Swept Away (27 page)

Her hospital room was lit with low light. He could hear the hum of the television from the door. When he stepped into the room, his mother looked up. Once she saw him, she was on her feet, jerking him into the room. Closing the door behind him, she hissed, “What in the hell did you do?”

“I told you. I needed to take a walk.”

“With a hunting rifle?”

“I didn’t—”

“The hell you didn’t. Ed said you left the gun cabinet wide open, and your lucky 270 was gone. He was scared to death you were going to…you didn’t, did you? Kill Stone? Ed said if you did, you’ve got to get him the gun, so he can get rid of it.”

“I didn’t kill anyone. I felt like it, but I didn’t.”

Marlene patted her chest. “Thank God. Now, are you done with the insanity? She’s been worried sick. Damn it, she needs you here.”

“She woke up?”

“Hell, yes. About twenty minutes after you left. They gave her more medicine, so she’s finally resting. The doctor said the bleeding is under control, and as soon as her blood pressure stabilizes, they’ll let her go home.” Marlene looked down at Josie. “She’ll be happy to see you. When she woke, she asked for you. I told her your walking story, but she didn’t buy it either. She tried to call your phone, but you didn’t answer.”

“I forgot it at the house.” He’d ditched the phone. He knew it would ping off cell phone towers.

His mom gave him a knowing look. “Mmm, hmm, I bet. I think she had a gut feeling that you were thinking of doing something stupid. She’s a hearty prayer. I’ll give her that.”

Tucker chuckled. “That she is.” Tucker gave his mom a hug.  “Go on home. I’ll take it from here.”

Marlene closed the door gently behind her, but Josie still woke up. Her eyes fluttered open, and she sighed. “You’re here. You scared me.”

“Nah, not me.” He took her hand and kissed it.

“You’re such a bad liar. The pain of losing the baby was nothing compared to the thought of losing you. I don’t need you to avenge me…I need you with me.”

“I won’t leave you. I thought it through and put the gun away.”

“Gun?” Her eyes were open wide. “Tucker, what did you do?”

“I was going to put a bullet in his skull. I had my gun, an excellent vantage point, and he was right in the middle of my cross hairs, looking right at me.”

“No Tucker, no. We have to let go of the anger. We have each other, but we won’t if we let our feelings rule our hearts.”

“I won’t do anything stupid. I promise. I was pissed. I wanted this baby more than I ever thought I could want anything. And it killed me, seriously killed me, that you blamed yourself. It burned a freaking hole through my heart that you would ever think this is your fault.”

She reached out and caressed his cheek. “Come, kiss me.”

He leaned forward and kissed her. When he pulled back, she smiled at him. “Your mom told me sometimes the flesh can’t contain the spirit. Our little peanut must be one big ball of energy if he needs a stronger body. This was God’s doing, not mine. Not Jeb’s.”

Tucker shrugged. Tears clouded his vision. Josie kissed him. “It will happen. We will be a family.”

Tucker brushed away a wayward tear. Embarrassed, he got up and walked to the window. “Tonight, while I was laying on that hill waiting on Stone, Ash was in my head. It was like he was right there with me, stopping me.”

“Thank God for Ash. Even if it’s just you and me. That’s all I need.”

“There will be other babies,” Tucker said. “When I was up there, Ash told me to think it through, then I had this feeling…or a vision…though it wasn’t really a vision.”

“It was like a memory that hasn’t happened yet?”

“Exactly,” Tucker said. “It was like an image, but I understood the image. We were having a baby, and it wasn’t our first. We were happy.” He returned to her side, locking his fingers in hers. “You were holding my hand, and I could feel it. I could hear the doctor tell you to push. I could smell the antiseptic soap from the delivery room. I also knew, without a doubt, if I pulled that trigger, I’d lose that.”

She relaxed against him, nestling her head on his shoulder. She smiled. “Seems you have your own guardian. Ash is looking out for you.”

“I don’t know about that, Josie. He called me a dumbass. Not exactly harp-strumming sweetness.”

Her laugh was soft. “He speaks a language you will hear.”

He nodded. “We will get through this, won’t we?”

“Yes, we will.  As long as we have each other,” she said.

“Well, I’m not going anywhere, and I’m not letting you go.” He brushed his thumb across her cheek.

Her eyes were getting heavy. Crawling in bed with her, he held her. He kissed her brow. “Sleep sweetie. I’ll be right here.”

“No walks?”

“No walks. I have way too much to lose.”

The next day, the hospital discharged Josie. His mom brought her a change of clothes on her way to work. They snuck out via a loading dock to avoid the press. Josie looked paler than usual, and her smile was as weak as morning sunshine that glowed bright, but lacked its full warmth.

Reaching for her hand, Tucker brought it to his lips. “Can I get you some breakfast?”

Josie shook her head. “Your mother force-fed me an omelet while you were getting the car. She said I needed the protein.”

“That’s my mother.”

“Speaking of parents. any chance we could visit your dad? Or is that weird?”

“Why would it be weird? Are you sure you’re up to it?”

Josie nodded.

Shifting the car into drive, he headed for the nursing home. The hospital was only a few blocks away, and they arrived in a few minutes. Josie frowned as she looked the building over. Tucker hadn’t considered how shabby the nursing home looked on his first visit. He supposed it wasn’t the best place, but it wasn’t the worst either. Evidently, Josie expected better things for Rob Morgan than his own son did. Tucker sighed as he got out and walked to her side of the car.

She already had her door open, but he gave her his hand and helped her out. His gesture got him a pat on the cheek. “I’m fine, Tucker. Stop worrying.”

Her assurances didn’t register with Tucker. He still kept an arm around her back like he feared the antiseptic and urine smell of the place could be toxic. The workers manning the front desk didn’t pay any attention to them as they passed. No one bothered to question their presence at all, until an old man shuffled out of his room in his slippers and his crookedly buttoned pajamas. “Hey, boy,” the man said, “someone stole my teeth. Tell my son, all right?”

“Uh? Okay?” Tucker said. The guy nodded and headed back to his room.

Tucker led Josie farther down the hall to his father’s room. His dad looked the same as the first visit…sitting in his wheelchair, in the dark, staring out the window.

“Rob?” Josie practically ran to the elderly man. Tucker was right behind her and tried to pull her back. She shook her head. “I’m fine, Tucker.”

Josie was down on one knee in front of Rob hugging him. Rob pulled back a little and grunted, pointing toward the door. Tucker feared the worst was coming. He instantly regretted bringing Josie here. If his dad threw something at her—

“Turn on the light, Tucker. I think he wants to be able to see us.”

Rob nodded and smiled. Josie pulled up a chair and sat in front of him, holding his hands. “Oh goodness. I’ve missed you so much.” A tear slid down her cheek. “Tucker said he came to see you a while ago. Do you remember that visit?”

Again, Rob nodded. Josie’s smile was broad. “You won’t believe this, but he found me.”

Rob’s eyes were soft as he looked Josie over, but then his shoulders stiffened and he shook his head. He pulled his hand away from Josie and pointed to the door.

“What is it?” Josie asked.

“I think he wants us to leave,” Tucker suggested. “I don’t think he likes having company.”

With a grunt, Rob spun around, using one foot to move the chair. He rolled to a dresser where he knocked the TV remote to the floor. Letting out a growl, he pounded his foot on the floor.

“What is it?” Josie asked. Turning to Tucker she said, “I don’t think he wants us to leave. I think he’s trying to tell us something.”

Rob nodded.

“Paper,” Tucker said. “Maybe he could write something on a piece of paper." Tucker moved to the dresser and looked around. He couldn’t find a tablet or even a magazine.

Josie grabbed a roll of toilet paper from the bathroom. She ripped the paper wrapper off the roll and handed it to Tucker, then she dug in her purse and pulled out a pen. Tucker set the pen and paper on the table and slid it in front of his dad. Rob tried to write a word, but all he got was a squiggly line. He grunted and threw the pen at the wall.

A discouraged-looking Josie picked up the pen.

“Wait,” Tucker said. “My phone.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and put it on notepad. “Here,” he said laying it on the table in front of his dad. He showed him how to use it. Rob nodded. Waiting for his dad’s twisted fingers to hit the little buttons was frustrating, but Tucker kept his eagerness well hidden. He tried to read over his shoulder, but his dad’s head was so close to the phone, Tucker couldn’t even see the screen. When Rob finished, he sat up as straight as his crooked body allowed.

Not safe ariel not safe

Tucker read the words and looked at Josie. His heart skipped a beat. The danger had to be over. “Amanda Stone committed suicide, and Greg Meyers is in jail. Is she still in danger?”

Rob’s brow furrowed. He looked like a man who was just told the moon fell from the sky. Tucker pulled up a chair and told him the whole story from the time he was last at the nursing home to this morning. Rob listened intently, holding a hand out to Josie when Tucker explained she’d lost the baby. Josie cradled his hand in hers.

Once the tale was told, Tucker asked, “Is she still in danger?”

No,
Rob typed as he relaxed in his seat. A grimace that may have been a smile twitched his cheeks. He leaned forward and typed
happy.

Josie’s smile was radiant. It had all the intensity of high noon. “I’m happy too. I’ve missed you. I’ve missed Gloria. And I have Tucker. He’s perfect for me, Rob. Can you believe it?”

Rob nodded.

Josie patted Rob’s leg. “Now, we need to talk to Gloria about getting you out of here. You do want out of this place, don’t you?”

Rob nodded.

“I figured as much. You poor man, I don’t believe for one second you were having an affair with my mother.”

Rob shook his head and frowned.

Josie was quiet a minute. Then she asked, “They tricked you, didn’t they? They told you they knew where Maddy was. Then what did they do to you?”

Rob’s eyes filled with tears.

Josie moved closer and gave his hand a squeeze. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, I swear. But first, I need to talk some sense into Gloria. Today. I don’t want you to have to spend another night here. You saved my life, you know?”

The tears spilled over and down the man’s wrinkled cheeks. Josie wiped them away.

Tucker approached his father, kneeling in front of him. It finally occurred to him that this man knew what happened. Maybe he knew something that could help Josie. “Dad?” Tucker said.

Rob’s gaze fell on Tucker and his face lit up.

“Can you help us? Stone is out of prison and they’re charging Josie with conspiracy.”

Rob’s fingers shook as he typed.
Killed maddy

“Who killed Maddy?”

Stone

“Can you prove it?” Tucker asked, his body tense. If they could prove Stone killed Maddy, that would surely clear Josie.

Yes

Josie turned to Tucker. “We need to call the police.”

“No. We can’t call the police. We can’t trust them. Look at how they treated you?”

Rob knocked on the table. Tucker turned and saw a new word on the notepad:
King

“Is King a cop?”

Rob nodded.

“One we can trust?”

He nodded again.

Tucker called Shae and gave her the information and asked her to hunt this man down. There was no way in hell he was calling the Applewold police station and asking for him. For all he knew, the man would end up floating in Lake Erie before the end of the day if the wrong people knew he was contacted by them.

By dinnertime that evening, Gloria’s trailer looked like the operational headquarters for a joint task force. Detective King, a small, dark-haired guy with a nervous twitch, had called in the Pennsylvania State Police and Internal Affairs. The now, happy to be at home, Rob Morgan was provided with a keypad communicator made for stroke victims. He was soon pounding out his side of the story.

Amanda Stone and Greg Morgan took him to Stone’s warehouse out in the Cisco woods. They showed him proof that Stone had Maddy. He had her hair clip and her necklace. They told him he’d become obsessed with Maddy, like he was Ariel. That he was keeping her at a local hotel, tied up and drugged.

They assured him they were turning all the evidence over to the police, but first they’d take him to his daughter. They drove to the Econo Inn downtown. As soon as Rob walked through the door, Greg jumped him and Amanda stabbed him with a hypodermic needle. Their plan was to leave him for dead in what looked like an overdose during an affair. Rob didn’t die, but their plan still worked. He looked like a vile cheat. He had no respect. No one to turn to.  No one to care what he had to say.

Gloria cried at the revelation. Hard sobs wracked her skinny body and took the words from her.

Rob patted her arm.

“I’m sorry. I shoulda known. I shoulda trusted you, but oh my God, she was so beautiful. You always liked the pretty ones.”

Rob sent her a message,
you are the pretty one.

Gloria wrapped her arms around him for a bone crushing hug.

While Gloria and Rob had their moment, Tucker called Detective King. “How soon until you can check that warehouse? He may still have evidence in there.”

“I’m on it. We have a warrant and a team of detectives over there now. We also have people meeting with Myers. I figure if he knows Rob Morgan is talking, he may want to share what he knows too.”

Greg Myers was more than eager to talk, especially when he was told that the car he owned five years ago was just impounded by the State Police. It was time that vehicle was given a white glove check for evidence. Maddy Morgan’s case was officially re-opened, this time as a homicide, not a runaway.

Greg Myers folded. He admitted he had been the one to dispose of Maddy’s body, but it was Jeb Stone who killed her. He told them where they could find a video of Stone confessing to the murder. Meyers recorded Jeb when he explained to Myers how he killed the girl because she wouldn’t shut up. She threatened to take Ariel away from him. Greg admitted he helped Stone cover up the murder to the police and Amanda. But Amanda was suspicious. She called Greg while Ariel was in the hospital.

She had the perfect plan.

Ariel would come home from the hospital. First chance Jeb got, he would approach the girl again. Amanda would catch him in the act and kill them both. She’d blame Jeb for Ariel’s death, and she’d never be convicted for killing the bastard to save her daughter.

Meyer’s admitted he wasn’t keen on killing the girl at the time, but Amanda worried Jeb had made Ariel the heir to most of his estate, and she’d run to live with the trailer trash instead of her mother. Then where would Amanda be?

At the end of the interview, Myers told them where they could find Maddy’s body. He’d wrapped the girl in plastic, took her out on Lake Erie, tied a large concrete lawn angel to the bag, and dumped her at Ferrel’s Landing. Myers said he added the angel because he felt bad for the girl. She’d just been at the wrong place— running her mouth to the wrong guy— at the wrong time.

It only took dive teams one hour to find her and bring her up from her watery grave.

Jeb Stone accused Greg Meyers of trying to distract people from the truth—it was Myers and Amanda who killed Maddy. Some might have fallen for Stone’s dispersion if the warrant hadn’t revealed a hoard of evidence from the Cisco Warehouse. And, of course, there was Stone’s video confession. Meyers wasn’t dumb enough to transport and dump a body without proof he wasn’t the killer.

When King stopped by the trailer at the end of the night, he pulled Tucker outside to update him. Tucker felt floored. So much changed simply by scratching the surface. If only the police had done their job five years ago, Josie would never have had to live in hiding. But instead of pursuing justice, law enforcement lined their pockets with Stone’s money.

“So, it’s over?” Tucker asked.

Detective King gave him a slap on the shoulder. “Pretty much all but the paper work. We’re waiting on a new prosecutor to be appointed to file the official charges, since Rogers got fired. Good of Stone to keep such good records for us.”

“So he was on the take?”

King nodded. “We have a ledger of payments to officials and cops. There are a whole lot of people in this town sweating tonight.”

“I can’t thank you enough.”

“I wish I could have done more sooner. I was a new detective when I was assigned to Maddy’s case. I never bought the runaway angle, but when I suggested foul play, my chief pulled me from the case. I knew something stunk, but I had no proof.”

“Looks like you have it now.”

“I sure as hell do. Now, you go and let them know this nightmare’s about over. I’m going to go leak to the press that they’re about to look like a bunch of dipshits. Again.”