Deadly Deception (35 page)

Jennifer heard the sound of footsteps outside her door.  The metal slot at the bottom of the door opened as someone slid a tray of food into the room.  It was time.

Sitting at the end of the bed, she began rocking back and forth as she moaned.  She heard movement and then the sound of someone pressing himself on the door as if bracing himself as he looked through the peep hole.  She moaned louder and kept rocking.

"What's wrong?"  It was Dr. Caine's voice.  She'd recognize it anywhere.

"I'm having these horrible pains that started an hour ago," she cried.

"It's too early for contractions."

She cried out in pain as she doubled over.  "The pain is excruciating.  You have to help me."

She held her breath as he hesitated.  She filled a long minute with more groaning and cries for help.  She heard the key twist in the lock.  Then Dr. Caine entered the room.  She stood and moved toward him still moaning. 

He reached out to take her wrist to check her pulse.  The second he took her wrist, she slammed her knee into his groin.  He crumbled at her feet, writhing in pain.  She raced out the door and into the basement toward the staircase.  She sprinted up the stairs until she reached the kitchen.  There was a sliding glass door that led to the terrace.  She ripped the door open and ran across the backyard. 

Jennifer saw beams of headlights wash over the side yard and she halted, trying not to panic.  A car was coming down the doctor's driveway.  David Chambers could be behind the wheel of that car.  She froze until the light beams disappeared.  Then she headed toward the woods where she worked her way through the thick undergrowth, until she reached a cluster of trees, where she hid while trying to catch her breath.  Jennifer looked back toward the house and saw no movement so she walked farther, trying to find her way to the road and help.

Lane pulled his SUV into his driveway and immediately noticed something he thought was odd.  The front lights were off and the house was dark.  The only light that was on in the entire house was the one in Frankie's bathroom window upstairs.  He couldn't think of a reason why Frankie would shut off the front lights, and he was certain he turned them on before he left for the drug store.

Thanks to long lines of sick customers, the drug store errand to buy butterfly bandages took a lot longer than he thought it would.  Then once he got out of there, he was in his car when he noticed the gas gauge was on empty so he pulled into a gas station and filled up the tank.

He pulled his vehicle up to the garage, stopped and turned off the ignition.  He opened his car door, and then turned to retrieve the bag of butterfly bandages from the passenger seat.

Suddenly a sharp, agonizing pain shot through his neck.  Just before he lost consciousness, he saw David Chambers standing in front of him holding a hypodermic needle.

David watched with satisfaction as Lane slumped in the driver's seat.  He raced to the passenger side and grabbed hold of Lane's arm and dragged him across the console until he could prop his body up with the seat belt of the passenger seat.  He then slammed the door shut and went to the driver side of the vehicle.  Jumping in, he fired up the vehicle and backed out of the driveway then headed toward Dr. Caine's house.

If anyone knew where that bitch Frankie went, it was Lane.  Once he got him to Dr. Caine's house, there were all kinds of unpleasant things he'd do to him to get him to give her up.  Once Lane gave him the information he wanted, he'd be eliminated, just as Frankie would be when he found her.

Frankie backed the Lincoln Town Car on the dirt road Lane had shown her that was located directly in front of Dr. Caine's home but across the road.  She turned off the car and put her shoes on.  Then she picked up David's revolver along with her backpack and got out of the car.  Frankie pulled out a pair of sweatpants from the backpack and pulled them on.  She tucked the revolver in the right deep pocket of her sweatpants and placed a small stun gun in her left pocket.  She mounted the backpack on her back then crossed the road and set off through the woods toward Caine's house, avoiding the security gate in his driveway.

Frankie moved through the thicket of trees as quietly as she could, heading toward the house.  Once she passed the security gate, she walked into the front yard and made a beeline for the front door.

She leaned against the door and listened for sounds from inside the house.  It was very quiet.  Frankie knocked softly on the door because she only wanted the door answered if someone was close by.  No one answered so she pulled her lock pick tool kit out of her backpack.  She jiggled the door with a tool and it opened easily.  She shoved the tool in the kit which she placed in the backpack.

Frankie entered the house, glanced up the staircase then into the massive living area.  Seeing no one, she walked quietly toward the kitchen.  It, too, was empty.  If she were going to hide someone in this house, it would be in the basement, so that was the area she wanted to search first for Jennifer.  She remembered from the house tour given to her by Dr. Caine at the party that the door leading to the basement was in the kitchen. 

Once she reached the kitchen, she opened the door and went down the basement steps taking them slowly one at a time as she listened for sounds.  On the landing, she scanned the basement and noted it was very long and probably ran the length of the house.  The laundry room with a washer, dryer and ironing setup was to her left.  To her right was a sitting area with a sofa and two chairs along with a small flat-screen television that was mounted on the wall.  Moving forward she noticed a small room that looked like it was built recently.  Some of the sheetrock was exposed and looked new.  She moved closer, but froze when she heard what sounded like a man moaning.

"You bitch, Jennifer!  Do you really think I won't find you?  Wait until I get a hold of you. If I'm permanently injured, you're dead.  Do you hear me?  You're dead, baby or not!" 

It was Dr. Caine. She could hear him as he used the door knob to pull himself up.  He cursed and stumbled into the room.  She reached inside her pocket and pulled the revolver out, took the stance and aimed at him.  He stopped and looked confused, as if he needed to gather his thoughts to say the most convincing thing.

"Frankie, what are you doing in my house?  Why do you have a gun?"

"Where is Jennifer?"  Her voice was low, filled with anger.

"Jennifer?  I don't know a Jennifer."

"You're lying.  I just heard you say her name.  Try again."

"I'm sorry, Frankie.  You must be confused.  I really don't know what you're talking about."

"You're a freaking liar.  One more time.  Where is Jennifer?" she shouted.

Tim Brennan stopped his car after he pulled off the road not far from Dr. Caine's house.  He could see the house clearly and noted there were lights on but not much activity.  Was Jennifer inside?  There were no cars in the driveway but lights were on in a couple of the lower level rooms.  He took a deep breath and considered a bit more about what he was going to do.  His first thought was to ring the doorbell and confront Dr. Caine when he answered the door, pushing past him into the house if he had to.  But the doctor would undoubtedly call the police and he might get arrested before he was able to thoroughly search the house.  Another idea was to watch the house until two or three in the morning then break in and search the lower levels of the house while Caine slept.  He decided to get closer to the house to do surveillance. 

Tim pulled a small flashlight from the glove compartment of his car and entered the woods.  The moonlight was so bright he ended up not having to use it.  He maneuvered the weeds and bushes as he walked at a right angle to the house guided by the light of the full moon.  Deep into the woods, he stopped, leaned on a tree and stared at the doctor's house.  The house was a huge brick structure and must have cost a fortune.  It sickened him that the money used to buy such an expensive home was from the sale of innocent babies born into the worst of circumstances.  He vowed his grandchild would not be sold by a maniac.  He had to find Jennifer.  He had to find her alive.

He moved forward, deeper into the woods.  Suddenly he heard footsteps, and with each step there was crunching of leaves and vegetation that echoed through the woods.  He was not alone. The footsteps had to be a human, because animals don't make the kind of noise that's made by someone wearing shoes.  The person was moving toward him.  Remembering this was the wooded area where someone shot at Lane, he pulled his revolver out of its holster and moved behind the thick trunk of a tree. 

About twenty yards away now, he heard the snap of branches, then a startled cry, and a crash as someone slammed to the ground. He whipped out from behind the tree.

"Freeze!" he shouted.  "I'm a law enforcement officer and I'm armed.  Stand with your hands up!"

"Dad?"  The word was carried on a whisper and he thought he was hearing things.

"Dad," she said it louder and moved toward him. 

Shock and disbelief rippled through his body when he saw her

He threw his arms around Jennifer and held her close.  Both sobbing, they held each other for a long moment, until she spoke.

"Daddy, we have to get out of here.  These men are dangerous.  We have to get out of here."

"You're safe now, Jennifer.  No one is going to hurt you."

"There are things I need to tell you."

"Not now, honey.  Not now."

Guided by the moonlight, he led her toward the road. They'd gone about twenty-five feet when they heard a gunshot in the distance. Tim pulled out his revolver again, and pushed Jennifer behind him.  When they travelled further, Tim saw a man in a light colored shirt lying on the ground in a fetal position.  Tim put the revolver back in the holster, and pulled out a flashlight that he aimed toward the figure.

"He's hurt.  Jennifer, stay back."  He moved closer to the man, not realizing that his daughter was close behind him.

Suddenly she rushed forward and screamed, "It's Paul!"

Chapter Eleven

"Doc, have I ever told you about all those medals I earned as an Army Sharpshooter?"  Frankie asked as she held the gun, aiming it toward Dr. Caine’s chest.

"Impressive, and here I thought you were just a horny little housewife."

"One of us was horny, but it sure wasn't me for
you
.  Again, where is Jennifer?" 

"Like I said before, I don't know a Jennifer."

"When you gave me the extensive tour of your home, I don't recall seeing the room you just came out of.  Let's take a look.  Back up to the room and if you try anything, you're a dead man."