I’m Watching You (Richmond Novels #1)

Chapter Twenty-Eight #2

He slid his hand to the flat of her belly and up under her shirt. He squeezed her breast painfully. She struggled in vain against her restraints as her stomach heaved at the thought of what was to come.

Richard put his lips next to her ear. ‘I don’t have time for you right now. I have to go get Christina. I want her to watch what I’m going to do.’

Abruptly he got up and left the barn. She heard the engine of his car fire up and gravel kick up under the tires as he drove off.

Tears burned in her eyes.

She was not going to die like this. She started to work on the restraints on her hands and ignored the way the rope sliced into her wrists.

Nicole was lost in thought as she sat at the kitchen table across from Eleanor and Mr Kier. The pregnancy test she’d taken this morning had been positive. She was carrying Richard’s baby.

At first she’d been so numb that she’d not been able to leave the bathroom. She’d sat on the floor and cried.

And then Eleanor had called out to her. So she’d dried her tears and come downstairs.

She laid down her hand of cards on the kitchen table. ‘Gin.’

Eleanor frowned and leaned forward to study the hand. ‘You don’t have gin.’

Absentmindedly, Nicole glanced down. ‘I don’t?’

‘No. You can’t have a straight with mismatched suits.’

‘Oh.’

‘Geez. Can’t anyone play a decent game?’

The phone rang and Audrey came into the kitchen and answered it. ‘Sure, just a minute. Nicole, the phone is for you.’

Grateful for the distraction, she left her cards and moved to the wall phone.

Audrey smiled as she handed her the receiver. ‘It’s a policeman.’

Tension rose. ‘Thanks. Hello?’

‘Christina.’

Richard’s smooth voice raked down her spine. Her grip tightened around the receiver. ‘What do you want?’

‘I’m outside, parked at the edge of the driveway. I want you to smile to the nice people and then walk out the front door, come down the drive, and get into my car. If you don’t, I’ll be forced to do some very nasty things to your friend, Ms O’Neil.’

Nicole glanced over at Eleanor, who laughed as her father came into the room and tickled her. Audrey stood at the stove working on a pot of sauce.

‘Don’t keep me waiting, Nicole,’ Richard urged.

Steel cut through the silk. She knew Richard. He would do exactly what he said. ‘I’ll be right there.’

She hung up and managed a smile. ‘I think I need to get a bit of fresh air.’

Audrey frowned. ‘You look pale, Nicole. Are you all right?’

‘I’m fine. Just need some fresh air.’

Kier lifted a brow. ‘Who was that on the phone?’

‘Detective Warwick,’ she lied. ‘He wants to interview me again.’

‘I’ll go outside with you,’ he said.

‘No, no. Challenge Eleanor to a game of gin. I’ve been a bad opponent so far. I’m going outside for just a few minutes.’ The lies tumbled off her tongue so easily.

Mr Kier studied her. ‘All right.’

She turned and stiffly walked out the door. Before she went outside, she stopped at the entryway table, where she’d left her purse. She grabbed her cell phone and a vial of mace and put them in her pocket. Richard wouldn’t expect too much resistance from her. And hopefully she could use that to her advantage.

As she reached the country road just out of sight of the house, she saw a dark Mercedes. Black and sleek, it looked out of place.

The tinted passenger window rolled down. Richard sat behind the wheel looking so calm and relaxed. ‘Good to see you, Christina. If you’re thinking about running, I thought I should tell you that I have your friend Lindsay stashed in a very unpleasant place. If anything happens to me, she’ll be long dead before anyone ever finds her.’

Nicole opened the door and slid into the front passenger seat. ‘Let her go, Richard. You have me. Just let her go.’

His eyes darkened. ‘Close the door, Christina. Now.’

Woodenly, Nicole closed it. If she made a move for the mace and did subdue him, what would happen to Lindsay? She had to wait for the right moment.

The doors locked immediately. He started to drive. ‘You’ve cut your hair. I don’t like it.’

She didn’t know what to say to that and decided to stay quiet.

‘But hair grows, doesn’t it?’ He frowned. ‘Put your seat belt on, Christina. I don’t want you getting hurt.’

She swallowed and tried not to let her fear show. ‘Where are we going?’

‘Home, eventually. But first we have a stop to make.’

‘Where?’ she demanded.

White teeth flashed. ‘You’ll see.’

Lindsay had trouble shaking the effects of the drug. Her mind wanted to drift and her eyes to close. She wanted to float and let the drug take her.

But as seductive as the drug was she knew if she gave in to it she would die.

She had to keep her thoughts focused. To get free of the ropes binding her was a challenge. To keep herself awake, she started to talk.

‘Mom, if you’re up there, I could use some help. Zack’s a great cop, but I don’t think he’s going to figure this one out.’

She’d managed to loosen the binding around her right hand, though she’d not freed her hand completely. Her wrist was raw from the constant rubbing and pulling against the rope. She focused on the pain in her wrist and the stones on the ground that now dug into her back.

It was hard to judge how much time had passed. But she knew she had to hurry. Time was running out. She moistened her dry lips and opened her eyes. She shook her head from side to side.

‘Remember how we dreamed of driving to California?’ She kept twisting her right wrist, ignoring the pain. Blood ran down the wrist. ‘Remember how we’d pore over the maps and imagine every step of the route?’

The silence was her only answer, and it was a stark reminder that her mother was gone and that she was so very alone. Terror burned inside her. ‘Help! Help!’ She screamed until her voice was hoarse.

The odds were stacked against her and it would be so easy to give up.

Above, blue sky peeked through the slats of the roof. For just a moment, Lindsay felt as if something touched her hair. Like a caress.

‘Mom …’ The word felt wrenched from her.

There was no answer. Whether it was her mother or just a trick of her imagination, she didn’t know. But the sensation was enough to calm her a little.

She drew in a deep breath as she had done so many times in yoga when she felt overwhelmed and scared. She kept breathing deeply. Her mind started to calm and refocus. ‘Don’t panic. Don’t panic. I can do this.’

She swallowed and started back on the binding. ‘Where has Richard taken me?’ She sucked in a deep breath and released it as she shook her head. ‘The sun is high above, so it can’t be much past noon. He couldn’t have taken me far. Mercy is in the center of the city.’ She was willing to bet he’d taken her east.

The heavy scent of dirt, cow dung, and hay mingled with the heat. In the shadowed corners mice squeaked.

‘I’m in a barn. East of the city. Farmland east of the city. It’s abandoned.’

She thought about the new mall that was going to be constructed soon in the far eastern end of the county. The farmland had been purchased and the owners had left months ago. Now the land waited for the bulldozers. It would be a perfect place to take her.

Just imagining where she was gave her a sense of control. She tried to pull her right hand free. It slipped a little in the binding but she couldn’t quite free it.

She wasn’t sure how much more time she had, but she knew if she didn’t get her hand free before Richard returned he would kill her.

Richard had brought her here because he wanted to make sure that no one interrupted him when he returned. She guessed he was going to bring Nicole back so that she could watch what he did to her. Her death would be the death he would use to terrify Nicole into submission.

Ignoring the pain in her raw wrist, Lindsay started to jerk harder on the rope. ‘That son of a bitch is not going to win.’

Somehow she had to get herself and Nicole out of this.

The Guardian stayed several car lengths behind as Richard moved onto the four-lane highway. When Richard reached the interstate, he headed east toward the airport. It made sense that the bastard would take his wife back to San Francisco. Familiar territory.

Once Richard left Richmond, finding Lindsay would be almost impossible. He couldn’t let that happen.

Tightening his hands on the wheel, he considered ramming Richard’s car. But even if he got his hands on the bastard there was no guarantee that he’d say where Lindsay was.

There were so many variables. He had to stay the course and keep his cool. ‘Stay close and he will lead you to her.’

Then Richard made an unexpected move. He drove past the airport exit and continued on until he reached the off-ramp for Route 33. The rural route cut through the town of West Point and then snaked into the countryside. Where the hell was Richard headed?

The fear and exhilaration had made the Guardian forget the pain of his cracked ribs. This was his moment to redeem himself. He would save the child when he hadn’t saved the mother.

‘God has brought me to this moment. This is my test.’

When Richard pulled down a gravel driveway, the Guardian continued on past until he reached another driveway a quarter mile down the road. He turned the van around, and when he reached the driveway where Richard had turned, he stopped.

He glanced down the long driveway. He didn’t know what awaited him. Richard very well could have marshaled an army. And as much as he wanted to kill Richard all by himself, he didn’t want to risk Lindsay’s life. He dialed Warwick’s number.

Warwick answered it on the second ring. ‘Warwick.’

‘Jacob.’

A tense silence followed. ‘Pete, we need to talk.’

Jacob was upset. It took a lot to rattle that kid. ‘You’ve found the basement.’

‘Yes.’

Pride mingled with sadness. He’d never wanted to hurt Jacob. He didn’t need to share DNA to know the boy was his son. ‘You were always a smart one. I’m not surprised you figured things out. In fact, I’m glad it was you. The collar will look good on your record.’

‘Jesus, Pete, where are you?’

Pain and sadness resonated from Jacob’s words, but he didn’t dwell on the whys. He understood that questions like ‘Why?’ didn’t matter until the quarry was caught. Smart kid.

‘I need you. And I need all the firepower you can put together.’

‘What are you talking about? We’re after you.’

‘I don’t matter anymore. Richard Braxton is in the city and he has his wife and Lindsay.’ He gave Jacob directions. ‘Just come. I’m going to try to catch him alive but I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it. It’s more important to save Lindsay and Nicole.’

Pete hung up. He checked his watch. There wasn’t time to wait for Jacob and Zack. Richard wouldn’t waste time. Pete got out of the van.

A small plane buzzed over and circled to land. There had to be a private airstrip close by. It made sense that Richard would have his own plane.

His ribs tightened around him like a vice. It hurt to walk, to breathe. But he wasn’t going to let Lindsay or Debra down. Not this time.

He hurried down the long gravel driveway that disappeared into a grove of trees. The heat of the day made him sweat, and soon his shirt was soaked through. When he spotted the Mercedes parked under an oak, he slowed and moved behind a bush.

On the property was an old farmhouse. At one time it had been painted white, but the elements had long ago stripped the paint. Now it was a faded gray. The wide front porch had collapsed in on itself. The windows on the first and second floors were broken.

The house was too dilapidated to hide anyone. But as Pete stared at the house, a deep sadness caught him by the throat. The place looked like the home where Debra and Lindsay had lived with that bastard Hines.

The first time he’d stood on Debra’s porch it had been twenty-seven years ago. Lindsay had been two and she had hugged her mother’s leg and stared up at him as he’d argued with Debra. He had seen the problems in his sister’s marriage then and had begged her to leave. She had defended her husband and had ordered Pete to leave and never come back. A few years later he’d tried to help her a second time, but she wouldn’t leave her husband.

And, God help him, he’d given up on her and her daughter.

The last time he’d returned to Debra’s house, his sister was dead. Lindsay had run away from her foster care home. That bastard Hines had shot and killed himself in a hotel room.

Pete had been so full of rage and anger. He had burned that house to the ground, believing the flames would singe the sadness from his soul. He’d tried to track Lindsay down but hadn’t been able to find her. She’d been lost to him.

And then this past May he’d seen the article on Lindsay in the magazine. He had stared at her blond hair and blue eyes and immediately had pictured Debra. All the memories had roared to life. And he knew God had given him a second chance to set things right.

‘You are not alone, Lindsay,’ he said. He frantically began to search the grounds.

Nicole stumbled when Richard jabbed the gun in her back. ‘Move.’

Nicole had been afraid enough times in her life. Richard had seen to that. But this time the fear cut bone deep. Today wasn’t about saving only herself. It was about saving her baby. And Lindsay.

‘Open the barn door,’ Richard ordered.

Nicole refused to make this easy for him. ‘Where is Lindsay?’

Richard’s eyes narrowed. Nicole braced, ready for the hard slap that usually came when she questioned him. However, this time he smiled. He reached around her and pulled the door open. ‘She’s inside.’

His acquiescence was more frightening than his ranting. Still, she didn’t advance. She thought about the mace in her pocket. If Lindsay was here, she could save her. Her hand slid into her pocket.

Richard was too fast. He grabbed her hand and jerked it back, twisting painfully until she dropped the mace. ‘You’ve learned a few nasty habits that I’ll have to break you of, Christina. Now, get inside or I’ll blow your friend’s kneecap off,’ Richard said.

Nicole knew he’d do exactly that. She had to swallow the rage and play along until she thought of something else. She reached for the rusted lock and pushed it up. The door swung open slightly farther. Hinges squeaked as she pulled the rotting door open.

The large room was lit only by the sunshine peeking in through the rafters, which stretched high up to a peak above them. The floor was compacted dirt. A rusted sickle and an old harness hung from a peg on a post. Mice squeaked in a dark corner. The room had a foul smell, as if something had recently died there.

‘Lindsay!’ Nicole shouted.

There was no answer.

‘Where is she?’

Richard pointed the tip of his gun to the northwest corner. In the shadows, she saw Lindsay. She lay on her back, her hands and feet tied to stakes on the floor. She moaned, a sign she was still alive.

Nicole met Richard’s gaze. ‘What are you going to do with us?’

Richard closed the barn door behind them as if he had all the time in the world. ‘Lindsay has caused me almost as much trouble as you have, Christina. And now it’s time she learned a lesson, like the one I taught Claire.’

‘Claire? What did you do to her?’

He laughed. ‘We had quite a bit of time to chat. She’s a strong woman. Or rather, was a strong woman. She had a high threshold for pain.’

Nicole felt sick. Poor Claire. She’d been so kind and had given her hope when she’d been so afraid. ‘Richard, spare Lindsay, and I’ll go home with you. I’ll be a good wife again. You don’t need to hurt anyone else.’

Richard pulled a set of handcuffs from his back pocket and clicked the first cuff on her wrist. He dragged her to the north side of the barn and clicked the other manacle to a wooden workbench. Driven into the center of the bench was a newly purchased ax.

Tears burned in Nicole’s eyes. ‘Let her go, Richard. Please. I’ll never run from you again.’

‘I wish it were that easy, Christina. I really do. But you brought all this on yourself. I want to be gentle and kind but you keep pushing me.’ His face hardened. ‘You need to be taught a lesson.’

‘Richard, please don’t hurt anyone else. I’m the one that you’re angry with.’

‘You drove me to this, my dear. You have only yourself to blame.’

‘I won’t ever leave you again. I’ll be a good wife.’

A smile tipped the edge of his lips as he pried the ax free of the workbench. ‘I’ve spent the last weeks covering for you and telling everyone you were in Europe. Do you have any idea how humiliated I was for having to spin those lies knowing my wife had abandoned me?’ His eyes glittered as he tested the tip of the ax blade with his thumb. The sharp edge sliced his skin and the tiny wound began to bleed. He smiled. ‘I did everything for you. I treated you like a princess. And you left me.’

Richard was a monster. He was truly insane. Nicole had to keep talking to him so he’d believe she’d surrendered. ‘I understand now how much I hurt you, Richard. I shouldn’t have run. That was so wrong of me. But I was afraid.’

Richard stared at her. Sadness darkened his eyes. ‘Why were you afraid? I rubbed salve into your muscles. I bandaged your cuts.’

That had been a truly horrible time. She’d laid battered and bruised on her bed and he’d tended to her injuries. She remembered how good the salve had felt. And how much she had loathed his touch. ‘You were good to me.’

He nodded. ‘I gave you everything. I molded you into the woman you are today.’

If she could just connect with him, perhaps she could spare Lindsay. There was no hope for herself. She would have to return with him. But if she could just save Lindsay … ‘I didn’t see that at the time. I should have.’

Lindsay groaned as if she were protesting, but she made no attempt to rise.

Tears spilled down Nicole’s cheek. ‘I love you, Richard.’

He closed his eyes for a split second as if he were overcome with emotion. ‘I’ve waited a month for you to say that.’

Her knees wobbled but she faced her husband. ‘Please forgive me.’ The words tasted bitter.

For a moment his features softened. He looked at her tenderly. She thought she had him. She was going to find a way out of this mess.

And then a switch inside him flipped. His gaze hardened to ice. He advanced on Nicole in two steps and hit her hard across the face. She dropped to her knees. Tasted blood. The handcuffs cut into her wrist.

‘You are a lying bitch,’ he spat. ‘You need to learn a lesson.’

She cupped her stinging face with her hand. ‘What are you going to do?’

With the ax in one hand, he moved toward Lindsay. ‘I think the world needs to know that Lindsay’s precious protector turned on her and cut off her hand.’

Nicole screamed and scrambled to her feet. ‘Richard, leave her alone. Please, I beg you. I’ll do whatever you want.’

‘Oh, you’ll do whatever I want. But first you need to learn a lesson.’

Lindsay’s mind had been crystal clear as she had lain on the hard earth and had listened to Richard rant and Nicole cry. Anger had roiled inside her as ants had crawled up under her shirt and started to bite her but she’d kept her eyes closed. She hadn’t made a coherent sound or moved as Richard had badgered and threatened Nicole. It had taken Lindsay all that was in her to keep her temper under control as Nicole had begged Richard to spare Lindsay’s life.

Just before Richard and Nicole had arrived, she’d been able to work the binding on her right hand loose so that she could slip her hand free. But she’d not had the time to loosen the ones on her other hand or her feet.

As Nicole had pushed open the barn door, Lindsay had had only had moments to scoop dirt up in her fist. Now, she needed Richard to get close so she could throw the dirt into his eyes.

Richard knelt beside Lindsay and ran the cold steel of the ax blade over her narrow wrist. ‘I wonder how many chops it will take to remove her hand? I’m willing to bet it hurts like a bitch.’

Nicole wept. ‘Don’t do this, Richard. Please, have pity.’

‘I have no pity for traitors. And that’s what you are, Christina. You’re a traitor.’

Lindsay peeked through the slits of her eyelids. Richard had turned to face Nicole. This was her chance.

She drew in a deep breath and in one violent jerk pulled her arm free and threw the dirt into his eyes. The dirt caught him directly in the face. He yelped, dropped the ax, and staggered back. He rubbed his face and hollered like a banshee.

Lindsay quickly grabbed the ax and cut the binding on her other hand. Her heart hammered in her chest as she sat up and sliced through the bindings of her ankles.

Nicole yanked on the handcuffs as if she were possessed. ‘Lindsay, run. Get away from him.’

Lindsay scrambled to her feet and ran to Nicole. ‘We’re both getting out of here. Now stretch out your arm so I can cut the chain.’

Nicole’s hand trembled as she pulled the chain taut.

Richard fumbled for the gun in his waistband and swiped the dirt from his eyes. ‘Bitch!’ He pointed the gun at Nicole and Lindsay. He cocked it and fired. The bullet whizzed past Lindsay’s head and cut through the side of the barn. Sunlight shone through the hole.

Lindsay froze. Her fingers gripped the ax handle.

Richard pointed the gun at Nicole. ‘Drop the blade or I’ll shoot Nicole in the head.’

Lindsay stared at Nicole. Tears streamed down Nicole’s face and her eyes pleaded for Lindsay not to give up.

Richard jabbed the gun in the air. ‘Now.’

Lindsay laid down the ax on the workbench.

‘Clever,’ Richard said. ‘Toss the ax over in that corner. I don’t want you to be temped to try something again.’

Lindsay threw the ax in the corner.

Richard laughed. ‘You couldn’t save Mommy and now you won’t be able to save Nicole.’

Years of buried fury rose up in Lindsay. ‘You don’t know anything about my mother.’

He moved closer to Nicole. ‘I know a lot. Your friend Claire Carmichael had a lot to say as I sliced the flesh from her face.’

Sweat trickled down Lindsay’s back. ‘Screw you.’

Enraged, Richard fired the gun. The bullet bit into the dirt by Nicole’s feet, barely missing her. ‘If you refuse to accept your lesson, Lindsay, I’ll kill Christina.’

Nicole shook her head. ‘Don’t do it, Lindsay. Don’t make it easy for him. I’d rather die than let him hurt you.’

‘Shut up!’ Richard shouted. He fired again.

This time the bullet nicked Nicole in the arm. He wasn’t toying with them. She screamed in pain and grabbed her arm. She stumbled back but managed to stay on her feet.

Richard’s face twisted with fury. He raised the gun to Nicole’s head. He was going to kill her.

‘Richard!’ Lindsay shouted. ‘I’ll get down on the ground. Just leave her alone.’

Richard’s hand shook as he held the pistol at Nicole’s head.

‘What do you want me to do?’ Lindsay asked.

Richard didn’t take his gaze off Nicole. ‘Go over by the ax and lie down on your belly. Stretch out your arms.’

‘Okay, just don’t hurt her.’

Blood seeped from the wound in Nicole’s arm. ‘Don’t do it, Lindsay.’

‘Shut up!’ Richard shouted. He held the gun steady. ‘Hurry up. Lie on your stomach and stretch out your arms in front of you.’

Lindsay moved across the barn and knelt down. She stretched out trembling arms. She thought about Zack. He’d wanted a second chance and she’d been too afraid to give him one. God, if only she had a second chance.

Richard walked toward the ax and picked it up, then moved beside Lindsay. Glancing at Nicole, he steadied his grip on the ax handle. ‘This is what happens to bad girls, Christina.’

‘Don’t do this Richard, please,’ Nicole said. ‘If not for my sake, then the baby’s.’

His gaze didn’t waver. ‘What baby?’

Nicole swiped a tear from her face. ‘Your baby. Our baby.’

Richard’s gaze narrowed. ‘You’re lying.’

‘I’m not. I just found out.’

Lindsay drew in a breath. Maybe they could use the baby to connect with him. ‘It’s true.’ She started to spin lies. ‘It’s a boy. The ultrasound just confirmed it.’

‘A son?’

Tears streamed down Nicole’s face as she slid her hand protectively to her belly. ‘Yes. A son. Yours and mine.’

‘A simple test will prove if you’re lying.’

Nicole lifted her chin. ‘I’m not lying, Richard.’

Richard’s gaze glistened with pride. ‘All the more reason to get rid of her.’

Pete knew he had to act now. There was no telling when the cops would arrive. He had to save Lindsay. She had to know that she wasn’t alone.

Swallowing the pain, he held his gun straight. In a split second he took in the scene. Richard had grabbed Lindsay’s hair, yanked her head back, and was pressing the ax blade to her neck.

In that moment, Pete pictured Debra’s last moments. She’d been alone. Afraid. He raised his gun. This was his moment of redemption. ‘Let her go.’

Richard’s gaze snapped up. ‘Back the fuck off or I’ll kill her.’ He pushed the blade against Lindsay’s neck, slicing her skin. Blood trickled.

‘Kill her and I’ll kill you and your wife,’ Pete said. He moved into the room so that the wall, not the door, was to his back. He didn’t want to kill Nicole but he would.

‘No!’ Lindsay struggled to get free.

Pete didn’t take his eyes off Lindsay. ‘You come first, Lindsay. If she has to die, then so be it. I came to save you.’

Richard heard the sincerity in Pete’s voice. He hesitated, understanding that Pete would kill his wife and child. ‘Who the hell are you?’

‘I’m Lindsay’s Guardian.’ Pride welled inside him. He’d waited so long to say those words.

Outside, police tires screeched to a halt. Footsteps raced toward the barn.

Richard sneered and lowered his gaze to the blade. He was going to kill Lindsay.

The Guardian fired.

Guns drawn, Zack and Warwick burst into the barn as Pete’s bullet whirled past Lindsay’s head and struck Richard in the face. Blood and brains splattered Lindsay’s face and body. She screamed.

Warwick’s face twisted with anguish. ‘Pete!’

Pete backed up, his gun still drawn.

‘Drop your weapon!’ Zack ordered.

Lindsay turned away from Richard’s body. She didn’t chance a glance down at his body. Instead, she looked at Pete. ‘You’re my Guardian?’

Pete’s gun didn’t waver. ‘Yes.’

Understanding dawned in Lindsay’s eyes. ‘My mother’s brother.’

Pete nodded. ‘I wasn’t there for you when you needed me then. But I’m here now.’

Zack inched closer. ‘Pete, drop the gun. Give Lindsay a chance to get to know her uncle. It doesn’t have to end for you.’

Warwick’s face looked carved from stone. ‘Please, Pete. Don’t do this.’

For an instant, Pete’s stance relaxed a fraction and it looked like he might give up. Then he shook his head. ‘This is the end of the line.’ He raised the gun at Nicole, ready to fire.

Warwick hesitated.

Zack didn’t. He fired. His bullet hit Pete in the chest. Pete dropped to his knees, the gun still in his hand. He turned his face toward Warwick. ‘You’re a good kid.’

Warwick froze, his weapon pointed forward.

Pete raised his gun a second time.

Zack fired again. This time the bullet struck Pete in the head, killing him instantly.

Adrenaline pumped through Zack’s veins. For several seconds he didn’t move. He wanted to run to Lindsay to take her in his arms, but he resisted the urge. He swept the room with his gaze. There didn’t appear to be anyone else there.

‘Lindsay, is anyone else here?’ Zack asked.

She shoved her hands through her bloody hair. ‘I don’t think so.’

Zack looked at Nicole. Her skin was as pale as porcelain. ‘Anyone else?’

Nicole shook her head. ‘Richard said he’d come alone. He didn’t want anyone to know where I was.’

Outside the distant sound of sirens began to grow louder. Backup would soon arrive. Still, Zack let his gaze roam over the rafters and in the shadowed corners.

Warwick cleared his throat. ‘I’ll cover you.’

‘You can handle this?’

Warwick looked like he’d aged a decade. ‘Yes.’

Zack searched the room, and only when he was satisfied that the danger had passed did he holster his weapon and go to Lindsay.

She was covered in so much blood that he was afraid he might hurt her if he touched her. ‘Lindsay, are you all right?’

Green eyes locked on his. Tears filled her eyes and streamed down her face. ‘Yes.’ She wrapped her arms around him. ‘I thought I’d never see you again.’

Zack held Lindsay tight. ‘It’s okay, baby. I’m here.’

Warwick, careful not to look at Pete, moved to Richard’s body and searched his pockets for the key to the handcuffs that held Nicole. Finding it, he moved to her and unlocked them. He had a white-knuckle hold on his control and he wouldn’t be able to hold it forever. He guided Nicole out of the barn.

Lindsay stared at Pete’s body. ‘How did he know we were here?’

‘He’s the one who had been watching you on the cameras. There are cameras at Ruby’s house too.’

‘My God.’

Zack wrapped his arm around Lindsay and held her tight. Her heart beat rapidly against his chest. ‘Let’s get out of here.’

‘Yes.’ In the harsh sunlight, Lindsay squinted and tucked her head against his chest.

As the backup cops arrived and fanned into a tight perimeter, he kissed her. ‘Lindsay, I love you.’

She clung to him. ‘I love you too, Zack.’