Damned (Shaye Archer Series Book 7)

by DeLeon, Jana

  “You’re just not used to seeing the way a sophisticated woman dresses,” Marcy said.

  Hudson must have remembered that he had to play a role because he shifted into his “poor, pitiful me” routine.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I just can’t stop thinking about Hailey. I’m afraid something bad happened to her, you know? But at the same time, I don’t know why anyone would want to hurt her. She was so nice and so good.”

  “Not according to her father,” Marcy said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Hailey always complained about how he treated her. He locked her up like a criminal with her phone. ‘Text me the instant you get home. Don’t leave the house again.’ He even had a tracker on it that read her texts.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah. I removed it for her. I don’t know why adults think they know more about technology than we do. We were practically born with these things.”

  “Did her father ever hurt her?”

  “You mean hit her or something?” Marcy asked. “I don’t think so. But he was really strict. Made her read Bible verses after dinner every night, then explain to him what she’d read and how it applied to life today. He would have a stroke if he found out about you.”

  “I didn’t realize it was that bad. Hey, you don’t think he did anything to her, do you?”

  “What? No!” The surprise in Marcy’s voice was apparent. “He’s an asshole. He’s not some crazy psycho killer. Jesus, what kind of crap do you watch on TV?”

  “Actually, that’s the kind of crap that’s on the news.”

  “That’s why I don’t watch it or read it on the internet,” Marcy said, sounding more like a teen than the woman she was pretending to be. “That stuff freaks me out. It’s one thing to see it in a horror movie, but I don’t want to know about that stuff in real life.”

  “You probably need to know about it,” Hudson said quietly. “You’re a girl. Lots of things can happen to a pretty girl.”

  There was several seconds of silence.

  “Maybe this isn’t a good idea,” Marcy said. “If my parents found out I was with someone as old as you, they’d freak. I don’t want to be punished for months.”

  “What about the movie?” Hudson asked.

  “I’ve changed my mind. You can drop me off at that café on the corner.”

  “Let me take you home, at least. You shouldn’t be walking by yourself.”

  “I’ll call an Uber.”

  Hudson pulled over at the curb in front of the café. Grayson parked half a block back, and they watched as Marcy jumped out of the car and bolted inside the café without so much as a backward glance.

  Jackson looked over at Grayson. “Well, that was interesting.”

  Grayson nodded. “I think we can cross Marcy off our list of suspects. She’s scared silly.”

  “Yeah, not exactly the makings of a killer.”

  “Twenty bucks says she thinks Hudson is the bad guy.”

  “Yep,” Jackson agreed. “I think it finally dawned on her that she was in a car with a strange man whose girlfriend was missing, and that no one knew where she was. Not exactly a smart move.”

  “Nope. But the noose is tightening around Michael Pitre,” Grayson said, his voice grim. “If he was as strict as Marcy claimed and somehow found out about Hudson…”

  Jackson nodded. “I know we wanted more evidence, but I think it’s time we press Pitre about Melissa Greer.”

  “Me too.”

  23

  Nicolas looked up as the door to the living quarters opened and Father Malcolm and Father Bernard walked in. They both hesitated when they caught sight of Colby, and Nicolas hurried to introduce them.

  “This is Colby,” Nicolas said. “He was a battlefield medic and he’s going to be assisting me until my shoulder is better. This is Father Malcolm and Father Bernard.”

  The two priests moved forward and extended their hands to Colby.

  “I hope you’ll find this assignment a bit less stressful than the battlefield,” Father Bernard said.

  Colby smiled. “I’m sure that will be the case. Little I experience here could compare to what I saw over there. I consider this type of work semiretirement.”

  Father Bernard gave him a curious look. “Pardon me for saying so, but you have the physique of someone who would have favored a more strenuous type of work.”

  “It’s true I never miss a gym workout,” Colby said. “And this work isn’t always easy. Sometimes it takes a bit of strength to lift someone from a chair. Not everyone is as fit as Father Nicolas. Nurses know how to lift properly. But if you combine that with all the walking and pushing, it’s a bit of a workout for the average person if they’re doing it all day long. This kind of situation is tailor-made for me.”

  “Of course,” Father Bernard said. “Well, we’re very happy that Father Nicolas has such capable help. He values his independence so much. I know he was concerned about further limitations because of his shoulder.”

  “Colby has been a great help today and I am happy to have found him,” Nicolas said. “His strength is definitely an advantage. Most home aides are women. I’m sure they’re absolutely capable, but I don’t think I would have felt comfortable with certain things…”

  “Your propriety is above reproach,” Father Bernard said. “And while I’m sure the church places no stipulations on gender when it comes to medical care, I understand and appreciate your comfort level. Will you be staying for dinner, Colby? Father Malcolm always makes more than enough.”

  Father Malcolm, who’d been standing back and studying Colby, started a bit. “Yes, yes, of course. There’s plenty.”

  “No, thank you,” Colby said. “My duties are fulfilled when Nicolas is in for the night. I was just staying until someone else arrived…just in case Nicolas needed further assistance.”

  “Thank you so much for your help today,” Nicolas said. “I’m already changed into my nightclothes, so the only thing I’ll require after this is a push to my bedroom, which I’m sure Father Malcolm won’t mind assisting me with.”

  “Absolutely,” Malcolm said.

  “Then I’ll say good night,” Colby said. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Nicolas. I’d prefer it if you’d wait on my assistance to shower. What time would you like me to arrive?”

  “I’m an early riser, I’m afraid,” Nicolas said. “I’m usually up by 6:00 a.m.”

  Colby grinned. “Slacker. I get up at four. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” He headed out the door and Father Malcolm closed and locked it behind him.

  “What an imposing man,” Father Bernard said.

  Nicolas nodded. That was exactly the point.

  Shaye was busy doing a background check on Father Malcolm when she heard a knock at her door. It wasn’t Jackson. He and Grayson had a stakeout planned and depending on how it went, they were planning on watching Pitre for a bit afterward, just to see if anything was out of the ordinary. Shaye checked the security camera and saw Colby standing there, so she headed to the front door.

  “You want anything to drink?” she asked as she waved him inside. “Beer? Water? Sweet tea?”

  “Water would be great,” he said and followed her into the kitchen. “Sorry for barging in like this but I wanted to give you a rundown of my observations, and I was close by so figured I’d do it in person.”

  She grabbed two bottled waters from the refrigerator and they sat at the counter. “And?” she asked.

  Colby chugged back a quarter of the water, then sat it down. “First off, I like your client. He’s got heart and most people don’t these days.”

  She nodded. “It’s becoming a lost art. How did your afternoon go?”

  “He didn’t have much to do in the way of priest work. That senior dude let him out of most things until he’s sure he’s equipped to handle them. He made a quick stop by his attorney’s office after we met with you. Then he had a meeting with two horribly annoying women who spent an
entire hour bitching about the wood oil being used in the church. Is that really part of a priest’s job duties?”

  “I guess so, but yuck. I hadn’t thought about their job requiring the totally mundane.”

  “This went right past mundane into borderline emotional assault. After that hour of good times, he went to pray—also for an hour. I figure it took that long to rid himself of bad thoughts. Then we went to the church library and he spent the remainder of the afternoon studying.”

  “Any hair raises? Tickle on the back of your neck?”

  Colby shook his head. “If anyone was following us, I didn’t catch sight of them.” He frowned.

  “What? Did you think of something?”

  “It’s not really something, per se, but it felt a little off. You know that priest, Malcolm? I’m positive he saw us in the library but he never came over. He was dressed in street clothes so I didn’t know he was a priest until I met him at the living quarters tonight. He pretended it was the first time he’d laid eyes on me, but I know that’s not the case. And I got the impression that my presence made him uncomfortable.”

  Shaye smiled. “I think your presence makes a lot of people uncomfortable.”

  “People who are up to something, sure. But a priest? The senior guy invited me to dinner and even though Malcolm was looking right at me, he wasn’t paying attention. I don’t know what he was thinking about, but he looked nervous about my staying.”

  “Maybe you don’t fit his idea of a caretaker.”

  “That’s probably part of it. Nicolas gave them my credentials and I made the point about my strength being an advantage in cases like Nicolas’s.”

  “Did they buy it?”

  “Bernard agreed with his hiring a man for propriety. Malcolm didn’t say anything.”

  “But?” Based on his tone, she figured there was a “but” in there somewhere.

  Colby was silent for several seconds, then shook his head. “I don’t know. There was an undercurrent, I guess is the best way to explain it. But I couldn’t tell you why.”

  “Probably because it could stem from anything—Malcolm having to pick up more of Nicolas’s slack, concern for Nicolas but an unwillingness to talk about his personal business in front of you.”

  “Because he has something to hide,” Colby suggested.

  She sighed. “People are always hiding something. I suppose priests are no exception. Figuring out whether it’s relevant has always been the problem.”

  Colby nodded. “Did you check the camera feed?”

  “Yep. Clear as a bell. If the stalker is brave enough to leave one of his nastygrams in Nicolas’s room, we’ll get him.”

  Colby chugged back the rest of the water, then rose from the stool. “I really hope I get to take him down. Someone harassing a priest is bad enough, but a disabled man to boot? I’d like two minutes alone with him.”

  “I’m thinking it would only take ten seconds.”

  “Maybe. Well, I’ll be back there tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. If I see or hear anything, I’ll let you know. Anything else you want me to look out for?”

  “I’m going to send you images of a guy I’m checking into. He’s an electrician who’s been working at the church so he might be around. If you spot him, pay special attention to what he does.”

  “You got it. Have a good night.”

  “Good night to you. And thanks for taking this case.”

  “You know I’ll always take work from you.” He grinned. “You’re the only client I have who pays net ten.”

  Shaye laughed and followed him to the front door. She locked it behind him and headed back to the kitchen, pulling up the security camera on her phone as she went. Nicolas wasn’t in his bedroom yet, but the lamp was on and she had a clear view of the entire room and the entry into the bathroom. Maybe this one would be easy. Maybe he’d be egotistical enough to waltz into Nicolas’s bedroom as he had his hospital room.

  She hoped so. Because the only thing that mattered was catching him before he could hurt Nicolas. Whoever he was.

  24

  Hailey bolted awake at the sound of footsteps outside her stone prison. With no cell phone and not even a ray of sunlight visible, she had no idea how long she’d been a captive. Long enough to go through hunger pangs then have them subside, her stomach apparently realizing no food was slated for the near future. Her captor had left water, claiming it was the source of life and would sustain her long enough for him to save her.

  She shuddered and tucked her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them as her captor’s last visit flashed through her mind. He’d tied her to the chair and then started reading from the Bible. Passages about repentance and forgiveness and salvation. She knew them because her father had read them many times after dinner. She’d always been uncomfortable with her father’s strict religious adherence and the way he insisted that she interpret every verse exactly as he did. The intensity with which he spoke to her about her responsibilities to God and her soul sometimes frightened her.

  But her captor terrified her.

  He’d held her there for what seemed like hours, his fervor increasing with every spoken verse. He’d yelled at her to confess her sin, promising her absolution. But no matter what she confessed to, he shook his head and kept reading, kept praying. He’d thrown holy water on her and screamed for the demons refusing to allow her to speak the truth to leave her body. Frantic to make him stop, she’d told him about lying to her parents about her older boyfriend. About her secret phone. About sneaking off after school to see him. But every time she confessed something, he just shook his head, his faceless expression making everything more horrifying.

  She’d even made stuff up—told him about horrible things that she hadn’t done, but no matter how much worse the next item was than the one before, it didn’t even make him pause. Finally, exhaustion had taken over and she’d slipped into unconsciousness. When she’d awakened, she was on the floor, alone, and the chair was gone. Now, as the footsteps grew closer, she started to hyperventilate and had to force herself to take longer breaths.

  What did he want from her?

  What had she done that he wanted her to confess to?

  The door opened and light poured in, blinding her. She put her arm up in front of her face, but as she heard the familiar scrape of chair legs on the stone, she began to sob.

  “Are you ready to confess?” he asked. “I’ve decided to help you this time. God spoke to me. He said that as hard as it is for me to understand, you don’t know what I’m asking for. What he is asking for.”

  “Please,” she begged. “Please, just let me go. I promise I won’t sin again.”

  “You’re right. You won’t sin again. But you have to confess first.”

  He grabbed her arm and pulled her up from the floor, dropping her into the chair. She didn’t even bother to fight as he tied her hands together behind her and then to the chair. What good would it do? He’d already told her that past this door was another locked door. There was no escape. No windows that she could see. Just a narrow hallway with a set of stone steps at the end that rose into darkness.

  He moved around in front of her and even though she couldn’t see his face, she knew he was staring at her. Studying her. Looking for something, but what? Contrition? Fear? If only she knew what he wanted, she’d give it to him. Then maybe he’d let her go.

  “Tell me,” he said.

  “I don’t know what you want me to say. I’ve told you everything.”

  “No. Think back to Monday. Where did you go after school?”

  “I went home, like I always do.”

  “And after that?”

  She sucked in a breath. Had he been following her? Was it possible that he’d been following her and she hadn’t even known? She knew exactly where she’d gone Monday. It was the last thing she remembered before waking up in her stone prison. But she hadn’t told anyone, not even Gina. Because Gina didn’t know about Hudson, so Hailey couldn’t tell her
about Monday.

  “I went to the clinic,” she said. Was this it? Was this the horrible sin he wanted to hear?

  “For what purpose?”

  “I…I got birth control.”

  “Because you’re fornicating before marriage.”

  “No! I haven’t—I didn’t—”

  “Perhaps not yet. But that was your plan.”

  “But I haven’t done anything,” she wailed. “How can I repent for something I didn’t do?”

  “You’ve already done it in your mind. And you would have followed suit with your body. Do you know what happens to the children of teen parents? How hard their life is? Most live in poverty with little chance of escape. They’re beaten by the parade of men that the mother allows through the house. They’re sold to sexual perverts for drug money.”

  Hailey gasped. “I would never…”

  “That’s what they all think, but then their family and friends abandon them. The man who fathered the child disappears. She’s alone, with no skills and no means of support. Desperation leads to horrible choices, and the child suffers the most.”

  “But the birth control is so I don’t have a child,” Hailey said, already aware that reasoning with him was impossible but unable to stop from trying.

  “You can’t be sure of that. You know the risks and you were willing to risk a child’s future for your lust. Repent for your sin.”

  Hailey stared at him and for the first time since she had woken up in her stone dungeon, the attitude every sixteen-year-old was supposed to have coursed through her.

  “No,” she said.

  Several seconds of absolute silence passed, then he took a step closer to her and slapped her across the cheek with his gloved hand, striking her so hard, the chair fell over. With her hands tied behind her and to the chair, she couldn’t reach out and break her fall. Pain shot through her shoulder as it connected with the cold, hard stone, then her head hit a split second afterward and her vision blurred.