Person of Interest (19 page)

“The military demands that its people follow orders.”

“That’s what I told him. He said he needed to follow a higher call, as well, that he’d questioned the order but hadn’t stood his ground.”

“He was young.”

“Exactly.”

“This is different, Uncle Harry.”

“Of course it is, child.” He patted her shoulder and headed to the door. “But you need to know that he’s struggling.”

He stepped from the room and closed the door behind him. Natalie turned back to the window and stared down at Everett.

He’d made a mistake. She’d made many growing up, trying to prove her self-worth to parents who didn’t have faith in her
. A child who doesn’t receive love doesn’t know how to give love.
She sighed, realizing she still struggled with opening herself enough to love another. She’d had to make her way in life, to succeed, to take care of herself.

Now she was being asked to subjugate her own needs for the needs of another. Everett had a need to take her back to Fort Rickman, which could be her undoing.

She was at a crossroads. Would she run away and try to start a new life for herself? Or should she go with Everett and believe he knew what was best?

A hard decision. One she didn’t know how to make.

The old poem about two roads diverging and not knowing which path to take came to mind. If only she could see beyond the here and now.

God, You know all. Direct my steps. I’m seeing with finite eyes, but Yours are infinite. Help me to choose the right path.

Do I choose Everett or do I walk away from him and make my own way in the world, all alone?

* * *

Everett closed the Bible and rose from the swing, still as confused as ever. Wasn’t prayer supposed to bring peace? This time it left him even more unsettled.

Pulling his cell from his pocket, he tapped in the number for the CID agent in Germany.

“I’m at a crossroads here in Georgia, Tyler. I thought you might provide new insight.”

“Your timing’s perfect. We’ve received the report from the German police, which included an eye-witness account. One of my guys is fluent in German and did the translation.”

“What’d you find?”

“The witness saw a woman at Paula Conway’s apartment early in the morning before the police arrived on the scene. She had black hair and was in a military uniform.”

“Military? US or German?”

“She was one of ours. She came out of the front door and climbed into a small red car.”

Everett thought of Natalie’s car.

“The witness had seen her before, driving back and forth to work each day.” Tyler hesitated. “Anything ring a bell?”

“What do you mean?”

“You mentioned Natalie Frazier when you first called me. Natalie lived down the street from Paula Conway. She drove a red sedan.”

“Are you saying she was the woman seen that morning?”

“I’m saying she appears to have been there before the German police arrived at the house.”

“Tammy Yates was supposedly called to check on Paula, so I don’t understand why Natalie would have been there.”

Tyler sniffed. “Was Natalie checking on the teacher or had she killed the woman and wanted to make sure she hadn’t left anything behind?”

Everett couldn’t—and wouldn’t—believe Natalie was involved. “Did you get the witness’s name? I want you to verify the report. Something’s wrong.”

“Here’s the problem. The witness was visiting someone in the area, and we don’t have contact information.”

“So you can’t track him down?”

“Not a him,” Tyler said. “It’s a female. The
polizei
’s penmanship is hard to read, but the name appears to be Anna Bell.”

“What?” Everett tried to put the pieces together. “Tyler, that’s not two names, it’s one. Annabelle Yates.”

“Any relation to Mason?”

“It’s his sister. And she’s lying.”

TWENTY

H
eavyhearted, Natalie stepped onto the porch, where Uncle Harry stood looking over the valley.

“I don’t want to leave my home,” he said, his voice husky with emotion.

“Have you reserved a room at the assisted-living facility in Atlanta?”

He nodded. “Only because my brother—Everett’s father—convinced me it was time to move. He’s worried about me. Says the mountain is too lonely.”

She touched his arm. “Are you lonely?”

He shook his head. “I feel Rosie’s presence here.” He extended his hand. “When I look over the valley, it’s almost as if I’m seeing it through her eyes, as if she’s part of me here.”

“Have you thought of other options?”

He turned, his brow knit together. “Like what?”

“Getting a caregiver who could help with some of the chores, perhaps fix meals for you when you don’t feel like cooking. Someone to go to the store for you when the weather’s bad.”

“You mean a babysitter?” he spat out.

“Of course not. A companion to help you.”

He shook his head. “I doubt anyone would be interested in living up here on the mountain. It would take a special type of person.”

“But it’s beautiful and so peaceful. It’s the type of place I’ve always dreamed of finding.”

His shoulders squared for a moment and a twinkle formed in his eyes. “They need teachers at the local county school. You could stay here, and I’d cover your expenses. There’s an extra room over the garage you could use.”

The thought of living in the beautiful natural setting was inviting, especially if Natalie could travel on the less hazardous road that didn’t edge the cliff.

“I’ve got an exam to take and then student teaching.”

“You could student teach up here. It’s a consideration.”

She smiled. “And one I like.”

A car turned into the driveway.

“Were you expecting someone, Uncle Harry?”

He shook his head and squinted. “I don’t recognize the driver.”

Natalie couldn’t either with the glare that reflected off the windshield. Her heart lurched as she thought it might be someone out to do them harm. When the car came to a stop, Annabelle Yates stepped out, and Natalie breathed a sigh of relief. But the woman’s expression was anything but friendly.

“Mason’s in the area,” Annabelle said. “He told me he was coming to get you.”

“How did you know where to find me?”

“Everett left this address at work when he signed out on leave. Mason saw it and called me. I wanted to warn you.”

“What’s Mason planning to do?”

Annabelle shrugged. “He didn’t tell me, but I’ve never heard him so upset.”

“Did he confess to killing Tammy?”

“He didn’t have to. I put everything together and realized who was at fault.”

She glanced nervously over her shoulder. “Come with me, Natalie. We’ll take the back road down the mountain to get away from him.”

“I’m not leaving Uncle Harry. Besides, Everett’s here. I’ll be safe with him.”

“Mason said Everett’s taking you back to Fort Rickman. He could have waited until you were on the road, but he decided you were more vulnerable here.”

Everett opened the screen door and stepped onto the porch. “What’s all this about?”

“Mason’s headed this way,” Natalie explained. “Annabelle wants me to leave with her before he arrives.”

Everett shook his head. “Why would he come here?”

“He found your uncle’s address with your leave information,” Annabelle said. “He called to tell me. I hurried to get to you first.”

“You could have phoned.”

“I did. The call kept failing. Coverage must be a problem up here.”

Natalie glanced at Everett and then back to Annabelle. “I appreciate your concern, but I’m not leaving.”

“Tell me what you know about your brother,” Everett said.

“I know he was interested in Natalie in Germany. I’m not sure if he transferred to Fort Rickman because she lived in the area or not. He never told me, and I never asked.”

“What about Paula Conway? You were visiting your brother. What happened?”

Natalie was confused. “You were in Germany?”

“For a short time. I wanted to make sure Mason was okay.” Annabelle motioned impatiently to Natalie. “Hurry. You need to come with me now.

Everett held up his hand. “She stays here.”

The woman’s face twisted. “I want to show you something that might convince you to change your mind.”

She leaned into her car. Then, taking a step back, she raised her arm, a gun in hand.

Natalie gasped. “What are you doing?”

Everett pushed his uncle toward the house and shoved Natalie behind a rocking chair that offered some protection but not enough. He drew his weapon, but not in time.

Annabelle fired twice.

Everett gasped. Blood gushed from his side. Behind him, Uncle Harry collapsed to the deck. The old man clutched his chest. Everett pushed on Harry’s wound to stem the flow of blood.

Annabelle grabbed Natalie. She screamed and fought to free herself.

The older woman shoved Natalie down the steps, holding the gun to her head.

Everett staggered to his feet. “Let her go.”

Annabelle fired again. The bullet hit him in the leg. He lunged forward. Another bullet hit his arm. The SIG Sauer dropped from his hand, but he continued on.

“No.” Natalie fought for control of Annabelle’s gun. Again the crazed woman aimed at Everett and fired. He collapsed on the drive, his hand outstretched to Natalie.

She screamed his name and clawed at Annabelle, but the woman was too strong. Raising the heavy weapon, she crashed it against Natalie’s neck. Her vision blurred. She went limp, falling to her knees.

Annabelle forced her upright and shoved her toward the black sedan. She hefted Natalie into the front seat, grabbed rope from the glove compartment and quickly tied her hands.

The world swirled around her. Natalie floated in and out of consciousness, only partially aware of Annabelle dragging Everett across the gravel driveway.

Huffing from the exertion, she wrapped her arms around his chest and lifted his upper body into the rear seat, then swung his legs in. He moaned in pain.

Natalie glanced back. Tears flowed from her eyes. Everett was bleeding and pale as death.

“No,” she cried.

“Shut up.” Annabelle slapped her open palm across the back of Natalie’s head. Her world went dark. All she heard was a scream that had to have come from her own mouth.

The car door slammed. Annabelle was in the driver’s seat.

The engine started.

“Where...are...you taking—”

“You need to get away. Having Everett with you will be good. You tried to go up the mountain trail, but the car went too fast.”

“What do you mean?”

“The cliff at the top. It’s called Lover’s Leap by the locals. Couples have driven over the edge when they couldn’t be together in life, like you and Mason. You rejected him when you left Germany.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Do you know how hurt he was?”

“He’s behind this,” Natalie said, trying to understand. “You’re trying to protect him. He killed the woman in Germany, just like he killed his wife.”

Annabelle laughed as she turned onto the narrow mountain road and accelerated.

Natalie glanced out the window, seeing the steep drop-off. Her stomach roiled.

“I was visiting Mason in Germany when the woman ended their relationship. Tammy didn’t know, but my brother confided in me, like he always had. The doctors told me he had abandonment issues because our mother left him. I couldn’t let another woman hurt him.”

“You killed Paula Conway in Germany?”

“The stairway was steep. One shove and she was gone.”

“Did you kill Tammy because she was interested in Vernon Ingalls?”

“She wasn’t interested in Vernon romantically. He was a lawyer. She wanted him to handle her divorce.”

“Does Mason know you’re a murderer?”

Annabelle shook her head. “He only knows that I’m on his side. I love him as if he were my own son. After Mother left, he needed me.”

“You killed Vernon and made it look like suicide.”

“I told him Tammy planned to visit him and brought a pitcher of the kind of iced tea she liked. I had him taste it. He didn’t know it was doctored.”

“With drugs?”

Annabelle held the gun in her right hand and clutched the wheel with the other. “It didn’t take long to work. The problem was dragging him into his office and hoisting him into the air. Then I vacuumed his rug and took the iced tea container with me when I left.” She smiled with pride. “I thought of everything, including the suicide note.”

Natalie worked to free her hands, while keeping her gaze from the steep drop-off and the speedometer.

“Slow down or we’ll never make it to the top.”

Annabelle chuckled. “I spent vacations in the mountains. You and Everett won’t crash until I’m ready.”

“You’ll die, too.”

She shook her head. “I’ll jump to safety before you go over the edge.”

Natalie noticed the darkening sky. The storm that had bypassed them earlier looked like it was ready to strike. “You’ll be caught in the storm without a car.”

“I’ll call Mason.”

“Fort Rickman is more than a four-hour drive from here.”

“He’s already on his way. I told him what I planned to do. He didn’t want me to get in trouble.”

“You’re psychotic.”

“I’m a protective sister. Mason will thank me.”

“He’ll arrest you and throw you in jail.”

“Shut up.”

“I won’t. You’ve got to stop.”

Feeling the rope ease free, Natalie had a moment of elation, then she glanced over her shoulder and saw Everett, lying motionless. Her heart lurched. Was he still alive?

* * *

Everett heard Natalie’s voice but couldn’t determine where he was. A car, moving too fast, wheels skidding.

He glanced at the side window, seeing the mountain race by. His gut tightened as his memory returned.

Annabelle’s voice. “I wanted to kill you instead of your roommate, but she had a gun.”

“You shot Denise?”

“I thought it was you.”

“Did Mason realize I was in Freemont?”

“Tammy saw you. She called me, upset, knowing you had stalked Mason in Germany.”