Under the Aspens (The Aspen Series) (9 page)

Oh No, Sam Bellows was out of jail. She thought she was safe, but not as long as Sam Bellows was loose.

Glancing at Sher, Glen saw her face had turned grey and knew knees were starting to weaken.  Before he reached for her, Robert Gilliam grabbed her arm.

“Hey, little lady, you look like you saw a ghost,” he said with humor in his voice.

“Get your hands off of me.  Don’t ever touch me again,” Sher yelled, while she slapped this slimmy hand away.

If looks could kill, the look Robert Gilliam gave her would strike her dead.  She sensed the evil in the man.  She knew he was behind William’s death, and everything else that had been going on and she would prove it somehow.

“So tell us again how you came to be here,” Glen tried to get back on subject, before Sher did or said something to put them in more danger.

“We have an appointment with William.  He does all the work on my buildings,” This time Robert Gilliam smiled, although the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

“Glen, Mr. Gilliam here owns all the buildings William has put up.  He even owns some of the land your brother is building homes on, Sher,” Officer David was letting them know Mr. Gilliam had money.  Apparently, lots, and lots of money, enough to hire slugs like Sam and his cousin.

“And what part do you play in all this, Mr. Bellows?”

“Steven’s been with me for years.  You could say he’s my right hand man.  He knows what needs to be done, before I do, if you get my drift,” Mr. Gilliam half smiled.

Glen wasn’t sure if Mr. Gilliam just mentioned a fact or hinted at something darker.  He’ll bet money it was the later. He didn’t like the way Gilliam looked at Sher. He had the eyes of a snake ready to strike its prey.

“David, I’m taking Sher home.  I think she’s been through enough today. Call me when you’re through here.  We need to talk.”

Mr. Gilliam stepped up to Sher saying, “sorry for your lose.  Your ex husband must have been into something he shouldn’t have, for him to come to such a final ending. I’d hate to see you come to the same ending, being married to him and all.”

Glen didn’t hold back.  He punched the slime ball right in the nose, “Stay away from her, or you’ll deal with me.”

“I ‘m just offered some friendly advice. You didn’t have to hit me.  I should press charges, but under the circumstances, with Mrs. Mason’s loss, I’ll forgive it, this time,” He said, as he turned to confer with his associate, Steven.

Glen and Sher drove off, leaving David to finish asking the questions.  Glen knew David would call him later.  Right now he just wanted to get Sher out of there.

When they got back to Sher’s house, Glen asked to see the pictures she found that morning.  She went to the pantry and got the picture frame and brought it to the kitchen counter.  As she took the frame apart, the pictures fell out.  Glen picked up one. 

“I know this guy.  Not personally, but I know who he is.  He’s on the building committee.  He’s been missing for over a month,” Glen recalled seeing a bulletin about the man.

As Glen held up the picture, Sher saw some writing on the back, “Turn it over, there’s something written on the back”

It said:
buried beneath building on corner of 64
th
Ave. and Ward Rd,
turning the other pictures over, they saw more writings. The picture with Mr. Gilliam and Steven together, said
guilty
, on the back of the one with Gilliam by his self, it said
murderer
on the back.

“We have a big piece of the puzzle here.  We’ll get these to David for processing in the morning.  But we still haven’t found any recording.”

“I never did get around to looking through everything in the garage here. Let’s do that now,” Although Sher had enough stress and excitement for the day, she wanted to find the recording before something else happened.

“Are you sure you’re up to that.  It’s been a hard day.  You identified your ex, who was killed, you faced the possible murderers.  I’d say you have done enough for one day,” Glen tried to protect her again.

“No, please, we need to find that recording.  If we don’t, this won’t stop,” She was not above pleading.

“Ok.  But if I see you’re about to faint, we stop, understood?’

She nodded, as she got up from the bar stool, then went through the kitchen door to the garage. As she did she turned on the lights as she went.  Things were still a disaster here.  They never made it out here to clean up.  Now was as good a time as any.

They spent about an hour and picked up broken memories and dumped them in the trash.  Then they started going through more boxes from her parent’s home.  Sher didn’t take the time to go down memory lane.  They were on a mission, and needed to find that recording. 

They find glassware, books, games, dishes, childhood toys, but no recording.

They decided to take a break because the garage was dusty, and they needed a drink.

“How does lemonade sound to you?”

“Sounds like that will hit the spot. I didn’t realize you kept so much of your parent’s things.  Is that all there is in the garage?” he asked.

“I think there are a few boxes in the attic.  Brad started placing them up there, until he got tired of carrying them up the stairs.  Then he just stacked them in the garage,” She felt the tears coming, and fought to keep them at bay.

“After we drink this and rest a bit, why don’t we try the attic?  I don’t remember anyone searching there.  We might find it up there,” He tried to distract her thoughts.

“You’re right.  I don’t think that Bellows character got that far.  Let me rest first, and then we’ll climb upstairs.”

After they quenched their thirst in silence, both having two glasses of lemonade, they both continued sitting. The liquid did wash down some of the dust they breathed in the garage, and of course, the attic would also be dusty, probably worse. They wasted enough time; it was time to get busy again.

After pulling the attic steps down, they both climbed up.  There were four boxes which sat off to the side.  They each picked a box, and proceeded to look through all the items.  Finally, Glen shouted, “Eureka.  I believe I have it.”

It was a small tape, which looked to have come from a pocket recorder.

“I don’t suppose you own a pocket recorder?” He asked, hopefully.

“No.  I’ve never had use for one.”

“That’s ok.  We have one at the station.  Tomorrow morning, we’ll take it there, and finally see what this whole thing has been about,” He smiled finally. He couldn’t help but smile. The danger was over now.

“Let’s put all this stuff back and get downstairs were the air is cleaner,” She suggested.

They only just stepped off the ladder downstairs, when they heard something break.  Glen was sure that is was the window above the back door.

“Go in your room, and lock the door.  Don’t come out till you hear my voice,” He said, as he pulled his gun from the waistband of his jeans.

“No. I’m staying with you.” she argued.

“Honey, I’m a cop, I know what to do, and I can’t do it and worry about you being out there with me.  Please, go to your room.  Make sure you lock the door, “With that he was gone.

Sher closed and locked her door.  She was so worried so she decided to pray, “Please, God, don’t let anything happen to him.  He’s a good man, and I love him dearly,” She then sat in the far corner of her room next to the night stand and waited

She didn’t have to wait long.  Someone pounded on her bedroom door.  She almost stood up and opened it, but something held her back.  Glen said to wait till she heard his voice. She had not heard any voice.  Now it sounded like someone used a battering ram.  Someone was determined to get in.  She looked around for anything that could be used as a weapon.  All she found was a sterling silver candlestick holder.  With a tight grip on it, she stood to the side of the door.  If anyone stepped inside she would crack their head open, and run.

The door shattered.  Sher waited.  It was several seconds before she saw a hand come thru the door, holding a gun.  She struck out, knocking the gun out of the hand.

“You bitch, you’re going to pay for that, and I’m going to enjoy watching you squirm,” She knew that voice.

She couldn’t get through the door while that man stood there, so she turned to run towards the bathroom, on the other side of the room.  She didn’t get far.  He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled. It felt like her scalp was being ripped off.  She screamed, and kicked, and cried through the pain, but nothing helped.

Where was Glen?  He should be back by now, she thought, through the angry tears that ran down her face.

“Give me what your husband left with you. Oh, excuse me,
your ex husband,
“he laughed.

She saw him in her mirror. It was Robert Gilliam.

They both heard the shots, gunshots, they sounded from the back of the house.

“Good, now that your lover boy cop is taken care of by my assistant, we can have some fun. Get on your knees. Do it now or I’ll shot your foot off.  First one foot, then the next, then we might start on your knees.  Get down now.”

Tears fell down her cheeks like a waterfall.  She didn’t crying for herself.  She cried for the man she loved.  He might be dead.  They had their whole lives ahead of them to make each other happy.  She refused to believe he lay dead in her backyard.

“You might as well start shooting.  I will not get on my knees for you of all people. And I’d think twice before you pull the trigger, because I’m what the doctors call a “bleeder”, and if I bleed to death, you’ll never get what you’ve been looking for,” she said with all her strength.

She lifted her chin up for effect.  She really didn’t have a bleeding problem, but he didn’t need to know that.  She needed to stall him, so she could come up with some kind of plan to get away, and find Glen.  He might be hurt and bleeding.  The thought made her sick.

“You just bought yourself a reprieve.  But we’re going into the other room.  No sudden moves or you’ll regret it,” He then called out, “Steven, I’ve got the wife, we are coming out, don’t get trigger happy now.”

No one answered.  Not even a creak sounded through the house.

He marched her towards the bedroom door.  He acted very nervous. Guess he wondered where his assistant was.

As Sher stepped partway into the hall, she saw a flash of blue that ducked into the hallway bathroom. Glen…  He wore a blue shirt.  Her prayers were answered, he’s alright. She tried to think what she can do to help the situation, and still not show the joy she felt, when Gilliam told her to halt, and stand still.

It didn’t look like Gilliam liked the situation either.  He loosened his grip on her hair, and that’s when she acted. She brought her fist up over her shoulder and hit him in the nose.  Then she elbowed him in the ribs a second later, with her other arm.  The gun in his hand went off. Sher hit the floor, lying on her stomach.  She heard two more shots, then nothing.

Glen sat by her hospital bed with his head down.  He didn’t think he prayed so much in his whole life.  The doctors removed the bullet from her back, but she still hasn’t awakened. It had been two days.  Tears rolled down his face.  He wouldn’t lose her.  He can’t lose her now.

“Sweetheart, please wake up.  I know you’re strong.  You can wake up.  I love you so much, and need you even more.  Please wake up,” He was about at the end of his rope. What will he do without her in his life?

There was pain, lots of pain, and she felt something wet fall on her face.  It hurt to open her eyes.  The light was too bright.  Did she die?  She tried to open her eyes a little wider.  Such bright light and someone cried quietly next to her.  Her vision was blurred, but the longer she kept her eyes open, the better it got.

She saw she was in a white room, a hospital room.  Someone held her hand.  She turned her head slightly to the left, and saw Glen.  He had his head bent down and didn’t see her as she watched him.

“What happened?” She barely croaked the words out, her throat was so dry.

Glen’s head jerked up, “Oh, Honey, don’t talk. I’m so glad you’re finally awake.  I thought I lost you.  But you’ll be alright now.  I know you are strong.”

“Water, please, “she whispered.

He raised her bed just enough that she took a sip as he held the cup and straw for her, “Take it slow. Just a little at a time.”

“What happened?” She repeated. Then saw his arm was bandaged, “You’re hurt. Is it bad?”

“I’ll tell you everything; you just lie back and rest, while I tell the story.”

He told her how when he left her, he went out the front door so he could sneak around to the back of the house, but is ambushed by Steven Bellows.  He felt the bullet graze his arm, but he took one shot, and Steven Bellows was dead.

He paused a second, and looked into Sher’s eyes, “I thought you were dead too, when I saw Gilliam shoot you.  I was so worried.”

He continued on with the story, “I was coming back in to make sure you were safe, when I heard you scream.  I saw in through your bedroom, where the curtains didn’t quit meet.  I saw Gilliam held you by your hair. I wanted to kill him right then and there, but I was afraid of hurting you.”