Loose Ends (22 page)

His hand tightened on her neck.

“Oh, yeah, strangling someone is so attractive,” she whispered, his fingers stifling her breath. “I bet you get all the girls that way.”

He growled, released his hold on her throat and sent her reeling with a powerful backhand to her cheek. Knocking her to her knees.

“Don’t play with me, little girl,” he threatened, grabbing her by the hair. “You will not win.”

He pulled her up to her feet and shook her. Mary clenched her teeth, pain reverberating deep in her scalp; but she was not going to let him see her pain.

He was angry, almost out of control. She noted the perspiration beading on his face and his accelerated breathing. Did she dare push him further to the edge?

“I met your mother,” she said, “Lovely woman...or at least she was.”

His eyes darted around the room. “You leave my mother out of this,” he said.

“You killed your own mother,” Mary continued. “What kind of a man are you?”

He released the grip on her hair. The hand that held the gun was shaking. He wiped his brow with the other hand.

“She made me do it,” he whispered. “She made me kill her.”

Mary snorted. “Yeah, just like the little girls,” she said, “I saw them too, all of them. They’re waiting for you.”

“Shut up, bitch!” he yelled, slapping her again. “Just shut up!”

He grabbed her arm and pushed her across the room, the gun poking into her rib cage. “You can help me with your boyfriend and then I’ll give you a closer encounter with your ghost friends.”

He guided her through a door that led to the garage. The garage door was closed, the overhead lights were on and the pickup was in the center of the room. He pushed her forward. “Open the door,” he ordered. “Slowly.”

She inhaled quickly; she could see Bradley’s motionless body through the window.

“He’s not dead yet,” Hank taunted. “He’s just resting.”

Mary opened the door carefully, leaning forward to compensate for Bradley’s weight. She reached in and repositioned him, so he was resting against the seat instead of the door, and then opened the door the rest of the way.

“Good girl,” Hank sneered. “Now move him.”

Mary turned, “What?”

“I said move him,” Hank repeated. “I need him in the back of the truck.”

Mary knew that the only reason he wanted Bradley in the truck bed was to hide him as he transported him somewhere else. Were her chances better here or there?

“Are you nuts?” Mary asked, knowing full well the answer to that question. “He’s more than twice my weight. I might drop him.”

Hank shoved the gun into her rib cage. “Yeah, either that or I just put a bullet in his brain right now,” he said, “and then you move him. I understand that dead weight is even heavier.”

Mary decided not to risk pushing Hank. She didn’t know it he was bluffing or not. She lifted Bradley’s arm, placed it around her shoulder and then angled herself so her back was against his side. She grabbed his leg and pulled it forward, easing him out of the car into a fireman’s carry.

“You’re stronger than you look,” Hank said.

He opened the gate and stepped back. “Put him in there,” he said.

Mary struggled with Bradley’s weight, but was able to carry him around the truck. She turned and backed into the bed area, squatting down until Bradley was lying on the steel floor. She turned and pushed him further in, so he was lying from the top to the bottom of the bed.

She took a deep breath and turned back to Hank.

“Get his handcuffs from his belt,” he instructed. “And don’t bother looking for his gun. The Chief has already generously given it to me.”

This can’t be good,
she thought. She glanced around the garage, hoping for another option, but with him standing less than four feet away with a gun pointed at her, her best choice was to obey. It only took her a few moments to locate the handcuffs. She reluctantly handed them to Hank.

“And the keys,” he ordered.

Damn
, she thought. She tossed him the keys.

“Now climb in,” he said, motioning to the back of the truck.

Mary climbed in, sliding up next to the inert Bradley. “Oh, no,” Hank said, moving closer. “We want you much cozier than that. Lay down.”

Mary slid in next to Bradley. “Now, put your arms around him,” Hank ordered.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Do you think I’m an idiot,” Hank snarled. “Wrap your arms around his waist.”

No, not an idiot,
Mary thought.
A lunatic, a jerk, a serial killer, yes, but unfortunately not an idiot.

She squeezed one arm under Bradley’s body and laid the other one over him. Hank leaned over the side of the bed and slapped the cuffs through a hook on the box and then over Mary’s wrists. “This might keep you from trying to escape while I finish getting a few things together.”

A few moments later, she heard a door close and knew that she only had a few minutes to think of a new plan.

Mary sighed, resting her head against Bradley. Yeah, there was nothing like being anchored to a 200-pound police chief to keep you from making a quick escape. “Bradley,” she whispered. “Bradley, can you hear me?”

Nothing.

“Well, crap,” she muttered.

“Miss O’Reilly?”

Mary craned her head to look outside the truck. Mike Strong was standing in the garage. “I came to apologize,” he said, “You were just trying to help me and I got carried away.”

Mary shook her head. Damn, she had the strangest life.

“As you can see, Mike, I’m a bit busy right now,” she said, “But, I appreciate you taking the time to apologize.”

Mike peered at them. “Is he going to kill you?”

Mary nodded. “I think that’s the general idea,” she said, “Oh, by the way, it was Hank who killed you. He drugged you so you wouldn’t remember.”

Mike’s eyes widened and then narrowed. “He lied to me,” he said, “He wanted me to take the blame.”

Mary nodded. “Yes, and it looks like he’s going to get his wish,” she said, hoping to motivate him. “With Chief Alden and me out of the picture, no one will know the truth.”

The ghost shook with rage and seemed to expand before Mary’s eyes. No longer a victim, he stood straighter and his presence was more forceful. “There is no way my family is going to think I killed little girls,” he said, “I’m going to stop him.”

Then he deflated a little. “How?”

Just then they both heard Hank’s approaching footsteps. Panic flashed on Mike’s face and he disappeared.

“Well, that didn’t last long,” she muttered.

“Who are you taking to?” Hank snarled, looking down at her from the side of the truck.

“Some of the ghosts of the people you murdered,” she said truthfully. “Don’t you feel them? They’re all around you.”

He paled and glanced around. “If they were here, I’d see them,” he spat.

Mary shrugged. “Not if they don’t want you to see them,” she said, “But they follow you. Everywhere you go, they follow you.”

“I’m going to shut you up, bitch,” he shouted as he poked his ring into Mary’s arm. “And then I’m going to have a little fun with you.”

He ran his hand along her arm, her shoulder, her neck and finally across her lips. “Oh, yes, lots of fun.”

Mary shuddered.

“Really? With your mother watching?” Mary slurred her voice. “That’s perverted.”

Hank glanced around again. “She’s not here,” he said, “She not’s here!”

“She wearing a house dress and has curlers in her hair,” Mary said weakly. “She’s watching you, Hank. Always watching you.”

He looked around again nervously. Then he looked back at Mary, who pretended to be unconscious. “You’re going to wish I had my fun here,” he said, “Now I’m going to be sure that you’re awake to enjoy it.”

He pulled the vinyl bed cover over the top and fastened it down. Then he slammed the gate closed. Except for the light peeking in at the edge of the gate, Mary and Bradley lay in total darkness. She heard the engine start and the sound of the garage door opening. Moments later she felt him turn out of his driveway and head down the street.

Mary’s arm felt slightly numb, but she hadn’t really felt any other effects of the pin prick. She prayed that he had chosen the vial in the desk. She took a deep breath, so far so good.

The truck veered quickly around a corner and the motion caused Bradley to roll and nearly crush Mary.
Wouldn’t that be ironic,
Mary thought,
crushed to death by Bradley.

She levered her feet against the side of the bed and pushed her body against him, repositioning him so she could breath.

“Thanks, Chief,” she muttered, inhaling deeply. “Now to come up with a plan.”

Mary knew that they were getting closer to Tapley Woods, but she hadn’t come up with a plan yet. She hadn’t really been able to get much past the first challenge - Bradley. Even if she could somehow escape from the handcuffs, there was no way she could carry him to safety. The five foot trek from the passenger’s side to the truck bed nearly did her in.

Besides, she really hadn’t had any luck getting the cuffs loose from the hook on the side of the bed. She had pulled on the steel hook to try and either break the hook or the cuff chain, but both had held.

She laid her head against Bradley’s chest and sighed. She really didn’t want to die again. And if she were going to die, she really wanted to take Hank with her.

Bradley inhaled deeply. Mary raised her head. “Bradley,” she said, “Are you awake?”

Bradley groaned. Loudly.

Mary wondered if Hank had the cab back window open. She certainly didn’t want Hank to know that either of them was awake.

“Shhhh,” she whispered.

Bradley groaned again. Mary kicked him in the leg. “Bradley, you need to be quiet,” she said.

He continued to fight his way out of the drug, tossing his head and moaning. If she only had her hands free, she would have covered his mouth. She frantically looked around. Nothing.

“Damn,’ Mary decided, “there’s only one thing to do. Sorry Mrs. Alden, wherever you are.”

She slid up and placed her mouth over his. Mary could feel that he was startled at first, but after a moment, natural lust replaced confusion. Not only was he returning the kiss, he was doing it with gusto. Mary’s head swam. Wow! He was good at this.

His lips slid off hers as he trailed a path of kisses across her face and along her neck. “Mary,” he whispered softly. “Oh, Mary.”

She was tingling from head to foot, as each new wave of excitement washed over her. “I sure hope your wife’s name isn’t Mary,” she murmured, before his lips found her mouth again.

The truck hit a bump. Mary swore. “Crap! Someone is trying to kill us. What am I thinking?”

She pulled her head away. “Bradley, stop,” she said in her firmest voice.

“Mary, please, just another kiss,” he moaned, his arms stroking up her back.

“Bradley, stop,” she said, as he nibbled on her chin and lower lip.

She sighed. “I’m sorry, Bradley, but I did ask,” she said and then sunk her teeth into his bottom lip.

That did the trick. Bradley pulled back, bringing Mary along with him. His eyes were now open, wide, and he was staring at her as if he had just woken from a dream. “What happened?” he asked, his voice still slurred. “Did you just bite me?”

Mary nodded. “It seemed like the thing to do at the time,” she replied.

He tried to move away and she came along with him. “Mary, why are you laying on my chest?” he asked.

“Because my arms are handcuffed behind your waist,” she answered. “And, you’re actually cutting off the circulation to them right now.”

“Oh, sorry,” he said, shifting. “Better?”

She nodded. “Yes, thanks.”

“Why didn’t you use the keys?” he asked.

“Because I had to give them to Hank,” she replied. “He’s smarter than he looks.”

“Did you give him the extra set?” he asked, still obviously befuddled.

“No, I didn’t know you had an extra set,” she said, trying to remain calm. “Perhaps you could give them to me.”

Bradley cheerfully dug the keys out of his pocket and maneuvered around to unlock Mary’s hands. “There, that’s better,” he said with a smile, and then he giggled.

This wasn’t good. He was coming off the drug like a cheerful drunk. “Bradley,” she said slowly. “I need you to concentrate. I need you to work past the fuzzy happy part of your brain and go to the warrior-police guy, okay.”

Bradley nodded and smiled. “Okay.”

Mary wasn’t convinced.

“My guess is that Hank is driving us to Tapley Woods,” she said, “I think that last turn was the junction with Highway 84. So we only have a few minutes before we get there. We need to have an escape plan.”

“I’ll shoot him,” Bradley offered helpfully.

“He has your gun,” Mary replied.

“Oh, then that won’t work.”

Mary sighed. Somehow she didn’t think that Bradley’s warrior-police guy was coming back anytime soon.

“So, how do your legs feel?” she asked.

She felt a large hand squeeze her thigh.

“Bradley, that was my leg.”

“Oh, sorry, but what a relief, I thought I had lost feeling in my legs.”

Maybe death isn’t all that bad
, Mary thought.

Mary slid down to the bottom of the truck bed. She felt around in the darkness and located the interior latch. She felt Bradley move down beside her. “What did you find?” he asked.

Mary thought he seemed a little more rational. “The latch for the gate,” she said, “Perhaps we can crawl out when he stops the truck.”

“If he has my gun, we won’t have a chance,” he said, his voice sounding a little more serious.

Oh, thank goodness, Bradley’s coming back.

“Well, he has to slow down once he enters the woods,” Mary said, “We could roll out while the truck is still moving.”

Bradley looked at her. “It’s gonna hurt.”

She smiled back at him. “Yes, but so does dying.”

Mary could feel the minute they left regular pavement and turned onto the rough maintenance road. She turned to Bradley. He met her eyes and nodded. Yes, he was back.