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Sady tossed and turned that night. The extra bedding didn't hurt, but it didn't help either. At first she thought she was dreaming when she felt something touch her arm. Then she assumed it was a mosquito, so she swatted it.
"Knock it off," someone hissed.
Sady's eyes popped wide open, and she sat up, not even noticing the pain in her back. "Who's in here? And why?"
A pencil-thin beam of light allowed Sady to see Aaron in her bunkhouse. She let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, it's just you. What do you want?" she asked as she lay back on the hard bunk. "Did you lose something? Amanda's not here."
"No kidding," he said sarcastically.
Sady rolled to the side. "What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing that a little late night walk in the woods won't fix. Now get up and put on your shoes," he ordered.
"Go away," she said. "I'll take a walk with you tomorrow." She felt cold metal on her throat and realized something was wrong. Maybe Aaron walked in his sleep. "Aaron, are you okay?"
"No, I'm not, thanks to you and that loud mouth friend of yours. Now get up and put on your shoes. I'm in too deep to let risk it all blowing up just because you got lost."
"How did you get in here, past the cameras?"
"It's new moon and a very black night. I angled a few of the cameras slightly when I was stumbling about earlier. Security doesn't check them for position until a new group arrives. Now quit asking questions and get out of that bed. I'd hate to shoot a pretty woman like you, but I will if I have to," he threatened.
"Okay," Sady said putting her hands in the air. "Just take the gun out of my windpipe and I'll put on my shoes. Where are we going?"
Aaron let out a groan of frustration. "Don't you ever shut up? I'll tell you when you can speak. And if you're inclined to make a scene, I have no qualms about shooting your boyfriend as well. He'll never see it coming, and no one will hear it. He'll just drop."
That got Sady up and moving. She put on her shoes and waited for instructions from Aaron. He motioned her to open the door then took her arm in a surprisingly strong grip. "Walk straight to the fence, then head back into the compound. Those cameras are getting a nice view of the dark sky. Once we're out of range, you'll carry the flashlight. It's not heavy enough to use as a weapon, so don't even think of turning it on me."
Sady did as he demanded. He let go of her arm, but she felt the gun shoved into her back. As they walked, Aaron said, "I bet you didn't know I'm an expert marksman."
Sady sighed. Just what she needed- a madman on an ego trip. "Well, I'll be honest, Aaron. Compared to me, everyone's an expert." That was the wrong thing to say. Instead of calming him, he got angry.
"I can out-shoot everyone in this so-called camp," he snapped. "Just because I let everyone think I'm inept doesn't mean it's a fact. It just means you're all stupid! Like your murder theories..." Sady stopped in surprise, and he gave her a shove. "Yeah, I heard them. I stood right outside the window at your bunkhouse and listened." He gave a wild laugh. "And you are wrong on every single one!" He muttered to himself and laughed about the bodyguard's wife and Seth theory.
"Well, what's wrong with that theory?" Sady asked. "It's plausible."
"I'll tell you what's wrong with that. Your nosy interference will now have the feds back out here looking in places they would never have otherwise discovered. And it won't put the bodyguard behind bars! It will clear him."
Sady took a calming breath and tried not to panic. A crazy Aaron was one thing. A crazy Aaron with a gun- that was scary. A crazy Aaron who was a murderer and had a gun on her? Another deep calming breath. There was only one way Aaron would know any evidence found would clear the bodyguard. Because he killed Seth. Sady, just pretend you broke a heel and have to go onstage, and that witch, Barbara Jean, is tied with you in points. Think smart and move smart. Most of all, don't slip up! There's no time to change shoes before the final walk in front of the judges.
It was a risk, but Sady decided she needed some direction to where this whole thing was headed. Maybe she could formulate a plan if she knew what had Aaron all riled up.
"Uh, Aaron. I don't know what you think I can help you with because this area of the compound doesn't look familiar at all." She kept her voice even and steady, along with her pace.
"You and your friend are the only ones who found the straw bales... other than me. I doubt if Wallie even knows they exist. They're so old, they're brown and they blend in with the landscape. It was the perfect hiding place for the knife... and the shoes. I tried to go back and retrieve them, but I couldn't find the spot!" He sounded panicked and he jammed the gun into her back with more force. "That's why I need you. You have to take me back to the bales so I can retrieve the evidence I hid. Once I get it, I can find a new hiding place, one they've already searched. If they've already looked, they won't check again and I can grab it before I leave and sneak it out of camp and find a new hiding place. Then no one will ever know..."
Sady realized his ramblings didn't come from a sane mind. Any chance of reasoning with him was out of the question. After killing Seth, he wouldn't think twice about killing her. Really, he'd have no choice. But in his current condition he wouldn't even see it as being illogical. A missing woman? He didn't think about that, being hyper-focused on finding the evidence he hid the night he murdered Seth. He hadn’t planned beyond that point and Sady knew that bringing the subject up would tax his already malfunctioning thought process. Her best chance was to keep moving and hope an opportunity for escape presented itself.
Aaron grew impatient, complaining that she led him in circles on purpose to avoid taking him to the straw bales. Sady knew she needed to distract him because she had no idea where the bales were located.
"Is there a particular reason you, uh, removed Representative Mills?" she asked.
"He was cheating the public. He cheated me and my mother out of our tax money. He cheated with other women. He was no good. And he was going to cheat on Melody. I could see it in his eyes."
"Oh, so you know Melody. Is she a friend?" Sady asked casually.
"She was my girlfriend. Until he stole her. Then he saw her sister, and he was going to sleep with her. I could always tell when he was cheating! He was a weasel, and he was going to break Melody's heart and hurt her. So I stopped it. I put a note under his door and pretended to be Melanie saying she was standing in for her sister and wanted to have a rendezvous with him. He thought he was meeting Melanie at the back of the compound that night, the two-timing bastard! But the joke was on him. Now Melody is free from him, and I'll be waiting for her when she comes home."
Oh, boy! How did we miss this in our background check of the guests?
"So you knew it was Melanie at camp instead of Melody. Did you all grow up together?" she probed, hoping to make a connection somewhere.
He sighed. "No. But I knew about her sister. I know everything about Melody. I have lots of pictures, but she doesn't know it. She used to bring my pills when I was sick. She almost became a nurse, but then men like Seth prevented her from getting her degree. They tempted her with money, and cars, and fancy houses. But I rescued her, and now she can do what she was meant to do. She can be an angel, healing people again," he said in a dreamy voice.
Aaron- an obsessed, mentally ill stalker who fell in love with the woman who gave him his pills. Melody probably worked in a psych facility at one point in her life, or maybe an ER. There was no way to tell if Aaron saw her once or dozens of times before he became obsessed. Since Melody didn't seem to recognize him, Sady figured that Aaron's warped mind probably embellished the story to a great degree. So that was the connection? Seriously? Sady was almost angry after all the hard work they'd done figuring out who killed Seth. And they'd been wrong the whole time!
She could hear Aaron becoming restless again, and she was tired, hot, and thirsty. She tripped on a root, and the flashlight was jarred from her hand. Before she knew what happened something large and black blindsided her and she was on the ground, barely able to breathe. A voice in her ear whispered, "Shh! Don't move." A gloved hand over her face prevented her from seeing who it was.
Aaron screamed, "Where are you? Where did you go? You're just like all the others, leaving me out, thinking I'm stupid and can't be trusted. When I find you I'm going to kill you, just because I can." Sady heard stumbling and crashing in the thick brush, thankfully moving in the other direction.
Sady didn't realize she held her breath. Well, half of it was knocked out of her, but now she needed air. She began to squirm and push against the dark figure who had her pinned. The voice again, this time not so terse, but heartwarming and recognizable- Matt. "Sassafras, you keep that up and they'll have to send another rescue team."
She relaxed, and he rolled to the side so she could breathe. She shook from fright and shock, and he cuddled her close. She opened her mouth to ask him a question, and he hushed her again. "Later, when this is over. And, yes, we now know it was Aaron all along." Sady let out a sigh of relief. They knew! It wasn't a secret she would take to her grave. She didn't even mind the ground. With the weeds underneath, and Matt by her side, it was the most comfort she had since they arrived.
As they lay there, Sady wondered why they weren't moving. Then she heard a whisper of sound, and a tiny snap of a twig. She realized Matt wore full protective gear with a bullet-proof vest, helmet, and night vision goggles. Those almost undetectable sounds were the others, in pursuit of Aaron. Matt wore an earpiece, and a short time later he stood, then he bent down and picked her up. "All clear," he told her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tight.
She jerked with fright when a voice asked, "Is she okay?" She couldn't see in thick blackness of the night, and realized the others wore night vision goggles as well, because Matt just nodded.
He insisted on carrying her back to camp over her protests. Finally, he stopped and said, "Let me do it for me, okay?" She nodded and squeezed his neck again. "I need to breathe," he wheezed, and she loosened her grip.
While it was pitch black at the back of the compound, the camp area was lit with floodlights. CJ, waiting for them to arrive, snickered, "This is killing Wallie. He likes people to think this whole place is dark and secretive."
Matt finally put Sady down and she looked to see who was on the rescue team. Harry- no surprise there. She gave him a tearful hug. The three Army buddies? "Hey, we're not that old and out of shape," they told her. They each got a hug as well. She bit her lip and looked around, hoping she wouldn't have to face Aaron.
Matt reached for her hand. "Wallie and the feds are taking him out by helicopter. There's a large, open area near the rear of the compound." It wasn't long before they heard the helicopter. It swooped in and moved out quickly. Then CJ turned off the floodlights in the camp area. The few lights coming from the buildings provided enough light for them to move about safely.
Suddenly, out of the blue, Sady sniffled, and a fat tear rolled down her cheek. It was followed by another. Matt offered comfort, Harry looked concerned, and CJ appeared puzzled. "What's wrong?" she asked, ignoring the dark looks Harry and Matt sent her way.
"Do I have to sleep and eat here again?" Sady blubbered. "I hate this place."
CJ sent the men an arch look. "Do you want to pack anything?" she asked.
Sady's tears dried, and she yelled, "Amanda had the right idea. Let me grab my purse. The rest can stay for the next victim, may God have mercy on them!" She raced for the bunkhouse to get her bag.
"Well, it doesn't take a beauty queen long to recover, does it?" Chuck asked from the side.
"It will take weeks, guys," Matt assured them. "A little piece of advice? Never bring your wife to this place unless she's like CJ."
"Really, Matt?" Sady yelled from behind him. "You announce this to the world in the middle of hell?"
His brows went up. "Announce what, Sassafras?"
She stormed over. "That we're married, because..." her voice slowed, then stopped. She flipped her eyes his way. "You didn't tell them, did you?" she hissed.
"No, darlin', but you just did." The Army guys claimed another round of hugs.
Sady was too embarrassed to look at Harry and CJ who went about packing like there was nothing new in the world of Knight Investigations. Sady sat to the side and watched them pack with a puzzled air.
"All ready?" Harry asked. They climbed into the Knight's SUV, ready to head home.
At the look on Sady's face, CJ snorted. "That's the worst kept secret in the world. Our only worry was that big mouth Amanda would blab."
Sady's jaw dropped. "Amanda knows?"
"And your uncle," Harry said calmly.
"Who told?" she asked accusingly. Matt held his hand up in defense.
"Sady, do you think your uncle would sit by and let a man take advantage of you, without killing him?" CJ asked.
"Now, wait just a minute," Matt protested. "I haven't taken advantage of her. It was the other way around if you want the truth!"
Harry flipped on the interior light and looked at Sady in the rear-view mirror. She grinned and nodded. He turned off the light and told CJ, "Well, that would explain why Meadows is still breathing."
"John has a sneaky way of finding out secrets," CJ said. Then she turned to Sady. "Normally, I wouldn't bother, but since it's Meadows? I want the details when we’re alone."
That drew more protests from Matt which grew louder when CJ told him she planned to include Amanda. Harry glanced at CJ and asked, "Really, CJ? A girls' night and you want to be included? Ouch, I'm sorry for implying you're not a female!"
CJ let go of his neck. "How's your uncle, anyway, Sady? Have you heard from him lately?"
Sady's eyes narrowed. "I have a suspicion that he's avoiding me. His calls are very short and when I ask about Sophie? He changes the conversation! Something's going on that he's not telling me," she said.
"John has trouble in paradise?" Matt chuckled.
"I have doubts about the whole paradise story," she replied. "He doesn't know it, but I'm going to get to the bottom of it. He should never have avoided my questions, so it's his fault."
"You'd rather he lie to you?" Harry asked.
"Let's just say he'll probably regret not doing so," Sady told him. "Now, are we almost there? How much longer?"
"Did you fill her up with caffeine before we left?" Harry asked Matt. It grew quiet, and Harry looked in the rear-view mirror, without the light.
"She's out," Matt laughed. Sady simply listed to one side and fell asleep against Matt.
"We owe Amanda for this one," Harry said quietly. "If she hadn't kept digging just to cover all the bases, we wouldn't have known about Aaron until too late."
"Like CJ said, give the lady a raise," Matt agreed for once. "What exactly did Amanda find?"
"Officially, only a record of Aaron's stays at a mental health facility. I didn't ask how she found that out because I'm sure she and Joey bent a few privacy laws. But that information was enough. Once they cross-referenced for the names on our list, and came up with Melody as a former employee, Amanda sent a text to CJ. She even called the local law enforcement to have them send over a message, in case CJ was sleeping or had her phone off," Harry added.
"I had my phone on, so we went to check on Sady... and you know the rest," CJ finished.
"Did anyone figure out how he slipped out the night he murdered Seth?" Matt asked.
CJ waved her phone. "Wallie shared Aaron’s ramblings as they walked to meet the helicopter. He saw Floptop and the bodyguard wearing hoodies the first day, and he saw how Wallie treated them, assuring their privacy. He assumed if Wallie saw a hooded figure on a surveillance camera, he'd likely look the other way, rather than risk exposing his identity. And that's what happened. No one bothered to check if Aaron entered his assigned bunkhouse at bedtime. Everyone just assumed he had, but he was hiding behind the VIP bunkhouse wearing a hoodie. Like Wallie, the guard at the shack didn't look closely. He just accepted the bribe and passed Aaron a map to get farther into the compound. According to Aaron, if you do some internet digging, you'll find information about the friendly guard and the maps he sells. Wallie didn’t know about his guard's little side business of helping guests sneak around camp." CJ shook her head. "He's going to have to get his ship on course if he hopes to expand."
"So Aaron made it to the back of the compound with unintentional help from the guard, and Wallie deliberately covered his movements, not realizing who it really was," Matt concluded.
"Aaron must have followed Melody here, knowing he would have an opportunity to get close to Seth without drawing attention. I bet he bought the ‘bunkhouse to fence’ map from the guard the first day," Sady said in a sleepy voice. "Because the Army guys didn't show him how to get out, but he was at the bar. If he had that map, he could get to the bar on his own. And I wasn't sleeping!"
Matt chuckled and ruffled her hair, happy she wasn't having flashbacks to the time a stalker came after her. Sudden yelling from CJ had them both wide awake.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked.
"I just got a text from Amanda. She accepted our congratulations, and informed me she is taking me up on the extra week of paid vacation, effective immediately. And she told me not to worry about the company credit card! She has it for safekeeping." CJ steamed, and Harry laughed. “I didn’t give her a week of paid vacation and approval to use the company card for personal use!”
"Let her enjoy it," he suggested. "She earned it, and you know it."
"For once, I agree," Matt backed Harry up.
"Me too," Sady added.
"Fine. But, Harry, when she returns and hands you a stack of receipts for reimbursement, you're on your own! And you're also responsible for the credit card," she added.
"Let me know what I owe you, Harry. I'll help pay for her week of recovery from wherever she lands," Matt said, holding Sady close.
"Try Bermuda!" CJ fumed. She threw her phone at Harry. "Someone had better figure out how to disable the incoming texts that notify me of credit card charges." Her phone dinged a couple more times before Harry found the button to turn it off.
He tossed it to Matt. "I'll let you be the accountant. I don't think CJ can handle it."
"That's what those camps do to you," Sady said. "CJ, all that power has gone to your head and now that you can't control Amanda..."
Matt put his hand over her mouth and whispered, "Don't remind her she was in charge. If we're lucky, she'll revert to herself before Amanda returns."
"What if she doesn't?" she asked in dismay.
"We’ll book them another visit to Camp Shaw- as bunkmates!"
Sady sat up. “They’ll kill each other,” she whispered.
He pulled her back with a grin. “Let me enjoy the fantasy, Sassafras.”