CHAPTER 11

Tony awoke first, realizing instantly that the night had slipped away and the cabin was filled with the quiet of predawn.

For a long moment he didn’t move, not wanting to interrupt the total tranquillity of waking well rested with Libby slumbering peacefully in his arms. He kept his eyes closed, enjoying the pleasurable sensations of Libby’s curves molded against him, the scent of her hair tickling his nose.

He frowned thoughtfully. He knew that somehow a bridge had been crossed, a connection had been made between them. It was a connection that would make it impossible for him to escape from her unscathed.

When they finished with this mystery and went back to their own lives, he knew there would be many times when memories of this intimate time with her would come back to haunt him. There would be moments of reflection when he mourned what might have been if his ultimate decision had been different.

Still, he knew that to anticipate any sort of long-term relationship between them was a fool’s dream.

They had come together, made their connection in the surreal world of a small cabin in the woods, surrounded by a heady combination of mystery, intrigue and danger. What they had shared here would never last back in the real world. He refused to make the same mistakes as his father and mother. As much as he hated to admit it, he feared he was too much his father’s son to make and keep a marriage healthy.

He gently eased himself away from her and out of bed, studiously ignoring the desire to stand over her and watch her sleep. He stealthily crossed the room and disappeared into the bathroom, where he stepped into the shower. Maybe a hot, stinging shower would rid him of her scent, wash away the feel of her body against his, banish her from his thoughts and heart.

Minutes later he stepped out of the shower and dried off briskly with one of the thin, worn towels. He pulled on his jeans and T-shirt, his gaze falling on the thick gold necklace resting on the side of the sink. For a long moment he stared at it, frustration welling up inside. What did the damned thing contain? What in the hell was so important? With a sigh, he shoved it into his jeans pocket, then left the bathroom.

Libby still slept soundly, not having moved an inch since he had gone into the bathroom. Standing there for a moment, watching her in the dimness of the room, he suddenly felt the need to get on the road.

Her hair was like a halo surrounding her head and he remembered how it had felt in his hands the night before, with its perfumed silkiness and rich texture. She had given to him completely, holding nothing back as they’d made love. And he’d found himself responding in kind, unable to do anything else. It had been frightening…that moment when he’d lost himself to her, found himself in a veil of darkness where she was the only light, the only reality. He frowned.

She’d gotten too close, crept into his insides like a dreadful disease. The protective box he’d always kept firmly erected around his heart had been opened, and like Pandora’s box, the mystery of it all scared the hell out of him.

He needed to regain his equilibrium, restore his self-imposed isolation. He needed to keep her out of his heart. He wanted out of this room, out of this mess that had brought them together. It was time to move on and bring this whole mess to an end.

He looked at her again. Despite his anxiety, he was reluctant to wake her out of her peaceful sleep. Besides, an hour more won’t make any difference, he thought as his stomach rumbled its good morning.

He looked at his wristwatch. It was only a few minutes after five o’clock. If he woke her up now they would have time to stop at the restaurant for breakfast before they went on their way to Jasper Higgens’s lab. Still he hesitated, knowing Libby would not appreciate being awakened at five o’clock just so he could have a hearty breakfast before they continued on their adventure.

His frown deepened as his stomach rumbled loudly. Just because she doesn’t like to eat breakfast doesn’t mean I have to do without, he thought irritably. He didn’t want to wake her up or go to the trouble of cooking in the room, but as he remembered the wonderful steak he’d had two nights before at the restaurant down the road, his mouth watered. They could probably fix him up a dandy breakfast in no time at all. He could probably eat and be back in the room before Libby even awoke and knew he was gone. Finding a piece of paper, he quickly scribbled a note telling her where he’d gone, just in case she woke up before he returned. Laying the note on his pillow, he crept out of the cabin and into the brisk, fresh air of predawn.

* * *

Libby woke slowly, stretching sensually against the crisp cotton sheets. She knew immediately that Tony was no longer next to her. The heat of his body was gone, but she could still smell the scent of his maleness on the sheets, on her skin, and she closed her eyes and smiled.

She couldn’t remember the last time she had slept so soundly. Her sleep had been that of a woman totally and completely sated. She wanted him again, even now with her body still tingling with the lingering sensations of their lovemaking. She wanted him again and again. She ran her hands down the sides of her body, remembering the touch of his hands, the feel of his lips against her skin. Making love with him had been everything she’d imagined. He’d been a passionate, sensual, thoughtful lover.

She sighed and rolled over, opening her eyes as her hand encountered a piece of paper on his pillow. She scanned the note quickly, smiling softly. Tony and his morning appetite. She flushed slightly. His nighttime appetite wasn’t too shabby, either.

She got out of bed and headed for the shower, knowing that the minute Tony returned to the room he would be ready to hit the road.

As she stood beneath the spray of water, she wondered what the day would bring. Would they discover the secret of the necklace? Would they find the answers they sought at Jasper Higgens’s lab? And if they did solve the mystery and went back to their lives in Kansas City, what would happen between her and Tony?

Surely last night changed things, she thought hopefully. Surely after last night he couldn’t deny that he felt something for her…that there was a magic between them. The thought of not seeing him again, not making love with him again, made a hollow ache of emptiness well up inside her.

But he’d been most emphatic from the very beginning. He wasn’t looking for a long-term relationship. He didn’t want a lifetime commitment. And what did she want from him? It was a question that, in her mind, had no clear-cut answer.

She shoved her head under the water spray, rinsing out the shampoo and unsettling thoughts. One mystery at a time, she cautioned herself. The first and foremost thing was to get rid of the necklace.

She had just finished pulling on her T-shirt and jeans and was towel-drying her hair when she heard the outside door of the cabin creak open.

“I’m almost ready,” she called through the bathroom door. She quickly finger-combed her hair, looking one last time at her reflection in the mirror.

“I hope you had a good breakfast,” she said as she threw the towel she’d used in the corner and walked out. “I figured you’d be anxious to get down to business and on the road and find—”

The last of the sentence strangled in her throat as she saw the albino sitting at the kitchen table, his pink eyes glittering and his thin lips pulled into a cold smile.

“Good morning, Mrs. Weatherby.” His voice was soft, but Libby heard the steely grit beneath the soothing tone.

“Good morning, Mr. Taylor,” she returned, using the name Tony had learned from his friend Cliff.

The albino’s eyes flickered in surprise at the sound of his own name. “Ah, it seems perhaps we have underestimated your knowledge. Unfortunately, we’ve underestimated several things, which has made us lose valuable time. But, I think all that can be rectified right now.”

Libby’s head spun and she swallowed hard, hoping to swallow back the frantic panic that made her knees weaken and her blood roar in her ears. She had to keep her wits about her. If only she could stall him until Tony came back. “What…what do you want?” she asked, glad that her voice betrayed none of the abject terror that twisted her stomach and produced a cold sweat to break out on her upper lip.

The man smiled. Again, it was a cold death mask kind of grimace. “I think you know what we want.”

She reached up to her neck, startled when her hand encountered nothing. Where was the necklace? When had she last had it? Her mind raced, then she remembered. She had laid it down in the bathroom the night before when she had showered. It must still be in there on the sink. God, where was Tony? How long could it take him to choke down breakfast?

She gasped as Mr. Taylor pulled a knife from his pocket and with a barely perceptible click, a long, evil-looking blade popped out. “I grow impatient, Mrs. Weatherby. You and your friend have made us lose precious time. We’re tired of the game. Where is the necklace?”

Libby licked her lip, surprised to taste the salt of perspiration. “If I give it to you, what’s in it for me?” she asked, wanting to keep him talking until Tony returned. “I think a little negotiation is in order.” She eyed him boldly, trying not to focus on the glitter of the wicked-looking knife.

“Sure, we can negotiate.” The albino laughed, an unpleasant rumble that made chills dance up and down Libby’s spine. “You give me the necklace without any problems or hassles, and I’ll make sure your death is as painless as possible.” His eyes narrowed. “However, if you make it difficult on me, I will see to it that your death is long in coming and your suffering enormous.” He laughed again. It was the glee of a man who enjoyed instilling fear and causing infinite pain. “And before I kill you, I will possess your body in ways you never dreamed possible.”

Cold-fingered fear grasped Libby’s heart and squeezed with viselike strength. The thought of death was pleasant compared to the thought of his hands on her, touching her. A shiver of revulsion waved through her at the very thought. Dear God, what was she going to do? Her gaze darted around the room, looking for something, anything that could be used as a weapon.

“Don’t go getting any ideas, little lady,” he breathed softly, his eyes narrowing in warning once again as the knife in his hand twitched noticeably. “I can throw this knife in the blink of an eye and if I must, I’ll pleasure myself with you after you’re dead.”

“Okay,” Libby breathed slowly, her brain whirling desperately. “I’ll…I’ll get you the necklace….” She moved over to the small chest of drawers next to the bed. Pretending to open the drawer, in one swift, fluid movement, she picked up the Bible lying on the top and threw it with all her force at the albino.

She didn’t wait to see whether she hit her mark or not. Instead, she stumbled into the bathroom and slammed and locked the door behind her. She panted, hysteria a whisper away.

The door was hit with a loud bang, and for the first time since she’d walked out of the bathroom and encountered the albino sitting at the table, she screamed. She screamed again as the door was hit another time with enough force to make it tremble in the wooden frame.

She could hear his muttered, vicious curses and knew that should he finally break into the bathroom, he wouldn’t hesitate to use the knife on her. And she knew it wouldn’t be a swift and painless death. He would torture her, and he would like it.

Another explosion against the door followed by a loud splintering sound let Libby know she had only seconds before the door gave way beneath the man’s awesome rage.

I’ve got to get out of here, she thought frantically, eyeing the small window that was above the sink. The thick woods were right beyond the window. If she could manage to get out, she’d stand a better chance of getting away if she could hide in the woods.

She crawled up on the sink and strained to open the window, trying to ignore the loud, splintering noises that accompanied each bang on the bathroom door. She gasped in relief as the window finally slid open.

It was going to be a tight squeeze—the window was narrow and small. But she had to fit through. She had to. Without another conscious thought, she dove out the window, moaning impotently as she stopped halfway through, her hips wedged tightly in the frame of the window.

Panic clawed at her and she sobbed in desperation. She twisted and pulled, feeling the flesh of her hips skinning off in her frantic efforts. Tears streamed down her face as she heard the door behind her giving way.

Oh, God, how long did it take to die if you were stabbed repeatedly in the buttocks? she thought wildly. Her mind rebelled at the thought of this indignant death.

She renewed her efforts, death surrounding her. She would never get a chance to see Vinnie again. She would never have a chance to have children. She would never get the opportunity to tell Tony that she loved him.

With a desperate sob, she twisted her hips, stifling a squeal as she suddenly came loose and fell to the ground beneath the window. Without pausing, she ran for the cover of the woods, never stopping to wonder if Tony would be able to find her, never doubting that he would.

* * *

Tony kicked at a rock in the road and sighed with contentment as he walked slowly back toward the cabin. He’d had a delicious breakfast and was now anxious to get on the road. He looked at his watch, pleased to see that it was just a few minutes after six o’clock. With any luck they could be on the road within a half an hour and at the lab by seven.

As their cabin came into view, he tensed…spotting the dark sports car that was pulled up near the door. Libby! Her name echoed in his mind as he realized the danger that suddenly made his nose twitch nervously.

He pulled his gun from his boot and advanced slowly. His mind was suddenly blank, refusing to contemplate what had happened to Libby. He couldn’t allow any emotions to thwart him. He needed to be clearheaded in order to help her…if she was still in a position to need his help. He gulped back a wave of nausea at this thought.

He dropped almost to the ground and advanced on the sports car, his gun ready to fire, his hand cool and steady from his years on the police force. The car was empty.

He eyed the cabin. The door stood ajar. He advanced cautiously, his ears finely tuned to any perceptible movement that would indicate somebody inside.

He moved the door completely open with his foot, keeping his gun ready in front of him. It took him only a second to see that nobody was in the room.

He relaxed his grip on the gun only slightly, sweat beading up on his forehead. He could still smell the evil of the man who’d been here. It lingered in the room like noxious fumes.

Where was Libby? His brow wrinkled in confusion as he thought of the empty car outside. If they had succeeded in taking her, why was the car still outside?

His heart leapt up into his throat as he saw the bathroom door, splintered and leaning against the door frame. It had obviously been beaten down, and his heart froze in his chest as he thought of Libby hiding in the bathroom, totally defenseless, completely vulnerable, praying for his return.

He pushed his self-recriminations aside. He had no time for that now. Instead, he eyed the tiny, opened bathroom window hopefully. Had she managed to escape through the window before they broke down the door? It seemed the only feasible explanation for the car still parked outside.

He looked at the window, hope flaring alive in his chest as he saw the tangled, wooded area directly behind the cabin. She was out there now, hiding, trying to evade the men that sought her. She needed him. He turned on his heels, his heart racing anxiously. She needed him, and God, he needed to find her.

* * *

Libby ran like the wind, afraid to stop, afraid to look behind her. Just as she had hit the ground outside the bathroom window and picked herself up, she heard the explosive sound of the bathroom door coming apart. She hadn’t wanted to see if anyone was going to follow her, she had simply run, unmindful of the thistle bushes and thorns that tore at her.

Tears blinded her, along with panic, as she raced, stumbling over tree roots, ducking beneath hanging limbs. She ran as fast and as far as she could until the combination of thick underbrush and a painful stitch in her side made her slow down. Her chest heaved from her efforts and she took in large gulps of air. The sides of her hips were on fire where she knew she’d skinned and bruised them as she’d shimmied out the window.

At least I’m alive, she thought, but this did nothing to still the fear that remained deep inside her. Had she run far enough to lose the albino? Was he still following her, hunting her down like a wild animal? Should she continue to run until she dropped from exhaustion? Oh, God, she wished Tony was here to tell her what to do.

She stood completely still, straining to listen to the sounds of the woods. She was somewhat reassured by the silence that surrounded her. There was no crashing noise, no crunching of leaves beneath footsteps—nothing to indicate that somebody was on her trail.

She slid down at the base of a large tree, crouching down behind a fallen log in front of her. All she needed was a moment or two to get her bearings, catch her breath. When she had taken off running, she had zigzagged back and forth. Now she had absolutely no idea where she was. In fact, she had no idea in which direction the cabin was.

She wanted to cry. She needed to cry. But she had never been a noiseless crier, and the last thing she wanted to do was make a noise that would draw unwanted attention. Instead she chewed on her bottom lip, wishing she was back in the safety and warmth of Tony’s arms. She wished she was back in her own little apartment with Twilight curled up at her feet. She wished she was anywhere but here. She wasn’t cut out for this kind of stuff. She wasn’t meant to be a hero.

From out of nowhere a huge hand reached from behind her and fastened firmly against her mouth. Libby’s eyes widened in shock and her blood went cold. She stiffened, trying to pull herself away from the hand that held her tight. She gasped as a second hand snaked around her waist and jerked her upright against a taut, lean body.

“Shh, I’m here,” Tony’s voice whispered in her ear, and she sagged against him in relief, tears spurting from her eyes. She turned herself around and threw her arms around his neck, molding herself against him. She wanted to wrap herself around him, crawl inside of him, never let him go.

“Don’t say a word, don’t make a sound,” he breathed into her ear, gently stroking her back reassuringly. “They’re about a hundred yards from here.” He pointed to the left. “We’re going to circle back around and find the car. Then we’ll get the hell out of here.”

Libby nodded, still clinging to him in silent desperation.

“Uh…Libby. You’re going to have to let go of me so we can walk,” he whispered, tipping her face up with his finger. He kissed the tip of her nose, and she longed to crawl into the tenderness and caring that radiated from his dark eyes. “Are you all right?” he asked, tightening his grip on her for a moment.

Libby released a huge, tremulous sigh and nodded. As if by some unspoken communication, they moved silently through the woods together.

It took them almost an hour to get back to where their car was parked at the edge of the woods behind the cabin. It was the most excruciating hour Libby had ever endured. Twice they nearly walked into the men who hunted them. She shivered as they hid in the thicket, hearing the curses of the nearby albino.

When they reached Tony’s Buick, the sports car was still parked in front of the cabin. Looking around cautiously, Tony and Libby jumped into their car and Tony started the engine with a roar.

He drove like a maniac, fast and frantic, needing to put as much distance as possible between them and the men who wanted them. Once again they kept off the main roads, instead going over trails and cow paths that kept them traveling in the general direction of the lab.

When they’d gone some distance with no indication that they were being followed, Libby’s tightly controlled rein on her emotions gave way. Even though she wasn’t aware of her need to cry, tears began racing down her cheeks, and her entire body trembled uncontrollably. She turned her head away from Tony, feeling ridiculously foolish as the tears continued to run unchecked down her face.

Tony reached out and pulled her over next to him, feeling the trembling that had seized her body. He put his arm around her, trying to absorb the trembling into his own body, imagining how frightened she must have been before he found her. She was so strong. She’d earned these tears. She deserved the release he knew they would bring.

“Everything is all right now,” he crooned softly as she leaned against him weakly. He wanted to stop the car and take her into his arms. He wanted to hold her and stroke her until the horror was gone, replaced with sensations of passion and life. But he knew better than to risk pulling the car over. They needed to keep traveling while they had the slight advantage.

Hopefully it would take those men some time to discover that he and Libby had taken the car and fled. So instead of pulling over to comfort her, he did the best he could, hugging her close against him, stroking her hair and crooning words of assurance.

Within a few minutes, her trembling had stopped and her tears had dried, but she didn’t move from Tony’s awkward embrace. “Feeling better?” he asked softly, leaning over to press his lips to the top of her head.

She nodded, offering him a tremulous smile. “I guess I’m just not cut out for this kind of thing. I thought I’d die when I walked out of the bathroom and that…that man was sitting at the kitchen table.”

Tony hugged her once again. “How did you get away?”

“I guess you could say I had the help of some divine intervention,” she said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Again he marveled at her strength of character, her courage. “What do you mean?” he asked curiously.

“He demanded I give him the necklace and I pretended that’s what I was going to do, then I threw the Bible at him.” She looked at him, suddenly horrified. “Oh, Tony…the necklace…I don’t know where it is.”

“I have it,” he explained, causing her to sigh in relief. “So, tell me what happened after you threw the Bible at him.”

“I ran into the bathroom and locked the door.”

Tony laughed. “Honey, I’ve never seen anyone more cut out for this kind of thing than you. Quick thinking got you into the bathroom and away from those men.”

“Yes, but for the past five minutes I’ve been a total basket case.” She sat up and moved away from him.

Tony grinned at her. “At least you waited until after you were safe to fall apart. You handled it like a real pro.”

“I don’t want to be a pro,” Libby protested tiredly. “I just want to go home.”

Tony looked at her sharply, wondering if he had overestimated her inner strength. God knew, she’d been through hell the past couple of days. “We could turn around right now, go back to Kansas City. We could hand the necklace to the first cop we see and hope it gets to where it can do no harm.” He kept his voice carefully neutral.

She hesitated a moment, her forehead wrinkling as she thought. “No, we can’t do that,” she finally answered firmly, a hint of renewed strength back in her voice. “We’ve come too far to turn back now. Besides, these people are really making me mad.” She looked up at him, an impish gleam to her bright blue eyes. “I say we continue on, with one little condition…”

“What’s that?”

“That for the rest of the adventure, no matter how long it takes, no matter how many days pass, you never eat breakfast again. Your breakfasts are definitely hazardous to my health.”

Tony laughed and pulled her back firmly against his side. “That’s a promise,” he murmured into her hair, knowing that the most difficult thing he would ever have to do in his life would be to let this woman go…but that was exactly what he’d have to do.