Protective Instincts

by Mary Marvella

  What the Hell was Julie doing there? The man in the picture had a gun on the girls and Sam knew. He damned well knew. His pain was no longer from his premonitions. It was fear.

  At his curse, Peters started awake. "Holy Mother." He jumped from the chair and reached for his phone and his gun. "Oh, God, I'm sorry." His voice quivered. "No replacements came and --"

  "Get Drew and the local police." Sam yanked on slacks and a shirt. His shoes and jacket dangled from his hand. His gun and shoulder holster hung in place. "Tell them what's happened and find out why no one seems to be responding to Brit's signal."

  Sam raced out the door and was on his way to the elevator before Peters could respond. Sam pulled his coat on to hide his weapon. He hopped around on first one foot, then the other. He slid his foot into the last shoe as the elevator door opened.

  "Why the Hell did I have to take that damned shower?" Sam unlocked his truck. "Peters picked a fine time to finally doze off." He slid under the steering wheel and started the vehicle. Why hadn't someone spelled Peters? Even he needed to sleep sometime. The radio picked up sounds from his hotel room.

  "I made contact." Peters' voice was breathless. "Drew is on his way back from the meeting at the prison and the police have dispatched backups." Sam pulled from the motel parking lot into the street. There was a pause. "I won't fall asleep again."

  "I know." Sam skidded around a corner. "Stay on. Patch me in for video." He switched his laptop monitor on. Horns blared as he passed under a traffic signal, just turned red.

  Pain sliced through his gut. The man was threatening Brit and Esther and Julie. "Sick bastard," he growled. "Oh, Hell." He hit the brakes in time to avoid plowing into the cars ahead of him. All lanes were blocked. Firemen helped paramedics load people into emergency vehicles. Four cars formed a jagged line across the street. Crazy chain reactions!

  He couldn't look away when Esther tied Brit to a chair. "Damn. Not again." He wanted to scream when he saw Julie handcuffed. Only Esther remained free, but for how long?

  Sitting still in traffic, Sam could not tear his eyes away from the scene unfolding across town. Where the Hell was Drew? Where the Hell were the police?

  A vehicle was being hooked to a tow truck, but more remained in a jumbled mess. Sirens blared as an emergency vehicle sped away. Red and blue strobe-like lights lit the area.

  "I'm not believing this," he muttered. "I'm just not damned believing this." He'd bet every cop in town was at the scene of this accident.

  Sam nearly puked when he saw the gun barrel touch between Brit's thighs. He maneuvered toward the shoulder of the road. He grabbed his cell phone before the first ring finished. "Where the Hell are you?" Drew's voice came loud and clear.

  "Stuck in traffic." He watched Esther kneel at the bastard's feet. Sweat covered Sam's body. "No, Sis, no!"

  Another piece of the car collage ahead, moved onto the bed of a tow truck.

  Sam heard Drew's voice. "Oh, shit! Get him, Esther."

  The girls had him. Ahead several cars came toward him. "They're finally letting cars through," Sam yelled into the phone. "Thank God." Sam rested his head on the steering wheel for a second only. Esther turned to the sink and ran water onto towels. She handed one to Brit and one to Esther.

  Sam screamed when the man rose behind the women. "Behind you, damn it! Look behind you! No!"

  He swallowed bile. Esther went down from a blow to the back of her head. Brit crumpled before Esther hit the floor.

  Sam heard Drew's hoarse "Bastard."

  More cars moved ahead. Sam was finally going to make it through. "Please don't let me be too late, God."

  "You're coming with me, bitch," the assailant ordered Julie, as he grabbed her. "You're my insurance." He slapped Julie, then hit her in the gut. "Come along like a good little slut and you might live until your stupid friends find you." Poking a gun in her ribs, he dragged her across the floor to the door. "Make a sound and I'll shoot you and anyone who gets in my way."

  Sam lost sight of Julie until she passed in front of an outside camera. He pulled past the crowded accident scene. A patch-in made his blood run cold. The assailant shoved Julie into a car, which sped away. The license plate numbers embedded themselves in Sam's memory.

  "Be on the lookout for Georgia license plate number JKL6667JK, Twiggs County." Drew's urgency came over the telephone. Sam had no voice to respond. "Driver is armed and dangerous. Send emergency vehicles to 347 Pitt Street."

  Sam heard a loud dial tone drone. He sped toward the woman he loved. By the time he got to her, she and Esther would be ready to chase Julie's captor. He had to get there in time to stop them from taking matters into their own hands. The son-of-a-bitch had hit each of them too damned hard.

  In the small screen he could see Brit stirring, but he had to watch the road around him. Weaving in and out of traffic required all his attention. Sam saw Esther sit up. Good. Brit moved. Even better. She grabbed the phone and punched in numbers. His phone rang part of a ring. He answered immediately.

  "Where the Hell are you, Sam? You said you would be here to help get Drake." Her voice made him shiver.

  "I'm so, so, sorry you had to take care of things on your own. I'm on my way, sweetheart. I love you." He hung up and swallowed the lump in his throat.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Brit looked out her front window in time to see Sam's truck speed around the corner and into the driveway behind the police car. Drew's truck pulled behind Sam's, as Sam raced up the porch steps. She was at the door by the time Sam opened it and in his arms before he could step inside.

  "Oh, Sam. He's got Julie and he'll kill her if we don't find him." Brit was engulfed in Sam's embrace.

  "I'm so sorry we weren't here to stop the bastard." They moved away from the door.

  Brit was barely aware of Drew passing them to hug his sister. Esther dropped the icepack she'd been holding against her face. "I'd get you all wet."

  "Anytime, Sis."

  "What happened to back up? Why wasn't someone here to respond to Brit and Esther? They never should have been alone."

  Sam's arms tightened around Brit, making her feel safe. "I don't know, but there was an awful accident near here. Which reminds me, I thought an EMT was requested."

  Detective Briggs came in from the kitchen. "Mrs. Roberts and Ms. Samuels said they didn't need medical assistance. I called and cancelled, since the accident tied up so many of the near-by emergency resources."

  "Detective," Sam acknowledged him. "Glad you're here." He pulled away from Brit, but she didn't want to let go of him.

  Briggs looked their way while he labeled plastic bags. "Our men watching the house got the call about the accident. It sounded like a mess. They radioed the station and my partner and I came to replace them. We'd just come on duty."

  "It's a mess." Sam shook his head, still looking distressed. "There are as many as six cars and an army of police cars and emergency vehicles. All lanes are blocked."

  Brit wanted to reassure him when he looked down at her.

  "I thought I'd never get here. I was so scared the bastard would hurt you."

  "But he didn't really hurt either of us, not badly.

  "And what in the Hell did you two think you were doing, Esther Louise Samuels? You let a dangerous man in the house when you women were alone? God damn, Esther."

  "Brit needed to get a close look to identify the man. You said so."

  "And you, Brittany Marie Roberts. You confronted the bastard? Don't tell me you had to let him see you. Honey, we just needed to be sure who he was under the scruffy look." He closed his eyes and hugged Brit again. "I thought Julie was still visiting New Britain. What the Hell was she doing here?"

  Brit shrugged. "Julie was upset she hadn't heard from us. When she called here, she got the message I left for the bastard and rushed over to find out what it meant," she explained.

  Esther stepped from Drew's embrace. "We'd have had him if Julie hadn't distracted us."

  Briggs wrote i
n his notebook. "Why do you think he took your friend? Does he know her?"

  "So Sam and Brit would follow him to save Julie, of course," Drew rubbed his chin.

  "No, he doesn't know her," Brit frowned "Or at least she didn't know him."

  "We'll go after him as soon as we get an idea where he can be." Detective Briggs looked stern at the four people watching him. "This is police work, people."

  "I am police," Drew whipped out his ID. "I was at the prison trying to learn how the son-of-a-bitch got messages out of there to keep threatening Mrs. Roberts after he was captured. I was investigating his escape."

  "We need to access the cameras to show Briggs and his partner what happened. I was watching it in the car on my way over here." Sam left Brit's side to boot up the computer Drew and Peters had installed. Icon's appeared on the screen so fast Brit couldn't count them. Sam typed and clicked until pictures of cameras appeared. The screen filled with images.

  Brit felt her heart squeeze when she saw Esther opening her door to trouble. Officer Briggs made notes as they watched the video. She could barely watch it without retching. Sam and Drew took turns accessing the views necessary to tell the story. All camera cards would go to the police station.

  Sam wanted to hit something. He wanted to hit someone. If only someone had been here to stop Julie from walking into the trap they had set to catch the prison escapee. If only someone had been able to prevent the girls from being injured. If only … Shit! The bruise on Esther's face made his gut ache.

  Why had he needed to take the stupid shower? Why hadn't he just come back here, instead of going to check in with Peters? Why take even a short rest?

  "We should never have let Brit and Esther bait the trap. We just put them in danger." Drew shook his head.

  "Do you really think you could've stopped us from being involved? At least you knew where we were." Brit rested her fists at her hips.

  Esther moved to put her arm around Brit's shoulders. "Yeah, we'd have struck out on our own. The only thing that went wrong was that no one warned Julie to stay away. If she hadn't come, Brit and I would've taken him ourselves."

  "She's right! Now, how do we get Julie back and put the scum away for good?"

  * * * *

  Douglas drove the stolen Explorer. Luckily, he hadn't reinstalled the ruined surveillance equipment around the Robert's woman's house. He couldn't have gone back for it. There was a stolen cell phone he could use a time or two, if he was lucky.

  Maybe he could break into a house to make one call. He didn't know where he was going. He'd know when he got there. He checked his rear-view mirror. He wasn't being followed. His plans had flushed down the toilet. When he found a place to keep the stupid blonde, he'd work on a new plan.

  The blonde moaned. She must be regaining consciousness. He'd hit her on the head to shut her up. Her bitching had made him want to just kill her now and get it over. That he couldn't do. She was his bargaining chip. She'd draw the teacher and her asshole boyfriend. Douglas would kill them all. He just needed a plan. The woman groaned again. She was waking up.

  "What the Hell?" Julie's head ached. Her gut hurt like she'd been hit. She had. The monster who'd hit her was driving the car and she was handcuffed to the door armrest. At least Brit and Esther were safe. If he had recognized Brit, he'd have just killed her immediately, maybe all of them, then run.

  She had to think. Her wallet was still in her jeans pocket. Her tiny cell phone was still in the other pocket. He hadn't searched her while she was unconscious, thank God. That probably meant he hadn't stopped driving since he'd snatched her. Her phone was turned off, so it shouldn't alert him that she had it.

  "Waking up? Start bitching and I'll put you out."

  Her captor glanced away from the road to stare at her. She leveled a look at him but said nothing. He'd pay for this after he paid for what he'd done to Brit.

  He faced the road again.

  "Where are you taking me?"

  "You'll find out soon enough." He seemed to study the neighborhoods as he passed through. He turned into a driveway. No cars occupied the driveway or the carport. A FOR SALE sign barely peeked above the tall weeds in the yard.

  "Who lives here?" Julie's question was met with silence.

  He pulled under the carport. "Stay here." He opened the car door and left her alone. He disappeared from sight.

  She immediately struggled with the cuffs. If she could just get to her pocket while he was gone. She stopped her struggle when she saw him moving back toward the car. Shit! The longer she stayed his captive, the worse her chances of survival would be. He wouldn't hesitate to hurt her, or to kill her, once he found Brit and Sam.

  He waved a key at her. "Found it in a flower pot out back. We're going inside." He unlocked the door on the passenger side, nearly toppling Julie as she swung out with the door he opened from the outside.

  "You ass! That hurt."

  He unlocked the cuffs on the door, but not before they made her already bruised wrists even more painful.

  "Damn you!" Julie wanted to smash his face in. He was laughing at her. He was digging his grave deeper. Somehow she'd get loose and she'd take him out!

  He yanked her around the front of the car to the yard. Grass and weeds in the backyard were nearly waist high. Walking would have been difficult enough without being cuffed to a man who pulled her, as his stride rushed her into a stumbling gait. "Slow down, unless you want to carry me after I break my ankle falling in this jungle. It's scratching my feet and legs."

  "Quit bitching or I'll drag you. That would hurt more than just your legs."

  She wouldn't make it easy for him. She tried to drag her feet, to make him stumble. She'd seen him stuff the key into his shirt pocket.

  The door he approached needed repair. He tried to use the key, but it wouldn't unlock that door. He slammed his shoulder against the wood and the door gave way. Once they were inside, the chances of being seen by someone who could help diminished.

  "Nobody home," his voice rang in the empty, finished basement. He flipped a wall switch and light illuminated the area. The air was old, as though the area had been shut up for a long time. "Come on; let's see what else we can find."

  He led her up carpeted stairs. Her arm hurt from being jerked the first time he slammed his shoulder against the inside door, apparently locked from the other side.

  She struggled with each of his efforts. It gave way after the third body slam.

  The owners must love mauve. The very air seemed mauve, coming through mauve sheer curtains on the many tall windows. Mauve was not her favorite color. Julie saw traffic passing on the road, but held no hope anyone would see her, or realize her predicament.

  The house's odor was as pungent on this floor as it had been in the basement. They wandered from room to room. An occasional piece of furniture had been left behind, chairs, tables, a large desk, a bed. Would he decide to hole up here? Could she get away if he did? Would Sam and Drew, or the cops, find her before it was too late?

  Douglas needed to secure the blonde bitch so he could think. They'd passed a bathroom with no outside windows. He'd lock her in it. He dragged her into the small room.

  "I'm gonna unlock the bracelets. Don't fight me, so I won't have to hurt you." He blocked the one door to keep her captive. "Sit on the john and stay still." He watched her from the corner of his eye as he removed the key from his pocket. He unlocked the cuff on his own wrist. "I could cuff you to that." He looked toward the lavatory pipes.

  "Please.".

  "I could cuff you to that, instead." He indicated the shower curtain rod. The fear on her face caused a stirring in his groin. He could imagine her begging him to let her live, promising to do anything he wanted. She had the look of a woman who knew how to please a man. He could teach her a thing or two. What would she do to protect herself? How far would she go to protect her friend?

  "Would you like me to leave you uncuffed in here? Would you?" He stroked her arm around the cuff. "Oh, look. Yo
u bruised yourself. You could run cold water over it."

  He turned the cold water tap. The water ran brown at first, then clear. He held his hand under the water, taking his time rubbing water over the pale skin of her arm. "Feel good?"

  She flinched.

  He smiled and hardened more. He cupped his hand again and collected water. "Thirsty?" He touched his wet fingers to her lips. He felt her soft, plump, lips tremble beneath his fingers. He liked her fear, but this wasn't the right time to let his cock do the talking.

  He wanted to enjoy this woman. She could probably be trained to be obedient. She was nothing like her teacher friend or those other bitches at the teacher's house. They'd let him think they were good. They weren't. He'd have to kill them once he had the teacher and her boyfriend. Maybe he'd let this one live. He needed to think.

  "I'm gonna take the bracelet off and leave you in here. All the comforts of home, huh? I'll lock the door. Don't try to get away. If you're good, I'll be good to you. But … ," he paused, "if you make a fuss or anger me, I'll have to punish you. I don't want to, but I will."

  He removed his belt, then unlocked the cuff. "I'll use the belt if you make me. Be good for daddy, hmmm?" He wanted to thank the person who had put in a bathroom door that swung out. He pulled a heavy, battered, dresser into the hall to keep his captive inside the bathroom.

  * * * *

  Brit paced her living room. The computer screens offered no help. Instead, they accused her. She'd let Julie be abducted. Maybe she should have let the men handle things. Then she and Esther would not have been here for Drake to find. They could have let him watch this house 'til he rotted or gave up. Someone would've spotted him eventually, and captured him and put him back in jail to stand trial.

  Instead, she and Esther had tried to play undercover cops and messed up royally. So they had been in control before Julie had shown up. She and Esther were better trained to defend themselves.

  The phone rang. Brit listened for the machine to pick up. Detective Briggs was at her side immediately. He listened with concentration, as though he could memorize the message and see through the lines to the caller.