Protective Instincts (24 page)

"Sam, I have to do this. If anything happens to Julie because of me, I'll have a lifetime of guilt. I won't let that happen." She'd do what she thought was right, even if it meant facing her attacker again.

"Brother." Drew and Esther moved to Sam's at his side.

"Sammy." Esther touched Sam's collar and gazed up at him like a woman who wants something. Must be a childhood name for him, because he blushed.

Brit moved away to confer with the officer who mapped out their strategy. "He said he'd call this evening. All phones are set on caller ID and we have back up from the Peach County Sheriff's Department. They're looking for any vehicle fitting the information Ms. Devereaux gave you. They'll be looking for someone using a pay phone, since it's unlikely Drake would use a phone at the same place he has your friend.

"He might set up a fake site so we'll leave you, then maybe a different set of instructions for you to come alone, but he'll expect Mr. Samuels to be somewhere nearby."

"If anything happens --"

"Sam, we'll be with her every step of the way."

"We were all watching out for her, but we all failed her already," Sam accused. "If we'd been doing our jobs, we'd have him and Julie would be safe. What if he beats us again?"

"Not this time," Drew nodded at Sam and Brit. "We'll take care of you and Julie." He hugged her. "I promise."

"You need to get some rest." Sam moved toward Brit again. "Please?"

"I can't." She shook her head.

Esther led her to a glider rocker. "Sit, I'll get us both some tea. I'll sit with you." She started toward the kitchen. "Julie will need you to be alert. Don't move."

Brit sat. Her foot moved the chair back and forth. Letting Sam hold her would have been so much easier than what she had to do. He'd protect her
. I have to do this myself. I have to do this for Julie. Tommy's killer will be caught and punished. The men who want me dead will be caught and put away. Then I can really begin to live. With Sam?
The movement of the rocker soothed the terrors running through her. Slowly, she began to feel restful.
Where is Julie? Is she safe?

* * * *

Julie watched the road, trying to remember landmarks.
Where's he taking us? I hope the information I gave Brit will help. How can I get away, without making things worse?

"You're awfully quiet, Julie dear. Is something wrong?" Douglas's tone was so damned solicitous.

Jerk!
Play along, just play along
. "I'm just tired. The restroom back at the station was disgusting." She shivered and tried to look ill. "I'm still a little nauseous. How much farther?"

"Almost there." He patted her arm. He slowed for a narrow bridge. The
th-thunk
thrummed in her blood. They turned onto a blacktop road, marked by a bent sign on a listing pole. She'd forgotten how loudly tires sounded on rough blacktop. She felt and heard everything so intently. Who would find her here?

Blacktop gave way to gravel. With each bump, she wished she'd actually done more than make her call at the station. How long before her captor would search her and find her phone? How long before he would expect favors for favors?

"You're gonna love this place," Douglas broke into her thoughts. She had to take note of their location. Houses were far apart, mostly back from the road, but at least there were houses. Definitely the boonies!

"Does this place we're going belong to you?" she asked. She couldn't look him in the eye but she looked past his ear. "I'll bet it's your getaway."
Shit
! "I mean getting out into the country can be so soothing. You know, away from the hustle and bustle and nosey, I mean noisy, neighbors."

He chuckled. "It's not the Hilton, but it's nice. There's electricity, hot and cold running water, even indoor bathrooms. Actually, there's a hot tub. We can have some fun there."

Julie cringed at the images caused by that statement. Maybe she could drown him.

"We seem awfully far from any place to buy supplies."

He glanced at her, but put his attention back to keeping the station wagon out of the ruts in the rough dirt road.

"I had someone put in food supplies. There's wood for the fireplaces, if we need it. Is there something you need?"

"My – ah – tummy doesn't feel so good. Maybe it's something I ate. I hope so. Or I may need some – uh – girl stuff." Julie put on a pained expression to go with the blush naturally warming her face. She hoped this man was a cleanliness freak, who could be put off by what she would try to make him believe. Lord help her, she'd had enough experience with cramps to know how to fake them. He'd think she was sick; she could take him by surprise.

"Get ready." He seemed excited. A large mailbox marked the drive where he slowed to a stop. The old vehicle rattled as they made their way down the neglected drive. Weeds scraped the sides and the under-carriage. The wood fence was missing paint and several posts. Past a curve, the faded, two story house loomed, large and dark, the perfect location for a spooky movie.

Damn, wrong thought for someone in my predicament
. The closer they moved, the shabbier the house front looked. A separate garage listed to the left, its door hung open and crooked. No one lived here. No one would be here to help her. She'd sorta hoped ….

"It just needs a little paint," she offered. "Is it a working farm?" She nodded toward the red barn and two other outbuildings.

His answering smile told her she had said the right thing. Could this house belong to him?

"I've always proud of the farm, but my mother neglected it as she aged. This house was a place for me to belong." His low voice sounded as though he didn't mean to be heard. "She didn't need to sell my horse when she did. I saw to her bills and gave her money. Woman was too stingy to take care of my dog."

"Can we take the cuffs off? Please?" She held her wrists out to him. "I can't wait to see your home."

"You won't try to run? I wouldn't want you to get lost in the woods." He rubbed the cuff marks left on her wrists.

"Are there snakes?"

"I'll protect you." Douglas straightened.

Who'd protect her from him?

Julie followed her captor up cement steps and across loose boards on a large front porch. "We'll use the back porch next time. I can't have you falling through one of these rotten boards. I'll fix them once we've finished our job with the teacher bitch and her boyfriend."

Our job? He's out of his freakin' mind
.

He was trembling and his face was an angry mask when he finished the sentence. By the time he'd unlocked the door and escorted Julie to a deacon's bench in the dark foyer, he had stopped shaking.

He flipped a light switch bathing the hall in warm light.

She sat calming herself, while he brought sacks from the wagon. He was strung tighter than an archery bow.
Gotta make it work for me. Can't let him lose control and hurt me. God knows he's dangerous. How do I help him along?
Releasing a long breath, she stood to open the door for him. "I should've helped you. I'm sorry."

"No woman of mine has to carry stuff when she doesn't feel well. I'll get the rest later."

Following him to the kitchen, she tried to ignore the mingling of musty smells and lemon flavored furniture polish. The piney scents of kitchen cleaners nearly knocked her back into the hall. Douglas opened the back door and a window.

"Aunt Viola uses enough cleaners to strangle a witch. She believes she's chasing out evil spirits."

Too bad she can't chase out his evil spirit
. Julie smiled at his joke.

"Make yourself at home, my dear. We may be here for a while. Just be careful of uninvited guests."

Snakes?
She wondered.
Mice?

"Hungry?"

"Um, not really. But I'll be glad to prepare dinner for you. You've taken such good care of me." Maybe there was rat poison she could cook in his food.

"Not enough time. I'd enjoy a quick snack, though.

By the time she'd prepared a quick snack from ingredients in the old refrigerator, he'd need to leave. He had a phone call to make.

Julie nearly retched when he gave her a tour of the second floor of the house. One bedroom was set up. He ran a loving hand over the polished dresser, then over the velvety bedspread.

"Aunt Vi knows how to launder bedclothes fit for a king, soft and fragrant. You'll appreciate the feel against your skin tonight." He caressed her cheek. "You'll enjoy skin against skin tonight. We'll celebrate."

Had she really been a free woman just this morning, her only worry why her best friend had moved without telling her? Even the bare mattress on a narrow bed in a second bedroom looked tempting. The other upstairs rooms were bare. Each time Douglas touched her, she steeled herself against her revulsion.

His voice made her shiver. "If you want a shower or a bath, I can help you when I get back."

At the door, his goodbye nearly undid her. His embrace, his caresses through her shirt disgusted her. He actually believed she liked him. When he'd tried to put her hand on his zipper, she'd panicked. Had he believed she was shy? She'd touch his privates if she had a hot iron or something sharp.

He'd stopped short of an orgasm of his own, barely.

For some reason he seemed to put her on a pedestal. She needed to keep it that way.

Once he turned the station wagon around and drove down the rutted driveway she searched for a phone, a radio, any way to get in touch with Brit. Her cell had no reception and she had no idea how long he'd be gone.

* * * *

Douglas couldn't wait to call the teacher. She'd better be home to take this call. He'd have to kill the dark haired woman staying in her house to get her attention. The teacher didn't know that he couldn't kill Julie.

He pulled up in front of Aunt Vi's house to use her phone. He let himself in with his key. She'd be at the American Legion playing Bingo.

He punched the numbers on Vi's large number phone. The teacher had better answer her phone. On the third ring, he almost hung up. The voice on the answering machine made him see red. She'd defied him, she'd ….

"You should have followed my instructions. I'll start killing everyone you love until you finally do as you're --"

"Wait. Please wait. I couldn't get to it fast enough. What do I have to do? Where must I go?" Her voice sounded scared.

"I've got your friend, Julie. She's a great lay!" He hated saying bad things about Julie. The teacher's gasp and moan were worth it. "She likes sex, doesn't she?"

Mrs. Roberts didn't seem pleased to hear that. Too bad.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Bile burned Brit's throat. If that bastard Drake had harmed Julie, she'd never forgive herself. She had to keep him talking. She had to make him believe he was in charge.

"Is she all right?" She sounded breathless.

"Of course. She's had a good time, so far." He paused so long Brit had to make herself breathe normally. "I'm taking real good care of her. She tries hard to please. She does like it rough. That woman is a real wildcat!"

"Please, don't hurt Julie. She isn't the one you want. I am. I really don't understand why you want to hurt me." The fear in her voice was real.

"I've been watching you for a long time. You really upset me when you ran away. That wasn't nice."

"I was just so scared." She fought the urge to put her hand over her mouth, to chew on her knuckles. "You left such awful messages. How could I come back to my house?"

"
Surely
you couldn't think I'd really kill you, sugar. I was just upset.
Surely
you can understand my position."

I understand all right, you son-of-a-bitch
. And she didn't trust him worth a damn.

"I sent you some really nice things, the food and the flowers. You weren't exactly grateful."

"I know, but I didn't understand what you were doing." She swallowed the lie even as she told it. "I thought you were really trying to kill me."

"Oh, no, my dear, I'd never kill you. I just wanted to scare you. It's so much hotter when there's fear involved."

Hot for you. Hell will be hotter, when we send you there.

Sam frowned at her. If his brows had come any closer together, they'd have crossed.

Her tormenter crooned. "Come save your friend." His laugh chilled her blood.

"How do I know you'll let Julie go?"

"I definitely
won't
let her go, if you don't come trade places with her. I didn't enjoy my visit to jail. Those people were rude, uncouth and all. The food wasn't as nice as what I sent you. You owe me. And don't bring that boyfriend."

"Where are you? Can I talk to Julie, just to let her know I'm coming to her?"

"She's resting from our sweaty sex. You really ready to sacrifice yourself for your friend, are you?"

"Of course," Brit answered immediately. "She'd do the same for me."

"She already did." He chuckled.

"Where is she? I can't come to you if you won't tell me where. I could come right now, if you want."

The law enforcement crew and her self-appointed bodyguards in the room telegraphed their disapproval of that suggestion. She rolled her eyes in their direction

"Meet me at the junction of 78 and old Forsyth Road. Come in your Mustang, alone. I'll be there at 11:30 tonight. Don't be late. Pull into the Shell station parking lot. I'll meet you there. Bye, now."

"Wait, don't hang up. How will I find you? Will Julie be there? Damn!" The dial tone hurt her ears. He'd hung up.

Sam enveloped her in his strong arms. "Good girl."

"Trace went through. We snagged him," he spoke against her hair as he held her to his strong body. She could hear his heart beat through his shirt. It raced as hers did. "He's not even near there."

Drew moved to them. "Aw, jeez, you two, get a room."

Sam laughed. "Wish we could use one of the rooms we have. Or that we could get rid of our company."

Drew shook his head and grinned. His look became serious. "He's not far from where Julie called you. I doubt that's where he has Julie, though. He wouldn't be that careless or stupid."

"I agree," Detective Briggs nodded. "Diversionary tactic. He's arrogant and he's a professional. We need to rattle his cage and make him mess up."

"Do you think he'll show up there?" Brit bit her lower lip.

"He's testing you." Briggs typed a message on a laptop computer.

"So, now what?"

* * * *

Douglas had plans to set in motion. He drove to the block down from teacher's house in forty-five minutes. He cut his lights and watched the driveway. A black Ford truck pulled out and headed toward the road out of town.
The bitch called the boyfriend. It's only 8:15. Good. He's taking the bait. He'd probably go for help and wait for her to show up at the meeting place. The fools had planned to trap old Douglas.

The familiar Jeep raced into the driveway. '
Mr. Play Soldier' is here. Great, the teacher has company. What are the chances the 'hot tamale' and the 'killing machine' will leave, so I can get the bitch alone?

Had she believed he wouldn't really kill her? He would, with pleasure.
This time I'll skip the rape. No need to try to fool anyone. I need to just do the job and get it over. My Julie is waiting for me. We can be out of town and on our way out of the country before she learns of her friend's death. I may just have to pass on the boyfriend.

He watched the "war boy" bring his tamale and the tall goddess out to the Jeep and drive away. Good, nine o'clock. The teacher should be alone, finally! She'd probably figure on leaving by ten thirty. Plenty of time to check things out.

Douglas drove closer to the house and waited.

* * * *

Twenty minutes later Brit sat in Sam's Jeep in front of his parent's house.

"Sam, you can't leave me here. What if he calls to see if I've left yet? He'll smell a trap if I don't answer the phone. He could get angry and kill Julie."

"Honey, he won't. Peterson is watching your house. Drew has gone to talk to the woman who lives at the house where the asshole used the phone. We have no way of knowing if she's another of his victims. There must be a reason he felt safe to call from there instead of from a pay phone."

"But, Sam, if he's looking for me in the Mustang, he'll know he's been duped. Then what?"

"I'm gonna stick to you like Velcro until you're safe! No one's gonna get near you without going through me. If we have to, we'll go to the gas station together. But I don't think we'll have to."

Brit jumped when her cell phone rang. Before she could answer, Julie's voice came, low but clear. "Gotta make this fast. No phone here. Battery's very low on this thing! Douglas is out, but I don't know where or for how long. Write this down. I'm in an old house, his mother's. Head out 78 past Three Creek Baptist Church, maybe fifteen miles more, at the most."

Brit repeated Julie's words as Sam wrote.

"Watch for a narrow blacktop road with a falling down sign for Bickle Road, I think. It's just after a narrow bridge. The road turns to gravel after maybe three miles. Houses are few and far between. The driveway leads off the road for about a quarter of a mile. There's a large mailbox at the road. Looks like "Drake" was painted on it at one time."

Reception was breaking up. "Hurry!"

"Number 1798, you can see that. Two story, white house, a barn and falling-down outbuildings. Be careful. He's a loony."

"You be careful! We're coming!"

Reception ended.

Sam grabbed his phone and punched Drew's number. "Julie called on her cell phone. She's okay, but she ran out of juice. Get in touch with everyone who needs to know, then head out toward 78 and Peach County. I'm leaving Brit and Esther here." He read the directions to Drew. "If we're lucky, he'll leave early to meet Teach so we can get to the farm before he hurts Julie. See if you can get info on Drakes on Bickle Road in Peach County."

"Sure thing, I'll gather the troops. Be careful and keep your phone on."

Sam had moved around the Jeep by the time he'd disconnected with Drew. He opened Brit's door. She stayed in her seat.

"Come on, Teach. I'll walk you inside and go help rescue your friend."

Brit sat, looking at Sam. "I'm going with you."

"Honey, you need to stay here with Esther while I join the men to get this bastard." His callused hand caressed her cheek.

"You said it, she's my friend. She's in trouble because of me and I need to be there for her."

"He's dangerous. How can I keep my mind on rescuing Julie, if I'm worrying about you?" Sam ran his hand through his hair. "You are not going to meet him and you're not going with us."

"Sam, the Florence Police, probably the Peach County Sheriff's men, and the FBI, and Drew are all out to capture this man. They have to free Julie, that's their job. I don't see why they can't do their jobs without your help." His expression said he wouldn't miss the chance to play hero. So like a guy.

"If you go, I go." She crossed her arms.

"Honey, you'd just be in the way."

"You are so full of --" Her cell phone rang again.

"Oh, teacher? Are you ready to leave and come meet me?" Douglas Drake's voice made Brit's heart stop beating.

"Oh," How had he gotten her on this number? "Yeah, I'll be leaving in a couple of minutes. I'm looking forward to our meeting."

"You sound funny," Douglas said. "Excited? Scared?"

Brit remembered her calls had been automatically forwarded to her cell phone. He hadn't found this number, after all. "I was just about to take a quick shower. I'm using my cordless. Maybe I should just skip the shower."

"Don't do that on my account. Too bad I can't watch, isn't it? Well, maybe later. Change of plans. Meet me in the Waffle House parking lot off the exit to 78 on I-475 at eleven."

He hung up.

"I think he's suspicious. He just changed the plan. It sounded like he was using a cell phone this time. He must be checking up on me."

"Honey, we're wasting time." Sam put his hands at her waist to help her out of the Jeep. He liked her compact build. He liked everything about her. Actually, he loved everything about her. The one thing he wasn't crazy about was her independent streak. "Come on. I need to see you safely inside, so I can go."

"No way! I'm going with you." She drew herself up to her full height, all five feet two inches of seated woman.

Enough is enough.
Sam reached across to unbuckle her seat belt. Her hands pushed at his. She didn't even slow him down. He stood on the running board. Her waist was easy to span with his two hands as he lifted her up and over his shoulder
. God, she'll make me pay for this, but I need to get her inside with the family, so I can get away to join the other men.

* * * *

"Your brother cannot tell me what to do!" Brit paced the bedroom decorated in a decidedly masculine manner. The sturdy dresser and chest of drawers were simple styled. The dark, smooth, wood looked like Rachel still polished it when she dusted.

"Who does that muscle bound jerk think he is?" She stopped to face Esther. "He'll spoil everything if Drake shows up to check on me. We have to help Julie!"

"What?" Esther rummaged in the closet, then backed out and placed a couple of bags and something on a hanger on the dresser.

"We could go to the Waffle House early." Brit paced again. "He might show up there. What if he realized I'm not in my house? He's probably watching for me to leave. I should be there. What if he's planning to --"

"Brit, a cop will leave your house in a Mustang in about …," Esther checked her watch, "fifteen minutes. If Drake is watching, he'll think you're following his instructions." Esther pulled open a dresser drawer, then another and moved stuff around.

"A decoy? Whose idea was that? Why wasn't I told? How did you know?" She watched Esther. "What are you doing?"

Esther turned her face to Brit. Her innocent expression would have made Brit laugh, if she hadn't been so mad at the men.

"I listened. It seems they consider you a threat to their attempts to save you, but they didn't consider my interest in helping save your friend."

"So, how do we get away from your family? The
Daddy Guard
and
Brother Guard
aren't likely to let me leave. Sam gave them instructions to lock me in this room if they had to. They looked like they would."

Brit stopped her tirade when the cell phone chimed again. She cleared her throat and answered it. "Hello?"

"Oh, teacher? Ready? I certainly am. I'd love a pecan waffle, wouldn't you?"

"Almost," Brit answered. She looked at Esther and shrugged. Esther checked her watch again. She held her hands up, palms out and wiggled fingers and thumbs. Ten minutes? "I'll be on my way soon. I promise not to be late."

"Good." He broke the connection.

Esther handed Brit a jacket and a pair of ratty, boy style, high-top tennis shoes. "They're Sean's old ones. This is the room he uses when he stays here. Mama saves his stuff, like she saved all of ours."

"You are a wonder!" Brit snagged a pair of socks as they left Esther's hand in an underhand toss. "Your pushy brother thought he was so smart snatching my shoes." She sat on the edge of the plaid bedspread. If your family hadn't been there, he probably would've taken my slacks, too."

"He wouldn't have left, then."

"Fat chance."

"Sean's old jeans? Never mind. What you have on is fine. My pants would swallow you and we'd get caught if I came out of my room carrying clothes. My purse is a different matter." She pointed to the backpack styled bag. "Get a move on."

Brit stood and tested her footwear. The fit wasn't too bad. She took the jacket Esther offered and followed her to the window. Esther pointed to a tree, sort of close to the house.

"You want me to what?" Brit asked. Esther was suspiciously quiet. "No way!"

Her leader shouldered the small pack, opened the window, then leapt to catch a sturdy looking branch. She swung toward a larger branch. She crawled deftly to the trunk.

Brit closed her eyes and prayed. At least fifteen years had passed since she'd played monkey in trees, with her brothers trying to escape her. Sweat broke out on her brow. Her heart raced. She swallowed hard. Then she crouched on the window ledge. Taking a leap of faith, she caught hold of the branch Esther had left. Following her lead, she made her way down to the ground. Must be like riding a bicycle.

Silently they jogged to an out-building. Esther unlocked a door and led Brit to an old, yellow VW Bug.

"Does this thing run?" Brit asked. It looked like a demolition derby leftover.

She watched her intrepid companion unlock the passenger door and open it. When the driver's door creaked open, she still stood rooted to the ground. Esther slid behind the steering wheel and cranked the relic.