by Kathy Ivan
Tessa stepped back and held the door open wider. “Come in. Sorry, I’m surprised to see you. How are Beth and Jamie? I miss them.”
Closing the door behind him, she couldn’t help noticing he looked a bit haggard, something totally out of character for her normally meticulous brother-in-law. Evan took pride in his appearance. He defined the word metrosexual. Never a hair out of place, shirts always ironed with nary a single wrinkle. Pants pressed with the perfect crease. Today, his hair appeared windswept and messy, like he’d slept on it wrong and it hadn’t seen a comb since. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he’d slept in his clothes too.
“They’re good, though Jamie misses her Aunt Tessa.” She watched him look around the living room, taking it in. “Nice place.”
“Thanks. I like it.”
“Tessa…” He stopped, letting her name trail off to a bare whisper. Shaking his head, he took a step forward, until he stood close. Too close. “Everything’s gone to hell, and I’m out of options.”
She eased back, but froze when his hand latched onto her wrist, his fingers tight as a steel manacle, and she winced in pain. Staring into his face, she recoiled at the undisguised anger and hatred burning in his eyes. His lips twisted into an ugly grimace. She’d never been afraid of Evan before, but now he scared her.
“Let me go!”
“I can’t. Not until you tell me what you did with it.”
“What I did with what? Evan, you’re not making any sense.” She pushed at his chest with her free hand, trying to break free of his iron hold. “I don’t have anything of yours.”
“Yeah, you do.” She cringed at the frantic note in his words, the panicked expression on his face, even while his eyes desperately scanned her living room. He was searching for something. “I’ve hunted high and low. Checked every square inch of your parents’ house. I’ve gone through everything Beth saved, and it’s not there. You have to have it!”
He wasn’t making sense, and he sounded crazy. Like he was at the end of his rope and hanging by a thread. From his words, it obvious he was looking for something, but she didn’t have a clue. From his actions—well, those spoke volumes, if his death grip on her arm was any indication.
“Maybe I’m being dense, but I don’t know what you mean. If you tell me, I’ll help, but you have to let me go first.” Tessa did her best to keep her voice soft and calm. The grip on her wrist didn’t loosen. If anything, it felt even tighter. The knot in the pit of her stomach tightened, and her breath caught in her chest. He was scaring her.
“The bond. Don’t act so surprised. I know you have it. Think you can cheat me out of my share? Give it to me now!”
Bond? What bond?
“Don’t act stupid, Tessa. The Crowley County bond. The one your great-grandfather bought before the turn of the century.”
Wait—he wants a useless piece of paper? It’s not worth anything. It’s nothing more than a piece of family heritage.
“Wait a second. When did you go through my parents’ house?” The lead ball feeling in the middle of her stomach grew. Dear heavens, please let her be wrong. Because if the direction her thoughts were taking proved correct…
“I looked everywhere. Searched their place from basement to attic. Heck, I almost thought I imagined the damned thing.” The intensity in his burning gaze locked her in place, and her feet froze to the floor. “You’ve seen it. I know Beth has, because we talked about it a couple of times. I remembered your family talking about it, so I started digging.”
“Evan, I swear I don’t have it. If Beth doesn’t, it’s long gone, probably donated with the stuff we gave to charity.”
“Liar!”
With a hard shove, he pushed her away. She tumbled to the floor, her elbow smacking against the hardwood surface when she landed. Instantaneous pain flared through her arm, followed by a throbbing ache. She scooted away from him, cradling her arm against her chest. Her only thought—get as far away from Evan as she could. Something must have set him off, because this wasn’t the Evan she knew. He’d never acted like this before. When had he become obsessed with a worthless piece of paper?
“Evan—”
“You’d better pray it’s here, Tessa. Otherwise…”
“What?”
Do I really want to know the answer?
His smile resembled a twisted, macabre mask as he ran a hand through his blond hair, making it wilder than before. But what scared her even more was the gun in his hand. The hand which moments earlier he’d clamped around her wrist. She couldn’t take her eyes off the dull matte finish of the metal, or the way Evan’s hand didn’t shake. It was rock steady, the barrel pointed straight at her head. If he fired, there’d be no dodging that bullet.
“You always make things difficult, don’t you, Tessa? Moved halfway across the country. Forced me to chase you. I know the bond wasn’t in the stuff you left behind. I went through it. Why’d you need all this stupid crap anyway?”
“Jamie never went through the boxes, did she? It was you.” Tessa remembered calling when the boxes arrived, and Evan’s tall tale about Jamie opening them while he was a phone call. It had been a lie—everything had been a lie.
“I followed you here. Tossed this place, and still couldn’t find it. Of course, it’s easy to hide a single sheet of paper. Where is the bond, Tessa? I’m not going back empty handed this time.”
“You’re the one who trashed my house? Destroyed the furniture and—”
“Yeah, yeah. It was me. I’m the villain. Boo hoo.” He loomed over her, and the maniacal gleam in his eyes told her everything she needed to know about his intensions and his mental state. Once he got his hands on the Crowley County bond, her usefulness was at an end. He couldn’t afford to let her live, because he knew she wouldn’t hesitate an instant before turning him in to the cops.
There was just one problem. She didn’t have the bond.
Time slowed like molasses in Alaska as reality hit. He mentioned he’d been digging into info about the bond. Did it mean—could it mean—the bond wasn’t worthless? The family never redeemed the bond. They’d held onto it, considered their gift to the county as a family heirloom. The Maxwell’s handed it down from generation to generation as a reminder of their family’s support for their fledgling North Carolina community. Crowley County sold the municipal bonds at the turn of the century, raising money for different things including roadways, building schools, and the courthouse. Then she had another thought, one which chilled her to her marrow.
“The phone calls? Were you the one making the phone calls with the blocked number?”
He smirked. “Not me personally. I had help.” His malicious chuckle sent chills racing down her spine. “It wasn’t hard to convince Trevor you were playing hard to get, though he did mention how frightened you sounded. I think he got turned on by scaring you. He didn’t mind throwing a bit of a scare into you, said you deserved it for running away from him. Believe it or not, he still wants to marry you.”
“Where is he?”
“Closer than you think.”
Which explained the eerie feeling she’d had for the last several days. Darn it, she should have trusted her instincts—and she should have told Rafe.
“He’s here?” She breathed out the words, though she already knew the answer. She rubbed her hands along her arms, feeling the chill bumps along her skin.
“I couldn’t keep flying to Texas, could I? Beth might get suspicious. I could write off the first trip as business. This one? I lied about having a business meeting. Right now, everyone thinks I’m in San Francisco.”
She drew in a ragged breath when the gun lowered slightly, though it was only a moment’s reprieve. Evan was smart. Brilliant, really. Apparently, he was also a stark-raving lunatic.
“Does Beth know you’re looking for the bond?” Please, please, she prayed, don’t let her be involved in Evan’s scheme. She’d had enough pain in her life recently, she couldn’t bear the thought of losing her sister
too.
“Your sister is too stupid and too naïve. She’d never be able to keep from telling you everything. Besides,” he lifted the gun again, the barrel pointed straight at her forehead, “I’m afraid, like you, she’s going to suffer a tragic accident soon, conveniently leaving our daughter the sole beneficiary of her life insurance policy, as well as the Crowley County bond.”
The breath caught in Tessa throat at his threat, followed by a burning hot rage deep in her gut that quickly spread upward like a roaring fire, engulfing her in its ferocity. “Why are you doing this?” She barely got the words out, her jaw tensed so tight it might shatter into a million pieces. Bracing against the coffee table, she levered up to a standing position. “Is this about money? I don’t have much, just what I have from my share of my parents’ life insurance, but I’ll give it to you.”
His eye roll made her want to punch him. “You’re nearly as stupid as your sister. Do you realize how much an unclaimed county bond is worth? In today’s market, that five-hundred-dollar piece of paper, with the interest compounded annually for over a hundred and twenty years, is worth millions. And I intend to cash it in, and live very happily.”
Her eyes widened at his statement. Could it possibly be true? “I’m telling you the honest truth, Evan. I don’t know where the Crowley County bond is—I haven’t seen it in years. But,” she held up a hand to stop him when he started to interrupt, “we can look for it together. I’ve unpacked everything I brought with me, and the boxes Beth shipped. Maybe it’s here and I missed it somehow.”
She prayed he’d agree. It might buy her some time to come up with a plan, because she was out of options. Terrified he’d shoot her. More afraid somebody would show up on her doorstep, and he’d hurt them. Living in a small town like Shiloh Springs, her house oftentimes resembled a revolving door. People were always stopping by, mostly Boudreaus. Her heart clenched at the thought of any of them stepping into the line of fire.
Especially Rafe.
“We can start in the office. I put most of the things in there.” Holding her hands out to her sides, palms facing forward, she walked slowly toward the office door, which stood ajar. She heard Evan’s footsteps behind her. There was no chance to get in and lock the door before he could stop her. And she couldn’t forget, he had a gun.
“I looked here before.” His gaze swept the room, which had been put back to rights after the police had processed the scene. The rage burning in her chest intensified, sweeping upward like a fiery red tidal wave, its slow burn feeding her anger.
“So we check again.” Kneeling beside the bookcase, she lifted several books free, and began shaking them upside down, and several papers fluttered to the floor. Notes from classes. Scribbled lists. She’d gotten into the habit of stuffing papers into her books, using them as bookmarks, or a way to keep them together. The way her mother had done for years.
Wait—like her mother? The answer was so simple.
Tessa knew where the bond was.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Brody turned off the ignition, and listened as his sister complained—again—about having to head back to school when she’d rather be home for the rest of summer. Was it his fault she’d signed up for extra classes? That’s the price she paid for wanting to graduate early. He touched the Bluetooth, turning down the volume, because Nica was on a roll, and her volume increased the longer she rambled.
He’d spotted lights on at Tessa’s place, and decided to make a quick stop, see how things were, and if she needed anything now school had started. The pretty little redhead had quickly worked her way into the hearts of all the Boudreaus, including his. She’d had the biggest impact on big brother Rafe, and Brody couldn’t be happier. Rafe deserved some happiness, and Tessa seemed to care about his brother too.
When Tessa’s front door opened and she stepped out, he spotted a blond man grasping her arm. She attempted to wrench it free without success. The look on her face was one he recognized instantly, because in his job with the fire department he saw it far too often not to recognize it.
Fear.
The stranger manhandled her toward a four-door sedan parked in the drive, and Brody took note of the rental sticker on its back window. Flipping open the glove compartment, he scrambled for something to write on, and jotted down the license plate number. He wasn’t sure why, except his gut told him something wasn’t right, and he’d learned a long time ago to follow his instincts.
The blond man shoved Tessa into the back seat, slid in beside her and slammed the door. A dark-haired man occupied the driver’s seat, and was far enough away Brody couldn’t get a good look at him. Within seconds, the car backed onto the street, and pulled away, Tessa’s pale face illuminated by the streetlight.
“Brody, are you listening to me?”
He’d forgotten about his sister, too intent on watching Tessa and the stranger. “Nica, I’ve gotta go. Call you later.”
“Wait—”
Cutting off the call, he dialed Rafe’s number. Pulling onto the asphalt, he followed the other car. Maybe he was making too much of things, but the way the guy hand manhandled Tessa didn’t sit well. Especially knowing she’d been getting harassing calls and her place had been trashed. Better safe than sorry.
“Hello.” His brother’s voice sounded distracted and a bit grumpy.
“Can you run a license plate for me?”
“What? Why?”
Brody drew in a deep breath, praying Rafe would keep his cool after he heard why Brody was calling. “I was on my way to your place. We’re supposed to watch the game tonight, remember?”
“And?”
“I saw Tessa’s lights on. Thought I’d stop in and see if she needed anything. When I got here, there was a strange car in her driveway. Then she came out with some guy, who had a pretty wicked-looking grip on her arm.”
A string of curses blasted through the earpiece, and he cringed at the volume and tone in his brother’s voice.
“Where are you now?”
“Following their car.” Brody watched the taillights, staying several car lengths behind. He knew every road, trail, and bike path in the entire town, and wasn’t about to lose them. Whoever was behind the wheel didn’t do anything to draw attention to the sedan, right down to using turn signals. His brow furrowed when they turned into the elementary school parking lot. Through the Bluetooth, he heard a door slam, knew Rafe was headed for his own car, ready to give chase.
“Bro, they’re at the elementary school.”
“Stay back until I get there and can assess the situation. Have they spotted you?”
“Don’t think so.” Flicking off his headlights, he parked on a side street, afraid if he pulled into the parking lot, it would be a dead giveaway they’d been followed. “They got out of the car, and Tessa is motioning toward the door.”
“I’ll be there in three minutes.” The silence following Rafe’s statement was eloquent, and Brody heard his brother draw in a ragged breath. “If you think she’s in trouble—”
“I’ll keep your girl safe, bro. Just get here.”
The strangers and Tessa headed toward the school. Tessa dug something out of her jeans’ pocket and handed it to the blond man, who unlocked the door. As soon as they entered, Brody raced across the blacktopped parking lot. Following his instincts, he cut around the side of the building, headed for the windows of Tessa’s classroom. Some sixth sense told him where they were headed, because he couldn’t think of any other reason for coming to the elementary school.
The overhead lights in her classroom flashed on, and he crouched low, staying in the shadows. From this angle, he got a pretty good view of the room, as well as the two men. The dark-haired one’s smirk grated on Brody’s nerves. There was a cruel set to his mouth, and his eyes never left Tessa.
Tessa jerked her arm free from the blond man’s grip, rubbing at her elbow. Her glare didn’t show fear, though she did take a couple of steps away from him. The blond said something he could
n’t hear through the closed classroom windows. He really wanted, no, needed to hear what was going on. Studying the aluminum casing, he noted they were the older kind with the swivel crank, and they opened outward.
He slid his fingers under the metal groove, pulling toward him, and mentally crossed his fingers the window didn’t squeak or make any sound. It stuck, refusing to budge. Bracing a shoulder against the wall, he tugged harder, finally feeling it move. He knew he couldn’t open it far, maybe an inch or so—enough to hear what was happening.
“I’m here.”
Brody congratulated himself on not screaming like a little girl when Rafe spoke, though it had been a close call. Dang, his brother moved quietly when he needed to. He squatted next to Brody, his eyes glued on Tessa.
Brody jerked his head toward the window, a finger to his lips. Rafe leaned in closer, his gaze frozen to the tableau unfolding inside the classroom. From the tightness of his body, Brody knew his brother was close to losing it. Totally unlike his usually unflappable big brother. It served to reinforce how much Rafe cared for Tessa.
“You said you knew where the bond is, Tessa.”
“Evan, please, I’ll give it to you, but not until I know Beth and Jamie are okay.”
“Evan?” Brody mouthed the name.
Rafe whispered, “Her brother-in-law.”
“Do you know the other dude?” Brody kept his voice to a whisper. Rafe shook his head, his face blank, but Brody knew his brother. If either of those men harmed Tessa, there’d be no stopping him. No second chances. Not even his badge would spare them.
“This is ridiculous.” The darker-haired stranger started knocking books off the shelf beside him, sending them tumbling to the ground. “I’m tired of messing around. Get the damned bond, Tessa.”
Rafe scooted closer to Brody, his eyes glued to the three people in the classroom. “Think you can break the window and get inside when I signal you?” At his nod, Rafe continued, “I’m going to circle around and go inside. You hold the fort here until I’m in position. I’ll handle these two jerks. Your job is to keep Tessa safe, got it?”