Roll the Dice (23 page)

Rhondo walked to the still open door and beeped the trunk from the
remote on the key. “Get the stuff and then come back and feed my son. He’s
hungry.”

The knowledge shared by both, that she’d never leave without Alec, made
him smile. Not a nice smile, just a sideways smirk that, without words, let her
know what he already knew. She’d be back.

 
Pretty soon she'd carried in the
multitude of bags. By this time, Alec stopped being mollified by swaying and
bouncing. Reluctantly, Rhondo handed the baby gently to her and ordered. “Feed
him. Sit on the couch where I can see you. And don’t try anything funny. As
long as he’s here, you’re safe. You understand?”

She took the baby and held him up to her shoulder. The change of
position soothed him for a few seconds and the heartrending wails stopped. The
look in the man’s eye conveyed a message. And instantly she knew. He wouldn’t
be messing with her. Relief flooded over her and blanketed some of the fear.

“You’re the mother of my son. I wouldn’t hurt you unless you make me.
I’m not an animal like… Never mind, just take care of the baby.”

After a quick change of diaper, Debbie sat on the soiled sofa and fed
her greedy boy who’s slurps and sighs made her grin. His mouth pulled at her
tender nipple and her milk bubbled up and ran over his chin. Earlier, in the
car, she’d felt the milk come in and the sensation of filled breasts still
overwhelmed her with pride. Feeding Alec had become a joyous time until now as
she noticed Rhondo hovering in the background.

Dare she? By the look of wonderment on his face, he’d probably never
seen a baby feed from his mama’s body. “The little guy’s hungry,” she said
softly.

Creeping closer, as if waiting to be cursed and sent away, Rhondo’s eyes
never left the feeding baby. And his expression of pure wonderment caught at
her hatred and loosened a couple of the knots.

“My Grampa told me that my mom, Sunny, had breastfed me. He said she
loved me a lot, but I know better.”

Like a digital picture frame with changing images, his look hardened and
the cruelty returned. “She left, took off, never cared about me or the ole man.
One day she got up and made me breakfast and the next thing I knew she was
gone.”

Earlier when Rhondo had mentioned his stepfather’s name of Fred Main,
Debbie had felt a tiny prick of familiarity. Now that she knew his mother’s
name was Sunny, she put the two together. “Your mom’s name was Sunny Main?”

“Yeah, why?” He’d pulled out a package of cigarettes and then after
glancing at the now sleeping baby being burped on his mama’s shoulder, he put
them back in his pocket and instead pulled out a pack of chewing gum. After a
slight hesitation, he angled it towards her and then passed her a piece when
she’d nodded.

“She was killed by a hit and run driver about let’s see…twenty-three or
four years ago, right?”

“Wrong.” The grating in his voice warned she wasn’t moving on solid
ground. “Fred ranted and raved for years that she’d taken off, left the two of
us without caring one bit that we needed …” His rising voice had wakened Alec
and the whimper warned that next he’d be crying.

Rhondo’s voice stopped, as Debbie soothed the baby back to sleep.
 
Should she say anything more? Share what she
knew to be true? Deciding he’d been pretty decent so far for a rapist and a
killer, she revealed the truth.

“Your mother never ran away, Earl. We have the records at the precinct.
She'd gone shopping. Had a bag of groceries and a small toy truck in her bag. A
drunk took the corner too fast and his car hit her. She died instantly. I know,
I was there and saw it. All I remember was a longhaired blonde lady striding
happily along one moment, and the next, she lay in heap on the side of the
road. I was about seven years old and woke my parents with nightmares for
months.”

It had been the truck that had haunted her. Knowing there was a little
boy somewhere whose mommy wouldn’t be coming home. She’d prayed for him so many
nights.

Face devoid of colour Rhondo stumbled to his feet. Haltingly, he went
into the kitchen to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of beer. One twist and the
cap went flying. Then he upended it and drank like a man possessed. The first
one emptied within a few seconds, and he reached for the second.
 

Worried, Debbie laid the baby in his cuddle seat and hesitantly
approached the table. Careful not to startle the man who seemed lost in a world
of pain, she whispered. “If you have some food, I can make us some breakfast.
The sun’s almost up and you’ll be hungry.”

He turned to look at her, a face carved in steel, eyes flashing hate and
his bottom lip quivering. Without a word, he grabbed a chair and carried it
over to where the baby snoozed in his seat. Then he gently set it down and
slumped into it, his eyes glued to the tiny human who he loved.

Aurora finally saw the house in the distance and noted the gravel road
and dried vegetation in the surrounding area. Closer to the place grew a few
taller, half dead trees, probably their best chance on having some cover from
the front door and windows.

They turned from the highway and drove to the back of the vegetation
slowly, making sure all lights on the vehicle were off. Daylight had broken
through the gloom and they were able to reconnaissance the yard fairly
accurately.

Some hundred and fifty yards away sat the old farmhouse. It had seen
sixty years at the very least and needed a coat of paint as the white had
peeled in many places and looked to be non-existent in others. Behind sat a
small outbuilding, a fenced in area—most likely had housed chickens in its day,
and dead rose bushes adorned the front of the wrap-around veranda. Must have
been a beautiful home at one time, but now it just looked rundown and sad.

The police car parked out front was what perked them up and stated the
adrenalin pumping.

"She's here." Cory's voice registered certainty and neither
Aurora or Kai could argue.

Aurora pulled out the keys and hit the trunk lever. "Ham's
following and should be here soon. He's called in the locals for backup, but I
told him to keep everyone out at the main road and off the property. Don't want
to spook Rhondo at this point."

"Seeing as how he left the vehicle out in the open, he obviously
thinks he's safe, that we have no idea where he is." Satisfaction filled
Kai's voice.
  

"Hope so. It'll give us some time to decide how this will play
out." Cory's tone hardened.

"I'm going to get closer to the place and check around the
vicinity. See what our options are for entering through the back." Kai's
expression brooked no interference. His mind was made up.

"Be careful, don't spook him." Cory had his phone out and
began giving orders to the team on their way. "No one pulls into this yard
until I give the order. And keep your headlights off and those sirens
quiet."

Aurora headed to the trunk to get out their vests and rifles and pass
them around. Kai put his on and then helped her. Standing behind her, his hand
held her arm and he nuzzled his face into the back of her neck. "Be
careful today, precious. Now that I've found you, I'm dammed if it ends here."

She leaned back into him and lifted her hand to cover his on her
shoulder. "You too." Then she turned in order to stare into his eyes.
What she saw made her blood freeze. Determination, hard and ugly, burned deep
in his baby blues. She'd worked with men long enough to know what that look
meant. He was on a mission.

"Kai, please think before you act. Whatever you do today doesn't
stay here when it's over. You'll wear this choice for the rest of your life.
Make sure it's one you can live with."

"Baby, trust me. I'll do whatever I have to do. No more. And
whatever happens, take care of yourself. Rhondo's a maniac with a loaded gun
and intentions of using it."

Normally, Aurora wouldn't put up with anyone talking down to her in this
way; she was a professional and demanded to be treated as such. But she knew
the man whose hand stroked her arm possessively wasn't seeing her as a cop at
the moment, but as a woman. And that was nice.

In seconds, Kai had slunk down and headed around the perimeter towards
the back of the property. He moved swiftly, like an experienced soldier, and
she wondered if he'd taken training.

As he he'd heard her, Cory whispered. "Best tracker on manoeuvres
in Iraq. I always relaxed when we were assigned to the same team."

"You were in the army together? You never said."

"Not something we like to talk about. I met him on my last tour.
Both of us could shoot the eyes off a brass monkey, so we had an ongoing
competition. Got to be buddies.
 
Decided
if we made it out alive, we'd join the police academy together. He's a good man
to have on our side. Look at him move…slinks like a freakin snake."

Aurora's internal chime started up and she knew something would be
happening soon. Guts tightening, she checked the bullets in her gun and made
sure she had a full clip in her pocket. Then she pulled the binoculars from the
stash and held them tightly to stop them from trembling.

The place looked to be deserted. No movement could be seen at all. She
swung the glasses from left to right but Kai had disappeared around the back
and out of sight. Bells started clanging in her head and the ache almost had
her passing out.
What the hell?

A gunshot made her jump and sparks of pain burst everywhere in her body.
Someone she loved needed her.
 
Cory
grabbed the binoculars from her and swore.

"I'm going after him." She moved to head out and Cory hauled
her back to safety.

"No. He's moving. I can see him. He's headed back."
Desperation sounded in his voice as he panned the house over and over.

Finally, Aurora saw the bushes shaking to their right and before she
could take off, Cory beat her to it. He moved almost as well as Kai, except his
height made it more difficult. Within minutes he reappeared, his arm supporting
the wounded man.

When they approached, her heart settled back into a breathable rhythm.
Then she saw the blood pouring from a gash on Kai's head. The lights went out
and she dropped like a stone.
  

It had started. Debbie didn't know if she was glad or not. Rhondo hadn't
said another word to her after she'd told him about his mother. But she'd seen
his tears a he sat holding her baby's tiny hand gently in his.

The half-empty bottle of beer had fallen over next to him and the liquid
had formed a small lake on the floor nearby. The smell of the warm liquid
swirled through the room making her feel sick.

Suddenly he'd looked up and she would have sworn he'd sniffed the air.
No, not that, he was listening. Wind chimes had sounded from the back of the
house. Since the air was still, hot and dryer that an old whore's woohaw,
something else had to have made the noise.

Pulling his gun from under his belt, he headed to the back door. He
stopped and his glare spoke the words he didn't need to. She held both hands
out in front acquiescing to his unspoken command and then moved to cover the
baby with her body.

She heard him break the glass in the door's window and she dared a peek.
He hadn't moved, just waited and obviously it paid off. Someone outside had
broken cover and he raised the gun calmly and shot. Then a humph of triumph
came to her as he continued to watch. Finally, he moved back to where she
huddled frozen in fear, the baby's seat under her protection.

He sat on the floor beside her. His voice sounded rusty as if this
tender tone hadn't ever been used. "You'll take care of him, love
him."

Tears gathered and her throat filled. "Of course I will. He's a
beautiful little boy. A gift. I'll always look after him."

"Teach him right from wrong. But don't let him be a sissy. Help him
to be a man. A strong, good man."

"Yes."

"Tell him his daddy loved him."

"Oh yes." Clogged, her voice sounded rough.

"You know what I have to do, don't you?"

She knew what he should do. Give himself up. But she also knew he'd want
to die before going back inside." Knowing that Cory could have been the
man he'd shot, threads of hatred interfered with her need to be nice. She'd
never wanted to kill anyone before. But if he'd shot her husband, she'd kill
him easy. All the emotions jiving around inside turned her thoughts wild.

So instead of answering, she just nodded.

When his hand reached towards her, it took all her strength not to
flinch or slap him away. Like stone, she watched to see what he planned to do
next.

He bypassed her and ever so gently he rested his big palm on Alec's head
and caressed. Forever he sat there as if instilling through spiritual links his
adoration for the child.

Not wanting to spook him, she didn't move or speak. Torture would have
been easier than having to sit quietly and watch the madman who'd raped her
stroke her baby. And all the while thinking he could have just killed her
husband.