Page 80 of Every Deadly Suspicion

“No, Everett, nobody is here.”

There was a minute of silence, then she heard locks being disengaged. Mechanical gears rumbled as the thick vault-like door eased open.

A bloodied Everett stepped out. It appeared as if he’d taken a bullet to the shoulder. He was wrapped in bloody bandages. He leaned against the door, eyes shrouded in pain.

“Chase is on a rampage. He’s got Braden.”

CHAPTER 42

“BRADEN?” HANNA’S ANIMOSITY,which had been building toward Everett, dissipated. Whatever Everett had done to her father, Braden was not part of it.

Everett nodded. He closed his eyes and started to fall. Jared caught him. As he pulled Everett aside, she saw more people in the panic room. Two men, one she recognized as the landscaper; the other was Timmons. He was also bleeding, holding a soaked rag to his head. Behind them were Everett’s cook and housekeeper. No Nathan.

“What happened?” Hanna asked.

Timmons answered. “Chase went crazy. Detective Sharp came to talk to him, and he just lost it. I’ve never seen him so mad, so crazed. Everett tried to calm him down, but he wouldn’t have it. He shot Everett and grabbed Braden.”

“What does he want with Braden?”

Pale, Timmons shook his head. He leaned against the wall.

“He ranted about so much, not really making sense. He’s paranoid. Maybe high. Grover went back topside to try and save Braden.”

“Grover is dead.”

“I figured.”

“Where’s Nathan?”

Timmons shook his head. “Last I saw him, he was walking down the path to Chase’s place. I don’t know what happened down there. When Chase came up from his space, it was chaos.”

“How long was Nathan with Chase?”

“Ten, fifteen minutes? Ma’am, we were running for our lives. Look around. Chase was shooting at everything. He’s convinced the Feds will kick down his door and drag him away. He says that a cripple will never last in prison. We backtracked to the panic room.”

What he said about Chase’s frenzy was true, Hanna saw as she surveyed the room. Bullet holes were everywhere.

She looked down at Jared. “How is Everett?”

“He needs a doctor. He’s lost a lot of blood.”

“How about you?” Hanna asked Timmons.

“I was just grazed. I’ll be fine.”

“Can you open the front gate from here? We have backup and medics coming. The gate is closed.”

“You’re here.”

“It was open for me. But it closed for them.”

Timmons eyes went wide. “Oh my, Chase has control. He locked them out. We should get back in the panic room. He can’t get in there.” Timmons started to usher the women back into the room.

Hanna grasped his arm. Something was missing from his story. “None of this makes any sense. If he’s afraid of the Feds, why did he kill Grover? Why try to kill all of you?”

Timmons jerked away. “He doesn’t want to go to jail. He’s not thinking straight. Drugs are probably part of it. Whatever Detective Sharp said to him, well, it set him off. Chase’s grasp of reality is gone.”

Jared stood and helped Everett to his feet. He was shaky but he stood on his own.

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