There Goes the Groom (18 page)

Regret mushroomed inside her…she’d left mad, had screamed at Kim…

The goon shoved the phone at her. “Here, call your honey now.”

Her hands had gone numb from being tied up, so she stretched her fingers to regain some feeling in the appendages. He’d already located Paul’s number so she simply had to hit call back. The phone rang five times then went to voice mail. Marci started to leave a message, but her kidnapper tapped redial.

“I told you, he’s done with me,” she said as they both listened to the phone ring again.

He glared at her. “We’ll keep trying until he answers.”

She flinched as he pressed the phone to her ear. Five more times and voice mail again. Marci was starting to feel nauseated from the goon’s sweaty odor.

“He probably threw his phone away,” Marci said.

The goon paced the room and punched the number again. Marci twisted her hands, desperate to untie herself. Then maybe she could hit the guy over the head and run…

On the next go around, Paul finally answered in a shout and the man shoved the phone to Marci’s ear, “Why are you calling me, Marci? To sic the police on me again?”

“Don’t hang up, Paul –”

“Why the hell not? The police are probably tracing the call.”

“Then we’ll talk fast,” Marci cried.  “One of your buddies kidnapped me.”

“Good try, babe, but I’m no fool.”

“I’m not kidding!” Marci screeched.  “He’s holding a gun on me right now.”

“Yeah, right.”

Then the line went dead. Damn him to hell. He’d hung up on her!

Marci wanted to scream. The buffoon with the gun cursed, then punched the number again.  Marci held her breath, praying Paul would answer.

She heard his loud bellow when he did. “Stop fucking calling me –”

“Your girlfriend isn’t lying, Pendergrass,” the man bellowed.

Paul heaved for a breath.  “Who is this?”

“I work with your buddy Sebastian.”

A tense moment, then Paul muttered, “Shit.”

“He’s not happy that you haven’t contacted him,” the goon said. “But you can make it up to him by meeting us at the lake house.”

Another tense heartbeat passed. “You have Marci?”

“Yes. And if you don’t meet us, you’re going to pay.” The man lowered his voice to a threatening whisper. “And Sebastian isn’t talking about the money you owe him.”

Marci’s throat closed. Dear God. They were talking about her father. Was it true? He and Paul were working together?

*~*~*~*

Cade dialed Georgia. “We just tapped into the call. Marci’s being held at a lake house. Pendergrass is supposed to meet them there.”

“I’ll do a search for property owned by Pendergrass and his aliases.”

“Try Sebastian’s as well.”

“Okay. Kim’s looking at mug shots now.”

“Ask her if she knows anything about a lake house,” Cade said.

“I’ll put her on the phone.”

Rustling sounded then Kim answered. “Detective Strait said Marci’s at a lake house?”

“Yes,” Cade said. “Does that ring a bell?”

“My mother owned a cabin on Lake Lanier,” Kim said. “We used to spend the holidays there.”

“Where exactly is it?”

“I’ll text you the address,” Kim said. “Although I thought Mom had sold it.”

“Send it to me anyway and I’ll check it out while Georgia searches for other vacant properties where they might be.”

A second later, the text came through, and Cade swung his car around and sped down the interstate. Lake Lanier was at least a good forty-five minutes away.

Anything could happen to Marci in that time.

He gripped the steering wheel in a white-knuckled grip as he raced from the expressway, then turned off onto Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. Several more miles and he turned onto another road that was two-lanes. He flipped on his siren and sped around a truck, noting a couple of boating shops, a new subdivision being built boasting about the amenities, and a bait shop.

Finally he swung onto the graveled road marked by his GPS, weaving around the curves until he finally reached the cabin. It was tucked back into the woods, shrouded in trees with a specular view of the lake.

He noticed a dark sedan parked beneath a cluster of trees, half hidden by the leaves.  That had to be it.

He passed the drive, then drove a quarter of a mile and parked in a loading and unloading area for boats, well out of sight so as not to alert Pendergrass or Sebastian if he showed up.  Pulse clamoring, he pulled his gun, slipped from his vehicle, and sneaked back through the woods toward the cabin.

The sound of a boat puttering caught his attention, and he glanced toward it, wondering if Pendergrass had chosen it again so as to make his escape easier.

He hid behind a giant oak near the edge, his suspicions confirmed as Pendergrass guided the boat up to the dock, tied it and climbed out. The weasel of a man looked nervous, fidgeting as he made his way up to the cabin.

He should be nervous. Cade was about to nail his ass to the wall.

He waited until Pendergrass reached the cabin, then he inched up to the back window to see what was going on. Marci was tied to a chair in the living area by a stone fireplace that probably made the room cozy in the winter. But nothing about this scene was cozy or inviting.

Tension crackled in the air as Pendergrass entered the room. The man holding Marci waved his gun at Pendergrass while Marci made a soft sound in her throat.

“You came,” the goon muttered as he gestured for Pendergrass to lift his arms so he could search him for a gun.

When he finished frisking him, the man ordered Pendergrass to sit down. Then the other man mumbled something, and Cade strained to hear.

Marci shifted in the chair, her hands working behind her back as if she was trying to free herself. “Paul, what’s going on between you and my father?”

Paul jerked his head toward her. “So you finally caught on?”

“Caught onto what?” Marci’s eyes widened. “That he’s a crook, too?”

Paul’s thin lips snarled. “You really are as dumb as you look, Marci.” He walked over and lifted a strand of her hair.  “The only reason I dated you was insurance against your father.”

“You thought he wouldn’t betray you if you were seeing me?” Marci laughed sarcastically. “That was your first mistake, Paul. My father could care less about me.”

Fury railed through Cade, and he barely contained himself from rushing in and killing the jerk.

“Sebastian will be here any minute,” the man with the gun said. “Then you have your little family reunion and settle this.”

Cade debated on waiting on Sebastian, but decided he was already outnumbered, so he texted Georgia that he needed back-up, then raised his gun at the ready and slipped around to the side entrance. He jiggled the door, then eased it open and crept down the hall.

Tension vibrated through him as he stepped into the room and aimed the gun at Marci’s kidnapper.  Pendergrass jumped up from the sofa as if to run.

“Put down the gun.”  Barely holding onto his control, he gestured toward Pendergrass. “I’ve had it with you. Run and you’re a dead man.”

Pendergrass’s face paled, and he crouched away from Marci, plastering himself against the wall as if his legs might fold beneath him.

“Cade?” Marci said in a raw whisper.

“Shit,” the man with the gun said into a microphone on his collar.

“Police. Put the gun down,” Cade ordered, keeping one eye on Pendergrass and the other on the kidnapper.

The man slowly placed his gun on the oak coffee table, then raised his hands. “Listen, it’s not what you think – ”

Cade’s fingers tightened around the barrel of his weapon. “You’re under arrest for kidnapping and attempted murder and no telling what other charges I find when I finish connecting you to Pendergrass.”

“Don’t shoot, Detective. I can explain.”

“Save it for your lawyer.” Cade glanced at Marci. “Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”

Marci shook her head. “I’m fine. I just want out of here.” She gestured behind her at the ropes then at her ankles.

Cade moved closer to the goon and handcuffed him then motioned for him and Pendergrass to take the sofa. When they sank onto it, he walked over to Marci to untie her.

But footsteps sounded, and suddenly Cade felt another presence in the room.

Georgia?

No…not Georgia.

Sebastian stepped into the room, his hand waving a Glock at all of them.

C
HAPTER
S
IXTEEN

Marci’s throat clogged with emotions. “Dad?”

Her father’s mouth thinned into a grimace. “I’ll take Pendergrass.”

Cade glared at her father, his own gun raised.  “No way I can let you do that, Sebastian. He’s in my custody. I have to arrest you, too.”

“That’s not going to happen,” her father said stiffly.

Marci still couldn’t believe her eyes. Her father was here.

And he was not only a crook, but he was holding a gun on Cade.

“Now put down your weapon, Detective Muller, and we’ll sort this out.”

“There’s no sorting,” Cade said. “Pendergrass is a con artist. He used your daughter in his scheme. And this man kidnapped her. They’re both going to jail.”

“You’re right about Pendergrass, but Woody here works for me.”

“You hired someone to kidnap me?” Marci said, shocked.

Her father gave her a feeble but pleading look as if he knew he was in hot water and deserved it. “Honey, let me explain.”

“How can you explain?” Marci cried.   “You deserted me and Kim and mom.” She gestured around her. “And now this?”

Anger flickered in her father’s eyes, and he walked over, lifted her hair and studied the bruise the kidnapper had caused when he’d knocked her unconscious. “Don’t worry, sweetheart, everything’s going to be all right.” His footsteps clicked as he strode over to the goon who’d kidnapped her and punched him in the face. “I told you not to hurt her.”

Marci’s heart ached. Dear God. Her father had hired the man who’d abducted her and scared her senseless.

“Dad,” she whispered. “What are you doing?”

Cade cleared his throat. “Sebastian, put down the gun and step away from Marci.”

But her father kept the gun trained as he untied Marci’s wrists. She shook her hands free, then leaned over and quickly unraveled the knots around her feet.

Suddenly Paul started to run, but Cade tackled him, and they fought on the floor. Paul screeched and bellowed as Cade flipped him face down, straddled him and slapped handcuffs on him.

Marci’s legs wobbled shakily as she stood. “Please, daddy, don’t hurt Cade.”

“You need to listen,” he said.

“Daddy, please, put down the gun,” Marci said. “I don’t want you to be hurt.”

His face crumpled with emotions, and he lowered his weapon. Cade rushed toward him, then ordered him to take a seat on the couch beside her kidnapper.

Cade’s partner raced into the room, took one look at Pendergrass lying on the floor wailing like a baby, then at her father who’d folded his hands, his jaw angry.

“It looks like you have everything under control,” Georgia said as she accessed the situation.

“We just need to haul them into lock-up,” Cade said.

Georgia shook her head. “Sorry, Muller, but we have to let Sebastian go.”

“What?” Cade swung his gaze up toward Georgia. “Why the hell would we do that?”

“I told you to let me explain.” Her father reached inside his jacket, and Marci froze, terrified he was going to pull another gun.

But instead he flashed a badge. “I work for the CIA. I’ve been tracking Pendergrass for over two years now.”

Marci gaped at him. “You…what?”

“You can’t be serious,” Cade muttered.

“He is,” Georgia said. “I just got off the phone with the captain.”

“But you were in jail with Paul,” Marci said, her voice full of accusations.

“I was undercover,” her father said, his face pinched. “I’m sorry but I couldn’t tell you, Marci.”

Tell her? She hadn’t seen or talked to him in years? Why would she have expected differently?

“I’ve been working undercover for two years tracking this jerk.” He shoved the ID at Cade.  “He started his scams in Europe before he came to the states. Stole some pretty pricey artwork before he turned to real estate.”

 Paul stirred, fighting against the handcuffs. “You played me,” he screeched.

Her father walked over and jerked Paul by the collar. “How does it feel to be conned, Mr. Podinsky?”

“And me?” Marci shouted. “What about me, Dad? You hired that man to shoot at me.”

Her father crossed the room to her.  “He was just supposed to watch you, to scare you away from Pendergrass.”

“He kidnapped me,” Marci cried.

“I’m sorry about that, sweetheart.” He reached out to stroke her cheek but Marci jerked her face away. 

She just wanted to go home and be alone. Every man in the room had lied to her, used her, hurt her…

She was done with all of them.

*~*~*~*

Cade wanted to comfort Marci, but he was still reeling from the turn of events. Her father’s shocking declaration made him furious. So like the feds and CIA to leave the local police in the dark.

And that asshole who’d shot at Marci and then kidnapped her – it was probably a good thing Marci’s father had knocked him unconscious or he might have killed the creep himself.

At least he could take pleasure in the pantywaist Pendergrass who was moaning and whining that he had been set up. Same old story.

“We have enough to hang him,” Sebastian told him.

Cade cut him a cold look. “You should have let me know what was going on.”

“You shouldn’t have slept with my daughter.”

Cade’s stomach twisted.  Marci’s father was right.  He had crossed the line.

And Marci had been hurt in the process. Still, it infuriated him that the man had had eyes on him.  “You were watching? You had cameras?”

Marci must have overheard because she paled one minute, then looked as if she was going to spit nails at them the next.

“I was trying to protect my daughter.”

Marci rubbed at her wrists as she stood.  “You gave up that right the day you walked out on me, Dad.”