Page 55 of Crossing Lines

Sam thought about the newspaper picture of Charles, Robert, and Robert’s dad at this very camp. It coincided with the time of the murders of the five girls. The murders that Thorne was now awaiting trial on. He’d thought the fact that Robert had been here and well then pointed to his guilt, but Charles had been here too.

Thorne had always denied the golf shoes were his, but if Bascomb was the killer, why would he try to get the murder charges against Thorne dropped? Wouldn’t it be better for him if Thorne was convicted of those murders?

Had it just been a clever ruse to make sure those golf shoes provided solid evidence against Thorne so he would stop trying to dispute that they were his? Bascomb was part of the family and the only one with access to the shoes. He’d taken them to the forensics lab, signing them out himself as part of the chain of custody.

But what about the email to Menda? It came from the Black Cat café, and Robert enjoyed their pastries. It wasn’t far from his house. Even if he wasn’t one hundred percent well, he might have risked a little trip there.

“Robert, you said you haven’t been out of the house. Is that really true?” Sam asked.

“Yes, my medicine had me messed up. But the dosage is finally calibrated, and today, I remembered so much more. When I saw the cabin feeds turned off, I had to come.”

“Not even a trip to the bakery for your favorite cream horns?”

Robert frowned. “Huh? No. Beryl brings them, and Uncle Charlie brought me some too.”

Charlie Bascomb waved his gun, apparently agitated that things weren’t going his way faster. “You’re crazy, Mason. What do cream horns have to do with anything?”

“We found a receipt at the Black Cat Café for cream horns at the same time that someone sent an email to James Menda with code about their intentions to choose another victim.”

Bascomb was still for a second. Sam waited, his heartbeat slowing. Bascomb’s reaction to the cream horns had told him everything he needed to know.

Bascomb exploded into action. He swiveled his gun towards Sam.

“You won’t take me. I have it all planned. I’ll tell them Robert killed you!” He jerked to the right. The gun went off—aimed not at Sam but at Jo!

The bullet hit her in the chest, the impact knocking her to the ground.

Sam should have shot at Bascomb right away to take him out of commission. That was what his training had taught him. Jo was wearing a bulletproof vest—she would be okay. But his concern for Jo overrode his training, and he wavered, his attention focused on her. Was she moving?

In that split second, Bascomb aimed again.

Lucy was more clearheaded than Sam. She’d been trained to take out the shooter as well as protect those he aimed at. Bascomb was too far away. Robert was closer, and when Bascomb aimed the gun at him, Lucy leapt to the rescue.

A shot rang out as Robert and Lucy went down.

Sam jerked around, ready to take Bascomb down, but he was already falling, blood spurting from his knee.

Sam turned toward Jo. She was halfway risen, her gun still pointed at Bascomb.

She smiled and looked up at Sam. “Got him.”

Sam rushed over to Vicky and felt for a pulse. “She’s alive!”

Jo struggled to a sitting position and was already calling for an ambulance.

Sam checked Bascomb, who was holding his knee and rolling around in pain. “Better make it two.” He turned to Jo. “What about you?”

“I’m fine.” She grimaced as she stood, looking down at her vest. “These things really do work.”

Sam glanced at Robert. He was sitting up, stroking Lucy’s fur. She lay on the ground, tail wagging, one paw bent at an unusual angle.

Robert looked over at Sam, concern etched on his face. “Can you get an ambulance for dogs? I think she’s hurt.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

The ambulances arrived at the same time as Wyatt. Sam hadn’t been able to wake Vicky, but her pulse was steady. Jo insisted the EMTs look at Vicky and Lucy before herself.

According to the EMT, Lucy’s injury wasn’t life-threatening, but it was a nasty break that would need attention right away. Sam left Wyatt in charge, instructed Jo to get checked out by the medics, and drove Lucy to the vet.

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