by Dale Mayer
But she got the impression from Killian that Dad was alive, probably long enough for her to see him, she surmised, then wouldn’t survive long past the meeting. And that, she vowed fiercely, would not happen. Her father’s only mistake had been the same one that she had made: to trust this terrible man. And, while the fact that Dad hadn’t believed her was terribly hurtful, no way she could hold her father’s earlier beliefs against him. It was just so far out of his comprehension to think that anyone could be as evil as her husband Max had turned out to be. No way for Dad to make any sense of it.
Killian looked at her and asked, “Is the divorce final?”
“No,” she said. “Max wouldn’t sign the papers.”
“Of course not.”
“What do you mean?”
“Because, when he signs the papers, they have to be filed on record, and people would know,” he said. “I suspect that would be something he wouldn’t want people to have any clue about.”
“Why would he care?” she said. “As far as he’s concerned, I’m the reason the marriage didn’t work.”
“Of course, because otherwise he’d be responsible, and that won’t work for him.”
She shrugged. “I don’t care who’s responsible. The guy’s a psychopath, and I just wanted out.”
He laughed. “And I get that. I just wondered if any paperwork was involved.”
“No, not yet,” she said. “And I don’t … don’t know that it’ll ever happen.”
“It will,” he said. “Or something will anyway.”
She wasn’t sure what that meant and decided, after a moment’s contemplation, that she didn’t want to know either. The closer they got to Huntington Woods, the more her nerves kicked in. She was not quite hyperventilating, but almost.
He glanced at her and said, “It’s okay. Calm down.”
“It’s not okay,” she said, giving him a look. “You don’t understand what he’s like.”
“No, but I’ve met plenty like him,” he said.
Just then Killian pulled off-road and drove into the woods themselves.
She gasped, as branches hit the side of the SUV and bounced off the vehicle. “What are you doing?” she cried out.
“We’re going in a different way,” he said. “No way we’ll approach the enemy in the front entrance.”
“And you don’t think he’ll expect this?”
“Did you?”
She stopped, looked at him, and shook her head. “Can you hide the vehicle well enough?”
“Well, that’s the hope,” he said. “We mapped this out a while ago.”
“Like when?”
“At least two hours ago,” he said.
She rolled her eyes at that, but inwardly she was more than delighted to have some kind of a plan that wouldn’t start off with a full-on confrontation. “Any chance you can go in and kill Max before we get to the part about having to meet him?”
“Well, we need to meet him,” he said.
“We don’t have to,” she said, shaking her head. “We could just shoot him or incapacitate him, then grab my father and run.”
“We aren’t running,” he said quietly. “Once you do that, it never ends.”
She stared at him and then slowly nodded because, of course, he was right. As soon as she had run, she had no way to go back, no way to face what she had left behind, because she was too terrified of what he would do to her. And that had given him the upper hand. “So what’s the plan then?”
“You’ll stay here with Hatch,” he said.
She glared at him.
“You’ll stay here with Hatch until I get a chance to see the lay of the land,” he explained. “You must show up anyway because he’ll never talk to us, or trust us, unless you’re there.”
“You’ll have to watch for James Dean too,” she said.
“Oh, I will,” he said. “Not to worry.” He pushed open his door, slipped outside, then leaned over the seat and looked at her and said, “Stay here.” He melted into the trees so fast that he was here one second and then gone.
Her jaw dropped. “Wait! I thought you said … Hatch would be here,” her voice dropping, realizing she was talking to thin air.
“I’m right here,” Hatch said, as she jumped.
“Jesus, don’t do that! Where did you come from?” she snapped at him. “What’s going on?”
“Killian’s gone to check out our surroundings,” Hatch said.
“Is that safe?” Then she quickly added, “No, of course it’s not safe.” Hating herself for even asking such a stupid question.
“Maybe not safe,” he said, “but we have two more men we’re in contact with, and they’ve already told us exactly where several people are standing near a bench.”
“My father?”
“Well, we’re hoping so. One of them is definitely smaller and hunched over.”
At that, she turned to stare at him. “My father is fairly tall,” she said, striving for control. “He’s at least five-eleven, and he’s very lean.”
“So, like a string bean?”
“Yes,” she said. “And the only way he’d be hunched over is if he was hurt.”
“You need to accept the fact that he is hurt. Just as your husband hurt you, he has hurt your father.”
Tears came to her eyes at the blatant truth and the harshness of his words.
“I’m not trying to upset you,” Hatch said. “But I can’t have you overreacting out here, if things go to pot. I need you calm, controlled, and available to do whatever we need to do to save your father.”
“Okay, that’s why I’m here,” she said faintly. “I understand.”
“Good. Now we’ll just wait here until there’s some information.”
“Don’t you feel like a bit of a sitting duck here?”
“Not at the moment,” he said, “but, as soon as I get any word that we’re in danger or in trouble, well, then that’s a different story, and we’ll be out of here and gone.”
“With the vehicle or without?”
“Probably without.”
“Then I’m starting to feel like we’re already pinched in the wrong spot.”
He frowned at her. “What do you mean?”
“It feels,” she said, emphasizing the word, “like we’re being watched.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You know what? You could be right,” he said. He slipped open his door and asked, “How do you feel about running?”
“I don’t like it at all,” she said. “But somebody, … somebody out there knows we’re here.”
“Good,” he said, his door still open. “I’ll come and open up your door, and I want you to duck as soon as I do.”
“Fine,” she said. “But I don’t know that we’ll get anywhere.”
“You saw how Killian disappeared?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“That’s how we’ll disappear.”
“But I’m not very good at moving like that in the forest,” she said. “And my leg is hardly strong. It’s also broad daylight. How the hell does that work?”
“It also means that Max doesn’t give a damn about being seen because he’s not expecting anybody to be here.”
“I don’t know why he wouldn’t. It’s a public park.”
“Because he’s blocked off the road, saying a sinkhole is an issue, and everybody has to stay back.”
“Jesus,” she said, staring at Hatch. “A sinkhole opened up not too far from here one time, so people would believe it.”
“Exactly,” he said. “So basically he has his hunting ground all prepared. The stage is set, and he is just waiting for all the players to arrive.”
“But, if somebody is watching us,” she said, “then they would have seen Killian leave and you arrive.”
“Not necessarily,” he said, “but we’ll count on that as being a fact, yes.”
“Jesus,” she said. “Can’t we just go now?” An overriding sense of panic filled her.
“I
’m not sure we can count on your leg to get you very far.”
“I know,” she whispered. “Jesus.” And the panic started to overwhelm her. She tried hard to stay calm, but it wasn’t working. “Maybe we should drive out of here.”
“Maybe,” he said, “but that would mean leaving Killian behind.”
“We can’t do that,” she said immediately.
“I didn’t think we would,” he said, smiling. “And I’m happy you agree.” He pulled out a handgun from behind him and said, “I want you to keep your door unlocked and you to lie down because you can’t move anyway.”
“I can move somewhat,” she said, but, as she looked at the terrain, she winced.
“Yeah, you would, and, if you needed to, you would again,” he said. “But why don’t we set a trap, instead?”
She looked at him and realized what he meant and said, “And I’m the bait, I suppose.”
“You got a better idea?”
“No,” she said instantly.
“So, lie down,” he said, and, with that, he disappeared himself.
She sat here, her heart in her throat, knowing that somebody not only was watching but had watched as Hatch disappeared into the trees, probably thinking he’d gone to survey the land, leaving her alone. She almost wanted to howl in a hilarious outraged panic but knew that the sound would come across more like she had completely lost it. Such a stillness was outside that, when she heard a stick snap, signaling that somebody was approaching, she almost felt a sense of relief, easing the pressure.
When she heard the cock of a gun, she turned slowly to look, and there, facing her, was her husband, Max.
“Well, well, well,” he said. “So the chickee has finally come home.”
She looked at him steadily and whispered, “What have you done to my father?”
“Well, get out of that car,” he said. “I’ll take you to him, and then you’ll find out.”
“And what then?” she asked bitterly.
“Then you two can die together,” he said, with a smile she recognized as one that meant he was thoroughly enjoying himself and was happily anticipating what was to come.
She swallowed hard and said, “I’m not alone.”
“Oh, I know,” he said. “Your buddy is already out of commission.”
Killian crept through the trees to where the park bench was, where he had been warned that two people sat there. He checked in with Hatch to see that everything was okay. When Killian didn’t get an answer, he waited a bit. His phone vibrated a moment later. He checked swiftly to make sure all was well. It was Hatch, saying he was fine and he was stepping out for a moment. Killian frowned at that but kept on going. He trusted Hatch, trusted his instincts, and trusted that he would do right by Stacey.
Up ahead was the clearing. Instead of going on the path, Killian slipped deeper into the woods. He wanted to check out the immediate surroundings first. From this distance he saw only one person on the bench now. He swore at that. It was a long, lean man, which he presumed was her father. And he was slumped forward. He could be unconscious; hell, he could even be dead, if he’d been propped up properly. The fact of the matter was, he sat there all alone, which meant that whoever had been with him before was loose.
Killian turned and studied the area around him. He knew that the woods were full of predators, not just two of his own men, but Hatch was out there, and whoever else was with Max and Stacey’s dad. Killian didn’t trust this James Dean guy, and it gave Killian a bad feeling all the way around. He didn’t know why James Dean had skin in this game or would have gotten involved to this degree, unless just as a sadists’ club of two.
As Killian stood here, studying the layout, an ever-so-slight cough came from the trees to the left. He frowned at that major slip, as whoever this was could be instantly shot dead. As it was, Killian heard a ping, followed by a slump, as if somebody landed on the ground. He hoped it wasn’t one of his, but it was possible.
His phone vibrated, and there was a message.
One down.
He grinned at that.
Good, he thought. How many others were out here? He and Hatch had come with two more, so if James Dean and Max were both here, two more with the bad guys would make sense too. When his phone vibrated again not five minutes later with a message of a second man down, he started to relax ever-so-slightly.
Then he got a text from Hatch.
She’s in danger.
Swearing silently, Killian looked at her father and knew he really had no decision to be made. An older, apparently already injured man in the waning years of his life or his daughter, who the father had paid Killian to protect? He melted backward, racing toward the vehicle. He saw Hatch, ever-so-slightly off to the side, his shot lined up. As Killian stopped, he followed Hatch’s line of sight to see another man standing at the car, holding a gun at Stacey’s head. Killian looked at the gunman and frowned. It was Max. It didn’t bode well that he had come in person.
Max called out to Hatch, “Put your weapon down. Otherwise I’ll kill her.”
Hatch immediately lowered his weapon and held up his hands.
Max’s voice was disgusted. “You guys follow these stupid damn rules, and you’re completely useless,” he said. “Just look at you.” And, with that, he fired on Hatch. Only Hatch was no longer there. Max swore and fired again. “Show yourself. Otherwise I’ll kill her.”
At that, a shot rang out, and Max slammed against the car. He started to swear, but he’d already lost control of Stacey, as she quickly jumped back into the vehicle and out the other side. Killian could just imagine how that maneuver had hurt her leg, but he was proud of her for making it. He was a little too far away and didn’t have a clear shot at Max, but he knew Hatch would handle it.
What Killian needed to do was get Stacey and keep her safe. If she went barreling through the woods like this, she could get lost, and somebody could find her, and it may not be the right somebody. Taking note of her path, Killian quickly slipped around to cut her off, before she got too deep into the forest.
When he grabbed her, she went to scream, but he slapped a hand over her mouth and held her close, whispering, “It’s me. Hold on. It’s me.”
She fought blindly, until his words slowly penetrated into her brain, and then she collapsed against him, sobbing.
He held her head tightly against his shirt, muffling her sobs, as he held her close. “Easy,” he whispered. “Easy.”
She shuddered and nodded. “Did you find my father?”
He smiled at that because, even when she was distraught, in shock, and injured, she’d remained focused and was only thinking of her father. “I did.”
She lifted her gaze.
“I didn’t get to him yet. He’s sitting on the bench in the center of the park.”
She nodded. “Yeah, that’s Max’s trick.” She turned back in the direction of the car. “Do you think he’s dead?”
“That I’m not sure,” he said. “I wouldn’t trust one bullet to take down a psychopath like that, but we’ll go in after your father and leave Hatch to handle Max.”
“I don’t know if it’s that easy,” she said.
“Well, Hatch will get his shot at Max first. We’ll see after that.” Slowly moving her along at a pace she could maintain, but trying to keep the noise down, he knew that every step raised more alarms. He whispered, “Maybe you should stay here. I’ll go get your father and bring him back.”
She stopped, leaning against the tree, and he saw the sweat on her face.
“You won’t make it much farther,” he said. “If I go pick him up and carry him back here, we can get out to the road on this side.”
She looked at him and nodded. “I’m slowing you down,” she whispered.
“You are,” he said cheerfully. “But that’s only part of it.” He leaned over and kissed her hard and said, “I’ll be back. Stay here, stay quiet, and don’t move.” And, on that note, he turned and disappeared.
Chapter
11
Stacey waited in the eerie afternoon, as directed. The heated atmosphere around her had a stillness and a weightiness that made her cringe. Her stomach was cramping from being knotted so long with pain and anger. And fear. God, the fear, it was crippling. And speaking of crippling, her leg was killing her. Why she’d ever thought she could do any kind of running now was beyond her. Because that leg was just throbbing. She’d had her pain pills earlier, and, of course, they had already worn off with all the exertion.
She sank back a little bit lower against the tree, hoping that nobody could find her. She knew that two of Killian’s men were out there, but she didn’t know which ones were which and, bad leg or not, wouldn’t waste any time trying to figure it out either before darting away.
So many men were out there, but she didn’t want anything to do with any of them but one. She wanted Killian to come back, hopefully carrying her father. But since when had her wants ever mattered in this world? It was a world full of psychopaths, people so sick that they thrived on hurting others. She thought back to a comment Killian had made, something about Max not wanting anyone to know he was divorced. Giving it some thought, especially after seeing and hearing Max in the flesh, she realized Killian was probably right.
Max. His pride and ego were something else to behold. He was such a completely different man now compared to the one who she thought she knew. It just made her wonder why and how she had been so blind. Had he been such a great chameleon that she couldn’t see it because he hid it so well? There were just no answers, and that part just added to her pain.
Hearing a sound, she froze and ducked down into the trees a little bit lower. She watched one man, his rifle up, slowly circling through the trees, looking for something, probably her, and she wouldn’t get saved from a bullet if he found her. Just when she thought maybe it was one of Killian’s men, an arm snaked around the gunman’s throat, and down he went.