Chapter 17

When Misty stepped outside the office, she was more than a little anxious. A feeling of dread had been building in her gut the entire afternoon. She had half expected Levi Blair to return, throw open the door, and lambaste her about the gun and T-shirt.

Misty tried to understand his point of view. Certainly, in his position she would have been insane with grief… Well, maybe he had the insane part down pat.

Her hands shook as she tried to separate the keys and force the right one into the lock. She felt exposed and vulnerable.

Glancing around, she didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. A few vehicles cruised by on the street, and a few were parked, but the only car in front of the law office was the one belonging to Leah. She squared her shoulders and managed to get the key into the lock, twisting it to secure the office.

Expelling a huge sigh, she turned to the car, waving when she spotted Sara Beth closing up her shop. The baby was safeguarded in an all-purpose carrier and car seat. Sara Beth finished locking up her place of business and picked up the carrier, looping it over her arm. She gave a hearty wave to Misty and strode purposefully to the pickup truck where her fiancé, Frank, stood waiting by the passenger door.

Misty watched as Frank gave Sara Beth a kiss on the cheek and took the carrier from her. He secured the baby and then held out his hand to assist Sara Beth up into the truck.

Misty smiled, glad her friend had someone nice in her life and even more grateful that she had Colton Garrett in hers. She climbed into the car and fastened her seat belt before starting the motor. It was always a relief when the old car roared to life. True, it was a little loud, and it started with a rough idle, but soon enough it settled into a lesser growl as she pulled away from the curb.

Heading for the highway, she felt the dread give way to anticipation. Soon, she would be in the arms of her own fiancé. She knew Colton would be waiting for her to return to the ranch. Maybe they would talk about the wedding. He had indicated he didn’t want a long engagement. But how long was that?

“Misty Garrett,” she said aloud. “Misty Dalton Garrett. Mrs. Colton Garrett.” She realized she was grinning like an idiot. Just driving along, thinking about Colt and grinning bigger than Dallas.

She wondered if they would get married in church, or would they just go to the justice of the peace? No, she felt certain the Garretts would expect a church wedding.

Sudden tears sprang to her eyes. Who would give her away? Oh, poor Daddy. He would have been so proud to walk me down the aisle.

She was lost in thought when she glimpsed another vehicle in her rearview mirror, and it was coming up fast. No matter. There weren’t any other cars on this particular stretch of highway, so whoever it was would have plenty of room to pass. Just to make sure, she pulled to the right as much as possible so the driver could see she was driving at the posted speed limit and he could go right around her if he felt the need for speed.

It was a pickup truck, and sure enough, the driver swerved as if to pass, but when he drew up alongside, he slowed down to match her speed.

When she looked, she recognized Eddie Simmons in his truck. He glared at her and then jerked the steering wheel to ram his truck into the side of her car.

Misty’s steering wheel jerked violently, spinning out of control, sending the vehicle veering sharply off to the side. Like a slow-motion nightmare, the vehicle plowed through brush and weeds and into the ditch.

With a sickening lurch, the old car went airborne before sliding to a soft landing on the passenger side.

The impact wrenched Misty from one side to the other, as though the car had been picked up by a giant hand and violently shaken from side to side. Now, she was suspended by her seat belt, her hands gripping the wheel and her heart throbbing against her ribs like a captive trying to break free.

She released a ragged breath, watching as the dust floated forward, swirled, and settled. Her ears were still ringing from the crescendo of metal on metal.

A sound escaped her throat, something like a kitten’s mew.

Oh no! She’d had a wreck in Leah’s car. How would she ever be able to pay? Insurance? Was there insurance?

Her thoughts were jumbled, rushing one on top of the other to crowd her brain and muddle her judgment.

The sound of someone pounding on the side of the car caused her to focus.

“Get outta there!”

Slowly she turned her neck to stare at Eddie Simmons. He was standing on the driver’s-side door panel of the overturned vehicle.

“Come on. Get out!” He grasped the door handle and wrenched it open.

She felt vaguely relieved. Here was someone to help her. Eddie…Joe’s friend.

* * *

Misty was late getting home.

Colton had been pacing back and forth between the kitchen and the front room, where he would peer out the window to check if she was pulling into the drive.

“I swear, you’re going to wear a hole in the carpet, Son.” Big Jim eyed him in passing.

“I know,” Colton said. “There’s just so much going on. I hope she didn’t decide to go over to her ranch for some reason. I should have insisted she come here straightaway.”

There was a snort from Big Jim. “Son, they don’t mind us. They’re women.”

Colton turned, frowning. “What?”

His father shook his head. “You really are worried, aren’t you?”

“You’re damned right!” Colt exploded. “With everything that’s happened, I have every reason to be worried.”

Big Jim held up his hands. “I didn’t say otherwise. Just calm down.”

Colton released a deep breath. “I don’t think I can. She should be here by now.”

“Did you try calling her?”

“Yes, but it just goes straight to message.” Colt gritted his back teeth together. He was pretty sure she would answer the phone if she could. She wouldn’t worry him needlessly.

“If you think it will help, we can drive back toward town and see if she’s had car trouble. I know Leah’s old clunker concerns you.” Big Jim got to his feet and felt around in his pocket for his keys.

“Aw…you don’t have to go, Dad. I can drive myself.”

Big Jim fixed him with a cool gaze. “I’m not sure you’re focused enough to be driving. You’ve got to have a clear head to get behind the wheel.”

Colton returned the stare. “I’m fine. I’ll just take a drive back toward town to make sure she’s okay. I’m not distracted.”

Big Jim’s expression said all too clearly that he thought otherwise. “Call me if there’s anything I can do.”

Colton knew what a big concession this was coming from his father. “Thanks, Dad. I’m just going to see if I can backtrack a little. I’ll probably meet up with her on the way.”

“Hope so,” Big Jim said tersely.

Colton lost no time in driving back to the highway. Once he was out of sight of the house, he tromped a little heavier on the gas pedal. Turning onto the highway, his anxiety grew with each mile. It was getting darker, and still no sign of Misty.

His throat closed in fear as, up ahead, he saw red and blue lights flashing. He eased his foot off the gas as he slowed his truck.

Two Texas Highway Patrol cars were pulled off the road, and an officer was waving him by with a flare. His gut clenched as he recognized Leah’s car on its side in the ditch.

Throwing the truck into park, he killed the motor and jumped out. He ran across the highway, his heart beating a staccato rhythm. He recalled all too well the incident with Misty’s brother, Joe.

“Get back in your vehicle, sir,” the patrolman ordered. “There’s nothing to see here.”

“My—my fiancée was driving this car tonight.”

The officer shone his flashlight in Colton’s face. “There was no one in the car, sir.”

Colton sensed there was something the officer wasn’t saying. “Please tell me. There’s been a lot of trouble lately. Her brother was murdered.”

The officer’s mouth tightened. “It appears someone ran this vehicle off the road.” He turned the beam of the flashlight toward the car. “And there are boot prints where someone climbed on top of the vehicle. There is no blood, but considering the evidence, we’re treating this as an abduction.”

His words settled heavily on Colton, prickling the back of his neck like ice. An abduction?

He had no doubt that whoever was responsible was the same person or persons who murdered Joe and Fred Hamilton and gave Paco a beating. Now the murdering scumbag had his hands on Misty.

Colton felt totally impotent. He had no idea which way to turn. His mouth was dry, and when his cell rang, he fumbled to retrieve it from his shirt pocket. “Misty?”

“Sorry, Son,” Big Jim said. “You didn’t find her?”

“No,” he croaked. “The car… Leah’s car…” He swallowed hard. “Someone ran her off the road and then abducted her. The Highway Patrol is here.”

Big Jim uttered a curse. “The sheriff called here at the house. He said he had picked up one of Eddie Simmons’s running buddies and he’s singing like a canary.”

“Eddie Simmons?”

“The Diaz boy told the sheriff that Eddie shot Nate Blair some years ago and that Joe Dalton helped him dispose of the body.”

Colton walked toward his truck and opened the door. He had no idea where he was going, but he couldn’t stay there. Climbing inside, he slammed the door. “So Joe was in on it?”

“Not the murder, but he did take part in the cover-up. The Diaz boy said Joe and Eddie had a falling-out recently over money and that Eddie shot Joe. Diaz has been laying low because he didn’t want to get involved any deeper than he already was.”

“It was Eddie Simmons?” An image of the wiry, red-faced kid formed in Colton’s mind. “He’s the one who must have run Misty off the road. He’s got her.” It was all starting to come together, but Colton still couldn’t see why Misty would be taken. Surely Eddie didn’t think she knew anything about his actions. Why would he kidnap her? Why would he run her off the road? Was he trying to destroy all things Dalton?

“Are you there, Colt?” Big Jim’s voice was etched with concern.

“Yeah, Dad. I think I should drive to the Dalton place just in case he took her there.”

“I’ll meet you there.” Big Jim disconnected.

Colton reached to start the motor but was aware the Highway Patrolman had come to stand outside the truck. He lowered the window. “Yes, Officer?”

“Sir, I need your information and information on the person who was driving the car.”

Annoyed, Colton handed over his license and rattled off Misty’s information. “I really need to leave. I have an idea where he might have taken her.”

“Who?” The officer passed Colton’s license back through the lowered window.

“You need to connect with the Langston Sheriff’s Department. Between the two of you, you will be able to see the whole picture.” Colton threw the truck into reverse and did a U-turn that sent his tires squealing. He glanced in his side mirror to see if he was being pursued, but apparently the officer didn’t think he was worth the chase.

As he headed for the Dalton place, he pressed harder on the gas pedal. He figured that his dad would beat him to Misty’s ranch. He hoped Big Jim didn’t encounter the murderer or murderers before he could get there.

“Please be all right,” he whispered, envisioning Misty’s face. “Please be all right.”

* * *

Misty could barely breathe.

Eddie had her in his truck. The windows were open, and he was singing to the radio. His fingers were tangled in her hair, and he held her pressed down onto the worn and ragged seat beside him.

When he had jerked the car door open and dragged her out, she had been too stunned from the collision to be scared.

But that had quickly changed.

He’d thrust her into his vehicle and then torn away from the site of the crash.

“What did you do?” he kept screaming at her. “What did you do?”

When she had no answer, he seemed to go into some kind of trance, where he was smiling and singing.

With Eddie’s fist twisted in her hair and forcing her face onto the truck seat, Misty couldn’t see which direction he was going, but she felt the truck slow and heard the change of road surface from highway to graded caliche.

The shock of the initial impact had worn off, only to be replaced by sheer terror. A thousand questions raced through her mind, but she was too petrified to speak. She wasn’t even certain she was capable of speech.

The truck sped on, over the rough road, to a destination where she was pretty certain she would be killed.

The smell of the filthy old seat filled her lungs and roiled her senses. Years of dust and sweat had soaked into the fabric, and now it worked her gag reflex.

Eddie turned and slowed, the tires crunching gravel, before he came to a stop. He dragged her out through the driver’s-side door, leaving it open as his eyes narrowed.

She stumbled to her feet, glancing around as best she could, given his fist gripping her hair. She recognized the abandoned farm structures on her own land.

“Home sweet home,” he growled.

In her jumbled mind, she recalled that this property had once been owned by Eddie’s parents. He had grown up here.

“Now, for damage control. You’re gonna tell me what you told my uncle and the sheriff.”

“M-me? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He thrust her forward, and she fell to her knees. “Don’t lie to me. I know you gave them the gun and the pictures.”

“Yes,” she said. “Yes, I did. I found them among Joe’s things after he—died.”

“Joe!” he spat out. “I killed that lyin’, cheatin’ bastard, all right. He told me he would never give me back the gun, and he told me he had pictures of me killin’ Nate.” Eddie turned, stomping around in a circle, shaking his fists and cursing.

Misty trembled all over, the truth causing her flesh to prickle with fear. He killed Joe. He murdered my brother.

Eddie turned on her. Squatting down, he shook his fist in her face. “And then he tried to get more money from me. He said he had the evidence against me and would give it to the sheriff if I didn’t pay his gambling debt. But I was tapped out, so I had to kill him, don’t you see?”

Misty stared at him, wide-eyed with fear, her heart pulsing in her ears. It suddenly became clear. The reason Joe had been so desperate for money. But hearing Eddie admit to killing him hit her harder than the impact of the collision.

He stomped his foot, emitting a yowl of rage. “And then you go and give the damned pictures to my uncle Levi. Do you know how hard I worked to get on his good side? I tried to be like a son to the old bastard, and he was gonna give me all his property when he croaked…but you ruined that for me.” He slapped her, open-handed, sending her flying backward into the dirt.

Her cheek stung from the blow. She scrambled sideways to avoid the next one. “Please, I don’t know anything about what happened.”

Eddie leaned forward, his hands on his thighs. “Well, you do now, don’t you? You don’t know it all, but you do know that I killed Nate and Joe.” He made a sound in the back of his throat as though he was being strangled. “And that asshole Hamilton. He promised my uncle Levi he could have first pick at buying your ranch. That way it would have come to me in the end. But no. He came straight to my uncle’s place to let him know that Garrett’s oldest son was prepared to grab it up by paying off the loan.”

“You and your uncle killed Mr. Hamilton?”

Eddie emitted an enraged roar. “No, you stupid bitch. My uncle wasn’t home. I shot Hamilton and got my friends to help me hide the body in your hayloft. With old man Dalton circling the drain and Joe dead, I didn’t figure anyone would find him up there right away. I was so angry at Hamilton, I used your pitchfork to skewer him to the wall. Hah!” His teeth were bared in a frightening leer. “Nobody’s gonna cheat me out of getting what I want. I’ve worked for this land for years, kissin’ up to that old man.”

“But your uncle has a lot of land already. Thousands of acres… Isn’t that enough?” She glanced around, seeking any kind of weapon she could use to defend herself. “I mean, how much land can one man manage?”

Eddie threw his head back and roared with raucous laughter. “You think I want to farm this land? Can you see me on the old John Deere, plowing up the fields?” He hooted in mirthless glee.

Fear circled Misty’s chest with a tight band, squeezing the breath from her lungs.

Her tormentor suddenly sobered. “You’re crazy if you think I wanted to be a farmer. I saw my own father work himself to the bone and then lose it all. When Uncle Levi is dead and all his property comes to me, I will sell it right off.” He huffed out a triumphant crow. “I will have all the green cash money to live like a king. I’ll kiss this Podunk town goodbye and go buy me a mansion somewhere nice…where pretty girls appreciate men with money.” His gaze was fixed on a place far away that only he could see.

Misty cringed, drawing in upon herself.

He straightened and advanced toward her. “And now I can’t let you live, can I?”

“You won’t get away with this,” she whimpered.

He let out a yowl of laughter. “They can have their suspicions, don’t you see? They can think I’m guilty all they want, but they have to prove it.” He reached for her, grabbed her arm, and jerked her to her feet. “And I’m about done tying up all the loose ends.”

* * *

When Colton turned in at the Dalton ranch, he saw his dad’s big silver pickup parked close to the house, with the headlights cutting a path into the gloom. Big Jim and Beau were standing outside it, waiting for him. They walked to meet Colt when he pulled up close.

“Nobody here,” Beau said.

“It doesn’t look like anything’s been disturbed,” Big Jim said. “I don’t think anyone’s been here in a while.”

Colton’s heart sank. He had been hoping Misty might be here, even if it meant confronting her kidnapper.

Big Jim’s cell rang, and he answered it. There was a brief exchange, and then Big Jim said, “Colton’s right here with me. We’re out at the Dalton place, but it’s quiet as a tomb.”

The words chilled Colt to the bone. He blew out a breath and lifted his gaze to the now fully darkened sky. An almost-full moon played hide-and-seek behind the clouds skittering across the night sky. Colton’s fists were clenched, but he felt powerless. He knew he should be doing something but hadn’t a clue as to the best course of action.

Big Jim rang off and returned the cell phone to his shirt pocket. “The sheriff says we’re to wait for him here. He’s on his way.”

“Great!” Colt ground out. “I should be doing something instead of just standing around here, waiting.”

Big Jim held up a hand. “I know patience is not one of your long suits. It’s not one of mine either. But the sheriff said he had the Diaz boy in custody, and his deputies found the other kid who hung around with Eddie Simmons. He’d been shot.”

“Are you talking about Stan Lynch?” Beau asked. “Are you telling me Stan’s dead too?”

Big Jim emitted a scoffing sound from deep in his throat. “No, I’m telling you this Stan guy has been shot. The doc’s with him now. The kid said Eddie Simmons shot him.”

“All of those guys were in my class in school. Misty’s brother Joe too.” Frowning, Beau fisted his hands at his waist. “What a mess.”

“It sounds like Eddie is cleaning house,” Big Jim said.

Colton absorbed this, trying to hold it together for Misty’s sake. She had to be terrified. It wouldn’t do her any good if he became paralyzed with fear. “Did you check the barn and outbuildings when you got here?”

“First thing,” Big Jim responded.

It occurred to Colt that there was another barn and some outbuildings on the property. The abandoned place where Paco’s truck had been discovered and where Paco himself had almost been beaten to death. “I’m going to drive over to check on another place. If she’s not there, I’ll be back.”

“Wait!” Big Jim’s voice sounded loud in the stillness of the night. “The sheriff said to wait for him.”

“I can’t, Dad. I have to check this out.” Colton was hoisting himself into his truck.

“Wait for me.” Beau scrambled in on the passenger side.

“Strap in, Little Brother.” Colton drove away, leaving Big Jim glaring after them.

“I think you pissed our daddy off big-time,” Beau commented.

“He’ll get over it,” Colt said. “I hope. Right now, I’m more concerned about finding Misty alive.”

“And you think you might know where she is?”

Colt shook his head. “I’m probably way off base, but I thought of a place she might be. The same place she found Paco.”

* * *

In the midst of Misty’s fear, a kernel of anger festered. She cast about for some way to fight back. To resist Eddie’s plan to kill her.

She needed a weapon. Something…anything at all, but his fingers were digging into her upper arm, and he was forcing her toward a pile of lumber.

“So, what are you going to do?” she snapped. “Shoot me like you shot Joe?”

Eddie reached down to remove some of the wood from the pile. “Heck no. I don’t even have to waste a bullet on the likes of you.” He kicked a few more pieces of lumber to the side, uncovering what looked to be a circle of stones held in place by concrete mortar.

She thought it looked a little like a fire pit. Maybe he was going to burn the evidence after he murdered her. His strong and sinewy hand grasped her arm. She tried to pull away, but he jerked her toward the stone thing. Much to her horror she realized it was a pit or well of some kind. She snatched at one of the broken boards and took a swing at Eddie’s head. She missed but cut a slice in his forearm with the jagged wood.

He cursed and lunged for her, snatching her by both wrists.

“You are going to spend a little time with some of my relatives,” Eddie said. A sardonic grin spread across his face. “My cousin Nate and my uncle Levi. They went on ahead to get things ready for you…but for now, Misty Dalton, you can go to hell.”

With a mighty thrust, he shoved her toward the ominous dark hole.

She fell backward, scraping her lower leg on the jagged edge of the rock circle. She seemed to be falling in slow motion, at least for a few moments…then she slammed into something solid jammed crossways in the shaft. She’d hit with enough force to knock the wind out of her. Pain radiated from the point of impact throughout her body. Gasping for breath, she managed to suck in a lungful of the dank, putrid-smelling air.

Her entire spine and the back of her skull reverberated pain. The thought crossed her mind that she might have crushed her back or neck. Gingerly, she tried to move, discovering in doing so that her fall had been broken by a plank of lumber jammed in the well at an angle. Thankfully, her entire spine seemed to be functional, and she could turn her head.

Releasing a ragged breath, she listened to her heart pounding in her ears. She tried to assess her situation in a logical manner.

First, she wasn’t dead. That was a good thing.

However, she was stuck in a deep, dark hole in the ground on an abandoned part of her own property.

Second, she was laid out on a piece of lumber that might give way at any moment, but it was holding for the time being. Gripping the wood with both hands, she tentatively lifted her gaze. The sky was dark, but the full moon outlined the person gazing down into the depths of the well.

“I didn’t hear a splash,” Eddie called. “I hope whatever you landed on killed you outright because otherwise you’re going to starve to death down there. Nighty night, little Misty.” He turned away, an echo of raucous laughter trailing behind him.

The next sound she heard was his truck door slamming shut and the motor turning over. There was a revving of his engine, and he roared away, leaving her injured, in pain, and desolate.

She cried out, knowing no one would be able to hear. Tears rushed to spill from her eyes. They rolled unheeded into her hair. She dared not release her grip on the wood lest she fall farther down the well. Apparently, there was water, according to Eddie, but she had been fortunate to land on some obstruction.

“Don’t move,” a gravelly voice rasped from below her.

The prickle of gooseflesh spiraled along Misty’s skin. She was frozen in fear, not trusting herself to draw a breath. “Who—who is it?” she whispered in a shaky tone.

A huge sigh was released in the darkness beneath her. “It’s me…Levi Blair. My nephew Eddie shot me and throwed me down here.”

“Oh, Mr. Blair,” Misty said, all her former fear of the man dissipating. “You’re shot?”

“The little weasel got me in the shoulder.”

“I’m so sorry,” she offered, realizing her words were pointless if they were both going to die down there.

“It’s okay,” he said mournfully. “It don’t hurt much no more.”

“That’s good,” she said. “I landed on a board of some kind. It’s stuck at an angle, but it seems to be stable.”

“I think I hit that’n on the way down and fell onto another one. There’s a whole bunch of crap down here…and…and…” He broke off with a strangled sob. “Eddie told me my boy Nate’s down here. He kilt him when he was only fifteen. Then throwed his body down the well. All the time lyin t’me about not knowing nothin’.” He let out a mournful grunt. “Now, I got nobody. I always held out hope…but now…”

“That’s terrible,” Misty said. “Eddie killed my brother too. I hope he doesn’t get away with it.”

The old man heaved another sigh. “Plumb shame. I’ve made my peace with God, but you’re too young to wind up down here…like my Nate. You got your whole life out in front of you. Plumb shame, little Misty.”

Misty silently agreed but felt determined to remain positive. “Maybe we won’t die. Maybe someone will find us.”

“Ain’t likely,” the sonorous voice returned. “Nobody’s gonna think to search here.”

“Maybe they will…I have a fiancé.”