CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

Jake blinked. Felt a stabbing sensation in his lower back. Fleeting memories rushed in. Randall hitting him in the kidney. Damn, it hurt.

He wiggled his hands. Wait. No cuffs, but ropes? And he’d been confined to the chair once more? For several seconds, he analyzed the situation. Figured out the best means of getting himself and Amanda out of there.

Randall babbled away about how clever he’d been to switch out the safety wire. Amanda kept asking questions. Great job on the stall tactic. Jake smiled wide. That’s my girl.

He gave three concentrated tugs on his hands. The ropes loosened. Amazing. Randall must not have realized he did a crappy job tying Jake up.

Now to determine the best strategy. Randall hadn’t noticed he’d freed his hands. Amanda kept him occupied. Jake scanned the room, looked for options to help them take Randall down. Then, as Randall was in midbrag about his tactics, Jake quickly loosened his legs from the chair.

Based on where everyone was situated, Jake’s best bet was to take Randall by surprise. Knock him down, subdue him. Then he could grasp Amanda’s cell phone and call for help.

Yes. Breathe. Time to act.

With all his strength, he harnessed his body weight and leapt from the chair. Slammed into Randall. Pinned him down. The bastard put up a fight, flailing his arms and trying to poke Jake in the eye to get him off.

Jake cracked a grin. He’d been in the military and had training to subdue such efforts. He managed to avoid Randall’s nipple-crippling attempts.

“You selfish no good son of a bitch!” Jake punched Randall repeatedly while the bastard screamed in pain. “How could you kill all those people? How could you think about killing us?”

Amanda fought to get free but couldn’t. “Because he’s a loser. Deep down, he knows that’s what he became.”

Randall glared at her through a bloody eye. “Stupid nosy bitch.”

“Hey!” Jake hurled another punch at Randall’s face, broke his jaw. “That’s my girl you’re talking about!”

Amanda grinned wide at Randall. “And that’s my guy kicking your ass.”

Jake laughed, reached for the cuffs he’d escaped earlier. Dragging Randall’s bleeding body over to the carousel, he lifted him onto the base and snapped one cuff around a horse’s foot and the other to Randall’s hand.

“I ought to kick you until you beg for mercy,” Jake said.

Randall coughed, spit up blood.

“He’s not worth it,” Amanda said. “My cell is over there. It’s been on record this whole time. Call the cops. They’ll know Randall killed everyone. Tried to kill us.”

“You got it,” he said with a wink. He called 9-1-1 and told the operator their location. Then Jake unhooked Amanda with his magic skills.

“Someday you need to teach me how to get out of handcuffs,” she said.

He leaned in and kissed her. “Okay, but we’ll require lots of practice.”

Her cheeks turned pink at his innuendo, which had been the goal. “You look beautiful when you’re blushing.”

“Why don’t you two get a room?” Randall grumbled, clearly grumpy at his defeat.

“As a matter of fact, we might,” Jake said. “But for now, I believe justice is served.”

* * *

Amanda let out a relaxed breath at the thought. She’d done it. The cops arrived fifteen minutes later and arrested Randall. The man who’d killed all the roller coaster riders was on his way to jail. Now the ghosts could be free. So could Declan.

“Wait a minute,” she said.

The taller cop with a buzz cut turned and looked at her. “Is there something else you need, ma’am?”

“Randall Kern has a dog, a German shepherd. What’s going to happen when Randall goes to jail?”

The cop frowned. “Standard policy is we take any pets to the animal shelter. Unless a relative or co-owner claims the animal.”

“Don’t you dare let my dog be put down!” Randall shouted, doing his best to break free of the cuffs.

The cop tightened his hold on Randall. “Quiet, sir! They don’t allow dogs where you’re going!”

Randall kept still, sent a pleading glance to Jake and Amanda.

Jake arched his eyebrows. “I’d love to adopt Catfish, but both our apartments don’t allow pets.”

“I wasn’t thinking about us,” Amanda said. “But someone else.”

“Who?”

Amanda smiled. “Pearl. She mentioned that Clive does well around animals. Dogs and cats keep him grounded to reality. Provide a daily routine. Give him something to care for.”

Jake smiled wide. “That’s certainly a better deal for Catfish than the pound.”

The cop nodded. “We’ll be required to admit the animal into the shelter. It’s procedure. But you call your friend, tell her to go to the Abandon shelter tomorrow. Tell her Officer Gayne sent his okay. That way the dog gets to have a home.”

Randall hung his head. “I sure would appreciate it.”

Officer Gayne walked Randall out of the tent, smiling wide at his collar for this cold case.

Amanda reached for her cell and called Pearl to give her the information.

“Sweetheart,” Pearl said, “you are wonderful. I was just saying that we need to get ourselves a watchdog. To watch Clive more than intruders, but Catfish is a good dog. I’ll go first thing in the morning to adopt him.”

“Thanks,” Amanda said. “Just because Randall deserves to go to jail doesn’t mean Catfish should suffer. I’m sure he’ll be happy with you both.”

“Keep in touch, hon. And y’all are welcome back here anytime.”

“Thanks.” Amanda smiled, tapped End on her phone. “Done.”

Jake pointed to the exit. “Officer Gayne wants us to stop by the station and give our report. They’ll probably need a copy of your recording on your cell.”

She nodded. “Before we get there, let’s stop at a Wi-Fi café. Let me send in my images for my apprenticeship. It’s only ten thirty. I still have time to submit it, and why let Randall ruin my chances of a great career?”

“Why indeed,” Jake said, his voice warm and affectionate. Amanda smiled at his rather battered face. “One thing puzzles me though.”

“What’s that?”

“How’d you get the record button to start if you were tied up?”

Amanda glanced to the thirty ghosts gathered together near where Jake had been captive. They looked like a bunch of smiling clowns packed into a Volkswagen.

“I get by with a little help from my friends,” she said.

Jake cocked an eyebrow. “What friends?”

“Well, to be honest, the ghosts. The souls of the people who died helped. Along with Declan.”

Biting his lip, Jake said, “I see.”

“I swear. I know you may not believe in all the supernatural—”

“I don’t, but I promise you one thing. I’m going to try to be more open minded going forward.”

She beamed ear to ear. “What changed your mind?”

Jake’s smile faded as he looked off in the direction where the cops had left. “Randall. I had such a strong belief that he wasn’t guilty. How could such a great man be capable of murder?”

“I guess he hit his breaking point.”

“Well, I was obviously wrong—believing he didn’t have anything to do with the derailment. If I’d been more objective, less stubborn, maybe I wouldn’t have put you in danger.”

Warmth fluttered through her. “You’re such a Southern gentleman, worried about me.”

His deep-blue eyes gazed into hers. He traced her cheeks with his fingers. “I am, Amanda Moss. ’Cause you’re my girl.”