“No, it’s not enough,” he replied coldly. “I thought it would be, but it’s not. My life was ruined, and you’re sitting pretty in Los Angeles with your cushy job and your nice stuff.”
“Please don’t do this. Would your mom want you to do this?”
“Shut up, I said! Don’t talk about my mom!” He slapped her across the face. “You’re just trying to get me talking—to stall. Well, it’s not gonna work, princess. I’m done talking!” He attempted to push her nearer to the steps with his body, but she planted her feet, leaned into him with her full weight, and resisted with every bit of strength she possessed.
“Don’t do this, Ethan!” she pleaded, gritting her teeth.
“I have to. An eye for an eye, ya’ know?” he snickered.
At the sound of car doors closing, Ethan spun around. Because of Kate leaning into him, she fell off balance as he swung her around with him, and she hit the ground. He pulled her to her feet as they saw the detectives approaching. In the background, she noticed a female officer helping his handcuffed sister out of the back seat of their car. In a flash, he whipped out the knife, clicked it open, and held it dangerously close to Kate’s neck.
In response, both detectives instantly drew their guns.
“Ethan! Stop!” Suki hollered to him as she and the police rushed toward him. Officer Diaz pulled hard on Suki’s arm to stop her when she was about fifteen feet from her brother. Suki tried to shake free from her grip, but Diaz held firm.
“What are you doin’ here, Suki?” Ethan questioned, visibly irritated things were not going as he had planned.
“I have to talk to you before you do something we’ll both regret.”
“It’s too late for talking, Sis.”
“No! We were wrong, Ethan. We were wrong. You have to let Kate go.”
“What are you talking about?” his voice rising with agitation.
“I found out today that the crash wasn’t Kate’s fault after all,” Suki began to explain.
“I don’t believe you. The police are messin’ with you, Suki. They’ve twisted your mind, brainwashed you, but I’m not falling for it.”
“I told you he wouldn’t believe me,” she said to the detectives.
“Keep trying,” Porter encouraged her.
“Ethan, listen to me. We blamed Kate for so many years, planning our revenge. It was our thing, what kept us close. I know it’s hard to admit now, but we got it wrong.”
“Why are you saying this now?” Ethan shouted, wild-eyed and jittery, moving from foot to foot.
“Do you remember Mrs. DiMarco? My foster mother?”
“Yeah. So what? What’s she got to do with anything?”
“She saw the police bringing me in, on the TV, and came to the police station. She brought a copy of Dad’s suicide note that she’d been holding all these years. He explained in the note how everything was his fault.”
“I don’t believe you,” Ethan said, tightening his hold on Kate. “I don’t remember any suicide note. How do you know it’s real? Huh? How? It’s probably just a trick.”
“That’s what I thought too, at first, so I looked at it for a long time. I know it was Dad’s handwriting.”
“What did he say?” Ethan asked skeptically.
“It said he was sorry for ruining everything. He said the day Mom died she found out he was having an affair. She was drinking when he came home and they had a big fight. Mom got in her car and left. She’s the one who ran the stop sign. Dad said he was sorry for losing his job and the house. He said it was all his fault.”
“I don’t believe it! Dad would never do that to Mom!” Ethan erupted, all the while holding on to Kate’s arm and brandishing the knife. The long cement staircase was just a few feet behind them, and Ethan could easily throw her down the steps at any moment.
“I know you don’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to believe it either, but he did. Please, Ethan, put the knife down and let Kate go.”
“No, Sis, I can’t believe it. I won’t! I know Dad would never have cheated on Mom. Not in a million years. How can you even say that?”
“I wouldn’t lie to you, Ethan.”
“The cops probably put you up to it, didn’t they? What did they promise you to get you to turn on me?”
“Nothing. They didn’t promise me anything. I’m here because I don’t want them to kill you.”
“Kill me?”
“Yes! Ethan, if you hurt Kate, they’ll shoot you. You know they will.” She paused for a moment, releasing a long sigh. “We were wrong, Ethan. We were just plain wrong. Now, please, please...let Kate go.” Suki took a couple of steps closer to her brother, dragging Officer Diaz up with her.
“No, you’re wrong!” he screamed.
“People make mistakes, Ethan. Dad made a mistake, a bad one. Then, everything else just started falling apart around him—around us.”
“I’m not listening to this.” He shook his head back and forth. “I know it was Kate’s fault. It was all her fault.”
“No, Ethan, no,” she argued. “It wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t,” she tried to explain. “I’m telling you...she’s innocent in all of this.”
Ethan jerked Kate closer in front of him, into a chokehold, and held the knife against her neck.
Feeling the sting of the sharp blade against her skin, her body stiffened and her eyes grew big as saucers, afraid she might die right then and there.
“Put the guns down or I’ll kill her right now,” Ethan demanded. “I mean it!” He was jumpy and highly agitated. He was probably coming down from his high and the torment of his narcotic withdrawal was clearly intensifying the situation. “If I die, she dies too,” he threatened.
Porter and Patel held their ground, neither lowering their weapons. The four back-up officers, who had quietly fanned out behind the detectives, also kept their guns aimed at Ethan.
“My life is over, Sis, either way,” Ethan told her, his voice starting to sound frighteningly resigned. His eyes seemed riveted on the drawn guns, and he edged his captive closer to the steep concrete steps. “So, why not end it all right here, right now? This bitch started this whole thing, ruined my family and my life. You’ll never convince me she didn’t. I’ve got nothing left.”
“No!” Suki screamed.
Whack! Ethan’s lights went out as he went flying forward, taking Kate down with him. He never saw Ryan creeping up the steps from the street below. Ryan had obviously taken great pains to silently ascend the stairs, and then wait for the opportune moment to crack Ethan on the back of his head with the brick he found on the floor at the house. Kate thought it was only fitting payback, seeing how Ethan had a penchant for doing the same to others.
Porter and Patel rushed over to Ethan while he was down. Porter kicked the knife out of Ethan’s hand and pulled him off Kate then Patel bent down to check his vitals and make sure he was breathing. He leaned in and put his first two fingers against Ethan’s neck just as he began to come around.
Porter immediately jumped on him, put a knee in his back, and secured his hands with handcuffs. Diaz kept a tight hold of Suki’s arm, even though she tried to pull free and run to her brother.
“Don’t hurt him!” Suki hollered.
“Okay, dirt bag, get on your feet.” Porter yanked him to a standing position and supported him as he escorted his woozy prisoner to one of the police cars.
Ryan noticed Kate struggling to get on her feet and rushed to her aid. As he reached down and helped her up, Raj offered to cut her ropes off with his pocketknife.
Once free, Kate flung her arms around Ryan’s body and he wrapped his arms around her. Within seconds, his lips were on hers and they were locked in a passionate embrace.
Raj cleared his throat. Realizing they were not alone, Kate and Ryan untangled their lips and each took a breath, but neither wanted to let go of the other.
“I thought you were dead,” she told him, tears trickling down her cheeks. “I saw you lying there on the
floor, you weren’t moving, and my heart just about leapt out of my chest.”
“I wasn’t sure I’d ever see you alive again, either,” he responded in his warm, deep voice, studying her face. “One minute we’re about to have a nice dinner and the next thing I know you’ve disappeared into thin air. I was terrified!”
“Okay then...I’m guessing you guys would like some privacy,” Raj said, shoving his hands in his pockets as he backed away and wandered over to his car.
“Thanks, Raj,” Ryan muttered, his eyes not leaving Kate’s.
“I never want to lose you again, Kate.” He closed his eyes as he kissed her forehead softly, then he opened them to look into hers. “I’ve never felt this way before.”
He pushed a strand of her hair back and tenderly kissed her right cheek. She closed her eyes, fully enjoying the pleasure of it. “I feel complete when I’m with you,” he said, kissing her left cheek, as well.
Her lips parted as she was about to say something, but before she could speak he kissed her again, his mouth full and warm on hers. Her lips responded to his, and she melted against his body. She had only known him for three days, yet her feelings for him had grown in quantum leaps during that short time, and she was sure now that he felt the same.
Then suddenly she pulled back from him, her eyes growing wide. “My sister! Ryan, what about Whitney?”
Kate’s face crumpled in worry. In that instant, she realized she had been out of touch with the world for hours. The last she’d learned, before her abduction, was that the detectives were questioning Suki at the police station. No one had told her anything yet about Whitney.
“Whitney, yes. Oh, wow, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking of your sister just now. My mind was focused on rescuing you from that psycho.”
“And I’m so grateful for that, but is there any news about my sister?” Kate was desperate to know.
“Suki led the police to her. She was in the Underground Tour somewhere. They took her to the hospital.”
“She’s alive? Tell me, Ryan, she’s alive?”
“She looked rough, but she was alive when they pulled her out of that awful place. I can’t say for sure, but I think she’s going to get through this.”
Ryan turned and called out to Patel as he was beginning to get into the car. “Hey, Raj. Wait up.”
Ryan put his arm around Kate’s waist as they walked over to the Crown Victoria. Suki sat sullen in the back seat with Officer Diaz, and Porter was starting the engine. Patel paused for a moment and climbed back out.
“What’s up?” he asked, closing the door.
“No one’s filled Kate in on what’s happening with her sister. Can you tell us what’s going on?”
“Oh, man. I am so sorry. There’s just been so much going on, I totally spaced it.” Raj took a few minutes and explained to her how they rescued her sister.
“So Whitney’s all right?” she asked.
“She looked okay to me when the paramedics were putting her in the ambulance, maybe a bit dehydrated. She had been drugged to keep her sedated. There was a little blood on her face when we found her, but she didn’t seem to have any visible injuries. The doctors are checking her out now.”
“Oh, thank you!” Kate squealed and gave the detective a quick hug. “I have to go see her.”
“After we drop Suki off at the station, Porter and I are headed over to the hospital to check on her and see if she’s up to talking.”
“We’ll need to catch a ride over there, too,” Ryan said, as he glanced over at Kate.
Raj shouted and waved to one of the uniformed officers. “Hey, can you give these two a ride to the hospital?” He gave Kate and Ryan a thumbs-up. “Johnson will give you guys a lift. And hey, Ryan, get your head looked at while you’re there.” He grinned and then turned to leave.
Kate suddenly remembered something. “Detective, I have something to tell you. You, too, Ryan.”
“What?” Patel asked.
“Yeah, what?” Ryan asked.
“When Ethan held me at the house, he told me that he had caused my parents’ auto accident.”
“That’s what you thought, when we were at the crash site on Bainbridge Island,” Ryan recalled.
“He did? Why would he just come out and tell you that?” Patel questioned.
“Because he was going to kill me. At that point, he didn’t care I guess. Besides, I think he thought I knew all this time and had spent years agonizing over it.”
“That means he’s not just a kidnapper, he’s also a murderer,” Raj said. “Hopefully the confession and that cap is enough to get a murder charge. We’ll need more, but it’s a start.” Raj reached out and put his hand on Kate’s shoulder for a moment. “Thanks for letting me know. I’m sorry you had to be the one to discover that.”
“I really hope he’s going to pay for what he did to my folks.”
“Yes, he’s going to learn that revenge has a price,” Raj told them.
“It shows he’s a cold-hearted killer. He would have killed you if he’d had the opportunity,” Ryan added, as he took Kate’s hand.
“He did have the opportunity, but you saved me. If it wasn’t for you coming to the house, I have no doubt he would have killed me there,” she explained to Ryan. “He grabbed me by my hair and was about to stick a knife in my chest when you came to the door, so he dragged me down to the basement. After he knocked you out, he decided to kill me at this park instead.”
“And you sneaking up the steps behind him saved her again,” Raj added.
“Yes, that and you whacking him on the head,” Kate reminded them.
“You’re a hero, my friend,” Raj said, with a little laugh. “All joking aside, man, you are a hero.”
“You certainly are my hero,” Kate chimed in, flashing a grateful smile at her rescuer.
“Okay, okay,” Ryan said, raising his hands in surrender. “That’s enough.”
“I better get going. Porter’s got the car running, and he doesn’t like waiting on me.” Raj opened the car door and started to get in. “I’ll let him know about the murder charge.”
“Murder charge?” Porter asked in the background.
“See you guys at the hospital.”
Chapter 21
Kate took Ryan’s arm as they walked toward the waiting police cruiser. She thought back over the last three days, which were a whirlwind of drama and emotions. It was amazing to her how much life a person can pack into such a short span of time. Almost from the moment she met Ryan, he had become a strong force in her life, giving her support and help at every turn—from her sister’s disappearance, to identifying the dead body in Boise, to facing her parents’ crash site, to being kidnapped and almost killed.
After all of that, she was dramatically rescued—by him, no less. If he hadn’t come to the house looking for her, if he had followed Detective Patel’s directive to sit tight, she would be dead. After all of that, here she was, still being cared for by this incredible man.
Reaching the car, he held the door open for her in his chivalrous way. She paused before getting into the vehicle.
“We’ll be just a minute,” she said to the officer behind the wheel and shut the door.
She turned to face Ryan.
“I thought you were in a hurry to get to the hospital,” Ryan said, apparently puzzled by her pause.
“I am. We’ll be off in just a minute, but I wanted to say something to you before we get going.” She leaned back a little and rested her hip against the side of the vehicle. “Things are going to get hectic once we get to the hospital. Everyone’s focus will be on Whitney, as it should be.”
“All right, what did you want to say?”
“Ryan,” she began, gazing up into his gentle green eyes, “I hardly know how to thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me. I was happy to help—I needed to,” he answered, stepping in closer, as if he was going to kiss her.
As he leaned in, she put a hand on his chest, not to
stop him, but to feel his strength. Looking up at him, she grabbed hold of his shirt where she had rested her hand, pulling him down to her, kissing him passionately.
His arms wrapped around her, she could feel the beat of his heart as her body pressed against his. She had never felt like this about any other man, her head was spinning deliriously.
When their lips parted, they both struggled to catch their breath. Ryan was the first to speak and the deep feelings of his heart spilled out. “Kate, I can’t stand the thought of you going back to Los Angeles now that your sister has been found. I don’t want to lose you.”
Studying his adoring face for a moment, she reached up, tenderly putting a hand on his firm cheek. “You sweet man, you’re not going to lose me.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, a look of hope flashing across his face.
“I mean I’ve decided I need to move back to Seattle. I want to be close to my sister, and to you—if you want me.” She flashed him a coy smile.
“If I want you? Are you kidding me? Don’t you know, Kate? I’m falling in love with you.” His lips were on hers once more, this time with more urgency and hunger than ever before.
Coming up for air, Kate caught her breath and responded. “Ryan, you are the sweetest, most amazing man I have ever known. I’d be a fool to go back to Los Angeles and leave behind what we’ve started here.” He leaned in for another kiss, but she put her fingers gently to his lips. “But, we should probably go somewhere more private to continue this conversation.”
“Oh, conversation? Is that what this is?”
“What would you call it?” she asked.
“I’d call it,” he paused and looked upward for just a moment, as if searching for just the right words. Then he looked deeply into her eyes. “I’d call it a declaration of how we feel about each other.” And he leaned in again, to kiss her one more time.
“Get a room!” a scruffy teenager called out from the sidewalk was he flew by on his skateboard.
“My thoughts exactly,” Ryan agreed with an impish grin.
“Ryan!” Kate chastened, blushing at the thought.
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