Relentless Pursuit (8 page)

Tammy took a deep breath and sauntered into the dive bar. She moved to the bar and ignored the look of the men on either side of her. Tammy sent the old bartender a smile and pulled out her cell phone.

“What’ll ya have, ma’am?” the gruff bartender asked.

“Actually, I was hoping you'd help me. Did you work Saturday night?” Tammy held her breath as she waited for him to answer.

“Yup. I own this place. I’m here every night but Sunday.”

Tammy opened the picture of Pierce on her phone. She wasn’t going to tell anyone why she had it, or the fact that she might have taken it a year ago when he wasn’t looking. “Was this man in here that night? It would have been sometime around midnight.”

“Let me see.” The man took the phone and looked at it for a moment before handing it back. “Yup. He was drunker than a fiddler on the roof, that one was.”

“Thank you. Did he leave here with anyone? Or catch a cab home?”

The bartender cocked his head and looked her over. He wasn’t going to answer. “I know who you are. You’re the pretty lady attorney for that boy standing trial for murder. I gotta say I’m surprised the police haven’t been snooping around.”

“Would you mind telling me what you remember about Mr. Davies?” Tammy asked with as much honey to her voice as she could muster.

“Sure. He drank two glasses of bourbon, complained about Greece, or something like that, and then tossed down a huge tip and then headed down the street toward the courthouse.”

“Thank you so much for your help!” Tammy jumped off the stool with a renewed energy. There were at least five bars between here and the courthouse, and she’d visit them all if it meant helping Pierce.

Tammy headed back down the street and skipped over some yuppie bars until she found another hole-in-the-wall place. She walked into the dark bar and had to wait for her eyes to adjust. A local country band was playing and the place was surprisingly full. Tammy made her way to the bar.

“Excuse me!” She waved to the bartender. When he arrived, she held out her phone with Pierce’s picture. “Was this man in here on Saturday night?”

“I don’t know. I wasn’t working then, but Zack was. He’s the server over there.” The bartender pointed to a man setting down drinks at one of the many standing tables.

“Thank you!” Tammy called out as she moved to intercept the waiter. “Excuse me!” Tammy waved as the waiter hurried toward the bar.

“Yes?”

“Do you remember this man here on Saturday night around midnight?” Tammy showed him the picture and held her breath.

“Yeah, I do. He was drunker than a hillbilly at a rooster fight. He was complaining about Greece invading our state and stealing our women.”

Tammy tried not to laugh, but she was starting to understand the Greek references. “Did he leave here in a cab?”

“Nope. Some people took him home. I was going to call a cab, but they told me they had it.”

“Do you remember what they looked like? Their names? Anything?” Tammy asked as she felt her excitement growing.

“Not really. Just remember one of them was a tall, stronger fellow. He ran into me as they were helping your friend outside. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get this drink order in.”

“Thank you so much for your time.” Tammy flashed him a smiled and hurried out of the dark bar. She couldn’t wait to tell Pierce what she had found.

Pierce tossed and turned in his bed as he tried to control the thoughts running through his head. They just wouldn’t stop. Images of Tammy dancing with her date at Miles's wedding flashed through his head along with memories of shooting bourbon and then waking up to Dr. Oldham’s body. No matter what he did, he couldn’t escape it. He couldn’t shut it off.

Deciding sleep was just not going to happen, Pierce rolled out of bed and tossed on a pair of athletic shorts. He schlepped down the stairs and was turning into the kitchen when he sensed something wasn’t right.

Pierce narrowed his eyes and scanned the dark kitchen but didn’t see anything. He was just jumping at shadows, surely a result from not sleeping since that horrible night.

Turning back around and heading for the living room, Pierce called out, “Gus, wanna watch some television? I’ll even try to find your favorite show…”

Before Pierce could finish his sentence, the shadow in front of him moved. Prongs shot out and connected to his chest. His muscles spasmed as he lost control of his legs and collapsed to the ground. Peirce groaned as he felt hands grabbing him under the arms and start dragging him across the floor.

He tried to kick out, but his legs wouldn’t respond. Panic welled as the dark figure hauled his unresponsive body onto a living room chair. Ropes tightened around him as he strained to see who was tying him up. The man was strong and of average height but completely covered in black. Pierce willed himself to struggle as the ropes tightened across his chest and dug into arms. The sounds of duct tape being ripped instilled a new level of fear as his feet were taped together and then his hands.

The man’s shadow appeared before his face again and for a split second Pierce saw the whites of his teeth in the darkness as the man smiled. “Goodbye, Mr. Davies.” The man’s voice triggered something in the back of Pierce’s mind. It was familiar somehow, but before he could remember, the taser was pressed to his bare chest once again and Pierce slowly faded into the night.

Tammy turned onto the small country road leading to Pierce’s farm and pressed on the gas. This late at night there wouldn’t be anyone on the roads. Her headlights outlined the black four-board fences as she passed pastures full of cows, horses, and crops that sparkled in the moonlight.

She'd have enjoyed the drive more if she weren’t so afraid of what Pierce would think when she turned up at his house. “I wonder if he sleeps naked?” Tammy asked herself with a grin.

Tammy cruised around the sweeping curve in the road and gasped as a pair of headlights came right at her. Slamming on her brakes and swerving off the road, Tammy managed to avoid the accident. She cursed as she caught a glimpse of a larger man driving and a smaller figure in the passage seat.

“Asshole!” Tammy yelled out her window at the rapidly disappearing car. She got out of her car and walked around it, making sure there was no damage before pulling out of the grass and back onto the road.

Tammy kept her window down and let the wind blow her short hair around her face. Before long the incident with the other driver was out of her mind. Much to her chagrin, she was completely wrapped up imagining knocking on the door to Pierce’s house. Pierce answered wearing nothing but a towel slung low around his hips, having just emerged from a shower. Okay, it was almost guaranteed he wouldn’t be taking a shower at two-thirty in the morning, but this was her fantasy and he was wet and naked in it.

He'd open the door and smile down at her. Pierce would run his hand slowly down her arm and take her hand into his, pulling her close. His wet body would dampen her shirt, exposing the fact that she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath it. With a wicked smile, Pierce would notice and flames would flicker… no, wait!   Flames really were flickering across the dark skyline.

Smoke danced in the moonlight as Tammy pressed hard on the gas pedal and dialed 9-1-1. She knew instantly where the fire had originated. She just hoped Pierce was burning brush and it wasn’t what she feared.

As Tammy drove closer, she knew her prayers weren’t answered. Smoke was pouring out of Pierce’s house. The back of the house where she remembered the kitchen to be was engulfed in flames.

Tammy leapt from her car and ran to the front door. As she opened the door, smoke assaulted her and pushed her back. She coughed to inhale fresh air. A figure drew her attention, though. Through the smoke she thought she saw Pierce sitting in a chair. Pulling up her shirt to cover her mouth, Tammy took a deep breath and rushed in, keeping as low as she could.

“Tammy?” Pierce coughed.

“Get up, hurry!” Tammy called as she rushed toward him.

“I can’t. I’m tied up. Get out. Save yourself.” Pierce yelled, his voice husky from the smoke.

“Aw, save Gus! Save Gus! That’s a good bird,” Gus squawked from the bottom of his cage.

Tammy hurried to the cage and opened the door. Gus jumped out and climbed up her arm. Reaching into her cowboy boot, she pulled out her knife. With a flip of the wrist, the sharp blade flicked out and Tammy set to work on the rope around Pierce’s bare chest. Apparently fate had a sense of humor as she thought of her dream to keep from panicking. 

“Where did you get a knife?” Pierce asked in amazement as she pulled off the rope.

“I’m a country girl. Doesn’t everyone carry one?” She asked as she slid the blade down the duct tape tied around his ankles.

The crackle of the fire drew Pierce’s attention away from her work. “Tammy, I don’t want to pressure you, but can you hurry?”

Tammy looked over her shoulder as the flames licked the hall wall. The front door was now engulfed in flames and they were running out of ways to get out. She sliced the tape and went to work on his wrists. In seconds she was able to free him.

Tammy backed away from the fire and looked around the living room. “Can we open the window?” Tammy asked as she rushed to the large plate glass window at the end of the house.

“You bet we can.” Pierce rolled Gus’s large metal cage across the room and with a shove, it fell into the window. The glass cracked and burst under the force of the cage’s impact. “Ladies first.”

Pierce held out his hand and Tammy took it. Gus’s nails clung to the tiny strap of her shirt and dug into her skin as she climbed on top of the cage and crawled out into the fresh air. In the distance she heard the old wood house crackle as Pierce climbed his way out of the living room. He jumped to the ground and pulled Gus’s cage through the window.

“Looks like this may be all I can save. It’s a good thing I hadn’t moved any of my good stuff into this house yet.” Pierce held out his hand and Gus jumped onto it as Pierce put him on his perch. “Tammy, you saved me. I don’t know how I can ever thank you.”

The house groaned suddenly and Pierce leaped on top of Tammy, forcing her to the ground. The house heaved and the windows exploded from the heat of the fire around them. Lights from the local Keeneston Volunteer Fire Department and the sheriff’s department reflected off the grass as they pulled to a stop on the dirt driveway.

Tammy sighed. After all these years of throwing herself at Pierce, he finally jumped her. And he was half-naked! She felt his bare legs against hers and his solid chest was pressed tight against her back as he cradled her head in his arms. Too bad Marshall’s booted feet came into view as cops and firefighters surrounded them.

“Pierce! Tammy! Are you okay?” Marshall asked as he skidded to a stop next to Tammy’s head and helped Pierce up.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Thanks to Tammy.” Pierce held out his hand and helped Tammy from the ground.

Annie rushed over with some water and towels. “Yes, thank goodness she was driving by, saw the smoke, and called 9-1-1. Here, to wash your face and drink.” Annie handed Tammy the water and towel.

“She didn’t just place the call. She saved my life!” Pierce told them as he poured a bottle of water on his face, the ash and soot running down his bare chest and sliding over his abs. Tammy stared and ran her tongue over her lower lip. Thank goodness her face was covered in soot or else everyone would see that she was flustered for a whole other reason than the fire.

Noodle and Emma Francis hurried over along with Dinky and Chrystal, Annie’s cousin. Apparently, the two couples were getting serious. Dr. Francis took in every inch of them as she stood there, trying to ascertain if they were injured. Chrystal was staying close to Dinky’s side as he alternated between pride at having her there and embarrassment because he arrived at Pierce’s farm wearing camouflaged pajamas and duck slippers.

Within minutes, the whole herd of Davies family members were there, along with Henry and Ahmed. As always, Henry was somehow dressed in a suit, even though it was now almost four in the morning. Marcy fussed over Pierce, Jake looked on worriedly, Paige hugged her brother tightly, and Katelyn checked on Gus.

“Why don’t you start at the beginning,” Marshall told him, stepping further away from the house as the fire hoses were turned on the burning structure.

Tammy cleaned up her face as she listened to how Pierce was attacked and tied to the chair before the house was set afire. She blushed as he told them how she had rescued him and then how they had escaped the flames as they started to come into the living room.

“Knife in the boot, nice!” Annie smiled as Tammy dried off her face.

“Yes, I am very proud of you, Tammy. You're a brave woman,” Ahmed told her as he took off his ever-present black suit coat and draped it over her shoulders.  A rush of pleasure heated her up more than the coat as Pierce looked jealously on.

“What I don’t understand is why this is happening to you?” Marcy cried as she kept a tight hold on her youngest son.

“I think I may know why,” Henry said as he pulled out a piece of paper from his brief case. “Mrs. Oldham and Aiden Fink just filed a lawsuit claiming rights to the invention you created with Dr. Oldham’s help. They are declaring that they are solely responsible for that patent and that you stole it.”

“Wait. They’re saying the Cropbot is theirs?” Pierce couldn’t believe it. How did they even know about it?

“Yes. They appear to have the evidence of it, too.” Henry told him as he handed the complaint to Pierce.

“That’s impossible. I never gave my notes to anyone. Not even Dr. Oldham. They are secure in a bank vault.”

“Is the Cropbot what we found in the shed back there during the drug sweep?” Marshall asked.

“You found it?”

“If it looks like R2D2 on steroids, then yes, we saw it,” Tammy told him.

Miles interrupted by holding up his hand. “I’m beginning to think you’ve been keeping secrets. What is this all about?”

“The Cropbot is an invention I created during my last year of the master’s program. I had been studying crop growth and soil composition when I discovered that I could grow more crops and bigger crops if the fields were better maintained. For example, in a small quarter-acre garden that could be tended in full everyday, the soil was better quality than a ten-acre plot that was only just watered after being planted."