He released me and I clambered to my feet, still holding the knife.
“You fuckin’ whore,” he wailed, his words soaked in agony. He pressed his hands against his manhood, blood seeping through his fingers.
“You’re the bitch now.” I backed away farther until I was stopped by a few containers. In a flash, I remembered what they contained.
Last time I’d been here, they had been filled with oil. Before Jude could get any closer, I grabbed one and opened it, keeping my eyes on Jude. I tipped it over and poured out its contents, thick and viscous. I swung the container and sent some oil flinging in his direction, onto his bare back and shoulders, his hair. I had the advantage of being able to move fast on my legs while he was on all fours.
“I’ll never let you touch me again.” I ran toward him as fast as I could and grabbed the lighter and keys in one hand. The oil was surrounding him now. I didn’t have much time before he found the strength to get back to his feet.
I flicked the lighter, then threw it at him. The oil caught fire instantly. He howled and rolled onto his back, trying to stifle it. The flames latched onto the oil around him, and spread rapidly as he tried to back away from it.
For a moment I watched him, his face creased in agony and fear pouring into his eyes. I had seen what I needed to see. I ran to the door and managed to push the key inside the lock even as my hands shook. I tore through the door and broke into a run, his screams piercing the air behind me.
Chapter Thirty-Four
My leg muscles screamed and my heart felt like it was on fire. But I kept running, even when I felt a thorn dig into one of my bare feet. My blouse was still open, my breasts bouncing freely in the cool air, but that was the least of my problems.
I saw headlights in the distance. Wheezing and panting, I stumbled off the dirt road, through sharp blades of grass, and hid behind the large trunk of a nearby tree. It could be Nolan and I didn’t want him to see me. He might try to kill me too.
The car whizzed past, and I sighed with relief and sank to the ground. I had no energy to continue running so I laid my head on my knees and closed my eyes tightly, my shoulder thrumming with pain.
Minutes later, as if a switch had been flipped, light exploded around me, more headlights piercing the darkness. My head snapped up.
The sounds of many cars disturbed the silence, followed by sirens, followed by an explosion that caused the ground to shake.
My head snapped to the side just in time to see the barn collapse, sending sparks and flames shooting into the sky like red and orange stars.
Clutching my shoulder, I wept from both pain and relief. It was over. I leaned my head against the trunk and closed my eyes to fend off the dizziness. I needed to go on, to find Dustin, but I couldn’t move anymore.
Eventually, someone found me and draped a blanket around my shoulders. I opened my eyes and was shocked to meet Dustin’s. A wave of relief swept over me and I collapsed into his arms, sobs shaking me. Jude had lied. Dustin was alive.
Dustin called out for a paramedic just as thundering boots ran past us, headed in the direction of the barn. Some of them asked me questions, but my lips just wouldn’t move.
As I was lifted onto a stretcher, I gripped hard onto Dustin’s hand and finally spoke. “He’s dead. I… I set him on fire.”
“It was self-defense,” Dustin said, and climbed into the ambulance with me.
A fire truck drove past. They would be able to quench the flames, but there wouldn’t be anything left in the barn to save.
***
I refused to spend the night in the hospital, so the paramedics treated my wounds in the ambulance. The stab wound wasn’t as deep as I had feared, and I was released with painkillers and bandages.
We were driven back to the farmhouse by one of the deputies, who wouldn’t quit making me repeat everything that had happened. All I wanted to do was fall asleep and not answer any more questions about the man I so desperately wanted to forget. My head stayed on Dustin’s shoulder and my eyes were already drifting shut. But I told the deputy what I could, even if it hurt to relieve the nightmare.
Grace was at the house when we got there. She had made a pot of coffee and was sitting at the table holding a steaming mug. When she saw me, she jumped out of her chair and gathered me into a hug.
More cops and detectives showed up with more questions. They jotted down what they needed, drained their cups of coffee, and left with the promise to return in the morning with more news or questions. Detective Rimes would also come by in the morning to talk to me.
“Are you okay?” I asked Dustin, eying the bandage on the right side of his head. I touched it lightly and blinked away tears. “He said he shot you… that you were probably dead.”
“He just wanted to scare you.” He stretched an arm across the back of the couch and wrapped a hand around me, pulling me close. “I just can’t believe I was so stupid. How could I not have known? I should have done a better job protecting you.”
“You did, Dustin. You did everything to keep me safe.”
“And yet he still managed to get to you. He almost killed you.” He took a sharp breath. “I tried to warn you. When we arrived here and he revealed himself to me, I tried to call you. But the bastard hit me over the head with a brick.”
“A brick?” I pulled away from Dustin and covered my face with my hands. The thought that I had put him in danger was eating at me. But I couldn’t stop thanking God that he was still alive.
“Yes. When I was fading in and out of unconsciousness I heard him say something about not wanting to kill me yet, that he wanted you to see me die. Then he pressed a rag to my mouth and nose. I think it was soaked in chloroform.”
“He did the same to me.” I looked up and shook my head. “Then he locked you in the basement?”
“That was where I was when I came to.”
“How did you get out to call the cops?”
“Grace and Travis were already on their way to visiting her niece when Grace realized she had forgotten her blood pressure medication in the kitchen. They decided to drive back and leave town again tomorrow morning.” Dustin sighed. “As soon as they entered the house, they heard me slamming a baseball bat against the door.”
“Thank God they found you. And that you were okay.”
“Thank God we found you… alive. I’ve never been so terrified in my life.” He interlaced his fingers with mine. “On their way here, Grace thought she heard a scream coming from the barn and saw the light was on. I knew instantly that Jude had taken you there. You were so brave to fight him.”
“I was far from brave.” I gazed up into his face. “I just wanted to get to you.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
I folded up the newspaper I was reading and leaned back in my chair to watch Dustin and Travis unloading the truck. They were going to start building a new barn today.
I closed my eyes and tried to relax. I was still learning how it felt to live without fear.
A lot had happened since Jude died a month ago.
The remains of Leon’s body were discovered in the garden of the house I had shared with Jude, just as Jude said. Several witnesses—ex-employees of Devine Resorts—were brought in for questioning in connection to Leon’s murder. Their statements, backed up by surveillance videos and photos, helped clear my name.
The bodies of Jude’s ex-wife, mother, and his prostitute victims had not been found, but the charges were dropped against Diana’s ex-boyfriend, who had been awaiting trial for her murder.
A week after Jude died, Lin, the woman who had been our housekeeper, came forward and told the cops that she had seen Jude kill a woman matching Diana’s description in the basement. Jude had told me Lin had been let go, but like everything else he’d said, that was a lie. After witnessing the gruesome murder, she walked out of Jude’s mansion and never returned. The news of Jude’s death had given her the courage to come forward.
To take the last step toward freeing myse
lf from the chains that bound me to Jude, I filed for the annulment of our marriage. Soon, Jude would be nothing but a memory—a painful one, yes, but in memory he could not harm me.
I was finally beginning to understand what freedom might be like. The only thing that weighed on me now was the fact that the cops still hadn’t found Nolan.
Chapter Thirty-Six
“There’s a package for you on the dining room table,” Grace told me when I came downstairs. “I found it at the door. God knows who left it there.”
I frowned as I walked into the dining room. The small box was right in the middle of the table, wrapped in gold-embossed wrapping paper with a silver bow planted in the center.
I hesitated before picking it up. I couldn’t imagine who would send me a gift—especially delivered by someone local.
I touched the bow and then reached for the whole box.
“What’s inside?” Grace said from the doorway and I spun around.
“Haven’t opened it yet.”
“Go on then. Maybe it’s something nice.”
I drew in a breath and sat at the table. I pulled away the paper to reveal a midnight blue velvet jewelry box.
Forcing myself not to think, I opened it with Grace looking over my shoulder. There were two things inside—a small piece of vintage paper that was rolled up, and a silver key. They were both nestled in a bed of blue silk.
“A key,” Grace said, her breath warm on my ear. “That’s interesting. What could it mean?”
“Maybe the note will tell us.” I unrolled the piece of paper. There was no message scrolled on it, just an address in Serendipity.
I gazed up at Grace.
“Do you think—” Grace was breathing heavily now, her hand on her chest.
“I… I don’t know.” I shook my head. “No, I don’t think so. It’s not possible. He’s been dead for over a month.”
“Maybe he meant for this package to be delivered to you before he died.” Grace picked up the wrapping paper and gazed at it for a moment. “Look.”
With my heart pounding, I took it from her and peered closer. I dropped it on the table again and shot out of my chair.
The paper had writing on it, tiny cursive words that were almost invisible.
Always & Forever
After the initial shock had worn off, I called Dustin, who was at an important meeting in New York. He promised to fly back immediately so we could drive to Serendipity together. He also encouraged me to call Detective Rimes. My head spinning, I picked up the phone and called the detective. Rimes confirmed that Jude was dead, and the package must have come late. But since the note and key were suspicious, he insisted on accompanying Dustin and me to the address.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
By the time we pulled into the driveway of the address on the paper, the sun was just setting.
We sat in the car for a while, staring at the rundown cottage by Serendipity Lake. It was surrounded by long weeds. Part of the roof looked like it was about to collapse, and some of the windows were broken, the panes replaced by cardboard.
Dustin turned in the passenger seat to look at me in the backseat. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
I forced a smile even as I felt like running the hell away. My stomach was in knots. The entire drive to Serendipity, thoughts raced through my mind as I tried to find an answer to this puzzle. “I have to do it.” If this was a chance to completely close the Jude episode of my life, I had to do it.
Dustin nodded, and Detective Rimes cut the engine.
Outside the car, I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling chilly even with a coat on.
Detective Rimes told us to wait for a moment while he checked to see if there was anyone in the house—he wanted to avoid any nasty surprises, he said. He walked around the outside of the house, peering through the windows, and then waved us over.
The front door was weathered and decorated in graffiti. Everything looked old and worn out except for the lock and door handle, which looked almost brand new, just like the key.
When we entered the house, I started coughing immediately. There was dust and cobwebs everywhere. Just like the outside, the interior was neglected and old. The walls were peeling and dirty. There wasn’t a single piece of furniture in the front room, which I guessed to be a living room.
We didn’t speak as we wandered through the house. Surprisingly, in contrast to the rest of the house, the kitchen was clean, and several pizza boxes and Chinese takeaway cartons were neatly placed on the wooden table.
One of the bedrooms upstairs was also clean and furnished with a single bed, a dresser, and a clean but shabby rug.
“Feels lived-in,” Detective Rimes said, walking out the door.
Dustin rubbed his chin. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
I was, but I didn’t want to put it into words.
“There’s no other explanation. This has to be where he was hiding out,” Detective Rimes said.
“I never knew this place even existed.” I bit the corner of my fingernail.
“The son of a bitch kept a lot of things from you,” Dustin said, fuming. “Let’s go look in the basement. I’m sure what he wants you to see is hiding there.”
My knees almost gave way as we descended the stairs. They, too, were clear of dust and dirt. Jude must have climbed up and down them a lot.
The basement was divided into two rooms. We entered one. It was empty apart from a large metal table with a hard toolbox on top of it.
While I remained in the doorway, Detective Rimes stepped up to it and opened the box. “Holy shit,” he said, rubbing his beard. “These are surgery tools. How sick was this guy?”
Dustin went to Detective Rimes’s side and observed the contents. Neither of them reached for any of the tools, probably to avoid contaminating possible evidence.
Rimes pushed open the door to the second room, and all of us recoiled at the stench that slammed into us.
“What the fuck?” Rimes swung the door open wider. Holding a hand over his mouth, he entered, followed by Dustin.
The smell seemed to be a cocktail of chemicals and rot, and it made my eyes water. I froze in the doorway for a beat before following them inside.
The room was huge and painted all white. Shiny, white rectangular boxes lined its walls, some of them stacked on top of each other to fit the room. Nothing else was in there, just the boxes.
“Please tell me those are not what I think they are.” I clenched my fists so tight, my nails dug into my palms.
“I sure as hell hope not.” Dustin touched the surface of one of the boxes, then he and Rimes lifted the cover.
Dustin whipped around to face me. “I don’t think you should see this, Haley.”
“No.” My voice was weak as I covered my mouth with both my hands. “Please tell me those are not—”
“They are,” Rimes finished for me. “They are coffins… with corpses inside.”
“The women?” I backed away until I reached the door again, wanting to bolt even though I knew I could never get away from this nightmare.
Dustin closed the box again. “That man was worse than a monster. He even has framed photos of each woman inside.”
“I better make some calls.” Rimes pulled out his cell phone and left the room.
Blood rushing in my ears, I moved forward toward one of the open coffin.
“Haley, no.” Dustin reached for my hand, trying to stop me, but I shook my head. For some reason I felt I needed to see firsthand what Jude had done.
Dustin stayed close behind me, but he didn’t try to stop me again.
I raised my face to the ceiling and blinked several times before taking a deep breath and lowering my gaze.
The woman lay in a bed of silk and lace. Her eyes were open and dead, her skin shriveled and resembling leather, stretched over jutting cheekbones. She had makeup on her—ruby lipstick, mascara, and blush. The two pigtails of her long blonde hair were smooth and tucked into the
crisp white satin sheet wrapped around her very thin body.
I spun around and dove for the door. I retched just outside the entrance while Dustin held my hair back from my face. Then I wiped my mouth with a napkin he pulled from his pocket. I reentered the room. I wanted to leave, and yet I couldn’t. The torture I was enduring now was nothing compared to what those women had gone through because of me.
I moved to an empty wall and sank to the floor with my head in my hands, too shocked and disgusted to do anything else.
“I’m sorry you have to go through this.” Dustin came to sit next to me and pulled me close.
I looked up and blinked several times to clear my blurred vision. “What does this even mean?” I gazed up at the ceiling and my eye caught a corner of something—a piece of paper, maybe—peeking out from between two coffins.
I pulled myself to my feet, and like a zombie, staggered toward it and pulled it out. My hands shook so bad I almost dropped it. It was an envelope with my name scrolled across its front, in Jude’s handwriting.
“Don’t open it,” Dustin said behind me.
Too late. As if my hands were working on their own, I unsealed the envelope and tipped it over so its contents could drop onto my hand.
A delicate antique silver necklace coiled in the palm of my hand. I touched it with the tip of my finger and my heart froze when I saw a tiny infinity pendant. “His mother… His mother wore this in the photos.”
I dropped it to the floor and fell to my knees, heaving.
Dustin gathered me into his arms and kissed the top of my head, careful not to hold me too tight as my shoulder was still tender. “He’s dead, Haley. Jude is dead. There was a body. He must have planned this before he died…” His voice trailed off and I looked up to find him reaching for the envelope. He pulled out a sheet of paper, glanced at it, and handed it to me.
Dangerous Intentions (His Agenda 2) Page 12