"No," she blurted.
He buried his hand in the veil and her hair, wrapping it around his fingers. He jerked her head back. His lips crushed hers as he tried to kiss her. Erin thrashed her head from side to side. He shoved her onto the bed. The face of evil loomed over her as he straddled her body and wrapped his hands around her throat.
As his grip tightened, cutting off her breath, a calm came over her. She cupped his cheek with one hand and ran the other up and down his back.
He released her neck. "I knew you'd come around."
Erin gasped for breath. "Do what you want," she croaked out the words.
He lifted up and began pulling all the lace up around her waist.
She kept stroking his back until she felt the handle of the blade. She shifted under him to distract him while she freed the knife. Following Rafe's instructions, she lifted it high and jammed it into his diaphragm.
He screamed and collapsed on top of her. She shoved him hard, pushing him to the side. Her feet found the floor, and she started to run but then remembered. The cord.
The principal wasn't moving. Was he dead? No, his breath was labored, but he was very much alive and dangerous. She had no choice but to climb onto the bed, put both hands on the handle and remove the knife. She closed her hand around the handle and pulled. The blade moved but didn't break free. She gritted her teeth and twisted the handle, trying to free the blade. The slurping sound the blade made as it exited his body would forever be etched in her memory.
He grabbed for her. His hand disappeared into the lace skirt, and he pulled her toward the bed. She grabbed the material and jerked. It ripped, freeing her again.
Erin moved as far away as the cord would allow and furiously sawed at the sturdy nylon. The principal shoved himself up, writhing in pain and anger. He was coming for her.
The sharp blade finally sliced the cord. Free, she ran toward the front door.
"You're dead," he said through gurgles.
"You first," she said, opening deadbolts. The night breeze blew across her sweaty face. Freedom was only a few steps away.
Erin gathered what was left of her skirt and ran. She didn't look behind her. Didn't listen for footsteps. She ran. The outside lights were on at the second house down the street. Two teenagers were shooting hoops in the driveway. She'd never been happier to see other human beings.
Both boys froze at seeing her. No doubt, wearing a bloody dress and holding a knife in her hand, she looked like a zombie from a television show.
"Ms. Brady?" one of the boys asked.
She smiled with relief. "Yeah. Call 911."
Both of them ran into the house.
At last, she looked behind her into the night. All she saw was the light from an open door. Was the principal dead? The tears finally came. Poured from her. She dropped the knife to the lawn and sat down on the curb. Once again, she'd faced pure evil and survived.
CHAPTER 26
Rafe was out of the car and running toward the ambulance before Luke killed the engine. "I'm here, baby. I'm a few steps away," he said into his cell. That she'd called him from somebody's phone meant her injuries weren't life threatening. Nevertheless, he had to see for himself. She'd managed to say she'd stabbed that bastard Mueller, but most of their conversation had consisted of her softly sobbing.
He hurried across the street but was stopped by a couple of patrol officers. He slowed long enough to show his ID.
"Let him through," the officer called out.
The small crowd parted, and Rafe's heart catapulted into his throat. Sitting on the stretcher in the ambulance, Erin looked like a homeless waif. Only this waif was wearing a bloody wedding gown. One side of her face was bruised and swollen, and the dress was a rag.
"Rafe." She handed off the phone and opened her arms to him.
In three strides, he was inside the ambulance and on his knees beside her. He folded her body against his chest, rocking her as her whole body quaked. It ripped his guts open to imagine what she had been through.
"Take me home," she whispered.
He glanced at the EMT, whose eyebrows pulled into a frown.
Rafe smoothed the hair off Erin's forehead. "I'd like nothing better. First, you have to be checked out by a doctor."
She shook her head.
"You're hurt and probably in shock. Please let a doctor take a look at you."
"You'll stay with me?"
"Just try and get rid of me." Rafe nodded to the EMT, signaled to Luke, then moved to the small extra seat. "Put your head right here, so I can talk to you."
She lay down on the stretcher and breathed a big sigh. Rafe stroked her tangled hair. He noticed the bruises on her neck. That bastard Mueller had choked her.
"How is she?" Rafe asked the EMTs.
"Looks to be superficial bruising. Her vital signs are good."
"Rafe?"
"Hmm?" he said, swallowing the lump in his throat. He leaned over so she could see his face.
"Where's the principal?"
"I don't know." Rafe glanced at the EMT.
"Second ambulance was dispatched to take the dead guy to the morgue," the EMT answered.
"Right where he should be." Rafe kissed her forehead again.
"I'm sleepy," Erin whispered. Her eyelashes fluttered.
"Adrenaline crash," the EMT said. "Sleep all you want. You're safe."
The doors slammed closed, and the ambulance sped off. They were on the freeway before Rafe relaxed. He leaned closer to Erin, resting his hand on her shoulder. She jerked, frowning in her sleep.
"I'm here. Nobody's going to hurt you." He whispered those words again and again, hoping that the sound of his voice would ease her fear.
Once they arrived in the emergency bay, things happened fast. The nurses asked questions he couldn't answer, prompting him to call Jeff.
Luke, who'd followed the ambulance, led Rafe to the waiting room. Less than thirty minutes later, Jeff and Lotty had joined the wait. Rafe found no peace in sitting, so he paced.
Colton's voice pulled his attention to the doorway. "Any word?"
"Nothing. The nurse said somebody would come tell us when the doctor was through with the examination."
"What about Mueller?"
"All I know is the bastard's dead."
"Erin took him out?" Colton asked.
"Yeah. I didn't ask her what went down. She'll have to talk about the entire episode soon enough."
A young doctor joined them. Tall and thin, he wore navy slacks and tennis shoes. The dark circles under his eyes said the good doctor hadn't slept in a while. His appearance was quite a contrast to his crisp white coat. Jeff took the lead, introducing himself as Erin's father.
"The news is good," the doctor said. "Other than a few bruises and dehydration, Ms. Brady is fine. She's dehydrated, so we're keeping her overnight to get some fluids into her. She's being moved to a room soon. It's late, and it would be better if you let her rest. I gave her a sedative." His gaze swept the small group. "She asked for Rafe."
"That's me." He stepped forward. "I'm staying the night. If she wakes up, she won't be alone."
The doctor smiled. "Come with me."
"Call us," Lotty said.
"I will." Rafe followed the doctor down the corridor.
He stopped at the nurses' station. "This gentleman is staying with Ms. Brady tonight."
A nurse stood and walked around the counter. "She's in four-fourteen."
"Thanks." After he'd entered the elevator on his way to the fourth floor, he leaned against the handrail, allowing the band around his chest to relax a little. His cell vibrated. A smile inched its way up his cheeks as he read the text. Beckett had decided tomorrow would be soon enough to take Erin's statement.
He stopped in the doorway to Erin's room. Clothed in a faded blue hospital gown and covered by white sheets, she looked so fragile. A wounded bird who had fought her way to freedom. Her room was dark except for a small overhead light, but he could see her bruises
even as he eased into a chair next to the bed. He wanted to touch her, hold her in his arms, and kiss her until she laughed with joy. Instead, he sat silently, grateful she was alive.
Her body jerked in her sleep. He stroked her arm, hoping this wasn't a nightmare disturbing the first peaceful rest she'd had in days.
Even if it was the right thing to do, leaving her was going to be hard. All he could offer her was a life full of loneliness and fear. Fear that every time he went undercover, he'd return to her in a body bag. That kind of anxiety was the last thing she needed. Erin was the bravest and strongest person he'd ever met. She'd been through enough for one lifetime and deserved somebody stable. A man whose job and lifestyle weren't full of danger.
He moved the chair closer, leaned his head back, and just watched her breathe. It was a beautiful thing.
****
Erin opened her eyes, staying very still while her surroundings came into focus. Was it really over? Now what? Was she supposed to feel guilty? Experience remorse for taking another human being's life? Lying between the cool clean hospital sheets, she couldn't make herself feel bad.
"Hello, sleepy head."
It was the one voice she wanted to hear. One she'd like to wake up to every morning. "Morning." She turned to face him. Unshaven and disheveled, he looked tired but beautiful. She couldn't imagine waking up to a nicer face. "You spent the night."
"I did." He stood and straightened his shirt, tucking it back into his jeans and making her mouth water. "How do you feel?"
"Safe. Stiff. Will you hand me the control to the bed?"
"I'll do it." Rafe picked up the remote. "Say when."
"That's perfect. Thank you."
"Are you too stiff for a hug? Because I'd very much like to hold you."
Erin opened her arms. "I thought you'd never ask."
"I see our patient is awake." A nurse entered the room. "Time to take care of the necessities and take a look at your bruises." She glanced at Rafe.
"I'll go check on Linc."
"Are you Rafe Sirilli?" the nurse asked, and Rafe nodded. "There's a detective in the waiting room. He asked me to ask you to stop by."
"Will you call Jeff and Lotty?" Erin asked. "She'll know what to throw into a bag and bring to me."
"No problem. I'll let them know you're awake."
The nurse closed the door behind him and turned to Erin. "Feel like you can walk to the restroom?"
"Absolutely." Erin swung her feet to the floor. A hand on her back startled her. She stiffened and pulled away.
"It's okay. You're safe now. After what you've been through, you may be jumpy for a while."
Erin had washed up and finished breakfast when Rafe stuck his head in the door. "All clear?"
"Yes. Come in," she said.
Rafe and Beckett filed into the room. Each took a chair, one on her left and the other on her right. Wade looked as worn-out as Rafe.
"Did you see Linc?" she asked Rafe.
"No. His family had him transferred to Dallas. They left early this morning. They wanted him closer to home while he recovers."
"I wish him the best. The principal said he should've killed all of you, that Linc's injuries were my fault."
"None of this is your fault. I wish the crazy bastard had come after me." Rafe rested his hand on top of hers.
The detective cleared his throat. "I worried you'd figured out who had her and kill him."
"There was a good chance that would've happened."
Erin's heart squeezed. Rafe cared for her a lot more than he wanted to admit.
"Beckett has promised not to tire you out."
"I'm fine." She turned to face the detective. "I expected you earlier," she said. "You have lots of questions, right?"
"I have a few answers, too. The crime scene unit uncovered a lot of surprising facts about the principal. For one, he wasn't who he claimed to be. Turns out he was a convicted sex predator. He moved here using a stolen identity. We don't know, yet, if he killed the guy or just stole his information."
"So Norman wasn't Norman." Erin's mind filled with questions. "So the fake identity allowed him to get past the school board's background check."
"Also probably why he was here in a smaller school district. We'll keep digging until we learn more."
Something stirred in Erin's memory. "He wanted me to call him Casanova. Said I'd given him that nickname."
"Mrs. Henley referred to him as Casanova," Rafe said. "He must have overheard her and thought it was you."
Erin listened and answered questions. Reliving the few days as a captive was hard, but it had to be done. When they were finished, she had nothing to worry about except getting on with her life. Somewhere in the conversation, Rafe had slipped into FBI mode. His formal tone sent a strong message when he suggested she find somebody to help her work through the trauma. Before they'd finished talking, Erin knew what she had to do.
Beckett stood. "I'll see you around." He placed his hand on her foot and patted her. "Be well."
Rafe got to his feet and shook Beckett's hand. "I'll touch base with you before I leave town."
"You go, too," Erin said. "Get some rest. Jeff and Lotty will be here soon. I'll ask them to stop by your place and get my car and things."
"There's no hurry."
"You and Luke will have an easier time closing out the estate without my stuff there."
Erin searched his face for any sign of disappointment or pain. If he minded being dismissed, he was hiding it well.
"Okay. I'll talk with you soon." He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
The pain in her heart was sharp, cutting a corner piece off and sending it out the door with him.
Alone, she stared at the empty doorway. So the horror was over. She was no longer in trouble with the law, meaning Rafe had completed his favor to Jeff. Rafe could return to work, go undercover, and disappear for weeks at a time.
She'd learned something from this experience. Life was too short to sit back and watch from the curb. If Rafe wanted her, he'd have to take the first step.
****
Sweat poured off Rafe. The weather had turned unseasonably hot and humid on the very day he and Luke had picked to load furniture onto a rented trailer. The church he'd attended as a kid still had its small store where people in need could pick up items for free.
"Are you sure you don't want to keep the house?" He and Luke hoisted a chest of drawers onto the bed of the trailer.
"I'm sure."
"You decide what you want to do next?"
"I've given the future a lot of thought. I had no idea Dad had amassed such large investments. According to the attorney, Dad had been investing for years. I'll have more than enough money to pay for any additional schooling I need. I'm not sure what it will take, but someday I'll pin a Texas Ranger badge on my shirt."
Rafe's chest filled with pride. "Figures you'd pick an organization where you could keep the white hat."
"Easy about my hat," Luke joked.
"You've picked an elite group. That's a hard organization to get into. But they'll be damn lucky to have you."
Luke went inside and returned with two cold beers. He passed one over to Rafe. "You still have to take that box of Erin's things to her." He chugged down a big swallow. "You think Jeff left it here on purpose?"
"Hell, yes. He and Dad always thought they knew what was best for us kids."
"Want to know what I think?" Luke dropped his empty can into a large metal trash can.
"Now, why did you ask? You're going to tell me anyway."
"I think you're afraid."
"And what would I be afraid of, little brother?"
"Getting killed."
"If that worried me, I'd already be dead." Rafe set his beer can down and hopped up on the trailer bed. He carried the chest of drawers forward, making room for what was left in the house.
"Not for yourself. For Erin. You finally realize that you're not ten feet tall, bulletproof, and invincible. If
you got married, she might wind up a widow. You don't want that on your conscience."
"Okay. Let's say you're right. So what? It is what it is."
Luke stopped dead still and laughed. "Dad used to say that all the time."
"I know."
"Just remember, if you're dead, you won't have to worry about your conscience." Luke laughed again, this time at himself.
"Who are you? Some high school valley-girl?" Rafe couldn't help but join his brother in laughing at his nonsensical wording.
Luke flipped imaginary long hair over his sweaty shoulder and went back in the house for another load.
With Colton back in Dallas, it had given Rafe and Luke a few more days to get reacquainted. Sending their mother's china cabinet to a new home had been tough, but it had reminded Rafe just how fragile a family was. How easily it could fall apart. He and Luke had drifted apart over the past few years. Rafe wouldn't let that happen again.
They made a good team, and soon, only a few pieces of their dad's belongings were left to deal with. The Realtor would get rid of the beds for them.
Luke slid behind the wheel and drove away, headed for the delegation of church members and friends of their father who waited to unload the furniture.
Rafe showered, dressed, all the while pretending to ignore the box of Erin's clothes that Luke must've set in the middle of the living room floor.
Two days ago, she'd dismissed Rafe as if he'd been a pesky student. That in itself had confused and pissed him off. He'd made love with her. Recognized the passion and emotion in her eyes. Heard the soft sigh of relief in the back of that ambulance when he'd held her in his arms. Damn her, she cared for him. She cared a lot. And she was strong. Just how strong was the question.
He scooped up the box and headed for his car. There were things he needed to say before he left for Dallas. If he could keep his own emotions in check and do what was right, maybe this time they'd part as friends.
CHAPTER 27
Erin checked the peephole. Her heart vaulted to the back of her throat. Rafe was on the other side of her door. She'd vacillated between hoping he'd come and dreading having to put on a charade if he did. Her heart felt physical pain when she thought of him driving away, never to return. But she couldn't make his decisions for him.
Till Justice Is Served Page 22