Darkness Lurks by J.L. Drake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Seven

 

 

Emily

 

I flexed my toes into the warm sand as I watched the sunset from my chair on the beach. The lake was calm like glass and mirrored the orange and red colors from the sky. The light breeze was cool but smelled clean. I grinned and took a moment to relish it all. What a great idea it had been to come here. I had really needed this.

“Smile.” Campbell’s girlfriend, Vanessa, grinned from behind her camera. Seth leaned over and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. We both looked toward her as she snapped a shot. “Man, that sky is beautiful tonight.” She took a few more pictures before she dropped herself back down in the sand.

A football came flying at my feet and nearly knocked my drink out of my hand.

“Oh, shit! Heads up, McPhee!” Davis yelled as he made a face. I hopped up and twirled the ball in my hands. “Put your fingers over the lace,” he called.

I rolled my eyes and hurled it at him with as much force as I could. It nailed him hard in the chest when he caught it. His jaw dropped open while Avery cheered. As he strolled by, he lifted his hand for a high-five.

I grinned. I felt pretty damn proud of myself. My father had been a sports nut and thought I should at least learn to throw a ball right. I silently thanked him for this moment.

“You think you got this, McPhee?” Davis asked as his grin grew.

I was suddenly in the middle of a touch football game with everyone. “Ready set, hut!” Davis tossed the ball to Johnnie, who ran back a few steps and tried to toss it to Matthews, but Vanessa managed to grab it and throw it to me. It sank into my grasp as I squeezed it between my arms and stomach. I ran and nearly missed Garrett as he came out of nowhere. I tossed the ball down at the red marker and raised my hands in the air. Vanessa ran toward me and we bumped chests like the guys did.

“Davis?” I shouted as he glanced over at me. “Yeah, I got this.”

Matthews laughed. “I’m switching to Emily’s team!”

It was dark by the time we returned to the campsite. I didn’t think I’d ever seen so much meat at one time. The barbecue had been going steady for a few hours, and every type of meat imaginable was grilled to perfection, thanks to Garrett. It was pretty funny when Johnnie tried to help. Garrett gave him a look, and he backed away quickly.

“Okay, so let me get this straight.” Vanessa rested her beer in between her legs. She waved her hand to all of us as we sat around the fire pit. She pointed her finger at Johnnie. “You and Davis are partners, O’Brian and Connors are partners, Avery and Matthews are partners, and Riggs and Campbell are partners. Did I get that right?”

“Yeah.” Johnnie nodded.

“Nice that you’re all so close. Kind of like one big family.”

“You have to be, really,” Avery added as he peeled the label off his beer. “You are constantly a target, and you have to know your partner has your back. You have to trust him with your life, just as he has to trust you with his.”

“That, and you’re stuck in a squad car with him every goddamn day.” Davis laughed as he shoved Johnnie’s shoulder. Laughter filled the air, and the conversation took off.

“Can I get you another?” Seth pointed to my beer.

“No, thanks.” I rested my empty bottle on the ground. I leaned back and looked up at the sky to find him. I tuned out the voices and let my mind remember.

 

“Daddy?” I called out as I ran down the staircase and saw the front door wide open. I hit the ground with a thud and looked up to catch my dad’s grin as he typed in a series of numbers for his telescope. It was white and stood on a wooden frame. An older model, it had belonged to my grandfather. He left it to my dad, who refused to give it up. He kept the body the same, but updated the working parts.

“Just in time. Here, take a look, buttercup.” I closed my left eye and settled my right to the eyepiece. “Do you remember which one that is?”

“Of course,” I giggled. “It’s our favorite. Orion’s belt, the hunter.”

“That’s right, good job.” He smiled down at me and gently tucked me under his arm. “If anything ever happens to me, this is where you can find me.”

“Are you leaving me, Daddy?”

“Never, buttercup. Never.”

 

“Hello? McPhee, where did you go?” Riggs asked as he stared at me.

I shook my head, tucking that memory back into its box.

“You in for a hike tomorrow?”

“Yeah, sounds great.” I turned to Seth. “I need to use the restroom.”

I washed my hands and tossed the paper towel in the trash, and opened the door.

“Hello.”

I nearly tripped off the first step, he scared me so badly. Matthews was on the ground. His knees were pulled up with his arms on his legs. A bottle of vodka dangled from his fingers, and his head was leaned back against the wall.Hmm.

“Hey.” I stepped down to the ground and went to stand by his feet. He looked up at me with hooded eyes. “What are you doing here?” I asked.

“Wasn’t in the mood to party with everyone.”

“Everything all right?” He shook his head while he took a sip. He didn’t even flinch at the taste. Yikes, how drunk was he? “Okay, well, I’ll leave you be.”

“I’ve had one of those moments, you know, where faith gives you a situation and you have to choose whether you’re with team good or team evil.”

I shoved my hands in the pockets of my hoodie; I felt cold all of a sudden. “What team did you decide on?” I tried to keep my voice light.

He chuckled, but I could tell he was angry. “It’s not that simple, and things aren’t black and white. There are consequences to whatever decision I make.” He rubbed his hand over his forehead. I could see he was really struggling. I sat down on the bottom step, facing him.

“Well.” I cleared my throat. “I think it comes down to, at the end of the day, can you put your head on your pillow and fall into a restful sleep with the decision you made? ’Cause if you can’t, you’ll never be at peace.” He rolled his head to study me, his eyes half open.

“You need to be careful, Emily. Things are not what they seem.”

My stomach tightened. “What do you mean?”

“Em, there you are.” Garrett’s voice made me jump. I rose unsteadily to my feet. “Matthews, you look shit-faced.” Matthews shook his bottle, making a splashing sound. “Seth is looking for you, Em.”

“Okay, thanks.”

My whole body went cold while Garrett looked from me to Matthews. What did Matthews know about my case that required him to decide what team to be on? And what wasn’t as it seemed? I turned and walked back toward the party, my mind stuck on a loop for the rest of the evening.

“You’re quiet tonight,” Seth observed as he shifted on the air mattress. He propped his hand under his head to look at me. He tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. “Everything all right?”

I debated whether or not I should share what I had heard, but I was nervous about Seth’s reaction, and I didn’t want to ruin the weekend. If Matthews knew something and wasn’t sharing, the guys would flip out.

“I guess I’m just a little nervous that Lasko’s out there.” Seth studied my face. I could tell he didn’t believe me, but he let it go.

He grinned. “I was thinking. I should take you to my cabin next weekend.”

“Really?” I was excited that he wanted to show me something from his personal life. “I’d love to.”

“Good.” He kissed me. “By the way, Garrett’s coming too.”

Of course he is.

Matthews didn’t show his face until the next afternoon. He sported one hell of a hangover. I thought at first that he didn’t remember our conversation, but I caught him as he glanced my way when we went for our long hike up a mountain. At one point, when we were alone, he pulled me aside and said we should get together later and talk, that he’d get in touch with me in a few days. I noticed Seth watched us, but he didn’t come over. I waited for him to bring it up, to drill it out of me, but he never did.

 

***

 

Friday morning rolled around and I didn’t feel like getting out of bed. Seth had been at work late and spent a lot of time on the case with Michaels. When Seth wasn’t in bed with me, Lasko was there, waiting on the fringe of my nightmares, lurking in the shadows for the times when I was truly alone.

I was bothered that it had been almost a week and I hadn’t heard a word from Matthews. Maybe he had changed his mind, or maybe he had decided it wasn’t worth the risk.

I couldn’t focus at all. Professor Dean called on me twice, and I scrambled to find the answer in time. A few people laughed, which made the professor smile too. “Sorry, long week.” I gave him an apologetic smile.

“Perhaps it’s a good time to end class.” He glanced up at the clock. “You can all thank Ms. McPhee for your good seat at the pub.”

Everyone in the class clapped, and I felt a blush spread up over my neck. I gave a small smile and packed up my laptop.

“Ms. McPhee.” Professor Dean stood behind me as he leaned on his desk. “May I speak to you for a moment?”

“Y-yeah, sure.”Shit.

He motioned for me to take a seat. I sat down on the top of the table.

He pulled out an email and held it up. It was the one I had written to him about how I needed to take a day off because of the attack out by The Goose. “I just wanted to make sure everything was all right,” he said.

Oh. “Yeah, um, not really.” My voice cracked. I tried to think about what I could say.

His eyes narrowed and his fingers rubbed his chin. He waited for me to go on.

“Ah, they caught the guy, but he isn’t the only one…um…involved,” I said quietly. I couldn’t look at him. I felt my phone buzz. It was Seth. “Sorry,” I said and answered the call. “Hey, I’ll be just a few more minutes.” I rushed the sentence.

“Where are you?” Seth’s voice was tight.

“Class, having a meeting with my prof. I’ll be right out.” I hung up. “Sorry, couldn’t not answer that one.”

“Ms. McPhee,” he started.

“Emily,” I corrected.

“Emily.” He smiled slightly. “Involved? So there’s more going on than what just happened the other day?”

I shrugged. “I’m sorry, I’m not allowed to talk about it, but yes.”

“Okay. Well, no wonder you’ve been off lately.”

“Sorry, things are…well, tough, to say the least.” I glanced at my phone.

“You have plans?” He noted the way I checked the time.

A little embarrassed at being caught, I say, “Sorry. Yes, I do.”

He studied me for a moment. “Well, everyone is very excited that your mother is the guest of honor for the fundraiser for Doctors Without Borders in October.”

My mind went blank. “Guest of honor?”You have got to be kidding me!I hopped to my feet.

He opened the top drawer of his desk and handed me a silver envelope. My eyes scanned the words “Twenty-Fifth Annual California Fundraiser Gala.” I turned it over and slid out the card stock with sweaty palms. My blood pressure skyrocketed.

“I picked up my ticket once it was confirmed that your mother will be attending. I’m very excited to hear what she has to say about her work in Africa.” Each word stung as he said it.

I closed my eyes and let out a long breath as anger heated my blood. I could feel my face grow red.

“Emily,” Professor Dean reached out to hold my arms, “you look upset. Are you feeling okay?”

I opened my eyes. “I’m fine. I wasn’t aware my mother was coming back to town.”Nice way to find out.I handed him back the ticket.

He blushed. “I’m sorry, I just assumed you—”

“No,” I interrupted. “How could you have known?” My hand moved to my stomach.

“Well, I hope you make an appearance at the gala. It would be nice to see you there.” He smiled faintly.

“Mmmm.” I knew I’d be going. My mother always forced me to attend her functions, whether I wanted to or not. She’d say,It’s all about appearances, dear. A happy family supports one another.Of course, she wouldn’t remember the times she’d failed to support Dad or me. I pointed to the door. “I should probably go.”

He straightened his shoulders. “Of course. Enjoy your weekend. See you Monday.” He rose as he watched me leave. “And, Emily.” I turned. “If there’s anything I can do, please let me know.”

“Thanks.”

Seth and Garrett were outside by the car as they scanned the grounds and checked their phones. Seth looked relieved when he saw me.

“Is there cell service at your cabin?”

Seth’s eyes narrowed. “Yes. Why?”

“Just need to make a call later.”To verbally kick my mother’s butt. How could she be coming back to town and not even tell me?! Hell, I just spoke to the woman!

“You all right?” Seth asked as he opened my door.

“I just want to get outta here.”

 

***

 

Lasko

 

I clicked the 40-watt bulb that hung from the ceiling, softly lighting the twelve-by-twelve room. I leaned over the cot to stretch sheets over the stained mattress and tossed a blue blanket over the top. The pillow was thin, but it would have to do for now. I didn’t have time to run out and buy a new one.

I opened the dresser and filled it with silky lingerie, thongs, one pair of sweat pants, one sweater, and one pair of socks. On the side table in a basket I had everything a woman would need for an extended period of time. I was pleased with my work. I’d even gone so far as to buy a large green plant to give the room a little color. Sure, it would die in a few weeks without sunlight, but all things had an expiration date.

I slammed the door shut and slid the peg across the steel to securely lock it.

 

***

 

Emily

 

I didn’t even notice the two-hour drive to Seth’s cottage, mainly because I was stewing about what I was going to say to my mother. Seth glanced back at me a few times, but left me alone with my thoughts. He and Garrett made small talk about their day. I flipped through my phone to see I had missed a message from Vanessa. She and I had been in contact since we got to know one other at the campground. Turned out we had a lot in common, and I really enjoyed her company. I sent her a quick text to let her know I would be away this weekend and that we should meet up for coffee when I got back in town. Then I settled into my seat and watched as we left the city limits. I was happy to be out of the city again.

We pulled down a long, tree-lined driveway. Up ahead was a beautiful, two-story log cabin. It was as if someone had held up a picture out ofCountry Livingmagazine in front of me. A soft glow cascaded out of the square windows into the evening.

Seth opened my door and offered a hand to help me out. “Are we alone?” I asked as I noticed all the lights on inside. Seth nodded and picked up my bag. I followed him and Garrett up the huge steps to a wraparound patio. There I stopped to admire a wharf with a sweet little blue dory tied to a post. Cast-iron lanterns hung every few feet to the end where the waves softly splashed the light-colored wood.

Seth leaned in the doorway, and I smiled over at him. “Did you spend time here growing up?”

He shrugged. “Yeah, some.”

Hmm…a young Seth on these steps as he played when he was a little boy, his blue eyes glowing with excitement as he scooted a little truck around, careful to avoid the cracks in the wood. Warmth spread through me momentarily as I got swept away with my daydream. I caught Seth’s puzzled expression and snapped out of it.

“I wouldn’t ever leave. This place is beautiful.” I turned to scan the property. The mountains that framed the lake were breathtaking. I’d had no idea the cottage would be this beautiful. I’d had no idea Seth evenhada cottage, for that matter.

“Come on.” Seth pulled me inside, then locked the door and set the alarm code.

“Ahhh, yes, now it feels like home,” I joked, but eyed the security system. I heard Garrett chuckle behind me.

“Holy...” I breathed out as I laid eyes on my new home for the next two days. The living room was off to my left. A huge stone fireplace took up most of the wall. Off-white couches faced the fireplace and the massive 70-inch flat screen TV in a horseshoe pattern. Deep cherry beams ran along the ceiling. An elegant kitchen was off to my right. It fit the country home look but had all the modern appliances.

“Where am I?” Garrett asked as he took it all in too.

“This way.” Seth motioned for him to follow. He looked a little uncomfortable with all the attention. They disappeared for a few moments, which gave me a chance to gawk further. I noticed there weren’t any family photos around, and I wished Seth would share something with me about his life.

“Em.” Seth appeared behind me. “You can come in, you know.”

“Oh, right, sorry.” I hung my purse on the kitchen stool.

“I’ll show you your room.” He took my hand and led me down a long hallway, then pushed the bedroom door open and set my bag on a bench. “Whatever you need should be in the bathroom off to your right there.” He pointed. “Plus there are some robes and towels in the closet.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck. “This place is wonderful. Thank you for inviting us.”

“Sorry about Garrett, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.” I gave him a quick kiss before I pulled away and started for the door.

“It’s all right. I’m kind of getting used to having two boyfriends.”

“Excuse me?” He reached for me, but I moved out of his grasp.

“You heard me.” I giggled as I headed back out to the living room.

Garrett was in the kitchen just about to open a bottle of wine. “Someone read my mind.” I sat on a stool at the island. Seth came by and gave me a playful swat on the behind as he pulled out three wine glasses and a plate of cheese and crackers. I smirked at Garrett at the sight of it. We both tried to stifle our laughter.

“What?” Seth eyed us.

“I’m sorry.” I took a deep breath and tried to hold it together. “But I’ve known you for how long, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do up a plate like this.”

Seth’s face relaxed. “No, thank you, I haven’t. My mother insists that Sal, one of her housekeepers, live here full time.”

“A maid,” I mouthed to Garrett, who was in a fit of laughter.This is so not the Seth we know.

“You have maids?” The words popped out of my mouth. Seth shook his head at me. “Sorry, but you don’t act like you come from a house of maids and butlers.”

Seth tossed a cheese square at me, then looked at Garrett. “And you wonder why I don’t share my personal life.”

“Oh, come on, baby, I’m only kidding.” I leaned over and kissed his cheek. “It’s just not what I was expecting. Your mother has lived down the road from me for how long? And I’ve never met her. Plus you never speak about your father.”

Seth’s face hardened and the mood quickly shifted. Garrett’s lips pressed together and he shook his head at me.Shit.Okay, note to self: Mom is okay to mention…Father is not. My mind quickly scrambled to think of something to change the topic. “So, what are we thinking of doing for dinner tonight?”

Garrett shrugged. “I can barbecue?”Of course he can.I smiled inside. Seth’s body relaxed as his shoulders fell, and he opened the fridge.

He took out a plate of steaks already marinating. “One step ahead of ya.”

After dinner, Garrett washed and Seth dried the dishes. I tried to help but got kicked out of the kitchen. “You’re always cleaning up after us. Go, sit down, and relax.” Seth handed me my glass of wine. I decided to take this opportunity to make the dreaded call. I grabbed my purse and made my way to Seth’s bedroom and closed the door. I took a deep breath as I flipped through my contacts.

“Hello?” Her voice was rushed.

“Mom.” My hands got sweaty. I knew she was busy. I could hear people in the background who wanted her attention.

“Emily, I can spare three minutes.”

I closed my eyes to turn the background noise off. “Why did I have to find out from my professor that my mother is coming back into town?” The words just flew out of my mouth.

There was a pause. “What? Oh, that. Yes, well, by the way, I’m coming home soon.”

I sat down on the corner of the bed. “Mom, it’s been four months, and I’ve heard from you three times, and you never mentioned that you are the guest speaker?”

“Yes, yes, honey.” She was frustrated with my questions. “Marc is already working on your dress.” Of course, good old Marc. Mother often used his company, which helped private clients prepare for formal events. He had every single connection you’d ever need when it came to fashion, spa treatments, and the full meal deal. He’d have me fit for the red carpet when he was done. “Are you going to have Seth escort you?” Mother asked.

“Umm.” I was stunned by her question. “I don’t know.” I shook my head. I was being sidetracked. “Mom, why didn’t you tell me about the fundraiserorthat you were coming home? I felt like an ass when my professor brought it up.”

“Oh, Emily, you’re being melodramatic again. I was going to tell you, but I’ve been very busy. My job doesn’t have the flexible hours your father used to enjoy. I can’t just stop when I want to.”

I let out a sharp sigh. I hated it when she compared my father’s job to hers, like his hadn’t been important enough. An astronomer was just as important as a medical doctor, Mother!

“Oh, Emily, I have to go. I’ll email you my flight info.” The line went dead.

“Love you too, Mom,” I whispered and flopped back on the bed. A ball of anxiety formed in the pit of my stomach. As much as it was rough not having a parent around, I did not miss my mother’s over-the-top behavior and her lack of care for other people. And I especially didn’t miss the fake parties.

“Oh God, the party,” I hissed as I rolled onto my side. I didn’t know how Seth would feel about going, and if he didn’t, who would be my date? Garrett, I hoped. At least he’d dance with me. I peeled myself off the bed and headed out to the kitchen.

“Here,” Garrett said as he tipped the bottle to fill my glass. “You all right?”

“I called my mom.” He poured a little more wine into my glass which made me smile. “Yeah.”

“And?” He motioned for me to follow him over to the couch where Seth was, and I watched as he tossed a log on the fire. I moved to stand and look out the window. The sky had darkened, the waves had whitecaps, and the little blue dory rocked against the wharf. The lanterns were swinging, which made an eerie sound, and big raindrops started to bounce off the car windshield. I was surprised at how quickly the weather had changed. Seth wrapped an arm around my waist.

“Storm coming in hard and fast.” He kissed my hair. “So, your mom called?” I was comforted by his affection.

“No.” I shook my head. “I called her. I found out from my professor that she’s going to be the guest speaker for the annual fundraiser this year. They’re holding a gala in October. She already has Marc working on my dress.”

Seth squeezed me a little harder. “Really?”

I shrugged. “Jenny was busy, distracted by her only daughter’s call. I was told I was melodramatic about the whole thing.” I paused. “She wanted to know if you’d come.”

Seth shifted to one side to look at my face. “What did you tell her?”

“Um…I told her I didn’t know.” My voice was quiet.

He thought for a moment. “Would you rather take Davis?” A faint smile traveled across his lips, and I let out the breath I was holding in.

“Well, at least he’d dance with me.” I nudged him with my arm.

He turned my chin to meet his face. “I’ll dance with you, McPhee.”

“You don’t dance.”

“You’ve never asked,” he whispered. Huh, I guessed I never had.

Garrett cleared his throat. “You know I’m on team ‘Smiley,’ but we’re low on firewood, and I’m not sure where Sal keeps it.”

I laughed at his nickname for us. Seth pulled on a pair of sneakers. “Be right back.”

There was a damp chill in the air, and after Seth walked outside, the place seemed to get worse. It was dark out now. The rain fell in sheets.

“I didn’t even know it was going to rain today,” I said as I peered out the window. Garrett stretched out on the couch.

“Me neither. But I’m glad to be here and not camping this weekend.”

“Honestly, though!” I laughed into my glass.

I glanced at the clock. It had been ten minutes since Seth had left. I moved over to the door and looked out the window, but it was too dark to see anything. My hands ran over my arms to keep me warm. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Garrett stand up. I could tell he was trying to act normal, but he felt that Seth had been gone a little too long too. I reached for the door handle and turned it slowly and pulled it open.

Garrett’s hand slammed it shut. I jumped back at the force.

“Em, give him a minute. He’ll be back.” His voice was calm, unlike his action.

I nodded and moved away from the door. I crossed my arms and stood in front of the fire. There was a loud knock at the door, and Garrett quickly opened it. Seth dripped water from head to toe. He clutched a big bundle of firewood covered in plastic. He dropped it into the wood box and tossed the damp sheet on an outside chair.

My shoulders sank as the tension left my body.

Garrett smirked. “I had to stop Em from heading out after you.”

Seth’s eyes softened when he saw my face. He moved over and kissed my cheek. “I’m sorry, baby. The lock was stuck, and I had to find something to pry it open. I didn’t account for the time.”

He looked as if he were frozen. I managed a shaky smile. “You should go dry off.”

“Yeah, I should.”

Seth went for a shower in the upstairs bathroom, and Garrett went to make a phone call. My head started to ache. Stress was a real bitch lately. I went into Seth’s bedroom and rooted around for some Advil. The bathroom drawers were full of unopened essentials, and I found tooth paste, shaving cream, floss…and Advil.

“Yes!” I said to myself, then froze when I heard a thump.

I looked around and moved slowly into the bedroom. Then I heard it again, but a little louder. “Garrett!” I shouted and crept toward the door. He didn’t respond. A dark flash moved by the window and caught my eye, and I gasped. My brain spun a mile a minute. I saw Seth’s gun box and opened it.

Oh God, Em, what are you doing now?I swallowed as my braver side gave me the thumbs up. One of these days she was going to get us killed. The gun weighed more than I had thought it would. I reached for the light switch and turned it off. Then I slid out of the bedroom.

The rain pounded the roof. I could hear it all around me. I looked around the corner into the next bedroom and saw someone trying to push the window up.

“Garrett!” I hissed quietly. Where the hell was he? My heart pounded to the point of pain against my breastbone. I raised the gun; my hands trembled. I felt like someone had transported me out of my body again, like I stood next to myself and watched and waited, but I had no control.

The window went up and a soaked wet leg swung in, followed by a torso. It fell to the ground with a thud.

I cocked the gun. The sound echoed off the walls. The atmosphere in the room went dark very quickly.

Then the hooded head tilted to one side and his eyes met mine.

“Holy shit! What are you doing?” he yelled out. I stared at him blankly. “Stop pointing the gun at me! Connors! O’Brian! It’s me, Davis!” he screamed as he tucked himself into a ball on the floor.

Seth ran into the room. He saw Davis on the floor and me with a gun—hisgun—aimed at Davis’s face.

“Jesus, Emily!” He lowered my hand. “Look at me.”

I couldn’t. I was still paralyzed by my fear.

“Baby,” his voice softened, “give me my gun.”

I loosened my grip at last and let him wiggle it out of my fingers.

“I’m…” I paused and choked back tears. “I’m sorry. I-I thought it was…”

Seth handed the gun to Garrett when he came in. His face dropped when he saw it. Seth grabbed me and held me close as I buried my head into his shoulder.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Garrett snapped at Davis.

Davis got up and eyed me. “I’m sorry. I tried to call your cell phones, but I couldn’t get through. I knocked on the door, but no one answered. Then I saw a window and thought I’d give that a try.” He glanced at me. “Next time I won’t be so eager.”

I flinched at his words. I hated that I had almost killed one of our friends. He pulled out two photos and handed them to Seth. Seth glanced down and was able to keep an impassive face.

“What?” I looked from Seth to Garrett. “What’s going on?”

“Davis, did anyone follow you?”

He removed his soggy ball hat as he shook his head. “No. I even switched cars.”

Seth nodded. “All right. Well, come in and get dried off. There’s a spare room you can use tonight. Another pair of eyes is always good.”

Garrett and I sat down on the couch together while Seth took Davis to the spare room. We stared at the fire for a bit. I couldn’t believe I had been about to shoot someone. The thought made the room tilt for a moment, the way it had after I’d almost been kidnapped. I quickly pushed it away into the ‘too soon to deal with that one yet’ box.

The wind made the windows creak, and the rain pounded on the roof. It made for an eerie feel that spread through the room.

Oh Lord, every horror movie and book led to this moment, the moment when the dumbass blonde goes to the remote cabin, only to be axed off by the crazy psychopath who’s been stalking her for ninety damn minutes. Okay, so what were the rules again for staying alive in a horror flick? Oh, right. One, don’t drink, and stay a virgin…I rolled my eyes. So much for that. Two, don’t run up the stairs, because the only way out is to jump. Three, don’t stand near, on, or above a window that can be easily broken. Four, never put your back to or lean on a door. Five, go ahead and slap the screaming hysterical girl. She will be the one to distract everyone when there really is danger around. Ha! That would be Davis.

Suddenly the room lit up, and the power flickered. I nearly jumped out of my skin but somehow managed to save my wine.

“Lightning,” Garrett said calmly. Oh sure, he was calm. He didn’t go over the rules for trying to stay alive while flippin’ Jack the Ripper came after him. I sank my body back into the couch and let out a long sigh…

Oh man, I needed some professional help.

“Garrett?” I whispered.

“Mmm?”

“What were the photos of?”

He paused. “Us at the gas station where we stopped outside of town.”

Well, that explained why Davis had paid us a visit.

“Why were they sent to Davis?” I asked.

“They were addressed to Seth, but apparently given to Davis since we weren’t there. Good thing he checked the envelope.” He gave me a sad shrug.

I pulled my legs up. “Do you think he knows we’re here at the cabin?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know. The good news is that this place is pretty safe. There’s a great alarm system, and now there are three trained officers to guard you.” He smiled as he looked down at me.

I shrugged. “Right, because this is whatyouwant to be doing at twenty-four years old.”

Garrett put his arm around me. “You and Seth are my family. If one of you is in trouble, then I’ll do whatever I can, for as long as I can, to keep you safe.” He kissed my head, and I closed my eyes.

“I hated that I was relieved when Michaels said I couldn’t do the ‘bait’ thing.”

“We all were,” Garrett chimed in quickly.

I set my glass down on the table and then lay back against his leg. I felt exhausted. Garrett rested his arm on the back of the couch and sipped his wine. I turned my head and watched the fire dance along the burning log.

“I still hear his voice.”

I felt Garrett flinch. “Lasko’s?”

I nodded. “He waits for me in my dreams or when I’m alone.” Images from that night popped up in front of me. “I can smell him and see the way his eyes burned into mine. I—” I couldn’t finish. I just let my tears travel down my cheek and onto his pant leg. “I’m scared, Garrett.” I sniffed and took a heavy breath, not sure how to place my emotions.

He brushed my hair behind my ear. “I know.” I started to cry a bit harder and curled my legs up. “We’ll get through this.” He rubbed my back softly to soothe me.

I tried to focus on something else, anything else. “Why aren’t you dating anyone?” I asked quietly.

He stopped his rub. “I’m not really interested in anyone.”

I wiped my eyes. “Have you ever been?”

There was a long pause before he finally answered me. “Yes, once, but she was in love with someone else.”

I rolled over to see his face. “Her loss. You’re a great person. Anyone would love to have you. I know I do.”

He smiled and wiped a tear away. “You’re sweet.”

I looked at him through momentarily dry eyes. “Well, promise me that when you do find someone, you won’t leave us. She needs to know you’re a package deal.”

He laughed a little. “That’s my plan.”

I rolled back over to watch the fire. My eyes grew heavy and I soon gave in.

 

I stood on the dock and watched the dory hit the wharf. Rain poured down my face, and the wind was so strong it nearly knocked me over. “Emily!” Seth yelled from the front door.

I turned to look at him. When I did, I saw the old man at my side. “It’s no use, Emily. You’re his now. You’re only going to make it worse.”

I stared at him. “Why me?” I shouted through the hail.

He moved in and grabbed my arm. “Because you look just like her,” he hissed at me. “He wants you for himself. He desires you, Emily. Come make him happy.”

I stepped back, but his grip was too tight. “Let’s gonow!”

 

I flinched and jerked my arm. “No! Please!” I shouted.

Garrett touched my shoulder, which made me jump. “Em, it’s just a dream, just a dream.”

My chest heaved. I slowly opened my eyes. Davis’s eyes were on me, and then I saw Seth by my side. I sat up and leaned forward and rested my arms on my legs.

“Sorry,” I murmured.

Seth ran his hand over my back. “Don’t be sorry. Are you all right, baby?”

No.

“Yeah.” I stood up and walked over to the window and watched the stormy water. My heart slowly stopped its mad race, and I turned around.

Seth held out his hand. I went over to him as he tossed a pillow on the floor and sat me on top of it. He gently started to rub my shoulders. I leaned back and let his hands work magic on my tension.

Garrett started to laugh a little when he saw my face. He held his hands up when I glared at him.

“Sorry, but all I can think of is the expression on that old man when you elbowed him square in the face.”

I rolled my eyes. “I didn’t even mean to hit him there. I was going for this chest.”

Garrett looked at Seth. “Don’t piss this one off.”

They all started laugh, and soon I joined in as the tension left the room.

Davis leaned forward. “We all know she can use a gun.”

“I’m so sorry, Davis.” I leaned forward on all fours and hugged him. When I leaned back, Seth kissed the side of my head. “Huh, he screamed like a girl!” Everyone laughed while Davis blushed.

Seth rubbed my arms. “Small problem though, baby. The safety was on.” I could feel his smile against my temple.

Garrett hit his shoulder. “Don’t tell her that.”

I pushed Garrett’s leg. “It’s all right. I’ll get Johnnie to give me some one-on-one lessons,” I teased.

“I’m sure there are a few guys at work who would be more than happy to,” Davis said as he nearly fell over in his chair from laughing. Seth looked down at me with a big grin. I leaned up and kissed him.

Davis tossed a pillow at us. “Go back to the on-call room.”

I blushed. “That obvious, huh?”

“Obvious? Guys were placing bets on how long you’d be down there.” I put my hands over my face, and my skin grew hot from my blush.

“Nice, Davis,” Seth scolded.

I glanced at Garrett. “Please tell me you weren’t in on that?”

He leaned back. “I had twenty bucks on thirty minutes.” My mouth dropped open. “I’m kidding.”

Seth looked at him. “I wish I’d known about this bet. We could have made some money.”

I turned around to his wicked, playful grin that I hadn’t seen in a while. “Oh yeah, and how long would you have bet on?”

He leaned in, and his lips brushed my ear. “I would have bet all day.”

I crawled on his lap to straddle him. “Okay, I’m in.”

He laughed and kissed me hard.

Davis slapped the arm of the chair. “How did he land this one?”

“I’m still trying to figure that out myself,” Garrett said, then moved to avoid Seth’s hit.

I sat down between them. “Well, you see, Davis, the truth is I get a two-for-one package with Seth.” I put my hand on Garrett’s arm.

He shifted and put his arm around me. “I step in when Seth can’t.” He winked.

“Step in on what?” Davis asked as he teased Seth.

Seth stood up. “Okay, you’re having too much fun.” He pulled me to my feet.

“I love his jealous side. Such a turn on.”

He pulled me into him. “Oh, really?”

I nodded as my teeth caught my bottom lip.

“Garrett, you got first watch,” Seth ordered as he pulled me behind him.

I laughed. “Night, guys.” Davis shook his head at me.

Seth pulled me into the room and shut the door. He went over to the window and checked outside before he closed the curtains. Then he walked into the bathroom to check the other window.

I pulled off my shorts and top and pulled on his work shirt. I saw his handcuffs and slipped them off his belt. He came out and stopped mid-step. “Wow.”

I slowly stepped toward him and opened my hand to show him the cuffs.

“Props.”

He pulled his shirt off and let it fall on the floor, and then moved into me. He slid his hands along my sides and closed his eyes. I breathed in and started to walk toward the bed. He sat on the edge, and I moved between his legs. I ran my hands through his hair and pushed him back on the mattress. He shifted on his arms toward the pillows. I grinned as I crawled over his lean body, hovered over him, and allowed him to feel my heat. His stomach flexed beneath me. I angled my lips over his. When he moved his head up to meet mine, I moved back. I softly kissed his neck while I swirled my tongue around in circles.

“You’re driving me crazy,” he moaned.

“Oh. Am I?” I played innocent, but I saw him catch my smirk.

Suddenly, his hands gripped my hips and he flipped me over in one quick motion and straddled me. Before I could even react, he snapped the cuffs on and held my arms above my head.

“My turn.” His eyes darkened with need.

 

***

 

I woke up to the hot sun draped over me through the open window and the soft, steady sound of water dripping. I saw the handcuffs lying on the chair and wondered what Seth would think the next time he arrested someone. This made me grin. As I rolled over to find an empty bed, my fingers stretched out and grabbed the collar of Seth’s dress shirt. I pulled it over my head and hunted for my swim suit.

The smell of coffee had me up and in a daze as I entered the brightly lit kitchen. Cups had already been laid out, along with some bagels and pastries. I pulled a piece off of a cheese croissant and popped it in my mouth as I poured my coffee. I noticed Davis was outside and decided to join him.

“Morning.”

“Hey, Em. Beautiful day, huh?”

“Very. Where are the guys?”

Davis pointed to the driveway. “They went into town to pick up a few things. The storm did some damage to the shed.”

I saw the door was off its bottom hinge and a window was shattered.

The sun started to heat things up, and my joints felt stiff from last night’s activities.Worth every moment.

“I’m going to go for a swim.”

His face twisted. “Um…” He looked around. “Yeah, I guess that’s fine.”

I tossed my hair into a messy bun and grabbed my sunglasses and my phone for music. I walked out onto the wharf, unfolded my towel, and placed my stuff on top. I took a moment to take in the view. This place really was spectacular. A hawk circled the sky above me, while the chirp of a baby bird cried up in a tree.

I broke the smooth water as I dove in. It felt divine. I opened my eyes and swam for as long as I could. It was peaceful as I watched the murky ground beneath me fly by with each stoke of my arms. Tiny fish moved right along with me as they weaved in and out of the lake grass. They disappeared and reappeared in a flash.

When I popped up and looked at the shore, I was pretty far out. Davis had moved closer to the wharf. I waved and started to swim back when I saw a car drive up. I stopped and squinted. The sun glared down on me. I raised my hand over my eyes to get a better look. I saw someone get out and look all around. Davis glanced at me and then approached the man.

They spoke for a few minutes, shook hands, and then they walked down to the wharf. Davis waved at me to let me know it was all right to come over. I started to swim toward them.

When I was still a few yards away, I heard a shout, and I saw the man lunge toward Davis. He grabbed him across the chest. It looked like he had a gun. I froze. What the hell was going on?

“You come to the dock, Emily, or I’m going to blow his head off!” the man yelled.

Davis shook his head no. He mouthed, “Swim!”

I didn’t know what to do. Davis slowly shifted his eyes to his hand. The man kept watch over his shoulder. “Come on!” he screamed at me.

Davis stuck out three fingers and mouthed, “Swim!” again.

I nodded to show him I understood what he wanted me to do. He started one finger, two fingers…On three, he elbowed the man in the gut, sending him back and making him release Davis.

“Go, Emily!” he screamed. His words seemed to echo off the mountains. Davis kicked the man and knocked him backward. The man got back to his feet and lunged at him. I turned, took a deep breath, and ducked under the water.

I swam as fast as I could. I tried to get my brain to focus to keep my legs and arms in unison as they bolted through the water. I held my breath till my lungs were about to burst and my vision became blurry. I came up quickly and took a huge gasp of air, then turned to see where I was. I was almost to shore on the other side.

Finally, my feet touched the ground, and I ran up a hill and into the woods. I came to a cabin a short distance away. I looked in the windows, but no one was home, so I reached around and found a rock. I gripped it tightly in my hand and smashed a window.

I heard a gunshot a distance away. It traveled through the woods and hit me like a brick. “Oh my God, Davis,” I whispered, a wave of sickness coming over me.Please, he can’t be dead!

“Come on!” my braver side shouted at me. “Move, McPhee.” She basically slapped me back to reality.

I reached up and pulled myself through the window. I felt a sharp pain in my calf and fell to the floor where blood formed a small puddle under me. “Shit,” I whimpered as I covered it with my hands.

I looked around. My heart pounded in my ears as I stood up and held onto a chair for support. It looked like people were here; there were clothes scattered about, along with the smell of freshly used sunscreen. I hobbled over to the bathroom, grabbed a towel, and wrapped it tightly around my leg.

I moved into a bedroom, slipping a few times on the hardwood floor from my wet feet. I left blood and muddy hand and foot marks wherever I touched. I didn’t care. I needed to get out of there. I tore through the closet as I looked for something to wear. I finally found a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and sneakers. I shoved them on.

I pulled too hard on the bedside drawer, and it fell to the floor and spilled its content everywhere. I dropped to my knees, and my hands fumbled for…something. I sobbed when I came across a cell phone and some bullets. I looked all around for the gun. “Come on…” I hissed. My shaky fingers ran along the bottom of the bed, then inside the bedside cabinet…I came up empty.

Suddenly, I heard voices. I scrambled to the doorway and peeked outside.Shit.I grabbed the phone and opened the back window carefully. I flung both my legs out and jumped. The impact hurt, but I made it to my feet and ran.

 

***

 

Seth

 

Garrett and I pulled up to the cabin. We had started to take the bags out of the trunk when we caught sight of Davis crawling up the hill toward us. Garrett dropped his bag and went running over. “Davis, what happened?”

I pulled out my gun and ducked down to the ground, my eyes scanning the area.

I watched Garrett pull Davis’s arm away from his body, trying to find the bullet hole.

“Emily,” Davis spat out. “She swam across the water.” He pointed. “He’s after her! He thought I was dead. He’s in a dark blue Camry.”

I bolted over. “Is he all right?” I asked Garrett.

“Gunshot to the shoulder.” Garrett’s words were rushed.

Davis grabbed my hand. “I’m so sorry.”

Garrett looked at me, terror written all over his face, and I was sure mine looked the same. “He said she swam across the lake over there. But the guy went after her.”

I shook my head and tried to get my thoughts in order. “Get him some help. You’ll be okay, Davis. Just hold on.”

I jumped in the car. My hands shook as I tried to put the key in the ignition. I tossed the gear in reverse and floored it down to my neighbor’s cabin.

When I reached their driveway, I noticed people were outside. Some were on their phones.

An older man in a red hunting jacket swiftly walked up. “Seth, we’re so glad you’re here. We’ve had a break-in.” He pointed to the window.

“Did you see anyone?”

The man shook his head. “But Tracy did.”

His daughter came up. “I saw a girl in my mom’s clothes running into the woods. She must have cut herself, because there’s blood all over the window and house.”

“Stay here,” I ordered as I ran into the house and looked around. I saw where she had cut herself. There wasn’t a lot of blood, but enough to know she’d be hurting.Oh, baby, where are you?

I waved the older man to come inside. “Anything else missing?”

The shaken man looked around at the smeared, bloody handprints and followed them into the bedroom. He moved to the bedside table and bent down, picking a bullet off the floor. Making a face, he pushed aside the mess of papers and random knickknacks. Then he shifted his weight forward and felt behind the night stand.

“She didn’t find my gun. But my cell phone is gone.”

I looked out the window where Emily had jumped. “I’m going to need the number.”

The man wrote it down and then eyed me. “Should we be worried?”

“No.” I walked out and left the family to clean up the mess. That was the least of my worries.

I slammed the car door and started to drive down the road. I quickly texted the number.

 

Unknown Number: Em, find the road and I’ll pick you up.

 

***

 

Emily

 

I had a death grip on the cell phone that lit up and vibrated my hand. I flipped it open and my heart jumped. Seth! I went to text back, but then I stopped myself. What if it wasn’t really him?

 

Emily: What did you whisper to me about Davis’s bet?

 

I waited for the reply.

 

Unknown Number: I would have bet all day.

 

I was so relieved, my fingers fumbled as I tried to calm down enough to remember Seth’s cell number by heart. Finally, I hit send and waited three rings before I heard his voice.

“Em, where are you?” His tone was sharp. I could tell he was terrified.

“Seth!”

“Emily, tell me where you are.”

“Umm, I’m not sure.” I stood up and looked around. “I think I’m pretty deep in the woods.”

There was a pause. “Can you hear anything?”

I listened. My heart pounded so loudly it was hard to focus. I heard a twig snap off to one side, and I saw a few branches move.

“Em?” Seth asked impatiently.

My breathing stopped as I slid back down to the ground and slowly leaned against a tree. “Seth, I don’t think I’m alone,” I whispered as tears started to gush down my cheeks.

“Emily.” He paused helplessly. “Listen to me. Get down on the ground.”

“I can hear footsteps,” I nearly sobbed. My skin was hyperaware that something was coming.

“Focus, baby. I’m going to honk my horn. Tell me if you can hear it.”

I listened and heard a car horn beep three times.

“Yes! Yes, I can hear it,” I whispered. The footsteps stopped.

“Em, face toward where you heard the horn. When you look at the sun where is it to you?”

“Ahh,” I looked up. “It-it’s in front of me.” A panting sound found me from the right. I slowly looked in that direction. “Ohhh-myy.” I felt my whole body tighten. “I s-s-see a pit bull.” My heart tripled in beats as panic shot through me like a bullet. “He’s staring at me.”

I heard Seth’s car door slam through the phone.

“Hold still. Don’t move, baby. I’m coming in now.”

The phone shook in my hand. “Seth, if anything happens to me, just know I—”

“You’re going to be fine, baby. I’m almost to you.”

Suddenly, the dog bolted toward me. I screamed and felt someone cover my mouth with something damp. The phone slipped between my fingers and the sun became blinding.

Everything went black.

 

***

 

Seth

 

I screamed, “Emily!” as my feet beat along the forest floor. Nothing registered as my stomach fought for room in my throat.

There was a strange noise, and then someone breathed into the phone. “You lose, Officer Connors,” a voice purred. The line went dead.

I braced myself against a tree in shock. I fumbled while I dialed. “Garrett, he has her. I was so close, but he got her!” I suddenly heard a noise and raised my gun and scanned the trees. “Call it in!”

Within forty-five minutes, there was a whole army of people on the scene. Search dogs, helicopters, rangers, and everyone else who could possibly be of help had shown up. Detective Michaels came over and put his hand on my shoulder.

“Connors, I’m so sorry. We’ll find her.” I didn’t look up. I couldn’t. I lost her. I was so damn close, but I lost her.

Johnnie came up and handed me a bag that had my vest and badge inside. I nodded and started to suit up. I needed to keep my shit together or Sarge would pull me from the case.

Garrett handed me my 40mm and a radio. “Let’s go find her.”

The Sergeant stood next to a makeshift table. “All right, listen up.” Everyone stopped and turned their attention to him. “First, thank you all for responding so quickly and for letting the Orange Police Department take over the reins. We know this is out of our jurisdiction and we appreciate the cooperation. This is a family member we’re looking for, so understand it’s going to be extra sensitive.” He paused and took a moment to let that last part sink in. “As of 8:43 a.m., Emily McPhee, age twenty-two, was abducted from somewhere in this fifty-foot area. There has been no contact with her in two hours.”

As we listened to the sergeant’s plan, Garrett squeezed my shoulder. “We’ve got this!” he whispered into my ear. I nodded at him and turned my attention back to the sergeant as he finished up.

“All right, men, this is personal. You know what to do.” He looked at me. “Let’s get her back.”

 

 

The End