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TURNING THE KEY IN the deadbolt that hadn’t been there when he’d moved into the apartment sixteen years before, Ed locked it behind him. He knew it wouldn’t keep anyone out if they really wanted in, but it made his friends feel better to know it was there. He supposed it made him feel a little more secure, too. If nothing else, it might give him a few precious seconds to take cover if it ever became necessary. Getting to his gun wouldn’t ever be an issue because he kept it with him at all times now, even sleeping with it tucked under his pillow.
He scowled at the small stack of mail he tossed on the dining room table on his way to the bathroom. Technically, it was only the letter from the stalker that caused his lips to turn down, but it was right on the top of the pile, almost like someone put it there on purpose. For all he knew, someone had. Whatever. He wasn’t dealing with the new threat until after his shower. He was tired, he was hungry, and in no mood to deal with more of this sick game. Not until he'd had a few minutes to relax.
Besides, it wouldn’t be any different from the others. Another threat, another promise of his impending death, another wild goose chase to show him the creep was watching his every move...and those of his friends.
As he stepped under the hot steaming spray, he tried to figure out how the stalker seemed to be everywhere at once. Of course he couldn’t be. Nothing ever happened simultaneously, it was just that there were so many incidences between him, the guys, and their families, it felt that way. He had to have an accomplice. That was the only way to explain it.
It appeared they were all targets now. At least that’s what this lunatic wanted them to think. So far though, thank the Lord, Ed was the only one who had been hurt. He didn’t know if he could live with himself if someone close to him suffered because he’d managed to offend a criminal at some point in his long career.
When the water started to cool, he jumped out, dried off, and threw on a pair of faded blue jeans and a white tee shirt, scowling at the letter again on his way to the kitchen. Once the frozen dinner was spinning away in the microwave, he finally sat down at the table and slit the envelope open with his pocketknife.
"Hmm," he murmured, looking at the cobbled together note.
Coordinates? For what? The only other thing on the page was, ‘Take your time, cop. There’s no rush to find my surprise.’
What was that supposed to mean? If it had been anyone else sending him off on a scavenger hunt, he’d probably ignore it until after he’d gotten a good night’s sleep. But this was coming from a deranged stalker, one who had made a point to tell him there was no hurry. That made him wonder if there might actually be a reason to look into it sooner rather than later.
The more he thought about it, the more it worried him. Was there something he needed to see right away? Or was this the moment the stalker had been waiting for? The showdown.
With a sigh, Ed got up, turned the microwave off, slipped into a pair of socks and sneakers, grabbed his parka and headed out to the parking lot.
"Evening, gentlemen," he said, forcing a cheerfulness he didn’t feel into his voice as he slid the door of the van open, startling its occupants.
At first, he’d resented the presence of the goons Dan and the others had hired, and insisted he learn to live with. Now he found they gave him a sense of security – no matter how false it might be – to know they were watching out for him.
Settling in one of the bucket seats, and buckling himself in he said, "We’re going on a little adventure, fellas, and I’m too tired to drive." He gave them the coordinates to enter into their GPS system and sat back to enjoy the ride.
Or pretend to enjoy it. The way the letter had been worded worried him, and no matter how many times he told himself it was nothing, he was beginning to feel like it was something. A gut instinct he’d learned to listen to because more often than not, it was right.
Dusk had fallen by the time they reached their destination. Ed immediately thought of Jon when he saw the ramshackle house and barn. Both looked like they could fall down around their foundations in a strong wind, and he wasn’t sure, even as talented as his friend was, that he possessed the skill to save this mess. It looked as though no one had lived on the property in decades.
When they exited the van, the guards turned to face him.
"What are we looking for?" This came from the taller man, the one who’d been driving. Ed thought his name might be Rick.
"I have no idea. Whatever it is could be anywhere. Inside, outside, I just don’t know."
The passenger, Harvey, reached into the glove box and pulled out a fistful of tiny, powerful flashlights. He handed one to Ed, another to his buddy, kept one out for himself, and pocketed the rest before saying,
"I’m going to assume it will be obvious. Something that would be out of place here."
"Exactly," Ed agreed, closing his eyes for a moment. "We can probably just ignore anything that has twenty years' worth of dust on it."
Glancing around the area, they found that someone had had a whole lot of fun at some point. There were tire tracks and footprints everywhere, except for one area. The front yard, and there they saw a single set of prints leading straight to the front porch. Glancing at one another, Ed shrugged and nodded his head toward the door.
They split up in the house, which Ed figured was a million times creepier than it would have in broad daylight. It didn’t help matters when, while glancing behind him to check out a noise, he walked through what he hoped was a wall of cobwebs. Or when he saw a rat scurry across the hall in front of him a short while later. He knew he’d be showering again when he got home.
After about an hour, they hadn’t found anything, except the occasional boot print in the dirt and grime that covered the floor, and so they headed for the barn, spreading out in the thigh high weeds, just in case whatever it was had been hidden in the yard.
Ed’s breath caught in his throat as soon as he pulled the rotted, creaky door open. There, right in front of them – like a shiny trophy – sat Jenna’s car. With a hand that trembled, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and pressed eight on the keypad, the speed dial number for her. The car was just stolen, that was all, he told himself, a knot forming in the pit of his stomach. She was safe at home and didn’t even know it was gone yet.
"No," he groaned, when the muted melody of a Beach Boys tune filled the cavernous space. "No!"
He ran to the driver’s side, shining the light in the windows, but there was no sign of Jenna – or her cell phone. One of the guards was looking underneath, and the second one was aiming his beam around the rest of the barn, a beam that wavered when it hit the back of the car.
Ed heard him gasp, and could have sworn a giant fist tightened around his lungs, squeezing every bit of air from them. His heart started to pound, and he couldn’t remember ever being this afraid. At first, his feet refused to move, and when they finally did, each step felt like he had strapped concrete blocks to them, probably because he knew he wasn’t going to want to see whatever was waiting for him.
His eyes finally zeroed in on the closed trunk, where a bloody piece of fabric peeked out, crimson drops seeping onto the bumper and rolling off into the straw and dirt below.
~~~~~
"I JUST DON’T KNOW WHAT to do anymore," Darby said, sighing mightily as she picked up her cup of hot cocoa. Dan watched as she blinked back tears, and he glanced over at his wife, who looked about as heartbroken as their friend felt.
"You’ve tried talking to him?" he asked, but he knew that she had. Darby wasn’t one to bottle her feelings up. They'd always been open and honest with each other, and she'd been a perfect fit for Cal. They were both sensitive, gentle souls.
"I’ve lost track of how many times. He just can’t seem to slow down. It’s like he has to be busy all the time, and if he’s not, then he’s brooding and withdraws. So he keeps scheduling more and more functions, and he’s never home. I feel like I’m losing my husband."
"He loves you, Darby. You have to know that."
"I don’t, Dan. Not anymore. First he doesn’t want to start a family until the business is doing better. Then, even after he was earning enough to support a dozen kids, it still wasn't enough. And now it seems like the business is all that matters to him. I mean really, when is the last time he's come to anything? Not the bonfire, not helping Jon. Nothing."
"He’s grieving," Jess said, her voice soft as she reached across the table to take her hand. "I know he’s going about it in a weird way, but it’s only been a few weeks. I'm sure with a little more time, it will get better."
"Jess is right," Dan agreed. "I’ve known Cal since we were in first grade. I don’t know if he’s ever gotten over his brother's death. Now he’s lost his mother. And Kelly- I don’t know what he was thinking, running off to Florida like that, but it’s proof that the whole family has trouble dealing with death."
"I’m trying to be there for him, to understand, but I loved Renee, too. And I miss her so much." As she started to weep, Jess jumped up and wrapped her arms around her.
While both of Darby’s parents were still alive, it was no secret that their daughters fell low on their list of priorities - and always had. Wealthy, thanks to a generous inheritance and uncanny luck in the stock market, Darby and her sister Clancy had been raised by a series of nannies, so she had been exceptionally close to both Kelly and Renee after she'd married their son. They were the only real parents she'd ever known. Dan wanted to shake Cal for leaving her to deal with this on her own.
"I’ll have a talk with him," he promised. "I’ll track him down tomorrow and find out what’s going on in that head of his."
~~~~~
ED HAD NEVER FELT LIKE he might faint before, but standing there, looking at the puddle of blood beneath the bumper, he thought this might be his first time. His skin felt hot, and terror like he’d never known was making it hard to breathe. Apparently the guards were having similar issues because they didn’t rush to turn the key that was sticking out of the lock on the trunk either. How like this lunatic to taunt them. If it hadn't been there, they'd have probably been frantic, searching the barn for something to pry it open. Instead, it was right there, like an invitation.
Finally he forced himself to take the few remaining steps and, by the time he reached out a shaky hand to turn the key, the two men came forward, one standing on either side of him.
As the lid sprung open, he could see that everything was covered in blood. The spare tire, the carpeting, a few bags...and the body laying bound and twisted so the face was hidden. But he saw the long blonde hair splayed out around her like a fan, splattered with red, and knew it was Jenna. He wanted to scream. To shout. To kill the stalker. And he wanted to run far, far away.
"She’s breathing," a low voice said. It was only then that Ed noticed Harvey had two fingers pressed against her neck. "Her pulse is steady, too."
"Thank God," he whispered, reaching out to smooth the hair away from her face. "Jenna? Jenna, can you hear me?" he asked, shaking her gently, but she didn’t stir. "Call 911 and tell them to send an ambulance."
He was afraid to move her, but with this much blood, he knew he had to find the wound, or wounds, and try to stanch the flow. Who knew how long she’d been lying here like this? Her skirt and sweater were soaked, and he knew she could bleed to death before his very eyes. And so he ran his hands over every inch of her body, but couldn’t feel so much as a tiny tear in her clothes. Surely the stalker wouldn’t have injured her and then dressed her. Would he?
"I can’t find anything," he muttered, wishing she would wake up.
"Do you think-" Harvey started to say, then stopped.
"Do I think what?"
"That the blood isn’t hers?"
The thought hadn’t occurred to him before, but he supposed it was possible. So far the stalker had only harmed him. Yes, he’d started involving everyone else, but that hadn't been anything but bullying. Just things meant to scare them all into staying away from him. So using blood from something else – please, God, let it be from an animal – wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.
Harvey was right in that her pulse was steady, and strong, and if she’d lost as much blood as it appeared, it should be weak and thready. She'd likely be very pale, too, and her color was fairly normal. A little pale, but that could be because she'd been lying here without a coat or blanket. As he took his coat off to cover her, he hoped that being cold was the worst thing wrong with her.
But if she wasn’t injured, why wasn’t she waking up?
~~~~~
JON HADN’T BEEN IN the waiting room long when Dan came hurrying in. He explained that Sam and Holly would be coming soon. Jess and Darby had headed out to their house with Kate as soon as they’d gotten the call from Rick. Given that Jenna and Holly had been best friends for years, they’d known she would insist on being here, just as surely as they’d known Sam wouldn’t let her come alone. So someone had to watch Zack and Billy, and they hadn’t hesitated to volunteer.
"Do you know anything yet?" Dan asked, pacing the length of the small room. He looked like a caged animal, but given how much time they'd all spent in hospital waiting rooms the last couple of years, they were starting to feel very much like cages.
"Not a thing. Harvey and Rick were leaving just as I got here." They were heading back to Ed's. Since no one was watching it while they were gone, they wanted to check it out. "All they said was that she was covered in blood, and her vital signs were good, but she was unconscious." Jon took a deep, shaky breath. "Dan, the stalker kidnapped her and locked her in the trunk of her car." He explained about the note with coordinates, and where they’d found her.
"Where was the guard who was supposed to be watching her?"
"His boss couldn't get him on the phone and went looking. Guess he took a hit to the back of the head, but is refusing to get checked out."
"So he didn't see anything."
"No. Nothing. I'm not sure he even remembers being hit, but the guy who owns the company says there was a two-by-four with blood on it lying under his head like a pillow. Guess our stalker thinks he's a comedian now, huh?"
"I think he's just sick," Dan muttered, wiping a hand over his face. He looked as afraid as Jon felt.
"Yes, and he’s upped his game." Jon closed his eyes, realizing how stupid that sounded. It wasn’t like he was the only one that revelation had dawned on. So much for idle threats and spray paint. Jenna had been kidnapped. And who knew what else had been done to her. "Did you see all the cop cars in the parking lot?"
"Yeah. Looks like half a dozen or so."
"I guess they’re finally taking it seriously. A little late, don’t you think?" Except he wasn't being fair. They'd tried to determine the identity of the stalker, but with nothing to go on, there really wasn't anything they could do.
Dan sat beside him on the sofa and looked out the window. In the lights scattered around the parking lot, he could see that it had begun to snow, and quite heavily, too. Just what they needed was for so many of their family to be out driving on slick roads. When he turned back around to meet his eyes, it was clear that his friend felt helpless as helpless as he did.
"What are we going to do, Jon?"
"I don’t know. Hire more guards?" He paused, trying to force himself to voice the thought he'd been fighting since he'd first arrived. " I've been doing some thinking. Maybe it would be best if all of you just kind of back away for a while. You all have families, and you need to do whatever you have to in order to keep them safe."
"And you’ll do what – while we turn our backs on a guy we all love like a brother? Be his only friend? The only other target for this lunatic to go after?"
"Something like that, yeah."
"Yeah? Well you know what? That’s not happening. We aren't going anywhere."
"You can’t speak for Jess."
"Oh but I can. We’ve already discussed it. Several times, as a matter of fact. We won’t be bullied. Ed wouldn’t abandon us, and we’re not deserting him. We’ll talk to the security companies to see what else we can do, and we'll do whatever they suggest, but that’s the only concession we’re going to be making."
"Dan-" Jon leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and dropping his head into his hands. "You need to think about Kate. Sam and Holly need to think about the boys. They’re too young to voice an opinion. Jeez, they’re too young to even have an opinion. Ed knows that. He’ll understand."
"How long has it been since we’ve had a fist fight?"
"What?"
"I’m guessing about twenty years. But if you don’t knock this stupid talk off, we’re going to have another one. Right here and right now." Jon stared at his friend like he'd grown another head. Dan was threatening him? And he was completely serious, if the expression on his face was anything to judge by.
"I’m not going to fight you, Dan."
"Then I guess you better shut up, huh?"
Jon just held up his hand, stunned. Dan had always – always – been the peacemaker of the group. Almost like a father figure. If something was wrong, he thought it was his job to fix it. It didn't matter what it was, he felt it was his responsibility to make everything right for everyone, so the fact that he’d just threatened him with bodily harm spoke volumes about the stress he was under.
~~~~~
"HEY, JON," HANNAH SAID, breathless, laying her book in her lap. The story was at a pretty intense scene and the sound of a Keith Urban ringtone blasting from her phone had startled her.
"Hey. You okay?"
"I'm fine. What’s wrong?" She was pretty sure he wouldn't be calling at almost eleven o'clock just to shoot the breeze. The silence on the other end of the line clued her into the fact that there really was something wrong. "Jon? What is it?"
"I’m heading home from the hospital."
She felt sick as he explained what had happened that night, even when he told her that the doctor had found no injury whatsoever on Jenna, and tests revealed that she’d just been given a really strong sleeping pill – and that the blood she'd been covered with had come from a deer. They were keeping her overnight for observation, but expected her to be just fine in the morning. Ed and Holly were staying the night, along with a police officer who would stand guard at her door until she was released.
"He’s really going to kill Ed, isn’t he?" she whispered, more afraid than she’d ever been before. This was even worse than when the doctor had told them her dad had cancer, and that had been the worst she'd experienced at that time.
"No. No, we won’t let the animal get close enough to Ed for that."
"Well he got close enough to Jenna to kidnap her. I’d think he could get to Ed any time he pleases."
"We’re going to be increasing the security. He’ll never get near enough to anyone for anything like that to happen again." He sounded so sure of himself that Hannah hated to burst his bubble.
"Jon, if he’s serious, all he has to do is shoot someone. He could be a block away and no one could stop him. You could hire the entire FBI, but if he wants someone dead, he’s going to kill them." There was silence on the line for a few moments, and then she heard him sigh.
"You're right. But we can make it as hard as we can for him to do that as possible, can’t we?"
"Is there any way to convince Ed to go into protective custody or witness protection?"
"One, I think he’d have to actually be a witness to something before he could go into that program. And two – do you really think he’d consent to go into hiding?"
"No. He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to back down from any fight."
"So we do the best we can. I just figured you should know." He was silent for a bit, and then she heard him mutter something that might have been a curse word. "I would love to get my hands on this guy for five minutes. That’s all I want. Five minutes."
"I think we'd all like that chance."
~~~~~
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!" Chris shouted into his cell phone, shoving his chair back from the desk and coming to his feet so fast Hannah was scared. "Did you call 911? All right. I'm on my way." He ended the call and looked at Hannah.
"What's wrong?"
"Two houses in section three are on fire," he said, grabbing his coat from the closet and shoving his arms in the sleeves. He took a moment to reach into his jeans pocket and pulled out his keys. "I'm not going to be able to leave at five. Jeez, I don't even know when I'm going to be able to get out of here. Could you do me a favor please?"
"Anything."
"Can you swing by the house and pick up some clean clothes for Harry? Just jeans and a tee shirt. And clean underwear. If you could take them to her at the hospital, I'd really appreciate it. I'll call her on my way to the fire to let her know what's going on."
"Of course I can do that. Chris, is it the stalker?" She didn't even want to ask the question, not when she knew what he was going to say before his lips moved.
"What else could it be? He's getting serious now. The graffiti, kidnapping Jenna. Now this. Yeah, my guess is that-" He didn't finish the thought, instead pulling the house key off the ring and dropping it on her desk.
"How will you get in?"
"I have an extra one in the glove box. Just lock up when you leave. And make sure you take your guard in the house with you. Someone watches it round the clock now, but I don't want you to take any chances."
"I'll be fine, Chris. Tell Jon to call me later, okay?"
"Will do. You might give Dan a quick call to let them know what's going on. He'll get hold of everyone else."
Hannah followed him to the door, and stepped out into the frigid February wind. Off to the east of the subdivision she could see black smoke billowing over the rooftops. The air smelled like there was a bonfire nearby. A really big bonfire. Something in the recesses of her memory, probably from a long forgotten science lesson, pushed its way forward. Whoever started the fire must have used some sort of oil to get it burning fast and hot.
When Chris, running as fast as he could through the snow, rounded a corner down the street, she stepped back inside and sat down at her desk, picking the phone up and dialing Dan's number. By the time she finished talking to him a few minutes later, it was a little after five. She could hear sirens approaching the site as she slipped the key in her purse, punched out, and put her coat on.
Making her way out to her car, she felt a little shell shocked. The kinds of things she'd seen happening over the past eight months should only happen in movies and television crime dramas. But they were happening to her friends – and whoever was doing it was determined to kill the only father she had left.
Those thoughts haunted her as she packed a small bag with the things Harry needed, and as she walked down the hall toward Scotty's room once she arrived at the hospital – her bodyguard at her side. A stocky man of medium height, he hadn't said so much as a word, and he rarely did. Most days she tried to at least get him to smile. Today she was grateful for the space he gave her.
Having never gone up to visit before, Hannah wasn't sure what to do. The door, and the blinds on the big window, were closed so she couldn't simply wave to get Harry's attention. And she certainly couldn't just walk in because they were keeping the room sterile until Scotty's immune system was stronger. In fact, Chris and Harry would have to keep the house sterile for up to two years, depending on how quickly he recovered.
She decided to track down his nurse, and headed in the direction of the station located just down the hall. She had to wait for the one assigned to Scotty to return from tending to another patient, and when she did, she was surprised when she was instructed to follow her...and then handed surgical garb, including slippers to cover her feet.
"Mrs. Parker asked that you come in to visit."
"But what if I make him sick?" she asked, more afraid than she'd been at the construction site. Houses could be replaced, children could not. And it wasn't all that long ago that he was sick. Really sick.
"You'll be fine. Just put your street clothes in this locker. You can pin the key to your bra. Scrub up, wear the mask, and it will be all right," she assured her with a smile. "Scotty is pretty bored today. A new face will do him good."
When she was ready, the nurse opened the door to his room and Hannah stepped inside.
"Hey," Harry said, looking up from where she cuddled her son in a wooden rocking chair. "Look who's here, Scotty. It's Aunt Hannah."
"Hi, Scotty," Hannah said softly, feeling tears well up in her eyes.
He looked so much smaller than the last time she'd seen him, though she knew it was just an illusion because of the baggy hospital gown and trousers. And because he was in this big room with the big steel crib...and not much else besides the rocker and the two vinyl chairs that would fold out into the most uncomfortable beds in the world. She knew that from experience, having spent more than a few nights in the hospital before her dad died.
"Come on over," Harry invited, nodding at the chair closest to hers. Scotty eyed her suspiciously. "He's not really afraid of you. It's the mask and head cover. He's afraid you might be someone with a needle."
"Nope. Nothing like that on me, kiddo," she said, holding her empty hands up for him to see as she sat down. That seemed to satisfy him, and he laid his head back against his mother's shoulder, but he didn't take his wide blue eyes off her for a second. "The nurse took the bag and put it in the cupboard outside.
"Thanks for bringing it. I guess it's stupid to even worry about it since this is all I can wear in here, but I just hate wearing the same outfit whenever I do leave for a little while."
"I totally understand. And I didn't mind a bit. Especially now that I've gotten to see this little guy." She reached out and stroked Scotty's cheek with her gloved fingertips. "Does anyone else come up to see him?"
"Just Linda so far."
"Then I'm honored to be here. And so relieved to see him. I think I spend more time on Facebook than I do on anything else at work."
"Yeah, I can't tell you how grateful I am for Facebook. And Skype. We need to get you on that, too."
"They allow computers in here?"
"No. But we can set one up on the counter outside the window. They flip the speaker on so we can hear people in here. It's how my family stays in touch. And Dan and everyone else. We don't want Scotty to forget you either."
The boy in question continued to watch her, then took her hand in his tiny ones and looked at it like he expected a syringe to appear out of thin air. Then he glanced back at her and said,
"'anna?"
"Yup, that's me squirt. Aunt Hannah."
"You want to try to hold him?"
"If you think he'll come to me."
"Just hold your arms out. Chris is usually here by now, and believe me, this child of mine gets tired of my company in a hurry."
To her surprise, after the briefest of hesitations, Scotty climbed over onto her lap and Hannah cuddled him close. Tears filled her eyes again as she kissed the top of his head through the mask that could easily make her feel claustrophobic.
"How bad is the fire?" Harry asked, her voice upbeat and cheerful so as not to worry her son.
"The smoke was pretty black, and there was plenty of it. The fire trucks arrived just before I left."
"Whoever set them must have used some sort of oil."
"That's what I was thinking."
"Chris said they were going to try to keep it from Ed, but I expect he'll find out about it one way or another. He made a pretty sizeable investment in it, so I don't see how they can keep it quiet."
"They don't want him to feel guilty?"
"Pretty much. He's not taking any of this well, especially not after Jenna-" She looked at Hannah. "Have you seen her since she was taken?"
"No. But Jon says she's staying with Sam and Holly for a while. That she's having nightmares."
"I'm not surprised. It had to have been terrifying for her. I hope she doesn't break it off with Ed. I wouldn't blame her if she did, but he really cares about her, you know. Still, that's scary stuff. If he'd waited until the next day to act on those coordinates, she might have frozen to death."
"I know. I've thought about that, too. But I don't think you need to worry about Jenna ending anything. I guess Ed is trying to avoid everyone now."
"Clearly it's not enough to satisfy the stalker. Chris says the houses only needed flooring and they'd have been ready to sell."
"This is just nuts. You'd think after all this time, the police would have figured out who he is."
"Obviously he's watched enough crime dramas to know what not to do, hasn't he."