by Karen Kirst
Julian’s fingertips grazed her arm. “You shouldn’t touch anything. Not until the police have dusted for prints.”
There were questions in his eyes that she was thankful he didn’t put a voice to. The lump in her throat grew, and she nodded mutely. While he called the police and gave a brief report, she wandered through the rooms again, impatient to restore order and erase the evidence of the intrusion.
He rejoined her in the kitchen, frowning at the swirl of ground spices on the countertops and pots and pans on the tiles. “A unit is en route. They’ll want to know if anything’s missing.”
A gasp ripped from her lips. How could she have forgotten?
Brushing past him, she hurried to her bedroom and, dropping to her knees in the closet, reached for the decorative boxes shoved in the corner. They weren’t in a neat stack anymore.
Her heart sank. He’d found her hiding place.
“Audrey?”
“My journal.” She frantically rifled through the contents discarded on the thick carpet. “It’s not here. He took it.”
Moving closer to crouch beside her, he rested his hand on her shoulder. The connection grounded her. Kept her from flying apart. “What’s in the journal?”
She ended her futile search and twisted to meet his gaze.
“Evidence.”
* * *
Julian stood between the entertainment center and couch, out of the way but within reach should Audrey need him. He watched her speak with the Jacksonville police officers—one young male and a thirtyish female—while the crime-scene guys dusted for prints. She’d had a nightmare of a day, yet she exuded admirable composure. Still in her scrubs, her glossy hair in an intricate braid, she stood with her sneakers far apart and her arms folded over her chest. Her tone was even, her words succinct. Only her eyes bore witness of her distress.
For a second there on the closet floor, he’d nearly given in to the need to fold her in his arms and comfort her. He’d stifled it. Audrey hadn’t reached out to him for emotional support. He wasn’t sure he could manage to shoulder anyone else’s hurt. It was taking all his energy to contain his own.
The male officer looked up from his handheld device. “This journal of yours? What information does it contain?”
“Dates. Patient names.” She tugged on her hospital ID. “I detailed each and every instance of missing supplies and narcotics, as well as the wrongly administered medications and patient reactions.”
“Did you keep a second copy on your laptop or flash drive?”
She glanced at her ruined laptop, smashed on the floor. Her rose-tinted mouth dipped into a grimace. “I didn’t think to. I should have. I didn’t imagine it would progress to this...”
The officers exchanged a significant glance. The journal was likely already destroyed, and without an electronic copy, her claims couldn’t be substantiated.
“We’re going to speak to the residents on this floor. Someone might’ve seen something suspicious or heard unusual noises. We’ll also go over the building’s security-camera footage.”
They left soon after, along with the crime-scene officers, and promised to reach out if they discovered anything useful.
He joined her in the entryway. “I’d like to help clean up. I can work in the kitchen and bathrooms.” The least personal spaces, which he expected she’d prefer.
“I’ve taken up enough of your time.” Avoiding his gaze, she started pairing shoes and sliding them into the cubicle slots.
“My calendar’s swiped clean these days.” His choice. “You’ll be saving me from bingeing on home-decorating shows.”
Lifting her head, she stared at him.
“Trust me,” he said, “I know all I need to know about accent walls and upcycling.”
Her lips lifted in a semblance of a smile. “You sure about that? There’s usually a new style concept waiting to be sprung on the masses.”
He picked up a delicate high-heeled sandal and handed it to her. “I’m sure.”
After he helped her finish the shoes, they worked in separate areas. As he organized her kitchen cabinets, his thoughts drifted to that photo. Who was the young man who’d had his arm slung proudly around Audrey’s shoulders? Where was he now?
It’s none of your business, Tan.
He had no personal interest in Gunny’s daughter. He had no interest in romance, period. On occasion, he’d ask out a girl for a casual day of surfing or sailing, but he made it clear up front that he wasn’t looking for commitment. He’d already disappointed his father with his decision to forego college and enlist in the US Marine Corps. Trying and failing at the sacred institution of marriage would further damage Chin Tan’s opinion of his only son. Military marriages faced myriad challenges. When clandestine, dangerous missions were the norm, a husband and wife had to have a steel-tight bond to weather daily life.
Shaking his head at the direction of his thoughts, he refocused on the task at hand and moved to the guest bathroom. After more than an hour of cleaning, Audrey’s apartment held no signs of the break-in. A different layout than his, the space was feminine and breezy without being cluttered. Her sense of humor showed in her choice of wall art, which mostly consisted of whimsical animal paintings in vibrant colors. Unlike him, she’d taken the time to hang curtains and assemble pillows and rugs. He liked her style.
His stomach rumbled, and she heard it.
“I haven’t had a chance to shop for groceries, or I’d offer to cook supper.” Pulling off her ID, she dropped it into a ceramic fish-shaped dish. “How about I order takeout? Do you like Italian food? There’s a new place down the street.”
He was tempted. If they shared a meal, he’d have the chance to ask questions, to glean insight into her personality. That was the reason he had to say no. While her outward beauty attracted him, her innate kindness and sweetness of spirit appealed to his soul. Dangerous territory. Didn’t take long in his line of work to become hard and cynical. Digging in to God’s Word with a trusted group of military men had prevented him from becoming completely callous. He’d had trouble praying since the accident, however, and he certainly hadn’t opened his Bible.
“Mahalo for the offer, but I’ll pass.”
Was it his imagination, or did her shoulders slump a little?
“Maybe another time,” she said, her gaze direct and her voice even.
“You should stay with a friend tonight.”
“Then I’d have to explain why I need a place to crash, and I don’t want to drag anyone else into my mess.” Sinking onto the curved sofa arm, Audrey smoothed a wisp of dark hair off her forehead. It was a weary gesture that again evoked the urge to soothe and comfort. He strangled it. “He already got what he wanted. Without those notes, I have nothing to stand on.”
Julian took a few steps closer. “Your father—”
“Stop.” Her spine stiffened. “We aren’t going there.”
With effort, he held back his arguments. This was her life, her choices. “I wish you’d reconsider, but in the meantime, I’m here if you need me. Call. Text. Knock. I’ll help in any way I can.”
“Thank you, Julian.” With a sigh, she stood and led the way to her door, effectively escorting him out.
As he walked back to his apartment, he was surprised by how much he regretted not agreeing to eat with her. Had to be because he was worried this guy wouldn’t be satisfied with burying evidence and wouldn’t rest until he’d buried Audrey, too.
FIVE
Audrey wasn’t answering her phone. Julian knocked on her door again, willing her to open it. He’d spent the night tossing and turning, entertaining various scenarios that made it impossible to sleep. She shouldn’t be alone. Alone, she was at the mercy of a would-be killer. He never should’ve agreed to keep this from her father. Gunny Harris lived for two things—his only child and the Corps, in that order. The emotio
nal wounds would be beyond repair if anything happened to her. Harris would be a broken man, and Julian would be to blame.
He took the elevator to the ground level and entered the parking lot, tension tightening his shoulders at the sight of her older model Jetta. Cheering and whistles reached him from the activity fields between the apartment building and gym. A volleyball game was in progress. He wove through the vehicles to reach the spectators—out to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather—and spotted her at the net. The vise in his chest loosened.
She was fine.
She didn’t need him.
He started to turn away, to return to his apartment and another dull morning, which would stretch into a duller afternoon, when she leaped into the air and spiked the ball. He was accustomed to seeing her in hospital scrubs. Today she sported a white T-shirt, red shorts and red, black and white sneakers. Slightly taller than average, with a lean torso and long, tanned legs, Audrey was a neat package of athleticism and grace.
Julian drifted closer to watch the game. By the time it was over, he was certain she’d played on a college-level team. He would’ve put the question to her if he hadn’t been waylaid by a buddy from church who wasn’t shy in asking when Julian planned to return.
When he looked around again, most of the players and spectators had dispersed. Audrey must’ve returned to her place. Ignoring the odd sense of disappointment, he walked past the line of cars closest to the field. The one in the last slot caught his attention.
It was a sleek Mercedes with blacked-out windows. Because of its price tag, the vehicle alone was cause for a second look. The owner aroused more than mere curiosity. Steroid-sized muscles strained his designer suit. His face was mostly hidden by sunglasses and a bushy mustache. Because of his career, Julian had interacted with enough dirtbags to recognize the type. What was he doing at their complex? Running down some idiot who’d borrowed money from the wrong people? Checking up on a low-level drug pusher?
Their complex wouldn’t be considered ultraluxurious, but neither was it low-end. The monthly fee was affordable for single professionals and young married couples, and out of reach for the type of resident who’d dally in petty crime.
Unless...
Foreboding niggled at the base of his skull. What if the man was here for an altogether different reason? One involving a hospital cover-up?
* * *
Audrey carried the sack of volleyballs to the storage closet, her mind on a certain spectator who had shaken her concentration. She hadn’t been surprised to see Julian on the edge of the crowd, despite the fact he hadn’t shown interest in group activities before. Honor spilled through his veins, and duty was etched in his DNA. He’d assumed the role of protector because she was his superior’s daughter. She was an obligation, plain and simple. She’d been reminded of that truth last night, when he’d quickly shut down her offer. Sharing a meal would’ve meant they were more than passing acquaintances brought together by outrageous circumstances. Sharing a meal would’ve meant he was interested in getting to know her better. He wasn’t.
She embraced the disappointment, the sting of rejection. It was a timely reminder—her heart wasn’t ready for a relationship. Not even casual friendship, which she’d seen other women do but hadn’t ever experienced herself. She and Seth had been full-on serious from the start. The sad part? Audrey was fairly certain Julian would make a wonderful friend.
She moved past mirrored walls and stacks of barbells. The quiet unnerved her. The exercise gym was unusually empty, no doubt on account of the unusually warm weather.
Skirting the large, complex pulley-and-weight station, she entered the rear hallway, then set down the sack and unlocked the double closet doors with the key she’d gotten from the main office. A creaking sound echoed through the gym. Breath hitching, she whirled around and nearly stumbled over the balls. The lights were off, and shadows lurked on either end of the hall.
“Hello?”
The men’s bathroom was to her left, the women’s on her right. Maybe they were occupied.
Wishing she didn’t have a reason to be paranoid, Audrey entered the walk-in closet and emptied the balls into a metal container. Then she hung the sack on a wall hook. Impatient to be outside and around other people, she closed the doors with more force than necessary. She tried to jam the key into the knob and accidentally dropped it. When she bent to retrieve it, she heard heavy breathing behind her.
Panicked, she shot upward and spun around in time to see a giant man in a suit swinging a barbell at her head. She tried to dodge it. The blow landed on her upper arm, knocking her sideways. Pain radiated through her.
Pushing off the doorjamb, she sprinted past him. He put out a foot. She went sprawling face-first onto the thin carpet. Rolling beneath a weight bench, she screamed when the barbell slammed into the cushioned seat, the force sending vibrations through the metal legs. Terror exploded inside. This man was going to crush her skull with that thing.
Audrey flipped to her stomach and crawled from beneath the bench. Leaping to her feet, she raced for the nearest exit, only to skid to a stop. A second man—younger and slighter but no less a threat—blocked her escape. There was no going around him.
She was trapped.
A scream ripped through the narrow room, and it wasn’t hers.
Time seemed to screech to a halt. At the far end, another volleyball player stood frozen in her tracks. The goon with the twenty-five-pound weight glued to his fist snarled at his partner. “You were supposed to lock this place down.”
“Must’ve missed one,” the other retorted.
Weight Guy charged toward her.
“Laney, run!” Audrey shouted.
When the petite redhead didn’t react, Audrey raced after her attacker, vaulted onto the guy’s back and latched onto his thick neck.
Laney’s eyes bugged.
“Go, go!”
At last, she bolted. Her retreating footsteps were like nails in a coffin. Audrey was now alone with two attackers. Not ordinary men. Muscle-bound henchmen with eyes dead to human compassion. Coldhearted killers.
Trying to cut off his air supply was impossible. The room spun as he turned a circle and slammed her into the weight station. Sharp metal jarred her shoulder blades and spine and dug into her flesh. Her head snapped back.
He shifted, and she slid to her knees. Spots danced in her vision. Her stomach lurched.
In an instant, the second man was there. “Go get the other one. Conner’s still at the car. He can help you. I’ll deal with the nurse.”
She heard a clink above her. A long, rubber-encased handle clattered to the floor nearby. Before she could summon the energy to flee, a beefy hand closed over her neck and hauled her to her feet.
Audrey gagged and clawed at his grip. His pale eyes drilled into hers. Ruthless. Merciless.
“You’ve caused my boss enough trouble,” he growled. “No more.”
Before she could guess what he was about, he’d pushed her beneath the high lat muscle pull-down and looped twin cables around her neck. He reached behind her, and she heard the slide of the metal clip in the thin, black weights attached to the pull-down bar. The wire went taut, pinching her skin, forcing her onto her tiptoes.
“Four hundred pounds should do it.”
Her mind went blank. As soon as he let go of her, the cables stretched, the weights slapped into place and lifted her several inches off the floor.
She dangled in midair, unable to breathe. She kicked and squirmed.
Pain ripped through her. Her neck felt like it was about to separate from her body.
Please, God. Help. I’m not ready—
The bald, gold-jewelry-draped goon smirked. “No use fighting it, babe.”
He crossed his arms and watched her struggle with frightening impassivity. His was the last face she’d ever see. A cruel, evil being taking
delight in her fight to cling to life.
Her lungs strained for oxygen. A familiar sensation.
Was he the same one who’d attempted to strangle her at the hospital?
Audrey grew light-headed. Her thoughts became disjointed.
She ceased moving. The agony was too great.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on her dad’s face. He’d loved her well. She would die thinking about him, not the end of unfulfilled dreams.
* * *
Julian left the flashy car and mystery man behind and was retracing his steps when a redhead burst through the gym’s side door, her face a white mask of disbelief. Her frantic gaze locked onto him.
“Audrey,” she gasped, chest heaving. “Two men... I—I—”
He gripped her shoulders. “Go to the office and call the police.”
“Police.” Her throat convulsed. “Right.”
“Walk, don’t run. Act casual.” He jerked his head toward the Mercedes tucked close to the apartment-building entrance. “Avoid that area. Take the long way around the outdoor pool.”
“Okay.”
Julian couldn’t delay. He’d have to trust she would follow his instructions and avoid the man who might very well be the getaway driver. Unsheathing his weapon from the ankle holster beneath his pants, he entered the gym and searched the space behind the check-in counter. The tiny office was closed on the weekends, and the locked door suggested no one was inside.
His ears strained for sounds of struggle. The silence weighed on him. Blanking his mind to possible implications, he left the counter area and passed the water fountains and childcare room. Up ahead, treadmills and elliptical machines were parked in front of mounted televisions. There were no mirrors in that section that could give him a glimpse of Audrey’s situation.
The adrenaline priming his body for confrontation left no room for fear. His training ruled his actions and decisions. So when a suited man turned the corner and headed straight for him, Julian fired two shots without blinking, one for each kneecap.