Chapter 18

It was almost 11:00 p.m. Alexandra was one of the last volunteers to leave. She was anxious to get home, as her mother was babysitting Adam, and she hated for Beth to stay out so late.

Alexandra was alone in the Subaru, driving away from the community building. It was the commercial section of town, and all the businesses were closed. Dark and eerie, Alexandra felt a flood of dread as she drove down the deserted street. She hated driving alone at night. As if some malicious demon heard her fear, the Subaru began to sputter, and to Alexandra’s horror, it stalled. Coulson wasn’t a bad town, yet it was definitely not Mayberry. A woman walking alone in this section of town was courting trouble. However, she couldn’t stay in her car. It would be hours before anyone would think to look for her.

Alexandra opened her purse and searched for change. She would have to find a phone and call Ryan. Pushing her purse under her seat, she tucked the change in her pocket and left the sanctuary of her car after locking its doors securely.

Walk briskly, she told herself. Don’t look like a victim. Stand straight. She attempted to follow her own advice, yet with no phone in sight and her car a good block behind her, Alexandra’s anxiety heightened. She began to question the wisdom of traipsing through this unsavory section of town alone. Perhaps she should have stayed in her car.

Suddenly two figures emerged from the shadows. Alex let out a brief shriek. The figures laughed.

“Hey, baby. You got money?” He was shorter than Alex was, his features hidden by the shadows, but she could see he wore a knitted cap.

“No purse, baby. Maybe you got something in your pants we can use?” the second figure called out. He was taller, thinner. They circled Alexandra, as wolves circle their prey. Toying with it and nipping at its heels before going in for the kill.

Garret noticed her car immediately. He pulled his Jeep behind the Subaru and turned off the headlights. Exiting his car, Garret quickly ran to the driver’s side door of the Subaru and tried the handle. It was locked. He looked inside, no Alexandra. He didn’t like this. No, he didn’t like this one damn bit.

If she started walking, she would have gone up the street. He had just come from the other direction, and he hadn’t seen her. Garret began to run down the street. Where the hell was she?

They had pushed her into an alcove leading to a furniture store. Alexandra screamed, kicked, and pushed. Yet, they only laughed, continuing to taunt her. As she swung to hit the smaller man, the taller one grabbed her arm and twisted her into his grip. He held her from the back, clenching both of her arms firmly. Making a crude gesture, he raised his hips upwards, grinding his arousal against her bottom. He continued to laugh, while pumping up and down, letting her know just what they intended to do with her. She screamed frantically, her legs flaying helplessly.

The smaller man stood in front of her, watching his friend continue to lift her up and down against his hardness, while restraining her arms.

“Go, baby!” the smaller man yelled excitedly. He hurriedly unzipped his pants. Tears streamed down her face.

It was a savage cry that came from the street. A deranged sound made by a predator that is making its kill. Alex heard it when she was hurled unexpectedly from her tormentor’s grasp and discarded by the curbside. She looked up to see a giant viciously attacking the men who had just moments before been attacking her. It happened so fast, she was unable to comprehend the reality of the situation.

Garret’s hands fastened on the taller man and hurled him against the building, which sent Alexandra falling to the pavement. The shorter man began to run, the sounds of his footsteps disappearing in the night. Garret’s fist smashed unmercifully into the tall man’s face. He was no match for Garret. He tumbled into the side of the building and regained his footing awkwardly.

Garret found himself pulled between going to Alex’s side and killing her attacker. He hesitated for a moment and looked toward Alexandra. She was a helpless, crumpled form, reminding Garret of a discarded rag doll. In his moment’s hesitation, the tall man regained his footing and began running into the darkness.

Garret bent down to Alexandra and gently began to pull her into his arms. She was shaking and still did not know that it was Garret who leaned by her side.

“Alex, honey,” Garret whispered softly, “it’s Garret. Everything is going to be okay.”

She began to shake violently. Then she began to sob. Garret himself was trembling. He pulled Alex to her feet and gathered her into his arms. She held him tightly, her face buried into his chest. He rocked her gently for a moment then urged her to move.

“Come on, honey. My Jeep’s down the street. I’ll take you home.”

They sat together, alone in the Jeep. Alexandra curled up on Garret’s lap, still trembling from her experience. Garret had pushed back the driver’s seat to make more room, and although it was a tight fit, neither seemed concerned over how they were crammed together in the small space. Garret continued to talk softly to her, gently caressing her forehead with his hand, placing reassuring kisses along her brow.

He had never been so afraid in his entire life, not for himself but for Alexandra. As he held her in his arms, he wanted nothing more than to protect her. He could spend the rest of his life protecting her.

After she calmed down, Garret helped her get into the passenger seat, buckled her seat belt as if she were a child, and then drove Alexandra home. He walked her to her door and explained to Beth what had happened. Alex was still too upset to speak. Beth was horrified and grateful that Garret had rescued her daughter.

The next day, Garret received a phone call at his office. It was from Ryan Keller.

“Garret, I want to tell you how grateful I am for what you did for Alexandra.”

Garret didn’t know quite what to say.

“If anything had happened to Alex… Well, thank God you were there. How can we ever thank you?”

After Ryan Keller said his goodbyes, Garret gently placed the receiver back into its cradle. He lifted both of his hands to his face, spread his outstretched palms against his features and gently rubbed his forehead with his fingertips. He buried his face in his palms and closed his eyes.

Don’t thank me, Ryan Keller. I love her. Damn it, I love her!