Every Deadly Suspicion

Chapter 42

CHAPTER 42

“B RADEN ?” H ANNA’S ANIMOSITY, which had been building toward Everett, dissipated. Whatever Everett had done to her father, Braden was not part of it.

Everett nodded. He closed his eyes and started to fall. Jared caught him. As he pulled Everett aside, she saw more people in the panic room. Two men, one she recognized as the landscaper; the other was Timmons. He was also bleeding, holding a soaked rag to his head. Behind them were Everett’s cook and housekeeper. No Nathan.

“What happened?” Hanna asked.

Timmons answered. “Chase went crazy. Detective Sharp came to talk to him, and he just lost it. I’ve never seen him so mad, so crazed. Everett tried to calm him down, but he wouldn’t have it. He shot Everett and grabbed Braden.”

“What does he want with Braden?”

Pale, Timmons shook his head. He leaned against the wall.

“He ranted about so much, not really making sense. He’s paranoid. Maybe high. Grover went back topside to try and save Braden.”

“Grover is dead.”

“I figured.”

“Where’s Nathan?”

Timmons shook his head. “Last I saw him, he was walking down the path to Chase’s place. I don’t know what happened down there. When Chase came up from his space, it was chaos.”

“How long was Nathan with Chase?”

“Ten, fifteen minutes? Ma’am, we were running for our lives. Look around. Chase was shooting at everything. He’s convinced the Feds will kick down his door and drag him away. He says that a cripple will never last in prison. We backtracked to the panic room.”

What he said about Chase’s frenzy was true, Hanna saw as she surveyed the room. Bullet holes were everywhere.

She looked down at Jared. “How is Everett?”

“He needs a doctor. He’s lost a lot of blood.”

“How about you?” Hanna asked Timmons.

“I was just grazed. I’ll be fine.”

“Can you open the front gate from here? We have backup and medics coming. The gate is closed.”

“You’re here.”

“It was open for me. But it closed for them.”

Timmons eyes went wide. “Oh my, Chase has control. He locked them out. We should get back in the panic room. He can’t get in there.” Timmons started to usher the women back into the room.

Hanna grasped his arm. Something was missing from his story. “None of this makes any sense. If he’s afraid of the Feds, why did he kill Grover? Why try to kill all of you?”

Timmons jerked away. “He doesn’t want to go to jail. He’s not thinking straight. Drugs are probably part of it. Whatever Detective Sharp said to him, well, it set him off. Chase’s grasp of reality is gone.”

Jared stood and helped Everett to his feet. He was shaky but he stood on his own.

“Let them go back in there and hide,” Everett said. “This is really about me, and you.” He nodded at Hanna.

“It has to do with my dad, doesn’t it?” She held Everett’s gaze.

“Yeah. When Sharp got here today, Chase thought it was because your dad told him what really happened that night at Beecher’s cabin. It scared him.”

“What really happened?”

Everett closed his eyes. “Chase happened.” He opened his eyes, held hers. His gaze was set in stone. “He’s got to be stopped.”

“Why take Braden?”

“He sees Braden as his future. The only one he can trust, the only one not out to get him.” Everett gave a weak shake of his head, leaning against the wall. “He wanted to take us all out, but you most of all. He thinks Scott controlled him all these years to protect you.”

“To protect me?”

Everett looked away. “You found the Carsons. You’re smart enough to know now that your dad didn’t kill them.”

“I figured it out.” Her anger ramped up again. So much had been lost by lies. “My dad is innocent.”

“Chase was high on drugs then. Yeah, he killed the Carsons, but your dad almost killed him. No one in the cabin that night was innocent.”

“But my dad took the fall.”

“My father wanted to protect Chase at any cost. I agreed with him. I did what I had to do to protect my son. Scott kept Chase in check. Kept him from hurting himself and anyone else. But Scott is gone, and I can’t control Chase. It only got worse when they let your dad out. You don’t know how hard it was to keep him from driving down there and killing Joe.”

“Did he poison Scott?”

“I don’t know, I—” He closed his eyes again for a moment. “I can’t see him doing that. He depended on Scott, but I have no other explanation.”

“Did he kill Nathan?” Hanna asked the question she feared the answer to most.

“Maybe. If I’d have been here, I would have stopped him. But I’d just gotten back from the fire line. And Grover had Braden. Chase was wild, out of control. He might only have one leg, but he knows how to use a gun.”

Nathan could have been the first casualty this afternoon. Her insides churned with a tsunami of emotions. Nathan was her friend and colleague. She made her decision.

“You all get back in the panic room. I don’t know when my backup will arrive. Stay there until they do.” She turned to Jared. “Will they be okay? Should you stay with Everett?”

“You’re not getting rid of me. If they keep pressure on his wound, he’ll be okay for the time being.”

He helped Everett return to the panic room. Before the door closed, Timmons said, “Chase isn’t very mobile. That’s the only advantage you’ll have.”

The door closed and the locks reengaged.

Hanna bounded up the stairs.

“Do you have a plan?” Jared asked as he followed.

Hanna shook her head and radioed to her backup to find out their ETA.

“We’re almost through the gate,” Asa said.

“10-4. Everett and four others are in the basement panic room. They need medics.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m trying to find Nathan; he’s on the property somewhere.”

“10-4, we’ll be there as soon as we can.”

Hanna clicked the mike in response and looked at Jared. “Chase must know we’re here. He hasn’t appeared. I’m going to go to him.”

“Then so am I.”

It was useless to try and make him stay. He had a vest on, like she did. Oh, Lord, keep us all safe.

“There’s a path.” She pointed to the right. A brick path was lit every few feet with garden lights. “I remember Grover telling us when we came for Scott’s things. Chase has his own space down that way. I’ve never been down there, but it must be easy to get to because he isn’t all that mobile.” She started that way.

“Even though it’s dark, this is a wide-open path. We walk down there, he’ll hear and see us coming.”

“We’ve lost the element of surprise. He opened the gate for me, then closed it. How long have we been here already?” She checked her watch. “Counting the drive up? Maybe thirty minutes and he hasn’t shown his face.”

“He’s lying in wait?”

“You have a better idea?”

Jared stood, hands on hips. “I don’t.”

“Then let’s go.” She started for the path, and Jared stopped her.

“One minute.” He jogged to the SUV and grabbed his backpack from the rear seat. “It’s first aid and stuff. In case.”

Hanna continued on the path, Jared at her side.

“Keep your world small.”

She took a deep breath. She had to shut out the fear rising for Nathan and Braden—and the urge to run full speed down the path to confront Chase.