Darby's Decision, page 12
“Anything specific about the tattoos?” Pride asked.
“No.” She glanced at Gage, who shook his head. “I don’t think he paid that much attention to the specifics of his tattoos. Reyes was just one guy in the group that Steve took up the Willow Point Trail.”
The detective remained silent for a long moment.
“You should also know, Darby and I went up the trail after talking to Steve and Teddy,” Gage said. “We found a squirrel impaled with sharp sticks attached to a tree.”
“And you think Reyes did that when he hiked with Steve on Friday?” Pride asked.
“No, the carcass was too fresh for that.” Darby glanced at Gage. “Now that Steve has been murdered, I think it’s pretty clear Reyes was watching us. He saw us talk to Steve, then watched as we headed up the trail.” She swallowed hard. “The squirrel must have been some sort of bizarre warning.”
“If he was there, why didn’t he shoot you?” Detective Pride didn’t look impressed by the dead squirrel.
“I don’t know.” Darby looked down at her hand entwined with Gage’s. “He certainly had the opportunity. It feels as if he’s toying with us.”
“Killing Steve may have been another warning,” Gage said slowly. “I agree with Darby, I think Reyes was at the adventure park when we spoke to Teddy and Steve. I think he followed us and left the squirrel for us to find. I actually sensed someone watching us as we hiked down the trail to the park entrance.”
Darby hadn’t known that, but it explained why Gage had stayed directly behind her the entire time. “There is another possibility,” she pointed out. “It could be Reyes watched from below, while Archer was positioned somewhere along the hiking trail.”
“If they were both there yesterday, then I can’t imagine why you two are alive and Auckland is dead.” Detective Pride rubbed the back of his neck wearily. “It just doesn’t make sense.”
“There may not be much logic when it comes to Reyes wanting to exact his revenge,” Gage said. “He’s obviously stringing us along as a way to torture us.”
“To keep us off balance, never knowing when and where he’ll strike next,” Darby added. A shiver rippled down her spine. “You need to find him, before he kills anyone else.”
“Do you think Reyes killed Steve? Or Archer?” Gage asked.
The detective hesitated, then finally said, “We can’t say either way since we’re still trying to track Archer’s movements between the time you both saw him and the time he was arrested.”
“What time was Steve killed?” Darby asked.
“We believe sometime between ten o’clock and two in the morning.” Detective Pride rose to his feet. “I’m afraid that’s all I can tell you. This is an ongoing homicide investigation.”
It wasn’t enough, but Darby was relieved to know that Steve hadn’t been lying dead in the motel room when she and Gage had followed Archer.
Although she still felt the incredible weight of guilt for causing Steve to be targeted by Reyes in the first place. If only she and Gage hadn’t gone over to ask about the two suspects. Maybe Steve would still be alive if they’d have just let the police handle the investigation.
“Don’t, Darby.” Gage spoke in a low voice as the detective left the lobby. “This isn’t our fault.”
“Isn’t it?” She shook her head helplessly. “I painted a target on Steve’s forehead.”
“Either Reyes or Archer killed him, not us,” Gage repeated firmly. “We are the victims here. And you know as well as I do the police wouldn’t have gone to question the park staff members.”
“They should have.” Darby blew out a breath. “And I see that’s what you’re trying to say. That even if the police had questioned Teddy and Steve, Reyes would have still killed Steve.”
“I believe so, yes.” Gage stood and drew her up to stand beside him. “Let’s see if they’ll let me take my truck so we can get out of here.”
She frowned. “I’m not sure us driving your truck is a good idea.”
“I plan to leave it at the strip mall for a while.” He pushed the door open for her. “I can probably avoid a tow by moving it.”
His comment reminded her of the wreckage of her own car. A problem she still hadn’t dealt with. As they crossed over to where Gage’s white truck was parked, she couldn’t help looking around in an attempt to spot Reyes.
Was Tyrone out there, watching their every move? Would he succeed in killing them?
She was torn about going to stay with Edith and Leo. Oh, she desperately wanted to, but just thinking of the possibility of Reyes following made her blood run cold.
Reyes had killed Steve. She had no doubt he’d just as brutally kill her son if given the opportunity.
Gage had somehow convinced the cop on duty to allow him to remove his truck from the motel parking lot. She imagined the scene of the crime was centered in the actual motel room itself.
“How are we going to stay safe?” She was hanging on to her control by a thread, the back of her neck crawling with fear. “Reyes could be watching us right this minute.”
“We’ll find a way.” Gage opened the passenger side door for her. “And considering how many police officers are here at the motel, I doubt Reyes is anywhere close by.”
She truly wanted to believe that. But she was beginning to think of Reyes as having eyes everywhere. She hung back from getting into the truck. “Reyes could very well have others working for him.”
“Try not to panic.” Gage’s calm tone grated on her nerves. “Let’s get away from here and then decide our next steps.”
It wasn’t easy to swallow her fear. With reluctance, she climbed into the truck. Gage slid behind the wheel, and soon they were on the road leading toward the strip mall.
Darby alternated between looking in the side mirror and turning to look directly behind them as they covered the short distance. Tense and expecting gunfire at any moment, she didn’t relax even once they reached the parking area.
“I’ll grab our bags,” Gage said, pulling open the back door.
She huddled close to the truck, sweeping her gaze around the area. “Where can we go?”
“Let’s try the coffee shop at the end of the mall,” he suggested. “We can discuss our options there.”
What options? From what Darby could tell, they didn’t have any. Not if Reyes had others working for him, keeping an eye on them.
She felt certain they were sitting ducks, just waiting to be picked off. And the thought of never seeing Leo again nearly sent her to her knees.
“Darby?” Gage hurried around the truck as she sagged against the side of the vehicle. “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t do this anymore.” Her voice was a mere whisper. “I just can’t. I’m so afraid I’ll never see Leo again.”
“Shh, it’s okay. We’ll get through this.” He pulled her close. “Let’s just get to the coffee shop. One step at a time, remember?”
He half carried Darby to the coffee shop. Thankfully, there was an open table, and he headed toward it. She collapsed into a chair and buried her face in her hands.
His heart went out to her. He sank down beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. “Lord, please give us the strength we need to survive those who seek to harm us.”
Darby sniffled and whispered, “Amen.”
Surprised by her response, he tightened his hold. “We’re going to get through this, Darby. God is watching over us.”
“I hope He is,” she managed in a hoarse voice. “Because I don’t know what else to do.”
“He is, Darby. He’s always there for us.” Her despair was heartbreaking. Gage felt certain their best course of action would be to find a way to sneak out of town to hide out with Leo and Edith.
Yet they needed a way to get away without being seen and followed. A trick he wasn’t so sure they could pull off, unless they had help.
The woman behind the counter was giving him the stink-eye, likely because they’d taken a table without ordering anything. “I’ll be right back with some coffee.”
Darby drew in a ragged breath, lifted her head, and swiped away her tears. “Okay.”
Encouraged by her rally, he headed over to buy coffee and a pastry. Darby always had a sweet tooth, and he hoped the pastry would help cheer her up.
Returning to the table, he was glad to note Darby looked better. “A pastry?” She lifted a brow. “You remembered.”
“Yeah.” He smiled. “I figured you deserved a treat.”
“Thanks.” She took the plastic knife and cut it in half. “We both deserve one.”
They ate in silence for a moment. Gage had a plan but wasn’t sure how Darby would feel about it. When their pastry was nothing but crumbs, he sipped his coffee, eyeing her over the rim of his cup. “We need help to get away from here.”
She was instantly on alert, her gaze suspicious. “What kind of help?”
“I have a friend I think we can trust.”
“Who?” She sat back in her seat. “Anyone I know?”
That almost made him laugh. “No. His name is James Donner, and he’s the assistant pastor at my church.”
Darby’s expression turned skeptical. “Church? Really?”
“Yes, really. James is a good guy, welcomed me into the church despite my criminal record.” He hesitated, then added, “We need to trust someone in order to escape Reyes.”
She didn’t respond for a long moment. “And James would take us where exactly?”
“To stay with Leo and Edith.” He reached over to hold her hand. “You need to see your son, Darby. I know this has been incredibly hard for you to be away from him for the past few days.”
“And you trust this James?”
“I do.” He didn’t hesitate. “With your life and Leo’s. I didn’t mention him sooner because I didn’t want him to be in danger. But knowing about Steve’s murder changes things. You were right about Reyes watching us. It’s the only way he could have known about Steve recognizing his mug shot. We can’t take my truck, it’s too recognizable. And your car is demolished.”
“What about the rideshare option?”
He nodded slowly. “We could try that, but I was thinking we’d take the rideshare to church, and then go with James from there. It adds a layer of protection.”
“I don’t know.” She grimaced and looked away, staring through the window at the pedestrian traffic outside. “I don’t like adding anyone else into this. Look at what happened to Steve.”
“I don’t think Reyes will kill James.” Yet he could see she wasn’t on board with the plan. “Okay, if you’d rather go directly to where Edith and Leo are, that’s fine. We’ll take a rideshare the entire way.”
She bit her lip and shook her head. “I don’t know what to do, Gage. I’m terrified of placing Edith and Leo in harm’s way.”
“I know. But maybe at this point being together is better than staying apart.” It was clearly better for Darby’s emotional health. “Maybe we ask James to pick us up here and take us to a specific location, maybe a halfway point. We can use a rideshare from there.”
“That could work.” She cradled her coffee to her chest as if chilled, despite the warm humid weather. She lifted her gaze to his. “My biggest concern is getting away from this coffee shop without being seen. We have to assume we were followed here from the motel. They must know your truck plate by now. And I feel certain that they’ll see us the minute we leave, continuing to follow us wherever we go.”
“Building codes require every restaurant to have a back door.” He glanced around, spotting the narrow hallway leading to the restrooms. He stood and made his way down the short hall. Peering through the glass door, he could see there was a narrow road and another building. He quickly returned to the table. “Taking the back door out of here is our best option.”
“You don’t think Reyes has someone out front and out back?” She shivered. “I feel like he has spies everywhere.”
He understood her paranoia. In fact, he shared it. There was no denying that Reyes was preying on them, taunting them.
Gage was hopeful that having James pick them up might confuse whoever was watching. He pulled out his phone. “Darby, I’m going to ask James to pick us up behind the coffee shop. We’ll get away from here and have him drop us off somewhere safe.”
She pressed her lips together but eventually nodded. “Okay.”
Thankful to have a plan, he dialed the assistant pastor. James answered right away. “Gage, how are you?”
“I’m okay, but honestly, I’ve called because I need a favor.”
“What can I do for you?”
He couldn’t help but smile. He’d known James would help, and the guy’s easy agreement helped put his mind at ease. “This is going to sound a little crazy, but I’m with a friend, and we need a ride. We’re in East Knoxville now, and we would like to get to the nature preserve.”
“No problem.” James didn’t hesitate. “Tell me exactly where you’re currently located.”
“We’re on the west side of East Knoxville, at the Coffee Clutch located within the Maybury strip mall. But I’m going to ask you to meet us in the back of the strip mall rather than the front.”
“Is there something going on that I need to know about?” James asked. Clearly, the directive to head to the back of the strip mall had raised a flag.
Gage didn’t want to lie to the pastor. “My friend Darby and I are in danger from men who we knew years ago. I understand if that changes things for you. There have been several attempts to hurt us, and we’re honestly just trying to stay alive.”
“That sounds serious,” James said. “You need to talk to the police.”
“I promise you we have, several times,” Gage assured him. “Detective Pride has my number, and I have his. They’ve arrested one of the men involved, but another is still out there. And there’s been a recent murder associated with this as well.” The more he explained, the worse he felt about asking James for help. “You know, it’s probably better if you don’t come. We’ll find another way out.”
“I’ll be there in forty-five minutes,” James said firmly.
Gage locked eyes with Darby and slowly nodded. “Okay, thanks, James. I really appreciate your help.”
“God put us on this earth to help each other out, especially in times of crisis,” James reminded him. “And I know you would do the same for me.”
“I would, yes. Thanks again, James.” Gage disconnected from the call. “He’ll be here in forty-five minutes.”
“I hope we’re doing the right thing.” Darby sounded uncertain. “Bad enough Steve was murdered, I wouldn’t want anything to happen to your friend.”
“Reyes doesn’t know about James or what vehicle he drives,” Gage pointed out. “I’m sure James won’t catch Reyes’s attention until after we’re gone.”
She managed a wan smile. “Okay, I guess it’s worth a try. Although I’m surprised James is willing to come after everything you told him.”
“I feel bad dragging him into this,” Gage admitted. “But I still think using James to escape without being noticed is our best option.”
“What kind of car does he drive?” she asked.
“A dark green Jeep.” Gage’s cell phone rang, and he immediately assumed James was calling to say he’d changed his mind. But looking at the screen, he recognized Detective Pride’s number. “Hello?”
“Gage, this is Detective Pride.”
The muscles in his neck and shoulders knotted with tension. “I recognized your number. Is something wrong?”
“Yes, unfortunately. I’m calling to let you know that Niles Archer was found dead in his jail cell about two hours ago,” Pride informed him. “Looks like suicide.”
“Archer killed himself? Are you sure?” He noticed Darby startled at the news, spilling some of her coffee. Suicide didn’t sound like something Archer would do. Not that he knew the guy all that well. Still, Archer was no stranger to being in jail, so why would being arrested push him into doing something so drastic?
“We won’t know for sure until the autopsy has been completed, but it appears he used his prison clothing to fashion a noose, wrapping it around the bars in his cell and hanging himself.” Pride paused, then added, “I’m sorry. We were hoping to get information about Reyes from him. We’re still looking for Reyes, but we won’t get any help from Archer.”
“Yeah, thanks.” Dazed, Gage disconnected from the phone. Learning Archer was dead only heightened the sense of danger.
And despite how the death was made to look like a suicide, Gage felt certain that Archer had been murdered, a deed ordered by Reyes. It was the best way to prevent Archer from telling the authorities what he knew.
In that moment, Gage felt certain Reyes wouldn’t show up for his meeting with his parole officer on Friday. If the Knoxville police department didn’t find and arrest Reyes soon, this nightmare could go on for a lot longer than the week he’d taken off work.
With sick certainty, he felt certain Reyes wouldn’t stop until he and Darby were both dead.
Chapter Eleven
“I don’t believe Archer killed himself,” Darby murmured in a soft tone. “It’s just—too convenient.”
“You’ve got that right,” Gage agreed. He drew his hands over his face in a tired gesture. “Way too convenient if you ask me.”
She put a hand on his arm. Gage had held her together earlier, it was time for her to reciprocate. “Do you think he and Reyes had some sort of pact? Like if one of them got caught they’d kill themselves rather than squeal on the other?”
“It’s possible.” Gage covered her hand with his, and she couldn’t deny the instant awareness that sprang between them at his touch. “Either that or Reyes bribed someone within the police department to kill Archer in a way to make it look like a suicide.”
That theory made her swallow hard. Unfortunately, she’d seen enough while living on the streets to know that anything was possible. “If someone within the police department is helping Reyes, we really aren’t safe here.” And it also explained how Reyes seemed to know their every move. “You don’t think Detective Pride is involved?”
