“You need stitches,” she asked, trying to get a better look.
“No,” he said, shaking off the idea. “Are you all right? That was . . .” he stuttered, his eyes wide with shock.
“I know,” she agreed, not able to find the right word to describe it either. “He’s a monster. Twelve? How did twelve girls end up on his boat?”
“I don’t know,” Patrick admitted, his hand coming up to her shoulder and pulling her in to him. “But there won’t be a thirteenth and that counts, Ruby. No matter what we find out about him, it matters that he can’t ever hurt anyone else.”
“I want to know,” she sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder. “I need to know if it was his boat I was on. If I can just have that and know he’s locked up . . .” Ruby trailed off, the words being swallowed up by the commotion.
“We’ve got EMS coming for you, sir,” a uniformed officer told Patrick as he inspected the cut. “I’m going to need a statement from the both of you.”
“Of course,” Patrick nodded, but was suddenly interrupted by the static of the officer’s radio.
“Uh, Sergeant, you need to come down to the boat,” a crackling voice announced. “The cop up there was right. We’re going to want to wait for the Feds.”
“Roger that,” the officer said into the radio on his shoulder. “Sounds like you guys caught a big one here. We’ll try to get you out of here and on your way quick as we can. You’re a journalist?” The question initially sounded innocuous, but Patrick’s response clarified things for Ruby.
“I have no plan of running to the press,” Patrick insisted. “That’s not what this is about.”
“I’m going to go check on my guys down at his trailer and then the boat. You two sit tight. I’d like to hear exactly how this all transpired.” He tapped his hand to the brim of his hat and stepped away.
“They don’t want any of this getting out,” Patrick assured Ruby. “We’ll stick around and see how it comes together. We won’t leave until we know if he was involved in what happened to you.”
Bobby came up, his phone pressed between his shoulder and his ear as he pointed and gave further directions. “Police tape from here, all the way down to the trailer. No unnecessary people stomping around here and destroying evidence. The FBI will have a team here in ten.” He hung up his phone and Piper joined the rest of them.
“I’ve got good news and bad news,” Bobby announced, his eyes fixed on Ruby in a way that made her stomach sink. “Which one do you want first?”
“The good,” Patrick said, his arm wrapped around Ruby tightly.
“The boat is loaded with evidence. Corban had trophies from each of his kills that should make the case against him strong. Plus the angle Ruby thought of, using his love for his sister to get him to talk, worked perfectly. He’s going to cooperate in exchange for being able to talk to Alison. However, if he thinks any kind of explanation would justify what he’s done, he’s delusional.”
“The bad news?” Ruby asked, anxiety shooting down her arms and legs like sparks.
“He was in prison on DUI charges the day you were abducted. It couldn’t have been him who brought you on the boat. I had it double checked. I’m sorry.”
“Maybe—” Patrick started, but Ruby waved him off.
“I wanted an answer.” Ruby shrugged, trying to pretend she couldn’t feel the pins and needles overtaking her body. “It’s better to know.”
“When the FBI gets on scene I’ll make sure they get your statements first so you can get out of here,” Bobby promised.
“Thanks,” she said through a forced smile, relieved when Piper and Bobby were pulled away again.
“It’s all right,” Patrick assured her. “We can still investigate what happened to you. This doesn’t mean anything.”
“It does,” she said, brushing a stray tear from her cheek. “It means I’m no closer to anyone believing me. It means I’m no safer.”
“You’re safer,” he promised. “You’re safer because you have me.”
Chapter 22
Two hours felt like ten days, but Ruby and Patrick were finally free to leave the crime scene. He’d been bandaged, and their statements had been taken. “We’ll catch the ferry and be back at your house before you know it.” Patrick was trying to be as comforting as possible, but like a little ship being pulled out by a riptide, he could see Ruby drifting away. She’d hung so much on the possibility that this man was the one who’d ruined her life and catching him would fix it.
“I guess my warning fell on deaf ears,” Sheriff Shep announced, his thumbs tucked in his belt loops as he walked up on the scene.
“What are you doing here?” Patrick asked, annoyed by the smug look on Shep’s face. “I didn’t know you ever left the island.
“My son and I came to the mainland to pick up some fishing supplies. I heard this come over the scanner and thought I’d call in to see what was happening. Once I heard some familiar names I figured I better make sure they know who they are dealing with.”
“And who’s that?” Patrick asked, charging forward, his finger ready to jam into Shep’s chest. Before he could make contact Shep’s son Wilson was there, putting his body between them. He was straight backed, head completely shaved, with his father’s broad shoulders. A rigid line of permanently pinched and angry lips filled the space where his smile should have been.
“Back off my dad,” he insisted, going to nose to nose with Patrick. “He’s been dealing with her shit since we were in high school.”
“Really?” Patrick laughed humorlessly. “The way he ignored her when she was kidnapped? That’s what he’s been dealing with.”
“Wilson,” Shep said as he tapped his son’s shoulder lightly in a down boy manner and smiled too wide for the situation. “I hope you’re not thinking this man they’ve arrested had anything to do with that story she told. I’d hate to see anyone else punished for her fairy tales.”
Patrick swung, his eyes flashing red as he fired his fist. Wilson was still on the ready and took the punch square in the chin to block his father.
“Hey,” a booming voice screamed as the scuffle began. “Cut the shit.” They were pulled apart by a few officers, and Patrick had to avert his eyes from Ruby’s pained look. “What the hell is going on here?”
“None of your business,” Wilson said, but he was met with a fiery response.
“I am Special Agent Tyson Bilcheck of the FBI; this and everything you see in either direction is my crime scene. It’s the ground zero of a serial killer who’s been operating here for decades. I don’t intend to let some good old boys who can’t control their tempers obstruct or compromise my crime scene. Now what the hell is going on?” Tyson straightened his striped tie and flashed his crooked teeth, though not in a smile. His black hair was spiked and glued in place with gel as though it was forced to obey his authority.
“I’m Sheriff Shepard Dressden out of Bolton Bluff. These folks are residents and have—let’s call it a history—that concerns me when it comes to a case like this.”
“The photographs were discovered and processed on Bolton Bluff,” Tyson explained, showing his knowledge of the situation. “These folks along with a highly regarded officer pieced together a case that the FBI otherwise would not have been able to dedicate resources to for some time. If I were you I wouldn’t be complaining.”
“I intend to raise my concern,” Shep said, shrugging off Tyson’s words. “This girl, she’s got a reputation for lying and causing problems. It could undermine your whole case. As an officer of the law I can’t let that go unsaid.”
“Go to hell, Shep,” Patrick yelled, both he and Wilson ready to brawl again if they were left on their own.
Ruby found her voice suddenly as Shep’s smug smile became too much to stomach. “I’m not lying now, and I wasn’t lying then. You ignored the fact that someone hit me over the head, threw me in a car, and carried me onto a boat. I could have ended up like any one of these girls and yo
u didn’t care.”
“See that’s something I’d be far more interested in,” Tyson replied, waving his huge hands animatedly. “It’s fascinating to me that the first leads in this case were discovered in your jurisdiction, yet four people decided you couldn’t be trusted enough to be involved. That’s highly concerning to me. Now these allegations of misconduct in a possible abduction case. Sounds like maybe if you keep pushing me, I’ll have plenty to push back with.”
“You don’t know who you’re messing with,” Wilson threatened, his knuckles white from how tightly his hand was clenched into a fist.
“It can feel that way.” Tyson chuckled humorlessly. “Growing up on that little island where Daddy is the boss you can start to think you’re invincible, but I will bring down the full weight of the bureau on you and your island if you try to undermine this investigation. Check your ego at the door, and realize there are at least twelve dead and dismembered girls whose families deserve some peace. They’ve suffered enough. You aren’t making this worse for them. I won’t have it.”
“I’d like to be looped in,” Shep said, looking far less superior now. “I’m well respected on the islands and surrounding areas up and down the coast. I can help.”
“I’ll be in touch, Sheriff,” Tyson said half-heartedly as she escorted Patrick and Ruby away. “Your car is being processed as evidence. I have an officer here who will give you a ride back to the ferry.”
“I’m sorry about that,” Patrick apologized, gesturing over his shoulder toward Shep and Wilson. “He’s usually not a bad guy, but he was getting under my skin. And his kid obviously has a chip on his shoulder.”
“You understand why I need you to leave though, right?” Tyson asked, waving the officer over. “You were both instrumental in this case, and I’m grateful. I just can’t have any distractions at the scene right now.”
“Completely understand,” Patrick agreed.
“As for that charge against the sheriff on your abduction, Bobby checked with me about the dates, and we cleared Dan Corban of being involved.”
“He told me,” she said quietly. “I appreciate you doing that and letting me know.”
“But when all this is over,” Tyson continued, “I’d be happy to help you look further into it. It’s the least the bureau can do, considering the monster you took off the street today. Here’s my card.” He pulled his business card out of his front shirt pocket and gave it to Patrick. With a wink and a slap to his shoulder he dismissed them as kindly as he could.
“That’s good news,” Patrick said, flashing the card at Ruby as they walked toward the police car ready to escort them home.
“Yeah,” she replied as though she’d just woken from a dream and been forced to answer. “Yeah, it’s good.”
“You don’t sound convinced. Are you sure you’re all right?” His hand was on her back guiding her.
“I can’t remember what all right feels like,” she admitted quietly. “I just want to go home. I want to be back in my house.”
Chapter 23
“Not much of a vacation,” Patrick said apologetically. “I can’t believe it’s already time for you to go.”
“We’re on the next ferry out,” Piper said, leaning her suitcase against the metal rail and looking out over the water. “I thought Ruby might come down to see us off.”
“She’s still processing stuff, I think,” Patrick said, wanting to go deeper and tell them how worried he really was. But they’d both done so much it felt greedy to lay this on them too.
“You’re going to need to keep a close eye on her,” Bobby explained, looking like he was knowledgeable in this process. “It’s easy to fall into old habits, sometimes worse when there’s a setback like she just experienced. I’m sorry we can’t stay longer and do more to help investigate her abduction.”
“Maybe it’ll be enough that we believe her,” Piper offered cheerfully. “We do. I told her but make sure you remind her too. She’s not alone. We’ll stay in touch.”
“I’m not sure she’ll listen.” He shrugged, leaning against the rail and staring out over the calm sea. “I tried to talk to her last night, and she asked me to leave. I went back this morning and she wouldn’t even come to the door. She texted me and just asked that I give her some space. Should I?” He looked between both of them helplessly, begging for advice.
“Some,” Bobby said. “Or at least the illusion of it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Piper asked, rolling her eyes. “The illusion of space?”
“There were plenty of times over the years you would tell me to leave you alone and give you space. If I had you’d probably be dead. I followed you to New York and saved your life in that alley.” Bobby looked ready to win this argument, as though his arsenal on the topic was well stocked.
“He’s right,” Piper acknowledged somewhat reluctantly. “You don’t want to smother her, but this probably isn’t the time to let her go either.”
Patrick laughed, “How do I create fake space?”
“That’s for you to figure out,” Bobby said, slapping his shoulder as the ferry began to board passengers. “We’ve got our family to head back to in Edenville, North Carolina, and I’m sure they’ll want to know all about this case. We’ll never hear the end of it that we didn’t relax on this trip. They knew we couldn’t, and we proved them right.”
“I can’t thank you both enough for the time you dedicated up here,” Patrick said, pulling Piper in for a hug. “I’m sorry you haven’t been given much gratitude or recognition from the people in the area.”
“Shep shook my hand,” Bobby corrected. “Right after he asked me why I believed Ruby and kept him out of the investigation.”
“What did you tell him?” Piper asked, eyeing her husband quizzically.
“You know I like to be tactful and diplomatic whenever I can,” Bobby replied, flattening the wrinkles out of his shirt in a very dignified manner.
“I know,” Piper said. “It’s why I’d like him to have asked me that same question instead. How did you answer without insulting him?”
“Who said I didn’t?” Bobby smirked. “I told him I wanted to bring him in on the investigation early on, but I’m a painfully good judge of character, and I make it a point not to ignore my gut.”
Piper leaned in and kissed him while wearing a smile. “Quietly winning,” she said, just before the ferry horn blew. “That’s always been your style.”
“We should board,” Bobby said, offering another handshake to Patrick. “Keep us posted on how she’s doing. Take Tyson up on his offer when you’re ready. He’ll do what he can to help.”
Walking up the ramp, hand in hand, Bobby and Piper chatted animatedly. They were not like anyone he’d ever met before, not individually or as a couple.
The boat pulled away from the dock and Patrick found himself watching it until it was a small dot on the horizon. His plan was to buy some sandwiches, grab that wine Ruby liked, and try one more time to talk to her today. If she turned him away he’d give her that fake space Bobby was talking about.
“Patrick,” Stephanie called frantically, skidding to a stop at his side. “Isn’t Ruby with you?”
“She’s home,” he said, reaching an arm out to steady her. “Is everything all right?”
“I thought maybe she went out with you again. At first I was happy,” Stephanie stuttered. “You’d gotten her to leave the house. But then I saw the plant knocked over in the living room and I got worried. I used my key and let myself in. Something happened there, Patrick. Some kind of struggle. If she’s not with you, and she’s not home, then where is she?”
Patrick didn’t hear the rest of Stephanie’s worries. He didn’t stand there and speculate. His feet were in motion, practically spinning cartoon style as he raced up the hill and back toward his car. He’d promised Ruby she would be safe with him, and if he failed her now he knew there would be nothing left for her to believe in.
Chapter 24
Ruby’s fingers were bent rigidly and frozen in place. Her skin was shaking off her bones, her breath sporadic and gasping. The nightmares she’d suffered for years had her waking up screaming in a cold sweat, yet they were nothing compared to this. The rumbling of the engine and the rhythmic bumps from the uneven road woke her from the heavy fog she’d fallen into. Just like last time, her head ached with a throbbing heat.
Raising her hands to scramble for some kind of escape, she found them bound together and tethered somehow to restraints around her ankles. The pitch-black, steel compartment was a car trunk, and she was trapped. Sweat poured down her back as the air grew thick and hot. It was happening again. Her fears, the illogical terror that had controlled her life for years had become real. The monster under her bed had finally reached out and grabbed her ankles when her feet hit the floor.
She tried to move her body, switch the angle so she could kick the trunk door. Unlikely to be able to break it free, she at least hoped the noise would draw someone’s attention. The gag across her mouth kept her screams muffled, but it didn’t stop her from shouting until her throat was raw.
When the brakes screeched and the car stopped abruptly her body shifted, slamming into the wall that was against the rear seats. The engine cut off and her insides turned to liquid, every ounce of her melting away with dread. Her mind raced with the possibilities as she heard a car door open then close with a thud. Then a moment of clarity came over her. She was awake this time. Conscious and, rather than a bag over her head, her eyes were wide open. Whoever this was, whatever horror was about to unfold, at least she would be witness to it. The unknown of her last ordeal had been what haunted her more than the circumstances. This time she would look in the face of the devil who’d taken her. It would be different. This time, she would fight.
Chapter 25
Patrick stormed around Ruby’s cottage as though something would start speaking to him. Like the broken glass on the kitchen floor or the overturned table would suddenly open up and tell him what had happened. Stephanie’s car was pulling into the driveway, gravel kicking up under the tires. Her heavy car door slammed shut, and she was pushing her way into the cabin.
Just For A Heartbeat (Piper Anderson Legacy Mystery Book 2) Page 13