Whispers of the Falls: Book one (Twelve Oaks Farm Series 1) (18 page)

“Lacy said the voice was whispering for her to climb the rocks to the falls.”

“Thank God your father woke. She could have drowned if she would have fallen in.”

“Lacy swears the girl was asking for help. She said not once did she feel she was in danger.” Nina raked her hands over her arms. “It gives me chills every time I think about the girl. I wonder what happened to her.”

“How can Lacy be so sure it was a girl’s voice she heard?”

“In her mind she saw her. Round face, soot black hair that was wet as if she had fallen into the pool. Her green dress had blood stains around the neck and dripped from her fingers.”

Grant let out a nervous laugh. “I don’t believe in ghosts. There must be a logical explanation.”

“I didn’t believe in them either, but you must admit it’s all pretty creepy. Lacy convinced me the girl was real. For some reason she didn’t pass over. Something is keeping her here.”

“And your father believed Lacy?”

“Every word of it. Especially after the newspapers described Hilda had black hair and was last seen wearing a green dress. Daddy scoured the area looking for any sign of Hilda’s bones but found nothing.”

“As I said before there is a logical explanation. I don’t believe Lacy saw a ghost.” To change the subject, he asked, “What did you do during cooler weather?”

“We would climb the Devil’s Hump.” She nuzzled her face against his cheek. “Maybe you can extend your stay and we can do some rock climbing. Devil’s Hump is absolutely gorgeous.”

He skimmed his fingers over her jaw. Silence continued and she realized he wasn’t going to make any promises. Arms clung to him as their lips met in an all consuming kiss. As long as he lived, he would never forget today. For today was the first time he had fallen in love.

Chapter Fourteen

The sun hung low in the sky by the time Grant and Nina arrived back at her house. They locked away the four-wheeler and walked hand in hand across the yard. “I guess we need to get dinner started.”

Grant smiled, “You don’t like to lose do you?”

She wrapped her arm around his waist. “Something tells me you threw the game for Juan’s sake.”

Nina dug in her heels and replied, “Someone left the pasture gate open.” Worried eyes darted left and right. “I hope none of the animals got loose.”

Together they walked the inside perimeter of the pasture. Sheep, a couple of miniature cows, and several goats grazed. “Five goats and all the horses are missing.” Nervous, she twirled a finger through her hair. “Other times they have gotten out they didn’t leave the yard. Something must have spooked them.”

The hair on the back of Grant’s neck stood on end. Instincts told him something was wrong. Could be an animal ran them off, but he didn’t think so. Someone had to have opened the gate and he felt Clay was involved. Now he wished he would have had his uncle arrest Clay and the other guests while they were at the waterfall. Nina would have believed they left on their own accord. In the distance he could hear Shadow barking.

“Shadow must be trying to herd the goats.”

When she pivoted in the direction of his bark, Grant grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him. “Shadow and I’ll get the animals. You go to the house and help with dinner.”

She glanced toward the woods as if she knew the path the animals had taken. “No, I’m going with you.”

“I’ve got this, Nina. Do as I say and wait for me at the house.”

Back rigid, she raised both eyebrows in confusion. “What the hell’s wrong with you? They are my animals and I’m going to help you catch them. They know me. They will come to me.”

A silence fell between them. He wondered how to handle the situation without coming right out and saying she may be in danger. “Trust me, Nina. Someone let the animals out and I don’t know why. I would feel better if you wait at the house and let me handle this.”

“You think someone left the gate open on purpose. That’s preposterous. Juan or Josh probably left the gate open by accident.” She brushed her hair behind her ear. “As I told you before, it’s not the first time the animals have gotten out.”

Grant pressed his lips together in agitation. There was no time for her stubbornness. “Please, go to the house.” Each word was pronounced slowly. She opened her mouth to argue, but he put up his hand to silence her. “My instincts tell me something is not right. Go to the house!”

“You’re scaring me.”

He gripped both her arms with so much force she grimaced in pain. “I’m sorry, but I don’t want any harm to come to you.” He pointed toward the house. “Please!”

He let out the breath he had been holding when she stomped to the house. He waited until the door shut behind her before he hurried to the front room of the barn. He opened the bag of rice in the cabinet and fished out his car keys. Just in case Clay searched his room again, he had hidden his keys. He raced right back out the door to his car. He opened the trunk and took out his pistol. No sooner had he slammed the trunk than he saw Josh trotting across the yard toward him.

With a grim set to his mouth, he replied, “What’s going on? Nina said you think someone purposefully let the animals out.”

“I do.”

“I checked the pool house. The only people there are Mel and Callie and they are packing up to leave. Seem to be in a real hurry. I asked them where Clay, Mark, and Tim were and they seemed nervous. Said they went hiking up The Devil’s Hump.” Josh tucked his thumbs in his jean pockets.

“Something tells me they let the animals loose to draw us out in the open. I don’t know if Nina or I am the target.”

“Call Uncle Tate and let him take care of them.” A frown marred his brow. “All three could be waiting to ambush you if you go looking for ‘em.”

Scrubbing his hands over his face, he took a moment to think. “I’m not taking any chances. If they see any sign of the FBI, they’ll be in the wind and we may never catch them. The best we can hope for is I take them alive and maybe they’ll turn on Collins. They have no idea we know Collins sent them. I could still have the element of surprise on my side.”

“Let me get my gun and I’ll go with you.”

“No, please stay with Nina, Juan and Maria. I’m going to look for them.” He jacked a bullet into the chamber before rummaging through his duffle bag for another magazine. He stuffed the magazine into the back pocket of his shorts.

“You’ve always been pig headed. I hope you know what you’re doing.” He wrapped his arm around Grant’s neck and pressed his forehead against his. “Be careful.”

Grant stuffed the pistol into the waistband of his shorts and raced across the yard. His eyes scanned the edge of the forest but he saw nothing. In the distance he heard Shadow’s loud bark. Not wanting the dog to get hurt, he decided to leave him to herd the animals. That should keep him busy until he apprehended the three men.

Time seemed to stop as he halted at the edge of the forest and listened. He heard nothing but the pounding of his heart. Cold beads of sweat formed along his brow. Many times over the past nine years he had found himself in the same situation.

Once when a mission took him and his men into the city of Falljuah, he had to face a hidden enemy. Worst part of the whole mission was they had orders to take down a terrorist cell hiding among the citizens. He shuddered as he remembered how close he came to death. He gave the order to spread out and search in two man teams to save time.

A family of five, mother, father, and three small children seemed a little skittish as he and Sergeant Washington asked to search their home. He would never forget the look of fear in the mother’s eyes. She clutched her small child in her arms. The child couldn’t have been more than six months old, too young to understand the danger. She cooed and played with her mother’s face while the other two sat in their father’s lap terrified that he and his men would kill them.

A soldier never knew who the enemy was. It wasn’t easy to determine who the enemy was when they blended in with innocent families. Plenty of times American soldiers lost their lives because the Iraqi citizens sympathized with the terrorists. It was easy to hide a weapon in the folds of a man’s dishdashah or a woman’s abayah.

Sergeant Washington stayed with the family while he searched the rest of the house. He pushed the door open to the back room and all hell broke loose. Six men began firing their weapons. Grant returned fire and immediately shot two of the men. He dived as bullets peppered the wall behind him. Thankfully, Sergeant Washington came to his aid and together they were able to eliminate the terrorists.

The skin prickled on the back of his neck. He pulled the pistol from his waistband, and edged his way forward into the forest beyond. Eyes squinted, he watched for any sign of the three men he knew were laying in wait to ambush him. A shadow stepped from his hiding place behind a tree. In that instant, he feared where Tim and Mark might be hiding.

Clay pointed the pistol at Grant.

“Give it up, Clay. We know about the marijuana being grown on Nina’s land and that Collins is responsible. The FBI is on the way.” Grant saw the alarm in his eyes. Maybe he could talk him into giving up his weapon.

“Collins did a thorough background check on you.” Teeth clenched together, he continued, “He said you were not FBI. Said you were injured in a mission in Iran and came here to recuperate.”

Grant took a step forward. “I’m not an FBI agent. My uncle works for the FBI. He asked for a little favor. I came here to find out who was growing marijuana on Nina’s land.”

Pistol still pointed at his chest, Clay sneered, “It’s nothing personal, Grant. Collins told me to kill you and I’m more afraid of him than I am the FBI. I was told to make it look like an accident, but that’s not happening now. Sometimes you have to improvise.”

“You’re going to go to prison for a man that doesn’t care if you live or die. Collins only cares about himself.”

Seconds ticked by as he pondered Grant’s words. He was weighing his options. “Time’s wasting.” Clay’s grip tightened on the pistol.

Grant raised his hands in the air, his pistol now pointed toward the tops of the trees. “The only thing we have on you is the growing and selling of marijuana. You cut a deal and you won’t serve much time, a couple of years at the max. Add murder to the charge and you’ll go away for life.”

“I’m not going back to jail. I’m headed to a warm beach in Mexico where no one will find me.” His eyes were cold and violent. “Collins promised if I kill you, he would set me up on easy street. Promised I could have whatever I want.”

Clay pulled the trigger sending a bullet whizzing toward Grant. As he did when faced with terrorists in Fallujah, he dropped to the ground and rolled. He came up and shot Clay in the arm holding the pistol. Instead of going down, Clay turned and ran deeper into the forest. Limbs slapped Grant in the face when he gave pursuit. Up ahead he could see Clay darting from tree to tree as he attempted to escape.

Tim stepped out from behind a tree and raised his pistol, but never got a chance to shoot. He screamed in pain when a bullet tore into his shoulder. Grant swung around and watched as his brother sprinted to where Tim lay in a puddle of blood holding his shoulder. He picked up his weapon and stuffed it into the back of his waistband.

“I thought I told you to stay with Nina.”

“Don’t you think a thank you is more appropriate?”

Grant glared at his brother. “Mark is still missing. What if he doubles back and uses Nina, Juan, and Maria as hostages?”

“Your woman has a shotgun and something tells me she knows how to use it. I don’t think they are in any danger. Besides, I think you were the target.”

“I think you’re right. I’m going after Clay. Mark is still out here somewhere. Don’t let him slip up on you.” Dropping to one knee, Grant saw a few drops of blood on the forest floor. “Clay is not bleeding much so he could still be dangerous. At least he doesn’t have a weapon.”

Voice thick with worry, Josh offered, “Watch your back. It is possible he has a second weapon.”

Not wanting Clay to escape and alert Collins, Grant raced ahead. He never broke stride as he darted and skirted around the maze of trees. He slowed and searched the ground for drops of blood but didn’t see any.

He backtracked and saw a few drops of red stains on the four-wheeler trail that cut through the forest. Clay had changed direction. A frown marred his brow when he realized he was headed for the house. More than likely he was planning to get to his car. If he escaped and told Collins the FBI was closing in, he could go underground and they would never find Collins.

A twig snapped behind him. Grant whirled around to face Mark. Grant ducked behind a tree and yelled, “It’s over, Mark. The FBI knows about the marijuana crop and that Collins is involved. Drop your weapon and give up. You don’t have a chance.” A bullet hit the tree sending bark raining down on his head.

“I don’t know anything about drugs.”

Worried that Clay would make it to his car if he delayed much longer, Grant tried to formulate a plan to draw Mark out in the open. In the end Shadow did it for him. The dog must have heard the shots and came to investigate. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a blur charging toward Mark. Shadow bit down on Mark’s arm causing him to yell in pain. He placed his pistol to the dog’s head. Grant stepped from his hiding place and shot Mark right between the eyes before he could shoot Shadow. Pity, he had hoped to take him alive.

Shadow sniffed the body. “Come here, Shadow.” Grant tapped the side of his leg. Seconds passed before Shadow left Mark’s body and moved to his side. “Good boy.” He rubbed his head and scratched behind his ears. “You’re a good boy, Shadow.”

Without wasting any more time he hurried back toward the house, Shadow at his heels. He had to catch up to Clay before he got to his car and escaped. The whole operation to take down Collins was at stake.

In the distance he could hear sirens. Nina probably called the police when she heard the gunfire. Grant picked up his speed.

He broke out into the open and saw Clay crossing the pasture at a slow jog. At least his wound was slowing him down. “Go get him, Shadow!” He was almost in view of the house. He couldn’t let Nina see him. More than likely she was at the window trying to see what was happening.

Shadow’s ears perked up when he heard his name. Eyes on Clay, he watched him. “Go get him, boy!” The dog darted across the pasture at a full gallop. He was no more than a black blur as he tore across the landscape.

Clay looked over his shoulder and Grant saw the panic in his face when he saw the dog gaining on him. Turning to face Shadow, Clay raised the pistol and pointed it at the dog.

Grant felt sick to his stomach. Just as Josh suspected, Clay did have another weapon. If Shadow were killed, he would never forgive himself. With only an instant to spare, Grant aimed his pistol and pulled the trigger.

He sprinted to the body and dropped to his knees. Crimson stained the front of Clay’s shirt. A pool of blood was already forming on the ground. Clay’s chest rose and fell as he gasped for breath. One last gasp and there was nothing but silence. Pressing his hand to Clay’s neck, he didn’t feel a pulse. Damn it. He had wanted to take him alive. Vacant, lifeless eyes stared at the sky. Grant sat on the ground and wondered what he would tell Nina. He would have to tell her something, but he didn’t know what. If he told her the truth, she would insist he leave. What lie to tell whirled in his brain.