turn her over,” Caroline said as Russ could see her compose herself as he had just done. “For all I can tell at this point her back could be broken and I’d bet she has internal injuries as well. How far out is the chopper?”
“Less than five minutes,” Denton spoke up. “Just came through the earpiece.” Russ could hear the faint sound of chopper blades in the distance. “Where are you going to take her, Doc?” Denton continued. “Austin?”
“Yes. County Memorial Hospital. I’ll ride in with her on the chopper,” Caroline said crisply.
“Caroline, I’ll meet you in Austin,” Russ said. “Denton, you stay and secure the scene until the techies get here and then take that damn basket by Angie’s and see if you can find out anything about it.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Caroline said as she glanced over at the basket. “Misty bought that basket this morning at Angie’s before the shower. It’s…it was for her mother. Misty was taking it back to Austin for her mother’s birthday.”
“So whoever did this to her knew she would have the basket with her,” Russ said. “Caroline, who all knew she had that basket?”
Caroline thought on it for a minute and shook her head. “I…I don’t know,” she said. “I didn’t say anything to anybody and I doubt that Misty did, either. We were too busy with the shower.”
“Okay, then. Who was in the shop when you and Misty were there?”
“I wasn’t with her, Russ. She went by the shop before she got to the ranch. You’ll have to ask Angie.”
“One more question. Did you or Jack hear any gunshots fired after Misty left? Her tires are shot out.”
“We had a television blaring and Ryan was playing on his Wii,” Caroline said over the sound of the incoming chopper. “We wouldn’t have heard World War III.”
With a deafening roar and a cloud of dust the chopper set down on the highway about a hundred yards away. After a swift examination revealed no other broken bones except her ribs, the paramedics loaded Misty into the chopper and spirited her and Caroline into the sky. Russ snapped out clipped orders to the other two deputies to find any boot or tire tracks and make casts of them and asked Denton to finish questioning the witness.
Russ made it to Austin’s County Medical in just over an hour and asked the head nurse to send Caroline out to speak to him when she had a chance or if Misty appeared to be regaining consciousness. He settled into a waiting room chair, got out his cell and scrolled down to a familiar number.
“Angie, who else was in the shop this morning when you sold the gift basket to Misty Martinez?” he demanded without preamble.
“Oh, hell, what happened?” she asked. “They got Misty, didn’t they?”
“Yeah, they got Misty,” Russ said more gently. “I need you to think, Angie. Who else was in the shop this morning besides you and Misty?”
“Nobody,” Angie said. “The shop wasn’t even open yet. Do I need to come in and ID the damned thing? ”
“No, Caroline Briscoe already said it’s the one Misty bought this morning.” Russ thought a minute. “Did Misty say anything to you or anyone that you know of about having dinner with Jack and Caroline this evening?”
“Not a word,” Angie said.
“Okay,” Russ said. “Another question. Did you happen to mention Misty being in your shop or purchasing the basket to anyone at the shower?”
Angie was quiet for a few beats. “No, I didn’t. I’m sure of it, Russ. What did they do to Misty?”
“They beat the hell out of her and she hasn’t regained consciousness. We’re in County Medical in Austin.”
“Oh, my God. Is she going to be all right?”
“God, I hope so. Talk to you later.” He had just hung up when Jack Briscoe and Jimmy Adamcik burst through the doors and headed straight toward him, both men clearly shaken.
“How is she?” Jimmy demanded as he and Jack sat down on either side of Russ.
“Jury’s out,” Russ said, not bothering to sugarcoat it for the men. “She’s been beaten to within an inch of her life.” Russ turned to Jack. “Did you hear any gunshots fired after Misty left your place? Her tires were shot out.”
Jack shook his head. “After Beau-Beau, if I’d heard anything I’d have looked into it.”
At that moment Caroline came through the double doors and handed Jack her telephone. “The boys?” she asked.
“Holly has them,” Jimmy volunteered. “How’s Misty?”
Caroline shook her head. “She has a fracture in her skull, lung and liver injuries from the beating, a number of broken ribs and a probable ruptured spleen. I’m more worried about the fact that she’s still unconscious. Damn it, how did the basket vandals find her, anyway?”
“I don’t know yet,” Russ admitted. “Whoever did this knew Misty had that basket with her. And unless they followed her, they knew she was having dinner at your place. Any idea who might have known those things?”
Caroline thought a minute. “No, I don’t. But she usually does pick up a basket or two at the shop and has dinner with us before she goes back to Austin.”
“So it was someone who knows Misty’s behavior patterns,” Russ said thoughtfully. “Caroline, is there a snowball’s chance in hell Misty will come to this evening? I know she’s in a bad way but if she could tell me something, anything…”
“Let me get Jack started on the telephone calls and I’ll go back and check,” Caroline said. She spent a few minutes telling Jack who he needed to notify and disappeared into the back.
Jack started calling and Jimmy called Holly and Janelle with the update. Russ waited impatiently until Caroline reappeared a few minutes later. “Russ, she’s semi-conscious and mumbling. I don’t know what if anything she can tell you in the shape she’s in but you can have five minutes with her before they take her up to surgery. Five minutes. No more.”
“That’s more than I expected,” Russ sighed with relief. “Thanks.”
He followed Caroline through the double doors past a well-equipped emergency room to a cubicle in the back. Stepping in, he sucked in his breath at his first look at Misty Martinez under the harsh examination lights. Covered only by a thin sheet, the damage that had been done to her was even more apparent. Her face and body were covered in deep purpling bruises and her breathing was labored from the broken ribs. Someone had already cut away huge chunks of her beautiful hair, leaving it clumping where the blood seeped out of the wounds. Russ suspected that the rest of it would be gone if they had to operate.
Misty’s eyes were darting around under her swollen eyelids and she was moaning in pain. Caroline surreptitiously wiped tears from her eyes before she bent over her best friend. “Misty, honey, it’s Caroline,” she said softly. “Can you hear me?”
“Car-line,” Misty said through her split lip. “Wha? Where?”
Caroline took Misty’s hand and held it. “Russ Riley needs to ask you a few questions. Can you answer him?”
Russ stepped up to the side of the bed. “Misty, do you remember anything about what happened to you this evening?” he asked softly.
“Wha? Anchor,” Misty said. “Anchor.”
Russ and Caroline looked at one another. “Anchor? What about an anchor?” Caroline asked softly.
“Anchor,” Misty said again. “Anchor. Eagle. Hur. Hur me.” She looked up at them as her eyes filled with fear. “Hur him. Hur me. Hur me now!”
Russ flinched and Caroline’s eyes filled with tears. “No, he’s not going to hurt you now,” Caroline said soothingly. “You’re safe, Misty.”
“Hur me,” Misty wailed again. “Anchor. Eagle. Hur me!”
Caroline looked at Russ with helpless frustration. “She’s getting agitated,” she said. “I’m sorry she couldn’t help you.”
“That’s hardly her fault.” He lowered his voice. “Did anybody do a rape kit?”
“She wasn’t raped, Russ. Just beaten. And there’s tissue under her fingernails.” Caroline pointed to empty evidence jars waiting for him on the counter. “She fought back.”
“Good for her.” Russ picked up Misty’s fingers and made quick work of collecting the tissue and gave Caroline one of his cards. “I don’t expect we’ll learn anything more tonight. Call me and let me know if she’s up to an interview in the morning.”
So the perps knew where Misty went and what she did when she came to Heaven’s Point, Russ thought as he sped down the deserted highway toward home. This had not been a crime of opportunity. Whoever had committed this heinous act against an innocent woman had known that she would have a gift basket in her car and that she would be out at the Briscoes.
Now all he had to do was figure out exactly who had known those two facts and he would have his monsters.