He looked tense and walked around to her passenger side. Liz lifted the lock and he crawled in beside her. “I left it down the road. Don’t worry it’s hidden.”
“But what if they come out? We need your car. Mine’s almost out of gas. That wasn’t a smart move, Kent.”
“Damn, I forgot. I’ll go bring it up here.”
After he’d gone Liz found herself getting sleepy. She decided when Kent returned, she’d get some sleep. He could take the first watch and they’d stakeout in his car.
Kent wasn’t long returning. He must have run, Liz thought. She figured he’d felt foolish not thinking about the gas situation. When she saw him turn off his lights, after he’d parked in front of her, she left her car and joined him.
“I’m taking a nap. Wake me if anything happens.” She settled her head on the car seat and closed her eyes.
“Not so fast, Liz. We need to get in that room and find out what’s really going on. If he’s protecting her, we’ll leave. But it may not be the case.”
“You’re going in?” Liz asked sitting upright. “How?”
Kent got quietly out of the car and she followed. “I don’t know yet.”
Very few people occupied the rooms, and only a couple of other cars were parked at the doors’ entrances, as Liz and Kent crept closer to the motel courtyard. Lurking in the shadows they watched Room 10. The drapes were drawn but they could see light emanating from within.
“What now, Kent?” Liz whispered. “Do we break the door down?”
“Don’t be stupid. We couldn’t do that and we’re not armed. If he’s protecting her he might shoot.”
Liz swallowed. She hadn’t planned for her e mail prank to go this far. Now somebody might get shot. She decided to confess her part.
“I think you need to know something, Kent. I know you’ll be angry but it’s only fair I tell you. If you want me to leave after you hear, I’ll get in my car and go home.” She could see his curiosity in the moon glow and gulped before she began. “I’m the e mail prankster.”
He was truly taken aback and actually laughed. “Say what?”
“It’s the god’s honest truth and I’m not proud of it, but I did it for you.”
His eyes clouded. “You’re serious.”
“I wanted you for myself and Jessie was in the way. First I got her scared, then I blamed it on you. I thought if she suspected you, she’d give you up and you’d come back to me. The messages would stop and that would be the end of it. I might have ended up losing her friendship if I took up with you, but I figured it would be worth it.”
He could only stare at her, and she sank back against the building. She closed her eyes feeling the hot tears run down her face. She wished he’d do something, say something, but he kept staring, she could feel his eyes burning into her, even though her eyes were still closed. Finally she couldn’t take it any longer. She bolted upright and stared in his face, yelling at him.
“For God’s sake, Kent, say something. Give me hell if you need to, but don’t give me the silent treatment.”
He slammed his hand over her mouth. “Quiet down, will you? Remember where we are. I didn’t say anything because I’m speechless. I can’t believe it.” He removed his hand and she sat silently, staring at him with big, nervous eyes. “If you can do that to a friend, I’d hate to see the way you treat your enemies.”
Liz gulped. “I said I’m sorry. I wanted you to know the truth, that’s all.”
“Do you see what it’s come to Liz? This whole thing is your fault.”
She wiped at her eyes. “I know...I know. But I’m over you now, Kent. I cut out the messages and tried to get Jessie to talk to you. I told her I was wrong and she shouldn’t suspect you. But she wouldn’t give it up; she had to go to the police with it. That’s when things got out of hand.”
“If he’s in there protecting her, you have to tell them. Then we can all go home. But if he’s kidnapped her, for some unknown reason to us, then we’ve got to come up with a plan to help Jessie.”
Without warning Kent grabbed Liz’s blouse and ripped it hard. Liz opened her mouth to scream, but Kent clamped a hand over it before she could. “I’m not trying to hurt you. Be quiet when I move my hand and I’ll explain.”
When Kent moved his hand from her mouth, Liz muttered, “You sure as hell have a funny way of doing things. What was that all about? Why did you do that?”
“Because you’re going to the door. You’ll bang on it and fake rape. If Jessie’s okay she’ll tell you, and I’ll be right there behind you. We’ll explain our plan and everything will be okay. You’ll then tell the cop and Jessie your part and we can all go home. On the other hand if Jessie is not okay, I’ll try and take the cop by surprise, while you get Jessie out of there. Run to your car and get into town. You have enough gas for that. Go to the local authorities and tell them what’s happened.”
“Ah...one small problem, Kent. My car is behind yours.”
Kent glared at her then fished in his pocket for his keys. He shoved them in her hands. “Take my car then. Where are your keys?”
Liz wondered if he could see her sheepish look and answered, “In the car.”
She could certainly see his look plain enough. It was a look of disdain, and she shuddered when she thought of how a couple of simple little e mails could lose her two friends at once. Jessie might even go as far as to have her arrested or some god-awful thing like that. She could see herself now in prison stripes, or did they wear stripes anymore? She shoved his keys in her pants pocket. “I don’t know if I can do this,” she whispered.
“You have to. Remember, you’re the one who started all this with your threats. Now don’t scream. We have to make this look real. Mess your hair up.”
Liz did as she was instructed, then Kent grabbed her and kissed her viciously. Liz resisted, and he grabbed the back of her hair. “If you yell, rape, you have to look like it happened. Fight, damn it.”
Liz struggled and pulled away. Kent reached out and grabbed her by the blouse. The material ripped, running up her back. “God, Kent, that’s enough,” she cried.
Kent gaped at her. “Okay, you look the part now. Make up a good story and remember, Jessie’s safety might very well depend on how good an actor you are. Get in there and act. I’ll be right behind you.”
Liz knew she had to redeem herself as she headed for the motel door.
****
Ricardo’s shirt and tie lay in a heap on the dresser top. He turned to face Jessie. A little grin played on his lips, and the red scar pulled on the side of his mouth turning it crooked again. The scar did not fascinate or attract her like it had in the office, when she’d first met Ricardo. At that time she’d thought him an honourable man who might help her with her problem. Since then Ricardo had become her biggest problem. The scar frightened her now, for she wondered how he’d gotten it. She had thought it was in a fight while he was on duty perhaps. Now she wasn’t sure about that. She had been so foolish, thinking she knew him, thinking he was going to help her. How naive could she get anyway? Ricardo Alvarez probably lived a very dark and dangerous life, and his police work was just a cover for the real hideous person that he was.
He walked slowly towards her. His wide and powerful-looking shoulders and barrel chest tapered to a narrow waist and lean hips. His trousers fitted to his muscular thighs, and his deeply tanned chest looked as if he lived a lot of outdoor life.
He leaned over her, bracing himself on the bed on one bent knee. His dark eyes burned into hers. Jessie’s toes curled and she dug her feet into the bed in anticipation of his aggressive arms. When he touched her, she recoiled. “Don’t,” she moaned.
But he pulled her closer ignoring her plea, and the gun dug into her skin shooting hot pain through her side. His lips pressed against her mouth, and he pushed his tongue wildly against her teeth forcing her to open her lips. She pulled from him and spit on his cheek. But his laughter mocked her. His hand groped at her breasts, popping a b
utton as he reached through the thin material of her blouse.
“You little devil. Now you’re asking for it,” he said, pinning her back on the bed.
His erection pressed hard against her thigh and waves of dizziness passed through her head. His lips were hard on hers again. So hard she knew her lip was cut, for she could taste blood. His hands roamed her body, touching her, invading her private areas and making her sick. He was like an abyss on her, devouring her. Her own sobs sounded like they were coming from somewhere else, some place far away.
“Don’t cry little baby,” he whispered. “I won’t hurt you, just relax.”
But Jessie knew, even though his words sounded kind, that he was possessed by an evil spirit which lived in the depths of his being. She tried to calm herself, to recover her breath in order to maintain her strength, but her nerves were at a breaking point, and her terror was about to burst through the motel walls.
Ricardo had fully pinned her to the bed now, and he yanked viciously at her clothing. Fear gnawed at her illusion that this might all be a terrible dream. That she would wake up in a sweat in her own apartment. Two loud thumps on the motel door froze Ricardo’s further actions. He rose from the bed and pulled his gun, then slowly opened the door.
Blonde, tousled hair fell across a woman’s face. Ricardo stared at her torn clothes and smeared lipstick. She looked up at him. “Help me. I was raped,” her small voice begged.
“Liz?” Jessie yelled.
Ricardo’s stunned face whipped from woman to woman. Suddenly Kent slammed into the room and cuffed him from behind. Ricardo spun round and aimed his gun at Kent’s head. Kent’s flying foot kicked at the gun and sent Ricardo smashing against the dresser. The gun hurdled across the room but not before Ricardo had fired it. Kent’s lifeless body folded like an accordion and lay face down on the carpet.
Ricardo struggled to regain his footing and noticed that the woman had untied Jessie, and that the gun now rested on the bed within Jessie’s reach.
In a flash Jessie seized the gun. She held it in both hands, arms outstretched, pointing it straight at Ricardo.
“Put it down,” he commanded, “before you hurt someone.”
The weakness in Jessie’s arms caused uncontrollable shaking in her hands. She tried to concentrate, but the earlier sight of watching Kent crumble to the floor and lay motionless by the door was more than she could bear. She loved him and he was down...maybe dead. What mattered now?
“Give me the gun, Jessica.” Ricardo’s smooth voice attracted her attention. She faced him with tears brimming in her eyes. How could she aim the gun with tears in her eyes? She’d never fired a gun, but this man deserved to die, and she was the only one who could end this tense situation. “Give me the gun, Jessica,” he repeated stealing silently closer to her, his hand reaching forward for the gun.
Jessie’s finger pressed on the trigger. She squeezed her eyes shut and a trembling took over her body. The gun faltered and her grip was useless. She’d lost control and Ricardo was upon her like a fox with a chicken. In an instant, he reclaimed the weapon and slid it into his holster. He grabbed Jessie’s arm pulling her from the bed like she was a rag doll.
Liz watched in horror, frozen to her spot on the opposite side of the bed. A piece of the rope she’d pulled from Jessie’s wrist still dangled from the bed post. Ricardo swiped his shirt and tie from the dresser top and pushed Jessie out the door. Liz heard a car motor roar to life and she was instantly revived. She ran to Kent and fell on her knees above him. Grasping his shoulders she rolled him over to face her. Expecting blood she was amazed to find none — none that was visible anyway.
“Kent, can you hear me?” She shook his shoulders, dread filling her.
He moaned and moved his head slowly from side to side, his eyes opened and he gazed up at her.
“Kent! You’re alive! Are you hurt? Does it hurt anywhere?”
He moaned again and felt his forehead at the hairline. “My head hurts. What happened?”
“He...he got away and he took Jessie.”
Kent tried to sit up and Liz helped him. “We can’t let them get away. Help me up, Liz.”
“But—”
“Don’t argue. Help me.”
With Liz’s help Kent got to his feet and staggered to the door. “Hurry, Liz. Do you see the car?”
Liz whizzed past him and stood in the motel yard staring down the road. She caught a glimpse of tail-lights breaking at a curve in the road. “I see one.”
Kent was now on his way across the yard. Liz followed. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m walking, aren’t I? I think he just grazed me. There’s no time to lose.”
Neither Kent nor Liz paid any attention to the commotion at the motel. All occupied rooms were lit up and the office manager was hurrying down the walkway to Room 10. Liz steered Kent’s car swiftly down the road in pursuit of the disappearing tail-lights.
“Hurry,” Kent cried. “We can’t lose them.”
****
Ricardo handled his cruiser like the pro that he was, but oddly enough Jessie felt no fear. Numbness had settled into her brain. Kent was dead. Or was he? She had no idea that Liz or Kent and been onto Ricardo. How did they know he’d taken her? She had wanted to leave a note or some sign at the apartment, but she didn’t have time. There had been no signs of a struggle left behind, only an empty pizza box and an almost empty wine bottle. Whatever had tipped them off she was glad of it, and she knew that the shot in the motel room would arouse everyone around. And Liz was there. She could describe Ricardo and the cruiser. Before long an APB would be out on them. But would it be in time? He talked about a house or cabin somewhere. Was it remote? He hunted a lot he said. Was this cabin somewhere so far in the woods that they’d take days even weeks finding them? Jessie shivered at the possibility and glanced up at the high moon. A full, bright moon that was hard to hide under. She glanced in her side-view mirror, searching for headlights behind but only darkness stretched behind them.
“That was a pathetic rescue.” Ricardo laughed. “I’ll say one thing though your old boyfriend has a powerful kick. He must be a karate freak.”
“I should have shot you.”
“And why didn’t you, my pet? Lose your nerve? I knew you didn’t have the guts. I wasn’t even afraid of you. You got the shakes so bad you couldn’t have pulled the trigger if your life depended on it.” He laughed again, louder. “Get it? Your life depended on it? Well, don’t worry. I won’t hurt you. And you can forget about those pals of yours. That guy’s not going anywhere for a while, except maybe to the graveyard.” He laughed again and Jessie’s stomach turned.
He was so cruel and ruthless. How could he laugh at someone dying? He was supposed to be a lawman. Maybe he’d killed before. Maybe it was no big deal to him. If someone got in his way he moved him, however he had to, whatever it took. Jessie glanced in her mirror once more. This time she spotted dim headlights. They were distant and only visible for a second, then Ricardo rounded another curve. The road was growing steep and narrow. They were moving into the hills. She knew the hills that surrounded Wakefield just outside of town. Some of the roads had been used by her friends as teenagers. She’d been on a few of them herself. One particular road that led to the top of Lookout Haven had been christened Lover’s Lane. It had not been named that by the teenagers in her youth, but had been long known as Lover’s Lane even in her mother and father’s youth. Jessie concentrated on the layout of the land, trying to figure out just where he was taking her. But the car lights she could no longer see still encouraged her. And she knew she had to do something to get the attention of the other vehicle.
Ricardo was quiet now directing all his attention on the road ahead. The winding twist of it gave Jessie an idea. She wondered if Ricardo had seen the car behind. If he had he didn’t mention it, but he was speeding and that wasn’t a smart thing to do on that road. The moon above her was lost now behind the trees. Jessie sat quietly watching Ricar
do’s every move. His mind seemed on the road and she decided he was being far too attentive. It was time to do something.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked.
“I told you already.”
“This cabin, is it far?”
“You’ll see. Be patient.”
“You shouldn’t drive so fast. Why are you?”
“Be quiet.”
“No. I think you should slow down. What’s the rush? We have our whole lives ahead.”
Ricardo shot a glance at her and she noticed his look of surprise. It was what she’d hoped for. She baited him further. “I’m with you now.”
“I thought you wanted to shoot me.”
“I was wrong. Kent tried to hurt me, but he can’t anymore. I didn’t want to see him die, but at least now he won’t be harassing me any longer. And maybe he didn’t die.”
“I told you I’d look after you...protect you, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did, Rick. Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I love you. You should know that by now.”
He was relaxing. His voice was soft and low. He glanced often in her direction ignoring the road, even slowing the car some. Jessie turned her body slightly towards him. She jerked her knee upward then slammed all her weight on his right foot, the foot that controlled the accelerator.
The engine whined and the cruiser thrust forward veering crazily in a zigzagging line then tail spinning. The steering wheel spun out of Ricardo’s hands but he reacted quickly grasping onto it again, turning and braking. The squeal of the brakes and the impact from the sudden stop jarred Jessie’s mind and body.
The cruiser came to a stop across the road, headlights pointed into the right side bank. “You stupid idiot,” Ricardo screamed. “Were you trying to kill us?”
Jessie clinched her fists and sat stone-faced staring at the new spring growth on the side of the road. Just as the car had screeched to a stop, she’d glanced out her window and seen the faint headlights of the car behind them, then someone turned them off. But she knew now that she’d created enough attention, and that whoever was behind them was truly following them. And they were close enough now not to lose them.
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