Rainey Nights Part 26

Rainey unbuckled herself and opened her door. She turned back to Katie. "Honey, with my luck, you'll have six the first go around."

Chapter eighteen.

Katie did as she promised. She and Rainey climbed the stairs and went straight to the bedroom. After Rainey was iced down, Katie curled up next to her, and they slept like the dead for hours. Rainey only roused for a moment, when Freddie jumped on the bed. He found his usual spot next to Katie and joined them in slumber. All was right with the world in the little cottage.

Rainey awoke to the smell of sauteing onions. Katie was home. The cottage once again breathed to life. She stumbled from the bed to the bathroom, holding her ribs. In her experience, the soreness would continue to multiply for at least three days. Rainey planned to spend those days as immobile as possible. Curled up in the bed with Katie sounded like a good way to pa.s.s the time.

She stripped off the scrubs and stepped into the shower. Rainey kept her injured side protected from the spray. Still sporting a tender shoulder, her left ribcage was just turning a light shade of purple, the bruise having not fully made it to the surface yet. The impact of the truck into the side of the car had jolted her entire body. The pain in her neck and back was competing with her ribs for top billing. Rainey was so close to the door when the truck hit, her side took the impact nearly full force. If she hadn't sat up when she did, her neck would probably have been broken. For that reason alone, Rainey was thankful for the pain radiating down her spine. She was also very thankful when the naked blonde climbed in the shower with her. Too injured to do anything but hold Katie against her, it was enough.

They were eating the spaghetti Katie prepared when her phone rang. Katie looked at the caller ID.

"It's Chelsea. I know she must be devastated."

Rainey agreed. "Go on, answer it."

Katie slid her finger across the screen of her phone and put it to her ear.

"Chelsea, are you all right?"

Rainey figured if anybody understood what Chelsea was going through, it was Katie. Rainey continued to eat while Katie talked to the distraught woman on the phone.

"You don't need to apologize to me or Rainey. We certainly understand finding out someone you care about was not who you thought they were... Yes, Rainey's fine. We're back at the cottage. She just needs to rest for a few days... Are you alone? Where's Dara... You shouldn't be alone right now. When is Dara coming back?"

Rainey could see the wheels turning in that little blonde head.

Katie listened and responded, "Well, have you eaten? At least let me bring you some food... Yes, I know where that is. Ernie, Rainey's office manager, lives on that road... Uh huh... Let me get Rainey settled back in and I'll come over and bring you some spaghetti... Oh, it's no trouble at all... No, she'll be asleep anyway, after I give her some more pain medication... Okay, see you in a bit."

"You're going to leave me here, alone?" Rainey whined, when Katie hung up the phone.

"You won't even know I'm gone."

Rainey put her fork down. "Trust me, I will know."

"Okay, then ride with me. She's at her father's farmhouse, about a mile before you get to Ernie's. You know the barn with the s.h.i.+ny red roof."

"I didn't know her father lived out this way," Rainey said, standing slowly. "Thank you, for the food. I've been starving since you left." She reached for her plate, to take it to the counter.

Katie took the plate. "I'll get that." She talked while she cleared the table. "I didn't know Chelsea's father lived out here, either. She said he's gone fis.h.i.+ng in the mountains and she's been house sitting. Dara's due back there before dark. I just want to check on her, make sure she's all right. I know the questions she's asking herself right now."

"Ahhhh," Rainey moaned, using the chair for support to push herself upright. It was painful, but rewarding when she completed the move and took the pressure off her ribs.

"You need another pill," Katie said, heading for a bottle on the counter.

"No, just some ice, please. I'm going to go sit on the couch, if you don't mind."

Rainey hobbled into the front room. About halfway there, she realized the more she moved the better she felt. She walked to the big bay window, stretching her torso slightly as she went. It was a beautiful day. The rain left everything crisp and clean. Rainey panned from left to right, stopping on the Sheriff's car parked where the road disappeared into the trees.

"Son of a b.i.t.c.h. He's put a tail on me."

"What, honey?" Katie appeared with a bag of frozen peas, handing it to Rainey, who pressed it to her side immediately. "What tail are you talking about?"

Rainey pointed out the window. "That one. It's like they're saying, 'we're watching you.' Does Danny really think I'm going to run?"

Katie placed her fingers under Rainey's chin and pulled her eyes into focus. She searched Rainey's face for the truth. "I'm only going to ask you this once. I don't care what the answer is. I just want to know the truth. Did you do what Danny thinks you did? Did you execute Jared Howard?"

"No. I shot him twice, but not in the head. I was never that close to him, ever, even after he was dead. I would have killed him if I could, but no, Katie, I did not cold-bloodedly stand over him and pull the trigger on a helpless man."

With absolute honesty, Katie responded, "I did."

Rainey let the confession of past sins go without comment, before she said, "The Medical Examiner is wrong. It was pouring down rain, he was covered in mud. Any number of things could have skewed his findings."

"I don't care what they say. I believe you. Maybe we should call a lawyer, a real one."

Rainey couldn't believe she was in this situation, but she had to agree with Katie. She knew she hadn't shot Howard while he was down, but if the medical examiner was willing to testify that someone had, Rainey would have a hard time convincing a jury that it wasn't her. She'd shot her mouth off enough to bury herself in circ.u.mstantial evidence. Danny would be forced to reveal what he knew about her state of mind. Rainey tried to kill Howard and probably would have stood over him and pulled the trigger, but she didn't. Would she be convicted for simply admitting the truth about what she might have done?

"You're right," Rainey said. "I'll call Molly Kincaid in the morning. I've worked with her before on a few of her cases."

Katie laughed. "I know her. I used to see her at charity events. You know she's a lesbian, right?"

Rainey stared out the window. "I hadn't really thought about it. d.a.m.n, that p.i.s.ses me off."

Rainey had switched gears too fast for Katie. She was still stuck on Molly Kincaid's s.e.xuality. "What, that Molly is a lesbian? Would that make a difference to you?"

"No, not Molly," Rainey pointed at the car again, "the cop outside my house."

Katie looked at the patrol car and started to giggle. "Hey, want to have some fun?"

Rainey left the cottage and walked down to the office. She waited inside and watched through the blinds, as Katie came down the steps carrying a box. She put the box in her car, got in, and backed out of the driveway. Rainey laughed when Katie pulled up next to the patrol car. She couldn't hear what was being said, but she was sure Katie was charming and sweet, while she handed the officer a plate and a bottle of water she pulled from the box. Katie got back in the car and put it in reverse. She backed all the way to the office, stopped the car in front of the door, and came inside.

"He's headfirst in that plate by now. Go on, get moving," Katie said, to the smiling Rainey.

"You and your sisters played h.e.l.l with your parents, didn't you?" Rainey asked.

"It's the art of misdirection. Now, go."

Rainey went out the backdoor and around the side of the office building. She hunched over to avoid being seen, slipping into the back seat of Katie's car undetected. Rainey was having so much fun the pain was worth it. Katie came out the front door of the office, making a show of saying goodbye.

"I'll be back in a little while, Rainey. Bye."

Rainey sprawled across the backseat, trying desperately not to laugh, because it hurt so much. Katie got in the car and they drove right by the cop.

Katie waved at him and said to Rainey, conspiratorially, "He's got spaghetti hanging out of his mouth. He never saw a thing."

From the back seat, Rainey replied, "I'll remind you of these evasive maneuvers you're so good at, when our son or daughter slips away from you."

"Won't happen. If my sisters and I haven't done it, then it probably hasn't been done, yet. I'm prepared for the worst."

Rainey held her sides, fighting off a chuckle. "Oh, this is going to be fun, watching you wrangle a kid just like you."

"That's the same thing my father said," Katie replied.

Rainey lost control of her laughter and gave into the pain, looking forward to laughing through the hurts with Katie, for the rest of her life.

Katie pulled her car to a stop in the shade of an enormous pecan tree and rolled all the windows down.

She told Rainey, "Now, you just sit here and relax. Here, take my phone." She dug inside her purse, producing headphones. "You can listen to music while I'm in there. I'll tell her you're waiting, so I can get out of there fast."

Katie had stopped to let Rainey get in the front seat, after they were clear of the cop. She took the phone from Katie, but left it on the seat beside her. Rainey just wanted to listen to the quiet. Her eyelids were heavy and she thought she would just nap while Katie visited with her friend. Rainey wasn't being antisocial. She wouldn't be good company in her current state. The sneaking around had drained her energy. Katie grabbed the box from the back seat.

"I'll be right back. I can't wait to see that guy's face when we drive back up with you sitting in the front seat."

Rainey smiled. "You're really enjoying this."

Katie stuck her head in Rainey's window. "Yes, I like sneaking around with you." She kissed Rainey on the cheek. "I'll hurry, I promise."

"No rush. I'm going to close my eyes for a minute. Take your time."

Katie bounded off toward the front door of the old two-story farmhouse. The yard was swept clean of leaves and the buildings looked well kept. The big barn at the back of the property appeared freshly painted. Rainey noticed a newer model pickup truck with the logo for a lighting company on the door. It was probably a truck Dara used for her business. A silver sedan was parked next to it. A breeze drifted through the car. Rainey laid her head back on the rest and closed her eyes.

Her brief moment of peace was disrupted by Katie's phone ringing. Rainey picked it up and saw Danny's number on the caller ID. She dropped the phone back on the seat. Closing her eyes again, she listened to the breeze was.h.i.+ng through the leaves of the ancient tree. The phone rang again. This time it was Ernie. Rainey wasn't up for relaying all the events of the previous evening to a curious Ernie. She ignored the ringing until it stopped. She settled down again, just before the phone started to ring a third time.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Rainey exclaimed, grabbing the phone up off the seat. It was Mackie this time. She answered, "Why is everybody calling Katie? Can't we just have a day where we don't talk to anyone else?"

"Rainey," Mackie's voice rumbled, "Danny is trying to reach you. He said you evaded the cop watching you."

"Yeah, well, tell him to go f.u.c.k himself. I didn't shoot that guy in the head."

"That's not why Danny is looking for you. They were going through the evidence and found a video on his computer of Howard with one of the victims. The camera was moving. Someone else was there. He had a partner."

Rainey suddenly realized she did not have a weapon with her. The police had her Glock and Beretta. She told them where to look for the shotgun. The Sig was probably in evidence, after someone fished it out from under her smoldering seat. Rainey hadn't thought to take a gun from the house for the first time in years. She had been too wrapped up in Katie's escape plan and just didn't think about it. Thinking the danger was over, she had relaxed, and now Rainey was in a panic. She needed to get both of the women out of the house and back home, where she could protect them.

"Mackie, I'm with Katie at Chelsea Thomas' father's house, the one with the big red barn roof, near where Ernie lives. I'm going to go in the house and get them both. I'll take them back to the cottage. Meet me there."

Rainey hung up, throwing the phone down on the seat. She moved as fast as she could in her condition, gripping her arm close to her injured side. The pain didn't matter. Rainey had to get them somewhere safe. She knocked on the door. She saw Chelsea coming toward her through the lace curtains of the door window. Chelsea turned the handle, pulling the door open. She smiled at Rainey.

"Decided to come on in, huh?"

Rainey stepped into the hallway, speaking rapidly, as she did. "Where's Katie? We have to get out of here. Grab your keys, lock up, you're coming with us."

Chelsea closed the door behind them. "Why, what's wrong?"

Rainey's eyes darted around, looking for Katie. "I'll tell you on the way. Where's Katie? We have to go, now."

Chelsea looked alarmed. She pointed down the hall. "She's back there, in the kitchen."

Rainey started toward the open door at the end of the hallway. "Hurry up, grab your stuff. I'll get Katie."

Chelsea was right behind Rainey, when she asked, "What's happened? Jared's dead. What are you afraid of?"

Rainey reached the doorway, saying, "He had a partn..."

Rainey froze. Katie was seated at the kitchen table with Dara Thomas. Both women were tied to chairs. Dara had been beaten severely and was barely conscious. Katie was crying, blood trickling from the corner of her gagged mouth. Rainey turned quickly, coming face to face with a pistol, extended from the hand of Chelsea Thomas.

"Back up, Agent Bell. Don't try to be a hero. I'm going to kill you. We can do it now or later, though you might want a chance to tell your precious Katie goodbye."

"Chelsea, stop it," Dara said, weakly.

"Shut up! I told you to shut up!" Chelsea screamed.

Rainey started running scenarios through her head. A seriously deranged woman was holding a gun on her. Negotiating strategies flew through her mind. What did Chelsea want, besides the obvious murderous intent? Chelsea was the kind of killer with a perceived injustice. Rainey had to keep her talking. If she could identify what Chelsea needed to talk about, maybe Rainey could stall her long enough to figure out how to get the three of them out of there alive. She backed away from Chelsea, hands in the air, submissive as she could appear.

"Chelsea, what do I need to do for you put down that gun?"

Chelsea was a pretty, pet.i.te blonde on every other occasion Rainey had seen her. Currently she had the look of a mental patient, severely in need of medication. She glowered out from under her brow, facial muscles slackened into a sneer.

"Put down your gun, Agent Bell. I know you never go anywhere without one. Katie told me. She's been a fountain of knowledge as far as you're concerned. You're all she talks about, you know."

"Chelsea," Rainey needed to repeat the woman's name, keeping her grounded in reality as much as possible, "I'm not carrying a gun today. The police have my weapons. They took them last night."

"Katie informs me you have a house full of weapons. You should know she's worried about the baby getting hold of one of them."

"Pat me down. I'm not wearing a weapon."

"Pull your s.h.i.+rt up," Chelsea growled. "Turn around."

Rainey did as she was told.

"Now, pull up your pants legs. Let me see your ankles."

Once again Rainey complied, showing both ankles, and then returned to standing with her hands in the air. She had managed to get closer to Katie, whom she could hear breathing fast on her left. Dara was coughing out blood and moaning now. The rope binding her to the chair was the only thing keeping her upright.

"Chelsea, I need to tell you the police will be coming, soon. Let's resolve this before they get here."

"You're lying. You didn't know I was Jared's partner. You wouldn't have come in here unarmed if you did."

"You're wrong, Chelsea. I would have come in here even if I knew you had a gun and I didn't. I wouldn't leave Katie like that."