Pursuit (14 page)

Julie made her way up to Billie's front door. The quaint coziness of the Pines had its appeal, but it was sad to admit that a playground across the street was no longer in the realm of Cheryl's interests. It seemed mere months since her girl had hung upside down on their backyard swing set.

She heard music down the street.

The door was wide open.

He stuffed their mouths with washcloths from the freshly decorated powder room and placed muslin cloth hoods over their heads, securing them with tape wrapped under their chins. Clothesline extending from tied hands to their necks joined the captives five feet apart. They were both
drowsy, and he considered leaving the older woman behind in the house, but she had seen him.

“Listen to me.”

The teen, lying on her side, pedaled her legs, searching for purchase.

“Listen, dammit. Stop thrashing, or I'll make you stay still. Got it?”

The hood shook up and down.

“You're going to get up now. You're tied by the neck to this other woman. If you make a sudden jerk, you'll strangle yourself or break bones. Hear me?”

Once again the nod.

He repeated his instructions to the woman, who got to her knees then struggled to a standing position, whimpering like the mutt. The only light came from the laundry room with the door cracked open. Leading the two women by their leash, he opened the back door.

This would be the most dangerous moment. Although dark out, they would be visible crossing the yard, and conspicuous if hooded and led by a short length of rope. The girl in the lead tugged on her tether but stopped after he snapped the rope, hard. The light rain turned into a harsh downpour.

Halfway across the yard, the woman tripped, and they both fell. Before he could get them on their feet, a rear door opened down the street, and light flooded the fence surrounding the property. He crouched down, his arms encircling his two captives. The fence might have saved him, the horizontal and angled boards creating a mixed pattern of shapes in the darkened yards.

Distant lightning whitened the sky. He waited until it was dark again and pulled his charges back on their feet, hustling them into the edge of the woods.

Scooter barked twice, his sharp voice dulled by heavy rain. He had locked the pest in the powder room. Now he wished he had strangled the little bastard.

The trio made its way into the woods, the two females stumbling while being led through the rock-strewn forest. Charles glanced back at the development. In the distance, through the trees, he saw the revolving blinker lights of a police car. He damned his luck. He had to either cut and run or lighten his load.

The younger of his two burdens stood head down, almost calm, while the older woman struggled with her bindings. He walked to her side. “Stop your infernal Hoochie McCoochie, or I'll place a rock upside your head, hear me?”

He led them onward through the slash and rocks of the dank forest.

In the near distance, Charles saw the dim house lights he'd noticed when he parked earlier, off to the left, several light poles away. He waited, uncertain if he should proceed with both his prizes. The heavyset woman continued her weeping and pulled against her rope restraints.

“Either quit your blabbering, or I'll put an end to it for you. You choose.” Charles yanked on the lead rope hard, pulling both his captives off their feet and onto the rock-and-weed forest floor.

The older woman bucked, making wet choking sounds as Charles cut the rope between them. He pushed the girl toward the road, leaving the woman behind on the ground. The older one was more dangerous to have around than any benefit she would have provided later.

He retrieved his vehicle and secured Cheryl in the back. Settling into the driver's seat, he reconsidered leaving
the woman in the woods. If she talked, it could be difficult for him later. He eased himself out of the truck and headed back into the tall trees.

Billie was lying right where he'd left her. Legs pulled up tight to her chest, her head turned into the earth.

“You had to kick up a fuss, didn't you?” he whispered. “Had to show your hind side, be all whiney, right?” He poked her with a long stick. “I'm talkin' to you. Shake your head.”

She lay still.

He stepped closer, nudging her with his toe. “You playing possum, hefty?”

The smell of corroded earth and animal death penetrated Charles as he walked back to the truck. He felt no guilt about the lump of humanity lying soaked and still in the blackened forest. She had caused her own demise by being desperate and unruly. After all, he was only having a bit of fun.

J
ulie searched the
house and took a quick look into the backyard. Neither Cheryl nor Billie answered her calls. Julie thought the dog might have strayed and they went in search. But they would have gone on foot as Billie's car was in the drive. She stood by the front door, watching as the rain eased.

She got a flashlight from her car and headed for the playground. She met up with a couple and their son crossing the street.

Julie aimed her flashlight down at the wet pavement. “Excuse me, I'm looking for my daughter and Miss Cooper from across the street.” She gestured toward Billie's house. “Have you seen them?

“That hefty gal with the pesky dog,” the man said to his wife. “Haven't seen them. That cur was yapping a while ago down the street toward the end there. Who wants to know?”

“Just a friend, thank you.”

“ ‘Friend'? We're careful around here about strangers.”

“I'm an officer. Just concerned; the door was left open.” She took out her badge and turned to walk away. “Thanks for your help.”

“Ma'am, would you like me to accompany you?”

“Thank you, no!” she called out. Just what she needed. A neighborly vigilante. It didn't make sense. If Cheryl and Billie were in the vicinity, they would be calling for the dog. It was too quiet. She walked deep into the playground and then rested her leg on the pipe supporting the teeter-totter. In the back, toward the lit street on the other side of the development, she saw picnic tables and trash cans. A gully separated the green area on the near side from the backyards on the other street. The only way to check out the rest of the development would be in her car.

Driving, she moved her flashlight back and forth across the street and pointed it toward the end of the cul-de-sac where she had turned around earlier. Nothing.

Somewhere from behind, she detected whining. Then a crisp bark.

She picked up her phone. “Todd, listen to me. I've got a problem. I can't figure it out.”

“Where are you? I'll come over.”

“Would you? I'm out at my friend Billie Cooper's in Thousand Pines.”

“Be there in fifteen.”

Julie went to the end of the street and saw no signs of a dog. Going back through her friend's house, there were no indications of struggle or violence. She stepped outside. Once again a light drizzle slicked the black asphalt before her.

Todd arrived sooner than expected. They stood in Billie's living room.

“What worries me is her car is in the driveway. I've been here for almost an hour, maybe less, and—” Julie noticed lights blinking. “What's that?”

Todd parted the curtains. “Police. Local guys. Let's go
cool them down.” They took out their badges before meeting up with two officers pulling up in their patrol car.

“State troopers, fellows. Not sure if we have a situation here or not.”

“We got a call from a guy who says he lives here in the development.” The lead officer seemed receptive.

“That's me, Officer. I called. It seemed suspicious.” The ever-vigilant home owner walked up behind them.

The policeman assured the fellow that all was under control, though Julie wasn't too sure.

“My daughter and friend are missing. Would you go with me to spotlight the cul-de-sac? I was down there earlier and thought I heard my friend's dog, but then nothing. Weird.”

They followed the patrol car. The officer scanned the neighborhood and parked at the end of the street. The light beam cut through dense trees, creating an eerie display.

“Scooter, come boy!” Julie called out. “Hey, Cheryl! Billie!”

They waited; a dog yelped from the direction of the home behind them.

“That house is empty; has been since they built it.” Like an unwanted fly, the busybody had followed them to the end of the street.

Todd and Julie stayed near the police car while the local cops knocked on the door and walked around the house, aiming their flashlights into the dark rooms.

“Think we have something back here.”

Todd and Julie tracked the policeman's voice. “I can't see in this high window; might be a bathroom, but there's definitely a dog in there.”

Julie once again called out to Scooter, who answered with a yelping fuss.

“There shouldn't be an animal in there—”

All four of them once again looked at the neighborhood fellow.

“This house hasn't sold. I saw the brokers here today showing the place. I'm part of community patrol; we look out for things.”

“Thanks,” replied the older officer. “Wait back in the street. We'll call you if we have questions.”

The man trudged back toward the patrol car.

“Listen guys, I'm really getting anxious,” Julie said. “I know it's not protocol to enter a house without a warrant, but something's wrong. There's no way in hell that dog should be in that house. Couldn't we use probable cause? Bust a window, force a door?”

The older cop flashed his light around while trying to make a decision. “Let's see if there's a door or window open; maybe someone broke in.”

The two locals went toward the back while Todd and Julie checked the front.

Julie rattled one of the porch windows.

“Door's open!” Todd shouted. He walked to the side of the house and saw the lockbox lying behind a porch chair. “Officers, we've got a break-in.”

Guns out, the two local cops went in first. Julie followed and flicked a switch on the wall, bathing the front room with light from a chandelier shaped like a wagon wheel. Hearing Scooter scratching against the door, she started to open it.

“Better not until we check everything, okay?”

Julie knew she shouldn't handle things, but it made her feel like it would put her in touch with Cheryl.

From the older patrolman in the kitchen, “Hold it, guys. We've got a long smear on the floor. Looks like blood.”