Going Through the Notions(100)

As I stared at Eleanor in shock, I suddenly realized where I’d seen one of those cow lifts before. At Jimmy’s place, for the cows that were down with milk fever. You could probably lift quite a few barn beams with one of those devices.

My heart started racing. Reenie had mentioned a dozen pens, but as I forced my frantic brain to do a quick mental calculation, there were actually thirteen in Fiona’s photos. Who would know to describe them as a dozen other than someone who had seen them firsthand?

Minus the one that I’d found.

I looked around, panic-stricken. I didn’t know where Joe was and Serrano was nowhere to be seen. Sarah had taken the car, and even if I could get someone to give me a ride in a hurry, the fair was winding down and a long line of cars were sitting at the exit, waiting to pull onto Sheepville Pike.

I didn’t have that kind of time.

I sprinted back to the flea market, praying that the bicycle I’d seen for sale was still there. The price tag said ten dollars.

I thrust a twenty at the owner and rode faster than I ever had in my life.





Chapter Twenty-one





When I got to the Kratz farm, heaving for breath, there was no sign of Sarah or Reenie.

I dropped the bicycle on the ground and ran into the barn, praying I was wrong, but I felt around inside the cow lift and my hand came out with a small pile of wood shreds.

I looked up and my world ground to a sickening halt as Reenie walked Sarah into the barn at gunpoint.

“I’m so tired of you two sneaking around, checking up on me,” Reenie snapped. “I tried to warn you off once. Why the hell didn’t you listen?”

“She stole the money we collected at the fair, Mom.”

“I know.”

Sarah’s eyes were hot with anger. “The cash box is on the front seat of her truck.”

“Shut it.” Reenie shoved the end of the barrel of the gun into Sarah’s back.

My mouth was dry and I took shallow breaths. Now was not the time to pass out.

“You know, you people crack me up. When I saw you in town that day, talking about a fund for the kids’ college, for Christ’s sake. College! You have no idea. I need the money now!”

My mind was racing. I couldn’t rush Reenie. She might pull that trigger and Sarah wouldn’t stand a chance. I fingered a seam ripper in my pocket and edged closer.

“Yeah, I always wanted to go to Florida. It’s cheaper there. I figured I may as well wait until after the fair and get the cash, too. There’s my gas and rent money until I can sell the pens.”

“What did you do with them?” I knew the police had searched this barn and the house.

Reenie smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Sarah frowned. “You were planning on leaving your kids behind?”

Reenie shrugged. “They’ll be better off with Cee Cee and her fancy doctor husband than me. I need to start a new life. I deserve it! After all I’ve been through.”

I swallowed, never taking my eyes off Reenie. I was praying that someone at the fair would put two and two together. I had to keep us alive until I figured something out.

“I know you used the cow lift, Reenie, but how did you manage to keep Jimmy still long enough to hit him with the beam? After all, he drove Angus home, so he wasn’t that drunk.”

She chuckled. “I left cookies in the barn that night for when he came back and got the munchies. Jimmy only ate a certain brand, because he had a real bad peanut allergy. I made some that looked the same, except with a trace of peanut butter.”

A picture flashed into my mind of backing into the recycling container. That’s why she had been so upset. I remembered now, too late, the empty peanut butter jar on the ground.

“After he had an allergic reaction, I waited until he was unconscious. It was easier to hit him with the beam when he was passed out.”

Even with a gun poking her in the back, Sarah rolled her eyes at this.

“When I was sure he was dead, I took the keys and went to the auction house and stole the pens.”

In spite of the fact that Reenie had committed a greater crime with no compunction, I was shocked as another fact hit me. “Hey, wait a minute, did you really leave two young children home alone?”

“They were fine. Why don’t you shut the hell up?”

She swung the gun in my direction.

It felt like my heart had crawled up and was now beating in my throat instead of my chest. I swallowed again, struggling for the right words.

“Reenie, you’re not a murderer. Killing Jimmy was a crime of passion after all you’d been through. You don’t really want to hurt us.”

Sarah moved ever so slightly to her right.

This was the opening I’d been waiting for and I hurled myself at Reenie. If she shot me, so be it. I’d lost one child to a maniac with a gun, and I’d be damned if I’d let it happen again.