Race with Death (Danielle Ross Mystery Book #6)

Gilbert Morris

Description

When an inmate on death row requests a visit from Dani Ross, she reluctantly agrees to meet with him. As she listens to his story, Dani's well-tuned detective skills tell her that Eddie Prejean is being framed

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 01 novembre 1994
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781441239938
• Langue: English

Extrait

© 1994 by Gilbert Morris

Published by Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287 www.revellbooks.com

Ebook edition created 2013

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-4412-3993-8

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
To Paul Root, who hasn’t read a book since he read Black Beauty in the ninth grade—and who will not read this one. However, it’s good to have one friend whose mind is not messed up with literature, and who can still think straight. The good old days when Sam and Jesse rode the range are never far out of my mind, Paul. And you have proven that friendship is not based on time and geography!
Contents


Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication

1. Birthday Surprise
2. Trip to Angola
3. A Visit to Baton Rouge
4. Old Flame
5. Sunny Sloan
6. Cabin in the Bayou
7. “The World’s What It Is!”
8. Under Lock and Key
9. Sisterly Advice
10. Witness on Death Row
11. An Unexpected Treasure
12. Two Tough Men
13. Annie’s Place
14. No Exit
15. Savage Hits a Blank Wall
16. A Message for Ben Savage
17. Escape!
18. “I’ll Never Let You Go!”
19. A Slight Case of Burglary
20. The Trap
21. From This Day Forward

Books by Gilbert Morris
Back Cover
1
Birthday Surprise


D ani Ross stood in her bedroom staring at the dresses and pantsuits she’d laid out across her bed and draped over the chairs. A perplexed expression scored her face, and she finally selected one, muttering aloud, “Trying to dress for a date with Ben Savage is impossible!” Moving quickly she replaced the garments, slipped into an ivory crepe pantsuit, then stared at herself in the full-length mirror on the wall.
She’d bought the outfit on sale at Dillard’s almost a year before but had never worn it, and even now she wasn’t sure about her choice. The reflection revealed a tall young woman with a figure too full to qualify for a fashion model. Nor was the face right for that profession. The jaw was too solid, the mouth too wide, and a small mole adorned the right cheek. She studied the outfit carefully—the high-waisted pants with inverted front pleats and the long jacket with mock flap pockets and pearlized buttons. Finally she shrugged, grabbed a small clutch of golden fabric, and left the room.
Reddish bars of afternoon sunlight fell through the high windows as she descended the stairs and turned to go to the kitchen. The house was very old, with heart-pine floors and high ceilings, and the gleam of fine antique furniture gave a mellow cast to the rooms she passed through to get to the kitchen. The old grandfather clock boomed out the first of six round notes as she passed, and as she glanced at it, she thought of the time she and her father had removed the old finish and had given the rosewood case a dull sheen that seemed inches deep.
Pausing by the clock, she slowly reached out and rubbed the burnished wood, the memory of her father sweeping over her—as he had been on that day. She could see his thin, aristocratic face and the smile on his lips as he’d said, “Dani, this old clock’s already done two hundred years—and it’ll do two hundred more. Better than either of us, eh?”
The case vibrated under her touch, and the recollection brought a sudden stab of grief so powerful that she was forced to swallow quickly, wheel around, and hurry down the hall, keeping her lips in a tight line. It had been that way since her father’s funeral—not just for her, but for the whole family. No matter how noisy the house became, there was an empty silence in it now that Dan Ross was not there.
Dani pushed through the door to the kitchen, and seeing her mother sitting at the table peeling shrimp, resolutely ignored the grief that had risen inside, and said, “Well, will this outfit do?” She wheeled to give the full effect, then laughed shortly, “Who knows what to wear on a date with Ben? He may decide to go to the stock car races over at Erwinville!”
“Well, it’s his birthday, Dani, so I guess you’ll have to humor him.”
Ellen Ann Ross was one of those tall Texas beauties with ash-blonde hair and deep blue eyes. At the age of forty-six, she looked ten years younger—or had before the death of her husband. Physically she was changed only by the loss of a few pounds, but Dani noted the lines that had not been there before his death around her eyes and lips. Dani had not seen her mother weep after the funeral, but suspected that she did so at night lying alone in the darkness.
Dani reached over and picked up a shrimp, saying quickly, “Oh, I suppose so.” She peeled the shrimp, tossing first the shell into the stack beside her mother and then the pink plump body into the bowl. “I didn’t tell him about the surprise party awaiting when we return. I’ll see to it that we get here early—” She lifted her head, paused, then asked, “What’s that? ”
“Sounds like an airplane landing in the driveway,” Ellen said. She got up, leaned to look out the window, then turned with a smile on her lips. “It’s Ben. Come on, let’s see what he’s driving.”
The two women left the kitchen, and Dani’s eyes opened wide at the automobile that Ben Savage was getting out of. “What is that?” she called out as they approached.
Savage stopped, put his hand reverently on the hood of the bright blue car, and nodded. “You don’t know what this is? What do they teach children in school these days?”
Savage was a compact man of no more than average height, but there was a roundness to his body and a practiced ease to every movement. He had a squarish face with deep-set hazel eyes under a shelf of bone. His nose was short and had been broken, and his mouth was a wide gash with a thin upper lip. There was a trace of his Slavic ancestry in his coarse black hair and heavy black brows, as well as in his coloring. A scar on his forehead ran down into his left eyebrow, which he touched when he was upset or angry.
“It’s beautiful, Ben!” Ellen walked around the car admiringly. “It’s a Studebaker, isn’t it?”
Savage moved away from the car, put his arm around Ellen, and hugged her. “Glad to see there is some taste and culture in this family,” he grinned. “Too bad it didn’t rub off on your daughter.”
Dani saw the pleasure in her mother’s eyes, but sniffed impatiently. “It was probably made before I was born. But at least it looks better than that old wreck you’ve been driving.”
“Yep, it was made before you were born,” Savage nodded. “One year before.” He held on to Ellen with one arm, and made a sweeping motion with his free hand. “You are looking at a 1963 Gran Turismo Studebaker Hawk!”
The car was a sleek sports model with a sloping hood and rear deck. The grill was squarish with a red, white, and blue emblem. There was a grace about it that Dani found pleasing. “Where’d you get it, Ben?”
“From under a live oak,” Savage answered. “It was in pretty bad shape, so I got it cheap from the farmer who owned it. It had belonged to his old man, he said, so the mileage is accurate.”
As he spoke, Allison Ross came running out of the house, her long blonde hair flying. “Ben!” she cried out, and Savage dropped his hold on Ellen to grab the girl and squeeze her. “Where did you get that gorgeous car?”
“A birthday present, doll,” Savage grinned. He set her down, then added, “What say I dump your dowdy sister and the two of us go out on the town? I’m tired of older women anyhow.”
“All right! ” Allison cried. She held on to Savage possessively, and stuck her tongue out at Dani, saying, “Go find yourself another man!”
“Nothing doing!” Dani shook her head firmly. “I’m all dressed up and I’m going to be fed.”
Savage gave Allison a squeeze, then released her. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out an envelope and gave it to Allison. “Happy birthday,” he said.
Allison took the envelope, protesting, “It’s your birthday, not mine.” She took out two small rectangular cards, and cried out with joy, “Oh, Ben!” She beamed at the others, exclaiming, “Tickets for the Chinese gymnastic team’s exhibition next Wednesday in Baton Rouge!”
“Just the two of us, doll,” Savage grinned. “Well, are you ready, Boss?”
“Where are you taking her, Ben?” Ellen asked.
“Thought we might get a quarter-pounder at McDonald’s.”
“No, you’re too dressed up for that,” Dani shook her head. She eyed his charcoal slacks, maroon tie, and burgundy wingtips with surprise. He usually wore clothes that looked as though he’d picked them up at a yard sale.
Savage noted her glance, and shrugged. “First sign of depravity, wearing natty attire. Well, let’s go truckin’!” He held open the door, closed it when Dani seated herself, then climbed in behind the wheel. When he turned the key the engine roared into life, and he yelled, “See you!” as he sent the car rocketing out of the driveway.
Dani looked around at the interior gleaming in off-white leather, and commented, “No duct tape like on all your other cars.”
Savage turned the wheel sharply, lifting the car slightly as he glided onto the highway, then stepped on the gas. Dani was pressed back against the seat and waited until the roar of the engine modified before she was able to say, “Why is it so loud!? ”
“Got glass packed mufflers,” he nodded. A happy grin was on his lips, and he added, “It’s got a 289 cubic inch V-8 engine—feel that power?”
The windows were all rolled down, and since it was a hard-top, the effect was almost like riding in a convertible. He leaned over, turned a dial, and the radio blasted out Hank Williams singing a somebody-done-me-wrong song.
“Hear that quality?” Savage shouted. “Not bad, huh?”
“Really cool, Ben,” Dani shouted bac