Wilde Horses

by Jannine Gallant

Eden closed her eyes and pressed her face against her friend’s shoulder. “We have to because I don’t want to live without him.”

  * * * *

  Blake struggled to open his eyes only to discover his vision blurred as he tried to focus. Not easy to do when the room was spinning around him. Not a room. A barn. Sunlight slanted in through the cracks in the walls, and musty hay covered the wooden floorboards where he lay on a blanket. Outside, birds chirped and twittered, and somewhere close by the straw rustled. Mice or rats? Was he in the barn on the ranch?

  Pressing a hand to his pounding head, he struggled to sit up then winced when his anklebone connected with cold metal. What the hell? He drew in a breath as his gaze landed on the shackle around his leg connected to a chain that ended at a ring set into a support post. Hazy memories of riding in a car with Pris returned. She’d talked incessantly, right up to the point where she’d jabbed the damn needle into his arm.

  “Son of a bitch!”

  “You’re awake.” Her cheerful voice set his teeth on edge. “Oh, good. Just in time for breakfast.”

  He turned slowly as Pris approached, carrying a white bag and a steaming cup of coffee. The idea of refusing both on principle tempted him, but his stomach growled in protest. Better to keep up his strength so he could take her down at the first opportunity.

  “Why are you doing this, Pris?”

  “Let’s not have any negative talk. I brought donuts.” Her hazel eyes held a feverish gleam, but she moved with precision to set the takeout cup on an upended crate next to the blanket where he was chained before opening the bag. “Chocolate frosted. I remember those are your favorites.”

  He sat up as best he could then took the donut from her, disturbed to notice his hand shook. Obviously the drugs hadn’t completely worn off yet. Picking up the coffee cup, he took a sip and wondered if he should yank off the lid to throw it in her face. She was standing far enough away he probably couldn’t reach her to grab her in a choke hold even if he did catch her unaware. Biding his time until he was stronger would be a smarter move. At least for now.

  “This is insane. I’m not going to suddenly fall in love with you and forgive you for kidnapping me.”

  Her eyes widened. “I didn’t kidnap you. What a thing to say! Think of this as an intervention to make you see the error of your ways.”

  He ate in silence for a minute. “How long do you intend to keep me here?”

  Her sigh was deep. “As long as it takes. I’d be wasting my breath to try to make you see reason right now, but once you stop looking at me like I’m pond scum, we’ll have a civil conversation.”

  He narrowed his eyes over the rim of the cup. “I need to use the toilet, and I’m pretty certain there isn’t one nearby. Do you expect me to piss myself?”

  “Don’t be crude. Of course not.” She walked out of the barn only to return a minute later carrying a bedpan. “This is the best I can do for now.” She set it down beside him and smiled. “I’ll give you some privacy and be back shortly to dispose of it.”

  “You’re freaking insane.”

  She sneezed then waved a hand as she walked away. “I’m not listening.”

  He slumped back against the blanket and tightened his fingers into fists. Given the chance, he’d wrap them around Pris’s neck. Eden must be sick with worry, wondering what had happened to him. Not that he was in any actual danger from Pris since he could easily overpower her once she turned him loose. Right now, his only goal was to stay focused and be ready to move the second she made a mistake. It was a given she would let down her guard sooner or later. Preferably sooner.

  But first he needed to pee like a race horse. Gritting his teeth, he pushed up onto his knees to use the bedpan. After he’d pushed it away with his foot, he finished the last of his coffee and wondered what the hell she was planning to do next.

  When she walked back in with more restraints dangling over one arm and a tray containing a bottle of something that looked like oil, a syringe with pink feathers attached and a pistol, his eyes widened, zeroing in on the needle. “What the hell, Pris?”

  Her lips firmed. “I’m sorry to say I don’t trust you one bit right now. I can’t get close to you unless you’re properly restrained.”

  He sucked in a breath as she stopped a short distance away to set the tray on an upended bale of musty hay before loading the dart into the gun. “I’m not going to try to hurt you. I swear.”

  “While I’d love to believe you…” Her voice hardened as she took aim. “I don’t.”

  He jerked on the chain, and the metal cut into his ankle. “Goddamn it, don’t you dare shoot me with that!”

  “I don’t take orders from you, but honestly, it pains me to do this.” She smiled. “Still, we’ll be able to get much more comfortable once I have you contained.” She pulled the trigger, and the dart stuck into his thigh with a thwack. “This is for your own good.”

  Blake yanked out the needle and threw it in her direction. “Sick bitch.” The words slurred as lethargy set in. He tried to force his eyes open, but the lids slid shut…

  He woke slowly as something scratchy prickled him through the blanket beneath his cheek. He tried to brush it away, but his arm wouldn’t move. Blinking, he turned his blurry vision on the woman sitting at his side. After a moment, Pris’s smiling face came into focus. Memory returned in a rush as he drew in a breath and pulled hard against the restraints holding him in place.

  “Easy. You don’t want to dislocate something thrashing around like that.”

  Both his wrists and ankles were shackled with fur-lined cuffs that looked like something out of an S&M magazine, and he was stretched out on his stomach, wearing nothing but his briefs. “What the hell do you plan to do to me?”

  “I thought I’d give you a backrub.” Pris scooted closer. “I’m good at it since I used to massage Josie’s poor wasted arms and legs, trying to keep the blood flowing. I imagine you’re sore from being chained up.”

  He shook his head, trying to clear it. His heart ached at the mental image she’d painted. He didn’t want to think of Josie the way her sister described her.

  Warm oil dribbling down his spine jerked him back to the present. Damn drugs. Pris’s strong hands kneaded rigid muscles, every bit as competently as his personal trainer, but his skin crawled at the contact. Goosebumps shivered over him.

  “Why’re you doing this? You know you can’t hold me here indefinitely.”

  “I don’t see why not.” She sneezed then whipped a hand across her face. “Can’t you just be quiet and enjoy this?”

  “Nothing about this situation is enjoyable. What do I have to do to make you grasp that?” He jerked hard on the restraints, but the anchors bolted to the floor didn’t move.

  “If you let yourself relax, you might realize you like having me touch you.” Her fingers stroked downward to rest on his ass, and her breathing deepened.

  He tensed as dread turned his stomach. “What would Josie think if she could see you now, huh? She’d be so ashamed.”

  “No, she wouldn’t.” Pris’s voice rose, but her hands stilled their exploration of his thighs and returned to his back. “She’d understand. She thought I just had a crush on you when we were kids, but it was always more than that. Still, I wouldn’t give in to my feelings while my sister was alive.” When she dug hard into his flesh with her nails, he winced. “But Josie’s gone, and it’s my turn. I’ve waited so long to have you for myself, and I won’t give up now.” Her tone deepened. “I’ll make you love me.”

  The trill of a phone behind her interrupted her tirade. Pris frowned and glanced over her shoulder. When the cell rang again, she stretched out an arm to snag her purse by the strap then pulled out her phone and glanced at it. “Huh? That’s weird.” She pressed a button and lifted it to her ear. “Hello.”

  Blake didn’t take his gaze off her as her eyes widened.

  “Yes, this is Priscilla Lewis. What can I do for
you, Deputy Bloom?”

  “Help.” Blake drew in a breath. “Help me! Help!”

  Pris scrambled to her feet and ran across the barn. “Yes, I’m here. What noise? Oh, probably the car radio. I just turned it down…” Her voice faded as she disappeared through the door.

  Hope surged. Maybe the police were looking for him. Someone must have seen Pris at the wedding. He smacked his hand against the blanket, and a grim smile twisted his lips. He’d be willing to bet Eden had figured out Pris was responsible for his abduction. As the seconds ticked by, his confidence built.

  The barn door slammed against the wall. Pris’s hazel eyes darkened beneath lowered brows as she kicked loose hay. “I told that deputy I was running a few errands and would be right home.”

  “You can’t leave me tied up like this.”

  “I certainly can. I’ll be back just as soon as I convince him I never left town and whoever thought they saw me at the Wilde ranch was mistaken.”

  “Let me go, Pris.”

  “No.” She clenched her fists then spun around to stalk toward the door. “Get it through your head, Blake. You belong to me now.”

  Chapter 25

  Her ringing cell jerked Eden from a light doze. She straightened from her slumped position in the backseat of the SUV and dug her phone out of her purse. “Hello.”

  “Eden, it’s Howard.”

  The sound of the sheriff’s voice sent hope soaring. “Did the police in Blue Valley find Blake?”

  “No, I’m afraid not.”

  When Hannah turned in the front passenger seat with a questioning gaze, Eden shook her head. Forcing back tears, she cleared her throat. “Was Pris home?”

  “She was out running errands when the deputy arrived at her house, but she returned shortly after he called her and was extremely accommodating.”

  She clenched the phone hard in her fist. “Did he search her house for signs of Blake?”

  “Yes, and there weren’t any. Ms. Lewis assured him she’d been home alone for several days.”

  “Could anyone verify that?”

  The sheriff let out a breath. “No. Neighbors hadn’t seen her, but she told Deputy Bloom she keeps her car in the garage. Her story is she only left the house this morning to stock up on groceries and hadn’t spent any time in the yard. Apparently, Bloom called her while she was on the way to the store.”

  Eden closed her eyes, trying to think. “Wait, Blake mentioned she got a job at the museum in town. Wouldn’t she have had to go to work?”

  “Maybe she had the last few days off.”

  Anger simmered as frustration built. “Can the deputy in Blue Valley at least check?”

  “Bloom didn’t seem inclined to pursue the matter further. There’s really no reason to suspect Ms. Lewis is involved in Blake’s disappearance other than Roman Engel’s statement he sighted a worker who resembled her getting into a car. He thought the car was a Ford, and Ms. Lewis owns a Chevy. There were a lot of vehicles around when she was at the ranch during filming, and he couldn’t verify the car he saw was hers.”

  “A brown compact. Easy mistake by Roman, who said he wasn’t sure of the make. Also, when I called the caterer and woke her up a few hours ago, she told me none of her employees match Pris’s description.” Eden glanced up to meet Tripp’s worried gaze in the rearview mirror. “Look, Howard, do you want the media to report you were the one who let the ball drop in the investigation of Blake Benedict’s disappearance? You know they’ll be all over this story the second it leaks to the public.”

  He was silent for a moment. “You look so sweet, but you were always as tough as they come. I guess some things never change.”

  “Thank you.”

  He snorted. “Fine. I’ll convince Bloom to stop by the museum.”

  “I appreciate that. We should get to Blue Valley in…” She tapped her brother’s shoulder. “How long, Tripp?”

  “A couple of hours.” He grimaced at her in the mirror. “More if I get stopped for speeding.”

  “Two hours. Can you report back on what the deputy learns at the museum?”

  A grinding noise sounded in her ear. Probably Howard’s teeth.

  “I’ll be in touch.” His tone was curt. “Oh, just so you know, our search near the ranch hasn’t turned up any sign of Blake out on the prairie. We’re still looking, though.”

  “I didn’t expect it would. I’m pretty sure I’m right about where Blake is.”

  “We still haven’t been able to locate his phone. Chances are it was disabled or destroyed.”

  “That sucks. Thanks for the update, Howard.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  When the connection went dead, Eden dropped her cell on the seat and met Hannah’s anxious gaze. “He doesn’t sound super thrilled with me, but he’s doing what he can and keeping me in the loop.”

  “That’s good. Do you really think the media will get a hold of this story?”

  Eden sighed. “I hope not. We all agreed not to tell Griff and Sawyer what happened. There’s no reason to ruin their honeymoons at this point.”

  “Not at any point.” Tripp sped past a big rig going at least seventy like it was standing still. “We’ll find Blake.”

  “And I can’t bear the thought of calling his family. I know only too well how worried they’ll be.” Her eyes narrowed. “I’ll beat the crap out of Pris if that’s what it takes to make her talk.”

  “And get locked up for assault?” Hannah frowned. “We’re smarter than she is. We can outwit her without resorting to violence.”

  “True.” Eden twisted to try to ease some of the kinks out of her back. “Do you want me to drive again, Tripp?”

  “I’m fine. Just sit back and get some rest. As Hannah mentioned, you’ll need all your brainpower when we get to Blue Valley. I have a feeling this nut job won’t be so easy to crack.”

  “Mark my words, I’ll crack her.”

  Eden brooded silently as the miles slid by, her mood vacillating between fear and anger. What had Pris done to Blake? If she hadn’t somehow incapacitated him, surely he would have escaped by now. Which could only mean he was injured. She bit down on her lip and blinked back tears. Worry ate at her. Surely Pris wouldn’t harm him on purpose. The woman was crazy in love with him—with an emphasis on crazy.

  “We should arrive in Blue Valley in about fifteen minutes.” Hannah glanced up from her cell phone. “At least that’s what the GPS estimates.”

  Eden eyed the endless stretch of high desert outside the car window. Nothing much to see except sagebrush and dirt, but the mountains in the distance had grown closer. “Seems about right. I wonder—” She stopped speaking when her phone rang and lifted it off the seat. “Howard again.” She tapped the connect button then put the cell on speaker. “Hello.”

  “Eden, I just spoke to Deputy Bloom. He had quite a chat with Mrs. Needameyer, the woman who runs the museum. Sounds like she’s quite a character.”

  “Did Pris miss any work in the last couple of days?”

  “No, definitely not since Mrs. Needameyer admitted she had to fire her after her first week. I guess she only gave her the job in the first place because she felt sorry for her after her sister died, but she said Priscilla didn’t work out.”

  “Why not?”

  “Her reason was that our suspect didn’t have the necessary social skills for the job. When Bloom pushed her, she admitted Ms. Lewis talked on and on about how she was getting married soon, and the look in her eyes made the old gal uncomfortable. She also told him that to her knowledge—and it seems she has a good grasp on all the local gossip—Priscilla wasn’t dating anyone, let alone engaged.”

  Eden sat forward on the seat. “I bet she was talking about Blake.”

  “I won’t speculate on that, but Bloom is willing to investigate further based on his conversation with the museum manager. He went back to Ms. Lewis’s house, but she wasn’t home and didn’t answer her
phone when he called her. He took a look through the window and saw her cell laying on the table. The garage was empty.”

  “Damn it! I bet she’s with Blake right now. Does the deputy have any idea where she could be holding him?”

  “None at all, but he’ll be questioning people to see if anyone has seen her around town.” Howard cleared his throat. “Where are you now, Eden?”

  “Almost to Blue Valley.”

  “I’ll give you Bloom’s direct number, but I don’t want you to hinder his investigation.”

  “I won’t. What’s the number?” After he recited it, she tapped it into her phone. “Thanks, Howard. I appreciate you pushing the authorities in Blue Valley to take this more seriously.”

  “I’m beginning to think you were right all along. If the rescue team doesn’t find Blake out on the prairie by dark, we’ll call off the search.”

  “You’ll let me know if there’s any news?”

  “Of course, but I meant what I said. You stay clear of that Lewis woman if you run across her. Sounds to me like she’s dangerous and could very well be armed. Most of the citizens in that area own at least a hunting rifle.”

  “We’ll be careful. Thanks again.” She disconnected and let out a breath. “How convenient is that? Pris isn’t at her house.”

  Tripp let off the gas as he cruised into town. “Where do you want to go, then?”

  Eden leaned toward the window and eyed every car parked in the lot at the grocery store as they passed, searching for Pris’s brown compact. “I don’t know. I guess we should still start at her home. Maybe a neighbor will have something useful to share about where Pris likes to hang out.”

  “Which way do I go?”

  Eden gave him directions, and a couple minutes later they parked in front of the gray ranch-style house with a weedy front yard.

  “There’s a car in the driveway across the street.” Hannah pointed toward an old Buick. “Maybe we can start asking questions there.”

  Tripp opened the door to a blast of hot air and stepped out onto the pavement. “Let’s do this.”

  A half hour later they’d talked to every person they could find home and learned exactly nothing. Eden leaned against her SUV and wiped perspiration off her upper lip, then slammed her hand down onto the hood. “This blows. Pris has lived here her entire life, yet she might as well be invisible for all the neighbors know about her. According to them, she has no friends and rarely leaves her house. Everyone we questioned was surprised to hear she wasn’t holed up inside this very minute.”