Chapter 12
Max walked through the crowds of people. There seemed to be so many more visitors to the festival this year than ever before. His head began to ache from staring at every male face he could get a glimpse of. He hoped that he would spot Barry Weiner before he could make it anywhere near Stacy. He had yet to see any sign of the guy, and he wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. Finally he spotted Stacy and Eric walking hand in hand near the pies and homemade jams. Stacy had won first place so far with her apple pie, cherry pie, and peach cobbler. The judging on the chili was taking longer than usual as a few new contestants added their chili last minute. As he watched them, his heart soared. Stacy looked beautiful with her hair hanging down past her shoulders and the sheer floral tea dress she wore. The slight breeze caused the material to lift and dance around her knees and lift to her upper thigh. She was very sexy. He wondered if his brother even noticed the many men that glanced at Stacy and looked her over. He saw it a number of times, and he felt himself clench his fists and get that jealous feeling in his gut. But then he remembered today at Stacy’s place and what they shared. They were in love, and when they were fully inside of her, it was as if they simultaneously realized how in love they were and just how close.
His radio beeped, and he stepped back away from the crowd to answer it.
“Deputy Cantrell.”
“Max, it’s Wyatt. We’ve got ourselves a bit of a situation. Where’s Stacy at?”
“She’s with Eric, why?” He instantly felt that sick feeling in his gut.
“Good. You get to the department as quick as you can. There’s this guy here who says that Barry Weiner was asking questions about you and your brother. The investigator called and said that Barry left town. They’re tracking him as we speak.”
“I’ll be right there. Should I get Stacy and Eric?”
“They should be fine as long as they’re together. This just came in a few minutes ago. Even if Barry were in Texas, he couldn’t have made it to Pearl from any airport. He would have to take a bus or rent a car. The investigators are on it.”
“I’m on my way,” Max stated then looked around to where he last saw Eric and Stacy.
They weren’t there, so he headed back to the department with a little peace of mind knowing that Barry wasn’t in town and that the investigators were on top of it.
* * * *
Max stood there with his hand on his hips and one leaning on his holster as he, Wyatt, and Deputy Jones all listened to Investigator Pellot as he spoke over the phone speaker.
“So this is what we got so far. Mr. Weiner disappeared a few days ago. He used a private plane to get to Texas. From there he rented a car, so we believe he was en route or should have arrived in your town a day or two ago. There was a hotel booked in Turbank,” Pellot told them.
“Turbank is less than a half hour from here,” Max stated.
Wyatt and Kenny both looked at him with expressions that said they were just as concerned as he was.
“Further investigation has indicated he also chartered a boat. I got men securing that boat and its employees as we speak. It was stocked with food, weapons, and ammunition to last them weeks. We believe he was headed out of the country. He more than likely had the boat stocked as precaution for pirates. Our men are questioning the crew and getting the coordinates for a destination in the Caribbean.”
“Holy shit, he’s planning on coming here and taking Stacy out of the country?” Max asked.
Pellot released an uneasy breath.
“There’s no other way to put this, Deputy Cantrell. I understand that you have a relationship with Miss Porter, so I’m going to give you the common courtesy us law enforcement guys hold true in the brotherhood. He’s obsessed with her. From the materials we gathered in a secured cabinet in his office, it appears he’s been watching her for quite some time. We also were able to gather pictures and other documented evidence to prove he was involved in some of the other cases.”
“By other cases, do you mean the women who were raped and murdered? The ones who couldn’t testify?” Wyatt asked.
“Yes. We have plenty of evidence to prove that Barry Weiner is responsible for six of the eight murders,” Pellot responded.
“Holy God, this is insane,” Deputy Jones said.
“And he’s definitely on his way here or could be here already?” Wyatt asked.
“Yes, Sheriff. We believe so. I am personally on my way. A group of agents should be arriving within the hour, and the state police have been notified. So that you know, Weiner was last seen driving a dark-navy-blue 2011 Honda Civic.”
“We’re on it, Investigator Pellot, and we’ll be waiting for you when you arrive,” Wyatt said then disconnected the call. Max stood still a moment, letting the seriousness of the situation kick in.
“I’ve got to get to Stacy and Eric. She’ll be safest at the ranch where the others can help me protect her,” Max stated.
“Yes, that would be best. We should also get ahold of Ron and Marie. I can have them stay at our place with Charlie and Ben on guard as well,” Wyatt suggested.
“Before you leave, let’s get a plan together and call in this description and make of the car Weiner is driving. He is to be arrested on site,” Wyatt stated, and Max agreed as they began to make the arrangements.
* * * *
The sun had set, and the street lights began to illuminate the town. All across Main Street, every store had its storefront decorated in patriotic lights and embellishments. It was like nothing Stacy had ever seen before. People called her by her first name and greeted her with kisses to the cheek and hugs hello. They congratulated her on winning first place in all the pie contests and now in the chili contest as well. Betsie Whinston ranted and raved about the contest being fixed and the judges being paid to vote for Stacy and not her. Stacy shook her head in disgust as she looked for Eric by the concession stand. He was going to grab a couple of beers and some popcorn for the fireworks display that would begin in an hour or so. She noticed the numerous people around them. Some were traditional couples with one man, one woman, and a few kids in the family, and others were one woman with two, three, four, and even five men along with children of their own. Instead of shocking her as it had done once before when she first found out about such relationships in town, this actually gave her peace of mind. Seeing the families, successful and enjoying normal activities with others, was a relief. Just maybe this relationship between herself, Eric, and Max would help.
She felt at peace and truly happy right now. The decorations, the live music from the country band that played, seeing men in military uniform visiting family and celebrating this country’s birthday was beautiful. She loved the town of Pearl and everything it stood for. She continued to try to find Eric, but now the streets were very crowded. She was practically shoulder to shoulder with everyone she passed. Although she bumped into people and people bumped into her, no one seemed angry or annoyed with the crowds. They just smiled, said “excuse me,” then continued on their way. She chuckled. This was nothing like the city streets of New York.
She saw a break in the crowd by Francine’s restaurant and the Sheriff’s department. Then she noticed the flashing lights and some sort of fuss going on near there. It all happened so quickly as she decided the best place to wait for Eric would be near the Sheriff’s department. Just as she made it onto the sidewalk, the crowd grew bigger. It appeared that someone was putting on a show. She wanted to see what they were doing. The roars from the crowd and the screams and laughter from children all indicated that it must be something amazing. She shuffled around the perimeter of the crowd but just couldn’t seem to get close enough to see. She saw some flashes of fire and heard the crowd exclaim excitement again, but she couldn’t get closer. Being on the short side made it difficult. She was frustrated and had just about given up when she felt someone move in behind her. They were very big, and at first, she thought it was Eric or Max, but then she felt the gun against her spine and the strong arm come around her waist. This wasn’t good.
“Come with me and don’t make a scene or I’ll unload this gun on the crowd,” he stated firmly in her ear, and she still wasn’t certain who it could be. Taking slow steps backward, no one seemed to notice anything. The performer, whatever he or she was doing, had them all mesmerized. In a few seconds, he had her behind the restaurant. In an instant, he threw something over her head so she couldn’t see as he dragged her along with him. She attempted to fight him, which landed her a blow to the stomach. She hunched over coughing, feeling the excruciating pain, and knew the man was very big. But who was it?
“Get up and walk,” he stated as he shoved her, causing her to fall to the ground and cut her knee. It stung, and she was still trying to recover from the punch to her stomach.
“What do you want? Who are you?” she cried, instantly fearing for her life. She couldn’t believe that this was happening.
“I’m your destiny, baby. Together we’re going to have some fun,” he stated then shoved her along, practically carrying her. She had no idea where they were or in which direction they were going. She had never been on the outskirts of the businesses in town. As a matter of fact, she didn’t even know what surrounded the restaurant, the Sheriff’s department, and the rest of town. She assumed it was just wide-open land, and her stomach clenched with fear. He was going to kill her. She just knew it.
* * * *
“Where is she, Eric?” Max yelled. He was immediately filled with concern and hoped that nothing happened to her already.
“I don’t know. She was with me one second, then a group of people from Francine’s were hugging her and congratulating her on her win in the chili contest, and that’s the last I saw her. She was going to use the bathroom then meet me right here. I was fucking fifteen feet away from her, Max. What the hell is going on?” Eric yelled back.
“He’s in town, Eric. Her boss is in town, and he’s made arrangements to take Stacy out of the country. He chartered a boat,” Max informed him.
“Son of a bitch! We have to find her, Max. The investigators don’t have anything more for you?” Eric asked as he headed toward the Sheriff’s department.
“Just that they found enough evidence to lock Weiner up for multiple counts of murder. He’s been watching Stacy for months. He is obsessed with her, Eric.”
“Oh God, Max, we can’t let anything happen to her. Fuck, I can’t believe this is happening,” Eric exclaimed.
“Just get over here now,” Max stated then disconnected the call.
They gathered around the front of the department and began to make everyone aware of the possible situation. The deputies and state police began to spread out and search for Stacy. Finally Eric met up with Max.
“We have to find her. They couldn’t have gotten far, Max, she was out of my sight for five minutes tops,” Eric stated.
“God help us, Eric. This guy is really bad news,” Max told him. Then they headed to his patrol car and to the location Eric had last seen Stacy in.
* * * *
Claire Weiner pulled up alongside the motel parking lot and loaded the gun. She knew that her husband was in there and that more than likely he was with Stacy Porter. She felt sick to her stomach, dirty, and used. Her husband was not the man she thought he was. She had turned a blind eye to him all these years. She had lain in the same bed with him knowing that only hours before he had sex with some strange woman or one of the many bimbos from Mercer. Her mother had gone through the same thing with her husband. Claire’s father was a cheater, a manipulator, and a man, first and foremost. He had the audacity to tell her, his own daughter, that she needed to be more open in the bedroom with her husband so that he wouldn’t stray from their marriage. Her own father! She allowed his stern speech to destroy her self-confidence and pride. She deserved better than a cheating husband. Yet she gave into his fantasy sex world and allowed Barry to tie her up and take her anally and whip her into submission. He hurt her. He abused her with his sex toys and even degraded her by whipping her until she cried in submission and fear. The look in Barry’s eyes was pure evil, and she knew she had to do something.
She checked the gun and made sure that the safety was off before she exited the vehicle. The private investigator she hired had been right on the money. He dug up so much stuff on her husband that the world would cheer her on when he was found dead. She located the locked safe in the basement and his private man cave he insisted she was never allowed to enter. She did anyway. What she found had taken her breath away and caused her to run to the bathroom and vomit. He had pictures of that redhead Stacy Porter everywhere. He even altered pictures of her, placing her in bondage and chains the way he wanted. It was sick. But worst of all were the pictures of the other women. They were missing women and women who had claimed he sexually assaulted them but then went missing or dropped the charges. Her husband was a rapist and a killer. She should have killed him three days ago when he was shacked up in a hotel with Teressa Pierce, another bimbo from Mercer who spread her thighs to get in good with the company. The bitch probably screwed Claire’s father, too. They all deserved to die.
Claire exited the vehicle and hid the gun from any onlookers. Her husband was vain enough to pay for the two corner rooms in the back of the motel and away from the rest of the rooms. Even in this hick-town dive in Texas, Barry thought he was important and deserved the best. After tonight, he would be where he belonged. Dead and forgotten.
She slowly approached the door and took out the spare key the kid from the front desk gave her. Her little song and dance about surprising her boyfriend in his fantasy of fucking two women at once had the young kid drooling with envy. She fooled him. She stood and listened as she heard some sort of struggle going on inside. Her husband was chanting or yelling something as if he were about to come. What perfect timing.
Claire unlocked the door and walked into the room. It was dark, and only the bedside lamp illuminated the scene before her. Her husband was completely naked with his cock buried deep into a woman’s ass. The woman was tied to the bedposts spread-eagle, and there was blood all over the sheets. Claire pointed the gun as the shock of what had happened penetrated her mind. He killed her, and he was having sex with her corpse.
“You sick bastard!” Claire screamed, and Barry threw his head back as he roared and thrust his hips. His eyes locked onto her right as she pulled the trigger.