Deadly Chase

by Wendy Davy

  Warmth flowed through Sierra, promising to fill a void she thought would never be satisfied. How could she deserve such tenderness, such love?

  Before she could articulate a reply blue skies transformed into dark, gray oppression, casting another light on the face looking down. His loving eyes narrowed, turning hard and calculating. He climbed to his feet. Towering over her, he raised his hands, fingers curling into white-knuckled fists. “Let’s play a game.”

  Her throat constricted and she choked. “I don’t want to play.”

  His face contorted, lips forming a tight, angry line. “How about I count to ten?” His slithery voice coated her skin, thick as oil. “You hide. I seek.”

  In a haze of muddy confusion, one thought came through clear—run.

  Sierra struggled to move, but her limbs refused to budge as if gravity held her fast to the earth. Insects rallied from the soil, covering the blanket and her flesh. Tiny pinpricks of pain erupted as if the creatures were devouring her piece by piece. She attempted to scream, but no sound emerged.

  “You can run, but you can’t hide.” His fingers unfurled, one by one, and a pistol appeared in his hand. “Ready or not, here I come.”

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  Sierra jerked, twisted and groped air. The motel’s carpeted floor came into focus a second before her body smashed into it, knocking the wind from her lungs. Pain erupted, shooting along her forehead, arms and knees. She blinked and gasped for oxygen. A choking sound tore from her throat and then relief came as she managed to drag in a sip of air. Disoriented, she waited a moment and then gingerly knelt on bruised knees.

  Bang. Bang. Bang.

  The motel door’s chain rattled. She hadn’t dreamt the noise. Kevin’s distorted image flashed in her mind—filled with contempt, devoid of empathy. She could almost hear his grating voice, full of power and control. Ready or not, here I come.

  “Sierra. Are you in there?”

  Her heart threatened to break through her ribcage with thunderous beats and blood rushed through her ears muffling the words coming through the thin, metal door. Scrambling to her feet, she tore across the room and fumbled with the sliding glass on the opposite side. Fingers, slick with sweat, slipped on the lock.

  Two more quick knocks erupted. Tears blurred her vision and sobs tore from her throat. “No,” she rasped. “Please, God no.”

  Ripping a fingernail to the quick, she managed to unlock and yank open the door. The sun had begun to descend, cooling the air and a gust of wind rushed in as she rushed out. Sierra stumbled across the small patio and then sprinted over the rear parking lot. She threw herself over a wooden railing and plowed up the hillside. Fallen branches snapped under her bare feet striking tender flesh, and she stubbed a toe, nearly twisting her ankle on a loose rock.

  “Sierra? Wait!”

  She lost her footing, and her shin slammed into a boulder’s sharp edge, gouging flesh. Ignoring the pain, she whirled around, panting for breath.

  Chase stood at the mountain’s base, one booted foot propped on the railing as if ready to pursue. “I’m not here to hurt you.”

  The voice matched, but his appearance didn’t. Chase’s ratty clothes had been replaced with crisp, clean jeans and a pressed button-down shirt hugged broad shoulders. His unkempt hair had been cut and styled exposing sharp features, and his scruffy beard had vanished leaving an unobstructed view of a strong, square jaw.

  Sierra stilled. “What’s going on?”

  He lifted a wallet and held it high, revealing a shiny badge. “I’m Detective Chase Price with the Seattle Police Department.” Compassionate eyes held traces of apology. “I wanted to tell you.”

  Detective? Police? Chase was a cop?

  The truth struck her full force, and she lost her breath. It all made sense; his cool confidence, keen intelligence and endless questions. If she didn’t feel the acute pain of her recent wounds, she’d have thought she was still in the midst of a nightmare. A wave of dizziness narrowed her vision. Rocky terrain swayed and the ground rushed forward as her legs collapsed.

  “Sierra.” Chase’s anxious voice sifted through the darkness. Gentle, but demanding hands touched her face. “Come back to me.”

  She opened her eyes, testing her vision. Chase’s features, more handsome than she thought possible, came into focus. Lines creased his brow, creating deep grooves of concern. The scents of earth collided with his aftershave, something she hadn’t detected before. She wondered what else he’d kept hidden.

  Sierra pushed herself up to her knees. “You’re a cop from Seattle?”

  He nodded once, quick and deliberate.

  “So you’re not working for Kevin?”

  “No.”

  “I don’t understand. Why did you pretend to be someone you’re not?” Anger surged forth and she stood on sore, bruised feet. “You lied about who you are.”

  Chase rose alongside her. “I didn’t lie. You made assumptions.”

  “Assumptions you didn’t bother to correct. What possible reason could you have to…oh, I’m such a fool. When am I going to learn?” She brushed past him and headed down the mountain, stepping around a patch of ferns and dodging the winding branches of a mountain laurel. “For some odd reason, I thought you were trustworthy.”

  He let out a frustrated sigh and followed, his long legs propelling him along with ease. “I am trustworthy.”

  “Yeah, right.” she snapped as she crossed over a log.

  Rustling sounded behind a strand of oak trees and Sierra cast a wary glance over her shoulder. Nothing appeared, but she moved faster. The last thing she needed was to encounter some kind of wild, dangerous creature. Aside from bears and wild cats, she’d read skunks often visit the region. She shivered at the thought of disturbing one of those reeking animals.

  Chase followed her lead as Sierra climbed over the wooden railing and stalked across the parking lot. A motel guest lingered nearby, smoking a cigarette and watching them with unabashed curiosity.

  “Let’s discuss this inside your room.” Chase’s tone, full of authority and command made Sierra pause.

  She lifted her chin and planted her feet to the pavement, wincing as something sharp dug into her heel. “I’m not inviting you in.” Sierra swiped aside the sharp rock penetrating her foot and headed toward the patio.

  “I’m not asking.” He fell into step beside her. “We have to talk.” Chase sent a pointed glance toward the curious bystander, and the man crushed out his half-finished cigarette and disappeared inside his room.

  “What are you going to do? Toss me over your shoulder and carry me inside?” When Chase appeared to consider the suggestion, Sierra lengthened her stride and fisted her hands. Pain streaked up her finger where her nail had ripped and her leg throbbed, but she ignored the discomfort. “One minute you’re pretending to be a harmless Good Samaritan, and now you’re an overbearing detective from Seattle, dictating what I will and won’t do.”

  “Wait a second.” He grasped her arm and stopped her. “It’s not like that.”

  “Oh yeah? Then what is it like? Why are your fingers digging into my arm?”

  He released her and tucked his thumbs into his jeans pockets. “Sorry.”

  “How did you know where to find me?”

  “Luanne.”

  A strange sense of betrayal swept through her. “Isn’t there anyone I can trust? Luanne promised not tell—”

  “I’m a persuasive guy.” Chase lifted a shoulder in a casual gesture. “Besides, my badge goes a long way in getting information out of people.”

  “I bet you like having that kind of power, don’t you?”

  “That’s not fair.”

  Her accusation was unwarranted, but anger spurred her forward as she stepped in front of the sliding glass door. “What’d you do? Threaten to arrest her?”

  Chase braced a hand on the doorframe and leaned close. “I didn’t have to. She’s a smart lady. She knows when to talk and when not to.”

 
“Apparently, that’s a lesson I haven’t learned yet. I didn’t know anything about you. I shouldn’t have told you anything.” Yet, she had opened up her past to this virtual stranger simply because he’d shown her an ounce of compassion. That fact alone spoke of how desperate she’d become, which only added fuel to the fire. She didn’t know who she was more angry with, Chase or herself.

  Chase dipped his head and inched closer. His breath touched her skin as his emerald gaze seared into hers. “I did not come here to hurt you.”

  “You’ve mentioned that.” The breeze shifted, sending Chase’s subtle, masculine scent swirling around her, bringing with it a sense of security as if his body had become a tangible wall between her and the outside world. Her agitation rose. She didn’t want comfort. She wanted answers. “Why did you come?”

  “I had my reasons.”

  Possible motivations tumbled through Sierra’s mind. “What kind? The Seattle Police Department didn’t want to have anything to do with me before. Why now?”

  “Kevin Eason needs to be locked away, and I’m the guy who’s going to make it happen.”

  “So why follow me? Why don’t you just arrest him?”

  “I need evidence.”

  A numbing sensation crawled along her skin. Her knees weakened, threatening to give out, and she backed against the doorframe. “You were hoping Kevin would come after me?” Wariness replaced her unexpected sense of security and she lashed out. “You saved me so you could turn around and use me? You’re no better than Kevin.”

  Chase’s features hardened, and his sharp gaze bore into hers. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that.”

  Shaken by the quick change in his demeanor and the warning note in his voice, Sierra hesitated. “Well, it seems clear to me. You can’t tell me you just happened to be on the street, going to the Hope Center at the same time as me last night. What about all your questions about Kevin, about our relationship? You acted like you cared about my safety. You even offered to protect me,” she scoffed. “I thought you were being noble. Like some kind of hero or something.”

  “I told you—”

  “I know.” She held up a hand. “You aren’t a hero. At least we agree on something.” She wanted to turn, give him an ice-cold shoulder and find sanctuary inside her room, but she feared he would follow. “A hero would never use a woman as bait.”

  He let out a long, deep breath and shifted from one foot to the other. “I can protect you.”

  “Oh, really?” Sierra posted hands on hips. “When Kevin threatened me, I begged the SPD for protection, and do you know what they did? They gave me a restraining order. Guess what he did because of that piece of paper?”

  Chase leaned forward as his lips formed a solemn line, his face transitioning into an unreadable mask. “I have an idea of what Eason did. After he stole your dignity, your sense of self-worth and any semblance of security you had, he stole the key to your home. Maybe he slipped into your office and took it from your purse. Maybe he lifted it from the locker at the gym. Regardless, he had a copy made and returned it before you knew it was missing.

  “He bided his time. Watching from a distance and spending every spare moment keeping track of your life. But when you refused his gifts and failed to answer his calls, his actions escalated, becoming more frequent, more irrational. You knew he would follow through with his threats and you panicked. You filed for the restraining order and his temper erupted.”

  Chase planted his feet wide and continued. “Eason let himself into your condo. He wore no gloves, knowing, as your recent ex-boyfriend, his fingerprints would be found there anyway. Outweighing you by over eighty pounds, he carried no weapons aside from his own strength, confident in his ability to overcome you. He found you in bed. Attacked with no warning.” Chase’s tone lowered and he took a step closer. “How am I doing so far?”

  Stunned, Sierra’s voice cracked. “How did you know he did those horrible things? I never told anyone details. Not my friends. Not even my family.”

  “I know what he did to you Sierra, because he’s done it before.”

  Fear cloaked her anger, and she began to feel faint. “T-to whom?”

  Chase stilled and said nothing. He didn’t even appear to be breathing.

  A wind gust cascaded the crisp scents of pine and hickory across the area. Under normal circumstances, Sierra would relish nature’s calming effects and enjoy the scenery; the quiet valley, the mountain ranges creating waves of magnificence. But, her circumstances were far from ordinary, chilling Sierra and keeping her grounded. She hugged her arms around her middle, shivering.

  Moments later, Chase broke his stance. “He did it to my sister.”

  10

  “Kevin stalked your sister? Just like me?” The anger lining Sierra’s features dissolved into concern and empathy.

  “There are striking similarities between the cases.”

  “Can I talk to her? Maybe she can help me sort through all this.”

  Pain, sharp as a twin blade sword sliced into Chase’s core. He’d like to talk to Amber too, but that wasn’t possible. “Amber can’t speak with anyone. She’s dead.”

  Sierra’s skin paled, and her lower lip trembled. Chase didn’t wait for her legs to give out before scooping her up and carrying her inside. To his surprise, she leaned into his embrace.

  “H-how did…she die? When?”

  “She was beaten and strangled last year.” Chase set Sierra on the bed as a deep, volatile pain erupted in his chest, threatening to burst forth. No matter how much time passed, acute pain lived just beneath the surface. As his thin ledge of control threatened to give way, he steeled his nerves. “Eason did it. I just can’t prove it.” He turned and paced the room, stopping long enough to close and lock the sliding glass door.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  Chase wanted to accept her quiet condolence, but he couldn’t. His conscience wouldn’t let him. “Your leg’s going to need treatment. I have a first aid kit in my rental truck.” His words came out gruff and methodical.

  “It’s strange hearing you talk about a truck when up until about ten minutes ago I thought you were destitute.” Sierra commented, as if she sensed his need to change the subject.

  “I never wanted to mislead you.”

  “But you did. You could’ve just told me you’re a cop.”

  “Yes, I could have. But, I was afraid you would run if you knew I was here because of Eason, and then I wouldn’t get the chance to protect you.”

  “Or catch Eason.” She nipped her lower lip. “I would’ve never guessed you had such personal ties in all this.”

  “As personal as it gets. My family hasn’t been the same since Eason took Amber’s life. My brother’s coping well enough, but my father has retreated into his own world, and my mother’s a shell of the charismatic woman she used to be. I’m just hoping catching Eason will allow Mom and Dad to begin to heal.”

  “And what about you? Will catching him help you?”

  The question struck a nerve and Chase flinched. For now, he wanted Eason off the street. He’d deal with the rest later. “I don’t know. I’m going to go get my first aid pack before gangrene sets in and we have to amputate your leg.”

  Sierra scrunched her nose. “You’re exaggerating. It barely hurts.”

  “Maybe, but I still want to take a look.” He strode outside and grabbed the first aid kit, taking a moment to breathe in fresh air and think. Following Sierra had opened up a world of pain, but he had no regrets. He was determined not to allow Eason the opportunity to kill again.

  When Chase returned, he focused on Sierra’s injury. Her jeans had torn and splashes of blood dotted the material. He knelt, set down the kit and carefully lifted her pant leg, exposing the wound. The four-inch gash probably looked uglier than the actual injury warranted, due to fresh blood mixing with the drying outer rim, but it needed treatment.

  Chase trailed his finger around the bruised, swollen area. Guilt nudged him. Sierr
a wouldn’t have this injury if she hadn’t been afraid of him in the first place. “I’m sorry this happened. But, I think you’ll live.”

  “Yeah. But, for how long? If Kevin has his way—”

  Chase jerked up his head. “He won’t get what he wants.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “I’m staying with you until this is over.”

  “Are you telling me the SPD will pay for twenty-four hour protection? That is hard to believe considering they didn’t want to help me before.”

  “It’s not a matter of what the SPD wants. It’s a matter of limited resources. Besides, the Seattle Police Department is not offering you protection. I am. I’m not here in an official capacity, Sierra. I took a leave of absence, both to protect you and apprehend the man who murdered my sister.”

  “But there’s no guarantee Kevin’s even looking for me. You could be wasting your time.”

  Chase stiffened. “Do you really think he’s given up?”

  Sierra smoothed a wrinkle out of the multi-colored bedspread, looking lost and desperate. “If I did, I wouldn’t be here.”

  The tears pooling in her eyes twisted his gut. This wasn’t the first time Chase wanted to pull her into his arms, and he suspected it wouldn’t be the last. “I will do everything I can to keep you safe.” He lived with the knowledge he hadn’t protected Amber, and to add anyone else to the list would be unbearable—especially if it was Sierra. He studied the cramped motel room. Although the front door had adequate locks, the sliding glass door would provide an easy point of entry. He made a mental note to take extra precaution in securing it later.

  “I’ll need to stay close to you.”

  “You can’t stay here”—she looked around—”with me.”

  Although he wanted to keep her within eyesight at all times, staying with her wasn’t a feasible option. With his strong attraction, temptations would arise, and he knew better than to take the risk. “I’m not suggesting we share a room. I’ll rent the adjoining one.” He nodded to the connecting doorway.