Anacacho, An Allie Armington Mystery (29 page)

We part at the hangar entrance, Jed heading
toward the badly damaged plane and I toward what I pray is the
Dardens’ house.

Once I adjust to the darkness, I see a road
to the right and remember Reena saying there was a back road
between the airstrip and Anacacho that ran past the Dardens’
barn.

Minutes later, I stand at the back steps of
the Dardens’ house, clasping my ribs and gasping for breath. The
light in the kitchen is almost blinding after my long haul in the
darkness.

Del’s voice trails from the living room.
“And get us a couple of beers will ya, honey?”

At the sound of Susie’s quick step, I’m
about to open the screen door, longing to reconnect with my old
friend, then hesitate when she enters the kitchen. Susie is not
happy.

I back quickly into the shadows and watch
her yank open the refrigerator door, snatch two longnecks from the
shelf and slam them on the counter. She stands a moment, hands on
hips, takes several deep breaths, then shakes her head.

Del’s entreaty is honey-coated. “What’s
taking you so long, Suze? Don’t leave us in the desert dying of
thirst.”

“
Hold your horses, I’m on
my way.” She flips off the two bottle caps, plants a smile on her
face and, taking a bottle in each hand, hurries toward the living
room.

I sidle down the back steps, make my way
along a side path to the front of the house and have one foot on
the steps when I see it. Parked next to Del’s truck is a dark
Suburban.

I FREEZE, thankful I haven’t given myself away.
Another ten steps and I stand in front of the ruptured grill.
Whoever tried to kill us is in that house.

The grim realization that Del might also be
in on this mess adds to my dilemma. He tried to warn me away from
the hideaway, not once but twice. There was no doubt he meant
business. Why didn’t I remember that until now?

I scuttle to the side porch and slide into
the bushes. The living room windows are cracked to let in the south
breeze and I can make out some of the conversation.

Susie is saying, “Got to get these boys to
bed. Nice to meet you, sir.”

A deep, courtly voice resonates, “And you,
too, ma’am.” Needles sting my scalp as my stomach gives a sickened
wrench. I know that voice. Ray Gibbs.

“
Please,” Susie says.
“Don’t get up. Enjoy your beer. Goodnight.”

Her steps fade, then a distant door slams.
“Mighty pretty wife you have, Darden.”

“
Thank you, sir. I’m proud
to call her mine.” There’s a wariness in Del’s voice. “Now, what
can I do for you?”

“
Not a thing. I’m just
grateful I saw your lights. I didn’t know where else to go. Sure do
appreciate your hospitality.”

He saw their lights from the road? No way.
Something’s definitely fishy. The ensuing silence seems like
forever. I wonder if Del is thinking the same thing.

Finally silky-tongue says, “I was just
wondering, did you happen to hear a small plane fly overhead within
the last hour?”

After another long pause, Del answers.
“Can’t say I did.”

“
I’m sure you know,
there’s been some concern about drug trafficking through the
Anacacho.”

Del’s head pops into view. I see the
puzzlement on his face and slump with relief. “I’ve heard something
about it. I used to foreman that property.”

“
You don’t
say?”

“
I haven’t been over there
for more than a year.”

“
Glad to hear that. It’s
become a dangerous place to be since Carpenter was killed. If I
were you I’d steer clear of the airstrip.” Another pause. “Just a
friendly piece of advice.”

“
And I thank you for it,
sir, but as I said before, I haven’t been on that property for over
a year and I don’t intend to start now.” There’s a creaking sound
of someone rising from a chair and Ray Gibbs fills the rest of the
window. “I’m mighty glad to hear you say that.”

I watch him turn toward the front door, then
disappear from view.

The screen door squeaks, then heavy feet hit
the porch and pause. “Thank you for the beer. Hit the spot. Good
evening.”

I count Gibbs’s six steps down the front
stoop to the path, then ten more to the Suburban. The door opens
and shuts, the motor rolls over, then tires crunch gravel as the
vehicle moves down the lane.

I wait until the taillights disappear, then
make the steps two at a time to see a dazed Del standing at the
open door. “Hi.”

He startles back, face paling. “Whoa there.
Allie, is that you? Are you all right? We heard you were over in
Laredo on a case and got kidnapped.”

“
I guess you could say
that. How did you hear?”

Del pushes open the screen door. “Deputy
came by. Said you were in a taxi on the way to the airport and the
driver was killed. Asked if we’d heard from you. We didn’t know
what to think.”

Only Gibbs would know the details. No one
else could have associated the dead taxi driver with me. I slide
past Del into the living room.

“
Listen, Del, I’m in
desperate need of help. I was in that plane I heard Gibbs ask you
about. That bastard tried to kill us. Actually, he thinks he
did.”

The shock on Del’s face is a true
comfort.

“
I heard him warn you away
from the Anacacho strip, but I don’t think he’ll go back there
since he thinks we’re dead.” “Dead?”

“
There are four of us. One
badly hurt. Can you help me get her to the nearest
hospital?”

“
But, Gibbs said not to go
out there.”

“
Please, Del. Don’t waste
any more time. The woman may be dying.”

That seems to get his attention. “I’ll tell
Susie.”

He starts for a door to one side of the
living room, but I clamp a hand on his shoulder. “The less she
knows about this, the better. Okay?”

He nods and calls out. “Hey, Suze? I’m
taking the truck out to the barn. Back in a minute.”

Her cheery, “Take your time, we’re having
baths,” filters through the boys’ screams and splashes.

Del and I ride in silence to the barn, but
when he turns right toward the airstrip, he barrages me with
questions. “How do you know that man?”

I shoot back, “How do you know him?”

“
I don’t. I mean I didn’t
until about a few minutes ago. But it’s obvious you do.”

“
Unfortunately. Gibbs is
Paul’s lawyer. Lives in Laredo.”

“
Is Paul’s lawyer? But
Paul’s dead. Allie, are you sure you’re okay?”

“
I’m telling you, Paul’s
not dead. At least I hope and pray he’s not. He was alive a few
hours ago. I’ll tell you everything once we get Adelena to the
hospital.”

“
Adelena? You mean Paul’s
Adelena? But she and Miguel have been missing for over a
year.”

In minutes the headlight beams bounce along
the back side of the hangar, then Del turns onto the tarmac. The
eerie glow from the vapor light outlines the ruptured Piper until
the truck lights blaze it into gleaming yellow. Beneath the wing I
see Jed, standing in a pool of blood, leaning into the cockpit.

Del lets out a low, “Jeez.”

I throw open the door tossing an order over
my shoulder, “Pull as close as you can to the plane. We need your
headlights—” then leap from the truck before it’s fully
stopped.

“
How is she?”

Jed shakes his head and waves me away, but I
press forward, throat jammed with unborn sobs.

Del catches me before I get to the plane and
pulls me into his comfort as my sobs break through. “She was my
friend. I should have done more to protect her.”

Del walks me away from the disaster toward
his truck. “I’m sure you did everything you could. Now, you gotta
be strong, Allie. Hear? I got to go help this guy. What’s his
name?”

I manage to get out, “Jed. I don’t know if
he told me his last name. Could be Hansen. He said he was Luke’s
cousin.”

“
Hansen? This guy’s
related to that bastard? How do we know we can trust
him?”

“
He’s DEA. He helped me
escape.”

“
That’s good enough for
me. Take my keys and get in the driver’s seat.” Del slams the door
and hurries to Jed’s side. When Del returns to the truck and opens
the door, he shakes his head, then leans behind me to pull out a
blanket. “Looks like a major artery in her leg was severed and she
bled to death. Jed’s pretty sure Miguel is just bunged up, but
mentally freaked out. He won’t let her out of his arms.”

“
Poor man. Maybe I could
help with that.”

“
Maybe you can.” Del
offers me his hand and I step out of his truck.

We take only a few steps when the shot rings
out, ripping through the silent night like a cannon blast.

Jed jerks back, then staggers away.

Del and I lunge forward as I shout, “Jed?
Are you all right?” Jed turns to reveal a face crammed with agony.
“Ohmygod, ohmygod, it never occurred to me—I mean I never thought
he would—ohmygod. I should have taken the gun.”

THE THREE OF US STAND STARING at one another in
frozen horror, but my agony compounds. I insisted that Miguel and
Adelena come with us.

“
It’s all my fault,”
someone wails. That can’t be my voice, but my hands pressed to my
chest and the tears sliding down my cheeks give clear
evidence.

Jed gives me the perspective I need. “You
had good intentions. If we’d left them there, Lord knows what might
have happened. They’re back home. At least their families will have
some sort of closure.”

Del gropes his belt. “Damn, I left my cell
phone at the house. You wait here, I’ll notify the sheriff.”

I recover enough from my grief to jump on
that. “No.”

“
What do you mean ‘no’?”
Del points toward the dreadful scene. “We can’t leave these people
out here to rot.”

“
But we can’t call
anybody. Not yet, anyway. Ray Gibbs thinks Jed and I are dead and
if he finds out we’re alive, we won’t be for long.”

Jed jerks to life. “Gibbs? What in hell does
Ray Gibbs have to do with this?”

“
It was his Suburban. He
was the one who rammed the plane.”

Disbelief fills Jed’s face. “No way. Gibbs
is clean. I’d bet my life on it.”

“
I wouldn’t do that, if I
were you. Right, Del?”

“
Hell, how would I know? I
never saw the man before tonight.”

“
You saw Gibbs
tonight?”

Del nods. “Dropped by. Said he saw our
lights from the road. There’s no way—from the road. He must’ve been
bottom fishing—checking to see if we heard the plane. I gave him a
beer. He warned me away from the strip. Then he left.”

“
He must have gotten your
name from the sheriff ’s office,” I say. “And if that’s so, then
the druggies probably have an informer planted.”

Del either doesn’t hear me or is lost in his
own thoughts. “I could show up at the sheriff ’s office tomorrow
morning, take Bill for coffee. I do that every so often. I don’t
think that would arouse suspicion.” His voice trails to silence as
entreaty fills his face. “That’s about all I feel comfortable
doing. Wish I could help more, but my family...”

“
Of course. You must put
Susie and the children first. But can you get us to a safe place
before daylight? We need a place to hole up until you can get to
the sheriff.”

“
No problem. Paul’s
hideaway. You two stay in the barn until I come get you. There’s a
couple of spare horses you can use.”

The truck’s front seat easily contains the
three of us and the trip to the barn is a speedy one. Del pulls
into the barn opening and turns off the motor.

“
We’ll need weapons,” Jed
says. “No problem.”

Del opens his door and motions for me to do
the same. “Sorry about the accommodations.”

After Jed hits the ground, Del hands me a
horse blanket and points me toward a long, leather seat salvaged
from a vintage pick-up. “Jed’ll have to make do with the hay. Don’t
get too comfortable. I’ll be back.”

When the truck motor fades, Jed gives me a
silent salute, throws himself on the hay, and in minutes begins to
snore.

Del’s grip on my shoulder is insistent.
“Come on, Allie, you gotta wake up. There’s not much time. I gotta
get you up that trail before sunrise.”

I groan and sit as he shoves a Styrofoam cup
of smoking coffee into my hand. “Drink this. I brought toast. It’s
probably cold by now, but it should hold you for a spell.”

By the time I demolish the toast and drain
the coffee, Del has saddled up two horses, refilled the canteens
and put them and several sandwiches in my right saddlebag.

Jed, already on his horse, slides a rifle
into its sheath, then drops several boxes of ammo into the side
pouch.

Del helps me mount, checks the cinch and
stirrups, then says, “Rifle or automatic?”

Before I can answer, Jed says, “We’ll need
everything you can give us.”

Del nods, hands me a .32 and sheaths a
second rifle next to my right leg. “Neither is loaded, but once I
contact Cotton...” The look on his face says the rest.

With that, he heads down the row of stalls
into the darkness, then reappears leading his palomino. “Pay close
attention to the way we go. You’ll be on your own after this trip.
I won’t be coming back.”

There’s barely enough light to make out
landmarks, but I see we’re following the back road that leads to
Anacacho. The dip into the swale comes sooner than I remember, but
it’s been a year since I took this route in my frantic search for
Paul.