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.Just as there is no excuse you can use to justify killing your own son.”“Simon was a good kid,” Lawrence admitted with a mild shrug.“He had a lot of potential, and a lot of spirit.But he had terrible taste in women.If he had simply listened to me, then he might have saved his own life.I warned him against Jane.When he refused to comply with breaking up with her, I started an affair with her, with the purpose of showing Simon just how foolish he was being.”“I bet you were very proud of yourself,” Vicky said quietly.“Did you know that Mike knew about your little fling with your future daughter-in-law?”“Mike knows?” Lawrence asked with surprise.“Well, that's one juicy tidbit that I didn't know about.Maybe your nosiness came in handy after all.I bet Mike wasn't too happy about it,” he chuckled.“No, I'm sure he wasn't.Mike always babied Simon.”“You mean raised him?” Vicky pointed out.“That's why he and Mike were arguing, because Mike knew about the affair and couldn't bring himself to tell the truth about who Jane was having an affair with.You know, I think the strangest part of this entire story is that your sons loved you, in spite of who you are.”“And Mike still does,” Lawrence pointed out.“And he always will as long as you never have the chance to tell the truth.”Vicky braced herself for what she knew would come next.She was certain that there was only one thing loud and strange enough to alert someone to her predicament.But getting her hands on it was going to be very difficult.Luckily she spotted something that Lawrence wasn't paying any attention to.It was a large metal rake, and it was leaning across a stack of old pots.The end of the handle was just close enough to Vicky that she could step on the end of it.She waited until Lawrence raised the gun again.Then she stepped hard on the handle, sending the metal rake up into the air.It smacked Lawrence hard in the elbow of the arm that was holding the gun.“Ouch,” he yelped and jerked his arm upward as Vicky had hoped he would.As his hand jerked upward the gun went off, very loudly.Lawrence got control of the gun and glared at Vicky.“Wrong move,” he growled at her and then pointed to a piece of landscaping wood.“Sit down,” he commanded her.“Your little stunt won't get you anywhere.No one is going to think much about one gunshot.They'll think it was a car backfiring, or someone playing with fireworks.No one is going to come looking for you,” he insisted as Vicky reluctantly sat down.“So, now you and I, we're going to wait here until it gets dark.Then I can shoot you and bury you, and be ready for my flight home tomorrow.”“I wouldn't count on it,” Vicky countered, her eyes narrowed as she met his gaze boldly.She wasn't going to allow him to frighten her, even though she couldn't stop her heart from racing.Chapter EightThe shot that rang out over the manicured grounds of the inn was not one that could be easily dismissed.Not when someone who lived in the inn had started her very own murder-mystery book club.As soon as Ida heard it, she gasped.She looked over at Wilbur whose eyes had widened.They had been inside the inn for about five minutes looking for Vicky after Lawrence had indicated that she needed to speak with them.But there was no sign of her, other than her purse and phone being behind the front desk.When Ida heard the shot ring out her stomach churned.She hoped that it had nothing to do with Vicky, but deep down she knew it did.As she started to walk towards the sound, her cell phone began to ring.She still had a hard time managing the thing, but now at least she could tell that it was Mitchell calling.“Ida, I'm so sorry if I disturbed you, I've been calling Vicky for the past fifteen minutes and she hasn't answered.I just wanted to make sure she was safe.”“Oh dear, Mitchell, I don't think she is,” Ida replied in a shaky voice.“I believe I just heard a gunshot.”“A gunshot?” Mitchell asked with surprise.“Ida, stay where you are, I'll be there in a few minutes.” Aunt Ida agreed but she had no intention of staying put.She knew that Vicky needed her help.“Wilbur, will you do me a favor?” she asked as she turned to look at the man who was quickly becoming a close friend.“Anything for you, Ida,” he replied with a soft smile.“Will you please wait here for Mitchell? I don't want him to be worried if he arrives and can't find us,” she explained.“Sure,” he nodded and then hesitated.“But Ida, make sure you don't get yourself into any kind of trouble.”“Oh honey,” Ida smiled as she kissed his cheek swiftly.“It's trouble that needs to look out for me.”As she walked out of the lobby towards the garden, she wondered where exactly the gunshot had come from.She had initially heard it inside the inn so it was hard to place.What wasn't hard to place was the garden shed being closed and locked.The new gardener was a bit of a slob, and not very good at remembering to lock up the shed.It certainly struck Ida as odd that it would be locked.As she stepped closer to it she could hear voices inside.She was relieved to hear Vicky’s voice but she could tell by the tone of it that she was in trouble.Ida looked for the key to the padlock, but it was nowhere to be found.“You'll never get away with this,” she heard Vicky growl from inside the shed.“That's where you're wrong,” Lawrence chuckled in response, and then growled his words.“I already have.” Aunt Ida was shocked to discover it was Lawrence Carter holding Vicky in the shed, but she didn't allow that revelation to distract her.She had to find a way to get Vicky out of that shed.Ida crept up to the side of the shed.There was a window that was closed on that side of the shed.She rose up on her toes and peered through it.She could see Vicky towards the back of the shed, and Lawrence towering over her.Then she noticed the gun in his hand.So, that was where the gunshot had come from.Aunt Ida shuddered at the idea of Vicky being held at gunpoint.Ida looked around for something she might be able to use as a weapon.She spotted a trowel laying on the ground beside the shed and for once was grateful for the gardener's disregard for cleaning up his tools.She picked up the trowel and then walked up to the window.It was just slightly higher than her line of sight.She reluctantly tipped over a clay flower pot that was filled with daffodils into a bucket that was filled with water.“Sorry for the drowning,” she said to the daffodils and then she climbed on top of the clay pot.Aunt Ida was high enough then to open the window slightly.She opened it just far enough that it wouldn't be noticed by those inside the shed.She didn't want to alert Lawrence to her presence and have him do something to hurt Vicky before she could protect her.She aimed the trowel carefully at the back of the man's head.Then, using all of her might she flung it towards the back of his head.Lawrence gasped in pain when the metal trowel struck his head.He reached up and knocked the cap off he was wearing.He grasped the back of his head and groaned in pain.Vicky moved quickly and snatched up a nearby shovel.She swung it hard against Lawrence's head.Lawrence cried out in pain again and stumbled backwards
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