Mystery and Crime Fiction posted July 24, 2014

Chapters:

...28 29 -30- 31...

Exceptional

the shots are fired. the money is distributed.

A chapter in the book Bel Air: A Bard's Guide

Who Shot Who, Where's the Money?

by michaelcahill

Previously, Barry arrived at the farmhouse with Samson and reunited with Elsa. The Bard, Lucy and Tenaya arrived shortly thereafter and planned to stake out the farmhouse from the back and wait for sundown. Elsa planned to go ahead with the ransom demand and tie the children up and leave them there. She also entertained the idea of just shooting them. Barry did not care for that idea. We left the story as Elsa had the girls at gunpoint leading them out the back door. The story ends with the sound of three gunshots. We continue on now from that point.

~~~~~~~~the back porch of the farmhouse
 

As the backdoor of the farmhouse loomed ahead, Angela leaned forward and whispered into the young girls ears. They were huddled tightly together. "As soon as you are out that door, run."
 
Elsa whacked Angela on the back with her free hand. "Don't get any ideas. You can't out run a bullet, bitch. If your lucky, I'll tie you up in the tool shed. I haven't decided yet. Don't force my hand. I'm not that fond of you, if you haven't guessed."
 
"Yes, ma'am." I'm not about to let you tie me up or shoot me either. It's now or never… if it's the last… damn… thing I do…
 
The two girls hesitated at the bottom of the three stairs that led to the backyard. Angela had one foot on the first stair and Elsa had her free hand on the screen door, closing it. Angela spun back and grabbed Elsa's wrist and pushed up twisting it as hard as she could. Elsa's grip on the gun tightened and she squeezed the trigger. The sound of the shot sent the two girls running. From behind the tool shed, the Bard, Lucy and Tenaya came running with guns drawn. Both Elsa and Angela saw them at the same time.
 

 

Angela released Elsa's wrist and dove towards the ground. Elsa spun and fired a wild shot at the three detectives. All three fired simultaneously and hit Elsa who looked as though she had jumped backwards into the air. It sounded like one shot. Angela leapt to her feet and turned towards Elsa who still had the gun in her hand. Angela stepped on her wrist as she tried to lift it and fire at Angela. The Bard grabbed the gun out of her hand while Lucy and Tenaya kept their guns trained on her.
 
Elsa looked at Angela and whispered with a hoarse, raspy voice, "Bitch."
 
Angela sneered, "If it's the last thing I do."
 
Lucy holstered her gun and put her arms around Angela. "You're safe now. Where's Barry?"
 
Angela pointed inside. The Bard set off inside the house with his gun drawn. As he pulled back the screen door, several shots sounded from the front of the property. Seconds later the sound of wheels spinning and a car gunning down the road painted a picture to them of Barry on the run.
 
Tenaya was already on her phone, "A bus to… The Sutton Farm… that's the best I can do. Send child protective, we've got two kids here as well. I don't know. No. I haven't interviewed them. Just send them. Send the coroner. I don't think she's gonna make it. Get roadblocks set. Single male driving a blue Camry or a red Nissan Altima or maybe even a Dodge Caravan."
 
As she spoke, the Bard came rushing in. "He's in the Altima. Shot out the Camry… heard shots by the road… we're stuck. Girls in the living room playing Russian roulette… no… that's a movie. Their watching the weather channel… all lies. It's time they got a dose of reality."
 

 

Tenaya nodded her head as though she'd just received a straightforward factual report. As far as she was concerned, she had. "Okay. Listen. He's disabled our vehicles. We're unable to pursue. Armed, yes. Find your sergeant and he'll fill you in. Winston's compound. Gotta stop him. We think there are children held hostage there. Don't make a move without us. Yes. Okay. Hurry. We need to get moving."
 

~~~~~~~~~Elsa's car with Barry in it
 
 
"Okay, the time is now. Drop the money and your little girl will be released. I'm not contacting you again until I have the money. When I have it, I'll tell you where to pick it up. No. No. No games. Drop it off now or she's dead."
 

~~~~~~~Junior in a Kia rental car
 

 

 

"Hello. But… but… Okay. No, don't hurt her. Okay, I'm on my way. Don't hurt her. Okay. Okay. I'm on my way." Junior put his phone on the seat and rushed to the little church that was five minutes from the motel where he was staying. The others were twenty minutes away at a Holiday Inn waiting for his call. Can't mess this up. He's watching… I can feel the eyes. Probably can hear me too. Can't talk to anyone. Drop the money… get my girl back. Nothing else matters. Damn. The phone's ringing. It's Dad. It could be news... No. They're listening. I can feel it. He'll say the wrong thing. He's always trying to control me. This is my show. Solo! Let it ring. Can't mess this up. Let it ring. Shut up! I have to do this. Leave me alone for once. Shut up, Dad. They're listening. I've got this. It's my show!

 

~~~~~~~The Holiday Inn, Elksburg, Utah

 

Harpster grabbed his phone off the nightstand. "Shh. It's Lucy. Oh God! Oh, thank God." he held the phone to his side, "They have Angela. She's all right. A loud sigh went through the room. He put the phone back to his ear. "Can I talk…? Oh? I see. Well, no. The money's with Junior. Alone. We didn't want. Let me call you back. I've got to call him now. Yes. Right back. I love her, tell her. Yes."
 
Ruby was on the house phone, "Well, anything that looks like champagne then. Cold Duck? Hell yes! I ain't been rich all that long."
 
Harpster waved at everyone to hush down, "Damn it son, answer your phone. He's not answering. Damn it. Answering machine… Son! The have Angela! She's safe. Come to the Inn. She's all right. It's over. Oh, and bring the money. Hurry son. We're sparing no expense. Cold Duck. She's okay, son. Life can begin again.

 
~~~~~~~~The Elksburg Mormon Church

 

The Church looked rather fancy for what surrounded it here in Elksburg. Junior didn't take much time to ponder that. He went inside the open front doors and came upon the pews immediately. He entered the first pew on his right and placed the bag containing twenty-two million dollars, turned and left the building. He paused briefly outside and looked around. He saw nothing. He returned to the motel.
 
Barry had parked behind the church and was waiting behind the preacher's pulpit. When Junior left he rushed up, grabbed the bag, ran out the back door, got in his car and left.
 

~~~~~~~~Elsa's car with Barry in it
 

Oh my. That was just toooo easy. After all the hassle and drama. Twenty-two million? No problem. Here ya go sir. Have a nice day. Your daughter? Who knows? Somebody shot somebody… not a violent man… nope… a business man… I deal in cash.



~~~~~~~Junior's motel room
 

"Dad? Okay. It's done. What? That fast? Thank God. Oh, thank God! I can't believe they got her that fast. I just dropped the money off five minutes ago. Dad? What? I can't understand you. Dad? Ruby? What is he saying? I don't… What? Well, no one… how was I... oh crap."