Lillian Duncan - Until Death Do Us Part (4 page)

CHAPTER 9

After checking and rearming all the security alarms on the property, they decided it had to have been Theresa’s remote that allowed the men into the cabin without Billy Clyde being alerted.

“
Can’t you change the access codes?” Dylan stared at the huge computer monitor attached to the wall in Billy Clyde’s basement office.

Dylan’s eyes scanned the basement, Billy Clyde’s play pen. One section had a fully equipped gym, another section a home theater, but his pride and joy was his office.

His office took a full half of the huge basement and was encased in glass to keep it climate-controlled. He claimed it was best for his babies, the computers. Several large flat screen monitors hung on the wall. Smaller monitors sat on the counter along with several computers and key boards.             

Billy Clyde rubbed the bandage
on his arm. “I can, but what if Theresa escapes and can’t get back in the house. I won’t take that chance. I’ll let the dogs out. They’ll make sure no one gets in.”

“If your
arm’s hurting, why not take some pain meds?”

Billy Clyde dropped his hand away from the bandaged wound. “Need a clear head.”

“A couple of aspirin won’t—”

“Maybe later, Monroe.”

Now wa
s not the time to argue. Dylan nodded. “What do you think is going on?”

“Not
sure, but they didn’t just happen to have an encrypted phone on them to give me. So this was planned. We need to make sure they aren’t hanging around the area.” Billy hit some keys on the keyboard. In seconds, the monitors began to fill up with scenes of Billy Clyde’s property. He pointed to the first monitor on the left. “This is the entrance gate.”

The screen showed a peaceful pastoral scene.
The gate blocking the entrance way was disguised with bushes and small trees making it look as if the road ended, effectively hiding the cabin from anyone who didn’t know it existed.

He hit another button. A paved road popped up on the monitor. “This is the area at the turn-off.”

Using a mouse, the monitor began scanning the area.
No one lurked about. No cars sitting on the side of the road. Nothing unusual as far as Dylan could see. “There doesn’t seem to be anyone around.”

They went through the process
of checking every inch of Billy Clyde’s property. Easy to do since Billy Clyde had surveillance cameras installed everywhere on the property.

His com
puters had access to information that would give most people nightmares. It also made him a target of terrorists. Not that he’d said those words aloud yet, but knowing his friend the thought had all ready occurred to him as well.

Billy Clyde t
urned toward Dylan with a satisfied look. “I’m guessing they aren’t out there watching me, but they might have set up some electronic surveillance equipment.”

Dylan nodded.

“I’m going to check for bugs and cameras on the grounds. We might be dealing with electronic savvy criminals.”

Dylan stood. “I’ll do that. You need to rest
and drink some more water. How’s the arm?”

“Let me put it this way. I’ve
had better days.”

“
And you should eat something.” Dylan opened a small refrigerator and handed Billy Clyde two more bottles of water.

“Later. Righ
t now, I need to check the security recordings. They were wearing masks when I saw them but maybe they weren’t smart enough to wear them the whole time they were on the property.”

“And if we’re really lucky, we’ll see their license plate number an
d be able to trace them.”

They weren’
t. The security monitors showed the vehicle, a nondescript sedan with the plate numbers hidden and no identifying marks.

Dylan shook his head but stood.
“Where’s your exterminating equipment? I’ll go check your property for bugs and any other pesky vermin.”

Billy Clyde chuckled. “Sit down, Monroe. This is the
twenty-first century.”

“
Oh, yeah. I forgot who I was talking to.” He sat back down and watched Billy Clyde hit the computer icon of a bug. Five minutes later, Billy Clyde looked over at him. “The only electronics in the area are mine. So, definitely a bluff. Let’s call Track-Time and see what we can find out about Theresa’s car.”

“I don’t understand why
you bother paying for Track-Time when I’m absolutely sure you can do everything they can do and more.”

Billy Clyde nodded. “This is true, Monroe but I figured what if Theresa or I were in an acciden
t, help would only be a push of a button away.”

They looked at each other,
neither willing to say the unspoken words—why hadn’t Theresa pushed that button?

CHAPTER 10

After Dylan changed the tires on the car and van, he walked back into the cabin. Billy Clyde sat at the kitchen island looking exhausted and in pain. He pointed to a plate of sandwiches.

“Eat something, Monroe.”

In battle, soldiers ate when they had the chance. Someone had declared war on Billy Clyde’s family and there’d be little rest for them until Theresa was back in her home where she belonged.

The men
ate in silence and then went back out to the garage.

Billy Clyde slid into the driver’s seat of his huge black SUV while Dylan did the same on the passenger side. Dylan held a notebook and pen. He nodded at Billy Clyde who hit the Track-Time button.

“Is this an emergency?”
A disembodied woman’s voice asked.

“No.”

“Please identify yourself.”

“William Addams-72355.”

A moment later the voice was back. “Yes, Mr. Addams how can I be of help to you.”

“I need some information on my other vehicle—car 921953.”

“What would you like to know?”

“I’d like to have its
location.”

“It is presently at 222 North Cacapon Road.”
The woman mispronounced the name.

Dylan scribbled down the address.

“Thanks, I also need to know every location it went to today and the time it was there.”

Silence.

Dylan looked over at Billy Clyde whose face was devoid of emotion.

“Is there a problem, Mr. Addams?”
The voice asked.

A flush moved up Billy Clyde’s
brown neck but his voice was calm. “I need to know those locations. You’ve already checked and I have clearance to access that information, so give me the addresses.”

“But—”

“Would you prefer I talk with your supervisor?”

“No, that won’t be necessary. I wasn’t implying you didn’t have the
right to the information. I thought you might be having a problem we could assist with. Sorry for the misunderstanding.”

Dylan wished she could help them.
He wished he could do something more than just sitting there beside his best friend.

Billy Clyde’s
facial muscles relaxed. “No apology necessary. Thanks for being concerned.”

Dylan wrote as the woman rattled off the three addresses.
Billy Clyde thanked her and disconnected the call. “Let’s go.”

“Maybe you should stay
. What if they do come back to check on you and you’re not here? I can go and—”

“In what? Your boat?”

“I didn’t think about that, but they told you to stay put.”

“Can’t be helped.”
Billy Clyde shrugged. “I’m willing to take the risk. I’ll program the home phone so calls get forwarded to my cell and I’ll take the cell phone they left for me. I’ll bring the dogs in here. If anyone is dumb enough to come back, they’ll be in for a nasty surprise.”

An understatement
if Dylan had ever heard one—since they were trained attack dogs. Sweet and kind most of the time, but when given the order, lethal.

“I’ll
get the dogs.”’

“I’ll stay in the car.”

Billy Clyde chuckled. “Those dogs wouldn’t hurt a flea…unless I tell them to.”

“So, you say.”

CHAPTER 11

Dylan drove Billy Clyde’s car. It was the only conce
ssion Billy made to the bullet wound. They pulled into Paw Paw’s local grocery store’s parking lot—the current address of Theresa’s car according to Track-Time.

Billy Clyde
pointed two rows over. “There it is.”             

Dylan pulled into the nearest p
arking space and Billy Clyde jumped out and moving toward Theresa’s bright yellow Bug before he could put the vehicle in park. After turning the car off, Dylan followed.

Billy Clyde
opened the door with the spare key and pounded a massive fist on the back of the driver’s seat. Dylan put a hand on the man’s shoulder. “It’s not like we thought she was going to be here.”

“I know, but I was praying for a miracle
.” Billy Clyde hit the button on the remote. The trunk popped open. He stared at it, but didn’t move. He motioned with his head. “You check the trunk, Monroe, I’ll see if I can find anything helpful in here.”

A sense of dread filled Dylan
as he approached the trunk. Still better he find out what was in the trunk rather than Billy Clyde.
Please God, don’t let Theresa be in there—dead.
He lifted up the trunk and let out a sigh.

No There
sa. No blood.

Leaving the trunk open, he walked back to Bi
lly Clyde. “Nothing. I’ve never seen anyone keep a trunk that clean.”

“The woman
is a fanatic about her trunk.”

“Anything inside
?”

“Her p
urse and her doctor’s bag.”

“Doctor’s bag?”

“We live in a rural area. It’s come in handy more than once. Not to mention she’s taken up midwifing.” Billy Clyde closed the driver’s door. “This doesn’t really tell us anything. They might have grabbed her here or it could have been somewhere else. They could have dropped the car here afterwards. Hard to know.”

“
Do you think the store has surveillance video?” Dylan pointed at the grocery store.

“Only one way to find out.” Billy Clyde locked the car doors and then slammed the trunk shut. He marched into the store.

Dylan felt sorry for anyone who got in his way.

Billy Clyde went up the customer service counter.
A young African-American woman, maybe twenty or so, sat on a stool with a phone in her hand, texting a friend no doubt. Her hair had a wild retro Afro look about it. “Hey, LaTisha. howya doing?”

She looked up from the phone.
Her freckles crinkled as she smiled. “I’m fine, Mr. Billy. What do you need?”

“Did you see Theresa today?”

The young clerk shook her head.

“I need to take a look at the surveillance films from today.”

LaTisha’s eyes grew large. “Why? Is there a problem?”

He reached down and
patted her hand. “Nothing I can’t take care of. Just need to see the videos.”

LaTisha didn’t look convinced.
“If they’re working. They don’t work half the time. I tried to tell corporate to fix them, but you know how that is.” She grabbed a set of keys and walked out from behind the counter revealing a very pregnant stomach. “Are you sure Miss Theresa’s ok?”

“Don’t worry,
she’ll be here for your delivery. She wouldn’t miss that for anything, you know that.” He looked over at Dylan. “Theresa’s her midwife.”

Dylan’s eye looked back
at the pregnant woman, ready to deliver any day. He hoped they could keep Billy Clyde’s promise.

LaTisha unlocked the manager’s door and held it open for them.

Billy Clyde looked down at LaTisha. “How’s things with the two of you? Any problems?”

She rolled her eyes and put her hand on her belly in a protective manner.
She leaned closer and lowered her voice. “I wish we didn’t live so close to his family. They’re a little different. If you know what I mean.”

“I understand
, but at least you have your own house. Theresa said it’s adorable. I heard a rumor about some trouble with the family.”

She nodded
. “Back taxes. But my husband says it’s nothing for me to worry about. His dad deeded us the house and property so it’s got nothing to do with us. Our taxes are paid up.”

“Good to hear. Let me know if I can help.”

“Praying might be a good idea.” She stepped back toward the door. “I gotta get back to the counter, Mr. Billy. Call me if you can’t figure out how it works.”

“
Thanks. I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”

LaTisha looke
d back and forth at the two men, uncertainty in her eyes. “Are you sure everything’s okay with Miss Theresa? What do you need the surveill—”

Billy Clyde walked over and put a hand on th
e young woman’s shoulder. “I’m going to take care of it. You worry about taking care of yourself and that baby.” He led her toward the door as he talked, then shut the door.

“That was easy. Good thing you knew the manager.”

“She’s not the manager, probably the assistant manager. The manager is no doubt over at his girlfriend’s house for his weekly visit while his wife is on her weekly shopping trip.” He shrugged. “What can I say? Paw Paw’s like Fredericksburg. Everyone knows everyone and their business. Pretty hard to hide in a town of five hundred.”

“Tell me about it.”

Billy Clyde hit a button on the VCR. “Of course, everyone loves Theresa as you could see, but most people around here are afraid of me for some reason.” He walked over to a shelf. Four VCRs crowded the tiny shelf. “These look a little out-of-date.”

“Yea, I figured as much
. Let’s get busy.”

Forty minutes
later, they’d watched the surveillance videos and learned nothing. Theresa hadn’t gone into the store and the car was out of range for the camera in the parking lot.

“Well, that was a waste of time.” Billy Clyde stood.

“We had to check it out.”

“I know.
Let’s get moving. I want to check out the other addresses.”

“Are you sure? After all, you’ve been sh—” Billy Clyde’s glare was enough to stop h
im in mid-word. “Let’s rock and roll.”