Penny parked her Cadillac in the drive and stared at the dilapidated house, thankful that she’d never have to set foot here again, after today. What she found inside was disheartening to say the least. Scott had apparently drunk himself into a stupor and was lying in his own vomit.
He was sprawled out on a dirty mattress on the floor, so she nudged him with her foot. When he didn’t budge, she nudged a little harder, which caused him to rear up and vomit, spraying her shoes.
“Mr. Hammons!” Penny shouted. “What has gotten into you? Is this what you’re spending my money on?” she demanded, picking up one of the many Jim Beam bottles that littered the floor and placing it back down.
“What time is it?” Hammons asked as he scrambled to sit up.
Penny had to get out of there quickly, she decided. The stench was making her ill. “I brought your money. But this is the last of it, Scott. Addie has gone back to my son, and they’ve decided to work things out. I’m going to let them be for a while. I think it’s best for the children,” she lied.
“Bullshit,” Hammons spat.
“Excuse me?”
He tried to stand but fell back down, gripping his head. “I’m pretty sure she was with Hartman just a few days ago.”
Penny rubbed her chin and thought for a moment before responding. “Well, I don’t know about that, but she and my son and the children, of course, are at our lake house now, so I’m afraid your services won’t be needed anymore.”
“The hell you won’t.” Scott spat before grabbing a half empty bottle and chugging.
Penny placed the check on the table. He really ought to get someone to clean this place up, she thought. “I’m serious, Mr. Hammons. This check will be my last. I do appreciate everything you’ve done, but we’re really no better off than we were when we started.” She called over her shoulder as she made her way toward the front door.
Scott stood abruptly and grabbed a knife from the table, intercepting her at the front door. Unsteady on his feet, he wielded it in her direction. “Now, you listen,” he slurred. “We are NOT finished. You wouldn’t want your family finding out what you’ve done here, would you? You wouldn’t want them to know how much money you’ve given me and what you really think of your daughter-in-law, now would you? You think I can’t prove that cashier’s check has your name written all over it? Tell me how long you think it would be before that son of yours dropped you like a hot potato once he found out, huh?”
Penny held up her hands in protest. “You’re right. I’m sure we can work something out, but I really must be getting back now.”
Scott let out a booming laugh. “You’re scared of me aren’t you, Penny. Ha-ha! Look at you. You’re shaking.”
“Put down the knife, Scott.” Penny pleaded.
Scott eyed the knife in disbelief. “Oh this old thing?” he said, stabbing it into to wall just above Penny’s shoulder. “You know I’m really glad we could work this thing out, you and I. I guess I can expect that I’ll hear from you in a few days, then?”
Penny swallowed hard. “Sure. I’ll call you.”
Scott moved over so as to allow her passage to the door. “Not if I don’t call you first.” He laughed wickedly.
Penny grabbed the handle and turned. “That sounds wonderful,” she said, forcing a smile.
She got to her car as fast as she could and didn’t look back knowing Scott had followed her out onto the porch. This wasn’t good, she knew. She probably ought to tell someone about him threatening her like that. Better yet, maybe she’d just let him drink himself to death. No need to stir up trouble, after all. Men like Hammons always were more bark than bite, anyway.
Scott showered and attempted to sober up. Yeah, he’d fallen off of the wagon, again. But it happens. He had to stop the voices, so what else was he to do? But now, things were looking up. He had a check to cash and work to do. Damn, that Penny Greyer had pissed him off, which all by itself had been enough of a buzz killer. She was a dumb bitch just like her daughter-in-law, and he’d be damned before he’d just let her cut him off like that—toss him to the side, as though he were nothing.
He wasn’t nothing. He was brilliant. And because he was brilliant and he had the angels directing him to do God’s will, he had a plan in place just as quickly as he’d cleaned up the place a little. He sat down as his computer and got to work, first pulling up Penny Greyer’s personal property tax records until he had the exact location where his target was staying. He worked well into the night, mapping, plotting, and planning. It was all coming together perfectly now. The visions in the woods at the bottom of the hill with Addison wrapped in the blanket all bloodied up from his handiwork made much more sense now that he’d had a chance to thoroughly study the property on Google Maps.
Better yet, for all his brilliance, he realized he now had the perfect little situation right there at his fingertips, practically served up on a gold platter. Garnish included. No one in his or her right mind would suspect him, after this. How easy it would be now to frame the husband, the angels whispered quietly. Think about it, they’d said. The wife has an affair and files for divorce; the husband plans a getaway to the middle of nowhere, only to have the wifey turn up missing and then later found brutally murdered. Of course! That was it. It was time to get to work, time to dig in and get his hands dirty. This was going to be sweet as pie. His decisiveness must have pleased God because He sent the angels to sing him to sleep that night, which was good because it felt nice not to be so all alone.
Thirteen
Addie awoke to sounds of laughter coming from the kitchen. When she noticed the bright light pouring in beneath the blinds, she grabbed her phone from the bedside table and checked the time: 9:12 a.m. Addie couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept past 7 a.m., much less this late. Opening her email, she scanned her phone. She still hadn’t responded to William’s email and wasn’t sure whether she was going to or not. There was something about not saying anything back that appealed to her, as though if she weren’t a part of the conversation then maybe it wasn’t really happening. She clicked on and was responding to an email from Sondra when her phone buzzed. It was Carl.
Mrs. Greyer we’d like to request permission to resume providing security. I know that you asked us to stand down during your time away, but we at Hartman Enterprises strongly disagree with that decision. Our team promises to stay out of your way and as inconspicuous as possible. Please, consider it, Addison.
Carl.
Addie thought for a moment and responded.
Thank you, Carl. But we are fine here.
With that she clicked off her phone, got up, and headed in the direction of the sound of laughter and the smell of bacon. Following breakfast, she, Patrick, and the boys took a trip into the nearest town for supplies and then stopped for ice cream.
“They’re going to be so messy.” Patrick exclaimed, watching the boys run around in a grassy field next to the mostly empty parking lot.
Addie leaned back against the car, folding her arms across her chest, trying to keep the chill out. “They always are.”
“So how long are you thinking we need to stay here before the cops can nab this guy? Because, I’m a little worried. I’ve got work and Michele’s pretty sick. I called and spoke with the detective this morning, and it sounded to me as though they don’t have much on him.”
Addie sighed. “You’re free to go if you need to, Patrick. The boys and I can stay on a few more days, just to give them a little more time.”
“Nah, I’m good for a couple more days at least. And, anyway, I think this is good for the five of us.”
Addie smiled. “Me too.”
They spent much of the rest of the day fishing and playing outside. It wasn’t until close to dinnertime that Addie realized she hadn’t checked her phone since this morning. There were several missed calls, three from Penny including a voicemail she’d left and two from William. Why was he calling? She checked her email and noticed how her heart raced
when she saw his name.
From: William Hartman
Date: 01/25/13
To: Addison Greyer
Subject: Call me. It’s urgent.
Addison,
I’ve been trying to get ahold of you all day. Call me. Please.
William
Addie dialed his number then hesitated and hung up. Just as she was about to gather up the courage, her phone rang.
“Hello.” Addie whispered, trying to find her voice.
“Addison. We need to talk.”
His voice made her dizzy. God, that voice.
“Addison? Hello?” William demanded.
“Yeah? I’m here.”
“Look. I know things between us are over, Addison, but I need you to let my men get close. I’ve had to keep them outside a perimeter they’re comfortable with in order to stay off your private property. I need you to talk with your husband and get him to agree to let them inside the gates. Where you’re at it’s just too sparse. They need to be close.”
Addie inhaled slowly. “Why are they here, William? I thought we discussed this. You need to tell me what’s going on?”
William hesitated. “Nothing. I . . . My guys just think it’s best until we get a better handle on Hammons and anyone he might be working with.”
“What do mean by ‘working with’?” Addie questioned.
“We just have reason to suspect that he may not be acting alone; that’s all.”
“I . . .” Addie started to say as the boys rushed in.
“Daddy said to come on! Dinner’s ready! Let’s go, Mom!” they screamed.
She shushed them away and pressed the receiver to her ear, hurriedly whispering into the speaker. “I gotta go, but I’ll give it some thought, all right?”
“Addison.” She heard William say one last time before she pressed the end button.
Hearing his voice was just too much. Addie sat on the edge of the bed and allowed the tears come. It was time she let herself feel.
When Addie awoke, startled and sweating in the dark, it took her a few seconds to remember where she was. Panting, she fished around the bedside table for her cell phone and lit up the screen as she felt around with her other hand for the button on the lamp. She sat up and tried to catch her breath, remembering the way William’s face looked in the dream. He was screaming something at her, but his voice was silent. She couldn’t hear the words. Addie calmed down a bit and checked her phone again: 1:28 a.m.
Addie got up, threw on a pair of jeans, and went into Patrick’s room. “Patrick.” She whispered, nudging him awake.
Patrick startled. “Addie? What is it?”
She placed her hand on his chest. “Shh. It’s nothing. Don’t worry. Everything’s fine. Listen. I need to go back to Austin for a little bit. There are a few things I have to take care of: work stuff. I’m going to take the car, but I’ve emailed your mom and asked her to come up and help until I can get back. The Jeep is here, too, though, right? In the garage?”
“Yeah, but, Addie, what time is it?” Patrick asked, rolling over onto his side.
“After midnight. I have to go, Patrick. Please, just don’t ask questions. I’ll be back later tonight. You need to set the alarm after I leave, okay?”
Patrick sat up and rubbed his eyes. “This isn’t a good idea, Addison.”
“It’ll be fine. I’ll be back before you know it. Tell the boys I had to go into work and that I love them.”
Patrick sighed. “You’re going to see him, aren’t you?”
“Yes. There are a few things I need to get straight.”
“Damn it, Addison. Be careful. Our children are counting on you. I’m counting on you.
Addie walked to the door and stopped. “I know.”
Addie texted Carl, who was waiting at the gate, asked them to stand down, and begged them not to follow her. Carl refused and only relented when Addie allowed him to ride with her while the rest of the team stayed back. Recalling the tone in William’s voice when he’d called last night, Addie changed her mind and let them enter the property, instructing them on how to get into the boathouse. She then texted Patrick to let him know; although, she figured he’d be angry, he was just going to have to deal with it until she got back. When it came to her children’s safety, she wasn’t cutting corners.
The fact that Carl had insisted on driving only made the trip back to Austin seem as if it took longer. Addie was on edge, fidgeting incessantly. She questioned Carl about William to no avail. He wasn’t giving anything up. “Just tell me he’s not with someone else right now, Carl. That’s all I ask—that you don’t make me look like a fool showing up unannounced if he’s with someone.”
“Mr. Hartman is alone at his residence, aside from his security team and several staff members.” Carl replied.
“None that he’s sleeping with though, right?” Addie questioned nervously.
“Mrs. Greyer, I will only assure you that what you’re walking into is on the up and up.”
Addie nodded and left it at that and stayed mostly quiet the rest of the way.
They reached Austin and William’s place just an hour or so before dawn. Carl let Addie in but stayed outside as she quietly entered his bedroom. Surprisingly, William wasn’t in his bed, forcing Addie to search the apartment for him. She finally found him in his office where she paused in the doorway, taking him in. Dressed in pajama bottoms and white cotton T-shirt, he looked so peaceful, kicked back in his office hair, his feet propped up on his desk, eyes closed, and headphones in his ears. At first glance, she could’ve sworn he was asleep, but as she inched closer ever so slowly, he raised his eyelids slightly, quickly sitting up once he noticed her there.
William eyed her expectantly. “Addison? How’d you get here?”
“Carl.”
He frowned as a look Addie couldn’t quite discern crossed his face but disappeared quickly. “I see. What are you doing here?”
“It’s not his fault, William. I forced him to bring me here. I needed to see you. I had a bad dream.”
“You’re here because of a bad dream?” he asked, an almost smile creeping up.
Addie walked to him and leaned on the edge of his desk, positioning herself directly across from him. William flinched a little and then settled. She could tell that he felt uncomfortable having her so close. She forced herself to meet his gaze straight on “Yes. I mean, no. Well, you see the thing is I’ve had what felt like a recurring dream for the past several days where you told me it was over between us. The problem is I think you’re lying to me, and I came here to find out why.”
William’s jaw tightened. “Damn it, Addison. You shouldn’t be here.”
She reached for him, but he backed away. “Tell me why you’re doing this, William. It’s killing me, and whether you’re willing to admit it or not, I can see that it’s killing you too.”
William stood and closed the door before going to Addie and lifting her a little, forcing her to sit on the desk with him between her legs. He took her face in his hands and stared but didn’t speak.
“I’m right, aren’t I? It’s all a lie. I just want to know why. I have the right to know, William. WHY are you lying to me?” Addie finally asked.
He kissed her hard, catching Addie off guard. She pulled back and studied his face.
“Because I love you, okay? I love you like I’ve never loved anyone else. The truth is I’ve never really cared all that much about anyone or anything else, nothing . . . except all of this.” He gestured around the room before continuing. “My whole adult life I’ve been addicted to this . . . this lifestyle . . . success if you want to call it that. But you know what, Addison? None of it has ever loved me back, until I met you, that is. For the first time in my life, I’ve wanted something enough to risk everything for it. And quite frankly, that scares the shit out of me. But now that I’ve found it—now that I’ve found you—I can’t keep you safe. Everything that has happened to you has been because of me. Because of this. I can
’t live without you, Addison. Hell, I can barely breathe without you, but I need to keep you safe. And if staying away from me accomplishes that, then it just has to be that way. It just does because I can’t allow anything to happen to you. I can’t explain what it is that you do to me; I just know I need more of it. Being with you makes me feel alive. I’m drawn to you, and I know that what we have isn’t what you and Patrick have had or anywhere near that level, but damn it, I want that and so much more with you, Addison. And . . . it kills me to want that, because I know you can’t give it to me. You’re too good for me because you’re not like me. You see, Addison, I take from people. I want something, and I just take it without even a second thought as to the consequences. But you . . . You aren’t like me. You’re incapable of hurting people.”
“Stop.” Addie interrupted. “You’re wrong. You’re so fucking wrong. I am capable of hurting people. I’ve hurt so many people, William—my husband, my family, and you—but I love you, and I don’t know what else to do about it. The truth of the matter is I probably could live the rest of my life without you. I just don’t want to.”
William placed his head in Addie’s lap, running face along her thighs, his stubble tickling her tender flesh. “God, you smell so good.”
“I missed you.” She sighed.
William stood and helped her out of her jacket. “I need to keep you safe, Addison. We can’t keep doing this.”
Addie watched as William pulled her T-shirt over her head and then in one fell swoop shoved everything off the desk. He took his time with her, covering every inch of her with his mouth. He brought her to the brink with his mouth, again and again, until she begged him to stop. Then he fucked her hard, right there on the desk, with enough passion to convince her it possibly could be the last time.
Thankfully, though it wasn’t. Later they moved to the bedroom and made love again before falling asleep wrapped up in one another. Addie woke just before noon and found the bed empty. She sat up, picked up the robe that was lying next to her, and inhaled, smelling William’s scent. She pulled it on and went to find him, once again finding him at his desk.
Breaking Bedrock (Book Two) Page 10