Chapter 1

by Ann Whitaker

  My feeling of salvation was short lived. I was alone, at night, in a very large park. Other dangers probably lay in wait behind every tree—wild animals, bad people. A moving shadow spooked me, and I rolled off the wall and onto the ground. I needed that cell phone.

  Two vehicles and both of them locked. I looked around for a branch or a rock, anything heavy enough to break out a window on the pickup. The largest rock I could find was about the size of my fist and merely bounced off the window when I threw it, landing at my feet. I picked it up, climbed onto the hood of Butch’s pickup, and banged the rock against the windshield as hard as I could, but the glass was impenetrable. Butch had probably installed bullet-proof glass, since he undoubtedly had enemies.

  I slid off the hood and walked around back, where I lowered the tailgate and crawled into the bed of the pickup, hoping to find a crowbar, but all I found were dozens of empty beer cans. Cheap beer at that.

  I had no choice. I’d have to hoof it and hope like hell the Cameron Park rapist was home watching American Idol.

  Inky darkness surrounded me. At over four hundred acres, Cameron Park was one of the largest municipal parks in Texas. During the summer daytime hours, the park buzzed with activity, but tonight a shroud of silence fell over the twisting, tree-lined roads. Hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, families picnicking—all had gone. Many of the roads ended in cul-de-sacs with picnic areas or retaining walls that looked out over the Brazos or surrounding countryside. Even in the daytime it was easy to get turned around. Lovers Leap was just one of many dead ends.

  I started off at a fast walk, looking around me as I did. Recently, a naked man had assaulted a woman jogger, commanding her to “get nekkid” with him, but she’d managed to escape and reached help on her cell phone. Until tonight, I’d thought of cell phones as public irritants, but if I survived, I vowed never to be without one, even if it meant admitting my mother was right.

  I upped my pace from a brisk walk to a slow jog, hoping I’d hit one of the main roads that would take me back to civilization. As I trotted onto the road leading out of Lovers Leap, I had to make a decision. Left or right. The sky seemed slightly brighter to my left, so I struck off in that direction, hoping I was headed toward the park entrance and downtown.

  As I passed a darkened picnic area, the brush rustled. I told myself it was probably an armadillo or a roadrunner. But when I turned my head and looked behind me, a man emerged from the darkness.

  A low voice whispered. “Wait.” A chill swept over me, and my heart began to pound. I whirled around and began running as fast as I could, trying to remember all I’d read about escaping an attack. My Swiss Army knife was back at Lovers Leap in the purse Butch had dumped out, and I didn’t even have keys to poke in someone’s eye. Could Butch have recovered quickly enough to catch up with me, or was this some other predator? I wasn’t sure which would be worse and didn’t have time to decide. I looked behind me. The man was gaining on me. I ran faster as I rounded a curve, but a sudden stitch in my side stabbed through me. I bent over and clutched my ribs, while trying not to break stride. My chest heaved as I gulped more air. I headed for the trees. Maybe I could hide. My pursuer yelled something I couldn’t hear over my labored breathing.

  Then, arms suddenly reached out and grabbed me from behind. I squirmed as the man pulled me tight against his chest. I bent forward as far as I could and swung my right leg behind his, hooking my foot around his ankle to knock him off balance, the way I’d seen it done in a self-defense demonstration. When that didn’t work, I went limp, hoping to throw him off balance. It worked. I clasped my hands together in a double fist and was primed to punch him in the crotch when he spoke again.

  “Julie, stop! It’s me, Nick.”

  I froze as he squeezed me so tightly I couldn’t breathe. Or maybe it was the closeness of him that stopped my breath. My relief was quickly replaced with anger. “Why didn’t you tell me it was you? You just scared the hell out of me!”

  “I called your name, but you kept running. I was trying to be quiet so Butch wouldn’t hear us. I know he’s around here somewhere.”

  “Well, I didn’t hear you!” As he continued to hold me, my body involuntarily molded itself to his.

  He bent closer and whispered in my ear. “Julie, what’s going on?” His warm breath sent a thrill of excitement through me, causing a familiar throb between my legs.

  I yanked away in a feeble attempt to distance myself from the thrill of his touch. “Wait a minute. How do you know about Butch? How did you know where I was?”

  Nick’s mouth twisted, and a pained look crossed his face. “For one thing, Carmen’s Lexus is parked back there at Lovers Leap next to his pickup. Didn’t I warn you about him? Why did you meet him out here alone at night?”

  He hadn’t answered my questions. I stared at him, speechless. On the one hand, I was grateful he’d shown up, but on the other, he had a lot of nerve butting into my business while he was wrapped in the spell of Babe Esposito. Obviously, our Abilene encounter had meant nothing to him.

  Before he could answer, a second figure loomed up behind him.

  I screamed. “Nick, look out!”

  Nick spun around and was about to throw a punch.

  “Whoa, Nick! It’s me, Berto! You forget about me?”

  Though I couldn’t see him too clearly, Berto sounded mildly amused.

  Nick dropped his arm to his side. “Sorry, man. When Julie took off running, I couldn’t wait for you to catch up. Then when she screamed just now, I thought…well, you know what I thought. That you were someone else.”

  Berto pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead. He was heftier than Nick, several years older, and evidently slower. But why was he here? Why were either of them here?

  Chapter Fourteen

  I took a step back and wiped my hands on my jeans. “Okay, you two. You owe me an explanation. What’s going on? Why did you come looking for me, and how did you find me?” I tried to sound in control, but my voice squeaked.

  Berto bent forward, trying to catch his breath. “How did we find you?” He gave a short laugh. “Carmen’s car.”

  “What do you mean, her car?”

  Berto raised up, clutching Nick’s arm to steady himself. “GPS tracking device. In case it gets stolen.”

  So that’s how Nick knew I was at the Cotton Patch.

  “But why did you follow me tonight?”

  Berto ran his hands through his thick hair. “After you left, we got worried.” He looked sheepish, as if admitting worrying about me was something to be ashamed of. “We knew it wasn’t like you to ask for favors, and you seemed a little on edge. So we followed you. Don’t blame Nick. It was my idea.”

  Though I was angry at the thought of Nick following me, Berto’s admission was disappointing. Why couldn’t it have been Nick’s idea?

  I suddenly remembered Butch. Though I had little fondness for the weirdo, he needed help. “We can talk about this later. Right now, there’s somebody on the other side of the wall at Lovers Leap with a broken leg or worse. And if he’s not careful, he could end up falling farther and getting killed. One of you needs to call for help.” I couldn’t bring myself to utter Butch’s name.

  While Berto grudgingly pulled out his cell phone and made the call, Nick and I eyed each other warily. “I hope he’s broken both legs,” Berto said.

  Nick took my arm. “Come on. Let’s go back and get Berto’s car. We parked it on a side road when we saw the Lexus and the pickup. Wanted to be careful till we knew you were safe. You can tell us about what happened while we wait for an ambulance and the police. I’m sure they’ll want to ask you some questions, and then we’re going to get you out of here. This is crazy.”

  I fought it, but my eyes started to tear up and my nose began to run. I sniffed. “It’s not what you think. He said there was a dog. And then he said these things about Babe.”

  The look Nick and Berto exchanged once more affirmed they knew something I didn�
��t. “The police aren’t the only ones who want to hear this story,” Berto said.

  We walked to Berto’s BMW and drove it to the Lovers Leap cul-de-sac. While we waited, I filled Nick and Berto in on the night’s events. Soon, the wail of sirens broke the silence of the still night air. The three of us got out and clustered together while the flashing lights and the shriek of ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars surrounded us.

  A white squad car with POLICE emblazoned on the side in bold red letters pulled up a few feet from us. The face of the gray-haired police officer inside told me he’d already fulfilled his crap quota for the night.

  “Wait here.” Berto turned and stalked off toward the officer.

  I started to follow, but Nick reached out and held me back. His hand on my arm was comforting, so I decided to put aside my curiosity and stay where I was. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Berto gesticulated wildly toward me and then toward the area beyond the wall.

  Then a younger policeman approached, his arms held wide over a heavy belt laden with an array of devices. I could identify only a revolver and what might be a stun gun. I moved closer to Nick.

  The officer’s steely eyes riveted first on me, then Nick. “Good evening, ma’am, sir. I’m Officer X.”

  That’s what I thought he said. A quick look at his badge revealed his last name was “Ecks.” He could have been a stand-in for Butch. I shivered, probably a delayed reaction to my close call with his look-alike. If Butch had pushed me down the cliff, no doubt he’d have told everyone I jumped because he rejected me. Not only would I be dead, I’d be humiliated by his lies. When I shivered again, Nick put his arm around me and drew me to his chest. The resultant quivering in my loins had more to do with Nick’s proximity than my brush with death. I wanted him to un-quiver me. Then I wanted to curl up in his arms and stay there forever.

  Officer Ecks eyed Nick with suspicion. “You call this in?”

  Before Nick could answer, I cut in. “I’m the one you want to talk to.” I pointed toward Nick, then Berto. “They just got here.”

  “Sir, you wait out here.” He tilted his head toward Nick. “Ma’am, get in the car.”

  Nick seemed reluctant to let me go until I looked up at him and nodded. Officer Ecks led me to his patrol car and opened the front passenger-side door. I hesitated, waiting for him to put his hand on the top of my head and say, watch your head, like they do in the movies, but he didn’t. Maybe he wasn’t worried about my suing for brain damage, since I hadn’t been arrested.

  As he walked around the car, the radio squawked an unintelligible mix of codes and commands. Officer Ecks got in, listened for a moment, then twisted his mouth as if he hadn’t understood any more than I had. He reached up and flicked on the overhead light.

  “You got ID?”

  “It’s…it was in my purse.”

  “Where’s your purse, ma’am?”

  “Over there.” I pointed to the wall. “On the other side.”

  He rubbed his tongue over his bottom lip, as if trying to decide which question came next on his list. I tried to make it easier for him. “I know my driver’s license number if that helps.” I called off the numbers I’d memorized years ago. Officer Ecks massaged his temples.

  “Rough day?” I asked.

  He glanced over at me. “That’s an understatement. You wouldn’t believe it.”

  Oh, little did he know.

  We both looked up as another police officer stretched a long leg over the retaining wall. I saw something familiar looped over his arm.

  “That’s it! That’s my purse!”

  I reached for the door handle, but Officer Ecks leaned over and grabbed my arm. “Wait here. Don’t move.”

  He got out and approached the officer carrying my purse, then pointed toward the car. I wondered if he’d found the contents or if they were lying at the bottom of the Brazos. Though the purse itself—a gift from my mother—was worth more than anything inside, I hated the idea of having to replace my license and credit cards.

  Officer Ecks got back in and plunked the bag down between us. “Go ahead.”

  I pulled the purse toward me and looked inside. “Yuck. Everything’s covered with dirt.”

  Officer Ecks grunted. “No kidding. You got ID in there?”

  “I’m looking. Hold on.” I reached into first one compartment, then another. Finally, I found my billfold, extracted it, and pulled out my license. Clods of dirt and a couple of crumbled dog biscuits fell in my lap. “Here,” I said, handing over the license and brushing off my hands.

  Officer Ecks looked at my picture, then at me, then typed something into his computer. “Is Abilene still your legal residence?”

  “Yes, sir. I’m just working here. For the month. Training dogs.”

  “Dogs?”

  “Yes, sir. Poodles.”

  He yawned. Then he clicked his pen, retrieved a notebook from the dash, and scribbled something on it. “So what happened out here tonight? You say there’s an injured man on the other side of the wall.”

  I wasn’t sure where to start. “Yes, sir. He thinks his leg is broken and said he’s having a heart attack.”

  “So you were on the other side with him?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Didn’t you see the warning signs?”

  “Yes, but you don’t understand—”

  He held up his hand for me to stop, tapped the end of his pen on the pad to get the ink flowing again, and scribbled another note. “Do you realize you’re endangering the lives of the men and women who have to go down there to get your boyfriend?”

  “Yes, sir, I do. I mean, I know it’s dangerous, and I’m sorry. But he’s not my boyfriend. He’s a policeman.”

  Officer Ecks snorted. “Sure he is. Like we don’t have enough excitement just doing our jobs. Okay, so he’s not your boyfriend. What were the two of you doing on the other side of the wall?”

  “Butch—that’s his name—said there was a dog on the other side that needed help. He called me because I’m a vet tech. But there wasn’t a dog. He just made that up to get me out here so I could call Babe for him.”

  “Wait a minute. Slow down.” I waited while he wrote. “So you’re saying this guy calls you about a dog that doesn’t exist to get you to call another woman?” Officer Ecks looked up from his notepad. “You aren’t making much sense.”

  “It didn’t make sense to me either, but he’d been drinking.”

  “How many have you had?”

  “Me? Drinks?”

  “No, dogs, lady.” He rolled his eyes. “Yes, drinks.”

  “I haven’t had any. I was home in the bathtub with Philip when Butch called about this other dog.”

  The officer cleared his throat. “In the bathtub. With…who’s Philip?” He squinted at me and smirked. I could feel myself growing a sweat mustache.

  “Philip is my dog. The water is for rehab. He had surgery. On his knee.”

  “So this guy calls you about this other dog, the dog that didn’t exist, while you’re in the bathtub with your dog.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Officer Ecks shook his head and jotted down some more notes. When I leaned over to see what he was writing, he drew his notebook closer to his chest.

  Suddenly, screams penetrated the stuffy confines of the cop car. Officer Ecks rolled down his window and peered out. I leaned over, trying not to touch him, and looked over his shoulder.

  Two guys in Emergency Medical Service uniforms were hoisting a stretcher over the retaining wall. From the obscenities piercing our ears, I assumed it was Butch. Officer Ecks and I watched transfixed as the EMTs passed by the patrol car with their cargo.

  When Butch caught a glimpse of me, he screamed louder. “She did it! That’s the bitch who pushed me down the cliff and broke my leg! Then she run off and left me out there to die like a dog.”

  It was an apt comparison. His rolling eyes and drooling mouth resembled a dog—one with rabies. Before Officer Ecks
could roll up the window, I yelled back at Butch. “You should be so lucky!”

  Butch had a lot of nerve, accusing me. I watched with satisfaction as they hauled his sorry carcass into the ambulance, revved up the siren, and sped off.

  Meanwhile, Officer Ecks scribbled furiously. He finally stopped, holding his pen poised over his notebook. “Is that true? Did you push him?”

  My voice rose several decibels. “No, I didn’t push him. Like I said, he got me out here under false pretenses. Once we were on the other side of the wall, he grabbed my arms and acted as if he might push me off the cliff if I didn’t do what he said.”

  “So he threatened you.”

  “Well, he didn’t say he was going to kill me if that’s what you mean, but it was pretty obvious if I didn’t do what he said, I’d be deep-sixed by now.”

  Officer Ecks tapped the side of his head with his pen a couple of times. “Deep-sixed? Lady, you’ve been watching too much TV.”

  “Movies,” I corrected. “I also read the local newspaper every morning. You think I’m making all this up? Well, I’m not. He would’ve killed me. I could see it in his eyes. And when he grabbed my arms, I slipped.”

  “So you’re saying you slipped, and he kept you from falling.”

  “No, I’m not saying that at all! If he hadn’t gotten me out here in the first place and hadn’t grabbed my arms, I wouldn’t have slipped. He also dumped my purse out!”