Hunted

A nail. A nail was sticking up through the wood.

“Don’t go passing out on me. We have to make a phone call. That’s step one for us. Got to let folks know who has the power here.”

She kept her hands near that nail and started to slide the rope against it. Was it making a grinding noise as she sawed? Could he hear her? The knife’s blade had almost cut all the way through the rope, and if the nail could just finish the job, then she’d have a chance.

He left her there, sagging on the floor, her hands behind her and working slowly with that nail as he yanked a phone out of his back pocket. Her gaze darted to his hands. He was wearing gloves, but she could see a little bit of tanned skin where the gloves ended near his wrists. The guy was Caucasian, a little over six feet, probably close to one hundred and eighty pounds, and he—

“I’ve got someone new,” he rasped into the phone. “Pretty soon, Sheriff Black, it will be time for you to find her.”

He’d called the sheriff. Did he always do that? Always call while the victim was still alive? The authorities hadn’t revealed that detail to the press, and if this was part of the guy’s MO, then no wonder Hayden Black had looked increasingly worn. He’d been fighting to find the victims alive, but he kept turning up dead bodies.

His finger slid over the phone—she realized he must be wearing those smart gloves that allowed him to still work a phone screen—and she heard Hayden’s voice fill the room.

“Give me proof of life,” Hayden barked.

Her abductor laughed. She tensed and almost stopped cutting on that nail. Almost. She knew his laughter wasn’t a good sign. Hayden wanted proof of life, so that probably meant the jerk in the ski mask was about to make her scream. He was going to hurt her again—

“It’s Casey Quinn!” she screamed. “He’s got me in one of the houses under construction on the west end—help—”

Her abductor threw the phone down and slapped his hand over her mouth. What? Had he believed she didn’t realize where she was? When she’d arrived in Hope, she’d made a point of checking out the entire town. A good reporter learned her territory.

She glared up at him.

“Think you’re clever?”

She thought she had a chance. Hayden would come racing to the scene. And maybe...maybe he’d get there fast enough to save her.

“Your mistake. You’re just dead.”

No, she wasn’t. Not yet. Did he think she was too afraid to fight back?

She felt the ropes give way around her wrists. Her hands were free. Now she needed to get rid of the ropes around her ankles. She stared up at him, just seeing the mesh over his eyes. Her heartbeat thundered in her chest.

His hand slowly fell from her mouth.

“You should run,” she whispered. “The sheriff will be here soon.”

“I’m not going anywhere...” He turned away from her. Bent and picked up his phone. She could see the smashed screen. “Not yet.” His back was to her.

The knife was on the floor. He hadn’t picked it up after he’d punched her. Her hand flew out and grabbed it and she immediately tucked it behind her body, resuming her position as he turned back toward her so it would appear as if her hands were still bound behind her.

“I’ve waited too long to get you, Casey.” His voice was rougher and his tone was almost intimate. “It won’t end like this.”

It’s not going to end at all. She hadn’t fought her way back from the darkness before to die this way.

He rolled back his shoulders and he moved a few feet away, his head tilted toward the floor. He lifted up a piece of plastic. What are you looking for? The knife? Did you just realize it’s gone?

His head swiveled back toward her.

She lifted her chin.

He smiled. “Give it to me.” He took a step toward her.

Since he asked...

He grabbed for her arm.

She stabbed him.

* * *

THE SOB HAD taken Casey.

Fear was a cold knot in Josh’s stomach. Hayden had called him and told him the news, and he’d driven fast as hell to get to the line of houses under construction on the west end of the beach. The motorcycle howled as he raced down the road. He was ahead of the sheriff and his deputies—he’d been closer to the scene. And he was breaking every traffic law out there as he cut across roads and ran through lights to get to Casey.

I shouldn’t have left her. He could still see her, standing in front of the hotel, wearing those high heels as her dark hair tossed around her cheeks. He’d even told her that he’d wanted her to be safe because that perp was still out there. The guy was hunting women like her.

He’d been hunting her.

Josh spun around a tight corner and saw the row of partially built houses up ahead. Which house was she in? He barely braked his bike—just jumped off the motorcycle and ran for the first house. “Casey!” Josh roared her name. He yanked his gun from the holster. “Casey, where are you?” Be alive. Be alive, Casey. Answer me!

Because in his mind, he still saw Tonya Myers. She was in the water and her dark hair drifted up around her face. That can’t happen to Casey.

He rushed through the first house, shoving plastic out of his way. Construction debris was everywhere, but the rooms were empty. No sign of Casey.

Josh ran back outside. The light from dawn swept out over the water. “Casey!”

How long had it been since the perp had called Hayden? Ten minutes? Fifteen? Twenty?

It only took a moment to die. One moment.

He rushed toward the second house.

“H-help...”

He froze. That call—it had come from the house before him. A temporary door was in place, one without a doorknob, and he just kicked that damn thing in. “Casey!” His bellow seemed to echo around him.

And then he saw her.

She was holding on to the makeshift banister that had been put in place on the stairs. She was trying to come down to him. A red imprint marked the left side of her beautiful face. There was blood on her cheek. She was too pale and she was shaking and—

He bounded toward her.

Her eyes widened when she saw him. She lifted her hand toward him, and he saw that she was gripping a blood-covered knife.

“J-Josh?”

“You’re safe.” He wanted to scoop her into his arms. Wanted to hold her tight and make sure she was okay. “Where is he?”

She blinked. She looked lost. Scared. And...

Hurt. He hurt her.

Josh wanted to kill the guy.

“I—I don’t know.” She looked around, her hand shaking but not letting go of that knife. “He... I stabbed him and he ran out of the room. He...left me.”

Grim pride swelled inside of him.

“Get me out of here,” she whispered. A tear leaked down her cheek. “It’s too much...like before. Get me out.”

He didn’t know what she was talking about, but he had to touch her. Josh curled his left arm around her as he pulled her against his body. She didn’t let go of the knife. He kept a solid grip on his gun. If the perp had run from the room on the upper floor, he could still be hiding in that house. Josh wanted to search every inch of the place, but getting Casey to safety was his priority.

She felt so delicate against him. And each time her body trembled, the rage he felt grew.

I will find you, you bastard. I will make you pay.

He led her past the broken front door and outside. He didn’t stop walking, not until they were near his motorcycle. Then he slid his hand under her chin. “Where are you hurt?” His voice was a rough growl. Her cheek was already darkening, the pink giving way to a bruise.

“I’m...okay.” Her eyes said the words were a lie. Her head turned, and she looked around the scene. Her voice became a whisper as she said, “Where did he go?”

Josh intended to find out.

Before he could speak, he heard the approaching wail of a siren. The local sheriff and his deputies—about time. They’d search every inch of those houses. They’d find that perp.

He started to step away from Casey but her hand grabbed his wrist. Her fingers curled around him, holding tight. “He’s going to kill me.”

The hell he will.

“He said...he won’t stop. He will kill me.”

The siren was louder. Closer.

Another tear slid down her cheek. “He said he’d been waiting for me...that the waiting was over.”

His body brushed against hers. “He’s not going to ever touch you again.” Josh intended to make sure of that. “You’re safe.”

But she shook her head, and Josh knew that she didn’t believe him.

The sheriff’s patrol car whipped around the corner. The lights flashed from the top of the car.

Casey’s hold tightened on Josh even more.

“You’re safe,” he said again, but Josh didn’t think she believed him.

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