You Can't Hide by Theresa Sneed (uplifting novels TXT) 📕

be here to support us. Your father said they’d be back before it, uh, happens.” Looking down at her watch, she said, “in about an hour.”

She looked up at Elle. “Oh, and your grandparents opted to stay at the cabin at the lake. Grammie Gwen said it would be too much for them to bare.” Her face saddened. “She’s had a rough go of it,” and then she smiled, “but, boy, is she in for a surprise.”

Sam pointed toward the woods. “I guess, we’ll just wait until they emerge from the trees.” He studied Elle’s face.

Elle shook her head. “Um, no,” she whispered. “You wait here.” When Sam started to follow her, she held her hand up. “I want to see them on my own.”

“Okay,” he said, backing away. “Come on Sally.” He took her by the arm and guided her toward the house, while Elle walked up the path that led to the woods.

They brought Nancy into a small room. It was empty, which was no surprise. She had requested that no reporters, nor anyone else, except for the prison guards be there along with the prison chaplain, and the two FBI agents.

Merrick had no next of kin that she knew of. She shuddered, she hadn’t known about Marvin, though it made sense that he could have a father still living. Except, he was dead now.

She wondered about Merrick’s mother Winnie, though. Estranged for years from the son she’d given away, she was sure Winnie wouldn’t be there. Winnie had been her friend, and had suffered at the hands of that monster, almost as much as she had.

The FBI agent touched her on the arm. “Would you come with me, please?”

She noted the chaplain followed them, too, and just expected it was part of it—counseling, and all. It probably took a lot out of people who witnessed the death of someone they knew. They opened a door and led her inside.

The chaplain spoke first. “I am sorry for what happened to you, Mrs. Snyder.”

She nodded.

He sighed. “We know you requested no one at the execution, but wanted to tell you ahead of time that someone has come forward that has a right to view it.”

The hair pricked on the back of her neck. “Who?”

“Merrick’s mother, Winifred Snyder.”

“Winnie? Winnie’s here?” She jumped up.

He motioned for her to sit back down. “We’re sorry to have to do this, but she should be here for his execution.”

“Does she know about me? That I’m alive?”

“Yes, she does.”

“Then, I’d like to see her first, before the lethal injection begins.”

“Of course. I’ll go get her.”

A few minutes later, the door opened. Winnie looked somehow changed, healthier. Right away, Nancy knew why. That tyrant had been drugging her for all those years. Winnie had her sanity back. Her eyes were sharp and focused and her smile radiant.

“My dear,” she said, her arms outstretched. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to find you are alive!” Her eyebrows furrowed. “I still can’t believe it. I went to your funeral, dear. You were as dead as a doorknob.”

“You went to my funeral?”

“Of course, I did. I kept to myself, didn’t talk to no one, but I did need to pay my respects.” She tilted her head. “I didn’t believe those FBI men when they told me you were here, but look,” she patted Nancy’s shoulders up and down, “here you are.” She pulled her near, and then pushed her away. “That was you, wasn’t it? In the coffin?”

Nancy nodded. “Yes, a very drugged-up me.”

At that, Winnie frowned. “I guess, that makes sense to me now. Drugs can do awful things to people.”

“Yes, they can.”

“So, now we are to witness his demise.”

“Yes,” Nancy said.

Winnie turned to her. “When I found out that Malcom’s twin had murdered him, I was devastated. I had no idea he was Merrick, but now, I can see it could never have been Malcolm that did those horrible things to you and me and little Sally.” She stifled a sob. “Poor, little, Sally.”

Nancy put her hand on Winnie’s arm. “You haven’t heard?” She had expected the FBI had already told her about Sally.

“No, what are you talking about, child?”

She grinned at the word child, an endearment Winnie had often given her. “Well,” she began, “brace yourself, Winnie.”

Winnie straightened. “More secrets?”

Nancy nodded. “Sally is alive, too, and, so is Elle and Sam.”

“Heavens.” Winnie’s mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. “This is true?”

“Yes.”

Grabbing her shoulders, she pulled Nancy into a hug. “It is the best news I’ve heard in years—actually, in my whole life!”

They chatted for some time, Winnie asked a lot of questions, mostly about Sally and Elle, how they were, and where they’d been. Until, at last, the door opened.

“It’s time.”

Thirty-One

Trapped

Sam looked down at his watch. “When is it supposed to start?” He moved to the window and looked out, still no sign of Elle or her parents.

Louise stepped up beside him. “They must’ve wandered off too far. Maybe you should go look for them.”

He nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.”

A car pulled down the drive. Sam parted the curtains. It was his best friend, Sheriff John Higgins. He got out of the car, and then it backed out onto the road. He turned to his mother. “Does he know . . . about me?”

She pressed her lips together tight. “No.”

“Okay, here goes,” Sam said, with a grin. He opened the door and stepped out. “Hello, old friend.”

A grizzly bear standing on the doorstep could not have stunned John more.

“What—” In an apparent daze, he stuck his chin out, as if not believing what he saw, and trying to get a better look. “Sam?”

“Yeah, it’s me. Ever heard of the witness protection program?”

“What—” he repeated. “Yeah, but . . . Sam? Is that really you?”

He bounced down the steps toward John. “In the flesh.”

“Well, I’ll be—” John extended his hand and then pulling him near, they clasped their arms around one another. He pulled away, shock melting away to awe,