“I know she’s family. I know I shouldn’t be freaked out over a simple call, but I don’t like surprises. And I’m really worried about what she wants to tell me.”
“Did you ask her what she has to tell you?”
Georgia rolled her eyes as if to say she might be rattled but she wasn’t a fool. “Yes. She refused to tell me over the phone.”
Rachel’s legal mind calculated the pros and cons. “Does Deke know?”
“No. He’d try to be cool about it but every time I see him I see Dad and I feel like I’m betraying Buddy and Mom.”
“You should tell him.”
“I know. But he will want to be there and I can’t do this with him watching.”
“Okay.”
She folded her arms, but restless energy had her dropping them by her sides. “Margaret wants me to meet at Pastor Gary’s chapel.”
The skin on the back of Rachel’s neck prickled. “Why there? That doesn’t make any sense. It’s under construction.”
Georgia shoved her hands in her pockets, removed them and then dropped them at her sides. “She said she’ll explain when I get there.”
“When?”
“A half-hour.” She shoved out a breath. “I don’t want to go alone. Come with me, please.”
The woman’s desperate plea surprised Rachel. “You don’t know me that well. Don’t you want someone that’s closer to you?”
Fear and nerves all but radiated off of Georgia. “I want a neutral party with a sharp mind. I clicked through the short list of the people who know about my adoption and Annie and your name rose to the top of the list.”
Being dragged into Morgan family business would only complicate whatever she had or more likely didn’t have with Deke. As much as it made sense to say no, she heard herself say, “Sure, I’ll come.”
A grateful smile broadened her face and she grabbed Rachel’s hands. “Thank you! I really could use backup.”
Rachel tugged her hands free and reached for her purse. “I’ll drive.”
“I’ll owe you the biggest of big favors when this is over.”
“No, you won’t. This one’s on the house.”
In Rachel’s car, they merged into traffic as Georgia drummed her fingers on her knees, not stopping until they pulled up to the church.
Georgia stared out her window at the white building. “This place gives me the creeps.”
“It’s one of the biggest churches in the area.”
“Maybe, but I don’t like it.”
“It’s okay. Relax.” Rachel got out first. Georgia lingered in the car a moment longer and then with grim set to her jaw, followed. “She said the new chapel.”
Rachel offered a smile. “It will be okay. This is just a meeting.”
Georgia chewed her bottom lip. “I hate not knowing. I like having all the answers.”
“Well, you might have more soon.”
“Yeah.”
Rachel attempted a smile. “Where is the confident woman who runs her crime scenes with an iron fist?”
Helpless laughter rumbled in her chest. “I don’t know but if you see her would you let me know?”
“Sure.”
They entered the chapel, quiet and dark.
“Hello,” Rachel said.
No answer followed.
“We are late, but I thought she’d wait.” Her voice trembled with disappointment and hope.
Rachel dug her phone from her purse. The quiet didn’t set well with her nerves. “She called you. Said she wanted to meet.”
“Yeah.”
“She’d cut you a little slack and hang around for fifteen minutes.”
“You’d think.”
Rachel tightened her grip on her phone. A thick scent of sick-sweet rust caught her attention. She stopped and so did Georgia. Rachel had smelled a similar smell the day her mother had died.
“That’s death,” Georgia said. “I know that smell.”
“This is not good.” Rachel dialed Deke’s number. “Get back, Georgia. We need to get out of here right now.”
The phone rang once and Deke picked up. “Detective Morgan.”
“Deke, this is Rachel.” Her tone didn’t invite a soft response.
“What’s the matter?”
“Georgia and I are at Pastor Gary’s chapel behind the main building. Something is wrong. It smells like death here.”
Instead of a barrage of questions about what had brought the unlikely pair to the church, Deke all but shouted in the phone. “Both of you get the hell out of there. Now. I’m on my way.”
“Right.” Rachel grabbed Georgia by the arm as she clicked the phone off. The sound of footsteps caught her attention and she turned in time to see a tall form rushing them. Rachel spotted a long metal rod swinging toward Georgia. She pushed Georgia aside in time for the blow to catch her on her tender shoulder. She screamed and fell to the floor.
A second swish of the rod struck Georgia across her thigh. She screamed and Rachel looked up to see Brenda Tilden glaring at Georgia. For a split second Rachel’s mind didn’t connect Brenda with the attack. Brenda. She was the woman with the warm smile. The woman who loved KC. However anger in Brenda’s gaze distorted that warmth into something twisted and frightening.
Before Rachel could assemble words or right herself, Brenda fumbled handcuffs from her hoodie pocket and handcuffed Rachel’s wrist and pulled. Rachel screamed.
“Move toward her.”
Pain cut through Rachel. When she hesitated, Brenda fished a .38 revolver from her pocket and pointed it at Georgia.
Staring down the barrel of the gun freed Rachel from her confusion. Whoever Brenda had been didn’t matter. What mattered was now. “Brenda, what are you doing? I don’t understand.”
Brenda shoved out a breath. “Shut up. Shut the hell up.”
Georgia winced as she sat straighter, confusion making her gaze look a little wild. “Brenda? Is KC with you?”
Brenda sneered, hate dripping from her words as she spoke. “He’s gone. He’s like the others. Loves me but doesn’t really love me. Said it was too soon to meet his boy.”
Rachel searched for her phone and found it inches out of reach. She shook off the remnants of surprise and grabbed onto logic and facts. “Brenda’s mother worked for Pastor Gary. Her aunt Beth roomed with Annie.”
Georgia shook her head. “Your mother knew Annie? What does that have to do with me?”
Brenda laughed. “I’m not stupid, you know. Everyone thinks I’m stupid but I’m not. I know who you are.”
Georgia’s gaze hardened. “Who am I?”
Brenda cocked her head as if she were speaking to a child. “You are Annie’s daughter.”
“How do you know that?” Georgia demanded.
“I figured it out, stupid,” she hissed.
“How?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She jabbed the gun at them both. “Both of you get up. Now. Mother is waiting.”
Rachel and Georgia rose, both lumbering under the weight of their injuries. Georgia struggled to stand strong but had to lean on Rachel.
“Your mother is sick with cancer. Why would she care about us,” Rachel said.
“She’s dying. And your deaths will be my final gift to her.”
Nikki had heard the voices and when they’d drifted out of the church she sensed she had to follow. She eased out of the closet and did her best not to look at the man as she quickly rushed down the center aisle and out the door.
April 20
Sugar,
I had that dream again. You ended up dead, dead, dead.
A.
Chapter Twenty
Friday, October 21, 5 PM
Calls to KC went unanswered as Deke raced to the New Community Church’s chapel, lights on top of his car flashing. He’d called dispatch and ordered marked cars to the scene. Shit. His skin itched as it did before an op went sideways. More times than he could count the sensation had stopped him from walking into an ambush. Shit. He’d
seen Rachel early this morning and loved the way her body cuddled against his as he’d clung to reasons why they could work. And Georgia. He’d seen her yesterday.
Life could unravel slowly, or with lightning speed. His marriages had disintegrated with a painful silent slowness whereas Rick had nearly lost his life in an instant.