by Cynthia Eden
He headed back to the pub’s entrance. His body was tight with worry. He tried calling Rachel, but her phone just rang and rang.
Okay, she could be furious at him, but she didn’t get to go off the grid like this.
Jaw locking, he turned from the crowd and phoned the EOD. When his call was answered, he snapped. “This is Dylan Foxx.” He knew the voice-recognition software would be confirming his identity. “I want a track put on Agent Rachel Mancini’s phone. I need the phone’s location now.” Rachel also had a tracking chip implanted on her, but he didn’t push for intel on that, not yet. Mercer would need to approve that sort of information retrieval.
Calm down. The order whispered through his mind. He knew it was possible that he was way overreacting. She’s just letting off steam. You know Jack won’t hurt her. He saved her life before the blast.
But Dylan couldn’t seem to get calm. Fear snaked through him, and Dylan wasn’t used to fear.
He only felt fear when Rachel was in danger.
All of his primal instincts were fired up right then.
The agent was back on the line in moments. Dylan put his hand up to his ear, trying to dim the noise so he could hear what Helen Grant had to say. “Triangulation shows that you should be right near Rachel Mancini,” Helen told him.
He spun around, searching the bar once more. “Check that signal again and call me back.” He shoved the phone into his pocket. He’d just caught sight of the bartender. The guy was laughing as he headed toward a back room.
Dylan pushed people out of his way and grabbed the guy’s shoulder. “Aidan, right?”
The guy frowned at him. Then his brows lifted. “Ah, I figured you’d be in, sooner or later.” He looked over Dylan’s shoulder. “But I think you just missed her...”
“Rachel.” Her name burst from him. “She was here?”
Aidan nodded. “Sure. About ten, maybe fifteen minutes ago.” Then he added, “She was upset.”
Dylan’s guts twisted. “I need to find her.”
“Yeah, well, good luck with that. I’d suggest you hurry. A pretty lady like her, the guys were already circling in. Especially that jerk, Brent.”
“Brent?” He had no idea who Brent was.
Aidan glanced toward the back room then he looked at Dylan once more. “Yeah, the blond who was hitting on her the other night. The guy can’t seem to take no for an answer.”
“Where. Is. He.” Dylan’s words were a lethal demand.
Aidan scratched his chin and looked around the pub. “I cut him off, so I think he must’ve stumbled out...”
But Rachel’s phone was still transmitting a signal. One from very, very close by.
He spun away from Aidan.
“Is everything all right?” Aidan called.
Dylan rushed back outside. Her building waited to the left. If she’d left fifteen minutes ago, she would’ve been home. He started walking, heading on the same path she should have taken.
He stopped in front of the alley. Its interior was dark, cavernous.
“Rachel?” He shouted her name.
There was no answer to his cry.
He looked back toward her apartment.
She hadn’t made it that far.
Dylan advanced into the alley, his body tense with adrenaline. He eyes adjusted to the darkness. He could’ve pulled out his phone and used it as a light, but he didn’t want to give away his location. Not until he realized what he was facing.
He’d always had good night vision—far better, in fact, than average. So it was easy enough to make out the bulk of the garbage container.
And to see the body lying beside it.
He ran toward the body and his foot stamped down on something hard. Something—
He bent. A phone. Her phone?
Triangulation shows that you should be right near Rachel Mancini.
He bent over the body, and touched the man’s throat. No pulse.
Dylan straightened and whirled in the alley. He shouted for her. “Rachel!”
* * *
WHEN HER EYES OPENED, Rachel found herself in a dark room. She was slumped in a chair. Her hands bound behind her. Her legs were tied, one to each wooden chair leg.
“I learned...from last time.” His voice drifted to her. “It’s better to make sure that you’re securely restrained so I had to tie your legs this time, too.”
She’d known he was there. “Same routine, though, right?” Rachel managed. “Drug me. Kidnap me.” Her voice sounded a little sluggish. Probably from whatever drugs he’d given her. The drugs would also explain why her mouth was so dry.
But she would not let him see or hear her fear. That was what he wanted. To control her. To terrorize her.
“Hey, at least you didn’t wake up in the back of my trunk like you did last time.” Footsteps shuffled toward her.
She squinted her eyes, but she couldn’t see him clearly. It was too dark. Was he still wearing the ski mask?
“I missed you,” he told her.
She shook her head.
“And I think, if you look down deep enough, you’ll realize that you missed me, too.”
She didn’t need to look anywhere. “You’re insane.”
He laughed. “See, that’s what I missed. Other women would—and have, by the way—begged me at this point. They’d offer anything if I’d just let them go. But not you. You’re not like that. You never beg for anything, do you, sweetheart?”
She yanked at the ropes.
“You tricked me.” Now a hint of anger hummed through his words. “I was always so careful, watching you. Making sure that you didn’t think about turning to another. Then you and...Dylan Foxx. You went out and you put on the show and you made me think that you were involved.”
Her heart slammed into her chest. She didn’t even want him saying Dylan’s name.
“But you have no other lover, do you, Rachel? That was all for show. And now you’ve left him behind. You’ve left the EOD, and you’ve come back to me.”
How did he know what she’d done?
She strained again and felt the warmth of her blood as the ropes cut into her wrists.
“I don’t like that you tried to deceive me.”
Now it was her turn to laugh. “Really? When you’re the one who taught me how to lie?”
Silence, then he murmured, “I guess I did.”
She kept her breathing low and even. “If you’re going to kill me, just do it.”
He touched her then, sliding the back of his hand over her cheek. “Killing you isn’t on the agenda.”
Her racing heartbeat slowed down.
His hand pulled away.
“But I will have to punish you.”
And, in the darkness, she saw the gleam of a knife too late.
* * *
THE ALLEY WASN’T dark any longer. It seemed to be lit with a thousand lights.
Brent Chastang was dead. According to the M.E., the guy had bled out quickly from his stab wound, probably only surviving a few moments.
The phone was Rachel’s. She’d been at the scene.
The bloody playing card that they’d found shoved in Brent’s shirt told them that Jack had been there, too.
“Agent Foxx, are you all right?”
He turned at the soft question and found Noelle Evers walking toward him. The EOD had a crime-scene team checking over every inch of the alley. The local cops were being held back until they could finish processing the scene.
“No,” he told her, voice clipped. “I’m damned well not.” Fury spiked then. He caught her arm and pulled Noelle away from the others. “You said she was safe, that he wouldn’t hurt her.” He’d been so certain that Noelle was right.
Noelle shook
her head. “I never said that.”
His teeth snapped together. The fury raged hotter inside of him.
“Hurting her is a definite possibility.”
The woman was shredding him.
“But he won’t kill her. I don’t think that he can.”
He had to swallow twice before he could talk. “So he’s just going to torture her for hours. Then what? Let her go?”
Noelle shook her head. “You already know that won’t happen.”
“What will he do?” She was the one who was supposed to know. She had to tell him.
“He took Rachel because he wants her with him. I don’t think he ever intends to let her go.”
No. No. No! “It was supposed to be me.” That had been the whole point. The reason he’d moved heaven and earth to get her off the case. Rachel should’ve been safe. Jack was supposed to come after him.
“I don’t think Jack is done with you. Not yet. He’s just made sure that you can’t be with Rachel.”
But he needed to be with her. Dylan clenched his hands into fists because his fingers were trembling. He couldn’t afford to show any weakness, not then. He didn’t know who might be close.
There’d been no sign of a struggle in the alley. Rachel had simply appeared to vanish.
But I know that didn’t happen.
His phone began to ring then. He yanked it from his pocket, wondering if the EOD had news—
Blocked Number.
He stilled.
“What is it?” Noelle asked him softly.
“Personal call. Excuse me.” He turned from her and took a few more steps away from the scene. Dylan didn’t know why he was hiding the truth from her. He only knew—
I need Rachel back.
“Dylan Foxx.” He answered the call when he was sure no one else could overhear him.
“You’re not very good at following orders...”
That chilling rasp filled Dylan’s ears.
“I think I told you to come alone last time, but you just had to drag my Rachel with you.”
She’s not yours.
“She’s bleeding now. She’s hurting. And it’s all your fault, Agent Foxx.”
No. The thunder of Dylan’s heartbeat filled his ears. “I’m going to kill you.”
Laughter. Low. Insidious. “Is that the way a government agent should talk? Shouldn’t you be interested in bringing me in? Containing me?”
“Put Rachel on the line.” His grip was about to shatter his phone.
“No. I’m afraid that just can’t happen.”
“Then you don’t have her.” Or she’s dead. No. He wouldn’t go there. “Unless I hear her voice, we’re done talking—”
“I have her. You can’t track her. Oh, I bet you tried, didn’t you? Using those EOD connections of yours. But Rachel’s’ tracking system is...off-line now.”
Yes, it was. And that had terrified him.
“She’s such a tough marine, isn’t she? Rachel didn’t even scream when I cut the tracker out of her shoulder.”
The image flashed though his head. “Don’t touch her again.”
“I’ll touch her plenty. And if I want, I’ll use my knife again. I’ll see if I can make her scream. I bet if I try hard enough, I can.”
Dylan fought to hold back the fury and the fear, but the emotions were choking him.
“Good old Brent was a free kill. I don’t usually do those. I like to get paid for my services, but I didn’t like the way he kept bothering Rachel.”
He’d been in the bar. He’d seen Rachel.
“I figured he deserved what he got.” There was a pause. “Just as you deserve what’s coming.”
“But Rachel doesn’t deserve to be hurt.” Dylan had to make the guy focus his fury—on me.
“I decide what she deserves.” His breath sighed out. “I know you were playing a game. You and Rachel aren’t together. It was just bait, to lure me in.” That low laughter came again. “Good try. But the game’s over now. Guess what? I win.”
The hell he did. “Ask Rachel. She’ll tell you that we’re lovers.”
He heard a gasp behind him and spun to see Noelle staring at him. Damn it, she’d been eavesdropping.
And he had to wonder just how the profiler had learned to move so soundlessly.
“You’re lying!” Anger blasted through Jack’s words.
“No, I’m not. It wasn’t bait for you. Rachel is mine. She’ll tell you.”
Noelle began to frantically shake her head.
Dylan’s heart iced. His mind worked quickly as he tried to figure out what to say—
“Rachel doesn’t give a damn about you,” Jack growled.
Maybe she didn’t.
“Why did you call?” Dylan demanded. Not just to torment him. But more. There had to be more.
“Because I’m not quite done with you.”
Dylan’s muscles were so tense they ached. “I’ll follow orders this time.”
“You have to, or else she dies.”
He still hadn’t heard Rachel’s voice. He was straining, desperately trying to pick up some background noise, but there was nothing for him to hear.
“If you tell anyone else, I’ll know. I’ll see them coming, and I will put a bullet in Rachel’s head.”
“Don’t!” The word burst from him too quickly.
Noelle gave another frantic shake of her head.
There was a sharp inhalation on the other end of the line. “Agent Foxx, it sure sounds to me like you care too much for my Rachel.”
He did.
“I remember you now,” Jack continued. “You and Shannon. You don’t want Rachel to wind up like Shannon, do you?”
“No,” he gritted out from between clenched teeth.
“Then get in your car. Head to the National Harbor. I’ll call you again when you’re on the way.”
“What happens when I get to you?” But Dylan knew just what he planned to do. Jack, you’re a dead man.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Jack murmured. “One of us lives, and one of us dies.” A pause. “Now get in the damn car.”
The line went dead.
He stared into Noelle’s eyes. She knew what was happening. He brushed by her, but Noelle grabbed his arm. “Don’t! He’ll kill you long before you have any chance of getting to Rachel.”
Dylan pulled from her. “My job is to take down Jack. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.” And I’m getting Rachel back.
“He’s just going to kill you. You know that.” Her voice was low, pitched to only reach his ears. “You...you shouldn’t have said that you and Rachel were really involved. He was just calling to taunt you, but that changed things for him.”
“He’s hurting her.” No one hurt Rachel. No damn one.
“He’ll have a trap set for you. Please, Agent Foxx, think about this! He’s got this all planned. You know he isn’t an average killer.”
“That’s why the EOD is after him.” Because they knew just what sort of threat he posed.
“You need backup!”
“What I need...” He leaned in close because Thomas was coming toward them, and Dylan didn’t want the guy catching his next words. “I need her. Safe. Away from him. And I’ll do anything in order to get her back.”
Then he pulled from her. He stalked away from the alley that smelled of blood and death. He jumped in the SUV that he’d taken from headquarters earlier, and he spun out of the parking lot with a squeal of his tires.
* * *
RACHEL COULDN’T SPEAK because of the thick gag in her mouth. All she could do was listen to Jack as he taunted Dylan...and as the killer set the trap to lure him in.
When the call ended, Jack came back to her. She
didn’t see the knife in his hand. He’d used it on her moments before he’d called Dylan.
“The agent said you were lovers.”
Rachel didn’t move. He was just a shadow before her. A big, hulking—
A bright light flashed on, illuminating the area. They were in...an office. One that looked as if it was under construction. There were gleaming windows to the left and fresh Sheetrock to the right. Rachel inhaled and caught the scent of—
The river? A faint breeze blew through the window, bringing that scent to her. Jack had said that Dylan needed to drive toward the harbor, and now she realized just how close she was to the water.
She could even hear the lapping of the river outside that window.
“Was he lying? Tell me, Rachel, was Agent Foxx lying?”
She nodded and stared up at him. He still had on the ski mask. All she could see were his eyes. Eyes that were burned into her memory.
The knife came up and pressed against the side of her face. She tensed.
But he just cut away the gag. It fell from her mouth, and Rachel licked her parched lips.
“Tell me,” Jack demanded. “Say it.”
“H-he was lying...”
He stumbled back.
“He was lying,” Rachel said again, her voice stronger.
Because she knew exactly what Jack would do if he didn’t think Dylan’s words were a lie.
“He was lying,” she whispered and she prayed that Jack believed her. Because if he didn’t...
Dylan and I could both be dead.
* * *
NOELLE WATCHED DYLAN rush away. He couldn’t do that. He couldn’t just go straight into danger.
Into death.
She realized that the EOD wasn’t like the FBI. The FBI was all about rules and regulations. Paperwork. Enough files and forms to choke her.
And the EOD...the agents there seemed to be on a constant adrenaline high. They loved the risk and the battles.
Being in the field was the work they craved.
“What’s wrong?”
It was his voice. Thomas Anthony. He was beside her. Not touching her. He was always so careful not to touch her.