The Wedding Gift Read online

“In the shitter, naturally!”

  It took a bit of maneuvering to get Thom tied up, and they dragged him into the water closet but left the outer door open. Cindi remembered to fish the keys out of Leland’s pocket. When they headed for the van, the smell of wood smoke permeated the air. Muriel got in the back with Sadie. Bertie was sitting in the driver’s seat. Cindi shook her head.

  “Move over. I’m the one with the license.”

  “Really?” Bertie gave her a pointed stare. “Where is your purse?”

  Cindi was struck by a feeling of déjà vu, but got in the driver’s seat and buckled her seatbelt. “They kidnapped me without any identification, and technically we can’t prove ownership of this van. I’m driving anyway.” The overhead light was on, and she returned the smiles of her very dear friends. “Is everyone okay?”

  Muriel patted Cindi’s hand. “We’re a great deal better than those dumbbells.”

  “Thank you for saving me.”

  “It was a team effort. Before we leave, let’s have a toast.” Sadie opened her big satchel and pulled out four little foil-covered bottles.

  “My chocolate!”

  “I found them in your room and didn’t want the staff from the center tossing them in the trash.”

  They tapped the tips of the little bottles together and Cindi made a toast. “Here’s to friendship and love.”

  The bright lights of the van were needed to help maneuver down the dirt lane riddled with potholes. Cindi felt sorry for Sadie and Muriel having to sit on the hard base. “We don’t have a GPS, so do we turn right or left when we get to the main road?” When no one could offer any advice, they took a vote and turned right.

  The opposite direction from home.

  The high-beams from Lincoln’s truck shone down the tunnel of darkness on a road in the middle of nowhere. Jessie sat in the passenger seat and used a flashlight to follow the map Preston had printed out. She didn’t have any authority in the area, but she wore her uniform, which she hoped would open jurisdictional doors.

  Preston occupied the back seat and followed a second map. They were getting closer, and his anxiety was off the charts. “I’ve heard of remote, and then remote. There isn’t a true address, just county tax records. At least we’re on a paved road.”

  “If someone called 911, they’d never find the location,” Jessie said.

  They were close to the rendezvous point when flashing red lights up ahead swallowed up the darkness. A fire engine was horizontal across the road preventing them from going any further.

  “Really?” Jessie said, tossing her map to the seat.

  “What the hell?” Preston’s voice was filled with frustration.

  The three got out of the truck and approached one of the volunteer firemen dressed in a yellow reflective raincoat. Jessie did the talking.

  “We need to get down the road. It’s a matter of life and death.”

  “Sorry, you can’t go any further. We received a report of smoke coming from a hunting cabin. A backup squad is on the way.”

  Preston couldn’t take another delay or disappointment. “Tell me it’s not the Abbott cabin.”

  “It is.”

  “I’m Lieutenant Adams from the Laurel Heights Police Department and we’re to meet the ranger in charge of this area and the State Police to investigate a kidnapping,” Jessie said. “Four women were last known to be in the Abbott cabin. Are you going to take the responsibility and put their lives in your hands, or are you going to let us check out the house?”

  “Since you put it that way, go ahead.”

  “How far down the road is the dirt lane leading to the house?” Lincoln asked.

  “About a thousand feet, on the right,” the fireman said. “We haven’t been down there to see how far back the house is located.”

  “When the state police or the park ranger arrives, let them know where we are,” Jessie said.

  “Will do.”

  They hurried back to the truck, and Lincoln maneuvered around the fire engine.

  “You don’t think they would start a fire to draw attention to the house?” Preston asked, watching out the front windshield.

  Jessie turned in her seat and raised a brow. “Since you know your fiancée so well, you can probably answer that question yourself.”

  “Right!”

  Approximately a thousand feet down the road, the headlights shone on a narrow opening. The lane was so constricted that tree limbs brushed the side of the truck. They bounced around in their seats every time the truck hit a deep pocket in the rough dirt road. The trail made a sharp bend, and they saw the Abbott cabin. The interior lights were ablaze, and the front door was wide open. The majority of the smoke was on the left side of the small house. Two motorcycles were lying on their sides. Everything was quiet, too quiet.

  “I know you want to rush in there, but we need to use caution. Let’s stay together and check out this so-called fire.”

  No one spoke, and they used their flashlights to sweep the ground and cautiously walk around to the left of the cabin. Black smoke poured out of two windows, but there wasn’t any sign of flames.

  “The metal stack on the roof is for a wood stove. My dad had one in the garage,” Jessie said. “Someone closed the flue to cause all the smoke.”

  They moved around to the rear and heard pounding noises coming from the outhouse. Jessie pulled her weapon. “I don’t know if it’s man or beast, but step to the side. On three, open the door.”

  Two men were in their jockey shorts with duct tape over their mouths. The women had apparently used nylon tent rope to tie their hands and feet together. Around their necks was a knitted scarf.

  Preston squeezed into the small space and ripped the tape off. “Where are the women?”

  “Those crazy broads used fancy karate moves. Whacked us in the nuts and took our clothes. They stabbed us with knitting needles and shoved us in here. Untie us, we’re freezing!”

  “No, we’ll keep you like this. Besides, you have a scarf on. Don’t go away. We’ll be right back,” Jessie said, and closed the outhouse door. “Let’s check out the house for the ladies and make sure the fire is contained in the wood stove. The fire department would never get their trucks back here.”

  A loud moan drew their attention to an open door in the rear of the house. Three flashlight beams spotlighted Thomas Leland trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey, but he was fully clothed.

  It took all of Preston’s self-control not to beat the living shit out of the man who’d stolen Cindi and caused so much havoc in their lives. If it was the last thing Preston did, he’d make sure Leland spent the rest of his life behind bars.

  “Those women didn’t need rescuing,” Jessie said.

  The men grabbed the crooked lawyer by the arms, pulled him out of the water closet, and laid him flat on the slate walking tiles.

  Preston directed his flashlight beam directly in Leland’s face. “Where is she? Where are Cindi and the others?”

  Leland squinted at the bright light and mumbled his words. “Gone, thank God! She’s as crazy as those old broads.” He moaned again. “My head is killing me.”

  “How long ago did they leave? What were they driving?” Jessie asked.

  “Don’t know. Blue van. I need a doctor.”

  Preston leaned down and wrapped his fingers around Leland’s throat. “You’re not going to need a doctor, more like an undertaker, if I don’t find my fiancée real soon. For a lawyer, you are pretty dense. For the last time, Cindi Pearl is mine. One more thing.” Preston planted a fist on Leland’s chin. He stopped moaning.

  “Since the women escaped, what’s our next move, Lieutenant Adams?” Lincoln asked.

  “Think we can get these guys in the back of your truck? You have a cap, so they won’t be exposed to the weather. Just make sure you hit every pothole on the way out. We’ll turn them over to the state police and issue a BOLO on the van. While you’re doing that, I’ll take care of the wood stove and secure the re
sidence.”

  “I love your sadistic mind, Jessie Adams.”

  As promised, Lincoln took his time on the return trip and hit every little crater. Loud curses and moans echoed in the back of the truck. When they turned onto the main road to head back to the fire truck, the second rescue unit had arrived, along with an ambulance and two state police cars. A wrecker was extracting a blue van from the side of the road.

  Preston gripped the front seat in excitement. “Tell me that’s Leland’s van?”

  “I think we found your wayward fiancée,” Jessie said, removing her seatbelt as soon as Lincoln pulled up behind the van.

  No one had to tell him where to find his love. Preston’s feet couldn’t move fast enough, and he followed the sound of her voice.

  “There is nothing wrong with me! It’s just a gash on my head, and the bleeding has stopped. We got lost and I turned around. A skunk ran in front of the van. I swerved and didn’t see the damn boulder. If there were streetlights I would have seen where I was going!”

  “But lady, you might have a concussion.”

  “But nothing! I’ve been kidnapped and smell like a smoked sausage. I have to get home to my fiancée. I’m getting married on Saturday. Check out the other ladies.”

  “They’re fine and are talking to the state police.”

  Preston paused beside the first-aid truck, and his grin was so big that every one of his face muscles hurt. “Did someone say fiancée?”

  Cindi’s eyes widened at the sight of her love. “Preston! Oh my God!” She shoved aside the first-aid volunteer and ran into a pair of outstretched arms. “I love you, I love you so much. You found us!”

  He tightened his arms and buried his face in her neck, needing to touch, to feel, to convince himself she was real. Nothing felt better in the entire world. “Did you think otherwise?”

  Cindi pulled back slightly. “I have so much to tell you.” Her voice came out in a breathless rush. “The cabin is just down the road. We closed the flue on the wood stove to pretend there was a fire to draw attention. That’s why I stink. The kidnappers are tied up in the outhouse, and we put Leland in the water closet because we ran out of room.”

  “We know.” He couldn’t stop smiling. “We put the men in the back of Lincoln’s truck exactly as you left them. He and Jessie are talking to the state police. And you don’t stink.”

  “But that’s not all. Mrs. Leland paid Blockhead and Dufus, the guys who work for Leland, to kill me and Bertie. She wants to punish you for sending her husband to prison. She’s as dishonest as her husband and son, and has lots of hidden dirty money. Their yacht is docked in Antigua and they plan to disappear tomorrow.”

  “We’ll let Nate know, and he can take care of Mommy dearest. Do you have any information that can’t wait until after I get you home?”

  Cindi tightened her arms around him. “No, I don’t think so.”

  “Great, now be quiet so I can kiss you.”

  The first-aid squad volunteer was about to ask the woman if she needed further first aid, but she was in a lip lock with the man who’d identified himself as her fiancée. Both were oblivious to everyone and everything around them.

  Jessie and Lincoln approached the clinging couple and enjoyed a great sense of relief. “Which one of us is going to interrupt them?” Jessie didn’t have the heart to tell Cindi the state police needed to talk to her.

  “How about rock, paper, scissors?” Lincoln suggested.

  Lincoln lost.

  You are cordially invited to celebrate the wedding of

  Cindi Pearl Sullivan

  To

  Preston Reynolds

  On Saturday, December 15th

  At two o’clock

  Trinity Episcopal Church

  Main and Broad Streets

  Laurel Heights

  Reception immediately following at

  Samantha’s Barn.

  Epilogue

  The long oval mirror in the bridal room off the main chapel of Trinity Church reflected mother and daughter. Joyce Sullivan adjusted the tiara, a family heirloom, atop her daughter’s head. The mid afternoon sun caught the genuine crystals, creating a circle of rainbows. She blinked back the tears that had been building all day. Forty years ago her mother had placed the same headpiece on Joyce’s head. “I hope someday you will have a daughter to carry on our tradition.”

  “Three days ago I doubted this day would really happen.” Cindi was never one to wear a lot of makeup, but she leaned in closer to make sure the foundation she’d applied over the gash on her forehead was doing its job. She wanted to look perfect for Preston, and had had JoJo, the stylist from Curl Up n Dye, put her hair in a neat twist to accommodate the small crown. As a special treat for the bride-to-be, they’d given her a French-style manicure and a pedicure.

  “Does the top feel secure?” Joyce asked. “I can tighten the ties on the corset back. When you selected a strapless gown, I imagined you would be cold, but the long white fingerless gloves will cover your arms. The seed pearls across the bodice of the white brocade fabric look so rich. You made the right choice.”

  Cindi brushed her fingers over the smooth surface of the delicate string of seed pearls around her neck. The gift, along with matching drop earrings, had suddenly appeared on her bed that morning. She took a couple of deep breaths to make sure the laces weren’t too tight, but it was really to cover her nervousness. “I suppose Santa told Preston what type of pearls would be on my dress.”

  Joyce winked. “I think it was Mrs. Santa.” She gave the long trailing bow at her daughter’s slender waist a final adjustment, and fluffed the veil that came to the middle of her back. “You look perfect. Let’s sit down for a few minutes. I hope those soda-shop metal chairs are stronger than they look.”

  Cindi turned away from the mirror and hugged her mom, the one who had wiped her tears, calmed her fears, taught Cindi about love, her best friend. Her mother’s champagne-gold dress, with a hip-brushing bolero jacket, was flattering, and didn’t fall into the typical “mother of the bride” category. Joyce’s chin-length blond hair complemented her youthful features. Cindi never realized how much she resembled her mom. “Are you going to give me the standard mother-daughter talk?”

  They sat side by side on the fragile chairs, and Joyce took her daughter’s hand. “In your case, I don’t think that’s necessary, since you and Preston have been living together for months. From what you told me, your friends gave you lots of advice at your naughty and nice shower, which I’m sorry I missed, but I’m going to add a little of my own. This past week has been dreadful for all of us, especially for you and Preston, but it proved how much you love one another. There is strength in numbers, and after today, you will have the power of two. Together, you can beat anything life throws at you. Like that old saying, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I am positive you two will make lots and lots of lemonade.”

  “I know you and Dad will be there if we run out of sugar.” Cindi blinked back the tears welling in her eyes. She’d purposely used waterproof mascara for this very reason, and the day had just begun.

  Joyce pulled a tissue from the box on a small table and dabbed at Cindi’s eyes and then her own. “Enough tears. Let’s do a check. Something old, your tiara; something new, your gown; something borrowed, Jessie’s veil; something blue, the garter; and we placed a silver coin in your shoe.”

  When Cindi’s cell phone signaled an incoming text message, she immediately picked it up and received a look of disapproval from her mother.

  “In my day, we didn’t communicate on cell phones right before we walked down the aisle.”

  “Mother, I would normally agree with you, but these are extenuating circumstances and I already know who it’s from.” She re-called the message and smiled. The ball will start to drop in ten minutes. I am driving Lincoln crazy because I want to see you. Soon, my love.

  She sent a quick reply: Being away from you is killing me. Soon, my love.

  �
�I stand corrected. When you went missing, Preston was like a crazy man. He wasn’t happy when he had to leave you after the rehearsal dinner last night at the Laurel Bistro.”

  Cindi had followed tradition and spent the night in her old room in Samantha’s house. Preston had reluctantly bunked with his sister Jennie at her cabin in the campground. The dinner had been extra special, and the attendees three times as many as originally expected. As a couple, they’d wanted to thank everyone for all of their help when Cindi went missing, so Preston made arrangements to rent out the restaurant for the entire evening.

  As best man, Lincoln led the toast to the happy couple, followed by a heartfelt sentiment welcoming Cindi’s safe return. Cindi also announced that her fellow abductees were tired, but doing well and were happy to be back at the assisted living center. They planned to put on their own in-house concert starring the Lemon Sisters.

  A soft knock preceded the door opening and her father walked in. He looked so handsome in his black tuxedo, and smiled at his beautiful wife and daughter. His work-roughened hand held out a delicate stephanotis boutonniere. “Can one of you please help me with this do-dad?”

  Her mother went to pin it on, but Cindi moved to her father first. “I’d like to do the honors.” When it was secured on his lapel, she stood on tiptoes and kissed her father’s cheek, leaving a faint impression from her pale rose lipstick. “Whoops,” she said, and brushed it with the tip of her thumb. “Thanks for being the best dad ever.”

  “It’s easy when you have a great daughter.” Kevin sniffed back a tear. “It’s hard giving away my little girl, but I couldn’t ask for a finer son-in-law.” He suddenly remembered something. “Be right back, don’t move.” He stepped outside to retrieve a large gift box wrapped in pearlescent paper. “Your future husband asked me to deliver it to you.”

  “Another gift?” Cindi’s mouth dropped when she lifted out the faux-bunny-fur stole. The accompanying note read, Wear this until I can hold you in my arms and keep you warm. She looked at her parents’ smiling faces. “You knew?”