He chuckled as he set the laptop on the side table. “Yes, of course.” He watched her as she walked back to the couch and smiled in appreciation of her beauty. “You’re gorgeous, do you know that?”
Touched by his sweet words, Amethyst smiled as she sat beside him on the couch. “Thank you.” Then, while trying to forget the abject terror she’d felt in the moment before they’d realized it was just children at the door, she looked at Sawyer’s open laptop screen. “Do you have a camera pointing to your porch?”
“Yeah. I wanted to take any precautions I could.”
Nodding in approval, she said, “Smart.” She paused a beat. “Hey, now that I know the truth, and since your brother lives so close, maybe you can set him up with Chloe.”
“I’d love to,” he said. “But not until this has all been resolved. I, uh, my brother doesn’t know what’s going on. In fact the only person who does—besides you and the DEA—is Paul, who owns this house. He was nice enough to let me stay here for the duration.”
“The duration?” That presented a new question. “So you’re saying once this is over you’re moving back to LA?”
Sawyer chuckled. “You know, I don’t actually have a job anymore, and…” His eyebrows rose. “I know a woman who may need some help running a business soon. So who knows where I’ll end up.”
Fresh hope at the possibilities pulsed through her and she snuggled closer to Sawyer. His arms tightened around her, and she lay her head against his shoulder. “All I’ve done so far is apply for a loan, so who knows if I’ll actually become a business owner.”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
She liked the way he included himself in his comment, like they were in this together.
Sawyer loved the way it felt to have Amethyst in his arms, and as they sat quietly for a moment, his gaze went to his open laptop, which sat on the table beside the couch. A movement on the screen caught his eye, and as he looked closely, his heart began to pound.
“What is it?” Amethyst said.
He unwrapped his arms from around her and picked up his laptop before setting it on his lap. “I don’t think that’s a trick or treater.”
The camera showed a man walking up to the front door—no costume, no children in tow. And as he stepped onto the porch, Sawyer recognized him as the man who’d been sitting with Mitch at dinner.
Why was he there? Who was he? How did he know where Sawyer lived? Had he followed them back? Why?
Knowing the reason couldn’t be anything good, Sawyer looked at Amethyst, whose eyes were wide with fear, and touched his finger to his lips in a bid for silence. She nodded. There was no way for the man to see inside—the curtains were drawn—but Sawyer didn’t want to give away the fact that they were home.
The man knocked on the door, solid and loud.
Amethyst quietly gasped.
“It’ll be okay,” Sawyer whispered in her ear, although he really had no idea if that was true.
She nodded, though she didn’t look particularly comforted.
“We need to get out of here,” he added.
“Okay,” she said, her lips moving but no sound coming out.
He could see complete trust in her eyes, like she knew he would make everything okay. A sense of great responsibility settled over him and he knew he would do whatever it took to protect her.
“Should we call the police?” Amethyst whispered in his ear.
Nodding in agreement, Sawyer said, “Let’s get out first. I don’t want him to hear me on the phone.” Sawyer quietly closed the laptop and set it aside, then he stood and held out his hand to Amethyst.
Chapter 27
Absolutely terrified, Amethyst looked at Sawyer’s outstretched hand, but trusting him, and not having a clue what else to do, she took it as she stood and slung her purse across her body.
The doorbell rang followed by a brisk knock.
“We’ve gotta move,” Sawyer said into her ear as he held her tight.
Wanting nothing more than to be safe in his arms, she knew that wouldn’t be enough—they had to get away.
Sawyer released her, then he took her by the hand and led her into the kitchen where he had her press her back against a wall. Satisfied that she was safe for the moment, he tiptoed to the sliding glass door, pulled the curtain back a fraction of an inch, and peered outside. Light from the street lamps threw off enough illumination for him to visually probe the backyard.
No one was out there. Did that mean the man was alone?
He didn’t think Mitch was involved with Tyler—Mitch was just a friend Sawyer had known for a couple of years. No ties to Tyler that he knew of.
So who was the man who had been with Mitch? And why else would that man be there except on Tyler’s behalf?
Relatively confident that the backyard was clear, Sawyer unlocked the door and slowly began to slide it open. When it was open far enough for him to poke his head out, he did, perusing the yard again to reassure himself that it would be safe to lead Amethyst outside.
Not seeing anyone out there, he turned to Amethyst and motioned for her to come. She did, and when she reached his side, he took her hand, gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance, then led them outside, closing the slider behind him.
“We’re going to hop the fence into your yard,” he whispered.
She nodded her understanding, and they crept to the fence that separated their yards. He intertwined his fingers and held them low like a step. She glanced at his hands, then reached up and placed her hands on the top of the fence before setting one foot in his cupped hands.
Heart pounding like crazy, Amethyst pulled herself upward at the same time that Sawyer gave her a boost. The fence creaked a bit, but she managed to climb over and jump into her yard without too much difficulty.
Moments later Sawyer landed beside her.
He took her hand and they raced across her yard and to the garage door. Fumbling in her purse for her keys, once she found them and took them out she found her hands shaking too hard to insert the key in the lock. Sawyer took the keys from her and unlocked the door, and after opening it, he took her hand and led her inside the garage before locking the door behind them.
“Okay,” he said, his voice soft, but above a whisper. “Let’s go in the house and call the police.”
Anxious to feel safe, she stayed by his side as he unlocked the door to the house and went in. They kept the lights off, and moments later Sawyer was talking to a 911 operator, explaining that an intruder was trying to get into his house, then he gave her his address.
Sawyer wasn’t sure how long it would take for the police to arrive, but as he spoke to the 911 operator, he went to Amethyst’s front window and peered through a slat on the blinds. He couldn’t see his front porch from there, but he kept his eyes locked in the direction of his house.
“Are you able to get out of the house?” the 911 operator asked.
“I’m out now,” he said, “but I’m worried that the intruder will find me.”
“Okay. The police will be there soon.”
He wasn’t about to explain the complicated situation, and for now the most he could hope for was that the man would get scared off. Unless the police caught him inside Sawyer’s house, they wouldn’t have a reason to arrest him.
A few trick or treaters passed by at the end of the street, and though Sawyer let his gaze flicker in their direction, he kept his attention focused on his house.
There he was.
Sawyer watched as the man walked away from the front door and in the direction of the side yard. He couldn’t see where he’d gone, but he could only assume he was headed toward the backyard.
Maybe he would let himself into the house through the unlocked slider, and when the police get there, they would catch him inside. Then they could arrest him.
The sound of sirens broke the silence of the night.
“Sounds like the police are here,” Sawyer told the 911 operator. Then he saw fla
shing red and blue lights as a cruiser pulled up to his house. “Yep. They’re at my house.”
“Where are you, sir?”
“I’m at my neighbor’s house.” He glanced at Amethyst, who looked shaken as she stood in place. She smiled at him, he assumed in a bid to reassure him that she was okay. He smiled back.
Turning back to the drama outside, he watched as a pair of officers approached the front door, but he couldn’t see much from where he stood.
“I’m going to talk to the officers,” Sawyer told the 911 operator. “Thanks for your help.” He hung up before she could reply, then he turned to Amethyst. “Do you want to come with me?”
She shook her head. “I think I’ll stay here.”
In two strides he was in front of her. “I’m so sorry to get you involved in this.” Regret settled over him. This was why he had been resistant in getting to know her. This was what he had feared would happen. Then he reminded himself that she was safe, that everything would be all right.
A small smile lifted the corners of her mouth, and he knew she was trying to be brave.
Tugging her into his arms, he held her close for several moments. “I’ll be back soon,” he said, then he released her and headed out the front door.
Amethyst didn’t want him to leave, but she knew he had to talk to the police, and she didn’t want to leave the sanctuary of her home. Watching him go, she wasn’t happy that she’d been dragged into this, although she couldn’t completely fault him. Yes, he’d obviously known the danger he was in, and yes, he must have understood that getting involved with her could put her in jeopardy, but she didn’t regret him coming into her life. She’d grown to care for him more and more each time she saw him, and she was confident they’d get through this.
Peering out her front window, she tried to see what was going on, but her house was angled in such a way that her view was limited. Then Sawyer came into view. He was talking to one of the police officers. Relieved that he was safe, Amethyst let the slat fall back into place and sank onto her couch as she tried to absorb all that had happened that evening.
Wow. Sawyer was in hiding from a scary guy and working with the DEA. But he was a good man—why else had he been willing to risk his safety to turn his boss in?
She stood again and peered out the window. Sawyer was still talking to the police officer, but after a moment the pair walked towards Sawyer’s house and out of sight. She let the slat fall back into place and sat on the couch.
She was proud of him and what he was willing to do. Would she have been as brave? She hoped so.
Then she thought about him confessing his feelings for her, and warmth radiated inside her.
They had something special. She knew it. And now she knew he felt the same way.
Joy sprang up inside her like a flower seeking the sun, and as she lay her head against the cushions and closed her eyes, a smile of pure happiness curved her mouth.
She might even love him.
The thought widened her smile, and when she heard a knock at the front door, her eyes snapped open and she hurried to answer, eager to see Sawyer. But when she yanked the door open, it wasn’t Sawyer standing on the porch. It was the man they’d been hiding from.
Chapter 28
“Oh,” she gasped.
A look of surprise filled the man’s face as if he hadn’t expected the person who opened the door to be her.
She tried to slam the door closed, but he stuck his foot in the way, and then he shoved the door inward, forcing his way in.
“Your Sawyer’s little friend, aren’t you?” he said as he grabbed her and covered her mouth while kicking the door closed. “What a pleasant surprise.” He laughed. “I saw you at dinner with him, and you’re his next-door neighbor. How quaint.”
Desperate to get away, Amethyst thrashed in his arms, but he was too strong, and when she tried to scream, she wasn’t able to draw enough oxygen into her lungs to give volume to the muffled sound that stuck in her throat. Wanting to bite his hand, she opened her mouth as wide as she could while jerking her head around, but he managed to keep his large hand firmly over her mouth and she wasn’t able to sink her teeth into his flesh.
Then she let her body go limp, hopeful that her sudden dead weight would make him drop her. Instead, he held her tight and dragged her towards the back door.
Terrified of what he was going to do and where he would take her, she began thrashing around again.
“This is getting old,” he said, and the next thing she knew, a sharp pain radiated across her temple before everything went black.
“Amethyst?” Sawyer called as he entered her house. She hadn’t answered the door, and assuming she’d been too nervous to open when he’d knocked, he let himself in. “Amethyst, where are you?”
Silence.
It was too quiet. His heart began to pound as adrenaline flooded his veins. Something was wrong.
Quickly and quietly he searched every corner of the house, but Amethyst was nowhere to be found.
He really didn’t think she would leave without telling him. Not in the middle of all this.
That’s when his phone rang. He snatched it out of his pocket and saw Amethyst’s name on the Caller ID. Briefly closing his eyes as he released a sigh of relief, he swiped to answer.
“Amethyst?” he asked.
“Sawyer?” The tone of her voice showed severe strain.
“Where are you? Are you okay?”
“She’s with me,” a male voice said, and Sawyer knew everything had fallen apart.
“You’ll do exactly what I tell you to,” the man said into Amethyst’s phone.
Hands and feet bound while she lay in the backseat of a car in a deserted alleyway, all she could do was watch and listen. The man who had taken her sat in the driver’s seat with her phone pressed to his ear.
She pictured the panic in Sawyer’s eyes and was furious with herself for flinging her front door open before checking to make sure it was him. So stupid.
But she’d never had to worry about such things before, and opening the door with a welcoming smile had become second nature.
“If you don’t,” the man said with a look of anticipation in Amethyst’s direction, “you’ll never see your girlfriend again.”
Fear like she’d never known before settled into her bones, and she feared she was going to pass out. Keep it together. She had to keep it together. Sawyer would know what to do.
Not sure if that was true, she tried to convince herself that it was. She had to to keep from going into full-blown hysteria.
No! Vividly recalling the video Tyler had shown him of a man being tortured, when Sawyer imagined Amethyst falling into Tyler’s hands, it was as if his breath had been stolen from him and he knew he would do anything—anything—to save her.
“What do you want?” he choked out.
“It’s not what I want. It’s what Tyler wants.”
Closing his eyes, Sawyer massaged his forehead. “What does Tyler want?” His voice was resigned. Tyler had won. Of course he had. Sawyer had always known he would. Knowing this was completely his fault—if he’d listened to his instincts and not gotten involved with Amethyst she wouldn’t be in danger now—he opened his eyes and stared at the wall in Amethyst’s living room as he waited to hear what he would have to do.
“Obviously,” the man said, “no cops.”
“Okay.” The police officers who’d come to his house and found nothing had already left, so that wouldn’t be an issue.
“Drive to the empty building on the corner of Elm and Second Street.”
Frantic with worry, he worked to concentrate on the instructions. “Okay.”
“Get out of your car and wait in the doorway of the building. Leave your phone at home and come alone.”
The line went dead, and Sawyer froze with indecision. Should he call Agent Yardley? Did Tyler know the DEA was investigating him? What would Tyler do to him?
Shaking his head in resignation, S
awyer set his phone on Amethyst’s coffee table and walked out the front door.
“What are you going to do?” Amethyst asked the man, her voice shaking.
The man ignored her as he broke her phone apart, destroyed the SIM card, then tossed it all out the window. He turned to her, his arm resting on the back of his seat. “It’s time to go.”
“Go where?”
He faced the front and Amethyst heard the sound of pills being shaken out of a bottle. A moment later he twisted back to face her and held out one hand, which held two small white pills. “Take these.”
Terrified, she shook her head.
He grinned. “They’ll just put you to sleep. It’s that or I’ll knock you out with my fist.”
Her head already ached from when he’d hit her before, so she opened her mouth and let him place the pills on her tongue, then she allowed him to pour water into her mouth. Water dribbled down the side of her mouth and onto the seat of the car, but she swallowed the pills.
He squeezed her chin, forcing her mouth open so he could make sure the pills had gone down. “Good girl.”
Moments later she heard the engine start up and felt the car lurch into motion.
Chapter 29
Despite the chill in the air, Sawyer was sweating as he stood in the doorway of the abandoned building, worry for Amethyst forefront in his mind.
Who was the guy who had taken her? Was he dangerous, or just an errand-boy for Tyler? Would he let her go once he had Sawyer, or would Tyler tell him to keep her for leverage?
That last possibility was what concerned Sawyer the most. Because if Tyler had both of them, who would be left to get help?
If Amethyst was safe he could face whatever Tyler did to him. He just needed her to be safe.
With a sudden shock of knowledge, Sawyer realized that he was falling in love with her.
Maybe if he hadn’t been holding back so much he would have realized it sooner. Then he could have told her before she was…taken.
Dangerous Lies: Sawyer and Amethyst (An Emerald Falls Romance, Book Two) Page 12