Personal Justice (24 page)

“Where are we going?”

Another short laugh, then, “You’ll see. I’ll come up with a plan. Something to cover me.” She laughed out loud. “I can either frame you, or make you disappear forever. Or both.”

“You tried that already,” Annie said. “With Punky Brown.”

Tammy sighed deeply. “Punky Brown. That was my last dumb move.” She chuckled. “Hiring a punk to take care of something I should’ve done myself. After that fiasco, I made it my resolve to do my own killing in the future.”

“The police have the recording.”

“But they won’t have me.” Tammy smiled with her lips but the ice remained in her eyes. “And if you disappear as well, who’s going to know the truth?”

“You might kill me, but they’ll find you.”

Tammy’s eyes glimmered. “I have half a million to keep me company and keep me hidden for a good long time. It’s not hard to buy a new identity and start a fresh life elsewhere. It’s a big country.”

“It’s greed that got you into this and it’s greed that’ll get you caught. You have the robbery money, don’t you?”

Tammy drew herself up and sneered. “Of course. Who do you think ran the whole show?” She rolled her eyes. “Do you think I would trust those bozos to do what only I could do?”

“So you double-crossed them. You used them to do your job for you, then killed them because the money got to you.”

Tammy shrugged. “I got tired of waiting, and frankly, I got tired of them.” Her eyes glazed and she motioned with the pistol. “Enough talk. Time to go.”

Annie didn’t move. “What about Rocky Shaft? He knows what you did.”

Tammy laughed, long and hard. “Rocky Shaft knows nothing. The poor sap was in the right place at the right time to fall neatly into my plans.” Tammy’s face grew cold and her eyes tightened. “After I got rid of his brother, the idiot came to me with some story about his brother and my husband committing a robbery. He wanted to cash in on his brother’s share. He didn’t know I was the boss and I didn’t tell him. But that’s when I saw him as the perfect patsy.” She shrugged and grinned. “And my plan evolved from there.”

Annie knew she was up against a cold-blooded killer who would do whatever it took to get what she wanted. Annie also knew she had some time to come up with a plan of her own. The killer wasn’t going to shoot her here. That wouldn’t fit in with her scheme to make Annie disappear and make a clean getaway.

“It’s time to go,” the killer said, waving the gun again. “Back up. Into the kitchen.”

Annie adjusted her handbag, turned slowly, walked down the short hall, and into the kitchen. She stopped and waited, trying desperately to come up with some means of escape.

The back door was dead ahead. Maybe she could make a run for it. She looked to her left. The kitchen circled back around to the living room. Could she take a chance? She shuddered at the thought of a bullet entering her back as she run. No. That wasn’t the answer.

“You don’t need this anymore,” Tammy said, pulling the handbag from Annie’s shoulder. Annie turned her head and watched as the woman dug around inside the handbag, removed her cell phone and car keys, and handed the bag back. “We can’t leave this lying around, can we? You’d better take it with you.”

Annie put the bag over her shoulder, her mind still in turmoil as she tried to devise a way out.

Tammy took a step back, kept one eye on Annie, and fiddled with the cell phone with her free hand. “There,” she said at last, holding up the phone. “Just in case you’re wondering, I turned off the GPS. Unfortunately, I’ll have to discard this thing once we get out of here.”

“Where are we going?” Annie asked.

“You’ll see.” Tammy backed to the counter, picked up a key ring, then moved back and opened a door. She waved the pistol. “In there.”

Annie turned and looked through the doorway leading into the garage. Tammy’s dark-blue Ford Probe was parked inside. The barrel of the pistol pressed into her back as Tammy prodded at her from behind. A beep sounded as she stepped into the garage and the trunk lid of the Ford popped open.

Annie considered swinging her handbag in an attempt to catch Tammy unawares and maybe disarm her. The killer would be nothing to handle without her weapon, but the woman seemed to be quite capable with it. It was a dangerous plan, and Annie decided to wait for a more opportune moment.

“Get in the trunk,” Tammy said, standing well back and motioning toward the vehicle.

Annie looked at the open trunk, glanced across the darkened room toward a door leading to the outside and freedom, and hesitated.

“Get in,” the killer repeated. “You won’t get away through there. I’m an expert shot and you wouldn’t get halfway to the door before I kill you.”

Annie crossed her arms and glared at Tammy. “Where are you taking me?”

Tammy’s eyes narrowed, a sneer appeared on her lips, and she thrust the gun two inches closer. “In.”

Annie gave her captor a black look, then climbed into the trunk, turned onto her back, and lay still. Tammy’s smug face disappeared from her view as the trunk lid slammed, leaving Annie in total darkness.

Chapter 46

Friday, 10:11 a.m.

WHEN JAKE ARRIVED home, he was surprised Annie’s car wasn’t in the driveway. He knew she called had Tammy Norton earlier, requesting an interview, and he assumed that’s where she was.

He pulled the Firebird into the garage and revved the engine a couple of times before turning the key off. He went into the house, peeked into the office, then dug out his iPhone and sent her a text message: “Home now. Miss you.”

When he didn’t get a return message, he assumed she was deep into the interview. The text tone sounded on the phone as he was pushing it back into his pocket. It was Annie: “Miss you too. See you soon.”

He wandered into the kitchen to find something to soothe his growling stomach and saw a note from Annie propped up against the coffee pot. She was at Tammy’s. No surprise.

He made a cup of coffee, found a leftover chicken drumstick in the fridge, and sat at the table, enjoying his snack and sipping coffee.

When he finished, he put the dishes in the sink and looked at his watch. Unless something else came up, Annie should be on her way home now. He called her number and it rang several times before going to voice mail. She was probably on the road. His wife was a stickler for not talking on her cell while driving. It was a habit he had yet to break.

After a few more minutes, he tried her number again. There was still no answer and he began to be concerned. This wasn’t like Annie.

Jake booted up the “Find My iPhone” app but Annie’s cell location didn’t show up. He frowned at his phone. Something didn’t make sense. Why would she turn the GPS off?

He stood and paced the floor when another call went unanswered. Something was wrong.

His phone rang and he looked at the caller ID, hoping it was Annie.

It wasn’t. It was Geekly.

“I can’t talk now,” Jake said, answering the phone. “I’m trying to find Annie.”

“That’s why I’m calling,” Geekly said. “I talked to her a little while ago and gave her some interesting news regarding the file she sent me.” He paused. “But something she said bothered me, and I started thinking about it. Before she hung up, she said, ‘Let Jake know the news.’ It didn’t make a lot of sense at the time, but in hindsight, she seemed a little nervous on the phone. I thought I’d better call you.”

Jake stopped pacing. “Where was she at the time?”

“I don’t know. She said she was with somebody.”

“Yeah, she was with a woman named Tammy Norton,” Jake said. “But I can’t reach her on the phone.”

“Tammy Norton?” Geekly said. “That’s strange.”

“In what way?”

“I gave Annie all the technical details, but the gist of it is, when I dissected the call from a guy called Michael Norton, it turned out to be Tammy Norton’s voice disguised as his.”

Jake sprang to his feet. “Are you sure about that?”

“Absolutely. I’ll explain it to you if you want.”

“No. Never mind. I’m sure you’re right.” Jake took a deep breath, his eyes narrowed and unfocused. Annie wasn’t answering her phone, and Tammy Norton wasn’t the innocent victim she claimed to be. That could only mean one thing.

Annie might be in danger.

“I have to go, Geekly,” Jake said suddenly. “Annie’s in some trouble. I’ll call you.” He hung up and ran into the office. He leafed through Annie’s notes, found Tammy Norton’s phone number, and dialed. He paced uneasily and waited, but there was no answer.

He dialed Hank’s number, ran to the kitchen for his car keys, and was in the garage before the cop answered the phone. “Annie’s in trouble,” he said into the phone as he jumped in the car and started the engine. He gave Hank a quick version of the story while he waited impatiently for the garage door to open.

“I’ll send a pair of cruisers immediately and meet you there,” Hank said. “But don’t go near the house until the officers get there.”

“I’ll be careful,” Jake said, and hung up.

The Firebird roared from the garage and spun onto the street. He didn’t know what he would find at the Norton house—maybe nothing at all, but he was determined to find out ASAP.

As he neared the house, he expected to see Annie’s vehicle parked at the road. It wasn’t there.

He pulled into the empty driveway, raced from the vehicle, and went to the side of the garage. He peeked through a small window in the outside door. His heart jumped when he saw Annie’s vehicle inside. That was a dead giveaway. Something was definitely wrong.

It was a single car garage, and Tammy Norton’s dark-blue Ford was nowhere to be seen. Tammy was gone. But where was his wife?

He hurried to the front door and banged furiously as two police cruisers pulled to the curb. Four officers streamed from the vehicles. Jake knew what their instructions would be. Enter the premises by force, if necessary, find Annie, and apprehend Tammy Norton.

As two officers ran to the back of the building, Jake stepped away from the front door as the other two cops raced to the front porch.

“Police. Open the door.”

The door remained closed, and then burst inward as the second cop hit it with a battering ram. The officers moved in cautiously, their weapons drawn, ready to bring them into use at a moment’s notice.

Jake turned as Hank pulled into the driveway behind the Firebird and jumped out. “Is she here?” Hank called.

“It doesn’t look like it.” Jake shook his head grimly. “The officers are inside, but I think both women are gone.”

“Stay back,” Hank said, as he drew his handgun and stepped into the house.

Jake followed Hank and stood in the foyer. The officers were busy, clearing the house, room by room. Before long they approached Hank. “No one’s here,” one of the cops said. “And there’s no sign of a struggle.”

Hank’s face was grim as he pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll get a BOLO out on Tammy Norton’s car immediately.”

Jake raced frantically around the rooms, through the kitchen, the living room, and finally to the garage. He pulled on the door handle of Annie’s car. It was unlocked, and the keys were in the ignition. He checked on the floor, the back seat, and the front seat, but nothing appeared to be out of place.

As far as he could tell, Tammy Norton had kidnapped his wife. He had to do whatever it took to find Annie. He prayed she was still alive.

If what he assumed about Tammy was correct—that she was a cold-blooded killer, he knew there would be no negotiations, no ransom, and no mercy shown.

Chapter 47

Friday, 10:49 a.m.

ANNIE GRIPPED THE wheel wrench firmly in both hands as she waited for the trunk lid to open. During the long ride to wherever they were now, the heavy bar was the only thing she could find that made a suitable weapon, and she planned on giving it her best shot.

She hadn’t considered Tammy to be the ruthless killer she turned out to be. And all because of money. She hoped Geekly had understood her message and Jake and the police were searching for her. She had no idea where she was, but if the building they were in was connected to Tammy, the police might be able to put the pieces together. She hoped they’d figure it out before it was too late.

The car stopped and she heard the unmistakable hum of an overhead garage door, then the vehicle moved ahead several feet.

She heard the same hum as the door closed, and then the car engine died. A vehicle door opened, slammed, and then footsteps came closer. She gripped the wheel wrench, readied herself, and waited.

The trunk lid popped up and her only chance of attack faded. Tammy stood well away from the trunk, the pistol in her hand.

“I thought you might try something like that,” the abductor said. “You can drop it now.”

Annie considered her situation for a brief moment before letting the iron slip from her hands. It made a dull thud as it hit the floor of the trunk.

Tammy stepped back and waved her weapon. “You’ll be happy to hear we’ve arrived at our destination. You can get out now.”

Annie swung one leg over, then the other, climbing from the trunk. She stood upright and glanced around. They appeared to be in a garage attached to a residential house. The usual items that could be seen in most any garage were scattered about. Shelves contained a variety of containers, clutter, and cast-offs. Garden tools occupied a bin on the floor. The rafters held more junk.

To her left, a door led into the house. Directly in front of her was an outside door. What were her odds?

Probably nil.

“Don’t try anything stupid,” Tammy said. “I could as easily shoot you right now, but if you’re careful, you might live a little longer.”

Annie crossed her arms and glared. “You aren’t going to get away with this, so you might as well shoot me now. What’re you waiting for?”

Tammy shrugged and gave a fake smile. “I haven’t figured out how you’re going to fit into my plans. So you might be pleased to learn, until I do, you’re safe with me.” She laughed. “As long as you’re a good girl.”