Happily Never After (21 page)

Chapter 27

“Wake up.”

The firm grip on Kelsey’s arm tightened to the point of pain. Fuzziness in her brain disoriented her. After he tied her again, she must have dozed off. How could she sleep with fear riding her so hard? The drugs must still be inside her.

Completely out of it, she’d been unaware that he had loosened her bindings. The throbbing in her head made her slow to do his bidding.

He hauled her up out of the chair. His features were as dark as the night outside and cold as the frigid wind. There would be no mercy from him, so she didn’t bother to plead.

His eyes narrowed. “Janie, I told you to get dinner started. You’re going to make me punish you again aren’t you?” He crushed her against him, his arousal evident.

Her stomach threatened to heave, as a vile taste filled her mouth. When he lowered his lips to hers, she instinctively bit his bottom lip.

The attack was so fast and violent that it caught her by surprise. John roared and backhanded her so hard she flew backward to slam into the wall.

Bright starbursts obscured her vision, and her face exploded in pain. She scrambled to get up or at least make an attempt to defend herself. He might end up killing her now, but better to die than be assaulted over and over.

“Shit!” With more obscenities, he stalked toward her.

The back of her hand wiped at her bloody lip, and she braced herself for what he would do next. “My name is Kelsey.”

“What?” He stopped right in front of her.

“Kelsey, not Janie. Please, don’t do this. I will cook but don’t hurt me.”

Glade scratched the thick stubble on his jaw. He seemed confused by her whispered words. One muscled arm reached down and dragged her up off the floor before flinging her down on a small metal bed in the corner of the room. He pulled strips of fabric from his pocket and tied her wrists to the headboard.

“Janie.” He paused as if to clear it his mind. “No . . . Kelsey. I will kill you if you try to escape. I’m not crazy, I know who you are. But you’re about to become someone better. We’re leaving to start our new life together as soon as I can get a few supplies. Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way but I can guarantee you won’t like what’s behind door number two. If you behave, I’ll leave your legs untied. What’s it going to be?”

She forced the words out. “The easy way.”

He shuffled over and picked up small logs to feed into the stove. She sat as still and quiet as possible, not wanting to attract his attention. The cabin warmed, and the after effects of whatever drug he’d given her made her drowsy.

She awoke with a start and panicked when she couldn’t move. Thrashing her head left and right, she tried to see. Her eyelids were crusted shut, and a moan escaped through cracked, parched lips. The fire had died down, and violent shivers wracked her body from the brutal cold.

Foggy memories of her kidnapping began to coalesce. Glade told her that Mia was safe. She prayed that was true. Forcing one lid open, she peered around the room. Her hands were still bound tight to the metal headboard, but her feet were free. She breathed deep and tried to settle down.
Where was he?

Enormous relief flooded her when she realized that she still wore the gown he’d put on her earlier. Her legs moved in a scissor motion, trying to get the circulation flowing again. The springs in the bed made a loud squeak with each movement. She paused, heart pounding in her chest, waiting to see if he would rush in to punish her.

After several minutes, she resumed her exercise. Her hands twisted and turned trying to loosen the bindings.
Come on, it’s up to you! Think of some way to save yourself.

Bode was looking for her. Her faith in him was complete, and he would never stop. But they believed Miles Robbins was behind this. No one would be considering John Glade as a suspect. Why would they?

Her instincts told her this cabin was far from any city. Would anyone find her before this monster took his plans a step further? She feared she might not ever recover from what this maniac planned to do.

A slight noise outside stopped her movements. The door swung open and cold air swirled into the room as John entered with an armful of wood. He ignored her and went straight to the stove.

Motionless, not daring to breathe, she prayed he would forget about her. He stoked the fire, and heat began to warm the small area. Placing a metal pan on the stove, he opened a can of soup and poured it in. Her stomach growled when the aroma of chicken wafted toward her.

He glanced over his shoulder. “I hate it when you make me hurt you, but when I tell you to do something, you do it.” He stirred the soup. “Are you hungry, Janie?”

She didn’t answer him at first. He swung around with his meaty fists clenched at his sides. Flinching, she forced out the words. “I’ll try to do better.”

His shoulders drooped, and he turned back to scoop the soup into a small bowl. A tall man, at least six one or two, his gait was smooth and quick moving across the room. The noisy springs screeched when he sat down on the side of the bed.

“I’m going to feed you now, Janie. Pick up a little so that I won’t spill any.”

She was still confused about why he called her another woman’s name. Being compliant seemed to be the best way to keep him happy. Picking her head up proved to be difficult, so she asked in a timid voice. “Will you untie me so I can sit up?”

He ignored her request and picked up the spoon. After the first spoonful, she forgot about the uncomfortable position and strained forward. The warm liquid eased the soreness in her throat and cold in her stomach.

When the bowl was empty, he placed it on the floor. He straightened back up and stared at her. A shiver raced down her spine at the raw desire shining in his eyes.
Here it comes.
Afraid to blink, she waited for him to move.

He laid a rough, callused palm on her bare thigh where the gown had ridden up. A pink tongue darted out to lick his lips. The garment began to slide further up her legs.

Frozen, unable to stop his unwanted advances, she pleaded. “Don’t.”

His hand stopped, but he remained focused on her exposed skin. A small frown marred his face when he looked up at her.

“John, don’t do this,” she whimpered.

“Janie, I’ve missed you so much.”

The realization crashed down on her.
Wasn’t Janie the name of his deceased wife?

“Your wife sounded like a very special woman. She wouldn’t want you—”

He jumped to his feet and loomed over her. Chest heaving, he snarled. “Don’t ever say her name. Do you understand?”

She swallowed down her despair and nodded. That was the wrong tactic to take, but she had to try something. The vision of him forcing himself upon her made her desperate.

“I want this to be special. The first time in our new life together but my stomach isn’t well. I think it’s from the stuff you used to knock me out.”

His words dripped with venom. “Don’t try to trick me. Your wants mean nothing to me, just as
you
mean nothing to me.”

The temperature of the room seemed to drop by several degrees. “I won’t do it again.” Her body cringed, waiting for his beefy fists to rain down.

“Don’t you get it? No one is coming for you. I made sure of that.” His lips had twisted into a cynical smile. “It was so easy to get near you.
Poor Joe, he’s all alone and needs a friend
. Then that nitwit from your past showed up, and all I had to do was sit back, and let him take the blame.”

Maybe if she kept him talking, he would forget about his plans for her. “So you were the one behind everything?”

“To be honest, the hit and run was an accident but after seeing the cop’s reaction, I knew you were the key. The fire was meant to send you back to the hotel, but things worked out even better. It placed the spotlight on the creep following you.” He glowered at her. “You shouldn’t have stayed with the cop. If you’d returned to the hotel, I would have been able to comfort you.”

“You cut my brakes and ruined all my things so that you could point the finger at Robbins?”

His laughter boomed in the small room as he stood. “You aren’t going to need any of those things where we’re going.” One hand reached into the big pocket of his coat and pulled out her journal. “Except for this. It goes where we go.”

She gaped at the sight of her diary. “What are you doing with that?”

Holding it down in front of her, he tapped the book. “When I read this, it showed me who you really are. You’re weak and broken. I’m going to take care of you.”

“John, listen to me. You don’t want to do this. Why would you hurt an innocent woman?”

“I don’t have time for this now.” He stalked to the corner of the room.

Afraid to continue the conversation, she sat and watched him grab a winter cap. Without a word, he stomped to the cabin door and left. Her shoulders slumped in relief, grateful she’d been granted a reprieve from being assaulted.

Even if the reprieve was temporary.

Bode whipped his truck into a gravel parking lot in front of the brick building housing the sheriff’s department. A little after six a.m., the area was already full of various law enforcement vehicles, so he drove onto the grass. He jumped out as soon as he’d placed it in park.

He strode toward a small group of men. Focused on one thing, he didn’t wait to see if Steve or anyone else followed him. A tall, muscular man broke away from the rest. Their eyes met and held before they embraced for a full minute.

Shawn spoke first. “We’re going to take care of this. We’re going to find Kelsey and put this guy back where he belongs.”

Bode couldn’t speak, his fear making him mute. The determination in his brother’s voice gave him strength. His shoulders straightened as he steeled himself for what was to come. “What’s the plan?”

Shawn turned and led him back toward the group. Steve and the others had also joined them. The crowd contained the sheriff and his deputies, feds that were easy to pick out by their clothes, and one old timer.

Bode zeroed in on the old timer. “Are you the guide?”

The old man nodded. “The bad weather is coming in early and things are going to get serious, real quick. We’re going to have about ten hours of daylight today. Here’s a map of the area that we’re going to concentrate on.”

Once the guide handed out the stack of printed sheets, he pointed at the one he still held. “At one time, there was a road almost all the way to the cabin. We can’t find anyone who’s ventured out that far recently, so we don’t know what shape it’s in. Or if the cabin is even still standing. There are radios for each team.”

Everyone nodded in understanding. Some appeared nervous while others sipped the coffee they’d bought at the little store next to the sheriff’s office.

Sherriff Dawson stepped forward to take over. “Okay, let’s get gathered up. We’ll drive as far as we can in trucks, and the rest will be on foot. Make sure you have what you need and meet back here at 0700.”

“We need to go now!” Bode barked out.

“We’ll be ready, Sherriff.” Shawn casually shifted to meet his brother's stare. “If that’s a problem for you, Detective Taggert, maybe you’d be more beneficial here at command.”

Bode’s teeth clenched so hard he was surprised they didn’t crack. Someone touched his arm, and he looked down, ready to lash out.

Steve tightened his grip. “No problem. We’ll get our gear.”

The two men stalked back toward the truck in silence. When they reached it, Bode leaned against the side without opening the door.

A firm hand grasped his shoulder. Looking back, he stared into a face that mirrored his own.

“Bode, you have got to calm down. The last thing this situation needs is someone running around with a hair trigger. I was asked to come here to help, but Sherriff Dawson is in charge. We need to do this by the book.”

His brother’s words settled him, and he took a deep breath and exhaled. There was no way he would let himself get benched at this point. Kelsey was a survivor, and she would survive this because he would find her. Back in cop mode, his voice was calm and steady. “I’ll be ready when you are.”

Chapter 28

Glade slowed his old truck down when he approached the small store in town. His stomach sank at all the activity next door. Various groups of lawmen waited around the area. He parked in the lot and killed the engine.

His mind whirled while he sat and scrutinized the sheriff’s station. All of these people gathered around couldn’t be about him. The cops weren’t smart enough to have figured it out.

He forced his fingers to loosen their death grip on the steering wheel. A string of curses flew out of his mouth for driving into town. But, he needed basic food supplies before they packed up to leave. It was too late to panic.

When Janie was still alive, they’d spent a lot of time out at the cabin. The untamed outdoors didn’t scare him. His plan was to stay here long enough to break the woman’s spirit. It would make her easier to manage. Well, he’d handle her. He got out and covered the short distance to the store.

When he entered, more people milled around drinking coffee and talking. He hunched into his old hunting jacket and searched the aisle for the supplies he wanted. Eavesdropping on the men standing around, he gathered dry staples.

A beefy red-haired man with ruddy cheeks talked in a loud, boisterous voice and waved his hands around. “Feds! What are they doing here? They should’ve let us handle this. We’ll be lucky if we don’t end up searching for them before this is over.”

The short man with a belly that fell over his belt jumped into the conversation. “Jim, you know as well as the rest of us, nothing is going to keep all the big guns out. Not when the woman he nabbed used to work for the District Attorney’s office. What kind of moron would be stupid enough to kidnap an ADA?”

The whole group murmured in agreement, with him standing not three feet from them. His back teeth ground together in anger at their comments, but he forced himself to remain nondescript while he paid for his supplies.

He couldn’t afford to hurry or draw anyone’s attention, but the need to get back to the cabin burned deep. No one spoke to him as he calmly strolled out to his old truck. He’d been in the store enough over the years that he wasn’t a stranger to them.

He placed the items in the back and pulled himself up into the cab. Scanning the search party still huddled by the sheriff’s office, a tremor of rage began when he spotted a familiar figure standing off to the side.
No! You’re not going to take her from me. She’s mine now!

The old engine cranked on the first try, and he drove out of the lot. It wasn’t until he was well out of town that he pushed the pedal down to the floor, and the old truck surged forward.

Kelsey’s focus remained glued to the cabin door. She didn’t know how long ago John had left. Her whole body trembled and in the silence, her clicking teeth sounded too loud. Outside the wind howled, trying to shake the small building to pieces, as the air inside kept growing colder.
Calm down, you have got to think of a way out of here.

She forced herself to analyze each fragmented memory of her abduction. If she could figure out how far they’d traveled or where he’d taken her, she’d be ready when the time came to escape. The cops were looking for the wrong person. Who knew how long it would be before they put the correct pieces together?

Her attempts to loosen the knots securing her made them tighter. She stopped pulling and took deep, steady breaths. Every noise sent dread racing through her. Was it him returning or the weather?

She studied the headboard where he’d tied her. Her feet were still loose, so she twisted around to lie face down on the mattress. The metal was old and rusted and this would be her best chance of getting free. She moved her legs underneath her until she rested on her elbows and knees.

Panting with the exertion, she stood on the bed while sliding the ropes holding her captive to the top of the headboard. Then she used her bound hands to pull on the upper part of the metal where the spoke fit into the frame. Nothing happened, but she tried again and again. Her breathing quickened as sweat rolled down her body.
I won’t get another chance.
A rush of determination gave her strength, and she yanked harder.

A loud screech broke the silence, and the rusted spoke hung loosely from the frame. The surprise left her paralyzed. Several minutes had gone by before her mind comprehended that she had done it.
She was free!

It took several attempts before she could undo the knots binding her wrists. Rubbing her hands together to get the blood flowing, she got off the bed.

Her legs wobbled like a newborn colt when she took shaky steps toward the warm stove. She ignored the urge to rush outside. Instead she paced around the small room, searching for anything that might help her survive after leaving.

After a few tentative steps, dizziness made her pause. Her vision faded and she was back on the streets of Dallas. Otis Warren’s body had her pinned down on the sidewalk. He stared at her in triumph. Blood covered them both, and the sharp tang made her heave.
The past can’t hurt me. It won’t stop me.
Black dots swarmed in her vision but receded as the cabin slowly came back into focus.

It was a flashback. Pain radiated up her arm. She glanced down and her skin glowed white from pinching herself.
Keep moving or you’re dead
.

A bundle of rags sat on the floor, and she reached down to investigate. Old sweat and body odor assaulted her senses, making her gag. Her foot kicked it away, and several items spilled out of the flannel work shirt.

The sight of her own tennis shoes and clothes made her scramble after them in relief. They’d be much better protection from the elements than the thin nightgown she wore. Plus, the gossamer gown made her feel too vulnerable. If there was ever a time she needed to channel her Amazon warrior, this was it.

Changing, she finished searching the room but the only other item of interest was a sharp hatchet. John had used it for chopping wood into smaller pieces. Taking a few precious seconds, she looked for her diary. The idea of leaving something so personal behind sickened her.

Unable to find anything else, she tightened her grip on the weapon. A familiar voice rattled around in her mind.
Run. It’s now or never Princess, get your ass in gear and start saving yourself.

Once outside, she deliberately twirled around in a circle hoping to get a bearing on which way to go. The frosty wind whipped her hair into a wild frenzy. Her workout clothing felt more like beach attire. It required every ounce of strength that she had to force her legs to move. If she didn’t leave before John returned, all of this would be for nothing.

Thick snow clouds drifted above the tops of trees that were so tall she couldn’t see enough of the sky for a sense of direction. And to add one more level of hell to this funfest, snowflakes began to drop at a faster rate.

Who was she kidding? The closest she’d ever come to the wilderness was the Discovery Channel. Unwanted tears welled up. “Stop,” she muttered fiercely and wiped them away.

Anger surged to replace fear. Her chin lifted, and she studied the terrain. The ground sloped downhill at the back of the cabin. Maybe if she traveled far enough, she’d find a road. Where there was a road, there were people.

Move and keep moving. She repeated the simple words over and over. John’s anticipated fury over her escape gave her the incentive to hurry. There would be one shot at freedom. If he caught up to her, he would either kill her or make her wish for death.

She jogged on flat stretches and walked as fast as she dared on uneven terrain. Her feet throbbed from striking the frozen ground. She changed direction when necessary, but tried to maintain a sense of where the cabin had been. The worry of going in circles and ending up right back where she started prompted her to pay extra attention to the details around her.

He would be able to track her, but she had a few vague ideas on how to thwart him. Her ears strained to listen for the sound of water or someone trailing her. If she found water, the stream would cover her tracks. A sob rose at what lie ahead, but she forced herself to concentrate on survival.

The snow came down harder, and every gulp of air burned her throat and lungs from running in the cold. Her legs stung where the berry branches whipped them when she rushed through. Time became non-existent, and she didn’t know how much had passed since leaving the cabin.

Was he already on her trail like a bloodhound?
She bent over to ease the stitch in her side and gulped in oxygen. After a few minutes, she straightened and pushed on.

Left. Right. One step. Two. Her sole focus was broken down into single words. Then she would turn the word into action, only stopping when necessary. At a ravine, she slid down a steep slope. She tumbled all the way to the bottom, and small rocks and sticks dug into her flesh.

On her back, her gasps for breath billowed out in puffs. Weariness enveloped her and no matter how hard she tried to move her limbs wouldn’t cooperate. It would be so easy just to give up, but Bode would expect her to fight. So fight she would.

Inch by inch, she gained her feet. Pain shot through her ankle when she attempted to take a step. She fell forward, grabbing a branch to keep from going down. The hatchet. Where was the hatchet? Dropping to her knees, she frantically searched through the snow and debris.

Powerful relief overwhelmed her as one hand wrapped around the wooden handle. Clasping it to her breast, she prayed her thanks. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she rose and hobbled on, limping badly.

When she began to tire, she would remind herself what John planned to do to her. No one was coming to save her. If she wanted to survive, she needed to put as much distance between them as possible. Fluffy white snowflakes had started to come down harder, hampering her vision. Her fingers felt stiff as she wiped snow from her lashes.

A loud crash in the brush startled her, and she swallowed a scream as visions of bears and cougars entered her mind. Shadows deepened as the low hanging tree branches shut out the overcast day’s muted light.

She slowed down long enough to study her path. Everything was coated in a blanket of white. If she ended up in a ditch with a broken leg, game over.

Unable to run any further, she shuffled on, the cold no longer registering in her numb fingers and toes. A sting on her raw scraped cheeks was the one sensation she had left. Her body felt drained, running on empty. Nevertheless, she forced one foot in front of the other.

Snow had soaked her clothing and the wet garments stuck to her body and dragged her down with their added weight. Terror of Glade became overshadowed by fatigue and her footsteps faltered.

Nagging doubts began to weaken her resolve. Would she survive the elements or in the end die anyway? At least if she died from nature, her last moments would be spent thinking about the people she loved. Not in the company of a monster.

What was that noise?
She cocked her head to the side. The faint roar of rushing water drifted on the wind. Her erratic pulse sounded loud in her ears. Several precious seconds had passed before she calmed enough to decide which direction she needed to go. She hobbled as fast as her frozen feet were able, not worrying about what she would do when she found it. The river held her best chance for escape.

Glade gripped the steering wheel tight, anger clouding his vision.
The bastard was standing right there at the station. How had they found him?
It didn’t matter because he was too smart for them to catch.

The sight of the overgrown cutoff startled him out of his rant, and he jerked hard to the right. The old truck shuddered to make the adjustment.

Trees lined the road and overhead branches scraped the top as he drove up the steep slope. Thick bushes and vines crowded the narrow trail on both sides and the sound of them scratching metal hurt his ears.

His grip on the wheel remained tight as the vehicle bounced, and he forced himself to ease up on the accelerator. The snow had started to come down harder. It coated the track with a slippery layer, and if he weren't careful, he’d slide off into the brush and get stuck.

He was the one in control here, not some asshole detective. Once he hiked further into the backcountry, they’d be untraceable.

A sharp pain knifed through his head, and he instinctively closed his lids. His headaches were growing in intensity and frequency. Breathing in ragged gasps, he opened his eyes and realized a deer stood in the middle of the road.

Instinct kicked in, and he swerved, hoping to miss the large animal. The truck went into a spin and slammed into a massive fir tree with a loud crack. His entire body struck the steering wheel. Blackness clouded his vision, and his eyes drifted shut.

Groaning, he held his face in his hands. His fingers came away coated in a sticky red mess. Uncertain of how long he’d been unconscious, he worked to get his bearings. The windshield had shattered, but he could see the fallen tree across the road. His memory flooded back, and he yanked at the seatbelt in desperation.

“John, this isn’t the way.”

His head slowly shifted. Janie sat on the passenger seat and stared at him with sadness. She was still as beautiful as the day he married her. Her brown locks fell around her shoulders.

“Janie,” he whispered, afraid to speak aloud. Terrified she would disappear. “I’ve missed you so much.”

Her smile was gentle. “Don’t pursue this vengeance. It won’t bring me back.”

“I need the pain to stop.” He rested his head on the steering wheel for a moment, and when he looked up, he was alone again. Alone like he’d be for the rest of his life if he didn’t take the woman with him.

After several failed attempts, he managed to unfasten the seatbelt and get out. His knees buckled, and he fell into the snow. He used the side of the truck to pull himself to his feet.

Hurry, he needed to get Janie before the others caught up to him.

Thick flakes swirled around him as a frigid gust of wind blasted him. Shivering, he tugged the collar of his jacket up to ward off the cold.

The impact had scattered his supplies across the back of his truck. He gathered whatever he couldn’t afford to leave behind. Not if they were going to survive the next leg of their journey.