“She’s not spending another second with him,” Preston said. “We’re going to get her.”
“Whoever has her is armed and willing to kill,” Rosalie screeched. “You are not going anywhere!” She snatched the phone from him. “Mrs. Adler, the boys believe this is a message from your daughter. We’ll get the police captain out of bed if I have to drag him out myself.”
She hurried down the hall with her but not before shooting us one last look. “Do not think of leaving this house.”
Preston whirled on his father. “Dad—”
“You can’t believe I’d disagree with your mother,” he said. “The three of you, inside Preston’s room now.”
He must have caught the look on our faces—that the three of us could take him.
The haggard lines on his face softened. “We all want her safe, son. I’ll never be able to look the Adlers in the eye again knowing one of my own men handed her over to a killer. We’ll have the police on that location within the hour, I swear to you.” He gestured inside. “Please.”
Silently, we walked in, letting him shut the door behind us.
“Are we really going to sit in here?” Carter burst out.
“What are we supposed to do?” Preston threw himself in his desk chair, tearing at his hair. “We don’t have guns—” His ringtone cut him off.
“I don’t care if he rigged the place to explode,” Carter said. “If Belle’s still on the island, those idiots have been chasing their tails for the last two days. We’re trusting them to save her?”
Preston didn’t reply.
“Preston,” I said. “We’ve got to be there. I have an idea for defending ourselves if he does whip out his gun.”
He shot up. “Guys, look at this.”
“What? Is it from Belle?”
We bent over the phone.
“Is this for real?” I asked.
“How do we find out?” Carter put in.
Preston hit reply. “I think we’ll find out soon enough.”
BELLE
“Get up!”
Pain erupted in my face, ripping me screaming from sleep.
“What are you doing?!”
“What did you do?!” he roared. “You sent a message! The fucking cops are coming!”
My chest heaved, forcing out rapid pants that chased away the remains of my upright sleep.
He knows? How does he know?
“Cops?” I repeated. “I don’t hear sirens. No one is coming.”
He shoved his phone in my face. “You sent a text.”
“What text? When could I have done that? You don’t let me near your phone!”
Mal’s face was red and swelling with rage. His burn to do worse than slap me shone in his eyes. I strained in my bonds, panic rising like bile.
“Last night,” he hissed. “When you were in the bathroom.”
“You walked in on me, Mal. I didn’t have a phone. My hands were empty and you saw for yourself. Immediately after, you put me in these!” I wrenched my hands. “So how could I have done it? Huh? You know I didn’t,” I flung. “You just like hitting me. Hurting me. You say you love me but it’s a lie!”
His expression morphed as I spoke. Anger. Suspicion. Unsurety. And finally whatever gazed back at me now.
“You make me do these things, Arabella.” Spittle showered my nose. “You lie, and you run, and you cheat when I’m the one who’s been there for you. I took care of you when you had no one. Who else would have been willing to raise another man’s child?”
“Where is that child?” I rushed out. “Where’s Belle?”
He hardened before my eyes. “She’s dead. Because of you.”
Mal freed me, tossing me over his shoulder. I thrashed as he carried me outside and onto the dock. “She is dead because you tried to leave me. You force me to do terrible things, Arabella. But I’ll admit this time, I’ll do it with a smile on my face.”
Heaving up the ladder, Malcolm climbed on and brought me into a small, narrow cabin without windows. I was dumped face-first on the bed. I pushed up to him standing over me.
“If I find out you sent that message, your boyfriend dies. Doesn’t matter which. I’ll tell him to have his fun choosing.”
He ducked out. I heard the sound of a bolt sliding into place. “Sit tight, a chroí. One more day and this will all be over.”
My new prison had no clock and no escape.
A bed, a small sofa attached to the wall, and a door that opened into a bathroom with a toilet and sink. I checked every inch for a weapon, phone, or even a spoon to throw at him.
Nothing.
The whole time I heard him above me, getting on and off the boat. I gave up the search as the engine hummed to life.
I bolted up, scrabbling at the door handle.
We’re leaving? He said we have one more day. We can’t go. I rammed my shoulder into the door. They’ll never find me.
I pounded and screamed. Flung myself against the wood until I bruised. The door didn’t budge.
Time passed.
Hours by my rumbling stomach’s estimation.
I guess I should be glad he left me access to a toilet this time.
Despair bowled me over, weakening my knees and sending me to the floor. I dropped my head on the couch, letting the first tear fall.
We were leaving the cove behind.
It was too much to ask for number four.
THE CABIN DOOR CREAKED open.
“Get out.”
“Why?” I croaked. My nose was stuffed from crying.
I raised my pounding head, blinking through bleary eyes, and the sight of him calm and relax surged a flood of hatred the likes of which I’d never felt.
“Get the fuck away from me.”
“There’s no need for that.”
Mal reached for me and I smacked his hand away.
“I said don’t touch me!”
To my surprise, he backed up, arms raised. “I just want to show you something, love. I think it will make you happy.”
“It won’t,” I said. “Go away.”
“Your search and rescue team. Don’t you want to know what happened to them?”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, sitting up straighter. “What’s it matter now? We left the cove.”
“We haven’t gone as far as you think.” With that, he left, leaving the door wide open for me to follow.
Haven’t gone as far as I think?
I hesitated a few more beats and then pushed myself up.
Mal loomed above me, his hand swept out. “See for yourself.”
I stepped onto the deck and looked to where he pointed.
“What? I—” I twisted, sweeping the shoreline. There was no mistake. We were tied by the dock. Right in front of the little blue shack. “How are we back here?”
“I went out to sea and sailed around in circles a few times, waiting for the cops to come, confirm the place is empty, and leave. I removed the food, trash, and clothes. Quickly wiped down our prints. There was nothing for them to find.”
“But... they wouldn’t just go,” I whispered. “They would watch the place. Make sure we weren’t coming back.”