woods somewhere by now. The day he escaped they tracked him to the falls, but they didn't figure there was much point going on from there since the storm was getting worse. They saw where he'd fallen through the ice in the stream, but had no idea where he went once he got out of the water. Snow was falling so hard they couldn't see two feet in front of them, and the dogs seemed to be losing the scent.'
'Do you suppose they'll be coming up this way soon?'
'Why are you asking me? I figure you already know the answer if you want to know.'
Elizabeth smiled. 'Humor me, O'Grady.'
'Well, your aunt Margaret says they'll be at your door by tomorrow evening. And my guess is she's right. I heard they planned to search the woods for his body tomorrow, and they're already setting up roadblocks on all the major roads and doing a house-by-house search in Dover's Mill. If they don't find his body, they'll keep searching until they wind up in Sequana Falls.' O'Grady removed his brown checkered wool cap with dangling earflaps. 'Why are you so interested in what the sheriff's doing to find this Landry fellow?'
'Just curious.' Elizabeth smiled.
O'Grady scratched his partially bald head, mussing the thin strands of white hair that stuck out around his ears. 'I figure I can get back up here with the van in a few days and get deliveries back on schedule. Anything you need me to take down the mountain today? I can get Rod to help me load the back of his Explorer.'
'No, there's nothing that urgent. Deliveries can wait a few more days.'
'Any message you want to send Margaret?' O'Grady warmed his hands by the fireplace, then turned to face Elizabeth. 'She sent you a message.'
'Did she?'
'Yep. She said to tell you that you wasn't to leave Sequana Falls without letting her know.'
Elizabeth stood deadly still, a chilling sense of foreboding rushing through her body. If Aunt Margaret had seen her leaving Sequana Falls, then there was every possibility that she would be going. She'd made no plans to leave the sanctuary of her home, and had no premonitions about her future travel plans.
'Tell Aunt Margaret that I'll call her if I decide to take a trip.'
O'Grady gave Elizabeth a fatherly pat on the back. 'Well, I'll report in to your aunt. You sure you're alone here?'
'I'm never alone with Mac around.'
As he walked out of the living room, Elizabeth following him, O'Grady glanced at MacDatho, stretched out on the rug in front of the sofa. 'Yeah, I guess he's a good guard dog. Don't figure nobody could get past Mac, could they? Not unless you gave him the okay.'
Elizabeth opened the front door, waving goodbye to O'Grady as he crossed the porch, went down the steps and got into his grandson's Explorer. She watched until they disappeared down the road, then she turned and went back into the cabin.
Standing at the foot of the stairs, Elizabeth called Reece's name. When he answered, she told him that O'Grady was gone and it was safe for him to come down.
'I'm going to finish that shave I started earlier when I heard the phone ring,' Reece told her. 'I've still got a lot of beard left.'
'I'll put on a fresh pot of coffee. Take your time.'
Elizabeth hurried into the kitchen, ground some coffee beans and put them on to brew. Knowing what she had to do and that there was no time like the present, she went back into the living room, picked up the telephone and dialed Sam's Atlanta business number. As soon as she gave her name, she was put through directly to Sam.
Maybe Reece didn't trust Sam, but she did. Sam would never do anything to hurt her, and if she told him she believed Reece Landry was an innocent man, Sam would listen to her.
'Elizabeth, is everything all right?' Sam asked. 'I've heard a bad winter storm hit the mountains. I tried to call, but your phone was out. I finally got in touch with Aunt Margaret.'
'Did you also hear about an escaped convict named Reece Landry?'
'I'm afraid that bit of information hasn't been on the Atlanta news. What's this Landry guy got to do with your calling me?'
'Reece is here with me, at the cabin. He nearly died getting to me, but I took care of him and he's-'
'Dammit all, Elizabeth, are you telling me you're harboring a fugitive? Have you lost your mind? Has the man been holding you at gunpoint? Get off this phone now and call Howard Gilbert.'
'I don't need to call the sheriff,' Elizabeth huffed, shaking her head with disgust. Sam wasn't being as reasonable as she'd hoped he would be. 'As a matter of fact, I'm trying to prevent the authorities from capturing Reece.'
'Elizabeth, tell me what the hell's going on?'
'I've been trying to do that. If you'll just calm down and listen, I'll tell you what I want you to do.' Elizabeth told Sam every detail of Reece's life that he'd shared with her up to the point where the sheriff's car had wrecked in the winter storm. 'Reece never stood a chance, Sam. The sheriff's department never tried to find any other suspects.'
'What makes you think this man is innocent?'
'My instincts.'
'You've looked into his mind, is that it?'
'I've had visions about Reece for the past five months, but I didn't tell anyone. Not you or Aunt Margaret, although I think she suspected something.' Elizabeth paused, taking a deep breath. 'Reece has been in my heart and mind since the day his father was murdered. I know he's innocent, Sam. He needs your help.'
'What do you want me to do?'
'Get as much information as you can about B. K. Stanton's death. We've got to prove who killed Reece's father, or he'll be put in prison for the rest of his life.'
'Elizabeth, what are you not telling me?'
'I don't know what you mean.'
'I asked if you knew Landry was innocent because you'd read his mind. You didn't answer me,' Sam said.
'I can sense certain things about Reece, and pick up on some of his emotions, but... well, I can't read him the way I do most other people. He's able to form some sort of shield around his mind, around his emotions.'
'Good God, Elizabeth, you're taking this guy on faith? You're risking your life without knowing for sure whether or not he's really innocent.'
'He's innocent, Sam. I know he is. Please help us.'
'I'll run a background check on Landry and I'll-'
'I thought I told you not to call Sam Dundee!' Reece stood in the doorway, his face flushed with anger, his amber eyes wild with fear.
'Reece, please try to understand-' Elizabeth gazed at Reece with compassion and a plea for understanding in her eyes.
'Elizabeth!' Sam shouted into the telephone. 'Is that Landry? If it is, put him on the phone.'
'Wait just a minute, Sam.' Elizabeth held out the phone to Reece. 'Sam wants to talk to you.'
Reece stared at the phone as if it were a slithering snake ready to strike, then glared at Elizabeth. 'I thought I could trust you, but the minute my back was turned you called Dundee.'
Elizabeth shook the phone at Reece. 'I didn't betray you. I'm trying to get Sam to help you prove your innocence. Sam has contacts everywhere. He owns a private security agency in Atlanta. His sources are unlimited.'
Reece walked into the room slowly, glancing back and forth from Elizabeth to the phone in her hand. She shoved the phone at him.
'Talk to Sam,' she said.
Reece took the phone. 'Yeah?'
'Landry?'
'Yeah.'
'I don't know exactly what's going on there,' Sam said, 'but I want to warn you that if you harm Elizabeth, you're as good as dead. Do I make myself clear?'
