Speed Trap (19 page)

Mandy racked her mind for a way out. She couldn't let Garrett die because of her stupidity.

Donna's gaze darted to the door. “What's taking them so
long? They should be done by now.” She stepped to the doorway to look out.

Mandy made eye contact with Garrett. She needed to make a move before the men returned. She read the indecision and fear on his face.

She mouthed the words,
Do you trust me?

His lips tightened, but he nodded.

Mandy started to rise. If she could just get into a position to leap.

The movement drew Donna's attention and she swung the gun back toward Mandy. “Ah, ah, ah. You know the procedure. Sit with your feet out in front of you and your hands on your head. Behave or that precious little baby will have a terrible accident.”

Mandy sank back. She'd missed her chance and now Garrett and Colin would pay the ultimate price. “No one will believe this.”

“Yes, they will. I know how to stage a crime scene. I've been to a dozen seminars on forensic procedures. Why do you think you aren't tied up? Ligature marks would be a dead giveaway. Did you know that duct tape leaves residue traces and can even hold fingerprints?”

Clearly delighted with her cunning plan, Donna continued, “My boys have hidden a stash of drugs in Garrett's cattle trailer. We'll leave a few thousand dollars somewhere where it can be found without much effort. Fred Lindholm will see exactly what I want him to see. Plus, he'll finally get to be sheriff.”

“Is Fred in on this with you?”

“No, but he doesn't look beyond the obvious.”

The screen door opened and Mike stepped inside. “The stuff's planted.”

She handed him the gun. “Wait until I've been gone for
twenty minutes and do it the way I told you. It has to look like they shot each other. I need to get back to work. I told Benny my errand would take only an hour. I'm cutting it close.”

“I'll take care of things, Ma.”

“I know I can count on you, honey. Make sure you wipe this place down real good.” She rose on tiptoe to kiss his cheek, then turned and left. After a few moments, Mandy heard the sound of her car driving away.

Two instead of three, the odds were getting better, except that the brothers still had guns. Mandy bit down on the inside of her cheek. When her chance came she had to be ready.

Please, God, give me the chance to save Garrett and his son.

Aaron came through the door with a plastic bag full of cash in his gloved hand. “Where do you want this?”

“Hide it upstairs somewhere.”

Aaron gave the captives a wide berth and opened the stairwell door. Mandy heard him climb the steps, then his footsteps sounded overhead.

Mike wagged the gun toward the front door. “Okay, move. One false step and we kill the brat. Understood?”

Mandy glanced at Garrett. His face had drained of color, but the resolve in his eyes told her what she needed to know. He trusted her. She wouldn't let him down.

They both rose to their feet and walked slowly toward the door. As they drew level with Mike, he took a step back and closer to the table.

Mandy looked down at Wiley. “Guess we'll miss—
lunch.
”

The dog exploded from beneath the table, barking furiously and jumping in circles. Mike swung his gun toward the animal.

Mandy launched herself into Mike's midsection, carrying
him backward. He fired, but the shot went wild as they fell to the floor.

She latched on to his wrist to keep him from swinging the barrel toward her. For a second, it seemed as if she had the upper hand, but he was too strong.

Rolling over, he came up on top of her. Her grip on his wrist began slipping as the barrel moved closer to her face. She summoned all her strength to hold on.

Suddenly Garrett's fist connected with Mike's face in a satisfying thud. Her attacker went limp and slumped sideways.

Mandy could hear Aaron yelling for his brother over her own harsh breathing and hammering pulse. His footsteps pounded across the ceiling. She wriggled out from under Mike's deadweight and came up with the gun. She aimed toward the stairwell door, but Garrett was in her way.

She shouted, “Move!”

Aaron burst through the door and straight into Garrett's well-placed right cross. Aaron went down and stayed down. Garrett stood over him, breathing harshly. “Never threaten my family!”

Mandy took one second to close her eyes and draw a deep breath of relief. Then she pulled her handcuffs from her belt and got to work securing Mike's hands behind his back. When she was finished, she looked at Garrett. “I've only got one set of cuffs.”

Walking to the front door, Garrett pulled Wiley's leash off a hook and returned. Dropping one knee into the middle of Aaron's back, he paid no attention to the man's grunt of pain as he wrapped the nylon strapping around his wrists and pulled them tight. “This will leave a ligature mark. Hope you don't mind.”

When he was finished, Garrett strode across the room and scooped Mandy into a fierce hug. “Are you okay? I was so scared for you.”

“I'm fine.” She allowed herself to relax for a moment inside his strong embrace.

Pushing back, she gazed up into his dark eyes so full of love that her heart stuttered. Tenderly, he caressed her face. “I love you, Mandy.”

“Oh, Garrett, I love you, too. I'd like to repeat that a thousand more times, but I need to get hold of Benny. Donna has to be stopped.”

Garrett nodded and stepped away. “She'll be monitoring all the calls coming in.”

“I've got his cell number. He's not going to believe this.”

“He will when you bring these two in.”

Mandy motioned to their captives to get to their feet. “I'm really looking forward to this family reunion.”

T
he arrest of Donna and her stepsons was the talk of the town for several weeks, but eventually, the buzz died down and Timber Wells returned to a quiet normalcy. Mandy knew that would change as soon as the actual trial began.

When the doorbell rang on Monday evening, Mandy bolted off her mother's sofa. “I'll get it.”

She'd waited all day with eager anticipation for the start of the Bible study group because Garrett was coming tonight. Every day, all day, the thought of seeing him left her giddy with happiness.

“Thank you, dear,” Kathryn called after her. Mandy heard the mirth in her mother's voice. Mandy glanced back to see an amused and knowing twinkle in her mother's eyes.

At the door, Mandy inhaled sharply and blew out slowly to calm her racing heart. It didn't help. She was head over heels in the love with the man. That he was willing to seek God's word warmed her heart on the deepest level.

Knowing how much pain Garrett had endured in his life made her all the more determined to help him find the Lord's comfort.

She opened the door, a beaming smile of welcome on her face. It wasn't Garrett. It was her mother's friend Candice.
Mandy's eagerness deflated, but she kept the smile. “Hello, I'm so glad you could make it.”

Extending a relish tray of assorted vegetables covered with plastic wrap, the woman said, “I brought a little something to munch on.”

Mandy took the dish from her hands. “That's very kind of you.”

“It's no trouble. I made one up to take by the Dobbs's place. Did you hear? Cedric's wife passed away last night?”

Mandy stepped back. “Yes, I heard that. Please come in. I'll put this in the kitchen. My mother is in the living room. Take a seat anywhere.”

After Candice, Mandy moved to close the door, but made a quick check of the street first. Garrett was nowhere in sight.

But he was coming. She put her trust in his word.

She checked the clock on the wall as she unwrapped the relish dish and set it in the center of the table. Ken and Frank, both enjoying a cup of coffee, were sitting there waiting for the group to get started. Their long faces told Mandy what they'd been discussing.

Judy Bowen's murder had been solved. The meth operation had been shut down. Donna and her sons were behind bars. It should have felt good, but it didn't.

They had been betrayed by one of their own.

Ken tipped his head back to stare at the ceiling, then said, “I still can't believe Donna set us up like that.”

Mandy nodded. “The thing I find hardest to believe is that a mother would not only allow, but encourage, her children to become criminals.”

Fred said, “You have to admit it was a slick setup. As a dispatcher, she always knew where we were and could make sure her stepsons could move freely in the county.”

Mandy nodded. “It was a perfect system until Judy Bowen recognized Mike as the drug dealer who killed her friend.”

Fred shifted in his chair. “I played into their hands a dozen times over.”

Ken looked down and shook his head. “I thought Donna really cared about kids like my little brother. Instead, she used her volunteer time at school to locate vulnerable kids who were willing to try drugs. At least Luke and his girlfriend have both made a full recovery. We can be thankful for that.”

Mandy moved to the sink to wash her hands. “Donna and her crew got greedy. If they had stuck to the plan of cooking meth and shipping it out of here instead of selling it locally, we might never have caught them.”

“You would have eventually,” Fred said.

Mandy appreciated the compliment, but gave credit where it was due. “If it hadn't been for Wiley, they would have pinned it all on Garrett and he and I would both be dead.”

Mandy bit the inside of her lip. She'd come so close to losing him. The memory of seeing Garrett sprawled on the floor—thinking the worst—it would give her nightmares for years to come.

“Trust me, I've already bought Wiley a steak dinner,” Garrett said from the doorway.

Mandy's heart jumped into overdrive. It had been a near thing, but thanks to God's mercy and a mutt with a food obsession, everything had worked out.

Kathryn poked her head into the kitchen. She had Colin in her arms and a bright smile on her face. “I think we're ready to get started.”

Garrett reached for his son. “If you don't mind, I'm going to feed him first.”

“I can do it,” Kathryn offered brightly.

“I'd rather.”

“All right.” Kathryn handed Colin over, but there was a bright twinkle in her eyes. “Ken, Fred, would you come with me, please?”

Taking the baby, Garrett stepped aside as the men left the room. He strolled toward Mandy. Colin gurgled happily displaying the new bottom tooth he'd cut.

Looking down at Colin, Garrett said. “Son, did you say something?”

Leaning closer as if listening to what his son was telling him, Garrett said, “Maybe you should ask her yourself.”

Mandy was totally in love with the man, but she wondered if she'd ever get used to this new, playful side of him.

His visits with Pastor Spencer where helping him cope with his past and overcome his lingering guilt. Garrett had found healing by helping the children at the shelter. Once a week, he and Pastor Spencer brought a group of the inner-city kids to Timber Wells to experience ranch life. Bottle-feeding Joey had become a big attraction for the boys and girls who'd never seen a cow up close.

Walking to where Mandy stood at the sink, Garrett held his son out toward her. “Colin has something he wants to ask you.”

Mandy took the baby.

“Go ahead, buddy. Give her the message.” Garrett smiled his deep warm smile. The one that curled her toes and made her want to kiss him.

Willing to go along with Garrett's foolishness, Mandy looked down at Colin. Around his neck was a white bib with red printing. It said,
Will you be my mommy?

Next to the question mark a diamond ring was pinned to the cloth.

Mandy's jaw dropped open. Delight shot through her veins. She reached for Garrett as tears of joy stung her eyes.
He came into her embrace with happiness etched in every feature.

Pulling him close, she whispered in his ear, “Yes, as long as his father is part of the deal.”

Garrett whispered back, “I love you, and I thank God every day for bringing both you and Colin into my life.”

“I love you, too. So much.” Mandy thought her heart might explode with happiness.

Colin cooed happily as he chewed his fist, but neither adult noticed. They were too busy kissing each other.

Dear Reader,

 

I hope you enjoyed
Speed Trap.
I wanted to take a moment to thank many of the people who helped me research this story. First off, I'd like to thank Madelon and Lowell for making me so welcome when I visited the town of Council Grove, Kansas, my inspiration for Timber Wells. They treated me better than royalty—they treated me like family.

Council Grove is a wonderfully historic town overflowing with kind and generous people. If you're ever traveling through Kansas, be sure to stop in. I'd also like to thank the sheriff and police chief who kindly allowed me to visit their offices and ask a million questions. Everyone on their staff was wonderful to me. I make no claims to procedural accuracy in
Speed Trap.
I'm a fiction writer, not a law enforcement professional. I've never even been arrested. Any mistakes in the story are my own.

By the way, the very sweet woman who works as a dispatcher there in no way influenced my choice of villains. I had that idea before I met her.

May the Lord bless and keep everyone in Council Grove and all those of you who are reading this letter.

 

Yours in Christ,