“Heather, it’s me. It’s Reese.” All Reese could think was that Heather was traumatized and had no idea who was in the dark with her.

The knife jabbed further into the fabric of the fleece jacket pushing into Reese’s flesh.

“I know who it is, Reese,” Heather said in a sarcastic tone.

“Then let’s call the police and have Gregory arrested.”

“Are you really that dumb?” She shoved Reese so she was flushed to the door. The girls were still staring at her wide-eyed, obviously frightened.

“Did you do that to your girls, Heather? Let’s untie them. I’ll help you.” Reese was racking her brain trying to make sense of the situation before her. “I know you’re scared. I can help you.”

The knife pressed harder into Reese’s skin. Another jab and it would draw blood. It was perilously close to her spinal cord. She resisted the urge to squirm, to maneuver the weapon toward muscle. She wasn’t sure of Heather’s state of mind but she had to assume, even if she was having a breakdown, she was dangerous.

Heather blessedly removed the knife. Reese started to turn and face her, but Heather slammed her toward the door, and aimed the gun into Reese’s shoulder, forcing her to go through the swing doors. As Reese stumbled into the dining area at Heather’s pushing, Heather said, “Just do as I say.”

Once in the room, Reese heard the girls’ whines and cries muffled by the duct tape over their mouths. Reese whipped around to face Heather. Heather didn’t flinch, only dug the gun into Reese’s chest, just above her heart.

“What is going on, Heather?” Reese asked genuinely startled by the new developments. She had come prepared to rescue Heather and the girls, but Heather was acting like a nutcase.

“Tying up loose ends,” Heather answered casually as if there wasn’t a gun between her and her childhood best friend.

“What loose ends? You need to let your girls go.”

“I will, but not until I’m ready.”

“If you’re worried I am going to tell the police you killed Gregory, think again. As far as I’m concerned, it was self-defense and good for you.”

“Always putting your nose where it doesn’t belong.” Heather waved the gun to one of the chairs encircling a parlor table. “Go get a chair. And no funny business. Bring it back here.”

“Heather, I don’t understand what you are doing.”

“You don’t need to understand. Just get the damn chair.”

“You don’t need to do this.”

“Will you just shut up for once in your life?”

Reese glanced behind her at the chair. She figured Heather planned to tie her up, same as the girls. But why tie the girls up? None of this was making sense. She reluctantly  made her way to the chair. She looked back at Heather questioningly.

“Now bring it over here,” Heather said like a teacher instructing a hard-headed student.

Reese did as she was told. She started to sit, but Heather shook her head. “It's not for you, Reese.”

Heather took a few steps away from Reese and pointed the gun more squarely at her head. The swinging door opened and Gregory sauntered into the dining area, not dead, not even injured.

“Good job, babe,” Gregory said to Heather. “Nice. You got her gun. Better than the knife.” He sidestepped to Heather who willingly handed off the gun to him. He kept it aimed at Reese.

Heather walked toward the chair, careful not to get too close to Reese. She sat down and tucked her hands under her thighs. Reese watched her movements and was completely baffled by Heather's girl-like behavior. She looked from Heather to Gregory who was grinning at Reese's confusion.

“What's the matter, Reese? Did you have the wrong guy?” The grin on Gregory’s face made Reese’s skin crawl.

“I don't understand what's going on here,” Reese answered, determined to let her fear show, but her heart was racing. Not so much because of the gun pointed at her head, but because of the overwhelming sense of betrayal she felt.

“It's like I said, I'm tying up loose ends,” Heather said.

“Now be a good girl and tie Heather up,” Gregory commanded.

“Why would I do that?" Reese said in one breath as she looked from Heather to Gregory and back to Heather.

“Oh for God sakes, Reese, just do as he says," Heather said.

"I don't want to tie you up." Reese was stalling. She needed a plan to get the gun away from Gregory. But he keenly kept his distance from her, probably to avoid any tackling moves she might have.

"The tape is over there on the counter," Heather said way too cheerfully.

Reese looked over to Addie and Lucy. They were both frantically watching every move happening in the room. She attempted to offer them a reassuring smile and then she reluctantly walked to the counter to snag the roll of duct tape. She walked back to Heather and said, "Why am I doing this?"

"Start with my ankles," Heather said as she plucked her hands from under her thighs. She swished her body so her ankles were against the legs of the chair. Reese squatted down in front of Heather with the roll of tape around her wrist. With her back to Gregory, she gave Heather a pleading look.

Heather’s expression became grave, but only for a second and then in a too-perky voice she said, "Oh, don't worry Reese. I know what I'm doing. Now make it look like the real deal."

"Did you kill Luke?" Reese asked as she yanked and tore a long piece of duct tape from the roll. She wrapped it around one of Heather's ankles to the chair.

"Why would I kill Luke? I loved him."

"Now honey, that's all ancient history," Gregory said from behind Reese.

The flinch on Heather’s face didn’t go unnoticed. Was Gregory making Heather do this? Did he threaten her girls if she didn’t cooperate? She wanted to give Heather a knowing wink to assure her that she understood, but honestly she wasn’t sure if Heather was a willing participant or was being forced. Reese glanced over her shoulder and said to Gregory, "Did you kill Luke?"

"Does it really matter anymore? He's been dead for decades. Are you really still looking for his killer?"

At that moment Reese realized without a doubt that Luke's murderer was before her and had befriended her all those long years ago. Why?

"Why did you tell Wayne that your father had raped and molested me and Heather?"

"That no good son of a bitch father of mine raped Heather."

"But he never laid a hand on me. So why did you tell Wayne that he had?"

Heather kicked her free foot, tapping Reese on her knee. Reese turned back to Heather and then tore another piece of duct tape. She bound Heather's other leg to the chair. She stood and turned toward Gregory. From the corner for eye she saw movement at the kitchen porthole window. She knew it couldn't be her mother because she was certainly dead. She looked away quickly hoping Gregory didn't notice.

Gregory let the gun slip a hair like it was too heavy to hold in position any longer. "Your father had already gone to Wayne to find out what he knew. I figured Wayne would have no qualms relaying the message. Your dad already suspected my father killed Luke, so now if he thought he was hurting you, well I guess that was all the fuel he needed to off the old man. Did you know he went to our house with the intention of killing my dad? But he found him dead already. I never thought Wayne would be the one to do it.” Gregory paused and looked away like he was remembering something. “He was my only brother and our father wanted nothing to do with me. Didn’t want me knowing my own brother. Can you believe that? And then when I found out he was hurting Heather…” Gregory’s face contorted into one of utter disgust. “I’m glad Wayne killed him. But then they had to go and find his body. Now all kinds of questions are flying around.” He sighed and then re-aimed the gun in a steady hand. “And we can’t have that, now can we?”

"That still doesn't tell me who killed Luke," Reese said in a bored voice, hoping to piss him off enough to unsettle him a bit.

"Why, you did, Reese," Gregory whooped, spouting out a crazy laugh.

Reese walked around behind Heather and ripped off a piece of tape. She wrenched one of Heather's arms and secured it to the back of the chair.

"Not so hard," Heather yelled.

Gregory took a step closer to Reese. "We’re not playing games here, Reese."

"No, you're just trying to frame me for my brother’s murder." She ripped another piece of tape and pulled Heather's other arm behind her strapping it to the chair. "And what? Now you're going to make it look like I killed Heather?"

Heather let out an involuntary whimper before Reese slapped a piece of tape of her mouth.

"Drop the tape to the floor," Gregory said.

Reese glared at Gregory, knowing she would do as she was told but felt every cell of her body gearing up to fight for her life. There was a reason she was left standing with Gregory holding the gun. He had no intentions of letting her leave there alive. He was a cold, calculating prick who had conned her for years, always keeping her close enough to reel her in if the need ever arose.

"I thought we were friends," Reese said beseechingly as she acted like she was going to toss the roll of tape onto the floor. Instead she hurled the tape at Gregory's head and ducked at the waist just in case he fired the gun. The tape hit him square in the forehead throwing him off balance long enough for her to leap in his direction reaching out to grab the weapon. But it was a good thing that Paul flew through the swinging door, knocking Gregory to his back because Reese’s fingers only grazed the barrel of the gun.

The commotion was made louder by Heather's hysterical screaming through her taped mouth and her hopping in the chair making it screech every time it hit the tiled floor.

Paul landed on Gregory’s chest and pinned him flat to the floor stretching his arm in an attempt to reach the gun. Gregory kept his hand waving to avoid being restrained. Reese pushed herself onto all fours and crawled over to the two wrestling men.

"Be careful, Reese," Paul panted as he continued to struggle keeping Gregory under control.

"What are you doing here?" Reese asked as she tried to catch her breath.

"Saving your ass," Paul garbled as his face was squashed against Gregory’s chest.

"How did you know where to find me?" Reese said as she pounced onto Gregory's arm. Before she could secure it, Gregory thrust the gun wielding hand, knocking Reese in the temple with the solid metal. She groaned, clasped at her head, and rolled over in a curled position. The Albreck men, dead and alive, had a thing for walloping her across her head.

"Dammit Gregory, what the fuck!" Reese said through gritted teeth. Using the heel of her palm she rubbed out the annoying ache and sat up on her knees just as Heather still strapped to her chair flew forward barely missing Reese’s shoulder. The metal chair clanged against the floor and her head struck Gregory's hip. Through the cluster of intertwined bodies Reese saw the gun rise into the air. All she could think was that Gregory was aiming for Paul to get him off his chest as she careened across Heather, landing on Gregory's face and pinning the gun directly under her breastbone. She heard the gunfire before she felt the heat searing through her body.

"No!" Paul screamed as he rose to his knees and curled his knuckles into a fist slamming it into Gregory's jaw. Gregory went limp and Paul yanked Heather and the chair out from under Reese’s body paying no mind to Heather's well-being. He then rolled Reese onto her back and looked at the gushing wound.

"Get the gun," Reese said hoarsely. She didn't think Paul would move. He couldn’t stop looking from her eyes to her injury. "Get the gun," she repeated.

Paul moved into action grabbing the gun from the unconscious Gregory’s hand. He tucked it into the back of his pants and then leaned over Reese pressing his crossed hands over the bullet hole.

She looked up into his wet eyes and said, "Did Luke send you here to find me?" She saw a flash of pain cross his face. "You didn't find him did you?"

Paul didn't answer her but his expression said everything. Luke was lost. Maybe she was supposed to go find him. It felt like the earth was slipping away from underneath her. Maybe it was her time to go.

"Don't you die, Reese," Paul sobbed. "You have to tell me what happened here."

Reese heard his words and even in her weakening state knew he was trying to keep her conscious.

"You have to get rid of the gun," Reese said barely above a whisper.

Paul shook his head and Reese's eyes fluttered closed. Like lightning striking she realized he had shook his head and the alarm rang in her mind as she shot her eyes back open. "You have to get rid of the gun.”

"Reese, who gives a shit about the gun?" Paul implored.

"Paul, it's not mine."

Although Reese's eyes were open barely a slit, she saw Paul roll his eyes in aggravated annoyance. "Is it stolen?” He asked.

She nodded ever so slightly and felt herself drifting into a void. Suddenly as if she was woken from a deep sleep, she heard other noises, other voices. She pried her eyes open and saw Wayne standing over Paul.

Paul barked commands to Wayne to take over holding the pressure on her wound. She didn't feel the change of hands but what seemed like magic, Wayne was leaning over her cooing words of encouragement.

Again Reese felt everything turning black, the only image burned on her brain was Luke's painting. Luke had tried to tell her who his killer was but she had misunderstood the portrait. The man who had lovingly handed Heather the rose was the man who was in love with Heather, Gregory. She felt herself clamoring to come out of the abyss to ask Heather a question.

Her eyes flew open and she tried to squirm out from under Wayne's compression.

"Whoa there girl. You need to stay still," Wayne said.

"I need to ask her something," Reese said in a long sigh. She twisted her neck so she could see Heather who had somehow been sat up again but still bound to the chair and tape over her mouth. Heather looked on at Reese with horror in her eyes. Reese wasn't sure if Heather was frightened of the blood or of being caught.

"Did you," Reese began and had to stop to catch her breath, "have Gregory kill Luke?"

Reese watched as the tears welled up in the corners of Heather's eyes. Heather slowly shook her head no and then violently shook it harder. When she stopped, Reese said, "Did Gregory kill Luke?"

Heather hesitated, head lowered to her chest. Reese thought she may have passed out until Heather slowly looked in her direction. She nodded once and started to cry again.

Reese wanted to scream why! But Wayne beat her to it. He started to move away from Reese and then looked down at the bloody mess before conceding that he could not remove the tape from Heather's mouth.

"Because Gregory was in love with you?" Reese said so low that only Wayne heard her.

Wayne was about to repeat the question when Paul entered the room shouldering Mr. Caldwell. It pained Reese to turn her head but by the look on her father's face she knew he had found her dead mother.

"I've called the police. They are on their way. And they're sending an ambulance." Paul maneuvered Mr. Caldwell into a seat, patting his shoulder in a reassuring gesture. He approached Wayne and said, "I'll take back over."

"So this was all for some sick twisted love that Gregory had for a child?" Wayne said in a disgusting voice as he stood relinquishing the job of keeping Reese alive to Paul.

Once Paul’s face was in front of Reese’s line of sight, she felt a comforting warmth like a blanket on a cold night. She let her eyelids droop and prayed silently that she would find Luke somewhere between here and there. She heard Paul direct orders, telling Wayne to untie the girls and their mother and to bring them and Mr. Caldwell outside to wait for the police. There seemed to be no sense of time for Reese. She wasn't sure how long the rustling sounds continued but she knew she heard Paul tell Wayne to hurry up.

What seemed to be all of a sudden there was dead silence. She felt nothing. No hands pressing on her rib cage. No warmth. No cold floor underneath her. But like a dream, she heard Paul say, "Get up you asshole."

Then a shot fired close by, ringing in her ears. She wondered if Gregory had killed her too, like he had killed poor Luke all those years ago. She felt nothing, no new gunshot wound. She heard the sound of the gun clang against the tile floor. Then she could smell Paul’s scent, like that of a warm home she would never know. He knelt over her again, hands trying to stop the bleeding.

She didn't open her eyes; she didn't have the strength. "I'm going to find Luke," she said across her parched lips.

"No you're not Reese. That's my job,” Paul said definitively.

The room exploded with a cacophony of voices telling Paul to raise his hands and Paul explaining how he shot Gregory with Gregory's gun when he was trying to kill Reese.

Reese heaved a gasp of air and felt herself floating. “I’m coming for you, Luke,” she thought.

A/N: For all of you who are wondering what happened to Luke and Reese, please proceed to The Holding Station - the sequel to Rivercreek Crossing. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making it this far. I hope it was worth the trip :o)