One Summerhill Day (The Summerhill Series Book 1) (13 page)

HI CAITLYN

A small scream escaped her lips as she dropped the paper back onto the floor. She had to get out of here. Now. She grabbed the few clothes she had hung up and stuffed them into her small suitcase, then retrieved the things she’d left in the bathroom. Scanning the room, she didn’t see anything else of hers, so she zipped her suitcase shut. At the last minute, she scooped the note off the floor and shoved it into her pocket. Maybe the cops could tell something from the writing or fingerprint it—anything.

What had she done with the other two? She set her suitcase on the floor and rolled it to the door, stopping to think about the other two notes. One was in a wad on the floor of the car. What had she done with the one from this morning?
Oh, yeah, it’s in my pocket.
She stashed the other note in the same pocket and crept back out the door, searching the hallway before stepping out. The lobby was deserted when she stopped at the desk to request a copy of her invoice and hurried to her car.

As soon as she got to her car, she checked the seats for any notes. When she didn’t find any, she threw her suitcase in the trunk and climbed into the driver’s seat. Closing the door, she locked it and picked up her phone, dialing a number she knew by heart. She was done with allowing him to intimidate her.

Her ex-husband answered. “Yeah?”

Caitlyn screamed into the phone. “Why are you doing this?”

Bruce shouted, “Whoa, what are you talking about?”

“The notes. You’re trying to scare me. You tried to convince Aunt Margie’s lawyer I'm dead, and now you’re trying to get to me so what? You can declare me insane and get my money? What is your problem? Didn’t I give you enough? You were the one fucking around with other women, so you clearly wanted out.”

“Stop, Caitlyn. I haven’t left you any notes. Yes, I tried to get your aunt’s lawyer to give me some money, but it didn’t work. Can’t blame a guy for trying. God knows you have enough money on your own.”

“I was more than generous with you. And why didn’t you tell me Aunt Margie had died? You lying piece of shit.”

“Isn’t that obvious now? I wanted her money. Besides, you were being a bitch. I tried to talk you out of working. You have enough money to never work another day of your life. We could have traveled the world together like movie stars, but you wanted to stay in fucking Philadelphia so you could wipe people’s asses. Well, that’s not how I pictured our life. I figured you’d be satisfied once you got your license. But you chose to work full-time, which really ended up being what—fifty or sixty hours a week? That’s not the lifestyle I wanted.”

“You never said you didn’t want me to work.”

“Yes, I did. When I lost my job, I wanted you to quit, but you refused.”

Caitlyn rubbed her hand across her forehead, remembering the argument they’d had a year ago. “So why bother me now? Leave me alone.”

“I’m not bothering you. I’m in Philadelphia. What exactly are you accusing me of anyway?”

“I hate you.” Caitlyn hung the phone up. Hell, if he was really in Philly, who was bothering her here? She had to admit, none of the notes looked like his handwriting.

Who the hell had it in for her?

Chapter Eighteen

Caitlyn sat in the parking lot until she had her breathing under control. She checked her Bluetooth set up to make sure any calls that came in would stream through the mic in the car. Texting while driving was against the law in New York, and she wouldn’t have tried anyway. Finally calm, she pulled out into the road. At the next stoplight, she called Ryan.

He answered on the first ring. “Cait?”

“Yeah, I’m just leaving Buffalo. I should be home soon.”

“Any other problems?”

The word
yes!
practically screamed out of her, but she clamped down on it. She didn’t want to tell him about the note and her conversation with Bruce until she could do so in person. Besides, if she told him now, he might tell her to stay put, and staying put was the last thing she wanted to do. She wanted to get home, to Summerhill, her new house, and her new job. “No. I’m sure everything will be fine.”

“Call me if you need me.”

“I will.”

She would have loved for him to stay on the line with her, but she didn’t feel she could ask that of him. The drive was fairly uneventful—she stopped at a toll booth, then again to get gas. There weren’t many other cars on the road, thankfully. After passing the LeRoy exit, she sighed in relief. She was more than halfway there.

Her music was loud enough that she didn’t hear the car behind her until it was almost right behind her. The bright lights got her attention first, almost blinding her in her rearview mirror. Her heart jumped into her throat and she turned off her music so she wouldn’t have any distractions in the car. He gunned his engine and pulled up right behind her, nearly colliding with her before backing off. Fear crept into Caitlyn’s belly and slid up her spine and into her neck, flushing across her face. There were no other cars on their side of the two-lane highway heading east. The car repeated the same gambit three times, then sped around her. It was a gray Chevrolet with tinted windows so she couldn’t see inside.

She sighed in relief when the car finally pulled around her, hoping it was some young kid acting like an ass. He pulled back into her lane after passing her and slowed down. She was going the speed limit, sixty-five, and she had to slow down to keep from hitting him. What the hell was he doing? The needle dropped slowly to sixty, then fifty, then forty. Shit! She could get hit from behind if she was going forty on the highway, especially at this time of night. Afraid to pull around him, she stayed on the right. She was only going thirty-five miles an hour, but at least he couldn’t hit her from behind.

Her heartbeat sped up in her chest.
Damn it. Stay calm, Caitlyn.
What to do, what to do. She could go around him, but then she’d be putting herself at his mercy. The needle dropped to thirty, then twenty-five. No way in hell was she stopping on the NYS Thruway, so she pulled into the left hand lane and sped up, going around him, whoever it was. She tried again to get a glimpse of the driver, but the windows were just too dark. At least the license plate was firmly implanted in her brain. As soon as this foolishness stopped, she would call Ryan and give him the number.

As soon as she pulled back into the right hand lane, he gunned his car and came so close, she screamed and revved forward. Another set of headlights approached in the left lane.
Thank God, thank God.
The car went around them, but she sped up to stay behind it. The car behind her immediately fell back, in fact, he fell back a good distance.

As soon as he fell back, she pushed the button in her car and called Ryan using the car’s Bluetooth connection. He answered right away.

“Cait? What is it?”

“Someone is playing games with me,” she blurted out. “He followed me, then sped up until he almost collided with me. He did that a few times before pulling in front of me and dropping to thirty miles an hour. I tried to stay behind him, but I didn’t want to stop completely.”

“Cait, listen to me. Do not stop your car, and do not get out of your car for any reason. I’m calling the State Troopers. Did you see this guy’s license plate?”

“Yes, I got it.” She repeated the number to him. “Another car passed me, so I’m staying behind him.”

“Where’s the guy who’s messing with you?”

“He fell back quite a distance, but I can still see his headlights.”

“Do not engage him. Stay with the other car until the troopers come. Where are you?”

“I don’t know the mile marker, but I just passed the LeRoy exit not too long ago. It’s very isolated here. Ryan, help me, please.”

“I’m on my way. I’m going to run the plates, but I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Ryan hung up.

Caitlyn relaxed her muscles, relieved by the thought she was no longer alone in this nightmare. She would do just as he asked. She didn’t have much farther to go. After LeRoy came the Henrietta exit, then Victor, then the Finger Lakes exits.

The car in front of her turned off at the next exit. Shit, that wouldn’t help. The other car had stayed back, but now he had no reason to keep away. As if her thoughts had summoned him, the headlights grew brighter in her rearview mirror.

And he was coming up on her fast. Closer and closer. Shit, he was going to hit her. She stepped on the gas and sped up as the car tailing her scooted right up to her bumper. The needle passed seventy, seventy-five, then eighty. The guy swung around her and flew past her.

She called Ryan again, her hand shaking. “He’s back. The other car took an exit, and he came up on me again and almost hit me. Then he went around me. What do I do, Ryan?”

“Keep driving, don’t stop for any reason. Go the speed limit, but keep driving. I looked up the plate, but the car is a rental, so that doesn’t tell me anything right off. I’m on my way. Hang in there.”

“Ryan, don’t hang up. Please?”

“I’m here for you. What mile marker?”

“I can’t see one.”

“Where is he now?”

“He flew way ahead of me. I don’t know what he’s doing. Maybe he’s leaving.”

Caitlyn slowed her speed to sixty-five miles an hour, hoping Ryan would be there soon.

Oh my God. Noooo!

She stared straight ahead, hoping her eyes had deceived her. The bastard had turned his car around and was headed straight for her. There were no other cars on her side.

“Oh my God,” she whispered.

“What is it?”

“Ryan, he turned around.”

“Okay, so he’s in the other lane. That gives you some time to get away. I should be directly behind him in no time at all.”

“No, he’s not.”

“Not what?”

“He’s not in the other lane.”

“What?”

Caitlyn screamed. “He’s coming right at me! Help me, Ryan.”

“Cait, stay calm. Are there any other cars near you?”

She glanced in her rearview mirror. “No, it’s just the two of us. And he’s headed straight for me.”

“The trooper should be behind you soon.”

“Ryan, what do I do?” She had reached full-on panic mode. She couldn’t help it. The car was headed straight for her and she had nowhere to go. Some spots by the side of the road were full of trees, others were bare, but she was going too fast to plan where she’d end up.

“Cait, try to stay calm. Pull off the road and let him go by.”

“He’s almost here. Headed straight for me. OH MY GOD!” Caitlyn slammed on her brakes and skidded sideways. The car flew past her, narrowly missing her, before turning around again.

Ryan yelled, “Cait! Are you alright?”

Caitlyn didn’t answer—she was too busy looking over her shoulder to see where the maniac was.

“Cait, answer me. Are you alright?” he shouted.

“Yes, he missed me, but he’s coming back.
He’s coming back
, Ryan!” Tears slid down her cheeks.

As the car came closer, she noticed police lights in the distance. “I think the Trooper’s on his way, but this guy is closer. He’s…” Her voice stopped dead.

“Cait?”

She screamed as the headlights loomed in her rearview mirror. “He’s going to hit me from behind.”

Just then, something caught her gaze out of the corner of her eye. The same young boy she had seen after her accident stood in the median staring at her, a large dog next to him.

His voice came to her. “Missy angel, do not worry. I will protect you. Trust Loki.” Then he disappeared.

“Cait!” Ryan’s voice rang in her ear.

“Ryan, help me!” The car came right for her, slowed down, as if still teasing, then sped right into her. She careened off the road, and the car bounced off the end of a guard rail before coming to a stop leaning to its side in the ditch. The airbag deployed, knocking her back. As soon as she moved it out of her way, she could hear Ryan yelling into her phone.

“Cait!”

She tried to regain her bearings, but confusion and terror clouded her mind. Another accident, she had just been in another accident.

“Cait, answer me!” Ryan was frantic.

“Ryan?” she whispered.

“Are you okay?”

“I think so.”

“Where is he?” She could hear Ryan gather himself, his voice returning to calm, cool, and collected.

“I don’t know, I can’t see. I’m in a ditch. I think the trooper just pulled in behind me.” She could see the red and blue lights flashing around her, a sight that sent comfort shooting through her. It could have been so much worse.

A knock on the window captured her attention. She rolled her window down. A tall black woman in the NYS Trooper uniform stood just outside. Caitlyn wanted to jump out and hug her.

“Miss, you all right? Hurt anywhere? Bleeding?”

“No, I think I’m fine, just shaken up.”

“You Caitlyn McCabe?”

“Yes.”

The trooper opened her door. “Why don’t you come with me? My car is nice and warm. I’ll write up your statement in there. Ryan Ramsay from Summerhill PD is on his way. I’ll call a tow truck for your car.”

Caitlyn picked up her purse and phone, then allowed the woman to usher her into her police vehicle. She sat in the back. As soon as the door closed, the tears started.

“Miss, I know this is hard, but can you tell me what happened?”

Caitlyn explained everything. She ended with, “I thought it was my ex-husband, Bruce Dalton, but now I’m not so sure.”

“Ryan Ramsay was able to verify that your husband was in Philadelphia this evening. The car is a rental, but we’re tracking down the driver.”

“Then who could be doing this?” It was more of a sob than a question.

Another car pulled up behind them and Ryan got out. Her whole body responded to the sight of him. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. He was here in his personal car, not the cruiser. But that didn’t matter. What mattered was he came for her. Maybe he did care. When he opened her door, she jumped out and hurled herself into his arms, sobbing on his shoulder.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “I’ll take you home, Cait. We’ll figure this out tomorrow. Officer, do you need anything else?”

The trooper got out of her vehicle. “Just a phone number. I already took her statement and called for a tow truck. Does she have anything else she needs out of the car?”

Caitlyn was still clinging to him. When she finally let go, Ryan led her to his car, helped her into the front seat, then returned to get her things.

How could he leave her tonight? He had to stay with her, he just had to.