Ayden's Secret (27 page)

The automatic windows were stuck. Opening the door would be near impossible with the water pressure against it. Ayden shifted them both to the other side of the truck and busted the window with his feet. The water spilled in. Ayden took a deep breath as the front of the cab submerged. He moved through the window pulling Charlie out. She was still passed out and no doubt would drown if he didn’t get her above water soon.

Ayden took a deep breath reaching the surface and pulled Charlie above water. He had no idea what was awaiting them, but he had no choice.

“Give her to me.” A woman dressed in black with a black mask stood on the bank. “Hurry, she needs air.”

Ayden wasn’t stupid, and he wasn’t handing Charlie over to anyone willingly. He looked around to see if there was another option for land in hopes, he could pull out of the water elsewhere. No such luck. “Get back!”

“I’ll help you.”

“Get back!” he demanded as he carried her out of the water. The woman looked vaguely familiar to him. “If you want to help, call 911.”

Ayden laid Charlie on the ground and began the steps of first aid. Look, listen, and feel. He gave two breaths, and she responded vomiting water as he turned her. She was breathing. She was okay. That’s when he felt it.

Charlie awoke coughing and vomiting water. Ayden was over her; then he was falling into her. She reached for him trying to figure out what was going on. Then a woman threw down the board and snatched her by the arm.

“Come with me or I will kill him now.” She wielded a hand gun at his head.

“He’s hurt. You have to help him,” Charlie pleaded.

“No, you have to help him. You come with me now, he lives. You say one more word, I kill him.”

The woman in black stood just as tall as Charlie. She pulled off the mask revealing chestnut brown hair and fierce blue eyes. Charlie nodded and followed her down the bank to another truck. She knew this was it, what she had run from. She didn’t know it was a woman; it made no sense. Preston was a man. He had taken the girls, raped them, and then made it look like a suicide. He had also shaved them bald, keeping their hair as a trophy.

The woman opened the driver side door. “Get in and slide over, Charlie.”

“Who are you?” Charlie felt the panic rising. She had to stay awake, conscious at least until they were away from Ayden.

“Of course you don’t know me. I’m sure he’s never mentioned me, has he?” Her blue gaze burned into Charlie. “You, you think you’re smart. I tried to get him back to Vegas and you ran away.”

“Are you a showgirl?” Charlie asked quietly. The woman was very pretty though she oozed of homicidal maniac at the moment. She started the truck, and Charlie glanced at the door. No handle, no lock, she was trapped. The woman started up the truck and peeled out.

“Ha! That’s funny, fucking hilarious actually.” She peered at Charlie then back to the road. “You figure he’d realize how good we’d be together. We work so well together. I kept up with your ass the last ten years.”

“I don’t understand.” Charlie’s mind was twisting with the situation. Everything she had learned she was putting it to use trying not to panic.

“Shouldn’t you be passed out by now, angel? I mean really, this is a stressful situation. You don’t know me, and if you did, you would have known I could never hurt Ayden. I love him. I have for years. And you, every fucking year all he wanted to know about was you.” Jana Mason looked at her rival in disgust. Charlie had left Vegas, and she had no idea where she went. Then Tom called and invited her to Ayden’s birthday party. When she explained her situation, he laughed and told her Charlie was safe, with Ayden. “So you see when I learned you were with him, naturally I had to do something.”

“What are you going to do to me?” Charlie took a breath and mustered some courage.

“You know exactly what I’m going to do.” Jana pulled up the driveway and parked inside a garage. “This is his house. Did he tell you that? That lake you were parked at, it’s on his property. If all goes as planned, he’ll come here to call for help.”

“He saw you. He knows you did this. He won’t fall in love with you.” Charlie pleaded with the woman.

“Once you’re out of the picture, he’ll have no choice. As far as he knows, some woman was there. Now I’m here, trying to help you. He didn’t trust me. Of course he hasn’t seen me in years, but when he gets here, he’ll find me trying to save you.” Jana smiled. “Too bad for you it will be too late. Now get out and don’t try anything. I’m a trained agent not a bimbo like you.”

“Of course you are.” Charlie realized she had to stall for time if she was going to live through the night. “You know I bet if you had told him, things may have been different.”

“I did tell him.” Jana snarled. “We slept together once, just once. He wouldn’t even stay the night. I obviously don’t have to tell you what that man is capable of.”

Charlie felt sick. Ayden had been intimate with this woman, and this woman was going to kill her because of it. Charlie walked as Jana held the gun in her ribs. She started up the stairs. “When?”

“When what?” Jana asked.

“When did you sleep with him?” Charlie whispered. The question may get her killed immediately, but at this rate, she was going to die anyways.

“Four years ago at a conference, he was his normal grim self that night. I told him the last I had seen of you was with your new man, and you seemed happy.” Jana swallowed hard. “Then I made an offer. He didn’t refuse. You know how cautious he is. I would have liked to of conceived that night, but of course he insisted we use a condom.”

“Did you kill the others?” Charlie still spoke low and soft. A threat was building all around them, and she could feel it.

“Others?” Jana snorted. “No. An old friend of ours made me a deal.”

“But you said you were trying to lure him back to Vegas.” Charlie didn’t want to walk up one more step.

“Yeah with you stupid. You’re the only one I want to kill.” Jana poked her in the ribs with the nine millimeter once again.

“And she’s the one I’ve been waiting for, Jana. Good work.” Preston Bates Jr. stood at the top of the stairs. “My angel.”

“How, how did you get here?” Jana stepped back two steps pulling Charlie with her. “You’re supposed to be in Vegas.”

“Well, I’m not. And thanks to you I’m right where I want to be.” Preston took two steps down toward them.

Charlie was in between two people who wanted to kill her. Her heart rate was up; the tension was growing. Everything began spinning and blurring. Then it all went black.

Staggering a bit Ayden headed toward his home. He often came there without telling anyone. It was the only solitude he had. The truck tires were leading the same direction. That he wasn’t expecting. As he regained his strength and equilibrium, he began running toward the house. Three miles in twentytwo minutes, he was getting old and slow. In his younger days, he could have made it in eighteen minutes flat. Now here he was, at the edge of his driveway.

A vehicle made its way up the drive behind him. He turned and ran back to it.

“Joshua.” Ayden reached into the window and turned out the truck lights. “You have to help me.”

“Fuck, Ayden, what the hell’s going on?” Joshua went on full alert. Evelyn unbuckled her seat belt and slid closer.

“I don’t know. I got rammed into the lake. I pulled her out; then she took her. I know she’s in there. Call Tom. Get help. But don’t come up this driveway.” Ayden looked at Evelyn. He didn’t want his baby sister involved in whatever was going on in that house.

“I’m coming with you.” Evelyn went to get out of the truck.

“The hell you are.” Joshua grabbed her by the arm. “I know you’re itching to fight, but you have our child to think of. You call Tom, take the truck down the road, and wait for us. Anyone else comes out…”

“Fine. You go with him.” Evelyn opened the cell phone and made the call while Joshua got out of the truck.

Ayden was already on his way back up the drive. Evelyn put the truck in reverse and headed back to the end of the road. Joshua took the hand gun, but no matter, her baby was in the back. Nothing like a crossbow, she brought it just to take Joshua out and let him play with it. Now she got to do what she used to do best. Wait for the bad guy.

Joshua crept low and slowly behind Ayden. Damn he wasn’t expecting this night to turn out like this. When Ayden slipped him the key, he was prepared to spend a nice quiet night with his wife. Now, here he was following the Wolf, who for the first time ever seemed shaken. Joshua understood the situation all too well. He was a mess when Evelyn was at risk. Whoever was in that house had better hope Charlie was okay.

***

Charlie awoke with a slice across her wrist. “Oww.”

“Lie still, angel.” Preston Bates Jr. smoothed a hand over her bald head. “I waited years for this. Jana was so kind to lead me right to you. She had been to see my dad a few times. I was so proud of my little girl, but when she told me she was after you, well, you, angel, are all mine.” Preston set her arm into the water, and Charlie watched the blood slowly mix.

“He did this to Michael?” Charlie accepted her fate. Her only regret, that she had doubted Ayden’s love. She would die, and he would think she didn’t know.

“Yes. Unlike Michael, you are pure. I didn’t seed you. My father would break out and kill me if I touched the angel, his angel. Besides, Jana was awake.” Preston reached for the other arm. “It takes a while to bleed to death this way. I could make it easier, cut long ways here.” He pointed to her wrist and slid his soft finger up her arm. Preston was such a soft feminine man. No woman would suspect him.

“You said she was your little girl?” Charlie kept him talking hoping to prolong his next cut. Preston Sr. cared about his victims, or so he had claimed. Maybe she could delay him, maybe talk him out of it.

“They were all my little girls, just like my father’s, but you, Charlie, are his angel.” Preston Jr. sighed. “You came to me in a dream and told me I would be saved. You know my dad is a changed man. He won’t see me anymore because of what I do. He said killing angels was a sin! Can you believe that?”

“Couldn’t I save you alive?” Charlie felt the tears streaming down her cheek.

“What’s that?” Preston shifted his attention to the door and the noise.

Charlie closed her eyes and silently prayed.

***

Ayden entered the kitchen and found Jana’s body on his floor. She had been raped, her wrists were slit, and she was bald. His gut wrenched with the nightmare. Opening a cupboard, he punched the numbers in the small safe and pulled out his gun.

Joshua was securing the perimeter trying to determine what they were up against. At this moment, he knew. He knew everything. The call to visit the behavior analyst unit was to help them track down a copycat. He knew that now. How they ended up in his house in Tennessee was still a mystery.

Ayden took the stairs just like in the dream. At the bathroom door he prayed he wouldn’t see what he knew was on the other side. Pushing it open, he was thunderstruck. His heart broke into a million pieces as he saw the woman he loved in the bathtub, bald with blood all around her.

“Show yourself you son of a bitch!” Ayden knew this part of the dream, and he wasn’t giving in to it.

“Ayden?” Charlie’s eyes opened, and she fought against the restraints.

“Charlie?” Ayden stepped into the room running to her and leaving himself open.

“He’s in the bedroom,” Charlie told him. She saw Preston in the doorway taking aim at him. She splashed and struggled. “He has a gun, Ayden.”

Ayden turned and faced the little man in the doorway. Preston Bates Jr. was nineteen years old, dressed in nice clothes, holding a gun on him.

“Drop it, Preston. It’s over.” Ayden growled.

“She’s mine, Wolf, my angel,” Preston spit out in a panic.

“I will fucking kill you. Do you hear me? I will fucking kill you if you touch her.” Ayden took aim at the man with no regard to his own safety. All he could think about was Charlie.

Preston heard the front door open. Ayden wasn’t alone. He ran knowing Ayden wouldn’t leave Charlie. He was right.

Ayden lowered his weapon and turned back to Charlie. She was passing out as he reached for her. Preston had tied her in the tub with sheets. He pulled the plug and began untying her. Only one wrist was slit. He pulled her from the tub and carried her to the bed. Tearing sheets, he tied her wrist. That’s when he heard footsteps at the door.

“Holy shit!” Joshua stood frozen in time. Ayden was a wreck, covered in blood and trying hard to be gentle as he wrapped her body in a sheet. Joshua wasn’t sure if Charlie was alive.

“Joshua. He ran. He’s in the house.” Ayden broke into a sob. “Look what he did to my baby.”

“Fuck.” Joshua ran out of the bedroom door. If the man was still loose, then he was leaving. If he was leaving, he was headed toward Evelyn.

***

Joshua ran as fast as his legs would carry him down the long driveway and then the road. Damn Ayden for living so secluded. As he closed the distance between himself and the truck, he slowed. He watched as the man ahead of him dropped to his knees in the darkness. Evelyn. Joshua knew in an instant that she had gotten him.

Picking up the pace again, he stopped beside the man. He was dead. Joshua searched the area. Where the hell was she?

“Baby?” Joshua called out. “Evelyn, where are you?”

“Up here.” Evelyn climbed down from the tree, landing on her feet like a cat. “Is she alive?”

Joshua again stood in awe of his wife. The ambulance followed Tom’s car up the road now. Tom pulled over when he realized a body was in the road.

“He’s dead. Take them to Charlie,” Evelyn directed then stepped to her husband who stood as still as a Greek statue. “Joshua, are you okay?”

“You never cease to scare the shit out of me, woman.” Joshua looked down at her then wrapped her in his arms checking her over from head to toe.

“He shot at me. It was self defense.” Evelyn looked up at him then checked him over to make sure he wasn’t hurt. “What about you? What about Charlie?”

“I don’t know about Charlie.” Joshua shook his head. He followed Evelyn as she ran to the next car headed up the driveway. It stopped and let them in.

Chapter 23

Ayden held her limp body in his arms and sobbed. Her pulse was faint, and he knew she was dying. He lived so far out that the ambulance would have to be led in. He found Michael the same way except Preston Sr. had slit both of Michael’s wrists, and she had lost too much blood to do anything. Ayden wanted to carry her downstairs, take her to Joshua’s truck and to the hospital, but he was crippled by fear. Fear of losing her forever.

Footsteps thundered toward the bedroom, and Tom was there.

“Jesus!” Tom tried to pull Charlie from Ayden’s arms, but Ayden hovered over her holding on ready to kill anything that touched her. “Wolf. Come on, we have to get her to a hospital.”

Ayden nodded and pushed back the tears. He stood and carried her down the stairs, past the kitchen and out the front door. Ayden couldn’t hear anything. He could barely see what was in front of him. He climbed into the back of the ambulance and felt another body climb in next to him.

“Ayden, he’s dead.” Evelyn touched her brother’s head as the doors closed and the EMT’s tried to assess Charlie in Ayden’s lap. “Let them look at her.”

“She’s dead. I can’t feel a pulse.” Ayden lowered his head.

Evelyn looked at the EMT who had his finger on Charlie’s neck. “She has a pulse. His hands are shaking. It’s there.”

“Ayden Wolf, let her go.” Evelyn smacked him hard across the face.

Ayden blinked twice then turned to Evelyn. He sucked in a deep breath and realized he was in the ambulance, Charlie was in his arms, the EMT’s were pulling at her, and Evelyn had just smacked him, reluctantly, across the face. Not hard enough to hurt but hard enough to sting and hopefully snap him out of his funk. He let go of Charlie and watched the two men begin to work on her.

“He’s dead, Ayden. I scared him, threw a rock at him. He took a shot in the dark, so I took a shot, too.” Evelyn reached for his hand. “Joshua and I have been trying to figure out what she was running from. It makes sense now.”

“What?” Ayden seemed confused and dazed.

“The articles she kept were of the suicides of three Vegas Showgirls. No details about how they died except they had done it themselves.” Evelyn squeezed his hand tight. “She didn’t know if it was a repeat or a coincidence, but it was the motivation to break the chain. She ran and made her own fate. She ran to you.”

“I love her, Evelyn. If she dies…”

“She won’t.”

“She’s right. She won’t die.” The EMT looked up. “Just need to put a little blood back in, but other than that, she’s fine.”

“You have to do a rape kit.” Ayden strained to speak, the thoughts tearing him to shreds.

“We’ll let the E.R. know.” The EMT nodded.

The ambulance pulled up to the hospital, and the doors swung open. Ayden waited with Evelyn as they pulled Charlie out and rushed her inside.