Teresa Watson by Death Stalks the Law Page B

still miss him.
    But in the dark, the old barn didn’t look as inviting as it did when I was a teenager. It looked dark and menacing. The urge to turn and run became stronger, but I ignored it and kept going.
    I knew there was a side door on the backside of the barn, so I quietly made my way over to it. I tripped a couple of times over some rotting wood, and I really wished I had a flashlight. Pulling my phone out, I used the glow from the screen to pick my way to the door, hoping that Debra wasn’t around to see it.
    The side door was slightly ajar, which caused me to hesitate. I switched my phone to my right hand, which was a bit awkward to do because of the cast. I opened the door just a little bit, waiting for the inevitable squeak, and breathed a sigh of relief when it didn’t happen. Slipping inside, it took a few minutes for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. There were a couple of windows in the barn, but that didn’t help much since trees surrounded three sides of the barn, making it impossible for moonlight to get in.
    I heard movement to my left, which caused me to stop in my tracks. It sounded like scratching. Please don’t let it be mice, I silently prayed. I moved toward the sound, which became more frenzied the closer I got. Taking a chance, I touched my phone screen and held it out in front of me. I saw a pair of feet.
    Oh man, this was not good.
    I moved closer, the light shining on someone’s bound legs, then a torso, and finally T.J.’s bruised face. I pulled the gag out of his mouth. “Are you alright?”
    “Does it look like I’m alright? What are you doing here?”
    “I came out here to relive old memories. What do you think I’m doing here?”
    “You shouldn’t have come,” he said.
    “Ok, I’ll just leave you here then,” I said, standing up to leave.
    “No, wait. I’m sorry. You’re the last person I expected to see, all things considering.”
    “Yeah, well, I’m not about to leave you in the hands of a crazy woman, even if you are a jerk. Just give me a minute to get you out of these ropes.” It took a few minutes, but I finally got them undone. “Is anything broken?” I asked as he struggled to his feet.
    “My ribs are a bit sore, and my face hurts, but I think I’m ok. We need to get out of here before she comes back.”
    I felt something cold at the base of my skull, followed by a click.
    This definitely was not good.
     

 
    Chapter Twenty
    “Hello, Aunt Debra,” I said.
    “Lizzie, this is an unexpected surprise,” she said. “What are you doing here?” She kept the gun trained on us as she moved slightly to her right. Suddenly, the barn got a little brighter as she turned on a lamp.
    “Looking for him.”
    “I thought I told you he wasn’t someone you could trust.”
    “You did. I know who he is.”
    “And yet, you came out here anyway.” I nodded. “Such useless sentimentality,” she sighed.
    “I’m just an old softie, what can I say?”
    “Good thing I’m not,” she replied. She grabbed my left arm and pulled me back so I was standing beside her. “I still plan to kill you, Agent Roosevelt, but not in front of my niece.” She released my arm. “Get out of here, Lizzie. This doesn’t concern you.”
    “Yes, it does,” I said. “You’re doing this because they have been using me to find you.”
    “I’m doing this because their little manhunt is making it extremely difficult to move around and do my job.”
    “And what is your job, Aunt Debra?”
    “People hire me to take care of their little problems, and they pay me quite handsomely for it, too.”
    “So you’re a murderer.”
    “Oh my dear, I don’t always kill people. I have very good persuasive skills, and I make the most of them. Those I can’t persuade, well…” she shrugged.
    “You know killing him isn’t going to help your situation.”
    “I know.”
    “So why do it?”
    “It amuses me.”
    “Lady, you need a hobby,” T.J. said.
    “Do you really want to upset a