The Sunshine Point Police Department, which was run solely on a volunteer basis, was attending their town meeting to select the new animal control officer. Micki explained the urgent nature of her request. The very nice but entirely unhelpful receptionist told Micki that she would have someone contact her just as soon as the meeting was over. Shouldn’t be too long now.
The rain fell in sheets. The cruiser’s worn wipers battled their way through as best they could, but visibility was mediocre at best. Micki could barely make out the lines of the road, but she was able to notice something sauntering across before she slammed into it. Squelching her brakes, she squinted again, and yes, it really was a black bear crossing the single-lane pavement into the woods on the opposite side. He looked offended by her presence before he picked up the pace and disappeared into the brush. Micki rubbed her temples.
How far away was this place? She felt as if she’d been driving for three, four hours at least. The clock on her dashboard proved her wrong. She’d only been on the road for an hour and fifty-three minutes.
Micki tried to call into the station but found she was in yet another dead zone. Even the crackle of her radio kept cutting out.
Her headlights illuminated a drooping sign propped up against a rusted guard rail. Rural Route 7. She was almost there, finally. An unseen gully in the road caused her tire to dip down, rocking her car as if she was in the middle of an earthquake. No, no, no. No car trouble now. I need to get to her.
The road became nearly impassable the closer to Route 9 she got. Micki looked down at her speedometer and saw that she had slowed to less than ten miles per hour, and even that felt too fast. What purpose could any human being have for a vacation home this far into the woods? Unless the plan was to kidnap and kill someone without anyone finding out. The nearest supermarket was probably thirty miles away, at least. There would be no fulfilling a late-night craving for mint chocolate chip, that was for sure.
After what seemed like another hour sputtering down the unpaved road, Micki quickly flicked off her headlights. In the distance, she could see a faint light in what appeared to be a window. A low-hanging tree branch scraped the hood of her car, startling her. She hadn’t realized just how complacent she’d become in the banal requirements of her small police force.
Micki pulled over about a hundred feet from the house. It was eerily quiet this far away from civilization. She didn’t even hear any crunching leaves or scurrying. The only sound was Micki’s own breathing and the pounding of the rain against the car. She got out and crept alongside her vehicle until she found what she was looking for. A newer-model burgundy Explorer sat in the mock driveway, which was really just a clearing of brush on the packed dirt. David’s SUV. That meant that Savannah had to be inside. She had to be.
Crouching down, Micki walked slowly toward the side of the house, constantly wiping rain from her eyes. She was careful to keep the sound of her footsteps to a minimum. Alerting David to the fact that she was outside would be catastrophic.
Gratefulness washed over Micki when she saw a dirty basement window below one of the side windows. She had no idea what she would be facing, but she’d shot up a silent prayer that David’s father’s cabin or tiny home or waterfront cottage or whatever the hell it was would have underground access and not a slab. She appreciated the small victory.
The house was still silent. Micki wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. Better than screaming, she supposed, but on the other hand, screaming would have at least informed her of their whereabouts. Of their…aliveness. She shook her head and commanded herself to think positively. David wouldn’t have gone through all of that trouble just to kill Savannah five minutes after he had her where he wanted her.
Micki shook the latch on the window only to find it wouldn’t budge. Unsurprising. She slid her brand-new pair of glass cutters out of her coat pocket and went to work. At least the police station had had some foresight that a crime could actually take place, even if it wasn’t the norm.
She jammed the tool against the glass and cut in a circle near the top of the window, just enough to fit her wrist through the opening. Micki hadn’t done this before on glass quite so thick, so it wasn’t popping out as quickly as she had hoped. She cut over the same indents she had already made and pushed the toe of her boot to the center of the circle. She pushed, hard, harder, and then finally heard a soft crack. The circle pushed through, to Micki’s horror, as she thought it was going to sail to the ground and shatter into little bits. She stuck her wrist through and felt for it, relieved to find that it was still hanging on by a tiny thread of glass. She yanked it off and undid the latch with her thumb.
The basement was dark. Really, really, dark. Micki crawled through the open window. Her holster caught on the ledge, scraping its way down to rest again on her hip. She grimaced, waiting to hear commotion ensue. It didn’t.
She felt her way along the damp stone wall, pushing all thoughts of what she might run into down there aside. She wasn’t afraid of a psychopath, but she sure as shit was afraid of centipedes.
Rather than use her ultra-bright flashlight to alert everyone within a three-mile radius to her location, Micki pressed the home button on her phone to use the dim light of her lock screen. It was eerie, how little of the room she could see, but maybe that was for the best. She just needed to get Savannah and get the hell out of there.
And then came the deep, masculine shout from above her head. Micki held up her phone and ran toward the stairs.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
David tried to pull his head back swiftly once the burn of Savannah’s teeth had set in, but Savannah only strengthened her grip. She held on until she felt the unpleasant metallic taste rush over his mouth. She brought her knee up, delivering a crippling blow to his stomach. David gasped for air, blood dripping from his torn lip.
“Savannah!” he screamed as she fled the bedroom.
The knob on the front door wouldn’t budge. The double-keyed dead bolt that locked from the inside as well as the outside had clearly been recently installed. Fuck. She grabbed a lamp from a side table near the coat rack and was just about to smash the window when he rushed at her. Savannah tried to adjust herself to hit David instead of the window, the metal base promising a crucial blow if she could land it, but he had the advantage of home field. David wrested the fixture out of her hand where it fell to the floor with a weak clang.
“You lying bitch,” he said to her, knocking her to the ground and then straddling her. He had her hands above her head, his grip too strong for her to break free.
It killed Savannah knowing that he outmatched her on brute strength alone. She was unable to get any traction with her legs because of his size. Savannah felt terror begin to stream through her veins. His eyes were emotionless. His muscles tightened and flexed with every breath.
He spoke through gritted teeth, red spittle flying in every direction. “I will fucking kill you,” he said, gravelly and slow, and Savannah believed him.
She thought of Eliana. How she’d never get to see her drive a car or go to college or fall in love. She thought of her mother, who would blame the Almighty for taking everything she loved from her, who would hold on to soul-crushing regret for their fractured relationship. She thought of Micki, who’d made her feel as if she could love again, who’d made her believe she had the ability to make someone else happy. All of it ripped away from her. By a year-long mistake that she didn’t even realize she was making.
“I will fucking kill you,” he said again, adjusting his grip on the pocket knife he held.
“No. You won’t.”
Savannah watched as Micki cocked the hammer and readied her weapon, pressing it forcefully against the back of David’s neck.
“Get the fuck off her, asshole.”
David sneered, letting go of Savannah slowly. He sat back on his heels while Savannah scooted away, sobbing with relief.
“So, the white knight has come to rescue the princess. How nove
l.”
Micki detached her handcuffs from her belt, looking at Savannah. “You okay?”
David used the fraction-of-a-second distraction to swing his arm backward, the corner of his elbow connecting with the center of Micki’s stomach.
“No!” Savannah yelled, scrambling to her feet.
It was too late. David was up.
Micki staggered backward, fighting for air. She pointed her gun at David’s back just as he turned the corner. “Stay here!” she yelled to Savannah.
For a second, Micki thought she might throw up from the force of David’s blow to her stomach. It pulsed with pain. She took off after David, berating herself for giving him the opportunity. It was a rookie move, one she never should have made. She slowed her steps as she entered the bedroom. A closet door was open just a crack.
Micki aimed her gun at the closet door and walked softly toward it. He had the element of surprise on his side, which she had foolishly given up.
His hand shot out from under the bed like a bullet, latching on to Micki’s ankle. He pulled hard, and she collapsed to the floor.
David crawled out from under the bed on the opposite side. Micki reached for his leg but only managed to grab a handful of pants.
“He’s coming!” Micki shouted to Savannah. She felt panic set in that David would take her hostage again, and Micki would have no other option but to let him go.
Micki scrambled to her feet and heard David’s voice from the other room. “Looks like your hero fizzled out on you.”
David lunged at Savannah, but she was ready. One straight punch to the underside of David’s jaw sent him reeling. He arched backward, his momentum biting back on him like a broken elastic. Micki stood behind him as he fell into her waiting arms. She forced him to his knees with a chokehold fueled by adrenaline and anger.
Savannah nodded. She pushed messy strands of hair away from her forehead, looking down at David in his compromised position, her expression flooded with contempt. “I would rather light myself on fire than ‘reconnect’ with you. Just so there’s no confusion.”
“I never should have listened to a cunt like you—”
David shouted in agony as Micki’s knee lodged into his spine, splaying him out on his stomach. She locked a cuff around each wrist but kept her knee in place, grinding a little harder than she needed to. “What was that you called her? I must have misheard.”
A knock sounded loudly on the door. Micki and Savannah looked at each other in confusion. Micki stood, keeping one heel of her boot on David’s back and her gun still pointed at his head and nodded to Savannah to answer the door.
“Sunshine Point Volunteer Police.” A small, frail octogenarian greeted her, tipping his hat. “I’m here to see about a possible kidnapping?”
Chapter Thirty
Micki stood against the squad car, her arm draped tightly over Savannah’s shoulders. Savannah’s head was cradled against her neck as they watched the Sunshine Point Volunteer Police load David into the back of an antique Monte Carlo, a lone blue light stuck haphazardly to the roof of the car. The wind was light and cool, but neither of them felt the chill.
“How did you find me?”
“Fate,” Micki sighed, chuckling softly. “CDs and Ruth Davis.”
Savannah looked up at her, confused.
“I wish I could have gotten here sooner. I’m so sorry he did this to you.”
Savannah wrapped her arms around Micki’s waist and squeezed tightly. “I really think he might have killed me, Micki. If you hadn’t shown up when you did…” She trailed off, a shiver coursing through her. “I never would have suspected him. Never.”
“Maybe he just snapped. It happens, I guess.”
“He was always so eager to please and never really showed an angry side. Even when we argued. It was boring, quite frankly. Imagine if I’d known what he was capable of.”
“You find someone not arguing with you boring? I don’t believe it. Ow.” Micki laughed as Savannah pinched her side. “How did David know about the mirror?”
“I told him the story while we were dating. He wanted me to get rid of the mirror, but I told him absolutely not. I liked it, so I didn’t see any reason to take it down. It was smart of him, really.” She paused. “How did you get in? David’s key unlocked the door from the outside and the inside.”
“The basement. Remember, I’m skilled at this sort of thing.”
“And for that, I’ll be forever grateful.”
Micki nodded, breathing in deeply.
“We should get home. When Eliana comes back in the morning, we can tell her it’s really, truly over. She doesn’t know what’s going on, right?”
Micki shook her head. “No. I talked to Rebecca; she was going to pick her up in the morning if I needed her to. But I told her to just wait for word from me and me only before doing anything.”
“Good.”
“Okay. Let’s go.”
Savannah looked up at her with a cocked eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”
Micki wondered if her cautious tone gave her away. “Nothing! Nothing, I’m just glad you’re safe.” Micki squeezed Savannah’s hand before opening the passenger side door for her.
“Tell me or I’m not getting in the car.”
Micki groaned at the starless night sky, though it had mercifully stopped raining. “It’s really not the time. We can talk about it tomorrow. You were just completely traumatized. You could have been killed. It can wait, I promise you.”
“Tell me now.”
Micki closed her eyes. Her self-doubt had chosen a fine time to make its presence known. Of all the selfish, ridiculous, childish things to bring up with someone who had just faced a literal madman. “Okay. It’s over, thank God. We can live normal lives again without being in constant fear. And I assume this means I’ll be moving back into my apartment full-time. Which is totally fine, of course, but…”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why would you move back into your apartment?”
Micki swallowed. “I mean, it’s pretty presumptuous, don’t you think? We’re still kind of figuring out what this is between us, and I don’t want to ruin it by being there all the time. You’ll get sick of me.” She smiled, only half joking. “I just figured you would want me to move back to my apartment so you can get your life back to normal.”
Savannah nodded. “Mmm-hmm. Well, obviously you can if that’s what you want to do. But please don’t move out on my account. I’m fairly certain I’m in love with you.”
“The guest room is super nice, and it’s fine for…what?” Micki snapped her eyes back up to meet Savannah’s.
Savannah nodded again and took Micki’s hand in both of her own. “I’m in love with you, Micki. And I want you to stay.”
“You…think you’re in love with me?” Micki asked, incredulous.
“I do.”
“Are you sure you’re not saying that because you were just face-to-face with a psychopath?”
Savannah closed her eyes and shook her head but still clasped Micki’s hand tightly. “Stop. I love you. I loved you this morning, and I’ll love you when we go to sleep tonight. It’s not because of anything. Just you. You’re infuriating and absurd and good-hearted and ridiculously beautiful, and you make me feel whole. I didn’t even know that there was anything missing until the moment that you dropped your duffel bag in my foyer. It’s all too fast, and I don’t know how it happened. But yes, Micki, I love you.”
Surprise flooded Micki’s chest. A slow smile broke out on her face, and she lunged forward, bringing Savannah taut against her chest. “I can’t even tell you how happy I am. I feel the same way, and it doesn’t even make sense, I mean, it’s not logical, like, at all, but I’m so head over heels in love with you, and yes, I want to be with you and Eliana. I’ve never felt like this with anyone, so I’m really fucking scared, but I don’t even care about that right now.”
Savannah laughed, holding on to Micki, and fire cr
ackled between them with nothing needed to stoke it. “Can you take me home now? I did just face death, you know.”
“Yes, of course. Here,” Micki said. She opened the passenger door once more. “Hop in. I love you.” She smiled again, just testing the words on her lips to see if they felt right actually being spoken into the blackness of the universe. And yes. Yes, they did.
Chapter Thirty-One
They could have found a hotel for the night, but Savannah really just wanted to go home. They didn’t pull into the driveway on Kensington Road until the sky was just transforming into a lighter shade of blue.
As they walked toward the front door, Micki put her hand on the small of Savannah’s back. “The next few days are going to be daunting. We’ll be brought in for questioning, meetings, the bail hearing, etc. Hopefully, they’ll send him to Portland. We should probably talk about all the things we’re going to need to do.”
Savannah gasped at the dried wine stains on her tile floor, shards of glass glittering in the soft light of the overhead. Micki’s eyes widened.
“I’ll clean it up,” she said, bending over to grab the larger pieces of glass.
“No, Micki, it’s fine. I just…forgot, I guess. It feels like it’s been a hell of a lot longer than…however long it’s been. We can deal with it in the morning. Please, let’s just go to bed.”
The pleading in Savannah’s voice nearly broke Micki’s heart; she threw the glass she had picked up into the trash and agreed to leave the rest until morning. She took Savannah’s hand and led her up the stairs.
Secrets in a Small Town Page 18