Once on the road toward my house and making sure no one was following us, I unloaded. “You could have screwed everything up with your appearance. I told you there could be no mistakes!” I bellowed at her. I saw her flinch from the corner of my eye, and for a moment I softened, but then the event replayed in my head. All the work and time that had gone into making this possible.
When we reached my place, I escorted Natalie into the house by her elbow with my fingers digging into her skin. I forced her through the doorway and pushed her away from me while I pulled my phone from my pocket. “You need to get over here now,” I roared into the phone. We waited in silence in the living room, Natalie sitting awkwardly in one of the overstuffed chairs, and I pacing back and forth, waiting for Tara.
Tara sauntered in like she owned the place. Her eyes went from me to Natalie. “Who’s this? The loose end?”
“Don’t toy with me, Tara.” I barked. “We have a problem. Morton knows about her.” I nodded toward Natalie who seemed to have shrunk in her chair, fear written all over her face.
“What does he know?” she asked, and I explained Natalie’s sudden appearance at the meeting and Morton’s suspicion that I needed Tara taken care of to hide her from Natalie.
“It seems that he knows nothing that could jeopardize the plan. Let’s calm down and think this through,” Tara said calmly and reasonably. Then she went and introduced herself to Natalie, who shyly shook her hand, her eyes panicky and searching mine for reassurance.
“Natalie, why don’t you go upstairs?” I ordered.
“No. She should stay. She’s part of this now. I assume she knows everything?” Tara raised her eyebrow at me.
“Only up until the plan,” I corrected her.
“Let’s see if we can reconfigure this and work her in,” Tara said.
“No!” I blurted out. “I don’t want her involved.”
“Seemed to me she’s already involved,” Tara pointed out.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Natalie
I sat watching the two of them go back and forth about me like I wasn’t even in the room.
“Excuse me.” I put up my finger to catch their attention. “I might have an idea.”
They both grew silent and waited for me to finish. “What if you used me? Let him take me. You two are a powerful force together. Your odds are better.” They both stared at me for a beat and then another.
“She might be onto something, “Tara said. “Together we could get her out of there quicker.”
“No!” Duke exclaimed and then added, “Plus, it doesn’t matter. I’ve already given Morton your picture and information. He’ll be looking for you, not Natalie when the drop is made.”
Then softly to me, Duke said, “I don’t want you anywhere near him. I’m going to go make the drop, and once that’s done, I don’t know when he’ll take Tara. It could be a matter of hours or days, but I need eyes on her at all times,” he explained on one knee in front of me, “I need you here. Tell me you won’t do anything stupid.”
“I won't, I promise.” My hands gripped his, afraid that he might not come back to me. “As long as you promise me, you’ll come back.”
He looked away and when his eyes came back to me, I could see within him that it wasn’t a promise he could give. “I’ll do my best. I need you to be here when I get back.” I nodded, knowing I wouldn’t be anywhere else. “Remember, it could be days. Nothing stupid.” He kissed me passionately, and then they were both jumped into action.
DUKE HADN’T BEEN WRONG when he said it could take days. It had been a few, and I fretted about all the things that could go wrong, but like I did in the basement and then in the upstairs room, I waited. The only difference was that time I had the run of the place. I wandered around a lot, taking in Duke’s style. I ventured outside for a few short walks, but I preferred the solitude of Duke’s bedroom, spending most of my time cuddling up in his bed in his shirt that smelled like him reading, and waiting.
There was every opportunity to leave, but Duke trusted me to stay there for him, and I’d already caused him too many setbacks. I couldn’t bear the thought that I could be the reason he failed to get the guy again.
The crunching of tires on the driveway brought me from Duke’s bedroom, down the stairs, and thrusting open the door to meet him, but instead of Duke standing there, it was the guy Duke had met at the bar the day I escaped and went after him.
“I’m sorry,” I called out. “Duke isn’t here at the moment.” I finished from the safety of the door, the hairs on the back of my neck standing to attention. Something wasn’t right.
“I was banking on that,” the guy sneered back. I slammed the door shut, locking it, and trying to decide what I should do. If I hid in the house, he’d likely find me, and I didn't know all the nooks and crannies of the interior of the house yet. I had to get out. I wondered if I could make it to the garage and take the car. He had a car too and would likely follow me. Where would I go? I knew nothing about Tara or how to get ahold of her. I knew Duke’s number, but did I have time to call him before the guy got to me?
The car. Even if I was followed, I could go to the police, to Duke’s apartment, Alyssa’s place, or even my own to hide out until Duke came for me. I knew he’d come for me.
The doorknob twisted and then the pounding came as the guy tried to get inside. I didn’t even know his name. Duke had never told me. Probably another attempt to protect me.
I jotted a quick note by the key hooks. I hoped it was cryptic enough to not put anyone on my trail but would let Duke know why I had to leave.
The car roared to life, and as the garage door opened, two legs came into view. I knew he would hear the garage door opening and try to intervene. The car was in drive waiting to be able to clear the door when I closed my eyes and slammed on the gas, not wanting to see what was about to happen.
The thud of the car crashing into something or someone made me want to stop and assess the situation, but it didn’t feel safe to stay. I worked too hard to survive and be free to go back and face that murderer, so I drove and drove.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Duke
Being trained in surveillance helped me disappear into the surroundings as I watched Tara. Morton had picked up the payment like planned and then we waited for him to make his move.
The strange feeling that something wasn’t right irked me as the wait became longer and longer. My mind wandered to Natalie and how amazing it was to know that she was tucked away safely at the house, and when this was all over, I would make up for every horrible thing I did to her.
My phone buzzed, and when I swiped it open to check the incoming message, there, blazing up at me, was the message: I’ve got your girl.
It was from the number I used to contact Morton. I scanned the building, knowing Tara was tucked inside, but I had to make sure.
Taking the steps three at a time, I rushed to Tara’s door. I buzzed relentlessly until Tara’s sleepy presence yanked open the door. “What?” she screeched, pulling her robe tightly around herself against the chilly morning air.