by Vella, Wendy
To her shame, he was right. Lani hadn’t wanted to know what was happening in the world; her focus had been on her life.
“Precious little Elaine Dwight.”
“Whatever. I get it, Barnaby, you’re going to kill me after I sign the will. Just tell me how to get to the place so you can get it done.”
“What’s it like, living life on the run? No money, and ugly clothes. Daddy’s gold card wouldn’t get you out of trouble now.”
“What’s it like, living ugly?” she fired back.
“I’m making your death slow and painful for this,” his hissed, touching the scar on his cheekbone.
Lani was scared. Scared enough that her hands shook and she wanted to throw up, but one thing she’d learned in the last four years was that she was tough. This man had forced her to live the life she had, and she loathed him for that, but if he was going to kill her, she’d be damned if he’d do it with her cowering and begging him for mercy. She was going to fight with everything she had to survive.
“Actually, I should thank you, Barnaby. Really, I’ve learned a lot about myself and seen some of the country since that day I found you in bed with the bimbo.”
“Bethany is not a bimbo, and don’t bullshit me, Elaine. I’m not sure how you survived, but I can see it wasn’t easy.”
“How’s your daddy, Barnaby? Still signing your paychecks and keeping a tight rein on the finances because he knows what a liability his son is?”
“I won’t need his money soon, and he knows it. Wants me to find you so he can be rich too.”
“I left a letter in my possessions that will be opened if I’m found dead.”
“You’re lying!”
“No. So my advice is, you better run fast, because they’ll be coming for you.”
“I don’t care. I’m leaving with your money and never coming back.”
“With Bethany, or did she leave you when she saw your ugly face?”
He grabbed her throat and squeezed tight. “Shut up!”
Lani veered over the road, so he released her.
“Speak again and I’ll put a bullet through you now.”
Hauling in a deep breath, she fought the panic. She had to live, had to get out of this so she could get back to Noah.
“There’s a road up ahead on the left. Turn there.”
She didn’t speak again, just did as he asked. It was surreal now that it was finally coming to an end. This man had terrified her, but looking at him, Lani wondered why? He was just one man—okay, and his father—but she should have at least tried to fight. The girl she’d been was a coward, pampered and spoiled, and her reaction had been to flee. Then it had turned into her way of life. Travelling, working, and keeping her head down.
No life, Lani thought. Now she had Noah, Buddy and Bandit, Mrs. C, and Hank and the others in Lake Howling. She wanted to get back there badly, because it was her home.
“There.”
Lani wouldn’t have seen it if she hadn’t been looking. Slowing, she pulled the Bronco off the road and followed the narrow lane. They drove downward for about twenty minutes, by her estimation.
“Pull up behind that building.”
I don’t want to die.
For a while there she hadn’t cared. Her parents were gone, she was on the run with no money, but that changed when she went to Lake Howling.
“Wait there, and if you try to run, I’ll shoot you.”
“In the back like a real man, do you mean?”
He smacked the butt of the gun into her cheek. It hurt like hell, but she didn’t make a noise. “Like I said, a real man.”
He got out, and she let out a moan. Blood was running down her cheek, so she blotted it with her sleeve.
“Let’s go.” He dragged her out and pushed her toward the building. “Inside.” Once there, he turned on a lamp.
“Sit.”
Lani did as she was told, because she didn’t know what else to do. Was this it? Was he going to kill her now? She had to at least try to save herself and make a run for it.
“Sign this.” Her will was placed in front of her.
“You know this is crazy, Barnaby. No way will you get away with this. Too many people will suspect.”
“Just sign it!”
“We’re not married.”
“People don’t marry these days, and we were engaged. No one knows that you didn’t sign everything over to me in the event of your death before.”
He spoke the truth, she knew it, and the fact that he and his father were lawyers and respected didn’t help her cause.
Picking up the pen, she signed her death warrant and fought back the hopeless tears. She watched as he folded up the papers and tucked them into his pocket.
“Now drink this. It’ll put you to sleep and you’ll die nice and quiet in your sleep.”
Lani stood up. “Do you honestly just expect me to drink that?”
He pointed the gun at her.
“So shoot me then. At least then when they find my body, they’ll know you murdered me. And you can’t hide it, because we both know it takes plenty of years for a person to be declared dead if they go missing, and you don’t have that long to wait.”
“If you want to do this the hard way, we will.”
He walked to a bench, and she saw rope and a funnel with a hose attached. He was going to tie her up and force her to take whatever was in that bottle. As he turned to grab the stuff, she ran at him, knocking him sideways, then to the floor.
“No!”
Heading for the door, she wrenched it open. He grabbed her ankle. She kicked out desperately with her other foot, and connected with his head, making him grunt and release her. Lani sprinted through the opening.
He had the keys to the Bronco, so she had to hide until someone found her. Would Noah be looking already? Running blindly into the dark, she saw the glisten of water as her eyes adjusted. Was this her lake? Why did that thought give her comfort when a madman was following her with a gun?
She ran until her sides heaved, then dropped down and pulled off her dress and Katie’s wedges. She could hear the thud of Barnaby’s feet getting closer. Clutching her clothes, she ran toward the water. There was a bank, so she eased over the edge and worked her way down on her bottom until her toes hit the cool water below. The dark, inky depths made her shudder. What was under there? Trout? She could deal with that. Sharks lived in saltwater mainly, but once in college, she remembered a friend telling her that there was a species that could live in both.
And now is the time to remember that, Lani?
Shutting down her thoughts, she sucked in a deep breath.
“I’m going to make your death slow and painful when I catch you, Elaine!” The words came from above her.
“Come out now!”
Dickhead. Like I’d ever do that.
“I’ll find you, Elaine. I’ve waited four years. A few more minutes will make no difference. You may as well give up; there’s no one around to save you.”
Not happening.
Thinking of Noah and his love of the water, she took a deep breath and eased into the icy black depths. She bit back a hiss of shock as the cold took her breath away and submerged herself up to her chin. She saw a shadow of bushes hanging over the bank and hoped nothing was sleeping in there. If she could get there, she’d be hidden from the moonlight. Barnaby couldn’t swim, so he wouldn’t come in after her. But he would shoot at her.
Making her way slowing through the water, she tried to do it quietly. Lani stopped if she heard his footsteps and sank below the water. Her body was going numb.
Moving again, she finally reached her destination and swam under the branches. Holding on to one, she focused on Noah, remembering every detail of how he’d looked when last she’d seen him tonight.
Hurry, Noah. Find me… please.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
“There’s Pete.” Cubby pointed to the car stopped on the side of the road. He pulled alongside and lowered th
e window.
“Went down there about twenty-five minutes ago and had a passenger.”
“Why didn’t you follow?” Noah demanded.
“Ignore him, he’s in love,” Cubby said. “Thanks, Pete. You climb in the back beside Katie now and we’ll head in.”
Noah bit back any more words and hugged Buddy, who was on his lap. Was she still alive? Had he hurt her? “These thoughts are driving me crazy,” Noah muttered.
“If you’re in love, the crazy is only just beginning, is my guess,” Pete said, which made Noah want to turn around and punch him.
“Okay, so this guy is a real whack job,” Cubby said. He went on to explain to Pete what they’d learned about Barnaby Lester. The man was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he liked to gamble but kept his nose clean. Lawyer, like his daddy. Apparently he’d been devastated when his fiancée had gone missing and been trying to find her ever since. There was no record of the conversation Lani had had with the police that night she’d tried to escape.
“Can’t you drive any faster!”
“You say the track is about twenty minutes, Pete?” Cubby ignored Noah.
“Yup.”
“Okay, I’m shutting off the lights now, and we’ll cruise in quietly so as we don’t alert anyone we’re here,” Cubby said. Katie gripped Noah’s shoulder.
“Tex, you there?”
“I am.”
“Where you at?”
“About ten away, circling.”
“Okay, stay tuned,” Cubby said, pulling the car to a halt.
“No heroics, Noah, and Buddy stays in here. If he has Lani, we want the element of surprise.” Cubby gave Noah a steady look.
“Okay” was all he could manage.
Buddy whined as he told him to stay. Getting out of the car, he saw the silhouette of a small building; it had a light on inside. Cubby signaled for Katie and Pete to go left, and they’d go right.
Walking slowly, they circled the building and found Lani’s Bronco. He’d have her in his arms soon, and she’d be safe. Please God, let her be safe.
Cubby peered in the window and then signaled for Noah to stay as he headed for the door. Opening it, he raised his weapon and entered with Katie at his back.
“It’s empty,” he heard Katie call back to him and Pete. Noah entered the building, his eyes sweeping it. He headed for the small table and found what looked to be a funnel and rope. Dropping to the floor when something caught his eye, he saw one of the Howler’s pens.
“She was here.” He held it up.
“They can’t have gone far,” Pete said.
“Tex, you need to come in with lights and do a sweep of the water in case he’s taking her somewhere by boat,” Cubby said into his handheld radio.
Noah didn’t wait; he ran out the door.
“Stop!” Cubby roared, but he wasn’t doing that. He had to find Lani, and to do that, he needed to move.
“Fuck!” Cubby’s feet thundered behind him.
Noah ran to Cubby’s cruiser and let Buddy out. “Find Lani, Buddy. Go find her.”
The dog took off, and Noah was on his heels with the others behind them. He ran to the water, then parallel to it, nose to the ground. A few minutes later, they heard shots, and all he could think about was Lani lying dead in a pool of blood. Noah pulled his gun and grabbed Buddy’s collar.
“Wait!”
“I’m not waiting, Cubby. He could have shot her.”
“Quiet. Someone is coming.”
Noah stopped and watched the path and then a man appeared. Barnaby Lester, was Noah’s guess. He raised his gun, Cubby, Katie, and Pete beside him doing the same.
“Stop or we shoot,” Cubby said calmly.
The man faltered, then lowered his weapon.
Tex chose that moment to sweep in, and his lights lit up the area like Lake Howling’s Main Street at Christmas with all those fairy lights.
“Hi, just out walking. Thought I saw a bear and got scared. What’s with the helicopter?”
He smiled, and Noah saw the scar on his cheek.
“Put your hands where we can see them,” Katie barked.
He did as she asked, and Pete moved forward and cuffed him.
“You got Lani?” Tex asked into the radio.
“Not yet,” Cubby said. “Just stay where you are for now.”
“What’s the problem here, officers? I’m just doing some fishing in my cabin.”
Katie moved forward and went through his pockets, pulling out some papers and his wallet. Cubby shone his torch on them, and they saw the name on his driver’s license was Barnaby Lester and the papers were a will.
“Where is she, you fucker!” Noah punched him hard in the gut.
“Well, hell,” Cubby said as Pete jumped out of the way and Barnaby fell hard on the floor.
Noah pointed his gun at the man’s forehead.
“Make him hurt, Noah!” Buster roared.
“Shut up, you idiot!” Cubby growled.
“Where is Lani?”
“Wh-who?”
“Elaine. What the hell have you done with her?”
“I-I d-don’t know who you’re t-talking about.”
“Shoot him in the leg, Cubby,” Noah said. “Now!”
“Seems wrong though, seeing as I’m an officer of the law, but if you insist.”
“What! No, wait!” Barnaby said as Cubby pressed his revolver into the man’s thigh.
“Where is she?” Noah roared again.
“Don’t know! She ran, I lost her!”
Noah released him and stood. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he shouted her name, but she didn’t reply.
“Find her, Buddy. Find Lani.” The dog ran a few feet then stopped. He then looked down the bank.
“Lani, it’s Noah!” She didn’t answer.
He went down the bank on his butt, hitting the water at the bottom. Tex dropped down more and lit the area
“Lani!”
He heard a splash from his right. Kicking off his shoes, he removed his suit pants and got into the water.
“Stay, Buddy.”The dog whined but did as he was told.
He kept his eyes on the water as he swam.
“Lani!”
“Noah!”
He swam faster, and then there she was. His girl, huddled against a branch.
“I got you now.” He moved in beside her and pulled her into his arms. “Safe now, baby. I have you.” She clung to him like a limpet.
“He’s here, Noah. B-Barnaby.”
“We have him, Lani, it’s okay.”
She was shivering hard, her body shaking. “I-I hate him.”
“Me too. We need to get you warm now, Lani. So I’m taking you back.”
“’K-kay.”
Noah swam with one arm around her, and they made it slowly back. Buddy was ecstatic and pressed his wiggling body into Lani’s after he’d lifted her onto the bank.
“H-hey, b-boy.”
“He found you. God, Lani, I was so scared when I heard that shot.”
“M-me too.” She burrowed into him, holding him tight. Noah didn’t think he’d ever let her go.
Cubby and Katie helped them up the bank. Then Noah and Lani were wrapped in blankets.
“You take her back to Howling in Lani’s car, Noah.”
“H-he has my k-keys,” Lani said.
“I’ll get them.” Cubby returned seconds later and handed them over.
“We’ll get to the paperwork in the morning. For now, get her home and warm, and I’ll lock the asshole up.”
She sat with her arms round Buddy, pressed up against Noah, and slowly the heater started to thaw them out.
“My name is Elaine Dwight. I was born in Long Beach. I was an only child and my parents left me lots of money. My father was a business whizz.”
“Lani, calm down.” She was talking so fast he could hardly understand her. “You’re safe now, here with me.”
“I know, but I’ve wanted to tell you for so lo
ng who I am. I need to get this out.”
“Okay, but slower.”
She exhaled.
“I went to California State University and loved cheerleading. My best friend is Mel, who’s nothing like me. She calls me Nutty because I love peanut butter.”
“Good that it’s not for any other reason.”
That made her giggle.
“I talked to Mel.”
“Really?”
“She asked if I was your Noah.”
“I told her that I’d met you and we’d had sex.”
“Made love,” he corrected.
“Made love.” She exhaled again.
“FYI, you’ll always be Lani to me.”
“N-Noah,” she sighed. “I’ve pretty much lived a lie for four years.”
“I know, and I read your letter and know most of it anyway.”
“You found my letter?”
“When I searched your room. The opening line was a killer. ‘If you find this and I’m dead, you need to know that I was murdered by Barnaby Lester.’”
“I’m sorry you had to see that.”
“I’m sorry you had to write it.”
She leaned on his shoulder.
“My life is such a mess, I wouldn’t even know where to start to explain it to you, Noah.”
“I love you.”
She went completely still.
“Elaine Dwight, Lani Sullivan, I love you so much it hurts.”
“Oh, I-I….” She started crying.
“I’m hoping you feel the same way.”
“Y-yes, but—”
“No buts. For now that’s enough. You’ve been through hell, and that’s going to stop now. We’ll deal with the rest together, okay?”
She fell asleep minutes later, and Buddy rested his head in her lap.
“She’s safe now, boy.”
Noah carried her into the Howler. Faith was waiting.
“Is she okay?” His sister looked worried. “Do you need anything?”
“She’s exhausted, and we both just need sleep. Can I fill you in tomorrow?”
She leaned in and kissed him. “Of course. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
He carried Lani upstairs to his rooms, and she didn’t wake when he lowered her onto his bed and pulled up the covers. He got a cloth and washed the blood of her face, she didn’t even murmur.