Dallas, Texas 2012
8:00 p.m. May 11th Angaleece


Her heart pounded in her aching chest. She could barely catch her breath as she raced through the darkened woods, that when she wasn’t panicking, she knew like the back of her hand. Her frightened mind kept coming up with horrible, gruesome scenarios. She heard barking and she recognized it as a blood hound’s deep baying. That little tidbit of knowledge pushed her further, faster, and distressed her even more.


A deep voice boomed out behind her, calling, “Oh, Angaleece, you can’t run forever.” It was James’ cold, lifeless voice.


She knew she had no hope for escape, not with a blood hound after her. She gasped for breath, her exhausted legs longed for relief, and her black hair tangled around her face. Common sense told her that running was absolutely useless, but self-preservation commanded that she run faster and harder.


Suddenly, she was falling forward. She screamed soundlessly and caught herself on the roots. Even in her terrified state, she realized the tree’s roots and lower branches formed a hidden cave-like shelter. She numbly crawled to the dirt wall, laid her bag on the ground, wrapped her arms around her knees, and began to rock back and forth, tears streaming down her cheeks. She knew she couldn’t stay, but she couldn’t force herself to get up and continue. She lost all desire to run, her hope leaving her like ashes on the wind.


Her eyes drifted close as memories of the day flooded around her.

ONE HOUR EARLIER
7:00 p.m. Angaleece


Angaleece hummed happily as she dusted the library shelves. There were three rows between her and the presently empty sitting area near the door opening to the hall. She was so involved with the tune she was trying to remember correctly, that she did not notice the three people who had entered and seated themselves in the lounge three rows away.


She walked to the row of towering bookshelves nearest the talking trio and heard the anxious conversation.


“Well, we can’t hide forever. One of the maids will surely find something incriminating and turn us in,” said a voice she knew so well. It was her boss, Mr. Craig Muller. He liked to be called Craig. He was tall and skinny, easily and often described as a human twig with bug eyes and a pointy fluff of dirty brown hair.


“Oh, hush, now dearest,” replied a sickly sweet voice. “We surely must be boring James half to death. Since you were drunk, dear brother, shall we fill you in on our glorious victory?”


Angaleece nearly dropped the stack of dust-free books in her hands. She quickly set the stack on a table, grabbed a stack off the shelve level with her face and began to watch. She recognized the regal woman solely in red. It was Craig’s horrible wife, Mrs. Sasha Rae. All of the maids, Angaleece included, hated her. Mrs. Sasha Rae demanded that she be treated like a queen would be in England. Angaleece was lucky to have her duties placed in the dining room and library. She only saw her twice a day, because Mrs. Sasha Rae ate in the dining room only at lunch and dinner. She hated the way she was and the way she treated everyone.


Angaleece assumed that the balding blond man was James. She focused back on the conversation in time to hear James finish saying, “…remember what exactly happened. So do tell.”


Mrs. Sasha Rae grinned in an evil way, leaned forward, and crooked her finger. In the next instant, the two men sitting across from her leaned towards her like hungry pups.


She licked her lips and began the tale, “Remember that awful man Kenneth Hilton, and his brother Kent?” The men nodded as Mrs. Sasha Rae took a breath, “They finally made a mistake in their little business cat and mouse game. For once we were no longer the mice, but back in the lovely position of cat. The fatal mistake was inviting the three of us to their home for a private dinner. We came prepared. I had the ceremonial dagger with rubies in the hilt. Craig had the pistol and you had your ham-sized fists. Before we sat down to eat, Kent announced that he needed something from his study, and I saw my chance.”


Angaleece was so startled and frightened by everything she had heard that she dropped the books she had been clutching to her chest. Mrs. Sasha Rae was the first to react. She leapt to her feet and whipped out a dagger with blood crusted on the blade and rubies winking from the hilt. But Angaleece was already gone.


In the back of the library, there was a secret hallway that only the maids knew existed. It was closed off and led from the maids’ chambers to the library. She quickly lit a candle, covered the flame, and swung the door shut with a quiet thud.


She took off running down the narrow hall. She knew it take them ten minutes to figure out that it was a maid who heard them and at least twenty-five minutes to search all of the maids’ rooms. Since hers was in the very back of this wing of the house on the ground floor, it would be the last to be checked. She ran in, threw the lock, and began to think.


She found a huge backpack and began filling it with her small supply of clothes. She quickly changed into a black tee-shirt, thick black yoga pants, and black running shoes so she would blend in with the growing darkness. She packed her only books, the lonely photo on her nightstand of her deceased parents, and her small box of jewelry in with the clothes. She grabbed a small blanket and stuffed it in.


She had wasted three minutes packing. She shoved open the window and climbed out, casting a sad glance at the room she had loved and lived in for the last three years, when her parents died when she was eighteen. She stiffened her back when a bag landed at her feet. Delicious aromas filled her senses and she grabbed the bag. She faced Old Maids’ Woods and began to run. When she reached the edge scant minutes later, she looked back and saw Cook waving one last goodbye.

8:05 p.m. Roland


He heard a strange, lifeless male voice, and had recognized it as James Ravel, yelling for a girl named Angaleece and got a bad feeling for the poor girl. He hoped she kept running or riding, as long as she stayed away from the man. He saw an old tree growing on the edge of a tiny cliff. On a strange thought, he guided his horse to it. He knew there was enough moonlight to ride four more miles, to his father’s hunting cabin to the north. He could continue to hunt tomorrow. First, before he did anything, he wanted to let Shadow take a short break.


He had neared the cliff, to discover it was a cave, made entirely of a huge oak tree’s roots, lower branches and leaves, with a dirt wall that hid it. He dropped his worn leather pack, bow, and quiver on the hard summer ground with a soft thud. He looked out the small opening, smelled home-cooked food, and glanced over his shoulder to find the source of the mouthwatering aroma. He saw a girl asleep; her hair covering her small, delicate face, dry tear tracks stained her cheeks. A bulky backpack served as the girl’s pillow.


He grabbed the bag and his own things from the ground, hefted it onto his shoulder, and watched as the girl groaned. She slowly came into the world of the awake. He ventured a guess and whispered, “Angaleece. That’s who you are?”


She hid her face, but nodded a silent agreement. He nodded and replied, “Okay, I want to help you. So we need to go, now.” She looked terrified of him and frantically shook her head.


She choked out, “No! I don’t know you, so give me back my bag.” He sighed, but knew she was completely right.


He thought fast, but as he was about to speak, the voice called out, “Oh, Angaleece! I’m coming for you with the legendary ‘Hound of Hell’. You have no chance.” James had to be closer, but he prayed that the dog wouldn’t know where they were just yet. They had no time to spare.


He crawled closer, she shrank back. He held out a hand, and whispered, “I know that you don’t know me, but you have trust me. I’m Roland Rhines.”

8:10 p.m. Angaleece


She gasped, her eyes widened. Roland Rhines, the Roland Rhines, her only love? She knew she had recognized his face from a long time ago. She glanced at his outstretched hand, covered in thick, leather, riding gloves. She placed her small, bare hand in his larger one. He pulled her to her feet and began muttering to himself. He turned to her, and she flinched back.


He sighed, worked a hand through his honey blond hair, and said, “I know you’re scared, but please, I’m begging you, don’t flinch.” She realized belatedly that she had offended him.


“Sorry, it’s just that I’m scared James will catch me,” she whimpered. He sighed again and began to pull her along. They reached a horse, with a shining black mane and tail. The magnificent beast was as black as midnight and just as beautiful. She could not stop staring, not even when Roland’s strong hands gripped her waist and settled her on the horse’s broad back. He swung himself up behind her.


There was a crashing boom in the woods about a hundred yards behind them. Roland dug his heels into the animal’s side and the horse took off north. The animal ran faster and faster. Angaleece leaned forward and laid her head between the soft, ebony ears.


His arms reached around her and gripped the reins tightly. The horse kicked his front hooves and galloped even faster.


Angaleece hoped that James would not hurt him. It was all her fault. If she had stayed, instead of running, maybe Roland would not have to worry about his life.


“I’m sorry, Roland, I dragged you into this,” she whispered into the fur of the horse’s head.


8:25 p.m. Roland


He was confused by her reaction to his name, but there was no time to worry about it. He could not understand why she was sorry. He wanted to save her; she did not drag him into anything. It was his choice.


They reached a river, and Roland had an idea. He guided the horse into the water, losing the scent for the hound. He knew James, the owner of the ‘Hound of Hell’, would expect him to stay in the water. He decided to travel in the water for a hundred feet, and then go north to the cabin. He kicked Shadow into movement. They were traveling in the direction of the current. He reached the fork in the river, and Shadow leapt onto the bank and began running down the familiar route, that even after many travels by him and Shadow, had not been worn into a beaten path.


“Lets go Shadow, take us home for the night,” he whispered into the night air. He leaned forward and discovered that Angaleece was sleeping fitfully.

8:35 p.m. Roland


They had finally reached the cabin, and he was relieved. He had laid the still sleeping Angaleece in the spare bed. He had walked outside and gazed at his surroundings.


His father had built the cabin in a small, hidden copse of trees fifty years before. Four and a half years ago, when Robert Rhines had died, he left the cabin and the manor to his only son. Roland had lightly sprayed gasoline around the inside edge of trees. He pulled moss over the horse-size opening.

9:00 p.m. Angaleece


She woke in an unfamiliar room all alone. She sat up quickly and the blanket covering her fell away, revealing her yoga uniform. She crept to the door and peeked out, listening closely to her surroundings. She heard whistling, and she ran back into her room. She tripped over her bag and her belongings spilled everywhere.


Roland called out, “Angaleece, are you okay?” She quickly picked an outfit and changed into the clean clothes. The mess made was quickly cleaned.


In a hoarse whisper, she answered, “Yes. Where are we?” She looked around and noticed everything in the room. It was small, five by five, with a twin sized bed, a vanity, and a bedside table. The vanity had a pitcher, bowl, and a rag. When she examined the pitcher, the water was relatively clean.


Shuffling thuds approached her door, two quick raps landed on it, and his voice reached through, saying, “We’re at my father’s cabin. May I come in?” She took half a minute deciding whether it was safe. She opened the door.

9:05 p.m. Roland


He stood for a short moment. He assessed her, and he liked what he saw. She was alert; the fear was gone from her eyes, and the only unusual emotion on her pale features was wariness. She no longer wore all black, but was wearing a baby blue tank top and a pair of dark blue basketball shorts. No shoes graced her tiny feet. He held up her bag of food and grinned adorably.


He replied to her confused look, “You had this attached to your backpack. There is no ready-made food in the cabin, so I figured scope out the good smelling stuff. Do you mind?”

9:08 p.m. Angaleece


She laughed, then instantly got serious. She opened her mouth to ask all of her questions, but he shushed her and said, “Why don’t you ask me anything and everything while we eat? Okay?” She nodded and followed him out the door.


In the hallway, there were three doors. One of which was open and they had walked through. She looked over at Roland and he gestured to an ebony door and said, “Bathroom.” She nodded and pointed at the cherry wood door and again he replied, “My room. Your room has a white door, so my father always remembered which door led to which room.”


She giggled and asked, “Just to make sure, you are the famous archer from Austin, right? He was the governor of Texas, right?” She watched as the grin faded from his face.


He stopped and sagged against the wall. He answered, “Yes and yes. My dad was murdered four and a half years ago, so please don’t talk about him.”


She reached out and patted his hand. “I know how that feels because three years ago, both of my parents were killed by cancer. I did not have money to support my brother, Ricky, and my sister, Stacie. They were both twelve and depended heavily on me and my mom.”

9:11 p.m. Roland


“Where are Ricky and Stacie now? They are not with your employers, are they?” He asked, worriedly. “If they are, tell me, and I will get them for you.” He paused to let her answer. He watched the sadness that taken over her features pass into laughter.


“No, they only knew that I was a maid for some rich folks, and I was able to send them and my aunt Rebekah money for clothes and toys. My aunt could supply the rest.” She laughed and his worry left.


He grabbed her hand and led her down the unlit hall towards the warmth of the living room and kitchen. He noticed that she did not try to take her hand away. She was no longer scared, that he could see. He smiled and swallowed a laugh.


There were a few more feet to the kitchen, and he watched her eyes. There was a soft glow in her eyes. He thought she looked familiar, maybe a girl from his past. She turned and caught him staring, and she blushed as bright as a ripe tomato.


“What, do I have dry drool on my chin? What are you staring at me for?” She asked confusedly, swiping at her chin.


He scrambled for an explanation that would not sound like a stalker and settled for telling her the truth. “Well, you look really familiar to me. I was trying to figure out who you were.”


He watched the confusion fly from her face, and extreme pain and sadness sweep over her features before they were masked with a fake, sunny smile. He wondered why she was sad.

9:15 p.m. Angaleece


She kept walking, hoping like crazy that her smile looked true, but she knew the only place she wanted to be is in his strong arms once again. She guessed that she would never feel his heart thud next to hers or the way she felt so tiny and protected when surrounded in a hug from his six foot four inch frame.


She turned to him once she sat down in the brightly lit kitchen. She asked in a wavering tone, “Do you want to know who I am?” He nodded eagerly, and she continued, “Well, is the name Angela Lacie Scott familiar to you?” He thought for a second, and he nodded slowly. “Well, then you should know what really know happened the night Robert Roland died.”


She thought back to the cold, December day five years earlier, the day her life changed and began to speak, while twisting a ring around her ring finger. “I can’t tell you the whole story, I can tell you the day it all changed, my sixteenth birthday, and the night a year and a half later.”

FIVE YEARS EARLIER
Austin, Texas 2007
12:00 a.m. December 10th Angela Lacie


“Gov. Rhines, ain’t it a little late for dinner? Oh hello, Roland. I ain’t seen you in a while.” Angela Lacie said in her super cheerful voice and she cocked her head to the side. “Oh wait, you were in here last week for that Robin Hood archery contest. I was real glad when you won.” She smiled, hoping he saw her love for him shining through her blueberry-colored eyes.


Robert nodded, and his companion stared star struck. Robert grunted and lifted a colorful present bag with the name Angela Lacie in a beautiful script across the top. “Now, Angela Lacie, be a good girl and accept this gift. I know you did not want anything from me or anyone, but a girl needs gifts on her sweet sixteen.”

12:03 a.m. Gov. Rhines


He waved her manager over to their table.


“Why, Governor Rhines. How are you?” Angela Lacie’s manager, Miss Ravel, gushed.


He just smiled and replied, “Just fine, but did you know that today was Miss Scott’s birthday? And yet you still have her working like a dog?”


She gaped and mumbled. Eventually she just nodded. Robert looked back at the menu in his hand. She looked over at Angela Lacie and said in her coldest voice, “Miss Scott, go back to the kitchen. Birthday or not, you are on the clock. Go! Now!”


Robert stood and laid a protective hand on Angela Lacie’s shoulder, and he pulled her close to his side. He felt the tension in her shoulder and fixed Miss Ravel with a frosty glare. “Miss Ravel, you can now consider your employment terminated.” Miss Ravel sputtered, glared at Angela Lacie and stomped out.


Robert watched Angela Lacie breathe a sigh of relief and sag against his side. Roland was smiling, when he glanced at his son. Roland was staring at Angela Lacie with slightly panicked determination. Robert nodded at him and subtly moved away from the teens.


He watched his son take the young girl into his arms and Robert smiled. He knew his son loved Angela Lacie, and that Angela Lacie loved Roland as well. They had so much to offer the other but they were too young to be serious. He also knew Angela Lacie had a secret to hide, but he wasn’t sure what it was, yet.

12:10 a.m. Roland


He felt Angela Lacie’s heart thud against his own and he hugged her closer. He whispered, “Angel…” She looked up and nodded, curiosity shining bright in her eyes. He began again, “Angel, I need to talk to you, alone. Come with me?” He pulled from her arms and offered her his hand. She looked at it for half a second and doubt began to bloom in his chest.


The doubt was dispelled, though, when she laid her hand in his and whispered, “Of coarse, darling.” He tugged her out the door and to his Dodge pick-up truck. He let go of her and opened the door to let her in.


“Angel, I’m leaving town to go to a boot camp for archers. It’s to help train me and I’m going to be awhile.” He stared at his grandfather’s ring on his finger and remembered his idea. “Angel, I want to marry you, but for obvious reasons I can not. Your age is one of them, but…”


She slid closer, grasped his hand, and whispered, “But what darling?” He glanced at her sweet, young face and saw the longing in her eyes. He fastened his mouth on hers, and nearly groaned. She tasted sugary sweet, and his heart nearly burst with love and desire. She broke away and repeated shakily, “But what?”


He grinned at the determination shining in her eyes, and answered levelly, “Marry me? Please angel, just say yes. The ceremony would have to wait another two years when you are eighteen and I’m nineteen. But I love you angel, I always have. I want to know that you are mine, and only mine, while I’m away in Tennessee. Marry me angel.”


She gasped and blushed bright red. She closed her eyes and leaned back on the bench in the cab. Roland watched her face, and hoped she would say yes. His angel slowly sat back up and turned to face him. “Yes darling. Yes, oh yes! I love you.” He grinned and slid his grandpa’s ring on her ring finger of her left hand.


He lunged from the cab, ran around the front, and pulled her from the truck. Roland grabbed Angela Lacie’s waist, lifted her in the air, and twirled her around. She laughed out loud and gasped for breath. Roland set her gently on her feet and kissed her softly.


“Roland? Why did you use Grandpa Rhine’s ring for me?” Angela Lacie asked breathlessly. He snaked an arm around her waist, and he answered honestly. “I thought it would mean more to you if the ring meant something to me. Something other than marriage to the woman I love.”

May 11th 9:30 Angaleece/Angela Lacie


Angela Lacie shook her head roughly and came back to the present. “Roland,” she said gently. She looked at her engagement ring, his ring, still on the finger he put it on. She looked up at him.


“What am I supposed to call you? Angela Lacie or Angaleece or what?” He asked.

“I go by Angaleece now but Angela Lacie works. Whichever you prefer. You are mad, are not you?” She replied.


“What do you expect? You ran off when I left!”


“But I did not! I had to! It was for my parents. They were dying and wanted to leave Austin. I had to go with them. I was only sixteen! They bought a ranch and put me to work at the Muller’s place as a maid. They each had two years left. They had lung cancer.”


She felt the tears roll down her cheeks, but stared Roland in the eye. “Then why change your name?” He asked brokenly.


“’Cause I was there the night your father died. And my parents did not want his killer finding me to shut me up.” She replied.


“Why would he want to?”


“Not he, she. Because I know who she is.”


“So your parents put you in…”


“A homemade witness protection program. The cops insisted that we do that since they can’t find her.”


“But…” He urged.


“I found her. She was my old employer from five years ago and my employer from today. The killer is Miss Ravel, but she got married. She is Mrs. Sasha Rae Muller. She has killed again, I heard her earlier.” She continued to cry.


“Oh god! We need to get to the cops. You tell them everything you heard today and who she is for real other than just Miss Ravel.” He exclaimed.


There was a creak in the wood and they spun to face the intruder. Roland shoved Angela Lacie behind him as he faced a woman and a huge man. Angela Lacie’s voice drifted to his ears.


“Hello, Mrs. Sasha Rae. So you found your eye witness.” Angela Lacie said.


Mrs. Sasha Rae smirked, pulled out the dagger and in her sickly sweet voice, she replied, “Why of coarse I have. Now what should I do about it? Kill you or keep you for my own amusement? Hmm? James, let the boy leave. I have no problem with him. Only with his father and his fiancée. Well well well… I have waited for four years to kill you darling. I should have realized you were my maid. Why, even both of your names are similar.” She turned her back on James and Roland. She stalked toward Angela Lacie, who was cowering against the wall.


There was a scuffle in the other room, someone hit the ground and then all was silent. Mrs. Sasha Rae shrugged and ran the blade across Angela Lacie’s throat, not cutting the skin. Mrs. Sasha Rae laughed manically and dug a little deeper with the knife. The blade barely cut the skin, but it bled. She rubbed Angela Lacie’s blood across her cheek.


Then Mrs. Sasha Rae sagged against Angela Lacie, coughing up blood. Angela Lacie saw the arrow buried in her back and shoved her to the ground. She ran to Roland, who was crying softly, holding his bow forgotten in his hand.


He dropped it and gathered Angela Lacie close to his chest. He roughly tied a bandanna around her neck to stop the bleeding. He said, “Oh angel, I nearly lost you. Angel, I love you still. Will you still marry me?”


She sagged against him and cried. After getting the last tear out and noticing she had soaked Roland’s shirt. She nodded a silent yes and pressed her mouth to his. In her mind, there were fireworks going off. She knew she loved Roland Rhines and that she was finally where she belonged.