Trumped Up Charges

Chapter Fourteen



Hadley stopped dead-still. The detective couldn’t be serious. There had to be some mistake. Perhaps he’d misunderstood when they’d asked him to leak word of an imminent arrest.

Apprehension strained her nerves to near breaking point as she stepped into the family room and viewed the scene. Adam stood toe to toe with Lane. R.J. moseyed over to stand by Hadley as if he could protect her from the detective or the two uniformed officers at his side.

Fred had wisely stayed out of the confrontation. He had his own job to do.

“Explain the charges,” Adam demanded.

“Right now it’s for impeding an investigation.”

Right now, suggesting it could change to something more serious in the future. “In what way have I impeded your progress?” she asked. “I’ve cooperated in every way I can. I have more at stake here than anyone else. It’s my daughters who are missing.”

“Actually, according to the information I have, it’s your and Adam Dalton’s daughters who are missing.”

R.J. looked from Hadley to Adam. “Whoa. Run that by me again. Did you just say that those two missing little girls are my granddaughters?”

“I’m sorry, R.J.,” Adam said. “I just found out yesterday myself, but we were going to tell you when this was over.”

“So you’d lied to Adam as well as to me,” the detective said, his gaze leveled at Hadley. “You told me the morning of the attack that you didn’t know who the father was. You specifically said Adam was just a friend.”

A slow burn started in Hadley’s chest and then erupted into a full-blown fire. She took a step toward the detective and planted herself in front of him, hands on her hips.

“Let’s set the record straight. I’m Lacy and Lila’s mother. I’m a single parent, the only parent my girls have ever known. Adam is the biological father. We had an affair. He went back to Afghanistan before I even knew I’d conceived, and I never told him he was the father.

“I may not measure up to your standards for an ideal mother, but it’s not cause for arrest.”

“You deliberately misled an officer of the law by giving false information. We can do the rest of our talking down at central lockup.”

“You wait just a goldanged minute,” R.J. said. “Hadley had nothing to do with that abduction and you damn well know it. Take a look at Adam. He didn’t get those bruises twiddling his thumbs and whistling Dixie. He got them out doing your job for you.”

Lane pulled on his right earlobe and looked to Adam. “Care to explain what Mr. Dalton is talking about?”

“I was in Quinton Larson’s neighborhood. His thugs threw me a welcoming party. Three against one. Not the best of odds.”

“That’s a rough neighborhood. How do you know Quinton had anything to do with the assault?”

“One of the guys on the kicking team mentioned that Quinton had said not to kill me. Guess Quinton wanted to prove what a nice guy he is. Anyway he showed up while I was still spitting up blood and offered me a tour of his house.”

“His house?”

“Right. The house on Pickford Street with a window used for target practice. The DPD has surely searched it by now.”

Lane ignored the comment. His nonresponse made it clear to Hadley that he hadn’t been to the house on Pickford Street. Adam was proving more valuable in the investigation than she would have ever imagined.

Yet the kidnapper was still calling the shots. And she was almost positive that Quinton was behind the abduction, though he might not be in it alone.

“What kind of police department do you squirrels run in the Big D?” R.J. asked.

“I suggest you stay out of this, Mr. Dalton. I wouldn’t want to take you in.”

“Why not? It would make as much sense as arresting Hadley.”

Lane took the handcuffs from his belt. “Hadley, give me one good reason not to arrest you.”

He sounded sincere, and there was a reason, but did she dare let Lane know that they’d heard from the kidnapper? She’d told enough lies and yet the kidnapper had warned her not to involve the cops in any way.

Fred and Adam didn’t really need her to rescue the girls. She wouldn’t be there for them to come running into her arms, but she’d be there for the rest of their lives.

“Arrest me,” she said. “Let’s get it over with.”

Adam came over and slipped an arm around her shoulder. “You don’t have to do this, Hadley.”

Lane shook his head. “Okay, I may be a bit hard-headed, but I wasn’t born yesterday. It’s clear that I’m not getting the straight scoop.”

R.J. sneered as if this whole thing was too ridiculous to believe.

Lane turned to the two officers. “Giles, Mason. You two step outside for a minute. I need to address the suspect alone.”

The two officers looked dubious, but they did as told.

“Let’s start over,” Lane said. “No more lies, Hadley. What do you know that I don’t? Fill me in, or I swear I’ll get two more warrants and arrest the whole bunch of you.”

Adam put a reassuring hand to the small of Hadley’s back. “I’m sorry, Hadley, but we’re too close now to let this get screwed up. The kidnapper may insist on talking to you tonight. We have no choice but to trust the detective.”

“It’s about time,” Lane said.

“We’ve heard from the kidnapper,” Adam admitted. “R.J., would you mind getting Fred? I think he should be in on this.”

Hadley swallowed hard. “Does anyone object to our moving this conference to the kitchen? I need a cup of coffee in the worst way.”

An hour and two pots of coffee later, the details were ironed out to include minimal police participation, at least on the front end.

Hadley wouldn’t be arrested. A sharpshooter from the SWAT team would ride in the truck with Adam and Hadley. The sharpshooter would be passed off as the negotiator that the kidnapper was already expecting. He was to shoot only to save the girls’ lives or after they were totally in the clear and out of the line of fire.

Lane would ride with Fred and the pilot in the Lambert’s helicopter. They’d be in place nearby, ready to follow the kidnapper and arrest him after the girls were safe and before he made a successful getaway. There would also be unmarked, manned police cars in the area.

R.J. had offered to take the full five million from the bank if that was what it took to save the girls. Fred had said it wasn’t necessary.

It looked good on paper. Nonetheless, Hadley was a wreck. She’d count the seconds until it was time to leave. Count and pray that she’d tuck Lacy and Lila into bed and give them a thousand good-night kisses tonight.

* * *

ONCE MARY NELL MADE up her mind what to do, she knew she had to act fast. Quinton had left with Sam last night, but he’d said he’d be back this morning as soon as he took care of a little business.

Once he was back, he’d relieve Mary Nell of her babysitting duties so that she could do whatever she needed to do on her last day in the U.S.A.

Only she didn’t trust Quinton. She figured he was only trying to get rid of her. She wouldn’t be surprised if he found a way to get rid of Sam, too. He didn’t want half the ransom money or even seventy percent. He wanted it all.

And once he got the money, he couldn’t care less if the girls lived or died. The money she and Sam were supposed to build their new life with. Money that would let her escape her stepfather who couldn’t keep his hands to himself and her mother who was too hooked on drugs to care.

She threw the few items of clothing she’d bought for the girls into a plastic grocery bag. She put the rest of the box of Cheerios and the half carton of milk into another bag. That only left the small duffel with her clothes and the few toiletries she’d brought with her when she and the girls had moved into this shabby motel.

She grabbed Lacy as the adorable toddler skipped by her. “Be still a minute and let me tie your bonnet, sweetie.”

“Don’t like it.”

“I know but you have to wear it when we go for a ride.”

“Go see Mommy.”

“Right. You’ll see your mommy soon.”

She tied Lila’s bonnet on next, pushing the escaping red curls back under the fabric of the hat. Mary Nell didn’t want one strand of their red hair to show, not with everyone in the city on the lookout for two red-haired toddlers.

The TV morning news had talked of an imminent arrest of the kidnapper. Mary Nell was sick with worry that it was Sam who was about to be arrested. Then she and the girls would be left at the mercy of Quinton. She had to make sure that didn’t happen.

She slung the duffel over her shoulders, hung the bags from her wrist and took both girls by the hand.

Lila balked at the door. “Need Amanda.” Lila pulled free and ran back and found her beloved doll beneath the edge of her pallet.

“We’re going for a ride,” Mary Nell said, when Lila rejoined them. “Stay very quiet as we walk to the car. People might be sleeping.”

“Get up, sleepyheads,” Lacy called, ignoring the warning.

“Shhh.”

Lacy looked at her sheepishly but was quiet as they walked to the back of the motel where her car was parked.

Mary Nell put the duffel and the bags in the trunk of her mother’s old Chevy and then opened the back door. She hated that she didn’t have their booster seats, but the risk of staying here was much greater than that of driving without the protection.

“I want you to sit very, very still while I’m driving. Keep your face away from the window and don’t wave at anyone. Can you do that for me?”

“Go see Mommy,” Lacy said again.

“If you do what I say.”

“Pomise,” Lila said.

“Good, and you have to promise, too, Lacy.”

“Okay.”

Mary Nell wished she could just drive them to Janice O’Sullivan’s house and drop them off, but if Sam wasn’t arrested, he’d be furious with her. All their plans, all their dreams of being rich and living like royalty would be gone forever.

She couldn’t give up yet. But she would if it meant trusting Quinton Larson. They had to do this without him or not do it at all.

She buckled the girls into their seat belts. The fit was poor, but it was the best she could do. Then she got behind the wheel and slipped the key into the ignition. The battery groaned and died twice before it caught and the engine clattered to life.

As she drove off, she wondered if her mother had even noticed that she hadn’t been home in a few nights. Hopefully, she hadn’t missed her or the car.

“We’re going on an adventure,” she said as she turned toward the I-45 Freeway. What shall we sing?”

“Beary over the mountain.”

“‘The Bear Went Over the Mountain.’ Great choice, Lila. You’ll have to make the motions without me because I have to steer the car.”

They sang and laughed and Mary Nell told them stories—just like a normal, happy family on vacation. Not that she had ever been part of a normal, happy family.

Maybe one day if she and Sam didn’t end up in jail.

She adjusted her visor and turned on the radio. She could drive forever like this, except that she couldn’t afford gasoline. She had fifteen dollars left from what Sam and given her to buy food for the girls when they’d moved into the motel. She’d need that to buy more food now that they were on the run.

And she had a hundred-dollar bill she’d stolen from Quinton’s wallet last night when he and Sam were out back of the motel sharing a joint.

“Go to McDonald’s,” Lila said when she spotted the golden arches. “Get fen fies.”

“And climb and slide,” Lacy added.

It was a risk, but they were all hungry and in need of a bathroom break. They stopped in Conroe, Texas, and she let the girls play for about thirty minutes. They needed the exercise.

If she stayed on I-45 south, they might have enough gas left to make it to Galveston. Galveston was on the Gulf of Mexico. It seemed the perfect place to take her stand.

Either Sam left Quinton and they did this without him, or she’d call Hadley and tell her where to find her girls.

Quinton Larson could go to hell along with her stepfather.

* * *

QUINTON FUMED. He should have known not to leave Sam’s girlfriend here with the girls last night. Never trust a bitch with a fortune.

He paced until he saw Sam walk up to the door. He met him with a string of curses. “Your slut girlfriend took off with the kids.”

“She’s not a slut and she didn’t take off. Mary Nell wouldn’t do that to me.”

“Her car’s gone. She’s gone. The girls are gone. If that’s not taking off, what is it?”

“She must have made a run to the convenience store to get something to eat.”

“She took those girls out in public. How stupid is she?”

“She is not stupid. She’s just got a heart, that’s all. She’s not gonna let those girls go hungry.”

“Get her on the phone. Order her back here on the double.”

“She doesn’t have a phone.”

“Everybody has a phone. What is she? Homeless?”

“Her stepfather took her phone away from her last week.”

“She still lives at home?”

“She’s only seventeen.”

“Friggin’ jail bait. That figures. How come he took her phone?”

“Because he’s a pervert and she doesn’t like him pawing at her.”

“Well, if you don’t do something to get her back here before tonight, you can kiss that five million dollars that’s waiting on us goodbye.”

“The five millions dollars was waiting on Mary Nell and me. So stop acting like this was all your idea and we messed it up. You didn’t take any of the risks. I’m the one who took the key off Mom’s key ring. I stole the ether from Johnny’s shop to keep the girls knocked out until I could get them out of the house. I was the one who had to clean my greasy footprints off Mrs. O’Sullivan’s carpet. So don’t gripe about how I’ve handled things when you did nothing.”

“The biggest risk you took was bringing that bitch to the party. If she turns the kids over to the police, you’re going to jail. Do you know what happens to kidnappers in jail?”

“I’m not going to jail.”

“Then you better find those kids fast. If you don’t I’m your only ticket out of here.”

“Do you really think you could pull this off without having those kids to exchange for the ransom?”

“I can as long as they’re still missing.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“Give me time to think, and then you’ll have to do exactly as I say.”

Quinton started tossing around possibilities in his mind. One thing was for sure. If someone had to be sacrificed, it wouldn’t be him. When the plane he’d arranged for left tonight for Mexico City, Quinton and the cash would be on it.

Janice O’Sullivan had paid for his funeral. Now she’d pay for his new life. The only thing that could be more satisfying would be getting back at Hadley O’Sullivan for trying to kill him with that damn crystal vase.

She’d thought she was too good for him, acted as if his hands were poison. She was wrong. The snobby bitch had probably never had a real man like him.

Too bad she still wouldn’t get her chance to find that out. Neither Hadley nor her daughters would get any mercy from him.

* * *

THERE HAD BEEN no more phone calls from the kidnapper. Hadley took that as a good sign. As long as there were no surprises, the girls would be driving back to the ranch with them tonight.

Allowing themselves plenty of time, Hadley, Adam and the sharpshooter, Roger Orr, were in the truck and ready to go at 6:00 p.m.

Two duffel bags of twenty-dollar bills were in the backseat. Four more duffel bags were stuffed with newspaper and in the bed of the truck. Fred had decided on the extra bags at the last minute in case the plan had to be altered slightly.

Adam drove. Roger rode in the front seat with him. Hadley sat in the back with the money.

Adam and Roger talked of sports and fishing and politics, avoiding any mention of where they were going or why until they were just a few miles from their exit.

“Remember that no matter what happens, Hadley, you are not to get out of the truck,” Adam warned.

“I remember.” But she hadn’t promised. It would be next to impossible not to jump from the truck when she saw the girls running to her.

Her contact phone rang just as they made the exit. She answered and repeated the directions as he gave them so that Adam could ask questions if he didn’t understand exactly where they were to meet. This time he hadn’t bothered to disguise his voice.

It wasn’t familiar.

“Remind him this spot he’s sending us to has to be in the open,” Roger said.

He assured her that it was and then broke the connection.

“That’s only about ten minutes from here,” Adam said.

Hadley’s heart began to pound erratically. Ten more minutes until her world swerved back into its orbit. Ten more minutes until she could hold the girls next to her heart.

Please, God, don’t let anything go wrong.

The minutes dragged by until Adam pulled onto a dirt road that seemed to lead into total darkness. He switched his lights to bright.

Another mile and she spotted the car parked in the middle of the road about fifty yards in front of them. It sat at an intersection with another dirt road.

“He has his getaway planned,” Hadley said.

“It won’t help,” Roger assured her. “If they can spot him from the helicopter, they can keep him in their sight until squad cars can pin him down.”

Adam slowed and then came to a full stop in the middle of the dark, deserted road. He kept his headlights on and pointed at the other vehicle.

Adam lowered his window and picked up the bullhorn Fred had provided.

“I’ll start walking toward you with two duffel bags filled with twenty-dollar bills,” Adam said. “You start walking toward me with the girls. Once I see them and know they’re safe, you get the rest of the money.”

“I changed my mind.”

Hadley’s heart plunged to her stomach.

“I want to make sure that there’s actually money in those bags before I deliver the girls. I pick up the bags and take them to my car and check them out. If the money’s there, I’ll meet you in the middle again for the rest of the money and that time I’ll have the girls with me.”

“Do it, Adam,” she begged. “It’s why we brought the extra bags with us. I don’t care about the rules or even what Fred thinks is right. I just want my girls with me.”

Adam went back to his bullhorn. “We accept that, but you’ll get only two bags of money until we’re assured the girls are safe. And no more changes. I’m bringing out the first two bags of money now.” Adam reached into the backseat for the duffel bags containing R.J.’s fifty thousand dollars.

Roger readied his rifle.

Hadley stared in shock when she realized the man walking toward Adam was Matilda’s son. She’d never suspected him of playing a role in the abduction. This was going to break Matilda’s heart.

Quinton must have found a way to get to him.

Sam met Adam in the middle, picked up the bags and walked them back to the car. He tossed them into the front seat and then waited while the driver apparently checked out the contents of the bag.

“You’ve got the first installment,” Adam called. “Let’s see the girls.”

All of a sudden the driver of the other car hit the gas and swerved into a ninety-degree spin practically running Sam down. And then the car sped away down the intersecting road, the wheels kicking up dust and gravel.

Roger pulled his rifle and pointed it at the fleeing car. He shot twice, aiming at the tires, but the car had disappeared into the darkness. Roger jumped out of the car and ordered Sam to put his hands up and not to take one step from where he was standing.

Adam radioed Fred to go after the fleeing car. Roger went over to Sam, handcuffed him and read him his rights.

It all happened in a blur for Hadley. She struggled to breathe but couldn’t force oxygen into her lungs. She grew dizzy and her heart began to pound erratically.

If she couldn’t get air, she was going to die. She opened the door and jumped from the truck.

Adam caught her in his arms and held her tight while she beat her fists into his chest.

“He got away. All this and he got away.”

“He didn’t. The helicopter will follow him. Stop fighting and hold on to me.”

“But the girls...”

“We’ve got Sam. He’ll lead us to Lacy and Lila. Detective Lane will see to that.”

They were words, only words, but she was no longer fighting for breath. The vertigo lessened. The world stopped bucking.

“I’ll be here for you, Hadley,” Adam whispered. “I promise I’ll be here for you. But I need you to be here for me.”

The pleading in his voice finally got through to her. She wasn’t the only one who was afraid. She wasn’t the only who was hurting.

Adam rocked her in his arms until she could stand by herself. But he couldn’t still the fear that was driving her out of her mind.

The fear that she might never see Lacy and Lila again.

* * *

MARY NELL WOKE TO bright sunlight streaming through the window of her motel room. The room was no bigger than the one she’d shared with the girls in Dallas, but it was clean. And instead of a noisy highway outside her window, there was the Gulf of Mexico.

She stretched and then eased out of bed so as not to wake the girls. They’d slept with her last night instead of on the floor. She’d never expected to grow so fond of them. She hoped she and Sam had lots of kids.

The time for them to turn Lacy and Lila over to Hadley had come and gone. Hopefully, Quinton had given up and gone, as well. Then she and Sam could make this work.

He’d be upset with her for running out on him, but once she explained that she’d done it for them and for the girls, he’d understand.

Unless he’d been arrested. No. She had to stay positive. Sam was at home in his bed, just waking up and wondering where she was and why she hadn’t gotten in touch with him.

There was a phone in the room but she was nervous about making the call in case Sam was with Quinton. But she had no choice. She got an outside line and called his number. There was no answer. She left a brief message asking Sam to come and get them in Galveston. She couldn’t bear going back to that sleazy motel where they’d been staying.

After that, she stood at the window and admired the view. There were sailboats in the distance and a sandy playground just across the street from the motel and right on the beach.

Too bad she didn’t dare take the girls there. She was afraid to even take them to the breakfast room for the free food. She should go now while they were still asleep and bring something back for them to eat.

And then they’d wait on Sam to come for them. He loved her. He wouldn’t let her down.

She slipped into a pair of white shorts and a tank top and ran her fingers through her hair. Then she stepped into her flip-flops, locked the girls in the room and went to find food.

She returned with a tray loaded with yogurt, cereal, fruit and juice for the girls and with a bagel, cream cheese and coffee for herself. The girls were still sound asleep.

She turned the TV on low to see if there was any more talk of an arrest being made.

She didn’t have to wait long before her fears turned to shock. She blinked, unable to believe that was Sam’s image on the screen. He was in handcuffs and walking next to Detective Lane. She grabbed the remote to turn up the volume.

Sam had been arrested in an attempt to collect a ransom. Quinton had gotten away with fifty thousand dollars. There was no mention of her but Sam had given them Quinton’s name as an accomplice.

Quinton who was walking around a free man. Hopefully, he’d left the country with the fifty thousand, but what if he hadn’t? He knew she had the girls. He’d track her down. He’d take them from her and then demand the rest of the five million from Hadley.

But he wouldn’t let it go at that. He’d find a way to get even with her.

She had to do something and do it quick.

Before Quinton came banging on the door.

* * *

SAM’S CELL PHONE VIBRATED. Quinton picked it up and saw that there was a missed call and a waiting message. The phone must have rung while he was in the bathroom. He called voice mail and listened to the message.

“We’re at the SunFun Motel in Galveston. Come for us.”

I’m on my way, Mary Nell. I’m on my way.