by Mari Carr
Stella looked around. She appeared to be terrified.
“I was trying to get you away from Carissa. I don’t want her involved in this. It’s dangerous.”
Jett had thought Stella was a bit of an airhead as she contributed very little to any conversation they’d ever had—always distracted and laughing just a beat or two after he and Carissa, as if she hadn’t gotten the joke. It appeared she was more intelligent than he’d given her credit for.
“What’s dangerous?”
Stella bit her lip and glanced around the lobby again. “Do you think we could talk about this outside? I’m afraid I’m being watched.”
Jett nodded, following Stella toward an employee’s exit. They stepped out onto a small path that was overgrown with lush, green vegetation. There were two tracks that looked like they’d been made by the golf carts employees used to transport things all over the island. Two carts were parked next to them.
“Who do you think is watching you, Stella?”
She shrugged. “No one. I just wanted to get you alone.”
Before Jett could respond, he felt something sharp pierce his arm. He tried to swat at the sting, thinking a mosquito had bitten him. However, he couldn’t move and his vision went hazy. Black spots obscured his view. All he could see as his strength began to fail was Stella smiling, her face distorted with an unhinged glee, as she pushed him into the passenger seat of the golf cart.
It was her.
Stella was the killer.
And he was a dead man.
Carissa glanced around the lobby, expecting to find Jett there. When he hadn’t returned to the table after ten minutes, she began to worry and decided to look for him. She inquired at the front desk, only to be told Jett hadn’t shown up to his phone call and the person calling had hung up.
Panic began to set in.
“Carissa? Are you okay?”
Carissa bit back a curse as Phillip approached her. The man was at the top of the very short list of suspects she and Jett had managed to put together. If he’d done anything to Jett, Carissa would kill him.
“I was just looking for Jett.”
Phillip scanned the lobby. “I haven’t seen him.”
“He probably just slipped back up to the room.”
“You seem concerned. Do you want me to come with you?”
She shook her head and started toward the elevator. Unfortunately, Phillip began to follow.
“You really don’t have to come with me, Phillip. I’m sure everything is fine.”
“Where’s Stella? I noticed the two of you seem to have become quite inseparable the past few days.”
She wasn’t sure how to respond. Every alarm in her brain was sounding loud and clear. “I haven’t seen her tonight. Jett and I were enjoying a dinner together when he received a phone call from home. I’m sure everything is fine.”
Phillip’s expression darkened. “I don’t think you should walk around the hotel alone, Carissa. People have a tendency to come up missing on Eden.”
Carissa’s blood began to run cold. No one had reported Gregory’s disappearance and only a handful of people knew about the murder. The only way he could know Gregory was missing was if he’d committed the crime.
What if Phillip had lured Jett away in an attempt to separate them?
She decided to play dumb. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Actually if you want to help, maybe you could check the dungeon for me.”
“Jett wouldn’t go there without you.”
It was clear Phillip had no intention of letting her out of his sight. Desperate times called for desperate measures.
Carissa reached for Phillip’s arms. Her quick motions caught him off guard and he raised his hands to hers as she yelled loudly.
“Let me go!”
Several people in the lobby, including a security guard near the front entrance, began to approach them as Carissa held tight to Phillip, making it look like he was grabbing her.
Phillip tried to break her grasp as she continued to yell for help.
“What are you doing?” Phillip asked, obviously concerned.
The large security guard placed a firm hand on Phillip’s shoulder, which he foolishly tried to shrug off.
Carissa released Phillip, then staggered away, holding her hand to her heart as if upset by the attack.
Another member of the security force arrived. Phillip proclaimed his innocence, insisting she had grabbed him. It was clear no one was buying Phillip’s story as she pretended to cry. “He was trying to force me to his room.”
Phillip scowled. “What? No, I wasn’t.”
Carissa slowly backed away, feigning genuine fear as the security guards dragged Phillip toward an office behind the front desk. “Please come with us, sir. We need to ask you a few questions.”
One of the guards turned toward her. “Are you okay, Miss?”
She nodded. “Yes. Thank you so much for your help. I’m going to go back up to my room. I need to lie down.”
The guard hauled Phillip behind closed doors. Carissa was about to head up to the room when she caught sight of the employee who’d come to tell Jett about the phone call.
She called out for the man, who stopped. “I’m looking for my date, Jett Lewis. You spoke to him in the restaurant.”
The man nodded. “Yes.”
“According to the clerk at the front desk, he never came to take the phone call.”
The man shrugged. “Some lady pulled him aside as soon as we got to the lobby and they started talking.”
“A woman?”
“Yeah. Pretty woman with long, straight dark hair.”
Stella.
Suddenly, a light went on and Carissa knew they’d been duped. Fooled into believing Stella was some dim-witted, harmless woman when she’d actually been setting them up all this time.
“Did you see where they went?”
The man nodded and pointed to an employee exit at the side of the room. “Last time I saw them, they were headed over there.”
Carissa didn’t have a moment to lose. Stepping out onto the path, she took a second to catch her bearings, then her heart started to race. She was fairly certain this path would lead her to the spot where she’d found Gregory. That thought propelled her forward and Carissa sprinted through the woods.
She ran for several minutes, slowing down when she spotted a light glowing in the distance. A flashlight dotted the darkness. The sky was fairly cloudy, the light of the moon continually appearing, then vanishing. When clouds covered the moon, the night swallowed her almost completely, making it difficult to stay on the path.
She moved toward the light, stopping when she heard a female voice. Creeping closer, Carissa silently kicked herself for taking off so heedlessly without going inside for help. Panic had set her in motion, but now that she was here, she realized she needed backup.
No one knew where she was. If she had a snowball’s chance in hell of saving Jett, she’d have to do it on her own.
God. This was bad.
Taking cover behind a bushy tree about twenty feet away, she peered toward the flashlight, hoping Stella couldn’t hear her panting breath—fear and the run had her gasping for air.
As a cloud moved away from the moon, Carissa was treated to her first glimpse of the clearing ahead.
Stella was talking as she secured something to a lounge chair. From Carissa’s position, she could only see the back of the lounger. Leaning closer, she realized Stella was tying a hand to the arm of the chair.
It was Jett. It had to be. Given his stillness, she could only assume he was unconscious or—as Gregory had been—drugged.
Stella continued to speak, her singsong voice alerting Carissa to just how unhinged the woman was.
Carissa slowly tugged her cell phone out of her back pocket. She hesitated for a moment, uncertain if she should turn it on. What if Stella saw the glow of the screen and came to investigate?
Plus Carissa was fairly certain 9-1
-1 didn’t work on Eden and she didn’t have the number to the hotel plugged into her phone. What the hell was she supposed to do?
Tucking the phone away, too afraid of risking discovery, she started searching the area for a weapon. She didn’t see Stella holding one, so maybe if she could find a big enough branch, Carissa could knock the woman out.
Unless Stella had a gun. Then it was Carissa who would be shit out of luck.
Carissa heard a groan and saw Jett begin to stir. It occurred to her that Stella had actually been waiting for Jett to wake up. The evil woman wanted her victim conscious.
Stella clapped as Jett began to struggle against the ropes binding his hands and legs to the chair. Stella knew her business. She’d definitely rendered Jett helpless.
Jett said something in a low voice. Carissa couldn’t make out his words, but she could hear Stella’s response.
“No. I’m not letting you go. You’re hurting my best friend.”
Carissa frowned. Her? Stella considered Carissa her best friend? They’d hung out for a few hours the past few days by the pool and perused a couple of hotel shops, while Carissa struggled to make conversation!
Jett responded, but again Carissa couldn’t hear what he said.
Stella’s smile faded, her expression morphing from insane to terrifying in two seconds flat. She lashed out, slapping Jett across the face. Hard.
Carissa struggled to remain where she was, every instinct pushing for her to kick the woman’s ass. However, rushing in without a plan and with no idea of what she was up against was a sure way to fail.
She took a calming breath and tried to clear her mind. She needed a plan.
Jett continued to speak to Stella, no doubt attempting to keep her talking until the Calvary arrived.
Stella’s tone was vicious as she answered whatever question Jett had asked. “Carissa is a nice girl and you’re making her a bad one! Just like Master did to me.”
Carissa found it interesting that Stella still referred to Gregory as her Master. Killing the man seemed to indicate the respect behind that title should have been long gone.
Jett’s voice was louder, stronger now. The drug must have lost some of its potency. “I’m not forcing Carissa to do anything she’s uncomfortable with.”
Stella laughed loudly. “Yeah, right. That’s what you all say. You tell us we want it, even when we don’t. You force us to do whatever you command, no matter how painful or degrading or scary.”
Carissa could almost feel sorry for Stella. Gregory had betrayed her trust.
“Why didn’t you just leave, Stella?”
Stella actually seemed confused by Jett’s question. “Because he was my Master.”
Jett fell silent for a moment, but quickly spoke up when Stella opened the backpack at her feet and retrieved a wicked-looking knife.
“I’m not Gregory. I won’t hurt Carissa.”
Stella studied the knife, looking at it almost as one would a lover. Carissa clenched her hands into a fist, hoping to still the trembling that had begun the moment Stella retrieved the weapon.
It looked like time was running out. Carissa crouched down, desperately searching for something she could use as a weapon. It was too dark to see the ground clearly, so she was forced to feel around.
She was thrilled when she wrapped her hands around a thick branch. Pulling it up slowly, she abruptly stilled when the leaves around her rustled from her movement.
A quick look confirmed Stella hadn’t heard. Jett was still talking to her, trying to distract her.
“How did you manage to get back into the hotel without anyone seeing you after you killed Gregory? The doctor said he would have lost a lot of blood.”
Stella seemed thrilled by the opportunity to brag about her previous crime. “I’ll show you.”
Slowly, Stella tugged her t-shirt over her head. She didn’t wear a bra. Then she drew her shorts and panties over her hips, kicking off her flip-flops as she did so. Folding up the clothing carefully, she tucked it into her bag and tossed it several feet away from the chair. “The ocean makes a wonderful bathtub. Washes away all sin.”
Carissa didn’t have any more time. She tried to figure out the best way to approach. Stella stood facing the woods, so she’d see Carissa coming from at least fifteen feet away.
The only other way to enter the small copse was from the beach, where there was absolutely no cover.
Essentially, Stella would see her no matter which direction she advanced from.
Carissa decided her best plan was to move in fast and loud. If she took off at a run, screaming at the top of her lungs, hopefully someone in the vicinity would hear her and come to help.
A surprise attack was the best she could do.
When Stella knelt by the chair and began to unfasten Jett’s pants, Carissa realized the time was now.
She’d taken just one step forward when a large hand clasped over her mouth and strong arms tugged her back against a muscular chest.
It had never occurred to Carissa that Stella might have an accomplice.
Carissa panicked, kicking out, struggling for freedom, but the arms around her were tight, impenetrable.
Then she heard a “Shhh. I’m here to help you.”
It was Phillip’s voice.
Carissa stilled, and then turned slowly when Phillip released his grip.
Tears filled her eyes when she saw that he wasn’t alone. Flanking him were three members of Eden’s security force. For the first time since spying Stella with Jett, Carissa could breathe easy again.
Phillip pulled a gun from a holster under his jacket and the security guards followed suit. Carissa stepped aside as they spread out, surrounding the area.
Carissa silently willed them to go faster when Stella pulled Jett’s cock from his pants, stroking it lovingly.
Jett was talking, still trying to reason with the crazy woman. Carissa longed to yell out, to tell him that everything would be okay.
Finally, Phillip gave the signal and the men moved into action.
Stella rose quickly when the first man appeared from the woods.
She lifted the knife defensively as they continued to walk closer. Carissa wished they’d move faster, that Stella wasn’t still standing so close to Jett.
Carissa wasn’t sure how crazy Stella was, but it would only take the work of seconds for the woman to drive the knife into Jett’s chest. That terrifying thought drove all the air from Carissa’s chest and she started to step forward.
Phillip noticed her movement and shook his head, but Carissa didn’t stop. Someone needed to protect Jett.
All four men moved closer, surrounding Stella. Carissa joined their forces, armed with only her tree branch.
Stella swung around desperately, but they’d tightened the circle. There was no way out. When Stella looked down at Jett, the other members of the security squad pulled out their guns and Carissa leapt forward, employing her original plan of speed and noise.
Startled, Stella made one last ditch attempt to escape. She charged toward Carissa, the knife aimed to kill. She didn’t make it more than two steps toward Carissa before Phillip overpowered her, tackling her in the sand.
Stella put up a good fight, but she was no match for the sheer brute strength of the much larger man. One of the security guards jumped in, subduing the woman with ease as he kicked the knife out of reach and cuffed the woman’s hands behind her back. The master of the island had staffed his security force well.
Carissa continued running toward the chair, her fingers shaking as she fumbled with the ropes binding Jett.
She sensed he was going to yell at her until he saw her face. She wasn’t sure what he saw there, but his eyes softened and she smiled. She wondered how the hell he could look so calm.
The knot defeated her until Jett said, “It’s okay, Rissa. I’m okay. Take a breath.”
Until he’d spoken, she hadn’t been aware of the tears streaming down her face. She was crying. And not some qui
et, ladylike tears. She was sobbing, choking.
Phillip stepped next to her and gently pushed her away from the chair, leaning down to free Jett.
Once he was untied, Jett reached for her. She fell to her knees by his side, wrapping her arms around his waist tightly. Jett’s grasp was uncharacteristically weak and she realized the drug hadn’t fully worked its way out of his system yet.
She refused to release him even as Phillip began to speak to them.
“Your girlfriend came out here by herself and was preparing to rescue you on her own.”
“Was she?” Jett asked.
Phillip’s tone suggested annoyance. “She just threw herself at that woman without a damn weapon.”
“I was t-trying to get to you.” Carissa was surprised by the stutter in her voice, her teeth were suddenly chattering.
Jett clearly wasn’t as upset by her actions as Phillip. He kissed her lightly on the top of her head. “So brave,” he whispered.
Carissa didn’t move, didn’t acknowledge the compliment. She wasn’t ready to let him go yet. Chances were good she’d never be ready. She clung tighter, feeling the need for his warmth. She didn’t remember the air being this chilly a few minutes earlier.
“Who are you?” Jett asked.
Carissa had been wondering the same thing since Phillip arrived, gun in hand, swooping in like her savior to save the day.
“I work for the State Department.”
“What are you doing here?”
Phillip snorted. “Truthfully, I was on vacation. Then I spotted Gregory at the dungeon. He’s been a person of interest for the past few months, suspected of human trafficking, sex slavery, that kind of thing. When I called my superior to tell him Gregory was here, my vacation ended. I was told to run surveillance. Problem was my quarry vanished. I started tailing Stella, thinking she would lead me to him, but she didn’t. Then the two of you started asking a lot of questions and showing more than casual interest in Gregory and Stella, so I started watching you as well.”
“How did you know we would be here?” Carissa asked, finally loosening her grip on Jett enough that she could turn to look at the agent. “Last time I saw you, you were being dragged away by security.”
Phillip narrowed his eyes at her, obviously still angry at being set up. “Once I flashed my credentials to the security guards, the master of the island showed up. He told me about the murder. We realized the two of you were in danger. Since we didn’t have a clue where you were, we decided the best bet was to return to the scene of the crime. Fortunately, that paid off.”