Chapter Ten
Several blocks blurred through my vision before I recalled a third address, given in passing by Lt. Rocker. It was a country address that I'd paid little attention to and had no real reason to, up until now. I cursed over not being able to recall the exact address and made a hard turn to double back to the office. After assuring myself on the address I headed south, on the freeway, praying I was wrong and, even more so, that if I wasn't wrong that I wouldn't be too late. Nearly forty-five minutes later I found myself on a county road, racing like hell through the turns and small hills, paved over by asphalt.
Only a small mail box gave sign to the turn I needed and I damn near missed it. Slamming on the old Ford's brakes, I brought her to a screeching, sliding, sideways stop and whirled the steering wheel, hitting the accelerator again to gun the Ford into the private drive. My heart felt like it was in my throat and had I known about Peter's fate then I think I would have had a heart attack. Another sudden turn caused me to brake hard again and damn near run off the road.
With my heart beat pounding in my ears, I took a deep breath and proceeded a bit slower. Through the thick stand of conifers and scrub brush the house came into view. Inching forward, I found a spot to pull off the road, partially hiding my car, deciding a foot approach would be the best. Tree by tree I closed in on the country retreat and as I feared, the red Ferrari was parked in the circular drive. Silently, I released the safety on my Beretta and moved off towards the house, it was quiet – too quiet and I didn't like it one bit.
In a running crouch, I moved quickly up behind the Ferrari and took a measured look around the bumper. Nothing was moving. Keeping the cars body between me and the house, I carefully looked over the house and grounds, from the front end of the car, trying to catch anything that said someone was there. A quick dash later and I pulled up, out of breath, against the house. With my Beretta held up, at the ready, I inched along the house daring quick peaks at every window, as I passed. My eyes caught nothing, at least for the first three windows. At the fourth, my heart skipped a beat major beat and felt heavy in my chest. It was obviously a den and my sister was there, tied to a chair. I could make out the top of her head and her bare arms, tied behind the chair back – she wasn't moving. I fought off the urge to rush the house and worked my way around to the back. It remained deathly quiet, with only the sounds of birds marking my presence.
Barely breathing and scared shitless my hard beating heart would give me away, I slipped through the unlocked patio doors. A quick scan told me the room was clear and I tip toed across the floor, siding up to a doorway. I took a peek. It was clear. No sound or movement anywhere. I looked again, this time more slowly. Making a judgment on approximate distance, I zeroed in on what I felt sure was the door to the den. I slipped from the anterior room and down the hall, keeping my back against the wall, moving slowly – listening.
Reaching the door, I grabbed the lever and pushed down, slowly, quietly and let myself inside. I was dead-on. It was the den but the wrong door. I'd entered at the backside of the room and thanked God, later, that I did. Roxy started to scream out. Her voice was muffled, gagged I was sure. Her head shook side to side violently, as she struggled against her bonds.
"Shhhh, keep it down." I whispered and she stopped immediately, recognizing my voice.
Keeping my eyes glued to the front entrance, I moved towards Roxy, ready to shoot if need be. Roxy kept nodding towards the door and I realized why as I approached. I saw the elaborate cord assembly. What I didn't see until I was nearly on top of her was what it was attached to.
Roxy was stark naked. Her legs were spread wide, held that way by a two by four tied between her knees. A twelve-gauge shotgun, mounted to a floor vice, had been angled up with its barrel pushed between her vulva. The cord, attached to its trigger, was taught, ready to pull and release the firing pin. The rigging would have pulled the guns trigger had anyone entered the room. Roxy's eyes were wide with terror when I walked around the chair. I looked at the rigging and decided that touching it wasn't wise. I had only one option.
I shoved my gun into my shoulder holster and checked the vise. The shotgun looked secure and I silently prayed that I was right. Roxy started to scream in terror when I walked behind her and started to pull on her chair. Slowly, ever so slowly the barrel of the shotgun inched out from Roxanne's pussy. I stopped when it tipped slightly after slipping out and rested heavily on her reddened lips. I was shaking, thinking the worst and Roxanne froze, like a statue. Nothing happened. In a final move, I jerked the chair solidly, taking Roxy on a whirling sideways ride, spinning her chair towards the wall and tipping it over. I was wrong about the vise.
Just as Roxanne cleared the guns barrel it tipped down and the cord triggered it. It jumped with an ear busting roar, blasting a hole into the flooring. 00 buck shot, was my guess, judging by the damage. Roxy fainted and I slid to the floor, along side her, exhausted and sweating. After my adrenalin rush died down, I eased Roxy and the chair over and undid her restraints. She was still out, when I'd finished releasing the bonds on her arms. Her legs were next and I cringed looking at the deep impressions made by the wood. When she finally came to, she found me sitting next to her, on the couch. Covering her should have been my first instinct but, it wasn't. I grinned down at her and commented, "Shit Roxy how much do you weigh? You damn near gave me a hernia getting your naked ass up here!" and then laughed.
Her reaction was to reach out and grab me, as she sobbed her eyes out. When she calmed down, I got her to lie back down even though she fought back. "Hey, I'm sorry I was trying to lighten the moment." I said, thinking I had hurt her feelings.
For the first time, since waking, her nudity became an issue and she gave me a look that made my cheeks turn red. "A hundred and twenty-five smart ass and thanks for saving me..." She paused briefly, making me even more embarrassed, before going on. "Tell me Frank, have you been enjoying yourself while I was out?" She added, raising an eyebrow in a questioning look.
Near speechless and feeling ashamed I hadn't had the decency to cover her I started to stammer. "I– I, oh God I'm sorry sis..." I began and swallowed hard, feeling a kid caught with his hand in a cookie jar. "Look, it was nothing like that. I just put a cool cloth on your head and I've been rubbing your..."
"Rubbing my what, Frank?" Roxy quickly countered, cutting me off, and grinned. She was thoroughly enjoying my discomfort.
"Your legs – right here where the wood was digging in." I came back and touched the inside of her thigh, making her wince.
"Okay, okay I get it!" She cried out and in the same breath added, "It wasn't Peter. Did you get that? It wasn't Peter! There's another kid, a daughter Frank! She's a real fucking whack job, worse than all them put together! She's going to kill all of them!"
"What? Roxy are you sure?" I asked, registering shock and not truly believing what I was hearing, as I withdrew my hand from her leg.
"God damn it Frank, she's the one that killed the old lady. She told me. She knows about the old man and Cybil and about Cybil fucking her brother. She knew the old lady liked to watch them and she shoved the 38 in her twat and blew her away. She couldn't get at the others after that and she's been waiting. She's a religious fanatic, claims God wants them all sent to hell." Roxy blurted out excitedly, rising up on one arm and grabbing my leg.
"What about Peter, didn't you meet with him?" I asked, still trying to fit pieces together and looking bewildered.
"No, damn it, that's what I'm trying to tell you. It was her, she met me, dressed up like her brother – I think he's dead Frank."
"Who?"
"Jesus Frank, pay attention – Peter/Tony, whatever, I think she's already killed him!"
Roxy's words had barely left her mouth when I grabbed my cell phone.
"Morgan, get over to the brother's house and check it out. Yeah now you dumb shit, I have reason to believe he's dead! Call me back A-Sap!" I screamed into my phone, turning back to face Roxanne.
