You Make My Heart Race Like
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A Train, A Train! “How could this be happening?” she wondered. The woman had been watching her the entire time and she was now leaning back against a large rock in the center of the road, arms folded across her chest, with one knee pulled up to her chest.
It gave her an odd angle as well as height advantage, which made it hard for her to see where the woman sat. She’d have to wait until she was closer to know who it was.
She was wearing a dress that looked like something from Victorian times. Black fabric covered most of the front and then flared at the hips. The neckline dipped lower than usual, exposing the swell of her breasts.
She wore black stockings that went up high on her legs, ending just below the tops of her thighs. On each wrist was a matching black bracelet. Her brown hair was done up in tight curls and cascaded down past her shoulders. She had dark circles under her eyes, which were bloodshot—probably due to lack of sleep or too much drink. But the woman was beautiful nonetheless.
“Are you okay?” she asked in concern when the woman didn’t move but continued staring at her.
The woman’s head slowly turned toward her. “I’m fine,” she said before turning away again.
That was all Melissa needed to hear to understand what was going through the woman’s mind. What would make anyone suspect murder? She had only killed two people in the past three years, both men who had murdered their wives.
The first man she had taken out after she found his wife strangled beside their bed. He’d tried to kill her, so naturally, he was dead. And she thought of the second as a mercy killing. His heart attack came soon after they met, so it wasn’t entirely self-defense.
Both cases were clear-cut. This one might not be. So why is this woman looking at me like I was a criminal? She knew there had been a recent rash of murders in Denver and Laramie, so maybe the woman thought that if she saw someone suspicious, she should call the police right away and avoid being accused of anything herself.
Melissa reached for her gun and slipped it into her pocket before getting off her horse. When the woman finally stood up, she realized that her feet were bare and wet. She had worn her boots in case it rained. Now she wished she hadn’t bothered since they were soaked.
It was cold out here tonight. Not quite as cold as New York, but colder than Chicago. It felt like early March to her, and winter wouldn’t last forever. In fact, spring was almost upon them and that meant more people traveling around the country.
“Did you want me to come with you?” Melissa asked, wondering about the woman’s reaction.
“No.” The woman answered with no further explanation. “But I don’t need you.” Then she started walking toward the house without even glancing behind her.
Melissa had never heard any ranch hands complain about having to work, and she wondered what was going on. Maybe she should get her horse and stay here until the morning. If the woman was in danger, she would feel more comfortable knowing there was an armed witness nearby. At least she hoped it was the woman who lived here.
When they reached the porch steps, the woman stopped abruptly as though surprised. She quickly glanced at the house but didn’t go inside. Instead, she stared straight ahead, still not saying a word. Her face seemed stiff, perhaps from the cold wind.
Melissa noticed how the woman’s cheeks were flushed and she had a light sheen of sweat on her forehead. That told her that the temperature must be dropping faster than she realized and she had already lost some heat.
“Is something wrong?” Melissa asked when the woman didn’t answer.
“Not really.” The woman finally turned to look at her. “I was just thinking I haven’t seen my husband for several weeks. He used to come here sometimes when he worked in Fort Collins, but lately he hasn’t been home. Is this your place?”
“Yes.”
“Then you’ll know what I mean. I just wanted to ask you if you’ve heard of anyone missing a wife.”
Melissa’s heart skipped a beat. Was this about her? Did the woman know about her connection to the murders? Had the man come home with news that another body had been found? Or maybe it was someone else who had disappeared.
Melissa couldn’t remember if she’d ever mentioned her name. But surely the woman would know about her by now, especially since she’d been working here for so long.
“I can’t imagine why anyone would think you might be guilty of murdering someone,” she said, trying to reassure herself. But even before she got the words out of her mouth, she realized it was a stupid thing for her to say. The truth was she wasn’t sure she wasn’t guilty. How could she be? The man would have left clues, but she had yet to find any.
The woman gave no indication of hearing her but kept her gaze focused on Melissa. “My husband has always been a good man,” she added in a tone that indicated she thought otherwise. “But I can tell that something isn’t right. I just don’t know what.”
“Well, I don’t know anything either,” Melissa admitted reluctantly.
“You don’t sound very convinced,” the woman commented.
“It’s nothing,” Melissa replied, then decided to change tactics. “Can I show you where we keep the horses while you wait for him to return?”
“Of course,” the woman agreed with relief evident in her voice.
Melissa guided the horse over to a stable, then helped the woman untack her horse and put it inside. While she did that, the woman went inside the house. The door opened and closed quickly. There was nothing unusual about her entering a house late at night, and Melissa knew she shouldn’t take offense. She also knew that she would be doing exactly the same if she lived in such an isolated area.
“Come along,” Melissa said, leading the woman back to the barn. She took the reins from the woman when they reached the entrance and handed her her own saddle.
“I’m ready.” The woman looked relieved that she had returned her horse safely.
Once the horse was inside, Melissa led the woman back outside. By then, a strong breeze had begun to blow. This was not like Colorado or Texas, where it could snow at any time of year. Here it only happened during the winter months, but once summer came, the weather would warm up.
It wouldn’t be pleasant for long walks on the plains, but Melissa knew that if it was hot in Arizona, it would be even hotter in Kansas and Nebraska.
When they got to the stable again, Melissa noticed the woman shivering. “Why don’t you come into the house and wait in front of the fireplace while I fix us some tea?”
“Thank you.” The woman followed Melissa as she entered the house, then stood in the living room while she made the tea. The woman’s breathing became deeper when they sat down on the sofa together. As Melissa sipped the drink, she noticed how her eyes continued to focus on Melissa’s face.
“What are you looking at?” Melissa asked when the woman showed no signs of taking a sip.
“I’m not sure.” The woman hesitated before continuing in an almost hesitant voice. “Have you ever killed anyone?”
That was certainly an odd question coming from a woman who had been married to a murderer. If anything, that would make the wife suspect enough to warrant suspicion. What was the woman thinking?
“No,” Melissa answered, wondering what other questions the woman planned to ask her. “In fact, I’ve never even hurt anyone, let alone murdered anyone.”
“Do you believe me?” The woman sounded more curious than suspicious. “And what do you think about all this killing business?”
“I don’t really know much about it,” Melissa admitted. “I’m here because I’ve lost my job and need to earn some money to survive until I get another one.”
“I see.”
“Doesn’t that answer your first question?” Melissa asked, feeling frustrated and unsure of herself.
“Yes,” the woman said, sounding surprised for some reason. “Did you know about this before you were hired to help Mr. Burdette?”
“I didn’t,” Melissa replied, wishing that she hadn’t been forced to lie so early in the conversation. She wondered if she should just admit to having known about all of this before accepting his offer. Then he might decide not to hire her.
But that would mean telling him too much about herself. And if there was going to be a murder investigation, she would want to cooperate fully with the authorities.
After a moment, she realized that was exactly what she’d done by lying now.
“I’m sorry I brought it up,” the woman said in a softer voice. “But I wanted to know if you knew about it before you accepted this job.”
“Yes, I knew about it,” Melissa admitted reluctantly.
The woman nodded. “I’ll have to consider hiring you,” she told Melissa in an encouraging voice. “There is something different about you, something mysterious that makes me wonder why you’re out here. That’s what we needed for this job.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
***
Melissa walked the horse outside to tie it beside her buggy. She glanced up at the house to see that the lights were still on in the windows. They must be talking. Maybe it meant nothing, but Melissa couldn’t help feeling concerned for the woman’s safety. After a minute, she started walking toward the house when the woman called out to her.
“Wait!” Melissa stopped and turned around. “What?”
The woman came outside wearing a white robe over her pajamas. “Would you mind staying with me tonight?”
“Sure,” Melissa agreed with relief. Now she didn’t have to worry about the woman’s safety.
“Good. You can sleep in the spare bedroom since you’ll be helping me during the day.”
“All right.” Melissa wasn’t thrilled about spending the night in this stranger’s home, but she knew that she had no choice. It was either stay with the woman or take a tent in which she could stretch out and sleep.
In a tent, she would have to keep watch over herself, so this arrangement would be best. At least she could rest assured that she wouldn’t have to worry about being attacked in the middle of the night.
As soon as Melissa got inside, the woman gave her instructions about how to care for her horses and where she kept her extra bedding, as well as how to make the guestroom comfortable.
“You can use the bathroom upstairs if you need to go,” Melissa heard the woman tell her after she closed the door behind them. “Then come back down and get ready for bed.”
When Melissa came out of the bathroom, she found the woman already in bed under the covers. A candle was burning in the bedroom.
“Are you sure I’m not bothering you?” Melissa asked, feeling awkward in this unfamiliar situation.
The woman didn’t look up. “Not at all,” she replied. “It’s nice having company here. We never see anyone else except each other.”
Melissa went into the closet and took a blanket from it along with another pillow and covered her sleeping companion with the sheet and blankets. She put away her clothes, then sat down on the edge of the bed to listen to the woman’s breathing for a few minutes before going to bed herself. She had to get up at six o’clock anyway, so it would only be a matter of time before she fell asleep.
But when Melissa tried to go to sleep, she felt like she was trying to push against a brick wall. Her mind raced with thoughts of murder. She remembered the last thing Mr. Burdette had said to her: “You won’t find anything, will you? Just remember that I’m innocent until proven guilty.”
Why would he say such a thing to her if he didn’t think that he had killed his wife, or did he?
She thought about that for a minute before drifting off to sleep. The next morning she woke to the sound of someone moving around in the kitchen.
“How long has it been?” Melissa asked, yawning. “I don’t usually sleep through the night.”
“You can call me Tanya,” the woman responded. “I’m getting my breakfast ready.”
“Tanya?”
“My name’s Tanya.”
“That’s a beautiful name.”
“Thank you. You’re awake. Good. You can get some coffee ready while I fix eggs.”
Melissa poured two cups of coffee from the pot in the kitchen and set it on the table. She waited for the kettle to boil, then added a few drops of coffee and water to make one cup. When she handed Tanya hers, she noticed that her hands looked pale and frail.
“Do you always work out here?” Melissa asked as she watched Tanya pour scrambled eggs onto a plate.
“I do now. But I worked in a bank back in Texas.”
“What happened?”
“I left because I didn’t feel like I was making a difference there.” She smiled as if she was proud of herself. “And I’ve done better out here than I ever did in banking.”
Melissa poured some coffee into a glass and carried it into the living room to have a seat. “So how come you need a detective?”
“Because I suspect my husband of murdering his wife.” Tanya paused, then added quietly, “I’m sorry to tell you this. He’s my husband, too.”
“Oh…”
“Yes, it seems like an awful coincidence, doesn’t it?”
“No, it’s just weird. Why would he kill his own wife?”
“He didn’t. His wife died of a heart attack.” Tanya shrugged. “Now we both need a detective to prove his innocence. Do you accept the job?”
“If you want me to work for you, then I guess I would.” Melissa thought for a minute. “I’m not sure what I’d charge you.”
“Whatever you think is fair.”
“Okay, let’s start with your fee. How much money are you willing to give me?”
“Ten dollars a day.”
“Ten dollars!” Melissa couldn’t believe it. That was less than half of what she charged most of her clients. “Is this enough to cover expenses?”
“Of course.”
Melissa hesitated a moment longer, weighing the decision in her mind. Then she said, “All right. I’ll take the case.”
***
After Melissa finished her breakfast, she returned to the guestroom and packed some belongings into an overnight bag before returning to the ranch house.
When she entered the kitchen, Tanya was already outside. She led her horse to the corral and then tied him up by the fence before taking the reins from Melissa.
“You should leave him with us,” Tanya told her. “He won’t have any trouble keeping up with the other horses.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your help.”
“You’re welcome.”
Melissa took some oats and water into the stall with him, then left the corral and walked to her room. After putting her things in the closet, she went upstairs and washed up before returning to the living room to check her messages on the phone.
There were three messages from her boss telling her that they had received another letter from the kidnapper who wanted her to meet him in Denver or face more attacks.
“Great, another letter.” Melissa sighed as she put down the receiver and picked up a magazine to read.
The next morning at breakfast Melissa was surprised to see Tanya again. “Are you here for good?” Melissa asked as she poured the coffee.
“I’m not leaving,” Tanya replied. “Mr. Burdette needs my help. We both need each other. What do you plan to do today?”
“Nothing,” Melissa said without hesitation. “I think I’ll take a walk.”
Tanya nodded. “Good luck.”
When Melissa left the ranch, she headed toward the woods on the far side of town. She knew that Mr. Burdette wouldn’t expect her to go to Colorado, but if she could talk to him alone, perhaps she might be able to figure out where he planned to hide his next victim.
It was still early when Melissa arrived at the spot in the forest behind the old church. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before walking through the trees until she came upon the gravesite. The grave markers were covered with a brush; only the stone angel standing guard over the cemetery gave any indication of its existence.
Melissa stood beside the grave and remembered her first visit there years ago. It seemed like so long ago. So very long ago…
As she reached up to clear away the debris, something caught her eye. She knelt and pulled the weeds aside to find a hand-drawn map. She glanced around quickly to be sure nobody was watching, then carefully opened it and unfolded it.
“Well, well,” she muttered. “Someone did their homework.”
“Who drew this?”
She looked up to see Tanya standing in front of her with an annoyed expression on her face. “Didn’t you hear me yell?”
“Sorry.”
“Can I look?”
Melissa handed it to her. “I don’t know anything about this. Maybe it will help you figure out where he’s planning to strike next.”
Tanya studied the map for a few moments, then turned back to her and pointed to a certain point. “That’s where he buried his last victim.”
“What? But the grave markers say she died of a heart attack.”
“This is a map made by the kidnapper himself. He must have used some kind of marker to show exactly where he buried her.”
“Then why hasn’t anyone found her body?”
“We’re missing the key piece of information,” Tanya mused. “Where are the bodies supposed to be located? Where is the map?”
“In my room downstairs.” Melissa paused a moment, thinking it over. “But I’m not going to tell you where it is unless you promise me you’ll stay out of my room.”
“Fair enough. Let’s head back to town and get started.”
When they got back to the ranch, Melissa led Tanya back to her guestroom. As soon as they entered, Melissa closed the door and locked it behind them.
“Why didn’t you mention this to me before?” Tanya asked. “We could have checked these gravesites sooner.”
“I thought we should wait until now because it would make sense for him to use landmarks that were familiar. Otherwise, someone might spot him coming and try to stop him.”
Tanya ran her fingers across the map. “If this was drawn by the kidnapper himself, he obviously knows how to hide a body.”
“That’s what worries me.”
“So, you don’t know where it is?”
Melissa shook her head. “Not yet. All I can tell you is that it was in the general area of one of the graves.”
“Let me see it.” Tanya took it and studied it carefully while Melissa watched. “I wonder if it could be anywhere around here?”
Melissa frowned. “You mean it could be somewhere else on the map?”
“Yes, or he could have drawn two places at once.” Tanya held up the paper. “Look here. This symbol could represent a place on this side of town. And the same symbol here could mean a second location.”
“Do you really think it could be possible?”
“He has already proven that he has an intimate knowledge of this town and its surrounding areas.” Tanya turned back to the map. “And I’ve noticed that he’s always near his victims’ houses when he leaves them alive.”
“That’s true. He must have a reason for that.”
“Or maybe he does have another woman hidden in someplace close by.” Tanya smiled. “Maybe it’s you!”
Melissa laughed, unable to keep from smiling herself. “I doubt it. He may be willing to leave me alone for a while, but I won’t take any chances. I’m going to stay in Colorado with Tom and Charlie. They don’t even know I’m in town. It’s best not to tell them just in case.”
“Good idea. What about the others? Are they all safe?”
Melissa hesitated. “They are all safe as far as I know.”
“How do you know that? You haven’t been home since yesterday morning.”
“Because I knew something big was happening here. I saw it myself.”
“What are you talking about? You saw the entire thing?”
“All of it.” Melissa stopped short. “Except for the part that happened inside my house.”
“You were there? How?”
“The whole thing started when I heard the gunshot and came running outside. The first thing I noticed was a man in black holding a gun toward me. Next I saw the man who fired the shot fall down dead. Then he shot again and felled the other man, too.” She shrugged. “At least I assume he’s dead.”
“That was you?”
“Me? No! That’s crazy.”
“I wouldn’t put anything past you anymore, especially after this last stunt.” Tanya folded the map and shoved it into her bag. “It was very clever. If I hadn’t seen you myself, I probably would have guessed it was one of your stunts.”
“My what?”
“Stunts!” Tanya grinned. “You know—the ones you set up so I wouldn’t suspect you.”
Melissa looked down at her feet. “I did set you up once before,” she admitted reluctantly. “But it wasn’t like this. It was an accident.”
“A what?” Tanya stared at her. “An accident? Like getting shot?”
“No! Nothing like that. I had no idea you’d ever come looking for me, and when you showed up on my doorstep… well, I thought it was a good opportunity for me to escape.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that then?”
Melissa sighed. “I suppose I was afraid you wouldn’t believe me. At the time, you weren’t sure if you were still a victim or not and you were having doubts. I figured that telling you that I wasn’t the kidnapper might make you change your mind and stay in Colorado.”
“So, instead of saying you were free and clear, you decided to make things up?”
“Yes, sort of.” Her voice sounded distant to her ears. “There were a lot of reasons why I wanted you to go away.”
“Like what?”
“I never liked the fact that you kept coming back to town and taking care of people for me.”
“Why?” Tanya’s eyebrows lifted in surprise.
“Because they didn’t need taking care of. They didn’t even know you existed!”
“That’s right.” Tanya reached for the map again and pulled out another sheet. “Here are more symbols from the map that could be anywhere on the map, and these here are all over the place, but none are near any of our homes.” She handed the map to Melissa. “This must be the one we’re looking for.”
“Yes!” Melissa exclaimed. “These three symbols represent a cemetery that used to be near my ranch before we moved everything closer to town. And here is the symbol where I found him standing next to a gravestone.”
we’re heading toward his third victim’s house.”
“Who?”
“The fourth victim. The man whose grave you dug up.”
“His name was William Johnson. His body was buried here in the graveyard that used to be near my ranch.”
“Where is he now?”
“I don’t know exactly.” Melissa shook her head. “But I can find out. I’ll start working on it as soon as I get home.”
Tanya frowned. “Don’t worry. We won’t leave town until we locate him.”
“We?”
“You and I and whoever else are willing to help.”
“How many others are there?”
“Only the men who have horses,” Tanya said, pulling out another map. “I’ve made arrangements to get two more of them here today with the rest of your supplies. So far, it looks like only five of us are staying in Colorado.”
“Five.” Melissa paused, thinking of all that she had left behind, including her friends. “What about Tom and Charlie?”
“They both decided to leave.”
“Why?”
“Tom told me he couldn’t stand watching you being tortured day in and day out.”
“I’m sorry,” Melissa said softly. “I tried to stop it.”
“You did.” Tanya nodded. “And I’m very grateful.” She hesitated. “Are you really going to marry him?”
Melissa shrugged. “Probably.”
“He isn’t a bad guy.” Tanya pointed to the map. “This marker means a bridge that crosses the river near his house and leads to the woods that run along the north side of the creek.”
“Do you think that’s where he is now?”
“I doubt it.” Tanya looked up at the sky. “If you see him, tell him to meet me at the hotel immediately. He needs to decide what he wants to do.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean he has to choose between his freedom or my friendship.” Tanya took Melissa’s hand. “You’re a very valuable asset to me, Melissa, and I don’t want to lose you.”
“Neither do I.” Melissa smiled. “But it would be nice to have a friend around.”
The End