Death By High Heels (The Kim Murphy PI Series Book 1) (24 page)

After several attempts I finally made it to my feet. Off in the distance I could hear Frick and Frack yelling and slamming things in their search of the dumpster. The water was just above my knees. I tried to climb up the side but it was too steep and way too slippery. Slogging through it would make the going slow but I didn’t exactly have a lot of choices. I tried to ignore the noises of the creatures that scurried around, grateful that Ohio didn’t have any alligators, sharks, or anacondas I needed to worry about. I hobbled along, trying to put as much distance between me and the warehouse with the ski mask twins.

The uneven ground and the unexpected rise in water level made travel slow going. At its deepest the water rose to my armpits. As long as it didn’t get any higher I should be okay. With each step my ankle throbbed. I was convinced there had to be a broken bone or two in there somewhere. Despite it being summer, the water was so cold I began to shiver. Though my ankle begged for rest, the best thing was to keep moving and hope all the activity warmed up my body from freezing to merely cold as hell. Besides, the faster I went the closer I got to help.

As my body moved along, my mind couldn’t stop going over and over the image of Angie in the dumpster. She needed to be cleaned up before her family saw her. I knew Doc Gardner would make sure of it. I had liked her for the few minutes we’d talked. I had believed her when she said she was clean. Maybe she was, but I couldn’t imagine why else she, Brian, and Adam had been killed. To be honest, there could have been a million and one reasons. None of this made any sense. What was up with the pictures? What, then, did the killers, who I assumed were my kidnappers, want with me? Did they think I had them? So what if I did? I hadn’t noticed anything worth killing people over.

Glancing over my shoulder, I spotted beams of light off in the distance. Evidently they hadn’t given up looking for me. I quickened my pace, wincing in pain with each step. If I stayed in the water for much longer, I wouldn’t have to worry about the kidnappers finding me. I’d be frozen stiff in a block of ice like an episode of
Scooby-Doo
. The moon that had thankfully been hiding behind clouds that threatened rain made judging the distance I’d traveled impossible. While the darkness helped hide me from my captors it also made the going more difficult.

The going was slow thanks to an injured ankle, freezing water, and lots of mud. A sloth could have passed me, but as long as I stayed ahead of the idiots following me, it would have to do. After what felt like days I made it to a point where the sides weren’t so steep. I did a combination of climbing and crawling to make my way up the side and out of the water. Thankful to be on dry land, I stuffed my feet into my shoes then walked to the back of a building and collapsed, hiding myself between the building and a parked delivery truck. I had spent so much time in the water that walking on dry land felt awkward. I leaned against the truck and tried to catch my breath. Though it was tempting, I couldn’t rest for long. Getting far away from here and getting help was a priority. Falling asleep and letting the ski mask twins find me would not be an ideal situation.

I stood up and had to decide between returning to the water and going closer to the street. At the moment neither felt safe, but just the thought of returning to the water was enough to get me up off the ground and heading for the street. I limped along, leaning against the side of the building for support. My progress was slow but I made it to the front of the building. Luckily the owners of this place hadn’t found it necessary to wrap it with a six-foot fence. There was also a line of hedges along the edge of the curb which I used to shield me from prying eyes on the street. Another advantage was no more slipping in mud and my body temperature was working its way back to normal—I hoped.

This end of town was usually deserted at night. To be fair, it was pretty deserted during the day too. Drug dealers, hookers, and gang members called this part of the city home. Most of the businesses here had gone out of business, leaving behind large, empty buildings. Once again I was desperate to sit down and rest. If I did, odds were I’d fall asleep, which sounded pretty good. Instead of giving into the temptation I kept going.

I would have danced my own little happy dance, if I could have, when finally Route 48 was in sight. If I followed it, I would eventually make it home. Running through the center of Lakeview would mean patrol cars and possibly a nice safe ride home. My immediate problem was I had to cross the street. My kidnappers could be lying in wait, ready to catch me when I dared step foot into the street. It was a risk I had to take. I slowly slid out from behind the hedges, half expecting someone to jump out and grab me. When that didn’t happen I took a deep breath and walked across the street. By this time both feet ached. I swore if I ever got out of this I’d never wear heels again, ever. Okay, maybe not never, but for a week at least, pinky promise.

The lack of sound was quite eerie. It kind of reminded me of the horror movies when it got real quiet before the scary music started. These weren’t really the uplifting thoughts I needed right then. I was so happy when I made it to the other side of the street. It really was a small accomplishment, but, at the moment, it felt huge. Of course my bladder chose that moment to remind me who was boss. I looked around, desperate for a porta-potty. With none in sight I did a quick look around before squatting behind a large bush. It reminded me of one night in high school my friends and I had gotten two cases of beer and had gotten plastered. We were at a party near the University of Dayton. All of us had to pee but every one of the bathrooms was full. Desperate, we ran outside and hid behind some bushes in the backyard. Since my idea of camping had always been a hotel with room service, that had been, until now, the only time I had ever gone to the bathroom outside.

Every summer my dad would take my brothers camping. They’d spend a week hiking, fishing, and hunting while living in tents and cooking whatever they caught that day over a campfire. God bless him because each time he always asked Mom and us girls to go and each year we turned him down. Just the thought of a week without electricity and sleeping outdoors with bugs was enough to incite nightmares.

The rain weathermen had promised had yet to arrive for whatever reason and I was just grateful. Fifteen minutes of walking and my ankle needed another break and so did I. Off to the right there was a large pine tree surrounded by three-foot-tall bushes. It was the perfect place to sit and rest. The uneven ground took far longer to traverse than it should have but I made it. I squeezed between two of the bushes. A beam of light hit me right between the eyes. I froze, convinced they’d found me.

“Hey, git outta my house!”

I stumbled backward. “Jeez, what is wrong with you?”

“Me? You be the one trespassing, missy.”

“Sorry, I didn’t know this tree was taken.”

“Don’t sass your elders. Didn’t anybody ever teach you nothin’?”

I swallowed a laugh. The curmudgeonly man reminded me of my grandfather on my dad’s side. All grump on the outside with a soft, tender center on the inside. He even had a hint of the brogue.

“You’re right. I should have knocked first.” I smirked. “Would you mind pointing that light somewhere else?”

“Ha, young ones, smart mouths the lot a ya,” he said, pointing the flashlight to the side.

I laughed. Only a man in what appeared to be his eighties would consider me in my late twenties and holding as a young one. I could be off though on the estimate of his age. It was hard to tell with the scraggly gray beard and gray hair—what was left of it anyway. “So just camping out to see the stars?”

“No, I’m not camping. This is my home and you’re sittin’ in my bedroom.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“You’re workin’ a bit late. Most of the workin’ girls in this part call it quits by two.”

“I’m not a hooker!”

“Oh, sorry, I forgot you call yourselves escorts now, don’t ya?”

“I’m not an escort. I just have had a really bad night.”

“Well, that’s good, ’cause you wouldn’t be makin’ much lookin’ like that.”

“Thanks. So this is your home?” I asked, eager to get off the subject of my not looking like a hooker.

“Yep, and there’s not a better one to be found. I’ve got a view of the stars, when the clouds aren’t hoverin’. There’s nothin’ better than fallin’ asleep lookin’ at the stars.”

“What about bad weather or animals?”

“I’ve got a tent for when it gets wet or cold, lots of blankets to keep me warm.”

“What about squirrels and bugs? Don’t they bother you?”

“Nope. Besides, the only wildlife around here are those no good gang bongers.”

“Bangers.”

“Bangers, bongers, whatever.”

“Don’t they bother you?”

“I’m just an old man. I leave them alone, and they leave me alone.”

“How do you manage that?”

“Well, those fools don’t know how to find me.” He chuckled.

I reached into my purse and pulled my now wet twenty dollar bill from it. I held the money out to him. “Well, I’ve gotta get going, but thanks for the hospitality.”

“Young lady, I’ve got everything I need right here. My social security buys me two square meals a day and a pint of whiskey each week. I spend my days in the library, surrounded by books, and my nights under the stars. I’ve also got my health. What more could I be wantin’?”

I understood his love of books and spending days in the library but I couldn’t imagine my life without TV and computers, plus walls and air conditioning. I was also pretty fond of my hair dryer and coffeemaker. “Well, thanks again.”

“I’d like to say it was a pleasure but, dear girl, you did interrupt my beauty sleep.” He chuckled.

“Sorry, but it didn’t appear you needed any more.” I winked and waved goodbye, his laughter trailing after me.

The sidewalk would have made traveling easier and faster but then even the two idiots looking for me could find me. About a block away a lone working street light shone. Civilization was getting closer, which meant people inside. Those people would have phones and I could call for help. Lakeview was the type of town where decent people were in bed asleep by now. Only those up to no good would be out and about at this hour, whatever hour it was. If I went up and knocked on someone’s door, I was likely to have a gun pointed at my face.

As eager as I was to get to what most people would consider civilization, I wasn’t eager to make myself an easy target. Paranoia had finally set in. The closer I got to the light the more I expected someone to jump out of the shadows and grab me. It was weird that not a single car had driven down what was usually a busy road. To take my mind off scary thoughts I tried to think about how good it would feel to get home. Being in my own bed would feel wonderful.

Eventually an occasional car zipped past. As desperate as I was to get out of there I wasn’t about to get into a car with a complete stranger, so hitchhiking was out of the question. When my feet couldn’t take it any longer, I sat down and leaned against a telephone pole.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Huh? What?” I opened my eyes, confused.

“Can you stand up?”

What was this guy talking about? I was standing. Wasn’t I? I opened my eyes and found myself staring up into a face that seemed vaguely familiar.

“Ma’am?”

Oh my God. He may have come to my rescue but how dare he call me ma’am. I’d have to shoot him. Of course it’d have to wait until he got me the hell out of here and, of course, he’d have to wait around while I got my gun, since I didn’t happen to have it with me.

“I think so.” I finally answered his question.

“Here, let me help you up.”

He grabbed my hands and gently pulled me up. I kept most of my weight off the injured ankle. We stood a few inches apart. His voice had sounded like one I’d heard recently. Looking at him up close I suddenly realized why. “Kevin!”

“Yes. Miss Murphy, is that you?”

“It’s me all right. What are you doing here?”

“I was headed home when I spotted someone, well, you, leaning against the pole. I pulled over to see if they, I mean, you, needed help.”

“I’m so happy you did. Could I use your cell phone? I need to call the police.”

“Sorry, my battery crapped out a couple hours ago.”

“Oh.”

“If you want, I can give you a lift.”

I considered my options. I could stay where I was and pray help showed up before the idiots who’d kidnapped me or I could get in the car with a virtual stranger. Neither option sounded great but only one of them would get me home fast. “Thank you.”

“No problem. Here, let’s get you inside.”

Kevin moved to my side and had me lean on him for support. His car, a blue Toyota Corolla, was parked at the curb, running with its lights on. He helped me in, closed the door, and ran around to the driver’s side. Once seated behind the steering wheel, he asked me where to. I gave him the first turn he had to make and leaned back against the headrest. Kevin’s car was warm and it smelled like Heaven—pizza and garlic. I closed my eyes and inhaled the familiar scent like a dog sniffing the local fire hydrant. I woke to the sound of arguing. I chanced a quick look around. I was still in Kevin’s car but me and the car were now inside a garage.