Ainsley raised her glass. “I’ll drink to that.”
“Hell, I’ll drink to anything,” Lana said, making the others laugh.
For the next couple of hours, the women laughed and joked with each other. Lana saw several male friends in the crowd and occasionally got up to grab one and hit the dance floor.
Betsey also got up to dance while Abby and Ainsley remained seated. Abby had a serious boyfriend and, like Ainsley, had no intention of dancing with another man.
None of the women ordered a second drink. They were all responsible women who knew the dangers of driving while under the influence, and all four of them were working early the next morning.
However, that didn’t stop them from having fun. Abby did impressions of some of their customers, and the other three practically rolled on the floor with laughter. After all the tension of the past couple of weeks, Ainsley was grateful for the lighthearted fun.
“Hey, Ainsley.” Jimmy Miller appeared by the side of their booth. “I’ve never seen you in here before.”
“That’s because I’ve never been in here before,” Ainsley replied.
He gestured toward the dance floor. “Why don’t you come out with me and let me show you my smooth moves?”
“Sorry, Jimmy. I’m not here to dance. I’m just enjoying some time with my friends,” she replied.
“I could be your friend,” he returned.
“Buzz off, Jimmy. She’s your friend, but her heart belongs to Hunter,” Lana said. “And she only dances with her man. But I’ll dance with you.”
Jimmy backed up, a wide grin on his face. “Oh no, Lana, you know you scare the hell out of me.” As he hurried away from the booth, they all laughed.
“I think that’s my signal to call it a night,” Ainsley said. It was already a few minutes after ten.
“Yeah, me too,” Lana said. “As much as I hate to admit it, I can’t stay up until all hours of the night and then work the early-morning shift the next day.”
“At least we get a day off on Sunday,” Ainsley said.
“I think Betsey and I are going to hang out here for just a little bit longer,” Abby said.
“Then we’ll see you two in the morning,” Ainsley said.
They said their goodbyes, and then Ainsley and Lana left the bar together. They stepped out into the darkness and headed toward their cars.
“This was fun, and I needed to have a little fun and relaxation,” Ainsley said.
“It was fun,” Lana agreed. “It’s nice that all of us get along so well.”
“Abby and Betsey are so nice it would be hard not to get along with them,” Ainsley replied.
“Isn’t that the truth?” They reached the two cars. “Well, girlfriend, I guess I’ll see you bright and early in the morning.”
“Good night, Lana.” Ainsley got into her car, grateful to turn on the heater as the night air was bordering on cold. She waited a couple of minutes for the car to warm up and then headed back to the apartment.
She was grateful that at least for the night she’d managed to put her worries away and really relax in a way she hadn’t since she’d received the anonymous roses.
She stifled a yawn as she parked the car. Before she got out, she grabbed her cell phone. She’d promised she’d call Hunter when she got home.
“Hey,” he said in greeting. “Did you have a good time?”
“I did. It was fun, but also very laid-back and relaxing,” she replied. “And now I’m ready for a good night of sleep.”
“I’m glad you had a good time. Are we still planning on the cookout at my place on Sunday?”
“We’re up for it if you are.” She looked toward the dumpster, grateful that once again she saw nothing and nobody to concern her.
“I can’t wait to introduce Zeus to Melinda,” he said.
She laughed. “I have a feeling it’s going to be a match made in heaven.”
“We’ll see. In any case I’ll come into the café tomorrow, so I’ll see you then.”
“Okay, good night, Hunter.” Her smile still lingered on her lips as she finally left her car and went to the apartment door. She’d just put her key in the lock when, in her peripheral vision, she caught movement rushing toward her. She didn’t even have a chance before she was slammed with her back against the door. Her breath whooshed out of her, momentarily rendering her helpless.
It was a man. He was clad all in black and wore a black ski mask. That’s the only thing her brain could comprehend before his fist slammed her in the stomach.
Sharp pain weakened her knees, and nausea rose up inside her. Before she could recover, he tried to pick her up. Someplace in the back of her mind it registered that if he managed to pick her up and spirit her away, she’d never be seen again.
Sheer terror shuddered through her. She kicked and flailed her arms in an effort to keep him back. He punched out and connected with her jaw. Her head snapped back as a new pain roared through her and stars momentarily filled her head.
Tears blurred her vision as he continued to pummel her. She tried to kick him again. He grabbed her leg and pulled. She tumbled to the ground. She finally gained enough air to scream.
“Help,” she cried. She screamed again. He kicked her in the ribs, and intense pain once again stole her breath away.
Who was it? Dear God, did he intend to beat her to death?
“What do you want?” she yelled with what breath she had left. “Help! Somebody please help me.”
“Hey, leave her alone,” a voice called out from the distance. “Hey, you...stop what you’re doing. We need help over here.”
“Help me,” Ainsley screamed. The attacker kicked her in the ribs over and over again, making it impossible for her to scream or fight back. She curled up in a fetal ball in an effort to protect herself.
“Stop hurting her,” the man cried out of the darkness. “I’m calling the police.”
She managed to scream again, the other man continued to yell about getting the police and suddenly the attack stopped. She remained on the ground, sobbing and in so much pain she could hardly think.
“He’s gone and I didn’t really call the police because I don’t have a phone.” The words were slurred, and as he came closer to her she could smell the booze. “What can I do to help you?”
Ben Wilkins. Hysterical laughter rose up inside her. The town drunk...the man she had thrown out of the café...was her savior. The laughter quickly changed into deep sobs, and the sobs shot such excruciating pain through her ribs that darkness encroached and she knew no more.
“BOYS, I KNOW THERE’S marijuana in this car, because I can smell it.” Hunter had just pulled over a car with four boys in it. They had blown through a red light on Main Street.
“I swear there’s nothing in the car,” the driver, Lenny Nicholas, said. “Maybe it’s my cologne you smell.”
Hunter laughed. “Right, and maybe you think I was born yesterday.” He recognized all four of them—they weren’t bad kids. “I know weed when I smell it. Now, do you want to hand it over to me? Or do you want me to call all your parents out here and then I’ll conduct an official search of the car?”
They all protested until finally one of the boys in the back seat handed out a roach. “That’s all we have left, Deputy Churchill. I swear. We just had one cigarette and we all took a puff off it and then we put it out,” he said.
“Honestly, Deputy Churchill. That’s the truth. The guys just wanted to try it,” Lenny said. “I didn’t have any. And that’s all we have.”
“You know I could arrest all of you. Weed is still illegal in this state, but I’m going to let you off with a warning tonight. Possessing weed is against the law, and smoking it doesn’t make you cool. From now on I’m going to have my eyes on all of you.”
“We didn’t even like it,” Lenny said.
“That’s why we didn’t smoke the whole thing. It tastes nasty.”
“I’m just warning you all. Next time I catch you with weed, it’s going to be a whole different story. Now get out of here and don’t run any more red lights.”
As Hunter got back into his patrol car, Lenny eased away from the curb. Hunter placed the roach in a bag to be taken into the station and destroyed. He’d just pulled away when his phone rang.
He frowned as he saw Ainsley’s number come up on the caller identification. What was she doing calling again? She should have been in bed and sound asleep by now.
He answered. “Ainsley?”
A male voice replied, his words a jumble Hunter couldn’t understand. “Who is this?” he asked, a ring of alarm sounding in his head. Why would any male be on her phone?
“It’s Ben. You know...Ben.”
“Ben?” Hunter sat up straighter in his seat. What in the hell was going on? “Ben, where is Ainsley?”
The man began to sob, obviously drunk. “I can’t wake her up.”
“What do you mean, you can’t wake her up?”
“She was...you know...attacked. A big man all in black hit her and kicked her. I wanted to call the police, but I don’t have a phone. I got into her purse to use her phone, but I didn’t take nothing. I swear all I took out of her purse was her phone.”
“Ben...where is she?” A sick horror filled Hunter. “Where are you, Ben?” he asked again urgently.
“I was dumpster diving. I know you told me not to, but I came back and I found a couple pieces of good meat, some fries and a whole loaf of bread.”
“Dammit, Ben, are you at the café?”
“I thought I told you that,” he replied.
Hunter hung up and turned his car around. He flipped on his siren and lights and drove as fast as possible. Blood rushed through his veins as an urgency he’d never felt before filled him.
Ben couldn’t wake her...
She’d been attacked...
Ben couldn’t wake her...couldn’t wake her.
The words buzzed through his head over and over again. How badly was she hurt? Was she unconscious or was she... Oh God, his brain couldn’t take him there.
He got on his radio and requested an ambulance to meet him behind the café. He also radioed for more officers to meet him there.
She had to be all right. She just had to be. He continued to speed through the night to get to her, hoping and praying that she would be okay.
He pulled into the back of the café and turned his spotlight on. He immediately spied Ben half sprawled next to a prone, unmoving Ainsley in front of the apartment door.
He jumped out of his car and rushed to them. Ben looked up at him, drunken tears falling down his face. “She won’t wake up. I should have done something sooner,” he lamented. “I tried to help, but I’m nothing but a stupid drunk and the man scared the hell out of me.”
Hunter crouched down, his heart thudding hard against his chest. He picked up one of her cold, lifeless hands and felt for a pulse.
His heart jumped into his throat as he waited to feel any stir of life. Was her heart no longer beating? There...he felt it. It was slow and faint, but it was there.
“I’m sorry,” Ben half slobbered. “I should have done something more. I shouldn’t have been so scared.”
“Ben, move away. You did a great job and I appreciate you waiting here with her, but now I hear the ambulance coming,” Hunter said. The ambulance couldn’t get here fast enough for him. She needed immediate help.
Ben scooted back, and Hunter stared down at Ainsley. He didn’t see any blood anywhere, but he did see a blossoming bruise underneath her chin. The sight made his blood boil. Who had done this to her and what other injuries had she sustained?
Thankfully at that time the ambulance pulled up, and two of the paramedics jumped out of the back and grabbed a gurney. “I’m not sure what injuries she’s sustained, but she’s been unconscious since I came on scene,” Hunter told Matt Daniels, one of the paramedics.
Nick also showed up, along with Zac Ross, another deputy working the late shift. As the paramedics loaded Ainsley onto the gurney and took off for the hospital, Hunter turned to quickly explain the situation to the two deputies.
“Take Ben’s statement, see if you can find any evidence around the area and I’ll be in touch. Right now I’m heading to the hospital,” he said.
“Don’t worry, we’ll take care of things here,” Nick assured him.
Hunter got back in his car and headed for the hospital, his thoughts consumed with Ainsley’s condition. Was she going to be all right? What had she suffered before falling unconscious? The thought of somebody beating her...the thought of her in pain tortured him.
Dammit. He clenched his hand around the steering wheel as anger burned in his gut. It was an anger not only directed at the perpetrator, but also at himself.
He should have seen something like this coming. When she’d received the dead rat, he should have recognized the situation had escalated.
And his main question continued to be who was behind all this—who had attacked her with deadly intent tonight? Hopefully Ben saw or heard something that would help them identify the perpetrator. And hopefully Nick and Zac would find some concrete evidence that would lead to an arrest.
The Dusty Gulch Hospital was located in a large brick building that also housed several doctors’ offices. Hunter parked and raced into the ambulance bay, but they had already unloaded her and taken her inside.
He walked around and entered into the emergency waiting room. Sandy Silver, a nurse he knew from around town, sat at a desk.
“Sandy, Ainsley Meadows just arrived in an ambulance. Could you tell the doctor on call that I’m out here and need an update on her as soon as possible?”
“It’s Dr. Lockwood tonight, and I’ll let him know,” she replied. She got up from the desk and disappeared through a door that was marked No Entry.
Hunter started to sit in one of the green plastic chairs, but he had far too much adrenaline rushing through him to just sit. Instead while he waited, he paced the length of the small waiting room.
Sandy returned. “He said he’d be out to speak with you as soon as possible.”
“Thanks, Sandy.” He resumed his pacing, but as the minutes ticked by, he finally sat and stared at the tile floor beneath his feet.
As he waited, he called Ed to let him know what had happened and told the man that Ainsley wouldn’t be in to work for a while. He also asked if it would be okay for Melinda to spend the next day at his house. Ed assured him that it was fine, and Hunter promised to call him the next day.
He hoped Ainsley didn’t get angry for him overstepping his boundaries, but he was relatively certain she would not be working and it was important to let Ed know as soon as possible so he could make the necessary adjustments.
When he’d hung up, his thoughts were as scattered as the stars in the sky. There were so many questions and no answers. Fear battled with anger as he waited to find out Ainsley’s condition.
The outside door opened, and he looked up to see Sheriff Black walk in. “Wayne.” Hunter stood.
“I got here as soon as I heard. How is she?”
The two men sat down side by side. “I haven’t heard anything yet,” Hunter replied. “She was unconscious when they brought her in, and it looked like she’d taken a punch to her jaw, but I don’t know anything else yet.”
“Well, I just wanted to come by and let you know I called in a couple more deputies to search the area around the café,” Wayne said.
“Thanks, I appreciate it.” Hunter raked a hand through his hair. “I don’t have a clue who is behind this, but I’m sure it’s the same person that left the nasty note in the café and a dead rat on her doorstep. Unfortunately, whoever it is, he’s smart and hasn’t left any c
lues behind.”
“Hopefully that will change tonight and the men will find something that will help identify the perp,” Wayne replied. “In fact I’m on my way over there now.” Wayne rose. “Let me know how Ainsley is doing. I’m putting Nick in charge of this investigation.”
Hunter looked at him in surprise. “What? Why not me?”
“Hunter, you know there can’t be any appearance of bias. You have a personal relationship with the victim, and that means you’re off this case.”
Hunter wanted to protest, but he knew Wayne was right, and the last thing Hunter wanted to do was give the perp a reason to have a defense due to bias on his part. “At least I know Nick will do a good job,” he finally said.
He looked at the door where the doctor should come through. What was taking so long? His nerves jangled. How badly was she hurt?
“I’m off,” Wayne said. “I expect to hear from you later, and I’m sure Nick will be in touch.”
About fifteen minutes after Wayne left, Dr. Andrew Lockwood walked into the waiting room. Hunter shot up out of his chair and approached the doctor. “How is she?”
“She’s alert and we have her resting comfortably,” Dr. Lockwood said. “She has a broken rib and bruising all along her rib cage. She also took a pretty good blow to her chin. None of the injuries are life-threatening, but we’re going to keep her for the rest of the night and, barring no complications, she should be able to go home tomorrow.”
“But she was unconscious. What caused that?” Hunter asked even as an intense shudder of relief swept through him. The relief was short-lived as he thought of what she must have gone through.
“Shock and pain, but again, she’s resting comfortably now,” he replied. “We’ve given her something for her pain.”
“Can I see her?”
Dr. Lockwood frowned. “Only for a short visit. What she needs right now is rest. She’s in room 106.”
Hunter raced down the quiet hallway and turned into her room. He paused in the threshold, aching at the very sight of her.
Her eyes were closed and she looked as pale as the white sheets that surrounded her except for the bright purple of the bruise on her chin.
Stalker In the Shadows Page 12