Beautifully Broken Life (The Sutter Lake Series Book 2)

by Catherine Cowles

  The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. I didn’t want anyone else getting hurt or worse because they tried to come between Garrett and his attempt to escape with me in tow.

  Garrett strode towards the door. “I’ll be back to collect you soon.”

  It was a promise and a threat. The door closed behind him, and a lock flipped into place. I sucked in a shaking breath. There was only one person who could get me out of this nightmare. Me.

  44

  Liam

  I was back to pacing in the police station break room. Waiting. It felt like all I was doing was fucking waiting. Two officers had gone to pick Bridgette up while Walker wrapped things up with Kimberly Speakman.

  Jensen was hissing and spitting while Tuck tried in vain to calm her. “That bitch! She’s always been jealous of Tessa, but I never thought she’d stoop this low. What’s wrong with her?”

  Tuck handed Jensen a bottle of water. “They’ve got her in custody and are bringing her in. We’ll get answers.”

  Jensen gripped the bottle so tightly, her knuckles turned white. “Let me at her. I’ll get us some answers.”

  Tuck let out a low chuckle. “Slow your roll, tiger.”

  Jensen’s head snapped in his direction. “None of this is funny. Why the hell are you laughing?”

  The grin fell from Tuck’s face. “J.” He edged closer to her. “I’m sorry. You know I go for levity in stressful situations.”

  Tears began to pool in Jensen’s eyes. “Not this situation.”

  “Shit.” Tuck pulled Jensen into a hug, resting his chin atop her head. She seemed to sag into his hold.

  I had to look away. I wanted to pull Tessa into my arms so badly I could almost feel her body against mine. I gripped the back of my neck and continued to pace.

  Walker appeared in the doorway. “We have medics taking Kimberly Speakman to the closest hospital with a psych ward.” He looked at me. “I talked to the LAPD detective you said handled her case, and he’s getting in touch with her family and doctor.” Walker sighed. “She had no part in this, but she’s clearly sick and needs help.”

  I ran a hand through my hair. “What do we know about Bridgette?” I felt bad for Kimberly, I did, but my focus was on one thing and one thing only: Tessa.

  Walker rested his hands on his gun belt. “Just heard from my officers. They’re two minutes out. You guys can watch from the viewing room again if you want.”

  Of course, I wanted. I wanted to be in the room with them. I wanted to demand to know how one woman could do this to another. I let out a harsh breath. “Thank you.”

  I headed straight for the viewing area. I didn’t trust myself or what I’d do if I happened to come face-to-face with that conniving bitch. Tuck and Jensen followed me into the room.

  I pulled my phone out of my pocket and tapped the photos icon. I pulled up one of my favorites. It was of Tessa sitting on the boulder, nuzzling Phoenix. Her eyes were closed, her forehead pressed to the mare’s as the breeze made her hair swirl around her.

  The photo encompassed so much of who Tessa was. Kind. Caring. With such a deep connection to the land and creatures around her. My throat burned. She had to be okay.

  The door to the interrogation room opened, and I shoved my phone into my pocket. Walker led a pale and wide-eyed Bridgette into the room. He gestured to the chair that faced the two-way mirror. “Have a seat.”

  As Bridgette sat, I could see her hands tremble. Good. I hoped she was scared out of her fucking mind. She put on a false air of bravado. “Walker, what am I doing here? Should I call my father and have him send the family lawyer?”

  Walker remained stone-faced. “If you’d like a lawyer here, you’re welcome to call one. Do you need a lawyer, Bridgette? Have you done something wrong?”

  Little dots of color appeared on her cheeks. “No, of course, not.”

  “Good.” Walker pulled out his notepad and pen. “Then you won’t mind helping us with an investigation.”

  Bridgette’s throat bobbed as she swallowed. “Sure.”

  Walker clicked his pen. “Are you familiar with someone by the name of Garrett Abrams?”

  Bridgette’s gaze darted all around the room. “H-h-he’s my boyfriend.”

  Walker’s eyebrows raised. “Were you aware that he was stalking Tessa?”

  Bridgette’s eyes narrowed. “He was not.”

  Walker flipped open his notebook. “Garrett Abrams is now wanted for criminal stalking, assault and battery, and kidnapping. He took Tessa from The Tea Kettle late this morning. Not long after you left. So, I have to ask you, Bridgette, did you unlock the back door for him?”

  All color drained from Bridgette’s face. “Y-y-you have to be mistaken. Garrett is a very well-respected lawyer from DC. He would never do those things.”

  “Answer the question.”

  Bridgette’s eyes jumped from Walker to the mirror and back again. “He told me he just needed to talk with her. That she’s been trying to take him to the cleaners in their divorce. Tessa scammed him. Got him to marry her just out of college and then spent all his money and cheated on him. I just unlocked the door so he could talk to her. I tried calling him earlier, but he’s not picking up his phone.”

  Walker set his pen down. “Bridgette, Garrett and Tessa were never married.” Her mouth fell open. “They were engaged. He was incredibly abusive. She ran away to escape.” Walker’s eyes narrowed on Bridgette. “You’ve helped put an innocent woman in the hands of a monster.”

  My hands fisted, the pain of those words tearing at every nerve ending in my body.

  Bridgette fumbled her words. “I-I-I didn’t know, I swear.”

  Walker shook his head in disgust. “You’re going to tell an officer everything, but right now, all I need from you is his location. Where is Garrett?”

  Bridgette held up her hands. “I have no idea where he is. I haven’t spent any time with him wherever he’s staying, we always went to my place.”

  Walker extended a hand. “Give me your phone.” Bridgette handed it over without a word of protest. “You better pray we find Tessa without a hair harmed on her head. Because if we don’t, you’re an accessory to whatever crime was committed.”

  Bridgette started to sob. Walker said nothing. A phone rang. Hope filled my chest that it might be Garrett calling Bridgette, but Walker ignored the phone in his hand and pulled another from his pocket. He tapped the screen. “Cain. Tell me you have something.”

  The hope was back. And like an addict jonesing for my next fix, I gripped that hope with everything I had. Walker left the interrogation room, slamming the door in his wake. Tuck, Jensen, and I followed.

  Walker stood in the hallway, gripping the phone tightly. “That’s great. Will you text me the exact location?” Pause. “I owe you big on this one. Come on out to the ranch one of these days, and I’ll pay up.” Another pause. “Okay. Talk soon.”

  Walker hit end on his phone. “We think we found him.” My chest seized. “Cabin property twenty miles outside of town. He rented under an alias. The same one that has a plane scheduled to take off from a private airstrip tonight with a flight plan to South America.”

  My whole body seemed to lock. The bastard was trying to take Tessa out of the country. “We have to get her, now.”

  Walker’s gaze shot to mine. “I’m assembling the SWAT team now. But you have to stay here. Tuck and I will bring Tessa home safe.”

  I got right up in Walker’s face. “I’m going with you.”

  Walker’s expression grew hard. “No civilians.”

  Tuck placed a hand on my shoulder but locked gazes with Walker. “He can wait in the truck at the assembly point.”

  “It’s a bad idea.” Walker let out a muttered curse. “Fine. But if you even look like you’re thinking of getting out of that vehicle, I’ll cuff you to the armrest.”

  I shook off Tuck’s hand. “Fine. Let’s go.”

  Jensen pushed her way into our huddle. “I want to go, too.”
/>   Walker shook his head. “No way, Little J. You’re staying here.”

  The determined expression on her face melted into worry. Her gaze jumped from her brother to Tuck and lingered there, fear filling her eyes. “Please be careful.”

  Tuck held her gaze for a moment before giving her a cocky grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “No need to worry about us. We could do this in our sleep.”

  I felt for Jensen’s worry, I did. But right then, Tessa took precedence over everything and everyone. “We need to get moving. Now.”

  Walker’s jaw worked. “We don’t head into the middle of an unknown situation without a plan. We have to look at maps of the area, pick our point of attack, divide into teams. It takes time.”

  My hands clenched at my sides. It took everything I had not to punch something or someone. “While you’re taking the time to come up with the perfect plan, what is that monster doing to Tessa?”

  45

  Tessa

  I pushed myself into a seated position. My vision still wavered, but not quite as badly as before. The pain in my head had only worsened. Garrett shaking me like a rag doll hadn’t helped on that front.

  I raised my bound hands to my head, trying desperately to get my mind to focus. I blinked a few times, clearing my vision and then lowered my hands. I’d only have one shot at this.

  Slowly, I stood. My legs trembled slightly, but not too badly. I thought back to the day Liam had taught me how to break out of restraints. Just seeing him in my mind strengthened my resolve. I could do this. It was going to hurt like a bitch, but I could do it.

  I extended my arms out in front of me, my wrists together. Liam had shown me one swift downward movement with as much force and speed as possible, right to your middle. Ideally, the plastic bracket holding the zip ties together would pop right off.

  I took a deep breath, summoning all my strength, and slammed my hands towards my stomach. All the air whooshed out of my lungs. My wrists felt as if they had been lit on fire. I fell back onto the bed, and black dots danced across my vision. I tried to lift a hand. My wrists were still fastened together.

  A sob gathered at the back of my throat. My whole body burned and throbbed. The temptation to give up, to surrender to my fate was so strong. No. That wasn’t who I was anymore.

  I forced myself up, ignoring the blood dripping from my wrists. I replayed Garrett’s threats in my mind. I would not let myself stay at his mercy. I thought of all the beatings. How he berated me. The taunts. I reached my hands out.

  Never again.

  I slammed my bound wrists into my middle. This time, there was a pop, and then blessed relief. My hands were free. Tears spilled over my eyelids and down my cheeks.

  My gaze traveled in fits and starts around the room. I needed a weapon. That was the only thing that would even the playing field between Garrett and me. He hadn’t had a gun or knife when he entered the room earlier. He clearly thought he had beaten me. He hadn’t.

  My eyes caught on the chair. It was so old. If I tried to hit Garrett over the head with it when he came back into the room, it would probably dissolve into pieces without doing any real damage. An idea flashed in my mind.

  I looked from the chair to the door and back again. Then my gaze traveled to the bed behind me. I pulled the old, wool blanket off the mattress and moved towards the chair. Laying it on the floor, I tipped the chair over onto the fabric so it was lying on its back.

  I took an edge of the blanket and wrapped it around one of the chair’s legs. Carefully, I placed one foot on the chair’s back while my other remained firmly planted on the ground. My body protested each movement in a pattern of sharp pains and dull aches. I ignored it.

  I gripped the chair leg as tightly as possible through the fabric and pulled. The wood cracked with a satisfying sound. Splinters fell to the ground. And just as I had hoped, I was left with a jagged piece of wood in my hands.

  I stilled, listening to see if Garrett had heard any of my activities and was coming to check on me. I heard nothing but a single muffled voice from below. He was still distracted by his phone call. I let out a sigh of relief.

  I lifted the piece of the chair to my face to inspect it more closely. I could work with this. But I could also make it better. I eased myself to the floor, opening my mouth in a silent scream as my muscles cried out in pain.

  I inhaled slowly through my nose and out through my mouth, giving my body a chance to calm. But I couldn’t take long, time was running out. I leaned against the wall and brought the chair leg to my side. It had broken off in a jagged point, but I needed to make the point sharper, stronger.

  I began filing the piece of wood against the floor. The planks beneath me were rough and worked almost like a nail file. When my palms began to bleed, I tugged the wool blanket closer, wrapped the end of my stake with it, and resumed filing.

  I wasn’t sure how much time had passed as I worked. I kept my eyes focused on the task at hand and my ears strained for any sound of approaching footsteps. I lifted up the chair leg, studying it. It looked sharp. I tested the point against the palm of my hand and winced. The key would be surprise and enough force.

  I braced myself against the wall and pushed myself up. Surveying the room, I decided the best place for me was to the side of the door. Hopefully, Garrett would step into the room before he realized that anything was amiss, and I would have my opening.

  I would have one shot, and one only. If I missed, if Garrett fought off my attack…I was as good as dead. I wouldn’t miss. I couldn’t.

  I positioned myself beside the door, my back to the wall, and waited. Time seemed to drag on forever. My back screamed. My skull pulsed in a vicious throb. I wanted so badly to give in to the call of sleep. Each time it beckoned, I replayed Garrett’s words in my head. His fists.

  Loud footsteps sounded, and I straightened, tightening my grip on the wood in my hands. The whole world slowed as I heard a key in the lock. Blood pounded in my ears. The knob turned.

  The door swung open. Garrett stepped through.

  I didn’t hesitate. I thrust the stake in an upward motion, catching Garrett in the back, right below his ribs. I used every ounce of strength I possessed, forcing the spike higher. I thought of my mother and everything she had done to fight for me. I thought of the Coles and all they had done to try and protect me. I thought of Liam and the beautiful life I wanted with him. I fought for all of them. But most of all, I fought for myself.

  Garrett howled in pain, whirling on me and causing me to lose my grip on my weapon. “You bitch!”

  He tackled me to the floor, grasping me by the throat and squeezing. “You. Are. Going. To. Pay. For. That.” Each word was punctuated by a wet wheeze.

  I kicked as hard as I could, tried desperately to work my hands under Garrett’s arms so I could break his hold on my neck. The adrenaline helped, but not enough. I was fading. Dark spots danced in front of my eyes.

  Garrett began to cough, and blood sprayed from his mouth, splattering on my face. His hold loosened. With a sputter, he collapsed on top of me. Too late. The darkness was claiming me. And there was only one word on my lips. Liam.

  46

  Liam

  I had never felt so powerless in my life. Sitting in Walker’s truck, watching as the SWAT team divided into three groups and began their approach to the cabin. I couldn’t see the house from where the cars and command station were located. I just prayed that Tessa was there and that she was unharmed. That I would have her in my arms in a matter of minutes.

  I watched as an older man studied the map laid out on a folding table the team had assembled. He listened to a radio I couldn’t hear from the truck, even with the window open. My ears strained to pick up any stray word, but all I got was the squawk of static when the radio clicked in and out.

  I trained my eyes to the woods that stood between the house and the truck. Between Tessa and me. The SWAT teams had disappeared. I had to move. I couldn’t sit here a minute longer, I felt
like I was going to crawl out of my skin.

  I pushed open the truck’s door, and the SWAT team leader’s gaze shot to me. “Get back in the vehicle.”

  I wanted to pop him one, but I kept my tone even. “I need to stretch my legs. I’m going crazy in there. I promise I won’t bother you.”

  The man, whose name I didn’t even know, shook his head and returned his focus to the map and the radio. I edged closer to his setup—slowly, so he hopefully wouldn’t notice. Still, I couldn’t hear much. The whole operation was much quieter than I’d thought it would be. I thought there would be yelling, maybe even a flashbang. But there was nothing, only the occasional location update.

  I fisted and flexed my hands, trying to use the motion to release some of the tension rolling through my body. It didn’t help. Images of the Polaroids Tessa had given to Walker flashed through my mind. My imagination took those memories and ran with them—Tessa’s body broken and crumpled on the floor, Tessa no longer breathing.

  I scrubbed a hand roughly over my face, trying to clear images I could never un-see. The radio squawked, and my head jerked in its direction. The team leader spoke in low, rapid tones. My heart seemed to speed up and sink to my stomach at the same time. Tessa.

  The man looked in my direction, taking my measure. He spoke into the radio. “I’ll bring him up.”

  I strode quickly towards him. “Is Tessa all right? What happened?”

  The team leader jerked his head for me to follow him up the long, gravel drive that led to the cabin. “We don’t know. The perp is dead, though.”

  All sorts of scenarios flashed through my mind. Is she still missing? Injured? Dying? I couldn’t even feel relief at Garrett being dead because all I could think about was Tessa. I ignored the unhelpful man next to me and picked up my pace to a run. I needed to get to her.

  “Slow down, would ya?” The team leader grunted and gave up. “Fucking civilians.”