“Well, obligation is as good a reason as any to get married,” Yvana said.
“But...” Madison never thought of herself as a romantic before, and yet—now, here—faced with the idea of marrying a man simply because it was good for the baby just irked her.
“And I never met a man who didn’t think he was always right,” Yvana was saying. “I figure that comes with the Y chromosome.”
Madison had to laugh at that. Still, she felt glum. Her problems suddenly seemed to loom large, unfixable, and watching Collin smile at the blonde was making her blood boil. She ought to march over there and tell him to cut it out. But would it even make any difference? She’d seen everything she needed to see. Collin wasn’t really in love with her. Otherwise, why would he have the slightest interest in that girl if he was?
“I want the whole package,” Madison told Yvana. “I want a man to be so crazy in love with me he has to marry me, not because of a baby, but because of me.” She watched Collin share a laugh with the girl and saw her put a hand on his forearm, a light, flirtatious touch. “Collin’s not that man.”
Madison just wanted to leave, then. The disappointment hit her stomach like an unexpected blow. She couldn’t breathe, and if she hung around much longer, she’d probably start to cry. She felt the prick of unshed tears.
“I... I need to go.”
“Want me to drive you home?” Yvana asked, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
Madison glanced at Collin, still involved in talking to the thin blonde. She wasn’t sure how much more she could take.
“That would be great, actually.”
“Come on, sugar,” Yvana said. “Let’s go.”
* * *
COLLIN’S PHONE RANG in his pocket. He pulled out the cell and Jenny’s name flashed on the screen. He hoped this meant they’d captured Jimmy Reese. “Sorry,” he told Amber. “I’ve got to take this.”
Disappointment wrinkled her brow, but he moved away from her, his attention focused on the phone.
“Hello?” he answered, mentally keeping his fingers crossed for good news.
“Collin.” Jenny’s voice sounded strained, serious. Collin felt his stomach tighten. There’d be no good news today. “Someone matching Jimmy Reese’s description was seen at a boat dock on Pine Island. We’re pretty sure he’s stolen a speedboat. Collin, we think he’s headed over to you.”
“Do you have any surveillance video?”
“It’s grainy, but I can send it to you.”
“Do that.” Collin scanned the area, looking for Madison. But he didn’t see her. Where did she go? Still on his cell phone, Collin moved farther away. He looked left, by the DJ’s table, and then right, by the food, but saw no sign of Madison. Steve, the plainclothes officer, stood munching on wedding cake. Collin motioned to him, mouthing “Madison?” Steve began searching the crowd as well.
“When did he take the boat?” Collin felt his attention sharpen as he scanned the room. No sign of Madison. Had she gone to the bathroom? He worked his way over to the women’s restroom.
“We think maybe this afternoon.”
Collin felt a cold pit of dread form in his stomach. He checked his watch. Night had fallen an hour ago. “That means he could be on the island already,” Collin said.
“Yes,” Jenny admitted. “I’m sorry, Collin. The officers had been to every dock, but somehow Jimmy got by us. The police chief said he’ll be sending a few more officers to North Captiva.”
“Tell them they’d better hurry,” Collin said.
“I will.” Jenny paused. “And, Collin...be careful.”
“Always am.” Collin clicked off the phone and then knocked on the women’s restroom. “Hello? Anyone in there?” No one answered, so he pushed open the door to find it empty. He glanced at the dance floor and the tables again. Madison wasn’t here. He felt panic clench his stomach. Collin rushed out to the line of parked golf carts in the gravel lot next to the pool, but saw their golf cart, keys still in it. He pulled out his cell phone and called Madison, but it went straight to voice mail; her phone was out of range. There were a number of different black holes for cell reception on the island.
Collin saw Mark, who was already on the prowl, looking for Madison.
“Any sign of her?” he asked Mark.
“I had eyes on her and then lost her. Thought she was helping Yvana, but now I can’t find either of them.” The detective frowned. “I tried calling her...”
“No answer?”
“Nope. Straight to voice mail,” Mark said. Even the veteran cop looked worried. Collin didn’t like that, not one bit. Collin’s phone dinged and Jenny’s incoming video arrived. He hit Play and saw a grainy security cam video of a dock bathed in fluorescent light. Then Jimmy came into view. The dark inky neck tattoo was visible in the footage, since he was wearing a black tank top; his arms were filled with equally offensive tattoos—a cloaked KKK member, a rope tied in a noose, some quotes from Hitler in German, and, of course, the Nazi slogan, blood and soil. He wore a goatee and his blond hair was smashed down under a trucker’s cap.
“Real piece of work,” Mark grumbled as he watched the video over Collin’s shoulder. The two men exchanged a glance, both knowing that if Jimmy had his way, they’d be dead, for no other reason than the color of their skin.
Collin watched the man creep onto the dock, board one boat and exit it. Then, Reese spied a faster speedboat, a white one with maroon stripes down the side. He looked furtively over his shoulder and climbed aboard. In a few seconds, he had it hot-wired and he backed up the twenty-four-foot speedboat into the darkness, disappearing from the camera’s angle.
“We have to find that boat,” Collin said. He rewound the video and froze the frame to give Mark a better look at it.
“There are three docks on the island, not counting the private ones,” Mark said. “Could be anywhere if he’s here.”
Collin jogged to the dock closest to the little marina shop and the clubhouse. Boats were docked up and down the wooden pathway. “It’s worth taking a look,” he said, and he hurried down the path, walking by several fishing boats. About five boats in, Mark pointed. “There!”
Near the end of the row, they saw a white boat with maroon stripes down the side. Collin ran to the boat, with its interior partly obscured by its canopy. Mark was beside him, gun drawn. Collin did a quick check of the numbers on the side of the boat against the grainy security footage.
“It’s the same one,” Collin whispered. “I’ll go first. Can’t be too careful,” Mark said, his voice low, and popped ahead of Collin. He climbed onto the boat, his gun with the flashlight attachment illuminating the canopy, showing an empty captain’s seat. Mark checked the door leading to the engine, but the vessel was abandoned.
He went to the back of the boat and touched the side of the motor.
“Still warm,” he said. “Our guy hasn’t been here long.”
Fear shot through Collin. “I’ve got to find Madison.”
* * *
YVANA PULLED THE golf cart into the little driveway by Collin’s rental house, which was dark. Only now, in front of the darkened house, did Madison remember that she was supposed to tell Mark and Steve when she left the wedding party. She hated feeling jealous. She’d been so distracted by the broiling emotion, she’d all but forgotten the looming threat of Jimmy Reese. She took out her cell but got no signal, the phone completely out of bars.
“Can you tell Mark where I am?” Madison asked. “When you get back to the party? I should’ve told him.”
“Sure, sugar,” Yvana said, patting her leg. “Want me to stay? Just in case? I’ve got to head back to the reception at some point, but I could stay with you for a few minutes if you’d like.”
Yvana yawned, and Madison realized the manager was as tired as she was, maybe more so, and Yvana still had to finish the wedding.<
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“No, you have work to do. It’s okay. Just tell Mark and Steve, and I’m sure one of them will be here soon. I should be okay for a few minutes.” All she could think about was Collin with that pretty blonde in the short dress, anyway. How long before he noticed Madison had left the party? Or would he even notice at all?
“If you’re sure.” Yvana eyed her once more, like a mother hen worried about her chick. “I’ll stay right here until you get inside.”
Madison nodded and slid off the seat. She tromped up the long porch steps, then slipped her key into the lock and opened the glass door. She flicked on the interior light, illuminating the den and the porch. She waved to Yvana, who waved back and then ran the golf cart across the sand driveway and back to the road.
Madison felt the sadness of the evening weighing on her. Collin didn’t love her, not the way she needed and desired to be loved. She felt exhausted, wanting nothing more than a quick shower and bed. She walked to the bathroom, remembering they’d left Teddy inside during the wedding, but when she got there, the door was slightly ajar, the light on.
“Huh. That’s funny.” She frowned. Had they forgotten to close the door? “Teddy?” she called, but the bathroom was empty.
“Teddy?” Madison called again, as she searched for the dog through the living room and kitchen, even ducking under the kitchen table. “Teddy!” Where had the dog gone? Usually, he was happy to hear human voices and always ran to the foyer to greet guests. Where was he?
Madison started opening closet doors, worried that he’d somehow gotten himself trapped in one. More importantly, how had he let himself out of the bathroom? She was sure now that she’d closed it, heard the door click behind her. She wouldn’t have left with the door ajar.
“Teddy?” Her voice echoed up the empty staircase, the one leading to the bedrooms. She took the wooden stairs one at a time, the boards creaking a little beneath her feet. Suddenly, the house seemed very big and very dark. She took her cell from her pocket, thinking about phoning Collin. But, again, no bars. She couldn’t even send a text message.
“Teddy?” she called at the landing of the stairs and waited. Nothing. No answering bark, no scampering of claws against the wooden floor. Strange. She flipped on the light in the master bedroom, but there was no sign of Teddy. One of the patio doors was slightly open, however, and the sheer curtain fluttered in the night breeze. Had Collin left it open for air? But that didn’t make sense, since the air-conditioning was on. She walked over to the patio door, worried that Teddy might somehow have gotten out. Madison stepped outside, and saw the wooden railing surrounding the patio, which was big enough for two chairs and a small table, high above the ground. Nearby, she could see the treetops of palm trees, and directly next door, the roof of her uncle’s house. The house was dark, save for one light. A bedroom. Her bedroom, or had been. Did Mark leave that on? Or had they come home?
She watched for a few seconds, but saw no movement. They must’ve left it on. She glanced at the patio railing. The bars were too close together for Teddy to get through. Good thing, since the fall would kill him if he tried.
Behind her, a high-pitched whine pierced the air. She froze, the hairs on her forearms standing straight up. Teddy, she thought in recognition. That was Teddy.
“Teddy?” she called again, even more concerned as she stepped back inside the house. She heard another hesitant whine. The closet? She swung open the closet door, and saw Collin’s clothes hanging there. No puppy, just shoes lining the carpeted floor. The whine came again, this time from behind her. She knelt down and pushed up the comforter, looking under the bed. Teddy saw her and his tail started to wag a little. He’d somehow wedged himself in the farthest corner, too far for her to reach. His eyes seemed worried, unsure.
“Teddy, come on, boy.” The dog whined. “What’s wrong, boy? Why are you hiding?”
Nerves bristled in her stomach. Why was he acting so strange? Cowering away from her? She slid one arm beneath the bed, beckoning the dog with her hand. He was out of reach, even if she stretched to her fullest.
“Teddy. Come.” The dog inched forward, sniffing at her fingers. He was scared of something. But what?
Outside, she heard the distant rumble of thunder. A storm was coming. Eventually, the dog, wagging his tail, crept toward her. She grabbed the puppy and pulled him out. He licked her face.
“What’s wrong with you? Thunder freak you out?”
Another low rumble outside sent the little dog’s head into her armpit, as if he was trying to hide.
“Aw, Teddy, you’ve got nothing to worry about. I promise.” She walked the puppy to the window and pulled back the blinds. In the distance, near the rolling waves of the ocean, she saw lightning flash in the darkening sky. More thunder followed. “See? It’s just a storm. That’s all. But you’d better go outside and do your business before it starts to rain.”
She snuggled the puppy’s neck, feeling grateful for his love, at least. “I know you won’t betray me with a leggy blonde,” she told the pup, who just licked her face again. She took him downstairs and brought him outside, clipping on the leash and putting him down. The wind brought by the storm whipped her hair, and she hugged her bare shoulders. Teddy cowered by her ankles.
“Come on, boy. Do your business so we can get inside.” She knew the puppy needed to go, and she also knew, if he didn’t go now, the second she brought him in, he’d probably have an accident all over the kitchen floor.
Lightning flashed again in the distance. The wind kicked up and the bushes around them rattled as the storm blew in. Tiny wet spots darkened the porch near her feet. The rain had begun. Madison felt exposed again, almost as if someone was out there watching her from the thick brush.
Just my imagination, she thought, as thunder boomed across the sky and nearly made her jump out of her skin.
“Hurry, Teddy. Please.” She hugged her arms and glanced at the dark shadows near the edge of the yard. Nobody’s there. It’s just my imagination. Still, she tugged on the dog’s leash. “Pee-pee, okay, boy? Pee-pee.” She felt ridiculous coaxing the dog, but she wanted inside almost as badly as Teddy did. She glanced once more at the dark bushes. Just bushes. That’s it.
Teddy anxiously sniffed around on the grass and then went, lifting his nose in the air and whining a bit.
Madison was relieved to see him go. “Good boy,” she cried, happy as he finished and they walked back up the stairs to the front door on the second-floor landing. She looked back at the bushes, then ducked inside, bolting the glass door. For a second, she thought she saw a shadow moving in the yard. A shadow the size of a man.
She pressed her hands against the glass and peered out. Lightning flashed, showing an empty yard.
Then Teddy barked. He barked loudly, his attention entirely focused on the outside. Goose bumps rose on her arms. The dog sensed something.
“What is it, boy?” she asked, almost too scared to know.
Teddy glanced up at her and whined, and then, with a laser-like focus he stared out at the dark rain. Lightning struck once more and this time, she thought she saw the outline of a man standing on the lawn.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
WHERE THE HELL was Madison? Collin couldn’t find her anywhere. Had she left the party? If she had left, she hadn’t taken the cart. Panic surged through him. What if Jimmy Reese had grabbed her right from under their noses? What if she was being held by him, scared and alone, in a house nearby? Thunder rumbled in the distance. Tiny raindrops darkened the white concrete near the pool. Wedding guests began to move under the canopy, and some opted to leave.
Amber stood uncertainly, sipping her wine, waiting for him at the bar. Well, she’d just have to wait. He had to find Madison. If anything had happened to her or the baby...
Collin glanced over and saw the elderly man who’d taken Madison for a spin on the dance floor and asked him if he’d seen
her. It took a few times repeating the question, but the man eventually shook his head. Hadn’t seen her. Steve and Mark were looking, too, combing the entire area around the reception. Collin had tried calling her phone again, but it still went straight to voice mail. It must have been out of bars or out of battery, but either way, his calls weren’t going through.
Amber waved at Collin, but he ignored her. Not to be rude, but because he had other things on his mind. He saw Dave at the other end of the bar, drinking yet another whiskey. “Dave! You seen Madison anywhere?”
“Saw her talking to Yvana a little while ago.” Dave glanced up looking around. “Don’t see either of them now, though.”
Collin had noticed that Yvana was no longer at the wedding, either. He saw one of the groundskeepers tucking away the sound system beneath the awning to make sure none of the equipment got wet. He had a walkie-talkie on his belt. Collin was about to ask if he could use it, to call Yvana, when he saw the manager pulling up in the North Captiva Club golf cart. He trotted over to her.
“Yvana, we think Jimmy’s on the island,” he said urgently. “Police are coming, but for now, he’s on the loose.” The wind kicked up and ruffled Yvana’s bright scarf. She looked worried as lightning streaked the sky above their heads.
“You serious?”
Collin nodded. “Where’s Madison?”
“I just took her to your place.”
Collin felt fear jolt his stomach. Madison would be all alone there. He had to hope that Jimmy hadn’t figured out the address for her uncle’s house. Though, why would he be on the island if he hadn’t?
He signaled Mark and Steve, who started to make their way through the crowd.
“You know we’re all supposed to be keeping an eye on her,” he told Yvana. “Why did you leave her there alone?” Collin was irrationally angry, but Madison was in harm’s way and Yvana shouldn’t have left her. This was why Collin sometimes felt he was the only one who did things right, thought things through. Who left a pregnant woman alone with a killer on the loose?
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