The Christmas Bell Tolls (11 page)

“I’m sure you
clearly understand the warrant, Dr. Weaver.” Wilson stood formidable over the
man’s desk in his office.

Darren, Rafe, and
Nick sat in the chairs facing the doctor’s desk. Wilson had instructed them all
to remain silent, but especially Darren and Rafe.

The doctor laid
the warrant on the desk. “I do. What can I help the FBI with in regards to
Margaret?”

“Her
illness.
Her treatment.
Her
prognosis.”

Dr. Weaver opened
her file and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Margaret suffers
from a severe case of psychosis. While hospitalized, we worked on her coping
skills, as well as worked out a medication plan. She has adjusted well to her
regimen of Clozapine dosage. While psychosis can’t ever be cured, Margaret has
learned to adapt to the world around her.”

“
Adapt to the
world around her
? What kind of psycho mumbo-jumbo is that?” Wilson rapped
his knuckles across the desk’s polished finish.

The good doctor
didn’t appear fazed. “Psychosis refers to a loss of contact with reality, in
which people have trouble distinguishing between what is real and what is not.
In Margaret’s case, she teeters back and forth between reality and fantasy.”

“And you let her
out?” Wilson sounded as incredulous as Darren felt.

“I saw nothing in
her treatment that made me believe she would be a danger.”

Darren fisted his
hands.

Wilson leaned over
the desk. “Yet, she kidnapped a child.
A five-year-old little
girl.”

“I understand your
frustration, sir, and I’m trying to help you. Attempts to intimidate me won’t
help you or me in this cause.”

“Please. It’s my
little girl.” Darren couldn’t keep quiet. “Anything you can tell us that might
help us. My daughter has asthma and a congenital heart defect.”

Dr. Weaver took
off his glasses. “What is your name, sir?”

“Darren. Darren
Timmons.” He shifted uncomfortably in the chair as Wilson narrowed his eyes.

The doctor’s eyes
widened. “Did you know Margaret? Date her?”

Darren quickly
explained the situation.

“Oh,
my.
This is indeed fascinating.” Dr. Weaver closed the file. “I’m
sorry,
it’s just that it’s extremely rare for a doctor to
get to meet a patient’s hallucination.”

“Excuse me?”

“Forgive me. When
Margaret talked about her past, she couldn’t supply consistent details about
the first man she’d loved and lost. Because of that, we—I assumed you were a
hallucination.
Margaret’s first episode, so to speak.”
He leaned back in his chair. “It’s fascinating for me to be proven wrong and
meet you in person.”

“Doctor, can you
give me any clue what she’s doing with my little girl?”

“I can’t say for
certain, but based upon my time of having Margaret in my care, it would be my
medical opinion she has transferred the fantasy of the child she believed she
had onto your daughter.”

“Wait a minute.
Are you saying she thinks Savannah is her child?” Darren couldn’t even grasp
such a notion, yet it made sense.
Taking into consideration
Mags’ mental illness.

“That is my
professional opinion, yes. She believes that your daughter is her daughter.”

“What happens when
she realizes that isn’t so?” Rafe asked.

The doctor lifted
his glasses. “It’s hard to say. When a patient is confronted with their lack of
reality, they become confused and disoriented. Margaret could become more
delusional, and resist anything that would suggest what she believes isn’t the
truth.”

“So if my daughter
was adamant of
who
she is, it could set Mags off?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Would she harm
the child?” Wilson asked.

“If she believes
the child is hers, no. She would go to any lengths to protect it.”

“And if she
realizes the child isn’t hers?” Nick asked.

Dr. Weaver took
off his glasses and tapped them against the file folder sitting on the desk in
front of him. “That could make Margaret realize she’d done something very wrong
and frighten her to the point where she could become destructive.”

All Darren could
think of were slit tires and blood on a doorstep.

God, please
keep Savannah safe from this woman.

“One final
question, Doctor,” Wilson said. “Do you have any idea where she
might would
have taken the child?”

“I’m afraid she
left no forwarding address.”

Wilson nodded
while Darren’s hopes freefell to his toes.

“I’m assuming
you’ve already checked at her father’s cabin?” Dr. Weaver asked.

“I can barely see
anything.” Eva hunched close to the windshield. The defroster ran at full
blast, but that wasn’t the problem. The snow coming down like a suffocating
blanket was the problem.

“I keep trying
Nick and it goes straight to voice mail.” Maddie had been trying to return her
fiancé’s call for the last thirty minutes to no avail. “The service here is
horrible.”

“Could be the
weather blocking the towers, too.” Riley kept the laptop open. “At least the
GPS coordinates are still online.”

“I’d still feel
better if we could get in touch with the guys before we just show up here. What
are we going to do if she’s here?” Maddie peered out the windshield into the
driving snow.

“We’ll save
Savannah, of course.” Eva smiled to herself. She liked any scenario that meant
safely reuniting Darren and his daughter. “I have my gun and you have yours.
We’ll be fine.”

“Against
a crazy woman?”

Eva laughed.
“Well, yeah.”

Riley chuckled. “I
feel safe with you two packing heat.”

Even Maddie
laughed. “Okay, okay. You two are quite the comedians.” Under her breath, she
hummed the opening bars to
Jailhouse Rock
. She always hummed or sang
Elvis songs when she was stressed.

Eva was surprised
she hadn’t been singing at the top of her lungs the entire ride.

“Haven’t we passed
the road before?” Eva asked.

Maddie leaned
forward. “No. Not this one. This is Kentucky Way.”

“Wait! You need to
turn on this one,” Riley piped up from the backseat.

Eva eased on the
brakes. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. GPS
shows you take a right on Kentucky Way and the cabin should be about seven
hundred yards on your left.”

“Then right we
go.” For the first time on the trip, the knots in Eva’s stomach threatened to
reverse the biscuit she’d had for breakfast.

“Remember, we’re
just going to look at the cabin. If we see lights or a car, we’re going to
figure out a way to get in touch with the guys.” Maddie hummed another Elvis
song.

Maybe Eva should
sing along.

“Slow down. If
anyone’s there, we don’t want them to see the headlights,” Riley said.

Eva wanted to
laugh.
“Like anyone could see anything more than a foot from
in front of their face in this mess?”
Driving had been treacherous at
best, but she’d been determined to follow up on this lead.

“Is that a light?”
Riley reached between Eva and Maddie, pointing out to the front of the car,
left side. “Is that a house?”

Maddie squinted.
“I can’t tell—wait, it is. See, there’s a chimney with smoke coming out. Eva,
pull off the road. We need to try the guys again.” She dialed her cell.

Eva inched to what
she hoped was the shoulder. She turned off the car’s lights and stared at the
cabin about two hundred yards off the road.

Was Savannah only
two hundred yards away?

“Nick, please call
me back. It’s urgent.” Maddie disconnected the call and immediately dialed
Rafe’s number. She groaned. “It’s gone to voice mail, too.”

“I have an idea.”
Riley typed away on her laptop. “The cell towers might be blocked, but I can
text them through their network.”

“Good. Tell them
where we are and to come immediately,” Maddie said.

Riley chuckled.
“Already done, Mads.”
She looked up from her computer.
“You’ve gotten squeamish in your old age, sis.”

“I’m just cautious
is
all.
I intend to have a long and happy life.”

“I’m not planning
a short and miserable one, if that’s what you’re referring.”

“Well, if the—”

“Hey, did y’all
see that?” Eva pointed at the house. “Do you see a flashlight bobbing back
there?”

All three of them
pressed closer to the glass.

“I can’t tell
what, but it’s definitely something.” Maddie took off her glasses and wiped
them against the bottom of her flannel shirt sticking out from under her coat.

“Rafe just
answered. They already had this address and are almost here.”

“Oh,
good.”
No mistaking the relief in Maddie’s voice.

Eva just stared at
what she was sure was a flashlight behind the cabin.

“The guys will
check out whatever that is as soon as they get here.”

But what if it was
Savannah? What if she’d gotten the opportunity to escape and ran out the back?
What if she didn’t have a coat?
Or proper shoes?
She
could die out here before Darren got here.

Eva couldn’t take
that chance.

She reached over
to the console, opened it, and pulled out a flashlight.

“What are you
doing?” Maddie asked.

“I’m just going to
get a closer look.”

“Oh, no, you
aren’t. Remember our plan. We said we were just going to see if there was
anything here and if there was, we were waiting on the guys. They’re on their
way.” Maddie’s expression was grim.

“They should be
here any minute,” Riley added.

“Good, but I’m
going to go check it out.” Eva couldn’t explain why she felt so strongly, just
that she had to go.
Now.
She opened the door.

“Eva,
no.”

She didn’t know
which one had spoken because she’d already stepped out of the car into the
blinding and freezing snow. As some found its way down the back of her neck,
Eva wondered if maybe she should’ve waited in the car.

No.

Pushing aside any
reservations, Eva trudged toward the cabin. She kept her head bent low so she
could see, but even then, she could only make out about two feet in front of
her. The flashlight was no help. Still, she felt in her bones this was what she
was supposed to do.

Um, God, if
You’re
listening, I know I haven’t been too good about
praying and talking to You. I’m sorry about that, but right now, I could really
use
Your
help. I mean,
really
use
Your
help. Not for me, for Savannah. She’s been through so
much already…she’s just a little girl. Please, God. I can’t do this without
You
.

Eva took two more
steps,
then
her shin made contact with wood. She cried
out as she fell, the flashlight rolling from her grip.

A door opened and
a woman peered down at her. “Well, who are you? Come on, get up. I can’t see
you in all that snow.”

The back of Eva’s
throat burned.

“Come on, get up,
I said.”

Eva managed to
stand on one leg, the other throbbed where she’d hit the stairs.

“Come on up.” The
woman held out her arm to her.

Eva had no choice
but to take it. That or fall on her face. She stepped inside and dusted the
snow off her shoulders.

“I’m Mags Timmons.
Who are you?”

Timmons?
Nausea rode waves inside of Eva. Her tongue felt four sizes too big. Words
wouldn’t form.

“Can’t you speak?
I asked who you are and what are you doing here?”

Before Eva could
master speaking, Savannah ran into her, wrapping her arms around Eva’s legs.
“Aunt Eva! You found me and Mommy.”

“Mommy?”
Eva asked, her heart pounding so loud she was sure the woman could hear it over
the crackling of the fire.

At the exact same
moment Mags asked Savannah, “Aunt Eva?”

Savannah nodded.
“Yes, Mommy.
This is Aunt Eva.”

From her side,
Mags pulled out a gun and pointed it at Eva. “Who, exactly, are you?”

“She’s a friend of
Daddy’s, Mommy.” Savannah hugged Eva’s legs, all smiles.
And
why not?
She didn’t realize what was happening.

Oh, Lord, help
me. Help us.

“Is she now?” Mags
gaze never left Eva’s face.

Eva held Savannah
close. She had to figure out what was going on. “Savy, honey, you know your
mommy’s in heaven.”

“No, she’s not.
This is my Mommy. She told me so. Right, Mommy?”

“Of
course, sweetheart.”

Eva licked her
lips. “Savy, honey, your Daddy told you all about your mom going to heaven.
Don’t you remember?”

“Mommy?”
Eva hated hearing the uncertainty in the sweet little girl’s voice.

Mags glared at
Eva. “Savannah, sweetheart, I told you they lied to Daddy and told him I was
dead. But I’m not. I found you and now we’re just waiting for Daddy to meet us
here. Then we can be a happy family again.”

The bile burnt the
back of Eva’s throat. This woman was full out crazy.

“You let her go?
Alone?” Darren resisted the urge to throttle Maddie.

“She didn’t ask my
permission. I told her not to go, but she did anyway.”

“We’ll move in.
You stay here,” Wilson said.

The group was
huddled under the back hatch door that they’d lifted. Wilson handed vests to
Rafe, Nick, and Darren.

Maddie nodded.
“We’ll stay here.”

Darren stripped
off his coat, pulled the bullet proof vest on, secured it,
then
slipped into his coat. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”

“Wait just a
second.” Wilson grabbed his arm. “Hagar and I will head to the front door. You
and Baxter cover the back.”

Darren nodded,
then
pushed forward.

How could Eva have
been so careless to go after Mags alone? Did she have a death wish?

“Hey, slow down
just a bit. If we fall down and hurt ourselves, we’re no good to Savannah or
Eva.”

Rafe was right.
Darren slowed, but only a little.

“Just curious,
buddy, if you’ve figured it out on your own yet.”

“Figured out
what?” It was like falling back into the same routine between them. It was a
comfort to Darren to have his best friend and former partner at his side for
something so important.

“That you’re in
love with Eva, of course. If you haven’t figured it out yet, just thought I’d
mention it.”

“Not that it’s any
of your business.”

Rafe’s chuckle
came through the wind. “It’s always my business.”

Darren took
another step,
then
froze. They’d reached the cabin and
from this angle, he could see right into the kitchen. The sight both reassured
him, yet scared the living daylights out of him.

“See, Aunt Eva?
Mommy’s not dead.”

Darren couldn’t
breathe. Every muscle in his body tensed.

“Did Savannah just
call her Mommy?” Rafe whispered.

He couldn’t
answer. All he could see was Mags Brewster had a gun pointed at Savannah and
Eva.

At that moment,
Wilson and Nick stormed into the front. Rafe blasted past Darren into the back
door. A gunshot rang out, followed by two, quick bursts.

Darren nearly
tripped into the kitchen.

“Daddy!”
Savannah was in his arms and Eva was on the floor.

He held his baby
tight, kissing her cheek, looking over her shoulder as Rafe yanked a towel off
the counter and pressed it against Eva’s chest, soaking it with her blood.
Dear
Jesus!

Wilson grabbed a
blanket off the couch in the adjacent living room and covered the body of
Margaret Brewster.

“Hey, honey. Come
see Uncle Nick.” He took Savannah from Darren, walking her into the living
room.

Darren dropped to
his knees beside Eva. “Why would you come in alone?”

“Savy?”

“She’s fine.”

Eva smiled,
then
closed her eyes.

Darren’s heart
stuttered. “Eva!”

“She just passed
out,” Rafe said quietly. “It’s a clean shot. I think she’ll be okay. But we’ve
got to get her out of here.”

“Backup is already
on the way, along with emergency medical services. They should be here by the
time we get to the cars.” Wilson slipped his radio back into his pocket. “You
get your daughter, Timmons. We’ll get Ms. Langston.”

Darren hesitated.
What was he supposed to do? He felt like he was being torn in two.

“Go with Savannah.
I’ve got this.” Rafe nodded at him. “I promise you, she’ll be okay.”

Thank you,
Lord.
For keeping them both safe.
Darren kissed
Eva’s forehead, nodded at Rafe, then went to hold his daughter.