by Marlie May
Jax pulled his phone but cursed soon after scrolling into the screen. “Crappy thing.” He rubbed his eyes. “Can’t see straight.”
I held in my second sigh. “You sure you’re up for this?”
“No choice. Don’t you understand?”
I did. “Let me do it for you.” Scrolling to a travel site on my phone, I soon located a flight leaving a little over an hour after we’d reach the airport. “We’ll be cutting it close. You might have to pick up a few things at the airport.”
“I’ll figure that out after I get there.”
The nurse brought paperwork for Jax to sign and with a lot of tongue-clucking, arranged for someone to take him out in a wheelchair while I brought my Jeep around to the front door.
We were soon on our way south, me pushing the pedal to the floorboard as hard as I dared. Seven miles over the limit was okay with the cops, right? While I was tempted to push it to fifteen or twenty, stopping for a ticket would eat away our precious time. I was determined to get Jax on that flight.
We still had an hour left to travel when my phone rang. Mia.
“Eli!” Her words choked through the line, bringing my heart to a standstill.
I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles blanched white. Leaning forward, I slammed my foot on the gas pedal as if that would bring me to her in seconds. “You okay?”
“It’s Russell.”
Crap. Her ex. “What’s going on, honey?”
Jax watched me intently. At least his eyes no longer spun in his head. Hopefully, he’d feel almost normal by the time he reached Cancun.
“My lawyer called.” Mia’s words stuttered from her. “Russell escaped during a pre-release detail. Cleaning up garbage along the side of the highway. He escaped!”
“When?”
“A week ago. Eli…”
Her thoughts must mimic mine. Had all of this been caused by the guy in the stairwell or had Russell been involved instead?
“My lawyer apologized for not letting me know. She’s been on maternity leave. She left a message with her office to call me but they messed up.” She whimpered. “What am I going to do?”
“Honey. It’s okay. I’ll be there as fast as I can. What else did your lawyer say?”
“Russell borrowed a friend’s car a week ago. The police are looking for him but they haven’t located him yet.”
A week? It was taking them too long to find him.
“My lawyer said Russell was seen at a convenience store in South Portland five days ago. Oh, God! The woman at the store just called the police. She’d seen his face somewhere but couldn’t remember where. It wasn’t until she saw a report online that she connected it to Russell. Five days ago, Eli. Five. Days! He was heading north. He’s been after me all this time. Playing a game with me. Slinking through my house.” Her voice quivered and I wanted to be there to hold her. Comfort her. Protect her. “He was right outside my bedroom! Toying with me. But he's escalating. I think it was him.”
“Him doing what?” Jax asked.
“Strike one. Strike two. In three strikes, I'm out.” Her horror charged through the line. “He’ll get me this time.”
“Not happening,” I growled out.
“My lawyer said I should find a safe place to stay there until they catch him. It shouldn’t take long. But…five days!”
“It’s going to be okay.” Damn, I needed to get to her. Now.
“Someplace safe?” she said again. “There is no safe place. Wherever I go, he’ll follow. If I went to Ginny’s, I’d only drag her into this. She could get hurt. Same with Mom and Dad. I won’t endanger them. Just being near me endangers you.”
“Mia. Listen to me.” I tried to sound soothing but rage was roaring through me and it leaked into my voice. I couldn’t hold it back. “I’ll get there as soon as I can. You’ll be safe. I promise.”
“My lawyer said one last thing.” Death ruled in her voice. She was shutting down, creeping inside herself to hide. I knew it. Silence stretched through the line for too long. “Russell…Well, his friend not only loaned him the car, but he also gave Russell a gun.” Her sob broke through, crushing my heart. “She said—” Sniff. “They’ll find him. Arrest him. And the judge will make sure he never comes near me again. But that’ll never happen. He’s smart. He won’t be taken easily.”
“I’m on the road right now. Only an hour away.” I slammed my fist on the steering wheel and pushed the gas pedal to the floor.
“He said he’d kill me after I told the police what he’d done. He broke my ribs…broke me a year ago. This time, he’ll end it permanently. Strike three. It’s been him all along. The guy in the stairwell was independent in all this. He frowned when I mentioned the strikes. Now, I know why.”
If only I could give her my strength. “You never told me what Russell did for a living. We dealing with a lawyer or a banker here?”
“Russell is…Well, he was a DEA agent.”
Not an average opponent. It would take considerable finesse to eliminate this threat. But I’d make for damn sure he didn’t get within a mile of Mia.
“It’s going to be all right.” Who was I fooling? She was alone. I’d left her defenseless. I glanced at the dash clock. “I’ll come straightaway to you.” I glanced at Jax, who stared at my phone in horror. “You can get a ride from there, right?”
He nodded.
Damn. Please keep her safe until I could get there. “Make sure your security system’s fully armed.”
“Has been since you left.”
“Stay inside. Don’t go near your windows. And lay low. I’ll get there as quickly as I can.”
“I will.” Her voice tightened, telling me panic ruled. “I’m scared, Eli.”
“He’s not getting to you, honey. I promise.”
“I hope you’re right!”
I hated hearing the terror in her voice. When would this end?
I was done playing around. It was time to end this, but not in the way Russell intended. He wasn’t only facing a defenseless woman. He’d have to get through me to reach Mia. And I wasn’t backing down. I’d fight to the death to protect her.
“Hold on,” she said. “I’ve got…Someone sent a text.”
A short pause was followed by her gasp.
“Mia,” I shouted. “What’s going on?”
“A text message,” she shot out.
“Who from?” I asked, already knowing.
“Unknown sender.”
“What does it say, Mia?” I wanted to fling myself through the lines and hold her this instant but all I could do was drive like a fiend to reach her place.
“It says…” Her gulping sob rang out. “Tick tock. Ready for strike three?”
23
Mia
“Stay inside,” Eli had said through the phone.
As if I dared go anywhere, now. To think earlier I’d been out in my front garden, ignoring Elwin while I weeded the beds that were so overgrown, I was afraid the neighborhood homeowner’s association would sick the board president on me to demand a gardening intervention.
Now, I didn’t dare look out my windows.
Walter jumped up onto the sofa beside me. I’d collapsed here after ending my call with Eli. I’d wanted to keep him on the line, clinging to him every second it took for him to reach me, but he had to drive. I wouldn’t endanger him to help me feel safe.
I’d never feel safe with Russell loose.
Would the cops find him before he reached me?
I lifted my feet up onto the sofa, wrapped my arms around my legs, and clung. My whimper rang out in the room. Shivers wracked my body like a category five hurricane. Walter, as if sensing my need, snuggled closer. No purr. But having him near lent me strength. I stroked his face and neck. His bejeweled collar winked in the late-day sunlight filtering in through the windows.
My skin crawled with fear. Was Russell watching me right now?
As if he stood in front of me fuming, his hand swung out. I shrun
k, trying to make myself small enough he wouldn’t see me. Hit me.
Yelping, I leaped from the sofa and ran down the hall to my room. I dropped to the floor and crawled underneath my bed. Walter joined me, maybe wondering what the hell was going on but okay with hanging out here if that was my whim.
I clung to my kitty and sobbed as flashbacks poured through me like acid, burning wherever they touched.
Don’t say anything. He’ll find you.
I hated that I’d reverted back to the cowering, clingy thing I’d been a year ago.
I’d thought myself stronger than this.
But Russell was loose. He was coming after me. He’d find me. And this time, he’d do what he promised. He’d kill me.
“Mia,” someone called out from the front hall.
I cringed, clinging to the floor and Walter, who struggled until I let him go free. He scampered out from under the bed and took off toward the front of the house. If only he was the size of a lion. Then he could defend me from this new threat.
“Mia!” the voice barely penetrated my panic. I fisted the carpet and pressed my face against it, wishing I could sink through it and hide.
Keep quiet. Don’t move. Don’t draw attention.
“Mia?” Whoever it was spoke softer, in a voice so full of love it broke through the shell I’d built around me.
A whimper was all I could release. Because it was clear. This wasn’t Russell.
Eli dropped down onto his belly beside the bed. “Aw, honey.” He held out his hand, and I grasped it like a lifeline. “It’s okay. I’m here. You’re safe.”
“He’s going to hurt me.”
“I won’t let him.”
“He’ll track me down and kill me.”
“Has to go through me first. I’m not leaving you alone, Mia. I’m here for you always.” He crawled underneath the bed and wrapped his arms around me, banging his elbow on the frame above while finding his spot. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
Releasing my fear, I clung to him and sighed.
I was safe. Nothing and no one could harm me now.
We sat on the sofa with Walter snuggled between us.
“What are we going to do?” I said. “I can’t hide behind my security system forever.”
“We’re not hiding, but no reason we can’t stay here until they locate Russell. The cops, despite messing up about him being locked behind bars, have got a manhunt going. They’ll find him. I won’t let him hurt you. Never again.”
“I hate being terrified of him almost as much as I hate him.”
“He hurt you. Natural to feel that way. He tapped your vulnerabilities and used them against you.”
Eli wouldn’t do that.
I scooted forward on the sofa. “I need to feed Walter.” While he’d been comforting me, the sun had slunk toward the horizon. It would be dark soon.
Darkness could hide anything. Anyone.
Walter blinked up at me when I stood. As if he knew what time it was and had been watching for this moment, he rose and stretched.
His collar caught the sunlight winking through the curtains.
Wait.
Frowning, I stooped down in front of Walter and unlinked the collar.
Horror expanded inside me to the point I thought I’d explode.
“Someone, no something’s different here.”
Eli sat forward, his face filled with concern. He took the collar from my limp hands.
“Fuck,” he said. Then again, louder. “You won’t get to her.” He lifted the collar and shook it. “Damn fuckin’ camera.” His eyes met mine. “He’s been watching us all this time. From your cat’s collar.”
24
Eli
I held up the cat collar, making sure whoever was watching could see my face. “You want her, you’ll have to come get her.” And I for damn sure wasn’t going to make it easy.
Time to get out of town. Take this to my territory. I was done hiding behind locks and doors. It was time to end this.
I knew exactly where I could take her. Where I could finally make sure she was safe by eliminating this threat.
“What’s going on?” Mia asked, fear a living thing in her voice.
After dropping the collar on the hardwood floor, I crushed it underneath my heel, taking endless satisfaction in eliminating Russell’s ability to spy.
“Do you have any decent pictures of Russell?” I asked.
She winced and shrugged, then pulled her phone. “I think I deleted them all but I might be able to find a few on Facebook.” Her face pinched as she scrolled through the social media app and, when it tightened, I knew she’d located some. “I assume you want me to send them to you?”
“Yep.” My phone chimed as they came through.
“You have a plan.” She said it with such certainty, I gave her a hug.
“Definitely.” Always. Instead of playing reactionary any longer, I was going to drive this to a showdown. One on my terms, not Russell’s. “I’m going to take you somewhere.” I didn’t mention the location. If the creep had planted one camera, there was a good chance he not only had more scattered throughout the house but he had listening devices as well. “Can you pack a bag for about a week’s time? Plan on going rustic.”
“What do you mean by—”
I placed my fingertip over her lips. “Let’s take a quick walk, okay?”
“Sure?” Her frightened glance shot to the windows. “Outside? What if…” Her face cleared, and I knew she got it. “Okay.”
Holding hands, we left the house and took a left at the end of the drive rather than pass Elwin’s house. He’d vacated the porch but there was no need to stir him up further.
Elwin was another issue I’d deal with soon, but he was more a pest than a problem. A quick call to the cops should set Mia’s neighbor straight.
“You do have a plan,” she said in a low voice.
“Sure do.”
One of Mia’s other neighbors, working in her front garden, straightened. While rubbing her back, she waved. “Beautiful evening, isn’t it?”
“Perfect,” Mia said with a fake smile. “The mosquitoes have been atrocious but they’re not bad tonight.”
“Citronella,” the elderly woman said as she brushed strands of gray hair off her face. “Works like a charm.”
“I’ll have to get some,” Mia said.
We continued walking.
“After you pack your bag, we’ll go out to the shop. Before we leave town, I need to pick up a few things there.”
“Weapons?”
“That, too.”
“Why Russell’s pictures?”
“I’ve got a few friends who will be eager to see what he looks like.” Locust 3 would help me take Russell down permanently. Not kill him unless he escalated this to the next level, but I’d make sure he was captured and locked behind bars for a good long time.
“Okay.” The smile she released told me she trusted me completely to keep her safe. “Friends are always good.”
“Especially these friends.”
“I’ll pack then.”
“We’re going camping, so like I said, plan for rustic. No showers there, though you can wash at the sink. And it can get cold at night. Plan to dress warmly.” Turning, we walked back toward her house. “We can’t say anything else about this once we’re inside. I’m worried about bugs.”
“What will I do about Walter?”
“Flint’s out of town again, but what about Ginny? Could we take him to her place?”
Mia pulled her phone. “I’ll text her and ask. Fortunately, he already knows her. The strange, new setting will be enough to upset him without introducing people he’s never met before.”
“What can I do to help you get ready?” I asked quietly as we strode up her front walkway.
“Walter’s pet carrier is in the basement. I’ll pack while you get that and talk him into climbing inside. Then grab his dry food, which is also in the basement, plus enough cans
of wet food for however long you think we’ll be away.”
“Plan at least a few days. And I’ll be quick.”
A short time later, we drove to Ginny’s place with Walter howling in his cat carrier in the back. Mia’s tight spine told me that while she was nervous about what I planned, she was prepared to stand by my side while I saw it through.
Couldn’t ask for anyone better in my life. I just hoped I could end this situation so we could move on to an awesome future together.
After dropping Walter off with Ginny—he promptly scooted down the hall to her bedroom the moment we let him out of his crate—we drove to the shop.
Becca met us inside.
“Mia, sweetheart, you okay?” She enveloped her niece in a huge hug before pulling back in their embrace to study her face. “Flint called. I was a wreck when I heard what happened at the conference, let alone to Haylee.” She strode around Mia and right up to me, glaring. “You’re slacking off. You know what happens to people when they slack off.”
“You grind their faces into the mat?” I said, not even the least bit concerned. In fact, I half-smiled. “Don’t cash me out yet. I’ve got a few tricks in mind for this creep.”
The sharp look in Becca’s eyes made it easy for me to see why Mia’s aunt had been a successful operative. Her gaze could cut a suspect in two.
“Then tell me.” Becca propped a manicured hand on her slender hip. “How do you plan to redeem yourself, because I’m prepared to listen.” Prepared was a light statement, as evidenced by the rapid tap of her heeled foot.
“I’ll need a few supplies to put things in place.”
“You’ll tell me all about it first, naturally.” Pinching my t-shirt, she hauled me into the hall, calling out to Mia over her shoulder, “Sweetheart, why don’t you wait in the break room while I help Eli?” She then ground out to me, “I anticipate you’ll want my input.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
She nodded pertly. “Not sure I like you yet, Eli. I’ll come with you, wherever you’re taking her.”