Something Borrowed, Something Bleu Part 13

aMaybe three feet in places.a I shook my head. aMight be enough, but there are all those cottonwoods, and with the lightning itas better to avoid the water. Weall try for the bas.e.m.e.nt.a My hand grasped the doork.n.o.b. A short nod from Tabby, and I turned it.

The wind yanked the door away and slammed it against the metal exterior of the trailer with a loud report. We dashed into the maelstrom.

Gusts tore at our hair and clothes. The yard was littered with detritus. I dodged a four-foot tumbleweed and turned to see a mountain of them towering above us, piled against the side of the barn and held there by the force of the wind. The temperature had dropped even more, and stray raindrops struck my bare arms and legs. A low roar reverberated through the gloom, punctuated by cows lowing in panic.

I shivered from cold and fear. Thought of Barr. Of my family. Of my friends. I just had to weather this stormaand avoid two killersaand everything would be all right. Iad wear that amazing dress. Iad marry the love of my life. Iad live happily ever after.

Keeping one eye on the funnel cloud and the other out for the Dunners, I started for the house.

Tabby went the opposite direction.

I sprinted back and spun her around. aWhat are you doing?a I yelled in her face. aDonat be stupid.a aI have to get the cows inside,a she yelled back. aToo much debris flying around, and theyare terrified. Theyall feel safer in the barn.a c.r.a.p. aIall help you.a But she shook her head and pushed me away. aThey donat know you, and you donat know anything about cattle. Youall just make things worse. Get to the house. Break a window if you have to and get inside. Iall be there as soon as I can.a She plunged back into the wind, toward her bellowing charges.

The fact that I didnat trust her as far as I could throw her didnat stop me from turning back toward the house. And she was rightaI didnat have the first idea of how to get a frightened bovine to do anything.

I stopped and looked around the corner of the barn. Billy the goat led the three kids around to the southwest side of the chicken house to shelter from the wind. The hens had already gone to roost as if the day were done. I didnat see the Dunners anywhere, so I started for the back of the Binesa house.

The explosion of a gunshot down the hill gave my feet wings.

As I ran I glimpsed the parking lot below. A surge of hope coursed through me when I saw the new arrival: a white Suburban with a light bar and county logo on the side.

The cavalry had arrived.

The back door was indeed locked. I started toward the side of the house, but the crash of breaking gla.s.s stopped me dead in my tracks. Leaning around the corner, I saw father and son Dunners standing deep in a bas.e.m.e.nt window well, clearing gla.s.s shards from around the sill.

Just because you lock a door doesnat mean you have the key to get back in.

So much for weathering the storm in the bas.e.m.e.nt. I had a feeling I wouldnat be happy with my roommates.

Ray Dunner suddenly looked up, and for a split second our eyes met. The gun in his hand rose, and I ducked back. I was already fleeing when the second gunshot of the afternoon sounded. Back to the barn, and around the other side. Tabby urged the penultimate cow inside the structure. I grabbed the halter thingie on the last one and gave it a mighty tug. The big girlas eyes rolled, but she trotted along willingly enough. Tabby met us and took over.

She peered over my shoulder, clearly expecting pursuit. aWhich one is shooting?a I could hardly hear her over the howl of the wind.

aRay Dunner. Donat know about the first shot. But thereas a sheriffas SUV in the parking lot. Come on, letas get down there.a But Tabby shook her head. aI have a few things to b.u.t.ton up here. You get down to lower ground. Iall be right behind you.a The dark column reaching down from the clouds swayed and turned as if swinging its hips in a do-si-do. It was definitely closer, and on a direct line toward us. The house was on a hill; the barn slightly lower. The cheese cla.s.sroom shed was the lowest-lying building on the dairy property.

aAre you crazy? Come on. I know you love these animals, but you canat sacrifice your life for them.a aThey are my life. And my living. Donat worry, Iall make it down there.a My fingers tightened around her arm. aI mean it. Donat you dare die on me today, Tabby Bines.a She shook me off. aLet me get to work, then.a I hated leaving her again, but I wasnat going to get caught out in the open by a tornado just because she was stubborn. aIall meet you at the cla.s.sroom,a I yelled, and then took off like my hair was on fire.

The Dunners were temporarily out of the way, hiding in the house. I reached the parking lot and ran up to the SUV. It looked like the one Iad seen Sheriff Jaikes drive, but the man was nowhere to be seen. I reached in the Audi and grabbed my tote bag as if it were some kind of security blanket, muttered a curse at Ray for taking my cell phone, and headed for the squat, square building.

Jaikesa head jerked up when I entered. He saw it was me and returned to his task. Positioned by the open back window where he could keep an eye on the approaching tornado, he was trying to fasten a towel around his arm.

I went to his side. aShouldnat we leave? We might be able to outrun the storm. Oh, G.o.d, is that blood?a aJust a flesh would,a he said, all macho-like. aHelp me out.a Quickly I pulled the towel taut around the b.l.o.o.d.y wound on his upper left arm and tied it. Made me feel queasy, though it didnat actually look too bad. aWho shot you?a aNot sureacame from behind the chicken coop when I was still in the parking lot. Ran the plates on the vehicles out there; both Ray and Ogden Dunner are here.a aI know. Ray shot at me. But Ogden has a gun, too. He killed Joe.a His head jerked around. aHow do you know that?a aWe overheard them talking. Listen, Tabbyas up at the milking barn, but sheall be here any second. Then we can go.a aToo late to outrun it,a he said. aWeall have to hunker down.a Hope of escape had lightened the panic that scrabbled for purchase in the back of my mind. Now the fear clawed its way back, and I had to clench my fists to stop my hands from trembling.

aStay in here?a I gestured at the milk bottles stacked in crates against the wall. aThatad be suicide.a aBe better to get up to the house.a aRay and his dad are already settled in there,a I said. aI doubt theyad welcome our company.a Tabby ran in the door, and Jaikesa hand flew to his gun. The holster was already unsnapped.

Without a word, she pointed out the window behind him. The tornado had halved the distance, and we could see how fast it was moving now. As one, we turned and dashed out the door toward the drainage ditch that ran along the driveway into the dairy. Jaikes slipped down the side and landed on his wounded arm, swearing loudly. I slithered down behind him, and Tabby followed.

p.r.o.ne on our stomachs, we tucked our heads and put our hands over the backs of our necks. I squeezed my eyes shut and whispered disjointed prayers as the insanely loud rumbling of an approaching freight train bore down.

_____.

An eternity later, quiet returned. I raised my head above the edge of the ditch and surveyed the damage. Pieces of fencing littered the parking lot. A metal barrel had shattered one of the windows in the cla.s.sroom, and part of the chicken house roof had up and disappeared. But as I watched, a rooster strutted out and crowed his defiance at the receding storm. My old friend Billy the goat peered around a corner, already chewing on G.o.d-knew-what. But all the buildings still stood, whole and largely unharmed.

The twister had pa.s.sed us by. Not by much, but by enough.

Relief flooded through me.

The sound of frightened cows echoed down from the barn. Tabby leapt to her feet and raced back up the hill. Jaikes yelled at her to come back, but either she didnat hear him or didnat care. The roar of an engine made us turn our heads. A car careened down the driveway toward us, dodging tumbleweeds and crunching over cottonwood branches. The door opened and Investigator Schumaker was out of the cruiser almost before it stopped.

Sheesh. Was this crazy afternoon ever going to end?

I was on my knees, still half in the ditch. The stiff dry gra.s.s poked into my skin, which was already sore from the hailstones. I wondered whether Iad have dozens of perfectly round little bruises tomorrow.

Tomorrow. There would be a tomorrow after all. That thought drove me to my feet.

Schumaker paused when he saw me, then immediately turned to Jaikes. aEveryone all right, sir?a aFar as we know. The Dunners are holed up in the house. Apparently theyare both armed. One of them shot me.a The investigatoras eyes narrowed as he took in his bossa towel-wrapped arm. aHow bad?a aNot too bad. Iam functional.a aWell, then. Letas go get them.a aSo you already knew Ogden killed Joe?a I asked. aForensic evidence? Blood spatter?a Schumaker shuffled his feet. aEr a aWe didnat know,a Jaikes said. aI came out here to talk to Tabby Bines.a aOn your own time.a When Schumaker spoke, their eyes locked and something pa.s.sed between the two men.

aI talked to Krista last night.a The sheriff frowned at me. aShe told me you called her.a aYes.a And I wasnat about to apologize for it.

The third gunshot of the afternoon reverberated through the air.

aTabby,a I said in alarm. aI thought she went back up to the barn to check on her cows.a aStay here!a Schumaker yelled at me, and both men took off at a run.

Fat chance.

I slogged up the hill after them. And here Iad been complaining about not getting enough exercise in Colorado. Still, Iad specifically told Tabby not to die today, and I meant it. She still hadnat answered my most important question about Bobby Lee.

The two men went to the back of the house, disappearing from my view. As I approached loud voices reached my ears, then a scream I recognized as Tabbyas. Unlike her scream of horror when shead discovered Joe lying in a pool of blood and cream, this scream held raw fury. I slowed and carefully eased my head around the corner.

Tabby and Ogden Dunner were in the dirt, rolling and kicking and punching like twelve-year-olds on the playground. They seemed to be evenly matched, neither gaining the upper hand. Ray stood over them, pointing a wavering gun as he looked for an opening to shoot.

aFreeze!a Feet wide apart, a sweating and disheveled Inspector Schumaker trained his own gun on Ray Dunner like a caricature out of a bad movie. And Ray froze.

I joined the group. Beside me, Sheriff Jaikes sighed, walked over to Ray, wrested the gun from his hand and put it in his pocket.

aStop acting like kids and get up,a he said to the pair on the ground.

Tabby rolled off Ogden and got to her feet. Mud smeared her jeans and T-shirt and arms. A streak of it smudged her cheek. Gra.s.s stuck out of her hair, which had come loose from its ponytail and now curled around a b.l.o.o.d.y sc.r.a.pe on her jaw.

I joined the party. Other than a disapproving glance from Schumaker, no one seemed to notice.

Jaikes helped Ogden up, then held out his right hand. Sheepishly, the older man reached into his own pocket and gave him the gun. aI donat even know how to use it.a aGuess that means youare the one who shot me?a The sheriff glared at Ray, who winced. aHmph. And is that why you bashed Joe Bines over the head with a bottle of cream, Ogden? aCause you didnat know how to shoot a gun?a Tabbyas eyes blazed and she took a step forward. Jaikes shook his head without looking at her. She stopped. Waited.

Ogden Dunner slumped, and he looked down at the ground. After several seconds he straightened and raised his head. The heaviness seemed to lift from his shoulders. A calm settled into his eyes.

aIf youare asking if I killed him, the answer is yes.a aDad.a Ray took a step. Schumaker grabbed his arms and quickly cuffed his hands behind his back. The younger Dunner looked surprised for a moment, before his familiar angry expression returned.

aNo, Son. This is best,a Ogden said. aConfession is good for the soul, and G.o.d knows my soul could use some good.a He held out his wrists to the sheriff.

aIs that necessary?a Jaikes asked.

aNo.a aWell, then: You have the right to remain a The sheriff Mirandized Ogden Dunner and then did the same to Ray Dunner. Ogden hadnat seemed like a killer, but now I could see he possessed considerably more mettle than his blowhard son. Ray huffed and puffed and turned red in the face, while Ogden appeared to be almost relieved.

Jaikes finished, and silence fell upon the motley crew gathered behind the house. A few intrepid bovines exited the barn and ambled around to eyeball us with dull curiosity. Tabby must have opened the barn doors before stumbling on the Dunners exiting the house.

aWhy did you kill Joe?a I asked Ogden before anyone could stop me.

The sheriff glared at me. Schumaker opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again when Ogden nodded and took a deep breath.

aIam sorry, Son.a aShut up, old man.a Resignation tempered Ogdenas obvious regret. aNo. Itas time.a His gaze flicked from one face to another, settled on mine. aThe night Gwen Miller died, Joe pulled me aside. He told me she hadnat fallen in the river by accident. Ray had become angry and pushed her in, on purpose.a aThatas a lie!a Ray said. Schumakeras grip on his arm tightened, and he gave him a little shake. Ray ignored him. aYou were always ready to believe the worst about me. You never took my side.a Ogdenas eyes cut to his son. aI took your side more often than I should have.a He sighed and looked back at me. aJoe said head keep what he saw to himself if wead leave him and Tabby out of the whole thing. I didnat know what to think, but I agreed and made up a couple of runaways named Tom and Jane Smith.a Something must have shown on my face, because he smiled. aI know. Not very original. But it wasnat like I had a great plan to cover everything up. Just reacted to the circ.u.mstances. In fact, I wouldnat have mentioned them to the authorities at all if I hadnat heard Krista say someone else rescued Gwen when we got to the hospital. Then we had to scramble to get our stories straight, and to convince Krista to go along with it.a Jaikes glowered at this mention of his daughter. aSo Ray threatened to kill her? What kind of a preacher were you, getting your son to do that?a aI guess I wasnat a very good preacher, was I? But I didnat know about any threats. Ray told me Krista went along with the story because she was afraid shead get in trouble for drinking.a He c.o.c.ked his head to one side and considered his son. aYou threatened to kill her?a aOf course not. See. There you go again, willing to believe anything anyone says about me.a The naked anger shining in Jaikes eyes betrayed his own personal stake in Ogdenas tale. aKrista told me last night that shead also seen your son push the Miller girl into the river. That was why he threatened herato keep her from saying anything.a Ogden rubbed his hand over his face. aIam sorry he frightened her, Sheriff. I didnat know.a Ray made a sound in the back of his throat.

aI thought that was the end of it, but Joe came back,a Ogden said. aHe wanted more after he found out Gwen actually died. I was afraid Ray would be convicted of killing her. I didnat want him to go to prison, but I didnat have any money. Joe told me head take this land in exchange for his silence. It couldnat happen right away, though, or people might put two and two together. He was willing to wait for two years. I accepted the deal and thanked G.o.d for sparing my sonas freedom.a Rayas shoulders sagged, and he stared at the ground. Schumaker shuffled his feet and looked impatient. Tabby watched with a blank face as the lies shead so carefully built her life upon came to light.

aBut I didnat know the full story, Sheriff,a Ogden continued. aI didnat know your daughter had also seen Ray push that girl into the river. I didnat know head threatened her into silence. And I didnat know that Ray would probably only have been charged with manslaughter. He hadnat tried to kill her; head only been playing around. Isnat that true, son? It was actually all just an accident?a I didnat know whether he was trying to convince us or himself.

aI didnat mean to kill her,a Ray said in a dull monotone.

aYou didnat kill her. The hypothermia did. In fact, Iam to blame as much as anyone because I didnat take her straight to the hospital. If I had, they might have saved her. But I was weak. I wanted to keep the incident quiet, and I blame myself for that girl dying.a aIs that another reason you gave the land away?a I asked as gently as I could. aTo punish yourself?a His lips turned up in a slight smile. aYou know, Ms. Reynolds, I think that might be true, though giving up that land was easier than I thought it would be. The dream was gone. And it didnat seem right to continue as pastor at my little church, so I gave that up, too. Took out a loan, and started the car lot.

aI filed the quit claim deed. When Ray found out, he told me he hadnat meant to kill Gwen Miller. That it was an accident.a Oh brother, I thought. Ogden might understand his sonas true nature, but he was still willing to protect him whenever he could.

aBut it was done,a he continued, aand there was no way to reverse it. So I took it as G.o.das will, and we went on with our lives.a aUntil Joe called you again recently,a I guessed.

aUntil he called and said there was more evidence, concrete evidence, that implicated everyone that night in the Miller girlas death as well as your brotheras death. He told me to bring all the money I could lay my hands on.a I shook my head. aTabby, why would Joe think that? He hadnat even seen the letter.a aI donat know. What did you tell him it said?a Accusation dripped from her words.

I tried to remember. aI said it was very revealing. He jumped on that, said Bobby Lee was a liar. But I never said anything about Rancho Sueo oraa Or any of the other stories Iad found in the newspaper. The rest of the puzzle pieces snapped into place with an almost audible snap.

Holy cow.

aaor anything else that could possibly be taken as incriminating. It was almost as if his guilty conscience took control. Ogden, did Joe want cash?a He nodded. aAs much as I could get within the hour. He said it would be just this once. Of course, Iad heard that twice before, so I didnat believe him. But what was I going to do? So I grabbed all the cash we had in the store and withdrew a couple hundred dollars from the ATM. When I got here, he told me it wasnat enough. Said he was going to the authorities, bring everything to light.a aIncluding his own blackmail?a I asked. Another part of my mind was working out the timing. Ogden must have left the dairy mere minutes before Tabby and I came out of the house. If Iad left a little earlier we might have prevented his death.

If, if, if.

He closed his eyes and covered them with his hands. aI told him he would just have to go ahead, then. That I didnat have anything else to give, and that head be revealing himself as a blackmailer. He was frantic. He pushed me against the wall. Said head kill me, kill my son if we said anything. Came right out and said that. Said he knew I could get more money, that he needed it now. He was acting like a crazy man. I panicked, grabbed the first thing that came to hand, and I hit him with it.a He swallowed and licked his lips. aI didnat mean to kill him. But that hardly matters now, does it?a Actually, it might make a very real difference in how he would be charged and sentenced.

I looked into Tabbyas clear blue eyes. aDo you have any idea why Joe wanted cash right away?a Slowly, she shook her head. I held her gaze, though, and saw the awareness surface as she thought about it. She quickly turned her head and appeared to examine the devastation the storm had left behind.

aBecause I think I do.a I turned to Jaikes. aHe was going to run away and leave his wife to deal with all the fallout. Did your daughter tell you Tabby and Joe were at Rancho Sueo the night Ray here pushed his girlfriend in the freezing cold river?a The sheriffas lips pressed together. aWhy, yes. As a matter of fact, she did.a He walked over to Ray Dunner, who flinched at his approach. aYou made my own daughter lie to me, on the most traumatic night of her life,a he grated out. aBut now sheas willing to testify against your sorry a.s.s. As am I.a It was a good thing Inspector Schumaker was standing there, or else his boss might have flattened the suspect then and there.

I was proud of his daughteras willingness to come forward after living in terror of Ray Dunner for so long. I wondered whether shead called her father because Iad called her, or whether Schumaker had related what Iad told him in Zillahas Cafe and Jaikes had contacted her. In the end, though, it hardly mattered which.

aCould I show you something, Sheriff?a I asked. aYou, too, Inspector.a aWhat?a aItas in the cla.s.sroom. And Tabby? I think youad better come along as well.a _____.

aWhatas this all about?a Inspector Schumaker sounded downright grouchy for a guy who had just solved a murder case.

aSheeshawill you just trust me for once?a I asked.

The Dunners waited in the parking lot, Ogden in the back of the sheriffas Suburban and Ray in the inspectoras prowler. The air was cooler after the big storm, but still felt heavy and muggy.

aI need to go call my mom,a Tabby said. aDelightas terrified of tornadoes.a aHere, call her on my cell,a I said and handed her the phone Schumaker had kindly retrieved from Ray Dunneras pocket, along with my cash.

aI need to go up to the house,a she repeated and turned to go.

aDonat let her leave,a I said, the words chopped and urgent.

Sheriff Jaikes stepped in front of her. aUse that phone to check on your daughter. Weall wait.a Apparently he was willing to trust meaat least for now. Still, he looked weary. His wounded arm must have throbbed like the d.i.c.kens.

Tabby moved a few feet away. She dialed and then spoke into the phone, all the while darting glances my way. When she was satisfied everything was all right at her motheras, she handed the phone back to me without so much as a thank you.

aOkay. Come on in here.a I led the way into the cla.s.sroom, picking my way among the shards of window gla.s.s on the floor. aYou can stay in the doorway, actually. Itas a mess in here.a The photos of Joe Bines were scattered all over the room, and the poster board collage for his memorial had fallen to the floor. I retrieved it and returned to where Tabby stood with the two lawmen. Holding it up, I pointed to the picture of Joe with the script First Truck pasted under it.

aWas this the vehicle Joe drove eighteen years ago?a Tabby didnat answer.

I put my face next to hers. She shrank back. aIs it? They can find out, you know. Just tell us.a Earlier the fight had gone out of her when shead finally confessed that she and Joe had been at Rancho Sueo the night Gwen Miller died. Then in the process of escaping the Dunners and surviving the storm shead regained her composure. But now, as I pointed to the picture of Joe and his dark green truck, it leaked away again.

In a quiet voice she said, aYes. That was what he drove.a aBut not that night, out here by the river.a aNo. We rode out with Krista and Gwen.a aWhy?a Sheriff Jaikes c.o.c.ked his head to one side. Inspector Schumaker inclined his. Both intrigued.

aWhy didnat you and Joe drive here in his truck?a I asked.

aBecause a She sighed. aBecause Bobby Lee had borrowed it.a The inspectoras eyes widened as understanding began to dawn.

She continued. aI donat even remember what he needed it for, but thatas what he drove that night when he came to get us.a aDid you tell him about Gwen?a Hesitation, then she nodded. aHe wanted to go to the hospital to check on her.a That sounded like my baby brother. aThen why didnat you?a Silence. G.o.d, this woman was an expert at silence.

aTabby.a aJoe said we shouldnat. They were arguing.a aHe and Bobby Lee?a aYes.a aAnd then?a aSomething happened.a Something. Talk about an understatement.

I chose my next words with great care. aWho was driving when Joeas truck hit that bicyclist?a Sheriff Jaikesa eyebrows climbed to the top of his forehead.

Tabbyas eyes filled with tears. I leaned in to hear her whispered response: aI was.a Anna Belle had been frantically trying to track me down all afternoon as news of the tornados east of town blared from the newscasts. Apparently my cell phone had vibrated in Ray Dunneras pocket over and over, and head either ignored it or had been too distracted to notice. There were thirteen voice-mail messages from my mother by the time I got around to checking it.

Iad called her and rushed home. Finally, I had some answers for my parents.

Now Dad, Anna Belle, Meghan, Kelly, and even Erin sat in the great room, watching me pace back and forth in front of them as I related the events of the day.

First I told them about the tornado veering so close to the dairy. About how Joe had blackmailed Ogden Dunner, and then when he turned violent during the last attempt Ogden had killed him in self-defense. About how Tabby had a.s.sumed from the moment we found Joeas body that Ray had killed him because of their long and checkered history.

Had I caused Joeas death? Iad been deliberately vague when Iad related the contents of Bobby Leeas letter. I had to admit that could have been a catalyst for what followed. But I wasnat about to hold myself responsible for Joe Binesa paranoia and violent nature. That family had built a precarious life around lies and greed and death. It was bound to implode sometime.

As for Tabby, it didnat look like her happily-ever-after was in the cards, either. If charged with first-degree vehicular homicide she was facing a possible three- to fifteen-year sentence, Schumaker told me. If they went with negligent homicide, she might get a year in jail or even probation. For Delightas sake I should have hoped for the latter.

I didnat, though. Tabbyas decisions, even influenced as they had been by Joe, had placed Bobby Lee in an untenable moral quandary. His love for her warred equally against his own guilt. My sweet eighteen-year-old brother had taken the only way out he could see.

So I told my family what Tabby had revealed about the night Gwen Miller died, and Bobby Leeas role in the whole mess.

aWhen I heard Ogden say Joe wanted cash and wanted it fast, it sounded like he was desperate. Like he needed the money to run,a I said. aAnd then I remembered the picture of the truck and put it together with the other newspaper story and Schumakeras questions about what kind of vehicle Bobby Lee drove. That was when I realized how the two incidents were connected, and finally I understood what Bobby Lee had meant in his letter. Head helped Tabby cover up what happened, but then he couldnat live with it.a I asked my parents if they knew why Bobby Lee had borrowed Joeas truck. Anna Belle looked puzzled, but Dadas expression was thoughtful.

aHe was helping an older neighbor put in some new landscaping,a he said. aI bet he borrowed it to haul compost.a Anna Belle said, aI didnat even know he was gone from the house. I wonder how many times he left and we never knew.a My father put his arm around her. aHe was eighteen, and wead lifted his curfew altogether by then.a aMaybe we should haveaa but Anna Belle cut herself off. Self-recrimination was useless now. His arm tightened around her.

aAfter rescuing Gwen, Joeas feet were messed up from going in the river,a I continued. aHe had a couple of frostbitten toes and couldnat walk very well. So when Bobby Lee got there he helped Joe into the truck, and Tabby went around to the driveras side. At first the plan was to go to the hospital, but Joe didnat want to. He and Bobby Lee argued. Now we know Ogden had agreed to keep quiet about Joe and Tabbyas presence at Rancho Sueo, but at the time Tabby had no idea. She just thought Joe didnat want to get in trouble.a aMakes sense. By then head already had a few run-ins with the law,a my dad said.