Luke breathed a sigh of relief as he followed Mitch out of the office.
As they walked into the room, Tom lifted his head from the table and looked at the men through bloodshot eyes.
“Dwer.” Mitch was brisk. “I need to know everything you can tell me about Kevin Tripp. Now.”
Tom looked straight into Mitch’s eyes. “I went to Holly’s to tell her everything.”
“So tell us,” Mitch ordered.
Tom raised his hands as far as the cuffs allowed. His eyes glazed over when he stared at them as though trying to figure out what they were.
“Dwer!” Mitch’s shout would have jolted Tom off his chair if he hadn’t been secured. At least, he appeared to come back to his senses.
“Kevin has been obsessed with her ever since they did some project together in high school. I always thought it was all talk until this morning.”
Luke clamped his mouth closed so Mitch could do his job.
“What happened this morning?” Mitch’s frustration was knocking on the door. Tom better hurry up and get to the point.
“He took me to a house. I thought we were going there to finalize a deal for him to invest in my company, but he just wanted to show me the place.” Tom looked from Mitch to Luke. “Called it their dream house. It’s all fixed up for her. It looks like somebody is already living there. He’s sick, Mitch. Really sick.”
Mitch and Luke exchanged glances before Mitch asked the next question.
“Where is this house? What is the address?”
Tom’s head drooped to the table, muffling his voice. “I don’t know.” Then he sat back up. “But I’m pretty sure I can take you there. I think I remember the way.”
Mitch was already around the table with a key out to unlock Tom’s handcuffs. “Let’s go.”
“Luke.” Tom spoke softly as he stood. He waited until Luke looked at him. “I’m sorry if this is my fault. When I tricked her into signing that fake marriage certificate, I didn’t know Kevin thought it was real. Not until I saw it framed and hanging in …a bedroom. He saved it all these years…you have to know I never intended for anybody to get hurt, especially somebody like Holly.”
Luke didn’t have time to worry about blame and fault. “It doesn’t matter right now. What matters is that we find Holly.”
“Come on,” Mitch ordered as he steered Tom through the doorway. “We don’t have time to waste.”
Please don’t let us be too late, Lord. It was the only prayer Luke could come up with, so he prayed it with all his heart.
Chapter 45
A heavy door opened somewhere behind Holly. Kevin must have gone out another door and was coming back into the house from outside. He would be in this room with her in seconds.
I’m sorry, Father. I’ve lost my courage, and I can’t be strong anymore. I’m frightened. She began to cry. This was going to end badly because there was no way she was going to be a “wife” to Kevin. She cried harder as she realized she would never get to be Luke’s wife now. She would never have his children.
She heard Kevin’s footsteps. She would keep telling Kevin no, so it was inevitable he would snap sooner or later and hurt her. I’m in your hands. She closed her eyes and waited.
“Holly.” The whisper came from behind her. “Sit still while I get you untied.”
“Luke?” Holly thought she must be imagining things.
“Shhh.” She could feel the cords tighten and loosen as he worked on them. “Mitch is trying to find a back way in. We’re getting you out of here.”
“Thank God,” she whispered softly.
It seemed like hours before Luke’s movements stopped, and Holly felt the cord finally fall free from her body. Luke helped her out of the chair, but then her legs shook so badly she couldn’t stand. After waiting a minute for her trembling to lessen, she was able to walk with Luke’s arm tightly around her waist. They had just taken a few steps when she heard a door slam open behind them.
“You are always in the way!” Kevin’s voice was so full of rage, it was nearly unrecognizable. “Holly is my wife! You’re not going to tempt her anymore. I warned you.”
Luke stopped walking and slowly turned them around to face Kevin.
“Just let her go,” Luke slowly started to push her behind him. “Let Holly leave.”
It was then Holly saw the pistol Kevin was holding—aimed directly at Luke.
Kevin snarled. “You won’t ever get in the way again!”
Holly used every last bit of strength she had and broke free from Luke. She stepped in front of him.
“No! I’ll go with you, Kevin. We’re m-married. I’ll stay with you. You don’t have to hurt Luke.” She felt Luke try to move her from in front of him, but she stepped out of his reach, toward Kevin.
“Right.” Kevin didn’t lower his gun. “You’re lying. You’ll lie until he’s not tempting you anymore. Move, and I’ll get rid of him.”
“You don’t have to do that.” Holly took another step toward him.
“Holly.” Luke’s voice was full of agony. “Don’t.”
“I...I want...” Bile rose in Holly’s throat. “I want to be with you, Kevin. You were right. Let’s leave him here and go. We’ll go to our other house. Let’s leave right now. I can’t wait anymore.”
For the first time, Kevin looked uncertain. The gun wavered for a moment before he jerked it back up.
“I don’t believe you.” He sneered at her. “Why don’t you come over here and prove you’re my wife?”
Please help me do this. It’s the only way I can save Luke. Please help me do this. Please.
Holly took another step toward Kevin. A few more, and she’d be within his reach. As she looked desperately at him, a movement caught her eye. Mitch! He was creeping up behind Kevin. But, if Kevin turned his head the least little bit, he would see Mitch. Then Kevin might shoot him.
She had to keep Kevin distracted. She had to keep his attention on her.
“How many bedrooms does our mountain house have?” She’d get him talking. “I hope it has a bunch since I want a big family. Does it?”
Kevin’s gun wavered again. “Six. It has six bedrooms.” He straightened his arm. “But you don’t want to have my kids.”
“What makes you say that?” She had to do this, or one of the other men could get shot. “Remember when I looked at you in that special way?” Mitch was only a few feet away. “I’ll look at you that way every day from now on. Let’s leave right now so we can get started on our—”
“Hit the floor!” Holly heard Mitch, but she froze. Her brain couldn’t comprehend what her eyes were seeing. The two men locked in a struggle with a pistol being jerked between them.
Just as a loud crack sounded, Luke seemed to come from nowhere and push her to the ground. She felt him cover her body with his, and realized he was protecting her.
It wasn’t very long before the scuffling sounds stopped.
“Okay.” Mitch’s voice sounded strained. Holly turned her head to see him holding a prone Kevin on the floor, his hands cuffed behind his back. He picked up his radio. “Officer needs assistance.” Then he gave an address totally unfamiliar to Holly other than Shadow.
She turned her head the other way. “I’m okay, Luke. You can let me up now.” Only Luke didn’t lift himself off of her.
“Luke?” She nudged his chest with her shoulder. “It’s over. We’re okay.”
Something was wrong. He wasn’t moving. She managed to free her hand and was horrified when she felt a warm, sticky substance.
“Mitch! Help! Luke is bleeding!” Pure panic set in again.
Mitch appeared at her side. When he gently turned Luke over, blood was pouring out of his abdomen. “Here. Hold this tight against him.” He’d pulled an afghan off the sofa. “Just hold it tight and try to stop the bleeding.”
Holly knelt over Luke, and while she held the blanket and prayed, she was vaguely aware of Mitch radioing for an ambulance.
Please, Father
. Don’t take him away from me now. Not when we can finally be together. You’ve shown me how much I love him. Please give me a chance to show him. Please.
Chapter 46
Luke woke up with a terrible ache in his side. What happened? Had Tony’s cantankerous bull finally chased him down? The old guy had been trying to for years.
He opened his eyes and looked around. He had seen this place before. He was in the hospital. Only instead of being on one of those uncomfortable chairs, he was lying on an equally uncomfortable bed. And from the feel of things, he wasn’t adequately dressed.
A soft noise drew his attention. Holly was curled up on the chair next to his bed, sound asleep. The circles around her eyes and pallor of her skin told Luke she needed the rest. However, she needed to be in her own bed, not a hospital chair.
As if his attention woke her, he watched her beautiful brown eyes open. A smile lit her face when she saw he was awake. She quickly uncurled and stood so she could walk over and stand next to his bed.
“How do you feel?” Worry was evident in her eyes.
Luke tried to chuckle and found it was too painful. “Like Horatio gored me. What happened?”
Holly’s smile disappeared. “You were shot. The bullet went clear through your abdomen, but the doctor said it was a miracle. It didn’t hit any internal organs. God was watching out for you.”
He looked into the eyes of the woman he loved. “Are you okay?”
She steadily held his gaze. “I am, thanks to you. You protected me, Luke. If you hadn’t pushed me down, the bullet would have hit me.”
“So, my patient is awake.” Luke hadn’t heard Dr. Potter come in, but there he was, smiling brightly as he approached Luke’s bed. “Just in time for my rounds. How considerate of you, Luke.”
“You know me.” Luke couldn’t take his eyes off Holly. “I always aim to please.”
“Well, let’s have a look at that wound.” Holly stood on his left side as the doctor lifted the gown. After he had fussed with a bandage on the front of Luke’s abdomen, he had Luke roll onto his side so he could examine the exit wound on his back.
“How is he, Dr. Potter?” Holly’s eyes were still focused on Luke.
“Both wounds look good. I don’t see any sign of infection in either of them, and there has been no further bleeding.”
That sounded fine to Luke. “So I can go home?”
The doctor burst into laughter. Then he must have seen the puzzled looks on Luke’s and Holly’s faces because he stopped and looked at them incredulously.
“You were joking, right?” Luke barely shook his head. “Well, young man, you have been shot. You will be in this hospital for at least three weeks. And then it will take up to six months for you to completely heal. This isn’t a bicycle scrape.”
“That long?” Luke couldn’t begin to imagine being out of commission for anywhere close to that length of time.
Dr. Potter nodded. “And when you first go home, you’ll require around the clock care. It’s a good thing your parents live so near.”
Luke looked at Holly, who suddenly looked...happy? She couldn’t be happy his recovery would take this long.
“I’ll stop back by in the morning. Don’t hesitate to let the nurses know when you need medication for the pain. It is bound to hurt.”
“Thank you, Dr. Potter.” Holly was happy! Well, as much as Luke loved her, he was not going to get himself shot every so often just to please her. Maybe he was missing something.
Mitch and Colonel Sanders’ identical twin walked in just as the doctor left the room.
“So, how’s my gunshot victim?” The sheriff looked worriedly at Luke.
“Frustrated.”
“It’s not that bad,” Holly admonished Luke before she told Mitch what the doctor said.
“Well, if you’re up to it, Luke, I thought we’d fill you two in on the case.” Mitch’s gaze traveled between Luke and Holly.
“I can handle it, but it’s not up to me.” Luke turned to look at the woman sitting closely beside his bed. “Holly?”
“Please tell us everything.” Holly’s steady voice and calm demeanor surprised him.
“This is Rex Towers. He’s a behavioral analysis specialist, on loan from the Federal Safety Administration. He’s examined everything we have on Tripp and spent several hours with him. I’ll let him tell you what he’s learned.”
“First, I’d like to say I’m sorry either of you had to go through this. Stalking is a very traumatic ordeal, and, in this case, you were dealing with a very disturbed individual.” Rex appeared to be a plainspoken man, and Luke liked him right away. “It didn’t take long to determine that Kevin Tripp is extremely delusional, and I’m positive he will be diagnosed with one or more psychological disorders.”
Apparently, Mitch had already made his own diagnosis. “No disrespect, Agent Towers, but from what I saw, the man is a certified kook.”
Holly’s giggles were music to Luke’s ears. “Kook?”
Mitch nodded solemnly. “He’s nuttier than my Grandma Baker’s fruitcake.”
A smile appeared on the somber agent’s face, as he waited until Holly stopped laughing before he continued. “Tripp and Holly have been married since a class assignment, when you signed a fake marriage certificate.”
“Tom Dwer tricked you, Holly.” Mitch spoke before she could ask. “He’s been helping us as much as possible, and has apologized too many times to count. If it means anything, I really don’t think he ever meant harm.”
“Tom was a teenager.” Holly still didn’t seem the least bit rattled. “And, as soon as he found out what Kevin was doing, he tried to help. Maybe not in the best way, but he tried.” She nodded. “I’m not sure it’s in any way his fault, but you tell Tom there are no hard feelings…right, Luke?”
With the peace glowing within her eyes, Luke only had one answer. “No hard feelings at all.”
“I’ll tell him.” Mitch smiled stiffly. “I think you’ll want to hear the rest of what Rex has to tell you.”
Luke dragged his gaze from Holly to the agent. “Go ahead.”
Rex nodded. “So, Holly, when you went to college, he was here, selling his computer programs via the Internet and fixing up your special house.”
“That was his maternal grandparents’ place. The federal computer guys are still tracking the trail he hid his ownership behind.” Mitch frowned. “So smart, and he wastes it on stuff like that.” He gave a small nod to the agent. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get started. Please, go ahead and tell them the rest.”
If Rex was aggravated, it didn’t show. “So, Holly, I understand you had an incident in which you told him you didn’t know what you’d do without him?”
Holly sighed. “At the public pool, he got my phone out of the water and told me how to fix it. I said it, but only as an expression of gratitude.”
The agent smiled kindly. “I was certain it was something like that. People in Kevin’s condition attach significance to the smallest touch, glance, or words.”
“He talked about me touching him and giving him special smiles. That’s why he felt that way, then?” If anything, Holly seemed even more relaxed.
“Exactly.” Rex was clearly satisfied, if not pleased, by Holly’s comprehension and acceptance. “The first time he really became upset was when he saw you with a man he claims looked like Luke.”
“Patrick.” Holly’s voice was soft as she looked into Luke’s eyes. “A student named Patrick was in one of my study groups, and he always reminded me of you. I barely knew him, though.”
Luke grasped her hand and squeezed reassuringly. “It was Kevin Tripp’s imagination.”
“He began calling to remind you to be faithful.” The FBI agent’s eyes were sympathetic.
“If that’s why he called, why didn’t he want me to know who he was?” Holly seemed completely unaware she had moved to sit on the edge of Luke’s bed.
“On a very deep level, he knew your relationship was a
fantasy,” Rex explained. “And he knew if you found out who he was, it would be over.”
Rex walked closer to Luke’s bed. “When Holly graduated, the offer from China had just come through. In his mind, Holly was coming back to Shadow to prepare their home while he went off to earn their keep. I think the different environment and culture of another country may have temporarily brought Tripp to his senses, and he stayed longer than he intended. He didn’t even attempt to contact her during that time. But then his job was finished, and he hadn’t been back in the states more than a week when the invitation reached him. Something—the town’s name, the school emblem…who knows…something triggered his obsession.”
“Only, this time it was worse?” Luke asked.
“He came back and managed to stay under the radar long enough to see the two of you together. You were tempting her to stray, Luke. You know what he did about that.”
“Wait until you hear how,” Mitch said.
“The man is a genius.” Agent Towers slid what appeared to be photographs out of an envelope Luke hadn’t even noticed and handed them to him. “The university’s security did little to stop him from discovering Holly’s phone number, and the tiny microphone he used to disguise his voice was completely his design.”
“Are you talking about this spring with a pencil eraser stuck on the end of it?” If Luke had happened to come across such a thing, he wouldn’t have given a second thought to throwing it away.
“Its functionality has been verified. That next photograph is another device Tripp designed and built himself, to copy a key. It uses paper.” Something resembling admiration appeared in the agent’s eyes. “He inserted special paper into a lock, and when he pulled it back out, it gave him the pattern for the key.” The contraption looked like a plastic wallet to Luke. “As long as it wasn’t locked with a deadbolt, he could get into any building.”
Judging by the look on Mitch’s face, he would prefer Towers not be so happy about Tripp’s accomplishments. Then the sheriff turned an uneasy look Luke’s way. “About where he’s been staying...”
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