by Lee Rose
“Would you recognize him if you saw him again?”
Tony could hear the sudden interest in Noah’s voice. Could it be Novak?
“I doubt it Sheriff Blake. He came to the table once, but like I said, she never introduced us to him and he always seemed to stand in the shadows. I always felt intimidated so I never looked straight at him. They would go off in a corner for thirty minutes or so. I saw them kissing a few times. She was always in a good mood after he showed up,” Kelly told them. Her hands were shaking and she folded them and put them down in her lap. “I am sorry. I wish I knew more. I haven’t known Alicia long, but I really like her. She is fun and so nice. Janice, too. I hope you find them, Sheriff.”
“Okay, thank you for talking with us, Kelly.” Noah stood up and had Helen walk the girl out.
When Kelly was gone, Noah looked at Tony. His eyes were filled with anger. “I was hoping for a definite yes on Novak. Damn it. We’re back to just possibilities.”
“I know. I looked Janice up online last night. She does have an erratic job history. She was in and out of work over the last two years. She had good grades in school and lots of potential. How she got involved in drugs is a mystery, but she lost her steady boyfriend, her best friend, and her parents. For what? A temporary high?” Tony said through gritted teeth. Drugs were a cancer on society. He wished there was a way to rid the world of that problem. “Maybe Novak was giving Janice drugs to lure Alicia away from the safety of our town. The lure of the drugs could have overshadowed any decency Janice should feel. But like you said, we are just guessing right now.”
“My gut tells me he is involved in this.” Noah ran his fingers through his hair. “I know he was pissed we ended his business opportunity here. He thought he had a gold mine in Red Hook. Maybe he planted Janice at the restaurant for revenge. He knew I was related to Alicia. This has just gotten way more complicated.”
Tony texted Matt to let him know Novak might have something to do with the club. “I texted Matt. He and Drake will interview George Hobson, the club owner. If we hit the jackpot, he will give us his partner’s name.”
“We need to keep an eye on Holly just in case he decides he wants to grab her, too. He was obsessed with having Holly,” Noah said angrily. “What a clusterfuck this is turning out to be.”
Tony nodded. “Holly was given a few days off of work. She has been so upset and hasn’t stopped worrying. Alicia is her best friend. She and Faith are at the coffee shop. I am heading over there right now. I will make sure they stay safe.”
Noah nodded, looking grim. “Thanks, Tony. I am going to see Alana. The restaurant is still closed. She is at her family’s house. I am not sure how much I should tell them. I’d hate to scare them with Novak for no reason.”
Noah looked reluctant to share any bad news with his in-laws. Tony headed to the coffee shop, but he couldn’t stop thinking of Alicia.
* * * *
Tony knew the minute his brother walked into the coffee shop it was bad news. He wanted to demand answers before Matt even entered the doorway. Matt was controlling his expression, but Tony could see the anger lurking in his eyes. He nodded at Tony, who was sitting by the window, keeping watch. Matt walked up to Holly, who was behind the register, and hugged her. He pulled her to sit with him at the table with Tony.
“Where is Faith?” Matt looked around. A few people sat with their laptops. It was a slow time of day.
“I sent her home with Adam and Hope. She needs to rest.” Holly’s older sister, Faith, was eight months pregnant. “What is going on, Matt? Your expression is scaring me. Just spit it out.”
Matt held her hand. He took a deep breath. “The sheriff in Morehead found Janice’s body about an hour ago. She was in Green County, about twenty miles outside of Morehead. A jogger found her in the park. She was beaten and strangled.”
Holly gasped and covered her mouth. Tears rolled out of her eyes. “And Alicia?”
He shook his head and looked at his brother. “No sign of her anywhere. They have a manhunt going on as we speak. She has to be alive. I refuse to believe anything else. Let’s not give up hope.”
Holly looked at her husband. She closed her eyes and opened them. Tony could see her lips trembling as if she was going to break down and cry. “I feel bad for Janice and her family. I didn’t know her. Alana said she was young. Whoever did this has to be caught. Faith said Noah thinks Novak is the culprit.”
Matt nodded, and she leaned on him and let her tears loose. Matt caressed her hair until she was done crying.
“I am taking you to your sister’s house,” Matt said firmly. “I have to report to the station, but I don’t want you at our house alone. We are playing it safe until we know if Novak is behind this or not. Noah has someone guarding the Garcia house. Adam and Liam are both home with your sister and Hope.”
Holly looked terrified and her blue eyes widened. “You think he would dare come back here?”
She couldn’t even say Novak’s name. Matt had confided in Tony that Holly still had nightmares about Novak kidnapping her from her home. He had sent his men to her house and knocked out Liam Blake, her brother-in-law. He had kidnapped her and threatened to rape her, but she had escaped.
Matt nodded and went to speak with Jenny, the coffee shop manager. Jenny looked upset but nodded.
“Jenny is going to call Faith and close for the day. People are going to be scared and upset when word of Janice’s death gets out. Sam is with the Sands family right now,” Matt said when he came back to the table. “After what happened this summer, people thought we were done with all of this.”
Holly looked at Tony with sympathy. She placed her hand on his arm. “Alicia is smart. I know she had to get away. I am not giving up on her, Tony. I know you care for her and I know you will do everything in your power to bring her home to us.”
Tony couldn’t swallow past the lump in his throat. Holly and Jasmine both had such confidence in him, but what if he failed? He tried to stay focused and confident, but that small voice still reminded him he had already messed things up with Alicia. “Thank you, Holly. I know I messed up with her, but I care about Alicia so much. I will keep looking, no matter how long it takes.”
Holly smiled. “I know a man on the run from his feelings when I see one. Your brother is just like you.”
Matt huffed but didn’t argue with his wife. He hugged her and kissed the top of her blonde head.
Tony smiled. His brother did well when he fell in love with Holly Davis. She had a heart of gold.
Matt looked at Tony with determination. “I am not giving up on finding Alicia alive. Stay strong, brother.”
Tony knew his brother was right. Now was not the time to give in to fear. They headed to Adam and Faith’s house. Matt got out of the truck to walk his wife inside. Tony imagined he was going to tell Adam and Liam to watch the girls carefully. Novak was out for revenge and none of them were safe. Tony looked around the area just in case. His favorite rifle was in his truck. He never left home without it.
Chapter Seven
Tony put his hand on Alicia’s slim waist. She was bent over the pool table, aiming her cue stick at a red ball. Tony felt himself sweating despite the AC being on. The pool hall was not crowded. The lights were dimmed low. All he could concentrate on was imaging all the things he could do to her in this position, especially if he stripped her of her tight jeans. Her shirt showed her golden skin. He was tempted to touch it and see if it was as silky as it looked. Would she slap him?
She turned her head and looked up at him. Her lips were pink and glossy and her smile was sweet. “Like this, Tony?”
His mind was blank as he looked at her pretty face. His feelings were growing the more time he spent with her. It scared him. What if she rejected him, or worse, felt sorry for him? She was young and vivacious. She was funny and bright. Her black hair shone under the light and he wanted to caress it. “Um, yeah. That was a good shot.”
She stood up and put her hand on h
er hip. She rolled her eyes and put her hand on his chest. “I missed the shot. What were you looking at?”
The grin on her face told him the minx knew exactly what he was looking at. He felt like he was blushing, but since he never done it before, he wasn’t sure. He was glad it was dark. “Um, I don’t know. Must have dazed off for a minute.”
“Aww. Have you been working too hard?” She rubbed his chest with her hand and he wondered if she noticed the growing bulge beneath his zipper. He did. “Maybe a cold beer will help.”
“Tony?” he heard his name being called and snapped out of his memory. Matt was looking at him with concern in his eyes. They were sitting at the station. Matt and Tony had taken a break and had gone to have dinner when Noah called a meeting. They rushed right back to the station filled with apprehension. Tony was afraid to hear what Noah had to say. If Janice was dead, the possibility of Alicia being dead was very real. Nobody said it aloud, but Tony was sure the thought was in everyone’s mind. He tensed his body for bad news. This was the second night with no sign or clue of Alicia or Novak. She had been missing for forty-eight hours. Morehead’s police had found nothing on who killed Janice, or any sign of Alicia or her car.
Noah walked into the room. They all sat and waited, including Helen. Everyone was on pins and needles.
“We had a report from Greene County. A Jane Doe was found wondering the side of the road in bad shape two hours ago. She was taken to the local hospital by a citizen,” Noah stated with tears in his eyes. Tony sucked in his breath and waited to hear the rest. It was hard to sit still and look calm. He wanted to pace the room and get rid of his anxiety. “We put Alicia’s picture on the news and sent it to police stations in several counties. A nurse called Ray earlier and said her patient looked like Alicia. We went over there immediately and it was her.”
“Is she…?” He couldn’t say the word aloud.
Noah shook his head no and Tony felt like he could breathe again. His thumping heart slowed back down a little. “She has some injuries, but the doctor assures us she will be fine with time. An ambulance is transferring her to Red Hook General as we speak. She was sedated so she is not conscious. The doctors assure us that is a good thing. She was dehydrated and confused. Drake and Ray are following them to make sure she stays safe.”
Matt looking relieved and smiled at him. Tony felt like he was in shock. He took a minute to soak it in. He wanted to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. Helen was sobbing into a tissue. Sam was hugging her, but he was smiling, too. Greg had his head tilted toward the ceiling with his eyes closed.
Noah looked at Helen. “I know people have probably heard the news. Plan a conference for the morning. I want to thank all the volunteers who helped us with the search.”
Tony stood up. His pulse was racing and adrenaline flooded him. All his tiredness was gone and he felt energized. He would not feel totally good until he could lay his eyes on her. “When will she be here?”
Noah looked at his watch. “In about thirty minutes. Let’s not forget that whoever did this to her and Janice is still running loose. Let’s not let down our guard. If Novak is behind this, I will not rest until he is behind bars.”
Or dead, Tony thought to himself. He wasn’t sure Noah wanted to hear that thought, so he kept it to himself.
Chapter Eight
Alicia sat up in bed. Her head was thumping and felt heavy. Last night she had woken up unsure of where she was or how she got there. Her head had been throbbing and it hurt to have the light on. An older man she didn’t know told her she was in the hospital and had a concussion. Her vision was blurry so she had nodded and closed her eyes again. She was too tired to ask questions.
The next time she had woken up, the morning light was shining through the large window. The walls were white and not blue like her bedroom. She felt confused and her mouth was dry. Her parents, brother, and sister surrounded her bed. They all looked tired and upset. She had immediately been scared. “What is it? Am I dying?”
Alana had stifled a sob and then laughed. She gave Alicia a cup of water with a straw in it, and Alicia sipped it. It felt so good going down her throat. “Of course not, silly. We’re just glad to see those pretty eyes open.”
Alicia had felt confused. Her memory was fuzzy. “What do you mean? Why am I in a hospital?”
She looked down and realized she was wearing a hospital gown. Every part of her body hurt. “What happened to me?”
Ray stood over her bed. He looked so sad. His dark hair was slicked back as usual, and he wore casual clothes. Was it still the weekend? She was slightly confused. “Do you remember what happened to you?” he asked.
Alicia closed her eyes and had to think. Her memory was fuzzy and her head was throbbing with pain. “I remember me and Janice going to Club Rock. I remember driving home.”
She gasped and looked at Ray with horror. “A car was behind us with bright lights. I remember it hitting us, and Janice screaming. That’s all. We must have crashed.”
Ray tried to smile but Alicia could see it was forced. What the hell happened to her, and why couldn’t she remember? She put her hand to her forehead and felt a bandage. “My head hurts.”
“I’ll get the nurse.” Alana leaned down and kissed her cheek so softly. Her eyes were red and swollen, and that worried Alicia. She wanted answers. “I don’t understand why I can’t remember. I must have hit my head hard when we crashed. Is Janice okay?”
“Wait until the doctor comes in and checks you out.” Her mom stood on the other side of her bed. She looked tired. How long had she been in the hospital?
“Mom, you should rest. Have I been here long? Papa?” Alicia called out with worry when she didn’t see him. Now that they knew he had heart problems, she constantly worried about him.
“I am right here, mija.” He patted her good arm. He was dressed in a dark sweatshirt and jeans. His black hair was sprinkled with silver. He was still a handsome man.
“Are you okay, Papa?” she asked searching his familiar face, a face she loved. He had been a strict but loving father. She didn’t want to be the one to cause him any stress.
He smiled and looked like he wanted to cry. He brushed her bangs out of her face and she could see his hand tremble. “I am fine. And you will be, too. You need rest.”
Alicia nodded and a dark-haired nurse came in with a cheerful look. Alicia had hoped it was her friend Holly, but Holly worked in the ER. She gave Alicia a glass of water and two tablets. “Doc will be in soon to chat with you. Let me close these blinds. The sun won’t help your headache.”
She swallowed the tablets and closed her eyes. It hurt to think, so she let herself drift off into sleep.
Later, she would demand answers.
* * * *
“This is hard, Noah.” Alana hugged her husband in the waiting room. She buried her face against his chest. Noah hugged her. He looked tired and emotionally spent. Tony was exhausted, too, but he was not leaving yet. He had peeked in on Alicia several times during the night, but she had been sedated.
They had taken turns being here all night so Alicia would not be alone. Now it was morning and Alicia was finally awake.
“She doesn’t know what happened to her. How can I tell her about Janice?” Alana sobbed quietly. Alana told them how confused her sister was and all she remembered was the car behind her hitting them.
“I know, babe. I’ll tell her about Janice. Let her rest for now. Doc said she has quite the bump on her head. Her whole body is banged up. She is going to be fuzzy about the events, but soon it will all come to her. Give her peace while she can have it,” Noah advised.
Tony was sitting down on a hard, uncomfortable chair. He stayed silent and just listened to everyone talk around him. He was so relieved Alicia was alive and would get better. Matt and Holly had left a few hours ago to get some rest. Drake and Jasmine were due to come in and take over for the morning shift. Tony wasn’t sure he could leave Alicia here and go home. The doctor had given them a list
of her injuries. Concussion, dislocated shoulder, and bruises all over. Tony had wanted to kill someone. They were all anxious to know what happened and who was behind this, but the doctor told them not to force her to remember. All he was waiting for was a name. Whoever had touched her would pay.
“Can I see her?” He asked Alana and not Ray. Ray had been glaring at him all night. He had already jumped on him earlier, yelling that Tony would not see Alicia unless it was over his dead body. If Ray was not Alicia’s brother, he would have said that could be arranged.
He knew Alicia’s memory of what happened might be hazy, but he was sure she remembered everything about their fight. He just hoped Dee didn’t show up. Lately she seemed to show up everywhere he went. She was a real nuisance and he was losing his patience in being nice. He already had Helen kick her out of the station with a warning.
Alana wiped the tears off her face. She gave him a shaky smile. “Sure. I am taking my mom and dad home to rest. Faith and Adam have my son, so I am going to get him. I feel the need to hold him.”
Alana walked back into Alicia’s room and came out with her parents following her. They said their good-byes. Ray came out a few minutes later. His expression was serious and hard. “Better hurry. She is drifting in and out. If you upset her, Noah won’t save you from me kicking your ass.”
Ray didn’t look happy to allow Tony access to his sister. Tony couldn’t blame him. He did hurt Alicia, even though he didn’t intend to. He was anxious to apologize. “I don’t plan on upsetting her, Ray. I know I haven’t acted like it, but I care for your sister a lot.”
Tony slowly opened the door. Alicia was lying on the bed with her eyes closed. She had a stark white bandage on her head. Her left cheek had a large, purple bruise on it. Tony knew her wrists were rubbed raw from being tied up. What kind of hell had she endured before escaping and wandering the roads of Greene County? As much as he wanted Novak, he didn’t want to traumatize her with the horrific memories.