Maple Hills Mystery Box Set Read online

  Hawk painfully let go of Nikki. “I'll be an hour behind you.”

  Nikki nodded and jogged over to her SUV. Waving at Hawk, she climbed into the driver's seat and buckled up. “Ready?” she asked Tori.

  Tori was sitting in the passenger's seat with her laptop open. “Huh? Oh, yeah, sure,” she said.

  Nikki backed away from her chocolate shop and drove out of town. “What's on your mind?” she asked Tori after passing through a roadblock. Wet and frustrated state troopers checked Nikki's license, ran her information through a criminal database, and finally waved her through.

  “Holes,” Tori said.

  “Holes?” Nikki asked, maneuvering the SUV down a rainy backroad. Beautiful trees lined the side of the road, acting as doorways into lush, healthy, amazing countryside.

  “Very deep holes,” Tori added. “Nikki, did you know how the town of Fall Cliff got its name?”

  “No, as a matter of fact, I don't,” Nikki said.

  “There's a very tall cliff four miles outside of town,” Tori explained. “And, at the bottom of the cliff, there's a deep cave. Nobody has ever been able to reach the bottom of it, either.”

  “I get it...Fall Cliff, don't fall off the cliff,” Nikki said, and then a thought struck her mind. “Wait, did you say four miles outside of town?”

  “Near an old, abandoned concrete company,” Tori confirmed.

  Nikki felt her blood tingle. “Tell me more about this cave.”

  “The cave was discovered in...” Tori began. Nikki sat in silence and listened. Mile by mile, her mind formed a plan. By the time she drove into the county that was home to Fall Cliff, Nikki knew what course of action she would take.

  Pulling into the Hay Day, a run-down motel sitting all alone on a road lined with poor homes that the richer residents of Fall Cliff frowned upon, Nikki cautioned Tori to stay alert. “My ID was run through the system. It's possible Ringston was alerted to my leaving Maple Hills.”

  Tori closed her laptop. Looking out at the motel, she grimaced. “Are you sure about this place? I think they should change the name to Cockroach Motel.”

  “Yes,” Nikki told her. “We're not sleeping here. We're just checking in. You'll see. Sit tight.” Nikki jumped out of the SUV and hurried into the front lobby. Ten minutes later she returned, smelling like cigarette smoke. “Okay, we're good. Let's go.”

  “Where to?” Tori coughed and waved her hand in the air. “You smell awful.”

  “An old woman is manning the front desk. The entire front lobby is filled with cigarette smoke.” Nikki backed out of the parking lot. The rain let up as Nikki drove toward Fall Cliff. “Now we have to set a trap.”

  Tori’s stomach fluttered. It was scary to be back in Fall Cliff. Even though the town was quaint and beautiful, a dark creature hid behind its false beauty, waiting to lash out at her with deadly claws. “A trap?”

  “I could have driven a different car,” Nikki explained, “but I want Ringston to know I'm back in town. As soon as he knows I'm here, I’ll start playing a little game of poker. Meanwhile, I want you to stay at the hospital.”

  “The hospital?” Tori asked, confused. “Why the hospital?”

  “I want you to pretend you're having a horrible stomach-ache of some kind. I want you to claim you ate at Eric's restaurant.”

  “I'm very confused,” Tori confessed.

  “I have to draw Eric to the hospital, and it will be your job to keep him there.”

  “I'll...do my best,” Tori promised Nikki. “What about the cave?”

  Nikki stopped at a stop sign, looked both ways, and eased through. Driving into an upper middle-class neighborhood, she watched as the homes went from poor to lovely in a matter of seconds. “I'm working on that,” Nikki told Tori and bit down on her lower lip. “First, let's get you to the hospital. And then I'm going to sit in front of City Hall.”

  “Are you sure about this?” Tori worried. “Maybe I should stay with you, Nikki. We are a team.”

  “We are a team, honey,” Nikki assured Tori. “And as a team member, your job is to keep Eric at the hospital as long as you can.”

  Nikki spotted the small hospital and pulled up in front of the Emergency Room entrance. “You're a stranger in town. Eric is your uncle. You have the number to his cell phone. Make sure the Emergency Room staff calls him.”

  “I will,” Tori drew in a deep breath as she exited the SUV. She slumped over and grabbed her small stomach as she wobbled her way into the front door of the ER. Nikki watched her disappear through a set of sliding doors.

  “Go for it, girl.” She smiled and drove away.

  Nikki pulled up in front of a small, one-story wooden building shaped like a giant gazebo. “City Hall,” Nikki said to herself, deliberately parking next to Mayor Brown's BMW. “Now all I have to do is wait. Hawk, I'm sure you're catching this, even though I can't hear you.”

  Nikki turned off the SUV and listened to the tinny pitter-pat of the rain hitting her roof. “I have to play three hands of poker and bluff my way through each hand. First, I'll play poker with Ringston, and then with Warden Wayberry and the final hand with Mayor Brown, Hawk,” she whispered. “No one threatens my son.”

  A few minutes later, Agent Ringston tapped on the passenger's side door. Without waiting for an invitation, he climbed up into the passenger's seat. “You're not a very smart woman.”

  “I'm not so sure,” Nikki told him as her stomach tightened. “Agent Ringston, a very angry Lionel Perkins paid me a visit at my cabin earlier today. As you can see, it's getting dark. I didn't hesitate to drive back to Fall Cliff immediately after he left my cabin.”

  Agent Ringston stared at Nikki. The situation was more serious than he realized. “You could be lying.”

  “Lionel Perkins threatened the life of my son unless I agreed to come back to Fall Cliff and hound you,” Nikki took a piece of gum out of her purse and glanced at Agent Ringston's face. The man was set to strike at her at any moment. His eyes were sharp and deadly. “I had no choice but to come back and play his game. But let me make something clear: No one threatens my son and gets away with it. I was willing to stay out of this story. Honestly, I wanted nothing to do with investigating a prison break. So what if a bunch of clowns escaped? What's that to me?”

  “Go on.” Agent Ringston pulled back his jacket and nodded at the Glock sitting in his shoulder holster. “I want the truth. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Don't threaten me,” Nikki snapped. “I'll drive away and you will never know what Lionel Perkins and his band of thieves are planning.”

  “I have my men under complete control,” Agent Ringston told Nikki.

  “Sure, and the tracking chip you're forcing each man to have placed under their skin is your secret weapon, right?” Nikki asked in a sarcastic tone.

  Agent Ringston widened his eyes. “So Lionel Perkins did speak with you.”

  “Yes,” Nikki popped the piece of gum into her mouth. “I need help, Agent Ringston. I need you to protect me and my son. If you guarantee that you will protect us, I will tell you what Perkins told me. But please, you have to pretend that I'm doing as he asked. He told me I would be watched. I have to talk to Warden Wayberry and Mayor Brown and pretend I'm doing my reporter bit.”

  Agent Ringston considered Nikki's offer. He saw fear in the woman's eyes. Nodding, he changed his tune. “Of course, I will offer complete protection. And please, forgive me for being so abrupt. You could have been working for Perkins. I have to be cautious at all times.”

  “I get that,” Nikki replied. “I'm trying to be strong. But the truth is, I'm terrified.”

  “It's understandable to be scared. Perkins is a dangerous man. Now please, Ms. Bates, what did he tell you?” Agent Ringston asked in a sickening, polite voice.

  Nikki exhaled, as if she were exhausted. “Perkins said that his job was to kill you. That's why he shot the bank teller in Maple Hills. He had to lure you to town. But then you found out I lived in Maple Hills and wen
t back to Fall Cliff before he could complete the task. So, for whatever reason, he decided to use me to bring you down. He said I was to tail you for a few days and then go back home and write a story on this mess.” Nikki exhaled another deep breath. “But the truth is, his true agenda is to make sure you're occupied.”

  “Occupied?” Agent Ringston tilted his head as he smoothed his hair back with his hand.

  “Fort Knox,” Nikki said in a voice that slapped Agent Ringston across the face. “He said you have all the gold in position to steal. The thieves are planning to change out the real gold for the fake gold while you're here trying to chase me down.” And with those words, Nikki waited. She had crossed the red line. Now it was time to see what cards Agent Ringston slammed down.

  “Perkins doesn't know I'm using the gold to capture a group of wanted terrorists operating inside the United Sates,” Agent Ringston lied.

  “Please,” Nikki begged, “play along. Whoever is watching me has to believe I'm doing what Lionel Perkins ordered me to do.”

  “What else did Perkins tell you?” Agent Ringston asked and drew out a damp cigarette. “Do you mind?”

  “Go ahead,” Nikki waved and rushed the conversation forward. “Lionel Perkins said you orchestrated the prison break because you needed the Twenty-Four Thieves to steal the gold...gold stolen from Libya, or maybe it was Egypt? I'm not good unless I have my notepad, and Perkins was talking fast. It was also hard to understand him at times because of his British accent...not to mention that I was scared.”

  Agent Ringston drew on his cigarette and exhaled a steady, even breath. “Yes, I understand that it can be difficult to remember details when you are scared. But please, try.”

  Nikki wanted to slap cigarette smoke from her face but hesitated. “Agent Ringston, the bottom line is that there is a man named Malloy Trally who is giving all the orders to Lionel Perkins and the rest of those losers. Perkins said it's too difficult to kill you now, so you have to be crippled using a different avenue.”

  Agent Ringston narrowed his eyes at Nikki, and he nearly hissed, “This information must remain confidential, are we clear?”

  “Only if you let me pretend I'm doing my job. My son's life is at risk.”

  “Yes, yes,” Agent Ringston clenched his jaw, “speak with Wayberry and Brown if you must.”

  “Don't get mad at me. I'm only trying to help,” Nikki snapped.

  Agent Ringston recognized his mistake. “I'm sorry, Ms. Bates. Of course, you are. I understand that you are under difficult circumstances. I appreciate your help and concern. Now, please, I must go. I will be in touch.”

  “Wait a minute,” Nikki blurted. “There's one last bit of info you need to know.”

  “Yes?”

  “The thieves are planning to hide the real gold in the cave near some old concrete plant close to here. It's there they plan to kill this Malloy Trally man, too. But I have a plan if you're interested.”

  “A plan?” Agent Ringston raised his eyebrows.

  “Bring the gold to the cave before the thieves can,” Nikki explained. “Lionel Perkins told me there was some kind of decoy bunker meant to house the gold under the City Hall and that the real bunker was under that old concrete plant I mentioned. Is that true, or was he lying?”

  Agent Ringston took a drag on his cigarette. “The information is factual.”

  “Good,” Nikki said. “I'm not sure how you can do it, but bring the real gold to the cave and store it near the entrance by tomorrow night.”

  “We're talking about tons and tons of precious metal,” Agent Ringston confided. “The gold is being hauled by rail. That's why the concrete plant was chosen as a hidden location. The railway runs past the concrete plant.”

  “The same tracks run next to the cave. I checked,” Nikki told Agent Ringston. “Listen, you better act fast because Lionel Perkins told me this Malloy Trally is going to switch out the real gold with the fake gold in five days.”

  “I see,” Agent Ringston said. “Why should I bring all that gold to a cave?” He rubbed his chin.

  “At the bottom of the cave, which is very, very deep, there is an underground river that runs north into Canada. That's how the thieves were going to transport the gold,” Nikki hoped her bluff was believable. “If you want to hide the gold, I suggest taking that route.”

  “Hide the gold?”

  “Perkins told me that Malloy Trally is going to frame you. He's going to have you arrested for stealing the gold, while my job is to prove that you orchestrated the prison break. If you want to protect yourself, hide the gold. I know Malloy Trally works for the CIA, Agent Ringston. I know the man is very crooked. I know you're not the most honest man alive, but you're the one I'm coming to for help. Now, I've placed all my cards on the table. Where do you stand?”

  Agent Ringston stared into Nikki's eyes and folded his hands. “Ms. Bates, you have offered me priceless information for which I'm very grateful. I will keep my word and protect you and your son. I will do this by ensuring that every escaped convict will return to prison.”

  “Malloy Trally orchestrated the prison break, didn't he?” Nikki asked in a low voice, pretending to believe her own lie.

  “I'm afraid so,” Agent Ringston answered in a steady tone. “Ms. Bates, you have my permission to do as Perkins ordered you. I will inform Warden Wayberry and Mayor Brown that you will be paying them a visit. In the meantime, I have much work to do. Please, excuse me.”

  “Agent Ringston?”

  “Yes?”

  “Be careful. My son and I are depending on you,” Nikki said.

  “Of course.”

  Nikki watched Agent Ringston exit the SUV. She felt like vomiting. “What a snake,” she said aloud. “But he bought my bluff...at least I think he did. Hawk?”

  Nikki's cell phone rang. “You did great,” Hawk congratulated Nikki. “You're brilliant, Nikki. Ringston bought your story hook, line, and sinker. I even believed it.”

  “Thanks. Now it's on to Mayor Brown. I'll tackle Warden Wayberry last.”

  “Be careful,” Hawk told Nikki.

  “I will,” Nikki promised. “Take me out for dinner when this is over, Hawk. Drive me to the diner and treat me to dinner—a hamburger steak with extra gravy.”

  “You got it.”

  “I need to go,” Nikki’s voice cracked.

  “I'm listening to your every word.”

  Nikki put her cell phone away and studied the City Hall. “Okay, Mayor Brown, let's play cards.”

  12

  Grabbing her purse, Nikki climbed out of her SUV and walked up a stone walkway leading to the City Hall. With Agent Ringston occupied with new worries, she had the breathing room she needed to examine Mayor Brown without being watched with suspicion or attacked. Stopping in front of a set of wooden double doors, she drew in a few deep breaths and then went inside. Sure, she was a little wet from the rain, tired, hungry and scared, but so what? A bunch of the bad guys had to be brought down, and she was the woman to do the chore—or so she hoped. She walked into a small and cozy lobby lined with lush brown carpet and burgundy walls; the smell of strong potpourri was nearly suffocating.

  “Can I help you?” a sweet old lady wearing a lovely blue and yellow dress asked Nikki.

  “I'm here to see Mayor Brown, please,” Nikki said, approaching a welcome desk to the side of the front counter.

  The old woman put down a Sudoku puzzle she was struggling with and smiled up at Nikki. “You must be Nikki Bates.”

  “Yes. How did you know that?” Nikki asked.

  “Mayor Brown said you might be paying us a visit,” the old lady informed Nikki. Retaining her sweet smile, she pointed at the door across the small lobby. “Go through that door, dear. Mayor Brown's office is the last door on the right.”

  “Oh,” Nikki said, looking across the lobby, “thank you.”

  Walking across the lobby, Nikki glanced back over her shoulder. The old woman smiled at her and resumed her battle with the Sudo
ku. Nikki smiled. At least some people seem honest, she thought and opened the door leading into a short hallway. The hallway smelled of cigar smoke, and she heard voices. Easing the door shut behind her, she crept down the hallway and stopped outside Mayor Brown’s office. “I don't care what you say, I don't want that woman talking with me,” she heard Mayor Brown snap at someone. “Don't you dare threaten me. I've been onboard with you from the beginning... Of course, I haven't been talking to anyone... Ringston, I'm telling you to stop yelling at me for the last time. Don't you dare threaten me… Fine, I'll talk with Bates if she pays me a visit, does that make you happy? Sure, yeah!”

  Nikki heard Mayor Brown slam down a phone. Grinning, she gently knocked on the office door. “Who is it?”

  “It's Nikki Bates. Agent Ringston said it would be okay if we talked,” she called out.

  Nikki waited. She heard mumbling and then heavy footsteps across a hardwood floor. “Ah, Ms. Bates,” Mayor Brown said, opening his office door. Flashing a fake smile, he looked at her the way a disease looks at penicillin. “I was under the assumption that you’d left my fair little town.”

  “I did, but I drove back. I only have a few questions about Fort Knox. I shouldn't take up much of your time,” Nikki said in a sweet and innocent voice.

  Mayor Brown’s face went flat and pale. “Did you say... I mean... how... uh...” Mayor Brown fumbled over his words. It was obvious the man did not think well on his feet. Not only that, Nikki noticed, he was a follower and not a leader—a coward and crook.

  “Lionel Perkins paid me a visit this morning, Mayor Brown. He told me many interesting things. One of those things he revealed was how cozy you and he are. Now, I don't think Agent Ringston would like to hear that, do you?”

  “Whatever that man said about me is a lie,” Mayor Brown said in a weak voice.

  Nikki smiled. She had thrown her bluff down onto the table, and Mayor Brown had folded his hand. “May I come in?”