Dangerous Delusion

by Rhonda Brewer

  It didn’t look good now that her brother was back. He hated her brother. There was also that pretty boy who slept in her bed the night before. They didn’t do anything, but she let the asshole touch her. Even if it was just on the cheek. He knew what the fucker was up to. Men like that did everything to charm their way into a woman’s pants.

  It was even more critical now that he save her. That player wanted to soil her, and that would not do. It was enough that he had to clean the other losers from her soul, but she was his love. She wanted him to save her. It wasn’t her plan to hide in the tiny God forsaken town. They brought her there and he would be the one to save her from them. She was waiting for him.

  “I’m here, my love,” He whispered behind the thick tree.

  Chapter 18

  Nick liked Ethan, and he was relieved the guy didn’t seem too put off about the whole situation. Nick didn’t know how he’d feel if he walked into one of his cousins’ houses and found strange men he hadn't met.

  “Considering the situation, Lora does seem happy.” Ethan poured another cup of coffee, and Nick was sure it was Ethan’s forth cup.

  “I’m happy she’s here.” Nick smiled.

  “I’m not going to bore you with the whole, I’ll kick your arse if you hurt her shit. One, you’re a cop, and I don’t want to go to jail for threatening a police officer. Two, I haven’t seen her smile like that in a long time.” Ethan sat across from Nick.

  “Trust me if I ever hurt Lora, my aunt, my grandmother, my mother and probably most of the women in my family would kick my ass.” Nick chuckled but stopped when he saw Ethan’s face turn serious. “Something else is on your mind.”

  “This bastard that’s killing those women, Lora says you think he’s trying to replace her with them.” Ethan wrapped his hands around the mug. “Or something like that.”

  “It seems that way. It’s why we’re cautious.” Nick wanted to be more careful, but he knew if he told Lora she couldn’t go to work she’d probably kick him in the balls.

  “Well, you’ve got me here to help too.” Ethan emptied his cup again.

  “I’m sure Lora and your mom appreciate that.” Nick watched Lora’s brother fill his cup again. “You must love coffee.”

  “Yeah, too much sometimes.” Ethan sat down. “The last two days, it’s probably been eighty percent of my diet.”

  “That’s not good.” Nick could see something was on his mind.

  “I quit my job.” Ethan raised his head to look at Nick.

  “Why?” Lora’s shocked voice from behind him startled Nick.

  “I miss home, and as much as I love to fly, I hated the job.” Ethan slouched in the seat.

  “Does Mom know?” Lora sat next to her brother and placed her hand on his.

  “No,” Ethan sighed.

  “I’m glad we’ll get to see you more often.” Lora smiled.

  “Yeah. Now I have to figure out what I’m gonna do with my life.” Ethan chuckled. “I’m thinking there isn’t a gym in this town either.”

  “As a matter of fact, you would be wrong there.” Nick laughed. “My brother has a full gym on his property.”

  “Keith wanted to make sure his employees were able to keep in shape and not have to make trips to town to do it. Since one of his businesses is security, it’s necessary the men and women are physically fit.” Nick explained.

  “Your brothers are either cops or bodyguards.” Ethan shook his head.

  “No there’s a doctor, and a lawyer. I was a lawyer for a while, but it wasn’t for me, and I joined the police force.” Nick felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

  “That’s cool.” Ethan nodded.

  “Excuse me.” Nick stepped into the hallway to answer the call from John.

  “Hey, what’s up?” Nick glanced into the living room where Molly was curled up on the couch, snuggled into the stuffed dog Nick gave her.

  “We have another one,” John growled.

  “Fuck,” Nick gritted his teeth.

  “It’s a lot worse this time, bro.” John’s voice was quivering.

  “Tell me.” Nick braced himself.

  “He beat this woman to death, and her child is missing.” Nick could hear the horror in John’s voice.

  “Boy or girl?” Nick pressed his fist against the wall.

  “Girl, six years old.” John stopped. “We got to find this little one before he does God knows what.”

  “I’m on the way.” Nick was about to end the call, but John stopped him.

  “No, you need to stay with Lora.” Nick knew better than to argue with John from his tone.

  “Okay, I’ll tell her, and we’ll have to get someone to cover her shift at ….” Nick stopped when Lora stepped in front of him.

  “I’m going to work.” Lora crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Keep me in the loop.” Nick ended the call and shoved the phone into his pocket.

  “Don’t give me that look, Nick.” Lora met his gaze, and he cupped her face in his hands.

  “Sweetheart, it’s better…” She held up her hand to stop him.

  “What’s happened?” Lora sighed.

  “There’s another woman.” Nick didn’t know if it was a good idea to tell her about the child, but then again, she would find out if she watched the news.

  “Oh, God.” Lora covered her mouth and tucked her head under his chin.

  “Lora, there’s more.” Nick swallowed.

  “What?” She wrapped her arms around him, and he did the same.

  “He wasn’t gentle with this one, and her six-year-old little girl is missing.” Nick knew the minute the shock hit her, because her body stiffened, and she pulled back from his embrace.

  “He took her…” Her voice came out in barely a whisper as she turned around toward where Molly still slept.

  “Lora, nobody’s going to get near her.” Ethan stood in the doorway of the kitchen.

  “I need to do something.” Lora turned and paced from the kitchen doorway into the living room and out again.

  “Let Nick and the rest of the police deal with this.” Ethan glanced at Nick as if he knew what was coming next.

  “No, this guy is killing women, beating them, and now taking children. I need to find a way to get him to come for me.” Lora’s eyes were filled with anguish.

  “That’s not going to happen. You need to think about Molly. If things go wrong, and trust me, they can go wrong, he could hurt you. Plus, John would never agree to that, and if he did, I’d beat his ass.” He didn’t like the look in her eyes, but she wasn’t putting herself in a situation where she could get hurt or worse.

  “Nick, those women. That little girl.” Lora slowly lowered herself to the floor and covered her face with her hands.

  Nick lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. Inside the room, Nick sat on the bed with Lora curled up on his lap. Since the day he met this beautiful woman, he’d never seen her so broken. She trembled as she sobbed in his arms. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat as he let her get it out of her system.

  “Why is he doing this? I hate feeling helpless and crying all the time,” She whispered when she’d calmed a little.

  “Honey, there’s no sane reason, you’d drive yourself crazy trying to figure out why people do these things, and there's not a thing wrong with you crying. Most people would in your situation.” Nick grabbed the box of tissues next to the bed.

  “There has to be something I can do.” Lora wiped her nose and sighed.

  “Making yourself a target isn't one of them.” Nick pressed his lips to her temple.

  The thought of Lora even thinking about putting herself in a situation where this guy could get his hands on her made him ill. He wasn’t strong enough to sit back and allow the woman he loved to put herself in danger. He did love her, and it was at that moment he realized it was time to tell her

  Nick leaned back so he could see her face. Her eyes glistened with tears as she stared at him. He c
upped her cheek with his hand and swiped his thumb over her lower lip.

  “I couldn’t deal with it if I lost you,” Nick whispered. “I’m in love with you, Lora.”

  “Nick,” Lora stared into his eyes as a tear slipped out of the corner of her eye and slowly ran down her cheek. “I’m head over heels in love with you, but the thought of you being in danger because you're with me, scares the shit out of me.”

  “I’ve never said that to anyone before, and I'm scared too, but not because I could be in danger, but because some sick fuck is out there and wants to take you away from me.” Nick pressed his forehead against hers.

  “This feels… Real, with you.” Lora ran her hand down the side of his face.

  “I know. I don’t think I could breathe if anything happened to you or Molly.” Nick wrapped his arms around her tightly.

  “Nick, who’s the woman?” Lora wrapped her arms around him, and her voice was soft against his cheek.

  “John didn’t tell me her name.” Nick didn’t ask either.

  “Do you have to go to the station?” Lora’s arms squeezed tighter when she asked the question.

  “No, I’m your personal shadow until this is over.” Nick pressed his lips against the side of her neck and closed his eyes as he inhaled her scent.

  “I’m not going to complain,” Lora whispered.

  Even with another victim, Lora still refused to stay home from work. Kurt gave Nick an earful when they walked into the diner.

  “What did you want me to do, lock her in the closet?” Nick sat on the stool closest to the entrance.

  “You could have been firm with her, and tell her she was ….” The laughter behind the counter drew Kurt’s attention, and Nick glanced around his uncle.

  “Been firm…” Kristy held onto her stomach.

  “Now young lady you're staying home, because I’m the man.” Jess put her hands on her hips and made her voice deep. Nick assumed it was supposed to be her father’s voice.

  Lora stood next to them laughing hysterically. Nick couldn’t help but laugh himself at Kurt's expression. His uncle seemed like he was ready to explode.

  “Is that how you handled Mom today, Dad?” Kristy asked through her laughter.

  “Yes, he told me under no condition was I going to be here today.” Alice snorted from where she sat behind the cash register on a stool with her leg propped up on another chair.

  "And your response was?" Lora chuckled.

  "I said, yes dear, and pushed my wheelchair out to the car." Alice smiled as she rang in the takeout order for the woman currently laughing along with the rest of them.

  “Yeah, Uncle Kurt. I’ve got about as much control over Lora as you have over Aunt Alice.” Nick laughed and pulled back when his uncle made a playful swing at him.

  “Damn women,” Kurt muttered as he plopped back down on the stool next to Nick.

  “What was that, honey?” Alice raised her eyebrows and glared at her husband.

  “I love you, baby.” Kurt grinned.

  “That’s what I thought.” Nick chuckled as Alice turned back to the rest of the women. "They do learn eventually."

  Alice resigned herself that she couldn’t run the restaurant and pub by herself while she was injured, but she’d refused to stay home and do nothing while she healed.

  “Kurt, you know better than to even try to control a woman. Especially in this family.” Nick’s father sat at the booth next to the window with Nick’s mother and grandmother.

  “I don’t know what’s wrong wit dat lad.” Nanny Betty grumbled as she sipped her tea.

  “There’s nothing wrong with me. It’s the God damn women in this family.” Kurt muttered under his breath.

  “Watch yer language, young man.” Nanny Betty whipped her head around and glared at Kurt. “I’ll bust yer arse if I hear dat again.”

  “Mudder, shouldn’t you be losing your hearing at your age?” Nick’s father laughed, but quickly stopped when Nanny Betty hit his knuckle with her spoon.

  “I’m not too old to clout ya on da head.” Nanny Betty pointed her finger at Nick’s dad.

  Nick glanced at Lora and smiled. It was good to see her laughing, but who wouldn’t where his barely five-foot grandmother was concerned. It didn’t matter how old any of them got, Nanny Betty kept them in line.

  Between the lunch and supper rush, Nick helped Lora clear all the tables and washed them down. Nick wasn’t supposed to be on the schedule to help, but Kurt made a quick change to the calendar, so Nick would be there with Lora at all times.

  “I can still stay if you want.” Jess pulled Nick aside. “At least it will give you a second set of eyes.”

  “I’d appreciate that, Jess.” Nick hugged his cousin and made his way to the kitchen.

  “Nicky, dat lass out dere is gonna be fine. My heart goes out ta da poor family of dat woman and da little one.” Nanny Betty stood at the sink washing a large pot that probably weighed as much as she did.

  “Nan, let me do that.” Nick tried to push her aside, but she slapped him away.

  “Ya get out dere and keep an eye on our girl.” Nanny Betty pointed toward the diner.

  “Jess is there with her too, Nan.” Nick reached for the pot again only to get slapped harder.

  “Get.” Nanny Betty didn’t say another word as she ordered him away from the sink.

  Nick pushed through the swinging door and immediately spotted Lora next to one of the booths with her back to him. A man and two women stared at her with strange expressions. Nick glanced toward Jess on the other side of the room. She was watching Lora intently and seemed to be uneasy with the situation.

  For a few seconds, he held himself back in case there was nothing to it, but with the rigid way Lora stood next to the table, he knew something wasn’t right.

  Lora stepped back from the table and turned. Nick was by her side in seconds. Her face was pale, and the tears in her eyes didn't sit well with him.

  “What’s going on?” Nick pulled her into the kitchen before she had a chance to respond.

  “That woman who was murdered…” Lora took a deep breath.

  “What about her?” Nick grasped her shoulders.

  “She… I volunteered with her…. At the school where… my dad worked… She was a teacher.” Lora inhaled again and wiped her hands across her cheeks.

  “How do you know that?” Nick glanced through the small window in the door toward the table where Lora had been standing. “Who are those people?”

  “One of the women is my old boss, Dallas.” Lora sighed. “The other woman is Mom’s friend Daphne, and the man is the principal of the school.”

  “He knew you were here as well?” Nick asked.

  “No, he told Daphne to tell Mom about Dulce.” Lora glanced down at the floor.

  “Dulce?” Nick was confused.

  “It’s her name.” Lora looked into his eyes. “Her little girl’s name is Alexa.”

  “You knew them both?” Nick didn’t like this at all.

  “Yeah, a lot of people used to think we were sisters. We were close, but I couldn’t tell her where I was going because we wanted as few people to know as possible.” Lora shook her head. “I’ve got to get back out there.”

  “Lassie, ya take a rest.” Nanny Betty appeared next to them with a glass of water. “Ya lost a friend. Ya need time ta deal wit dat.”

  “Thank you, Nan.” Lora smiled at his grandmother.

  “Nicky, give her a minute and take over fer her.” Nanny Betty took the notepad from Lora and shoved it toward him.

  “Nan, I want to …” Nick should have known better than to argue with his grandmother.

  Before he could finish the sentence, Nanny Betty had him shoved out through the swinging doors. The worse thing was, Lora didn’t seem to argue about him leaving her. It bothered him, but then he realized she probably needed time to pull herself together.

  “Is she okay?” Jess whispered.

  “I’ll tell you later. Right now
, I want to talk to them.” Nick headed back toward the table where the man and women were sipping coffee, but Lora's mom had joined them as well.

  “Mrs. Norris,” Nick nodded toward her when he stood next to the table.

  “Oh Nick,” Sheila glanced around the table and then back to him. “This is Lora’s boyfriend.”

  “It’s so nice to meet you,” one of the women held out her hand. “I’m Dallas.”

  Nick shook her hand as Lora's mom introduced to the other woman. Daphne was friendly and gave him a genuine smile as she nodded at him.

  “Clyde Spencer,” The man shook his hand, but it was as if he couldn’t look Nick in the eye.

  “Nice to meet all of you.” Nick nodded. “I’m sorry, Lora needed a moment. Can I take your order?”

  He kept his eye on Clyde for any kind of reaction, but all he did was continuously glance anywhere but at Nick. The man was definitely nervous about something.

  “It’s okay, Nick. Jess took our order.” Sheila smiled.

  “Is Lora okay?” Dallas didn’t look at all the way Nick expected.

  Lora mentioned her old boss a few times. She appeared to be around his age, and dressed in an old t-shirt and jeans she' didn't resemble a businesswoman at all.

  “She’s taking a moment to herself. It was a bit of a shock.” Nick nodded.

  “I understand you’re one of the men working on this serial killer.” Clyde glanced at him but quickly looked away when Nick met his eyes.

  “Yes,” Nick nodded.

  “Why haven’t you put out any warnings to women in the province?” Clyde’s accusatory tone stung.

  “We need to keep the information close to the vest, Mr. Spencer. If we put it all out there, then this guy could disappear before we get a chance to catch him, and we will catch him.” Nick tried to sound calm.

  “Six women are dead, Mr. O’Connor. Including a very dear friend and colleague.” Clyde scolded.

  “Clyde, that’s enough. Nick isn’t to blame for all this.” Daphne snapped.

  “That’s right. Don’t you dare blame Nick for any of this. The one to blame is the man who killed Dulce and took her daughter.” Lora stood next to him, and she was pissed.