Vibrations

by Wood, Lorena

  “Get up!”

  “I’m trying, I’m trying. I’ve been laying here for hours not moving while you walked all around me. My body’s a little stiff.” He had to get feeling back in his legs before he could make a move.

  “What the hell are you doing hiding here? Where’d you put the boy? Where’s Whitney’s body? You’d better start talking Mr. Policeman.”

  “Whitney’s alive and fine. She’s far away from here by now. What do ya think of that?” Nick leaned against the tree for support.

  He looked at Nick’s wounds and the way he held his body against the tree. “You’re not doing so well, are you Mr. Detective? I guess I gave you quite a beating. So you’re pretty girlfriend left you behind to save herself and the boy. Not very nice of her.”

  Nick didn’t answer and it seemed to irritate Derrick.

  “Where are they?” He shoved the gun in Nick’s face.

  “They left me here and went back.” If he pointed him west, he could find the boy. If he pointed him back east, he might go back by the cabin and find Whitney. He was trying to work it out when Derrick shoved the gun in his stomach.

  “What do you mean back? Which way?” He seemed to think about it for just a few seconds and then he relaxed. “Oh forget it. I have a better idea.”

  He told Nick to turn around and tied his hands behind his back. Then he pushed him up the path back toward the cabin.

  Nick could only walk a few steps before stumbling, so it was a slow process. Looking up at Derrick after falling for what seemed like the hundredth time, he asked “Where are you taking me? Why not just get it over with?”

  “You’re so stupid you can’t even figure it out. I can’t believe cops are this stupid.” Derrick spoke so fast it made Nick think the man was truly deranged at this point. “I should try something to make myself some money sometime. Your buddies would never catch me. Are they all as stupid as you?”

  “Yup. We’re all stupid cops just wandering around looking for someone to shoot.” Nick put on his best dumb hick voice.

  “Shut up! You’re making fun of me,” Derrick shouted, jamming the butt of the gun into Nick’s chest. “You just wait. You want to know where we’re going. Think about it. What do I really want? Not your ugly ass, that’s for sure.”

  Nick gasped for air from the chest blow and wondered if he had enough strength to make one final move. He knew what Derrick wanted and he couldn’t let that happen.

  “Say it,” he screamed, spittle shooting out as he yelled. “Tell me or I’ll blow off all your toes and make you keep walking.”

  “You want Whitney.” Nick spoke calmly as he tried to gather some last minute reserves.

  “Good job. Maybe you’re not as dumb as you look. So since I only have you, and I want her, what should I do?”

  “You’re gonna use me for bait.”

  “Yup. But I don’t have to wait for her to find us. She can probably read your mind right now. All you have to do is call her.”

  “I’m not gonna call her for you,” Nick said hotly. Stepping back and using his whole body he swung his elbow up into Derrick’s face.

  The blow fell short as Derrick ducked and Nick ended up on the ground. Derrick laughed and kicked his side. “Oh yes you are, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

  Unable to move and unwilling to comply, Nick was dragged by his feet the final few yards up the trail. Derrick pulled him to his four wheeler and rolled him on to his stomach. After guzzling down some water without offering any to Nick, he opened the duffel bag on the back and pulled out a long length of rope. Nick watched him throw it over the high limb on a tree and his heart sank. It looked like Derrick was getting ready to hang him.

  Derrick came back and untied his feet, pushing him over to the tree.

  “Lay down on your face.”

  “Make me.” Nick wouldn’t give this killer the satisfaction of looking as beaten as he felt.

  “No problem.” Derrick smashed the butt of the gun into Nick’s ribs and he fell to the ground. He tied the long rope to the one around his hands and made him get back on his feet. He pulled up on the rope until Nick’s arms were pulled up from behind and his shoulders felt like they would pop. His right arm was on fire and his knees started buckling under him.

  “Not yet. You stay standing up.” Derrick pointed the gun at his face and told him to stand.

  “Nick. What’s happening? He’s hurting you. Hang on, help is coming.”

  Nick was praying he’d just pass out so Whitney wouldn’t come running to help. The killer was smart enough to know Whitney would feel his pain, but maybe not smart enough to realize how close he was to losing consciousness.

  “Is your girlfriend talking to you tough guy?”

  Nick shook his head. Derrick slapped his face and the pain knocked him back. He almost fell, but the pressure on his arms made him stand back up.

  “Tell me the truth. I want to talk to her. Whitney, can you hear me? If you don’t answer me soon, I’ll kill him. Want to feel more of his pain?”

  Whitney knew what he was doing because she could hear Nick’s thoughts. “Nick. Tell him I hear him.”

  “No.”

  “Tell him, or he’ll kill you.”

  “Let him. Just go. It’s over.”

  “Thanks, but no. Tell him or I’ll come down there. I can see you.”

  “That’s what he wants. Just go, before it’s too late.”

  Derrick could see the expressions on Nick’s face.

  “She’s talking to you, isn’t she?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Tell her I want her to come back here, or I’ll kill you.”

  “She already knows that, but she’s not coming.”

  “Tell her again. Tell her to say something about me you wouldn’t know so I know you’re talking to her.”

  There was a pause, and then Nick answered.

  “She says you’re a prick.” He smashed Nick’s face again.

  “She wouldn’t say that. Not with your life at stake. Now tell me what she said.”

  “Nick, tell him. Tell him he said I smelled nasty.

  “She said…you told her she smelled nasty.”

  “That’s right. Your girlfriend smelled like a toilet. Now tell her to come back here right now.”

  Nick, tell him I’m coming. He thinks I’m far away right now. It’ll give us time. Agent Hollerman is sending help. They dropped some men by chopper and they’re heading up the mountain now.

  “She said she’s coming. The boy is sick, so she can’t bring him. She has to come all the way back now.”

  “I told you she’d come to save you. Isn’t that sweet? She can watch you die. I wonder just how nice she’ll be to me with you hanging from that tree like that. I guess you’ll have to stay alive a little longer. How’s that shoulder feeling?”

  Derrick smashed the gun into his shoulder and Nick’s legs gave out. He felt his shoulders ripping as he fell toward the ground, and then the blackness took him from his nightmare.

  Chapter 18

  Whitney searched through the house again for something to use against the man that held her lover captive. She found a couple of small kitchen knives and an ice pick. Her last search through the bedroom closet turned up a can of pepper spray and the dart gun he had used on her. She couldn’t find any darts, so she left it behind. She knew Nick was passed out, and Derrick was waiting for her. She called Agent Hollerman on the radio to make sure they were on the way.

  “Roger, this is Whitney. Where are you?”

  “The men are on their way. Whitney, we found the boy. Good job. Hang on tight. Don’t go anywhere.”

  “He has Nick. I’ll keep you informed.”

  She shut off the radio before he could answer. It was time to go. Nick was regaining consciousness and he would be in danger again.

  * * * *

  Derrick had grown of waiting. “Whitney, I know you’re close.” he yelled. “Better hurry before your boyfriend loses a
body part.”

  “Nick. Tell him I’m coming.”

  “Over my dead body.”

  “It will be. I’m coming anyway, so just tell him. No point in dying right before I show up.”

  “She’s coming. She said she’s close.”

  “Good girl. She’s very obedient right now, isn’t she? So tell me, how was it with you guys? Is it true what they say about doing it with a gifted psychic? Come on, it’s just us guys right now.”

  Nick was propped up against the tree. Derrick had released his arms from the rope. He wiggled his fingers and toes to see how much damage was done. One of his shoulders was probably dislocated and the other was aching from the gunshot wound. He tried to ignore Derrick by closing his eyes and pretending to pass out again.

  Nick opened his eyes when he heard the sound of someone coming. “Please be the FBI,” he prayed. When he saw Whitney walk down the hill, his heart sank. He was helpless and Derrick was crazed with anger and determination. When she walked into view, Derrick told her to put her hands over her head. Ignoring him she rushed over and threw herself on Nick.

  “Nick. Are you okay? What’d he do to you?” She was running her hands around his arms and back checking for injuries. Nick felt a small metal object drop into his hands. Whitney continued to fuss over him and he felt her open the object. It was a small knife, and she was cutting the rope.

  “Enough!” Derrick ripped her away from Nick and jerked her to a standing position. He had a small gun in his hand and he pressed it to Whitney’s neck as he came in for a kiss. Whitney held herself rigid as he moved his hand over her body. She could see Nick had freed his arms and was working on his feet. Whitney reached her arms around Derrick’s neck and turned so that his back was facing Nick.

  “That’s it baby. Show me what you got.”

  Whitney saw Nick get to his feet, and at the same moment she lifted her knee hard into Derrick’s groin.

  He let go with a scream, dropped the gun, and fell to his knees. Whitney kicked the gun away and ran, but she fell as Derrick grabbed the leg of her pants. Nick’s foot smashed into Derrick’s jaw and Whitney rolled away from his reach. Derrick shoved back at Nick and jumped to his feet again. He grabbed the gun before Nick could stop him.

  Derrick waved the gun toward Nick and motioned for Whitney to come. He locked his arm around her neck and put the gun to her head.

  “Back to this again. This is getting boring. I’ve lost my interest in you two. Ready to see her die, Mr. Detective?”

  Derrick was surprised when Nick charged forward. He yelled for Nick to stop and managed to lash out with the gun and connect with Nick’s head. Nick rolled a few feet away.

  “Change of plans,” Derrick said pointing the gun at Nick. “You go first.”

  Whitney swung her arm around and sprayed Derrick directly in the eyes with the pepper spray. His shot went high as Nick rolled his body behind the ATV.

  “Drop the gun Derrick!” a voice yelled from the woods. Derrick dropped to his knees but didn’t drop the gun. He was wiping at his eyes and moaning.

  Teddy came out of the woods and Whitney heaved a sigh of relief. She saw him moved cautiously to Derrick’s side and reach to take the gun. Whitney turned to check on Nick just in time to see him scream out Teddy’s name. She snapped her head around to see Derrick had tackled Nick’s partner and they were wrestling for the gun.

  “Stay here”, Nick said to Whitney as he limped past.

  He wasn’t fast enough because the gun went off and Teddy stumbled backwards. The bullet hit him directly in his chest.

  “No!” Nick ran toward them as Derrick turned, gun in both hands. Nick smashed down with his fist as he collided with the smaller man. The gun went flying and they hit the ground hard.

  Suddenly Teddy was there pushing Nick out of the way. He grabbed Derrick by the throat and smashed his big fist into the prone man’s face again and again.

  “I give up!” Derrick shrieked as he tried to cover his face with his hands.

  Teddy slammed his fist into his face one more time and stood up. Derrick lay on the ground and pulled himself into a ball.

  Teddy reached behind his back, but just as he pulled out the cuffs, Nick saw a flash of light coming from Derrick’s direction. Nick’s hand found the gun just as the knife sliced into Teddy’s leg. Nick fired twice and Derrick’s body want limp.

  Nick and Whitney rushed over to Teddy. Teddy pulled the knife out of his thigh and Nick applied pressure to the wound.

  “What about your chest man,” Nick asked as he noticed there was no blood on the big man’s shirt. “I saw the gun go off. Why aren’t you dead?”

  “Lots of cushion,” Teddy answered with a grin breaking through the pained expression he had been wearing.

  Nick opened Teddy’s shirt to find a bulletproof vest.

  “Smart boy,” he said, relief evident in his tone.

  “Even this big bear needs extra help sometimes.”

  About twenty minutes later the rest of the rescue team came swarming into the small clearing.

  “’Bout time.” Teddy groaned. “What the hell took you so long?”

  Agent Hollerman shook his head at the complaint. “We couldn’t all go running into the woods without a plan big man.”

  Teddy’s forehead creased and anger flashed in his eyes. “If I had waited for you these two would be dead.”

  At first Hollerman didn’t answer, and then he dipped his head in acknowledgement. “Sorry about that. We came on the cabin and made our way down from there. You beat us by coming around the back and walking right into them.” More members of the team came straggling in as they talked.

  The search and rescue team carried Nick, Teddy, and Whitney up the hill on stretchers. From there they received a bumpy ride in a Humvee to an open field where they were finally loaded into a helicopter.

  Whitney barely remembered the rest of the trip as the fatigue had hit and she’d slept for most of it. She opened her eyes in a hospital bed a few hours later as a nurse was patching her up.

  “How you feeling honey?” The older nurse gave her a concerned smile.

  “I’ve been better. I’ve been worse too. How are Nick and Teddy? They came in with me.” She started to sit up but the nurse pushed her back down.

  “They’re fine,” the older woman said patting her arm. “They just took Detective Naylor out of surgery. They removed the bullet from his leg and he’s doing fine. You just give me a minute, and I’ll get the doctor.”

  Once the nurse had finished applying bandages to all of Whitney’s scrapes and cuts, she called for the doctor. He told her she had a mild concussion, and needed to stay overnight for observation. She checked on Nick that evening but he was still sleeping off the anesthesia.

  The next morning Whitney walked into Nick and Teddy’s room to the sound of laughter. They were both in bed, hooked up to IV’s, with a table in between them. Teddy was reaching for a box of donuts someone had brought for him, but Nick was pulling the table out of reach with his foot.

  “That stuff’s not good for you. You need protein to heal that leg.”

  “Yeah, well all that cushion’s why that knife couldn’t get very far. If it had hit your scrawny little butt it would have gone straight through.”

  Nick started laughing and then let go of the table in pain. Teddy pulled it quickly back to his side and offered Whitney a donut.

  “Don’t make me laugh. Everything hurts.” Nick groaned and smiled up at Whitney.

  “Seems like you’re causing your own problems here, detective Naylor,” she said with a serious face. His sad, exaggerated puppy dog eyes were too effective and she laughed. “Maybe if you stay still, and stop teasing him, you’ll get out of here a little sooner.”

  She bent down to kiss him and he gave another moan, this time of pleasure. Whitney tried to stand up, but Nick held her close.

  “Tastes good. Better than donuts. Give me another taste,” he said holding her down with his good arm.r />
  She laughed and pushed away. “I probably taste just like donuts since I just bit into one. You need to rest up so you can come visit me. You look like hell.”

  Nick’s smile faded and he reached out for her hand.

  “Are you going back up to Sedona?”

  “I haven’t decided yet,” she answered noting the fear in his eyes. “I was thinking it would be nice to have a warm bath, and sleep in a nice comfortable bed tonight. Mind if I use your house?”

  “Not at all. Maybe they’ll let me out of here to keep an eye on you,” he quipped, voice light but eyes searching.

  “Not a chance,” she shot back. “For once you can do what you’re told.”

  “I hate the idea of you there all alone.” He had to keep reminding himself that the case was closed and that Whitney wasn’t in danger any more.

  “Actually, my friend Tara is flying in tonight. I just called her. She was worried about me, and took a few days off.”

  “So you’ll be there when I get out?” Nick’s heart skipped a beat as he realized how badly he wanted that. At that moment he would have moved anywhere to stay with his psychic.

  Whitney nodded as a slow smile spread across her lips.

  “Tara won’t be leaving until she gets to check you out for herself. She’s staying for a week, so get better fast.”

  Teddy broke into the conversation. “Is she as pretty as you?”

  “Much prettier. She’s a keg of dynamite. She owns her own detective agency. Maybe you can come for dinner and check her out for yourself,” she told him, patting his belly affectionately.

  “Can she read minds like you do?” Teddy’s face contorted in a look of mock fear.

  “Nope, that’s not one of her talents,” Whitney replied, not taking the teasing as an insult.

  “I’ll be there,” he said winking. Nick and Teddy laughed at the same time.

  “Oh,” she said turning back to Nick, “so you think I’m difficult to have around?”

  Nick pulled her close for another kiss. “Let’s just say that we can only handle one extra person in our head at a time.” Whitney laughed and snuggled in closer.