Daniel Palmer - Helpless

“Lange could keep his mouth shut. But you and I both know that Kelly was a talker, so we kept her in the dark. We didn’t have any idea what happened to the drugs. Lange told Kelly to ditch ’em, and that was the last he knew. I kept close watch over Kelly when I got back to Shilo. She didn’t change her spending habits any. She married you. She divorced you. She kept her job at the bar. This wasn’t a woman with millions of dollars at her disposal.”

“You didn’t know Kelly gave me the drugs,” Tom said, more to himself than to Roland.

“I figured she tossed them,” Roland said. “I had to let it go. Imagine that. Meanwhile, I kept my word to Lange that I’d help get him out of prison. Got his cousin a new life. As my business started to take off, I had the funds to keep my promise.”

Roland made several turns without having to ask Tom for directions. He knew how to get where they were going.

“I don’t get it. Why did Lange break into the house if he knew the drugs were gone?”

“Because Lange couldn’t let it go,” Roland said. “He was convinced you had something to do with it. I told him he was wrong. He didn’t know Tom the way I knew Tom. I figured even a Boy Scout like yourself couldn’t pass up on that kind of money. But Lange, he didn’t listen to me.

“First thing he did when he got out of prison was go see Kelly. He broke into the house, hit her, spooked her, and she ran out the back door. She died the way the police say she did, falling down that ravine. But even after all that, Lange couldn’t let it go. He started spying on you. He thought you were going to try and move the stuff. Guess he didn’t know who he was messing with.”

“Guess he didn’t,” Tom said.

“But then, out of the freakin’ blue, you came over to my house, asking about Kip Lange. Well, that’s when I knew. I knew Lange had been right all along. You did know about the drugs. But I didn’t know if you had them, hid them, or destroyed them. So I bugged your house.”

“You what?”

“The alarm company,” Roland said. “The owner also is a major investor in my funds, if you know what I mean.”

“So you listened in on my conversation with Jill. That’s how you knew I hid the drugs.”

“Not every word. I had keywords programmed. Got snippets with any mention of heroin. And that’s when I told Lange to come out of hiding and make a strike. Dee arranged to have your coffee drugged. As you know, that plan didn’t go very well, either. But good news, I’m the project manager for this one. And I promise you, it’s going to go just as planned.”

Tom had more questions for Roland, specifically about why he framed him for child pornography, his connection to Cortland, but those would have to wait.

They’d arrived at their destination.

Roland parked his car in the lot used to access the most popular trail into Willards Woods. The lot was empty. Weeknights the place should be deserted.

Tom and Roland got out of the car at the same time. Roland kept a few paces behind Tom as they marched ahead. Night had fallen and moonlight made the trail easy to walk without flashlights, but Roland used his nonetheless. Even in the darkness, Tom couldn’t see any way of disarming Roland. Not without risk. He’d never gamble with Jill’s life.

Tom reached the clearing in the woods and stopped walking.

“Haven’t been back here since we were kids,” Roland said.

“The Spot hasn’t changed any,” Tom said.

Tom’s back was to a tree. Roland was facing him.

“Where is Jill?”

“With a friend.”

“I want to see her. Nothing happens until I do.”

“Then we wait.”

Roland’s phone rang while they were waiting. Tom watched Roland check the number, then answer the call.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Tom heard Roland say. “Just get out of there…. I don’t care how…. The Spot… I’ll wait for you here. Be safe.”

Roland put his phone away just as Frank Dee came lumbering down the only path to the Spot. Roland trained his flashlight on Dee. Jill was wrapped in Dee’s massive arms. She was blindfolded and gagged with a bandanna. Her wrists were bound, too.

Tom rushed toward her. But Roland waved his gun, which made Tom stop. He motioned for Dee to take Jill into the woods.

“You buried my drugs in the dirt?” Roland said to Tom.

“Not the dirt,” Tom said, pointing to the quarry.

“My drugs have been underwater for fifteen years? You ruined ten million dollars of heroin?”

“I made sure the packages stayed protected,” Tom said. “I wanted to preserve the drugs and any fingerprint evidence in case I needed some leverage.”

“Good thinking. You ready to go swimming?”

“And if I do this, you’ll let Jill go.”

“I will.”

“But she’s got you for kidnapping, Boyd. Why should I believe she’ll be safe after?”

“Somebody kidnapped her,” said Roland. “She didn’t see who it was. She can’t prove I was involved. I’m not worried.”

“And what if I refuse?”

“Then my heroin won’t be the only thing buried in that quarry.”

Rainy and Carter each drew their weapons. Adriana screamed Mitchell’s name. Meanwhile, Rainy searched the living room. Nothing. She ran down the long hallway that opened into the kitchen. Empty as well.

“Is there another way to get upstairs?” Rainy called to Adriana, who’d been trailing close behind her.

“No. But there’s a door to the basement from the mudroom.”

“Is there a basement door to the outside?”

“Only the bulkhead,” Adriana said, her voice shaking like her hands. “The basement is below ground. But the bulkhead’s locked from the outside.”

“Carter, cover me.”

Rainy pressed her back up against the wall and used the door as a shield when she flung it open. She popped off the wall, spun around, and sank down into a crouching position. She trained her weapon into the dark stairwell.

“Mitchell Boyd,” Rainy called into the black. “If you’re in the basement, I need you to show yourself now. Keep your hands where I can see them.”

“Mitchell,” Adriana echoed from behind Rainy. “Do what she says. Please, just come up and let’s talk about this.”

Rainy whirled around. She hadn’t realized Adriana stood so close behind. “You’ve got to get out of here,” Rainy said.

“I’m not leaving my son,” Adriana snapped.

Rainy refocused on the stairwell. She stood, took a single step down into this vast darkness, feeling the walls for a light switch. She flicked the switch on. The stairwell remained dark. She flicked it again. Still no light.

“Do you have a fuse box down there?” Rainy asked Adriana.

“Yes,” Adriana said.

“Carter, go get a flashlight from Mrs. Boyd.”

Rainy took another step down, her body halfway between the light and dark.

“Mitchell, you’re not in any trouble,” Rainy said. “But you’re creating a threatening situation for federal agents. This is not a smart choice. You need to show yourself right now.”

Rainy stopped to listen. She heard a soft creak, knew the sound well. Footsteps. But coming up or going down? Rainy felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. She didn’t turn around. Keeping her eyes forward, hoping they’d adjust to the lack of light, Rainy held up her hand. Carter pressed a metal flashlight into the palm. Rainy took another step down. Again, she stopped to listen. She heard a stair groan, louder this time than last, and higher up, she thought. He’s definitely coming up the stairs .

Rainy turned on the flashlight. She shone the beam down the stairs. The beam cut through the darkness and illuminated Mitchell Boyd, standing on a stair landing many steps beneath her.