Page 134 of Fatal Witness

Rick went on like he hadn’t heard her. “As for Bobby, it was him or me, but I swear, I didn’t mean to kill Neva, even if she did start the whole thing.”

“What are you talking about?” Nonny said. “My Neva never stole anything in her life.”

“Maybe not, but if it hadn’t been for her, I wouldn’t be standing here with a gun today.”

“You’re crazy,” Nonny said.

“Am I?” Rick curled his lips in a sneer. “Your Neva came to me. ‘I’m so worried about my Bobby. Please, talk to him. He’s at the pool hall every afternoon,’” he mimicked in a falsetto. “You people always expected me to pull miracles out of a hat. Bobby didn’t want saving, I could’ve told you that.”

Rick fell silent and started pacing again. That frightened Dani more than when he was raving. “What happened then?” she asked.

He stopped and glared at her. “I couldn’t go to the pool hall like a normal man—the congregation wouldn’t have approved. My daddy would’ve had a stroke. But I could go if I was saving souls. Hallelujah!” He raised his hand toward the sky, then he laughed. “No one knew that I loved playing pool in that smoky room, that I felt normal there.”

Rick was so bitter and angry. Like a lit fuse—he could go off any minute. Mark, where are you?“I can understand that.”

“Don’t patronize me! Do you not hear me? I never had any choice. No, I had to go to the pool hall, not because I wanted to, but because it wasexpected.

“And there they all were. Toby. Bobby. Keith. They were all playing pool and having a good time. And I envied them. They were doing what they wanted to do. Then, as I kept going, I got to know them, and I really liked them.”

“How did you get involved in the burglary ring?” Dani kept her eye on Nonny, who seemed to be getting angrier by the minute.

“I wasn’tinvolved, I created it. You don’t really think one of those other three could’ve successfully robbed a jewelry store, do you? They couldn’t think their way out of a paper bag.”

Dani shook her head. “I still don’t get it.”

Rick gave an exasperated huff. “I always thought big, and when my cousin down in Florida called me about an investment opportunity that promised to pay 500 percent dividends, I needed buy-in money. A hundred thousand dollars to be exact, and my share of the diamonds would’ve given me that and more.”

“You ought to be ashamed of yourself,” her grandmother said.

“Shut up!” He grabbed Nonny and wrapped his arm around her waist, pointing his gun at her head. “I’m done talking. Get the diamonds or I’ll kill her.”

Dani took a calming breath. “I told you—not until you release my grandmother and she’s driving down the road.”

He hesitated, and Dani lifted her chin. “I just sent a text to Mark that you’re holding us prisoner. You’re wasting valuable time that you could be using to escape. Let her go, and I’ll show you where the diamonds are.”

He shook his head. “You know I can’t leave you here to identify me.”

“Mark knows who you are—it’s over, Rick, unless you let her go.”

“You’ll get the diamonds now, or I’ll kill her.”

66

The pilot set the chopper down in a clearing near a trail that came out at the Bennetts’. Mark grabbed his bolt-action rifle and jumped out of the helicopter.

If he stuck to the road, it would take longer to get to the house than cutting through on the trail. He figured every second was important. Mark cocked his ear, listening for sirens. Nothing. No telling how long before Alex and the other deputies would arrive.

He carried the rifle in his right hand and jogged through the woods, being careful not to trip on a root. At least it was mostly downhill. Mark heard voices before anyone came into view. When they did, his heart crashed.

Rick Adkins was holding a gun to Mae’s head. And Mark didn’t have a clear shot.

67

Dani folded her arms over her chest. “What’s more important to you? Killing us or escaping while you can? This place will be crawling with deputies soon. If you leave now, you can still get away.”

He stared at her, indecision on his face.

“But if you harm one hair on my grandmother’s head, those deputies will track you down, and I’ll be leading the way.” Time to play her ace and pray God would forgive her for any lies she might have to tell. “There’s more than diamonds in the bag.”

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