Saving Her (Her Protector Book 2) Read online

  34

  Zoe

  I paced from the kitchen to the living room, sat at the piano bench, then got up again. I was too nervous to play. Too nervous to do anything but continue to wear a path in the old wooden floors of the farmhouse as I waited.

  An hour had passed since Westley and Owen had dropped me off. Owen had gotten out to walk me to the door. He’d even checked the entire farmhouse for me, just to make sure that no one else was there.

  I knew I was being paranoid, but I couldn’t get the anxious, skittering feeling inside me calm. It was like there was a life wire in my veins, shocking me over and over again until the slightest sound was making me jump out of my skin.

  Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was Josie, laying there, discarded like garbage, and it made me want to burst into tears all over again. Who would do that? Who could ever hurt an animal like that?

  In the pit of my stomach, unease stirred, but I was in too much shock to pay it much attention. All I could do was pace and watch the door, waiting for Jake to come home. For him to hold me and tell me that everything would be alright, that it was all over now.

  There was a sudden knock at the door and everything inside me froze in pure panic.

  “Ma’am? I’m an officer from the police station. The sheriff sent me.” The deep voice sounded from behind the door and I let out a sigh of relief. With a deep breath, I moved towards the door and cracked it open just a few inches.

  There was a man standing there, in a crisp blue uniform, holding a badge up. The sun was shining behind him so I couldn’t quite make out his face but it was no doubt that he was who he said he was.

  “Hi, Officer. Sorry, Jake isn’t back yet. I’ll have him call when he can and give his statement.”

  “Actually, I was told to come keep an eye on you, just in case someone decides to cause more trouble. I guess, Jake was it? I guess Jake didn’t like the idea of you being on your own.”

  “You’re…You’re here about Josie? About the horse?”

  “Was that her name?” The officer said softly and then nodded, sounding more official, “Yes, that’s why I’m here. I should probably go ahead and take your statement while I’m here as well. Do you mind if I come in?”

  There was a flutter of warning in my stomach, but I waved it away. Paranoid. I was just being paranoid. It was a police officer for Pete’s sake. And he said Jake had sent him.

  Finally, I inched open the door the rest of the way and stepped back to let him in.

  “Come in and make yourself at home. Why don’t I get us something to drink. You want coffee? Or tea?”

  “Coffee would be great.” He said, and I nodded as I headed to the kitchen, grateful to have something to do with my hands. They were trembling so hard that I spilled the hot coffee all over the top of the counter but I forced myself to calm down as I grabbed the mug of steaming liquid and carried it back into the living room.

  The officer had his back to me, staring intently at the piano.

  “Do you play?” He asked, his voice gruff, still not turning to look at me.

  “I do.”

  “That’s nice.” He nodded, and I stared at his profile, struck by a sense of familiarity but I shrugged it off. I’d probably seen him in Solace and didn’t even realize it. “This is a nice place out here. Quiet. Peaceful. Remote.”

  “Yeah, I’ve, um, I’ve really enjoyed staying out here.”

  “Away from the noise of the city. So much noise.”

  “Oh, are you from Salt Lake?” That was the only city I knew of in the area, but he just shook his head.

  “I’m from Los Angeles. Well, just outside. I couldn’t stand living in the city. So loud. So many people. So dirty. Have you ever been there?”

  I felt one of those electric shocks at the mention of my old home town.

  “Really? Los Angeles? No, um, no I’ve never been.”

  He drew in a deep breath.

  “Wh–What was your name again, officer? I think I missed it.” That sense of unease began to grow stronger now, harder to ignore. Something was wrong. I didn’t know what it was, but something was very wrong.

  My instincts told me to run but he was blocking the path to the front door. He was still staring at the piano and I surreptitiously reached into my back pocket, hitting the speed dial button for the only number programmed into it.

  I didn’t pull my phone out of my pocket, too afraid to give it away. I just put it on speaker phone and prayed that Jake would be able to hear.

  “My name? You don’t remember my name?” The officer said, sounding more than a little offended, “You don’t remember me Zoe?”

  My breath stopped, backing up in my lungs until I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t force out a single word. All I could do was shake my head. I glanced at the door but there was no way I could make it past him. I was trapped.

  “Really, I’m ashamed of you Zoe. How could you have forgotten me? It’s only been a year–.” Finally he turned to look at me and he cut off abruptly as his gaze bored into my pregnant, rounded belly, “How…How could you? What were you thinking? Did you– Did you actually let that oaf touch you? You let someone else have you?”

  His face transformed in a rictus of rage and he took a staggering step towards me. And as he walked into the light I caught the name on his badge, pinned to his chest.

  “Kenilworth.”

  He stopped suddenly, smiling at me as if I’d just one first place at the science fair.

  “That’s right. You do remember. Good girl.”

  I almost did remember. The name struck a bell in my memories and I had to fight to drag them to the surface. But as I stared at his face, it hit me.

  “You’re the officer! The one that took my report that night at the Pavilion. You put a blanket around my shoulders.”

  “Oh, I’m so much more than that, Zoe. It’s me. It’s Patrick. Don’t you remember? All the times we spent together. All the presents I sent you. Everything was for you, Zoe. Everything that I did was for you. I had to get you away from Elliot. He was an idiot. A plebian. You were too good for him.”

  I stared at the man in shock as all the pieces came tumbling into place. It really was him. My monster! And he’d found me.

  “How…How did you find me.”

  “You didn’t make it easy, Zoe. No you didn’t,” He said with a sharp, cardboard laugh but there was rage burning in his eyes. “But I had an alert set up to notify me when you accessed your back. And then that…that country oaf…he called me! He called me, asking about you. It was really too perfect. Fate, you know? Fate brought us back together again.” His hollow laughter faded and all that was left was the rage. “You shouldn’t have run away like that. I couldn’t protect. I couldn’t keep you safe. You were mine, Zoe! Mine!”

  He was completely insane. I could see it in his eyes, I could hear it in his voice. He believed every single word that he was saying.

  I had to get out of there. Now. I had to get away from him before he hurt me, or worse, hurt my baby. I did the only thing I could think of. I tossed the steaming hot cup of coffee in his face and bolted for the door.

  He caught me before I’d even taken two steps, his hands fisting painfully in my long hair and dragging me back inside.

  “You know, Zoe.” He said softly, his voice sending tremors of fear down her spine, “You really shouldn’t have done that.”

  * * *

  Jake

  I looked from Lucas to Wil to Ian, who just stood there staring at me.

  “Well? Any bright ideas? Who would do this? Your dad? Was that asshole behind this?”

  “Don’t talk about our dad that way,” Lucas snarled, stalking towards me but Wil pulled him back, shooting his brother a hard look before turning to me with a sigh.

  “Dad’s been in the nursing home up in Salt Lake for months now. He had a heart attack a while back and couldn’t stay on his own anymore. He…his last wish was for us to find that damned box.”

&nbs
p; I shook my head, trying to wrap my mind around what he was saying.

  “So all this? Everything you were doing, it was just for your dad?”

  “And the treasure,” Lucas growled, still glaring at me. “Which is ours.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I heard you the first two thousand times.” I shot back, still trying to make sense of it all. “But who then? Who would do this?”

  “Are you sure it was a someone and not a something? Could have been a predator.” Wil suggested but I was already shaking my head.

  “I know what a coyote attack looks like, and I know what a cougar attack looks like. The horse was stabbed, sharp, clean cuts. And gutted. Nothing was taken. Nothing was eating. Animals don’t just kill other animals for fun.”

  And that’s what it was, I realized with a sinking feeling in my gut. Someone had killed that poor animal just for the hell of it. Someone had killed it and left it for us to find.

  The answer was right there, right in front of me, I knew it. But before I could figure it out my cell phone rang, making all four of us jump.

  I pulled it out of my pocket, seeing Zoe’s name pop up on the screen and let out a sigh of relief.

  “Hey, baby. I’ll be back home soon, you don’t have to–.” My words stopped dead in my throat, frozen with fear as I heard Zoe’s cry of pain from the other end of the line. It sounded distant, but I could still make out the sound, and the sound of the other man’s voice as he spoke.

  “You know, Zoe. You really shouldn’t have done that.”

  “What the hell? Zoe?! Zoe can you hear me!”

  But the man was speaking again. I had to strain to make out his words but when I did I wanted to howl in rage.

  “You let another man touch you, Zoe. I can’t let that go. You have to learn your lesson. I sent you so many presents. Didn’t you like them? Don’t you know how much I love you, Zoe?”

  He sounded deranged, completely unhinged. I couldn’t make out Zoe’s tearful, muffled reply but the pain and fear I heard in her voice came through loud and clear.

  “What is it?” Wil asked, noting the panic in my face.

  “Zoe. The bastard has Zoe.”

  “What bastard?” Lucas sneered and I had to fight back the urge to knock him out then and there.

  “The same bastard that murdered Josie, that cut her up just for fun. And if I don’t get there soon, he’ll do the same to Zoe.”

  “Come on. I’ll drive.” Wil said, leaping into action and all I could do was follow, clutching the phone in my hand like a lifeline.

  It was a five minute drive to the farmhouse. I just prayed I would make it in time.

  As Wil drove like a madman across the field toward the house, I held the phone to my ear, listening for every word.

  I listened as he told her he was going to cut the baby out of her body and throw it away like garbage. I listened as he told her his dream, that he would take her away and she would be his. Only his. No one else’s ever again.

  I heard Zoe plead tearfully for the life of her child. For our child. And it nearly brought me to my knees.

  “You want to keep his baby? You want him over me?” The man shouted suddenly, sounded even angrier than before and my stomach knotted as Zoe screamed.

  “NO! Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot me!” She sobbed, then I heard her draw a deep breath, “You love me don’t you? You said you loved me. You wouldn’t hurt me, right? You wouldn’t hurt me if you really loved me.”

  “Of course not,” He crooned over the phone and goosebumps erupted across my arms at how erratic he was, shifting form enraged to calm in less than a second. I prayed that Zoe would be safe, that she could keep up the ploy long enough for us to get there. Every minute that passed seemed like an eternity.

  “I would never hurt you. Never ever.”

  The line crackled for a moment.

  “You love me, don’t you? Tell me you love me Zoe. Tell me you will always love me, and only me.”

  “I–I love you. I love you so much. I only want you. You’re the only one in the whole world.” Zoe’s voice shook on the words and I held my breath, hoping he would but it. A tense, silent moment passed, then another, as the farmhouse finally came into view.

  “LIAR!” He screamed suddenly so loud that I flinched. “You’re a liar! A dirty, dirty liar! You’ll pay. I swear to you. I’ll make you pay!”

  I sucked in a sharp breath, not even waiting for Will to stop the truck before leaping out and shoving open the front door.

  The man, dressed as a cop and leaning over Zoe, whipped the gun, pointing it straight at my chest.

  “Just leave her alone.”

  “No, Jake!” Zoe cried, and the man’s eyes widened in rage.

  “YOU! You were the one who touched her! You were the one who ruined her! She’s mine! MINE!” Spittle flew from his mouth and I could see he was a hairsbreadth from losing it completely, if he hadn’t already.

  I looked over at Zoe, and in that moment I saw my life flash before my eyes. It was just like the movies always said. I could see everything stretched out, my past, all the mistakes I’d made. All the choices that had led me to where I was standing at that exact moment. And I couldn’t regret a single one. Especially if it meant I could save Zoe and our baby. Anything was worth that.

  “I love you.” I told Zoe, taking a step towards the man who had haunted her for so long. Everything slowed and suddenly I was moving in slow-motion. I hear Zoe’s scream, heartbreaking and distant. I saw his finger start to squeeze on the trigger. I closed my eyes, waiting for the impact of the bullet to rip through my body.

  But it never came.

  I blinked open my eyes just as Wil came barreling through the back, tackling the man to the ground and knocking the gun from his hand.

  Wil looked up at me with a strained grin on his face.

  “You owe me for this.”

  “Anything. Anything you want. Hell, we’ll name our firstborn after you.” I said with a laugh that was more shock than anything else, “Is he out?”

  “Cold. The fall knocked his head around a bit.” Wil said, not the least bit ashamed. He quickly tied the man’s hands and feet.

  “I’ll call the sheriff. You see to your lady.”

  I was still in shock but Wil’s words jostled me back to reality and I realized I was still standing there, still waiting for the impact of the bullet.

  I rushed to her and pulled her into my arms, just rocking her as Wil made sure the maniac was secured.

  “It’s over baby. It’s all over.” I said, hardly believing the words myself. She looked up at me, tears making her green eyes look enormous.

  “I told him I loved him. I don’t. I don’t love him. I love you. Only you, I…”

  I kissed her, cutting off her frantic words.

  “Hush, I know, Zoe. I know.”

  “You saved me.”

  “No, you saved yourself. If you hadn’t called me.”

  “I was so afraid, Jake. I was so afraid he would hear or see it or…”

  “He didn’t. And he’s tied up now. As soon as the cops come, they’ll take him away, for a long, long time.”

  “The things he said, Jake. The things he was going to do. To our baby…” She couldn’t finished the words and I just held her close, sharing in her horror.

  Slowly, the shaking stopped, and by the time three cop cars were pulling in front of the ranch, Zoe’s monster was awake.

  “I’ll need you come down and make a statement,” Sherriff Copper was saying and I nodded impatiently as Zoe stood. She watched them take the man and shove him into the police car but before it shut she shouted for them to wait.

  She rushed over, saying something to the man that made his face go even paler before she walked back toward me, shoulders back, head high.

  “What did you tell him, Zoe?”

  “I just told him the truth. I told him that he was monster, that he had ruined my life for so long, but because of him, I found you,” She turned and looked up
at me, all the love she had for me shining in her eyes, “I told him thank you.”

  I shook my head, marveling at her.

  “I love you, Zoe.”

  “I love you, too. Jake. Forever and always and only you.”

  Epilogue

  Zoe

  “Oh, this was such a bad idea.” I said, sucking in as much as I could.

  “Just a little…bit…more.”

  Beth was wrestling with the zipper of the white wedding dress behind me. It had fit just fine a week ago. Well, as fine as anything fit over my rounded, seven month pregnant body. Even my breasts were larger now, more cleavage than I’d ever had in my life. Jake didn’t seem to mind the changes at all, and most times I reveled in them too because it meant that our baby was growing, healthy and happy inside me.

  But not today, damn it. It was my wedding day. And I couldn’t fit into my dress.

  “That’s it. I’m calling it off.” I grumbled, “We can get married another day.”

  “You are absolutely not calling off this wedding!”

  Beth walked around me, her expression serious but kind as she grabbed my shoulders and gave me a little shake.

  “You have been planning this day for months. You and Jake both have. We will get your dress sorted out. Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it. This day is for you, and Jake. It will be perfect. I will make sure of it.”

  Beth sounded deadly serious as she said it, as if she could somehow control the spring clouds brewing outside or the extra baby weight just by will alone.

  “Wait a minute, did I just hear what I thought I heard? You’re calling off the wedding?!”

  I turned around just as Robin walked in the room we’d taken over in the farmhouse to get ready, her sweet little boy, just a few months old, cradled in her arms.

  Robin and I had become close friends, bonding over pregnancy woes together and I was so glad that she was there for extra support.

  “I’m too fat.”

  “That’s ridiculous. You are not fat,” Robin said, sharing a look with Beth, “You’re pregnant. Your growing a human inside of you. Cut yourself a little slack.”