Desired in Darkness

by Heather Sunseri

  “That’s good,” I said. “I wouldn’t want anyone to find a way onto the farm. Security is a must for me.” I could hear the sarcasm in my voice.

  He frowned at me. He’d heard it too.

  “I thought so. This security system puts O’Roark’s to shame. Everything about this farm and what I have planned for us puts O’Roark to shame.” He spoke as if he’d been studying Declan and me for months. He probably had. Since the moment he’d followed me to Kentucky and helped me solve the case of bioterrorism at the Bluegrass Derby… and killed the governor.

  “Pull up to the front of the house,” he ordered, then turned to me. “I’m afraid you didn’t get enough of our happy drug back at the airport.”

  The van came to a stop. Romeo pulled another baggie from his pocket.

  I immediately began shaking my head. “No. You don’t have to—”

  Romeo leaned forward in his seat and blew the powered substance into the face of the driver. “Stay where you are for now. I’ll be back for you soon.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. My mental fog was lifting, and I was finally starting to feel control returning to my mind and body. I would find a weapon, and I would get out of this situation. But I didn’t want any more of that drug.

  Romeo held out his hand to me with the expectation that I would take it. When I looked from his hand to his face, confused, he ordered, “Take the hand, Brooke.”

  I did as I was told. Romeo pulled me firmly from the van, and with the dexterity of a magician, he pulled out another packet of the powder and blew the entire dose in my face. A much larger dose than before.

  I knew I would now be defenseless against everything Romeo asked of me.

  He stepped close to me and whispered in my ear. “You will submit to me, Brooke. And you’ll do so happily. Now take my hand and follow me. I’m going to show you to your bridal suite.”

  I did exactly as he ordered.

  Chapter 35

  Declan

  We had pulled off the interstate exactly where Brooke’s GPS signal had last pinged. It was a desolate stretch of highway, no buildings in sight, just open fields and darkness. Romeo must have thrown the earrings out the window. But given the direction they had taken so far, it seemed clear where they were heading. Shaughnessy.

  Unless…

  “You think he’s trying to throw us off?” David asked, reading my mind.

  I shrugged. “I have no idea.” All I knew was that I would kill Harrison if he harmed Brooke. The thought of her under the spell of that evil drug haunted me. “Just keep on for Shaughnessy. It’s all we’ve got right now.”

  Ty massaged his head beside me.

  “You doing okay?” I asked him. “Do we need to get you to a hospital?” I was feeling bad for not having a medic check him out. Brooke had probably saved Ty’s life when she got the attention of security at the airport, and I didn’t want to waste that effort by putting him at risk now.

  “I’m fine,” Ty barked. “Pretty sure that if the drug was going to kill me, it would have happened by now. I’m just happy it’s wearing off.” He raked his hands across his face. “I can’t believe she shoved me away. And she gave me her gun! I’m going to kill her when I see her.”

  “Romeo is a terrorist, a killer, and a former CIA operative,” Dimitri reminded us. “He would have taken her gun from her anyway. She knew it. You know it.”

  “She saved you so that you could help me,” I added. “And now, I need you do that. I need to know what you and she have talked about. Anything that could lead us to where he might have taken her.”

  Ty shook his head. “I don’t know. There isn’t much. We’ve been looking for the men on the list, trying to assess Harrison’s state of mind and his motivations.”

  “And? What do you think his motivations are?”

  Ty massaged the area behind his eyes with one hand. His other hand beat an imaginary drum on his knee. If I had to guess, the drug and a heavy dose of adrenaline had his heart racing.

  “Revenge?” he said. “The need for control? Infatuation with Brooke, and he felt the need to kill everyone who got in his way of getting to her?”

  “I think those things are true, but he’s after something more. Why pick Brooke?”

  The car grew silent. No one had any answers. I couldn’t breathe. Lifting my hands, I clawed at my throat and pulled at my collar that was already loose.

  “Stop the car,” I said.

  David slowed. “Sir?”

  “Stop the car! I need to get out.” We were almost to Shaughnessy, but I needed fresh air.

  David pulled over into the entrance of a neighboring farm. I got out and walked at least ten yards away from the vehicle. I was standing in the middle of thoroughbred horse country—farmland I had fallen in love with when I moved to Kentucky. It had to be close to midnight by now. The sky was clear, and the temperature had dropped into the twenties.

  “God, Brooke,” I whispered. “Where are you?” I leaned my head back and stared at the unlimited stars, looking for a sign and knowing I wouldn’t find one.

  “Declan,” Dimitri said. He’d gotten out of the car and had stepped up behind me.

  “She was just starting to call Shaughnessy ‘home,’ Dimitri. For the longest time, she wouldn’t say that word. She wouldn’t call Shaughnessy ‘home.’ She loved me. I’ve known since shortly after we met that Brooke loved me. But it was difficult for her to accept that my home was now her home.”

  “Oh, I think she accepted it. But Brooke’s an independent woman.”

  I turned to him. Smiled. “You’re right about that. She is her own person. Calling Shaughnessy ‘home’ meant she had more to lose if things didn’t work out. And she’s lost everything before.”

  “Yes, she has. She knows what it’s like to lose everything.” Dimitri stepped closer to me. “Brooke is not going to allow that crazed fuck to take everything from her.” His words were harsh and angry.

  I glanced around, taking in my surroundings. For the first time, I noticed where we had stopped, and I laughed. “This is the farm I tried to purchase.”

  Dimitri followed my gaze. “Before you found Shaughnessy?”

  “No. Last week. Aidan and I have plans to grow the broodmare operation, so we wanted to expand onto this property. Some asshole swept in and purchased the farm from under me.”

  “You let someone snipe you?” Dimitri joked, apparently attempting to lighten the mood.

  I laughed. “Yeah. An elderly couple lived here—the MacDougals.”

  “MacDougals? You were trying to buy land from a Scot, and you lost?”

  I nodded. “They ran a first-class broodmare farm once upon a time, but they got older and could no longer take care of it. I offered them top dollar so that they could retire comfortably in Florida. I can’t believe I ever wasted time being upset about something so trivial. None of this is worth anything to me without Brooke. I’d give it all up.” I waved an arm, gesturing toward my own farm, which was just over the hill.

  “Declan, we’re going to find her. You can’t do this. You can’t break down on me now. You and I have been in tough spots before. We’re going to find her.”

  I stared at Dimitri. “We have to.”

  “We will.”

  Chapter 36

  Romeo

  It was a beautiful morning. Brooke was still sleeping peacefully.

  Everything was almost ready. I’d set up chairs in the main room of the farmhouse. Since I’d purchased the place, my new employees had been working day and night to make sure the landscaping was manicured and the house was in pristine condition. This afternoon, flowers would arrive, along with more guests. Greta, the new waitress and dessert maker from Julep Hill, would bring our wedding cake. A pastor would be arriving from a nearby church. Everything would be perfect.

  And when the ceremony was over, Brooke and I would be heading north on a more romantic honeymoon than that idiot Teddy had taken her on, and someplace far more special than Declan
could ever come up with.

  By nine o’clock, I thought Brooke had slept enough. The drug had surely had enough time to work its way through her system, and she was probably ready for more.

  I hated that I had to drug her, but she wasn’t ready to face her new life quite yet.

  I climbed the steps to her suite. She was lying on her side, with her back to the door; she hadn’t moved since I’d checked on her at six. I walked over and smoothed her hair away from her face. “Poor thing,” I whispered. She’d been working so hard lately. And since I hadn’t been able to help her with her current case, she’d worn herself out.

  I would see to it that that never happened again.

  “You’re going to be happy with me, Brooke. I’ll make sure of it. I will give you lots of children. You won’t even care about the one you lost.” I leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. “I’m going to allow you to sleep just a while longer while I make us a lovely romantic brunch. I’ll be back to wake you soon.”

  I walked softly out of the room, careful not to wake my precious bride.

  We’d spend the day together. Tonight, we’d be married.

  And tomorrow we’d be gone.

  Chapter 37

  Brooke

  I squeezed my eyes closed. Tears I’d been holding back slipped out when I heard the door click shut.

  I sat up in bed—and immediately grabbed my head and moaned. I felt as though I was suffering from the worst hangover ever. I tried to massage away the pain over my temple.

  I stared at the closed door and thought about Romeo’s cold words about one of the greatest losses a woman could suffer. I would never forget the baby he’d murdered. And now, more than ever, I vowed to make him pay for that loss.

  I listened closely for any sign that Romeo might be coming back. When I heard his voice in the distance, I scrambled out of the bed and over to the door. I very carefully turned the doorknob and was surprised to find the door unlocked. I cracked it slightly and peeked into an upstairs hallway. A man was dusting a wood banister that led down a flight of stairs into a foyer. From where I stood, I could see all the way to the front door.

  Romeo’s voice carried up the stairs, but was muffled enough to lead me to believe he was several rooms away. He was ordering someone to move something. His raspy voice had me swallowing against nausea in my throat.

  I calculated the amount of time it would take me to get from the top of the stairs to the front door. Could I make it outside without anyone stopping me? The man dusting the bannister… would he alert Romeo to my attempted escape? Or would he help me once he learned of the situation?

  There was no way to sneak past him, so I had to hope for the best.

  “Psst.” I waved a hand, trying get his attention. He didn’t turn, didn’t even seem to hear me. “Hey,” I said a little louder.

  Nothing. It was as if he was deaf.

  Or he’s drugged. That was more likely.

  I’d just have to make a run for it.

  That’s when I realized I was dressed in a very flimsy satin gown that was 100% see-through. I was still wearing a bra and panties underneath, which caused me to breathe a sigh of relief. And thankfully I didn’t feel as if I’d been violated.

  I squeezed my eyes closed at the thought.

  I scanned the room for my clothes and some shoes. In sub-freezing temperatures, I wouldn’t get far in a thin gown and bare feet. An old armoire stood on one side of the room, looking every bit like an expensive antique. Not my taste, but I would have appreciated the beautiful solid wood under different circumstances. I had to tug hard on the doors to get them to open, and when they creaked, I winced at the sound. Inside was a thick robe and a pair of slippers. Not ideal for running, but they would keep me from getting frostbite. I slipped them on and wrapped the robe tightly around me.

  I returned to the door and opened it again slowly. The man was no longer on the stairs, and I didn’t hear the same voices as before.

  I slipped out of the room. Staying close to the wall, I glided toward the staircase. I walked carefully down the steps, hoping and praying there were no loose boards along the way. Based on my knowledge of the area, I was sure the farmhouse probably dated back to the twenties. I had been sure last night that I was close to Shaughnessy.

  I prayed I was right.

  As I descended the stairs, I made note of the layout. There was a living room to my left and a doorway to the right that I couldn’t see through from this angle. Outside the living room windows, it looked like two people were sweeping a front porch, but they were barely moving the brooms. It was as if they were simply going through the motions.

  I realized with a start that I actually recognized one of them—a man who worked for Declan. I didn’t know his name, but I immediately wondered if he was one of Shaughnessy’s missing workers—the two men David and Aidan had been worried about before our first trip to Virginia. There was something strange about the look in his eyes. It was distant and empty.

  As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I nearly jumped out of my skin when a woman pushed through a door leading to the back of the house, carrying a can of dusting spray and a rag. But she didn’t even look at me. Like the man outside, she had a blank, empty look in her eyes.

  It was increasingly clear to me that everyone in Romeo’s “employment” was heavily drugged. They were zombie-like, just doing as they were told. Although they appeared free, they were Romeo’s prisoners every bit as much as I was.

  I wanted to help them, but what could I do? I would have to send help once I was somewhere safe. For now, I was just relieved to know that none of them would try to stop me.

  I still hadn’t seen or heard any sign of Romeo. I glanced out the front living room window again, back toward the swinging door leading to the back of the house, then at the front door.

  It’s now or never, I thought to myself.

  As I crossed the foyer, I looked into the doorway to my right. Beyond it was a formal dining room, its classic dining table set with dishes, glasses, and silverware. A pitcher of orange juice and what looked like a carafe of coffee sat in the center. I could hear the clanking of pots and pans in the distance, and I tried to convince myself Romeo was preoccupied with the brunch he’d spoken of. Perhaps I would actually get out of here without any resistance at all.

  I went to the front door and pulled it open.

  And came face to face with Romeo.

  Chapter 38

  Declan

  I paced in front of the windows running along the back of my living room. The sky was brightening along the horizon. Behind me, a long antique farm table was filled with computer stations and stacks of paper, including pages from Brooke’s “wedding planner” and all of Mike’s files, which Marti had retrieved from Brooke’s office. She’d wanted to stay and help, but she was such a mess that I had Aidan take her away.

  Dimitri and Ty were talking in low, hushed voices, and every once in a while, Ty spoke into a headset microphone, where he was keeping in touch with local law enforcement and the feds. The FBI had also created a chat room where we could share information.

  It had been more than six hours since Brooke’s GPS dot had disappeared from the map. Six hours since the tracker in her earrings last sent a signal. We’d been up all night.

  I raked my hands over my face and massaged the tightness in my chest. I knew the reason Dimitri and Ty were speaking so quietly now was because we were out of ideas.

  David appeared in the doorway, carrying a tray with a plate of sandwiches, a carafe of what I presumed was coffee, and several mugs. He set it on the work table and lifted the carafe. “Sir?”

  “No, thank you, David.”

  Just speaking sent a pang through my heart. My voice cracked. I turned and looked out the windows again. Hang in there, Brooke.

  “The sun will be up in a matter of minutes,” Ty said, his voice suddenly louder.

  I turned to Dimitri. “Who’s he talking to?”

 
“Special Agent Marshall,” Dimitri said. “They’ve got video of the minivan taxi that Brooke got into at the airport. She was definitely with Harrison.”

  Ty cupped a hand over the microphone. “They’ve identified the driver of the taxi, but no one’s heard from him since last night. Another driver has said that he witnessed Harrison blowing something into the cab driver’s face.”

  “Any chance we can get choppers in the air to search for the van in this area?” I asked.

  “That’s what I’m working on now. But weather is a problem. There’s freezing rain in the area, so it might be a while.” Ty cocked his head, listening, then removed his hand from the microphone. “Yes, Agent Marshall, I understand. But it’s nearly daylight, and if she’s still in the area, she might not be for long. If we can’t get choppers in the air, let’s get a team out here on foot.”

  We had no proof that Harrison had taken Brooke to this area, much less that he’d stopped here. All we had to go on was the fact that they’d been headed this way.

  I walked over to the map that Ty had set up on a corkboard. We had pushed a tack into the spot where Brooke’s phone had been found during the night. Another tack marked the location of her diamond earrings, which had also been recovered. Had Harrison known about the GPS embedded in the earrings, or had he just figured it out? He knew too much about Brooke. He knew too much about everything, really.

  I placed a finger beside the second tack, where we’d lost track of Brooke. I studied the many country roads in the area and where those roads led. The area was almost entirely populated with large thoroughbred horse farms, each containing multiple buildings, including barns that were often times as nice as other people’s houses. He could be holding her in any number of abandoned buildings.