Crash and Burn

by Maggie Nash

  * * * *

  Kevin drove the van along a dirt road before finally jerking to a stop. He wrenched the door open before reaching in and grabbing Beth around the waist. She struggled to keep her hands together while he dragged her out of the van and stood her up next to him before kicking the door closed. He spun her around and pushed her toward a cabin about twenty feet away.

  “Where are we?” asked Beth as she scanned her surroundings for a potential escape route.

  Kevin shoved her harder, hurrying her on. “This matters because…?”

  “I was just curious. Ouch!”

  “Sorry, but I’ve decided I don’t feel like talking to you right now, so shut up and you’ll stay in one piece until Daniel gets here.”

  Fine with me. That would make it easier to hide the fact that her hands were free.

  She stared at the cabin. A remnant of some previous hippie owner, it had once been multicolored. Now the many colors had faded and what were left were peeling off the weathered boards. She slowed down when she neared the door and Kevin moved in front, kicking it open with one hand anchored to her shoulder, digging in his fingers until it hurt. He pushed her in front of him again and into the corridor. “Get into that bedroom and I’ll deal with you later.”

  She saw an open door and took a chance that it was the room he was talking about. It was. She moved in toward the old cast-iron bed and the door shut behind her. The lock turned and she was alone. She unclasped her hands and shook them, stretching out the stiffness. She focused on the old window and made a beeline for it. The wood was rotten and there were no locks that she could see. She undid the latch and tried to open it. Nothing. Applying a bit more pressure, she tried again. Still nothing. Shit. There was something poking out near the top of the sash. What was it? Damn, it was nailed shut. The nail protruded about an inch, and judging by the softness of the wood, she might be able to work it out of its hole. Her hand was poised over it when she heard the lock in the door turn.

  She made it to the bed and sat down just in time.

  The door opened and Kevin walked in with a steaming cup of coffee. “I thought you’d like some coffee since you missed breakfast.”

  “You’re so generous. Just put it down on the dressing table over there and I’ll drink it later.”

  “Tsk, tsk, always suspicious. You think I’d bother trying to poison you? What would be the point? I want Daniel to see what I have planned for you, so I need you alive for that.”

  “Alive maybe, but not necessarily conscious. Thanks, but I’ll pass for now.”

  “Suit yourself. Your loss.” He turned to leave then turned back. “Oh, and you won’t have to wait long. Daniel will be here very soon. Aren’t you pleased? I can hear your heart pounding from here.” He laughed as he shut the door and locked her in.

  She went straight for the window again and started working on the nail. She couldn’t allow his words to rattle her. She was stressed enough as it was. She had to get away from there before Daniel arrived with help. It sounded simple, but whether or not she could pull it off was still to be seen.

  * * * *

  Daniel left his car on a neighboring property and advanced toward the cabin. The thick bushland was a useful cover as he spied the rundown buildings a short way ahead. He stopped behind the wide trunk of an old gum and crouched, opening his backpack and withdrawing his gun and a knife in a holster. He slipped a magazine into the pistol and checked the safety. He placed the gun in the back of his jeans, then lifted the cuff of his pant leg and strapped the knife to his ankle. He wished it was dark, but he had to work with what he had. He stood, then moved forward from tree to tree to stay out of sight.

  When he reached the cabin, he ducked and headed to the side wall to check out the windows. He remembered from his time here two days ago that there was a bedroom on this side. Crouching, he crawled along the uneven ground, watching for obstacles and, at the same time, listening for evidence of Beth’s presence. As he approached the bedroom, he heard a rattling sound coming from the window. Was Beth trying to escape? God that woman has courage. It was one of the reasons he’d fallen in love with her. He couldn’t deny it any longer, and rather than distract him, it gave him more focus. He would get her and they would be together—if she’d have him. But that would have to wait. The rattling had stopped and he now heard voices. Kevin had come into the room and he was laughing. He took a chance and peered through the bottom corner of the window.

  Kevin had grabbed Beth’s hands and held them behind her back. She struggled against him as he pulled out his belt from his jeans and tied her up. She flinched as he tightened the belt. He threw her on to the bed before his hand went to her shirt and ripped it apart, exposing her bra.

  Son of a bitch!

  He didn’t dare break the glass as it would take too long to get through the window, and it would also give Kevin a chance to draw his weapon. Instead he bolted around to the open back door and up the hallway to the room, kicking the door in. Beth screamed as Kevin placed one hand over her mouth and lowered his face to her breast. Daniel grabbed Kevin by the scruff of the neck and hauled him off her, throwing him across the floor.

  He stood over him, placing a foot on Kevin’s windpipe. Over his shoulder he spoke to Beth. “Did he hurt you?” He heard her short, swift breaths as she tried to calm herself. “Beth? You okay?”

  Her croaky voice answered him in between intakes of breath. “He didn’t hurt me. I’m fine.”

  “Hang on a sec while I tie this bastard up, then I’ll free your hands.”

  Kevin gasped as the pressure on his neck increased.

  “I told you I’d kill you if you touched her, but lucky for you, I find I don’t have the stomach for it. I’ll let the cops deal with you.” He released his foot, rolled him over and straddled him while he cuffed his hands and feet with the plastic tape he pulled from his pocket.

  Kevin groaned. “You’ve cut off the circulation! Get it off, you prick!”

  “No way, you bastard. Your hands can fall off for all I care.”

  He went to Beth, who was still sitting on the bed. He made fast work of the belt that held her hands and he pulled her shirt together. She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding on for dear life. He pulled her close with his free arm, while he kept his gun trained on Kevin and watched his every move.

  “Just tell me this, Kevin. Why did you betray me?”

  “Why? Because I hate you, that’s why! You always were the perfect one, the one who always came first. You even beat me in rugby. Then when we finished Uni, you were still the one who won everything. You got the first job. You got promoted first. You were on the fast track to the top. I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I set myself up with a little business on the side and became ‘The Irishman’. You won’t believe the money I have stashed away.”

  “I never made the connection, never suspected it was you. Even if I did give you the nickname, who thinks their best friend is a hitman? Jesus, Kevin. What happened to you?”

  “Nothing happened, Daniel. I just grew smarter.”

  “Smart? Fuck, you were going to kill us!”

  “Shame I didn’t finish the job!”

  Daniel pushed Beth from his arms and headed toward Kevin. “You fucking bastard!” He raised his fist to strike him but Beth grabbed his arm, preventing the blow.

  “Daniel, don’t bring yourself down to his level. He wants to rile you.”

  Daniel stared at him for about a minute, thinking about the pleasure it would give him to beat the crap out of Kevin, but she was right. It wouldn’t achieve anything. He dropped his hand then held it out to Beth. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  “You can’t just leave me here!”

  Daniel laughed as he and Beth walked hand in hand out of the door. “Of course I can, but don’t worry, I’ll send someone along to get you real soon.”

  “I don’t think so, Daniel.”

  Daniel turned tow
ard the front door and the silver-haired figure standing there. He must have walked quietly into the cabin while they were distracted with Kevin. He strode quickly toward them and grabbed Beth by the arm. He pulled her close and wrapped his arm around her neck, pressing a gun at her temple.

  “Addison.”

  “Uncle Jack?”

  “He’s your Uncle Jack?” Daniel started to move toward them.

  “Move back and drop the gun, Daniel, or I’ll shoot her right here.”

  “Why do you want to hurt me, Uncle Jack?”

  “I don’t want to, Beth, but I have to. What you saw on that train could ruin me. I can’t let that happen. Not after all this time. I’m sorry, Beth.”

  “But I can’t remember anything!” She twisted in his grip but he only tightened his hold, making her cry out. Daniel inched forward.

  “I can’t take that chance, Beth. Get back, Daniel!”

  “You saw his henchman kill Peter Wilson. He must’ve been worried that you recognized him somehow.”

  “Brilliant deduction, my dear Daniel. But you still have no idea how far this goes.”

  Beth closed her eyes. Was Daniel right? Had she seen someone she recognized? One of her nightmares flashed into her mind. The one where the masked man takes off his mask and shoots at her. Oh my God! I remember!

  “What does her father have to do with this, Addison? At least let her know why this all happened.”

  “Her father got too nosy. He figured out I was selling information on government contracts. I had to stop him before he reported me.”

  “You killed my parents? You were so nice to me at the funeral, and you had that horrible man with you who followed you around. The one who reminded me of a gangster from a Mafia movie. I remember now—it was him I saw on the train!”

  “Give the girl a prize! I knew you’d figure it out eventually. Lucky for me you don’t get a chance to tell anyone.”

  “Let her go, Addison. You’re just making things worse, adding her death to all the other charges that will be made against you.”

  Addison laughed. “Charges? What charges? I have the upper hand here. Now move back into the bedroom and let me finish what Kevin started.”

  “To quote your words back to you, Addison, I don’t think so.”

  What the hell is Daniel up to? His eyes met hers for just a second and she knew. He had a plan. Thank God. Addison pulled her body closer to his as he cocked the trigger of the gun.

  “I’ll shoot her now if you don’t move. Now get in there!”

  “No, I think I’ll just watch.”

  “Watch? What the fuck are you talking about?”

  Beth found herself thrust toward the floor as two policemen disarmed Addison from behind and threw him face-first against the wall, pulling his arms behind him before cuffing him.

  “I’m talking about you being arrested, Addison. That’s what the fuck I’m talking about. Did you think I was stupid enough to come here without backup? I called the local police before I got here. I can trust them.”

  Beth stood and held out her arm to Daniel. He pulled her close and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. They walked outside toward the sunlight together. It was finally over.

  Chapter Twelve

  It had been two weeks since she’d returned home and Beth had spent a lot of that time re-evaluating her life. She loved Daniel. She knew that for sure now. But she also knew that more than anything she wanted to trust him to be there for the long haul. After he’d driven her home from the cabin, he’d told her she needed time to think. He kissed her goodbye and that was the last time she’d seen him.

  She missed him more than she’d ever thought possible.

  She walked through her front gate and checked her mailbox. Only junk mail, but she didn’t really expect to get a letter from Daniel. Not unless he decided to send her a ‘Dear Jane’ letter. Of course, that would require a defined relationship. She had no idea what their relationship was or would be in the future. If they had a future, and she wouldn’t know until Daniel made contact with her. When that was going to happen was anyone’s guess. Until then, she had her memories of their time together. Every night in her lonely bed her body ached for him and every morning when she woke, her heart missed his smile and the feeling of completeness she’d felt lying in his arms.

  She sauntered up the pathway to her front door and searched her bag for her key. She slid it in the lock to open the door but it opened on its own. Shit! Someone’s broken in. She was sure she’d set the lock that morning before she’d left for work. She shuffled around in her bag and pulled out her mobile phone to call the police, but before she had a chance to dial, it rang.

  “Hello?”

  “Beth.”

  Her heart leaped. “Daniel! Thank God. I think someone has broken into my house.”

  “It’s okay, sweetheart, it’s me. I thought I’d surprise you. Come on in.”

  “You broke into my house?”

  “Hey, I’m a spy. Force of habit. Are you coming in or do I have to come and get you?”

  She didn’t need another invitation. She dropped her bag and phone where she stood and ran down the hall to the living room. It was empty. “Daniel?” She tried the kitchen next. Still no Daniel. “Stop playing games, Daniel. Where are you?”

  The sound of music caught her by surprise. She cocked her head to listen while she slowly made her way down the hallway, checking each room. At the end of her hall, the bedroom door was closed, but this was where the music emanated from. Smiling, she placed her eager hand on the doorknob and turned. The door opened and the delicious scent of strawberries wafted toward her. Taking a step inside, she was surprised to see the curtains drawn and the room alight with dozens of lit candles. Her antique brass bed was draped with gauze from the overhead tester and the quilt was covered in hundreds of rose petals. Holy…wow!

  When she couldn’t see Daniel, she took another step inside the room. She gasped as a blindfold covered her eyes from behind. “Daniel. You scared the living daylights out of me! What are you doing?”

  She felt his warm breath in her ear as he whispered, “Relax. You’re going to enjoy this.”

  She turned toward his face, trying to catch his mouth, but he eluded her.

  “All in good time, my love.”

  She reached for him, but he wrapped his arms around her waist and legs and carried her to the bed, gently placing her down onto the fragrant petals.

  “Daniel, I need to talk to you,” she began, deliriously happy he was back and here with her now, but anxious to talk to him about their relationship.

  Daniel picked up one of her hands and kissed it gently, sending shivers all over her body. He moved it over her head and before she realized what he was about, she felt soft material enclosing her wrist and something clicked. She tried to move her hand, but it was caught fast. “What are you doing, Daniel? This isn’t funny!”

  Before she had a chance to struggle, he’d grabbed her other hand and restrained it as well. She felt a featherlight kiss on her mouth, then the weight on the bed beside her lifted as she heard him stand.

  “I’m making sure you can’t get away from me while I talk to you.”

  She laughed at the absurdity of the notion that she would want to get away. She’d been longing for him to return ever since he’d left. “You could just ask me. I’m not going anywhere. At least take off the blindfold so I can see your face.”

  “Shh! You’ll spoil the fun.”

  “What fun? Dan—” She shivered as he cupped her cheeks with warm hands and covered her mouth with his. This was no tame, gentle kiss like the first. He was devouring her as his tongue probed her lips, forcing them open then plundering her mouth as if he was starving. She moaned and burned to touch him but discovered when she pulled against the restraints that she could release herself easily. The thought that she still had control made her hotter so she chose to keep her hands where they were. She felt the buttons on her shirt being undone one by one and
when Daniel was finished he spread her shirt open, baring her to the cool air. Her nipples stood to attention and she gasped.

  His mouth left hers as his tongue and lips scorched a wet trail along her jaw to her ear, where he blew softly, making her whole body tingle.

  “Do you like that, Beth?”

  “Oh yeah…”

  “That’s good…but do you also like this?”

  He unzipped her, pulling both her jeans and panties down her legs and off in one swift movement. The blast of cold air across her skin and the accompanying rush of sensation to her exposed body sent another burst of moisture between her legs.

  “Oh God!”

  “I didn’t catch that, Beth. Did you like that?” he asked, as he trailed his fingers lightly over her breasts.

  “Ahh…”

  He grasped her nipples and rolled them back and forth. She writhed on the bed, arching her back to get even closer to him.

  “Oh…” she moaned.

  “What was that?” He caressed the length of her body, using one of his fingers to part her folds before he slid it inside.

  She climaxed instantly. “Yes. Yes…I like it!”

  His quick intake of breath told her he was getting off on this little game as much as she was. Feeling more confident in her power to arouse him, she parted her legs, exposing herself to his eyes. Though her own were covered, she nevertheless felt his gaze burning onto her entrance as she lifted her hips and invited him to sample her. She was hot, and her body begged him to taste and join her.

  But instead of the expected heat, something cold, hard and wet touched her. Smooth facets slid along the line of her labia, teasing her.