Shelby's Secret (Once a Marine, Always a Marine Book 4) Page 17

  “I promise not to tell him,” Shelby said, making it sound like a co-conspiracy. The searing pain in her abdomen had lessened so she could talk without huffing out the words, but she was a bit worried about one of her ribs. It had taken the brunt of the punch, and didn’t feel quite right.

  “He hit her. Over and over again, and then she stopped breathing,” he said. “I didn’t want him to kill her, but then he gave her to me, and I took her to my playhouse.”

  Shelby held in the cry. Deep down inside, she’d known Abby was dead, but she’d held onto stubborn hope that her friend wasn’t. Not just because she loved Abby, but because of Rebecca. Their precious girl didn’t deserve to grow up without her mother.

  He touched her arm.

  Shelby was feeling so low that she didn’t even notice at first.

  “She was special to you, so I made sure to bury her in that special place.”

  Shelby nodded. “Thank you,” she whispered, even though she wanted to scream or claw his face. But she didn’t want his “Charles” personality to return. This young man in front of her was crazy—off his rocker, split personality, murderously insane, and anything she could do to keep him from killing her was a win. “Tell me about your videos. The ones you sent to me.” She tried to smile again, but was afraid it came out more of a grimace than anything else.

  He didn’t seem to notice. “Did you really like them?” he asked. “Now you know why you can’t quit singing. You have so many songs about us, and I want to hear more. Forever. Just you and me.”

  He stood again and pulled another chair over from somewhere behind her. Once he was seated in front of her, he leaned forward and caressed her face.

  She was expecting his touch this time and held perfectly still. “I was only quitting because of—” she cut off. Shelby could have bitten her tongue off as nausea churned in her gut. Drawing his attention to her little girl wasn’t something she’d meant to do.

  “Rebecca,” he finished for her. “I tried to bring her here for you, but I couldn’t find her. She’s so pretty, just like you. I wanted you both, but Charles wouldn’t let me stay and find her.”

  The staggering relief she felt at his words would have driven her to her knees if she hadn’t already been sitting. Thank God. No matter what happened to her, Rebecca was safe.

  “Those videos were really good, Larry. Tell me how you did them,” Shelby implored. She’d done so many interviews and shows during her time as a star that she could put enthusiasm into her voice easily, even when it was something distasteful.

  Nothing she said mattered. She was just stalling for more time. More life.

  ***

  “This is the place,” Daniel said, checking out the map.

  Mike looked around. The site seemed right. The train yard was next door, and this was the only empty warehouse that fit the M.O., but something was off. He wasn’t sure what, but his gut was telling him this place was empty and had been for some time. He hoped he was wrong.

  They’d arrived in two separate vehicles. Zach and Jesse were on the north side of the building, and Mike, Daniel, and Damon were on the south side. They had state-of-the-art communication and enough weapons to take out Osama Bin Laden again. What Mike wished they had more than anything was a magic eight ball that could tell him for sure he wasn’t wasting time. He didn’t know what kind of time Shelby had, but whatever she was enduring until he got to her was unthinkable. “Spread out. I don’t see the car, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t the place,” Mike said softly.

  “You don’t sound sure,” Zach stated. The sound was a whisper in Mike’s ear, because Zach was somewhere on the other side of the warehouse.

  “Doesn’t feel right,” Mike answered.

  “Then let’s get in and out fast, and on to the next place,” Jesse said.

  With that, they fell quiet. They all knew the same hand signals and thought the same way about approaching the building, so it was easy enough to fan out and take up their positions. Mike was going in first through the front, with Zach took the rear door.

  Daniel had bolt cutters to snip the locks on the front, and he did it quietly. The door itself was a problem, but Damon took care of that with a can of spray lubricant. They had it open as quietly as they could manage and were inside in a matter of moments.

  Switching to night-vision goggles, Mike cleared the front room fast. Damon swept right and Daniel went left, leaving Mike the door to the main area of the building. The door stood open and Mike went in cautiously. Bursting through a door could get Shelby and him killed.

  Echoes of “clear” came in through his earpiece as all the rooms were checked and found empty. Mike lowered his gun at the same time Zach did as they stared at each other across the vast empty room. “Damn,” Mike said.

  “This was a good guess,” Jesse said. “And that’s what we’re working with here.”

  “The place has got to be here somewhere,” Mike said. His fists clenched and unclenched with impotent rage. He needed to get to Shelby.

  “There could be newly empty spaces that we don’t know about yet. Maybe something that hasn’t gone on the market yet?” Daniel pulled out his flashlight and studied the map again.

  “Damon,” Mike said. “I need you to get up high and look around for me.”

  “I’ll hit the roof and use my scope. I’ll let you know what I see in five minutes.” Then he took off toward the back.

  “Jesse and I will head out closer to the train yard to take a look around. I don’t think this is the wrong area, just the wrong building,” Zach said, putting a hand on Mike’s shoulder. “We’re close.”

  Mike nodded. “I know, man. I can feel it.”

  They took off, and Mike and Daniel stared at the map. An idea was taking shape, and he wanted to see the map for himself. This guy’s thing was trains for some reason. What if he was in the actual train depot? That place had been empty for years since the new facility was built down towards Tucson. Eventually, all the trains would be sent there and the tracks removed to make way for new construction. “Damon,” he said inside his mic. “Look to the north, toward the train yard. Jesse and Zach are headed there now.”

  “Shit, I should have considered that place,” Daniel said. “It’s perfect.”

  “You did. It’s on the list but it’s only been abandoned for about four months, and I wanted older properties,” Mike said, pointing toward the bottom of the list. “Let’s go.” This felt like the right move. His gut was yelling at him to get there.

  Daniel folded the map as they both exited the building and started north at a jog.

  “Found the car,” Jesse said. “It’s parked next to the fence behind some overgrown hedges. He’s going in and out through a hole in the fence.”

  “Light is coming from inside the depot. The windows are up too high for me to see anything, but something is definitely lighting up the inside,” Damon confirmed.

  “This is it,” Zach chimed in. “I can smell blood.”

  Mike’s stomach dropped as his friend’s voices whispered through the earpiece, but he upped his pace and met Jesse by the fence. Daniel was right behind him. “Where’s Zach?” he whispered.

  Jesse nodded toward the shadows at the corner. “He’s making his way toward the door.”

  “I’m joining him,” Mike said.

  “On my way,” Damon said.

  “Sit on the car, Damon. I don’t want this bastard getting past us,” Mike told him.

  “Got it.”

  “Only two doors, both facing the yard,” Zach said. “Jess, go around and cover any exits to the west. Daniel, go east. Make sure this guy doesn’t slip past.”

  “I’m coming to you,” Mike said.

  “I didn’t doubt it,” Zach answered.

  They split up and converged on the shadows Zach used for cover. Mike moved into position behind the big man. Daniel and Jesse were swallowed up in the inky darkness of the building.

  Mike was glad Zach was there with him—i
f the door was locked, Zach would have it open within seconds. Zach’s skill with a lock-pick was just about legendary.

  “Listen,” Mike said. He could hear a voice, very faintly. It echoed softly in the emptiness of the space. A row of windows along this wall faced the yard and the hulking remains of box cars not in use. Some kind of covering over the glass blocked the view, but cracks of light shown here and there. Even a caboose sat off to one side.

  “They’re on the other side.” Mike nodded toward the door that was farther away.

  “Then this is the one we want open.” Zach was already on a knee with a small kit in his hands. His gun lay next to him as he pulled out a couple of slim tools and went to work.

  Forty-five seconds later, Mike heard the soft snick of the lock tumbler.

  “Give me two minutes and then go inside. Jess, Daniel? In position?”

  “Yes,” Jesse replied, followed by Daniel’s affirmative a second later.

  Mike kept his ear pressed to the door as he counted off the time in his head. He moved closer to a window where there was a tear he could see through.

  The room was open and empty, just like the other places had been, with the exception of a few things. In the farthest corner from where Mike knelt was a bed. The covers were neatly made and candles were on the nightstand. At the door where Zach was headed was a large table with ropes tied to each leg. The ropes lying on the ground in piles were long and dark in places, probably from blood—they were restraints. He couldn’t let himself think about the horror inflicted to the victims upon that table.

  Several knives stood upright, their tips buried into the wood. Cleanliness was not a priority for this guy as the knives were also covered in a dark dried-on substance that was more than likely blood. The concrete floor around the legs was also covered in dried blood. A large plastic bucket sat directly under the table. Mike would bet the table had a hole in the middle and the blood from the women was drained into the bucket.

  Hence, the smell.

  Adjusting his position allowed him to see the rest of the room. And Shelby. His breath hitched as he searched her face.

  She was tied to a chair facing him. The left side of her face was swollen, but covered by stage make-up and she wore a red dress. Larry had stolen quite a bit from the crew before he carried out his little plan.

  The man in question was seated directly in front of Shelby, caressing her face. Mike summoned herculean patience to keep himself from lunging inside and choking the life out of the bastard. What else he did in the hours that he had her, Mike didn’t want to think about, because then nothing and no one would keep him from killing the man with his bare hands.

  Just then the man reared back and slapped her, and Mike growled into the mic. “Now, Zach, now.”

  “Keep it together. One more minute, and I can give you back-up.”

  Larry stood so fast that the chair went flying over backward, and he stepped toward the table with the knives.

  “Time’s up. I’m going in,” Mike said.

  “Shit,” was the soft reply.

  Mike grabbed the door handle, wrenched it open, and stepped inside.

  Chapter 19

  “Maybe if I cut up that pretty face, you won’t find my touch so repulsive,” Charles gritted.

  “I’m sorry,” Shelby rasped.

  He moved toward the table behind her.

  If she turned her head as far as she could, Shelby could just barely see it and the knives sticking out of the surfaced. “Please don’t hurt me anymore,” she pleaded.

  “I haven’t even begun to hurt you,” he snarled.

  “And you won’t get another chance.”

  Mike’s voice was the equivalent of angel’s harps to Shelby. He was her miracle. He’d found her. The tears she’d been valiantly holding back spilled over as he stepped into the room. Thank God.

  He was dressed in black fatigues; the gun in his hand looked enormous. And when he fired, the sound was so loud that she wished she could’ve covered her ears. She thought she heard a noise that sounded like s feral animal snarling, but she couldn’t see anything and her ears were still ringing from the shot so she wasn’t sure.

  And then her head was jerked back so violently that she worried her neck might break. Larry’s breath was in her ear, and something cold and sharp was pressed under her chin. He’d grabbed a knife.

  “Come any closer, and I’ll slide this blade up into her brain,” he said.

  The hold on Shelby’s head loosened, and she moved her head forward a fraction. The action was a mistake because the blade nicked the soft flesh under her chin. Warm liquid ran down her throat. More warm liquid dripped onto her mostly bare thigh, where the slit in her gown was. Maybe he cut her worse than she’d thought? Wide eyed, she stared at Mike. He was her knight in black fatigues and he would save her.

  “You’re already hit,” Mike said. “Give up, and you don’t have to die, Larry.”

  That must be what she felt dripping steadily onto her thigh—Larry’s blood. She never thought of herself as a vengeful person, but she wanted him to hurt. The way he’d already hurt her, and the way he’d hurt those other women.

  “Larry doesn’t live here anymore,” he growled. “That moron weakling let me take over a long time ago.”

  Shelby felt Charles moving around behind her, using her as a shield. She watched as Mike put away his gun slowly, one hand out in a “wait” gesture. “Why don’t you tell me who you are then?”

  A cruel laugh huffed out beside her ear, blending with the faint ringing still present. She didn’t think Larry was there anymore, just his psychopathic second personality.

  ***

  “You’re a cop, right? One of ones guarding this bitch. Why don’t you tell me who I am?”

  Mike kept him talking as Zach crouched in the door behind Shelby and Larry Ashbrooke. Zach couldn’t shoot the man without the bullet ripping through Shelby. She was his shield in front and back. The only way to make sure Shelby wasn’t killed was to coax out Larry to fight or keep him occupied enough so Zach could get in behind him.

  Mike cocked his head to the side and stepped closer. He tried to look like he was thinking it over. “I honestly have no idea who you are. I know about Larry and his past, but nothing about you.”

  “And you never will,” he sneered. “You might have been smart enough to find me, but that’s all you’ll ever do.”

  The man using Shelby as his cover was so average in every way that Mike understood how he’d seemed so unthreatening to everyone. Only now, trapped, was his true nature seeping out. The sneer on his face twisted his lips into a grotesque grin that matched the madness in his eyes. The fire that burned inside was something Mike would never understand. “Why don’t you stop cowering behind the woman and come out and play with me?” He made his tone mocking. “Or can’t you perform unless your victim is tied up?”

  “Maybe I’ll just kill her,” the thing using Larry’s body said.

  Mike shrugged. “Either way, I’ll get paid, and you’ll be dead.” He couldn’t look at Shelby and hadn’t since he’d walked into the room. If he really looked at her, into her beautiful, scared face, he’d lose it and get them both killed. Mike just hoped she knew that he was doing and saying whatever he must to make sure she lived. Because a world without her was nothing to him. He’d survived all these years because she was out there. Somewhere. Her voice had come to bed with him over the years, and he’d never missed a single televised appearance.

  Then she’d swept in and again taken his heart. But even that wasn’t true, because she’d had it all along. He’d never stopped loving her. But right now, his job was to make sure Rebecca didn’t lose another loving mother.

  “You lie. I saw you kissing her, touching her.”

  Mike had moved one more step closer, but he froze.

  “She spent all weekend fucking you, didn’t she? I told Larry she was just another whore,” he jeered. “Stop moving.” A gun materialized from under his shirt
.

  Mike tensed. He hadn’t seen it because Larry’s shirt was so loose. Larry’s right hand held the knife under Shelby’s chin, but he lowered it to her chest as he aimed the gun in his left hand. Blood flowed from the shoulder wound Mike had inflicted, but the bastard had moved so fast he’d only been winged.

  Zach moved slowly and silently closer while Mike kept the maniac’s attention. In slow motion, Mike saw his hand flex and his finger begin to squeeze the trigger. “Go now, Zach,” he yelled then threw himself forward and to the side.

  Shelby screamed and kicked her legs against the ground, sending the chair backward against Larry, knocking him off balance, as the gun fired.

  Searing pain ripped into Mike’s chest, stopping his forward momentum and dropping him to his knees. He didn’t bother looking down, instead he looked into Shelby’s eyes. Her wide gorgeous cobalt blue eyes. Movement happened behind her as Zach wrestled Larry to the ground and away from Shelby.

  Jesse burst into the room during the struggle. But they were an inconsequential blur to him. Against his friends, that asshole didn’t stand a chance.

  “Mike,” Shelby yelled, squirming in the chair.

  “It’s gonna be okay, Shel,” he said. “You’ll be okay.”

  Suddenly, Daniel was behind Mike and he seemed a bit touchy-feely for his tastes. “Damn it. You’ve been shot.”

  Seemed really fucking obvious to Mike, but he was too tired all of a sudden to point it out. He just wanted to stare at Shelby a bit longer, knowing she was in one piece.

  The yelling in the room got louder, and another shot went off.

  Mike prepared for the pain, but it never came. And then he was looking at the ceiling. He must have fallen over, because Daniel fussed over him like a mother hen and talked on his cell phone. Mike heard the code for officer-involved shooting, and Daniel was requesting medics.

  Cool hands cupped his face when he opened his eyes again.