In Zach's Arms (Once a Marine, Always a Marine Book 1) Read online

  “I’m putting you on speaker so my friend, Zach, can hear, okay?”

  “Sure. It’s the damnedest thing. Whoever broke in this time put everything back in place. I have to tell you, it makes the hair on my body stand up just thinking about it. Even the books are in the right order again. The weirdo even vacuumed.”

  “Did you call the police?”

  “I sure did. That sexy detective came out to look it over. But that’s not the worst of it,” Bea’s voice quivered just a bit. “He broke into my place as well. I must have been sleeping. I never heard a thing.”

  “I am so sorry. You weren’t hurt, right?”

  “Not so much as a scratch. I surely don’t understand it and the police just looked confused. I have to say, doesn’t give me much confidence in the system.”

  “Did he take anything or destroy anything?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Didn’t take anything that I could find except my address book. Gives me the willies knowing he was here while I was sleeping.”

  “So, it’s possible that he only broke into your place to get this address?” Zach’s calm question broke into the conversation.

  Beth could feel the shock on her face. Oh God. It had been so stupid to leave the house. He could be here already and she’d been out in the open. She might as well have just screamed ‘victim here.’

  “That’s what that nice Detective Wolfe thinks,” Bea confirmed. “He told me not to worry you with this, that his team would handle it. But I say, forewarned is forearmed.”

  “Thank you so much for calling. Jesus, I wouldn’t blame you if you evicted me.”

  “Bullshit. You didn’t cause any of this. Some psychopath has decided that he has a beef with you and did some damage. So what. None of this is your fault.”

  “Still, this is exposing you and the other tenants. What if something happened to one of them, like Mr. McCreedy or old Mrs. Walters on the third floor?”

  “I happen to know that Eileen Walters has a sawed off shotgun hidden in her room and McCreedy packed a bag and took off, saying he’d be back on Monday.”

  “Isn’t that a bit odd?”

  “What, McCreedy or Eileen’s shotgun?”

  “Mr. McCreedy, I mean, he never leaves his apartment.”

  Bea paused. “Well, I never thought about that, but you’re right. This isn’t like him. Not at all.”

  “What do you know about him, Bea? I mean, do you think he’s capable of something like this?”

  “I’m aiming to find out,” she said grimly.

  “Might I suggest you let Wolfe handle this, ladies?” Zach said.

  He was right. Bea shouldn’t be snooping around Mr. McCreedy’s apartment. What if he found out and became violent? She shuddered at the thought of Bea getting hurt.

  “You might have a point,” Bea said. “I’ll give him a call back right now. You take care of Elizabeth.”

  “I will, Ma’am.”

  Tears were welling up. Just when she was beginning to feel safe again. “I’m scared, Zach. What if he comes here?”

  “If he makes it this far, I’ll take care of him. No one is going to hurt you, but you need to be more aware of your safety.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  He kissed her on the forehead. “I need to call a friend and let him know about McCreedy.”

  Elizabeth nodded, not wanting him to know how cold she felt when he let go of her. She didn’t want to be that weak clingy woman. She had to be strong. Remembering the mail scattered by the front door, she got up to clean the mess.

  That’s when she saw the package.

  She remembered that Henry had handed it to her, but she’d been so lost in her own world that she had never looked at it on the walk back to the cabin. In fact, she’d completely forgotten about it until now.

  “Hey Zach,” she said, staring at the package in a new light. “Can you look at the mail?”

  Today’s postage was on it with her name and Zach’s address. No return address or name. She was suddenly very leery of touching it again.

  “What is it?” Zach asked coming up behind her.

  “I’m expecting a couple things in the mail, but nothing that would fit into a small box,” she said, pointing at the package wrapped in brown paper. “Detective Wolfe is sending some victim’s affidavit, but that would have been in a flat envelope. And I’m sure it would have a return address.”

  “Bring me a Ziploc bag and the tongs from the kitchen drawer.”

  She ran into the kitchen and got the items he requested. She returned and watched as Zach examined the box.

  “Fuck.” He turned the package over with the tongs. “This was mailed from right here in Flagstaff.”

  “But it was mailed today, the post office isn’t that fast.”

  He pointed to the label off to the side. “Express delivery. This is still a small community. Small enough to make sure this package made it here today.”

  He pulled a large pocket knife from his jeans and used the blade to slice open the tape. With the tongs he carefully opened the box and pulled out what was inside. It looked like some kind of silky material that was a dark forest-green color.

  “Oh God. Those are mine.”

  Bile rose up and burned her throat. In the grip of the tongs was the pair of underwear that had been stolen from her dresser during the first burglary.

  “Beth,” Zach said. “Elizabeth,” he said in a louder voice, snapping her out of her stupor.

  “Uh huh, I’m okay,” she managed. Her voice shook.

  “I need the Ziploc, honey. I don’t want to touch these, they might have evidence on them.” His tone was grim. “Let me get them in the bag and then we can put them out of sight.”

  She handed over the bag, nodding. “I’m fine, really, it was just a shock.”

  “I know. You’re doing great, and you are safe here.”

  His face was completely devoid of any emotion. He was in Marine mode and only his eyes gave away any indication of what he felt. It should have terrified her, that look in his eyes.

  That look said that he could, and would, kill anyone that threatened her.

  “I need to call the police,” she said.

  He nodded and kissed her on the forehead as he stood. “Make the call.”

  ***

  He watched from his hiding spot as she stepped outside, rubbing her arms as if she were cold. Her long blonde hair was down, wavy around her shoulders. She scanned the trees and he held his breath when she seemed to look right at him.

  You feel me here, don’t you? Just like you could feel me in your apartment. Did you like the rose I left for you?

  The moment was lost when a large man with dark hair came outside and joined Elizabeth on the wooden porch. She turned away and went into his open arms. And when she turned her face up for a kiss, he could feel the anger swell.

  How dare she kiss another man.

  And yet, watching her stirred his body. He wanted to be the one kissing her, holding her…controlling her. He’d put in the time and effort to show his devotion and he would make sure she was property impressed.

  But she would have to be purified first.

  He waited until the man led Elizabeth back inside the cabin. Then he backed away carefully. It took him ten minutes to get back to his car and another hour to reach the little motel he’d rented for the week. It never hurt to be overly prepared.

  He shook off his jacket as he entered the shabby room. It served his purposes and when Elizabeth was purified enough for him, he would take her somewhere nicer. Pulling the duffle bag out from under the bed, he took inventory.

  Duct tape.

  Nylon rope.

  Tranquilizers.

  Whip.

  He nodded to himself as he looked at the rest of the supplies. He still needed a couple of things, but he had the essentials. His checked the 9mm Glock as well, making sure it was loaded and ready.

  The big man was a complication. He’d have to make sure to neutralize
him or get him out of the way before he made his move. Elizabeth was his and it was time she found that out.

  She would learn.

  They always did.

  Chapter 10

  It had taken Beth some time before she was calm enough to make the call. She’d insisted on doing it herself. And yet, she looked like she was going to throw up or pass out. Maybe both.

  And Zach was furious.

  He wanted this bastard caught and caged as soon as possible. Dead was preferable, but he didn’t want his girl to see him kill, if at all possible. He had too many marks against him as it was. He wanted to marry her and have a family, and Beth was scared. Scared of commitment and scared that Zach would somehow morph into some sickly controlling person that would keep her locked up.

  “Detective Wolfe is coming to get the box.”

  Zach turned at the sound of her tired voice. She stood with her arms crossed, staring outside the back sliding door.

  Moving towards her, he slid his arms around her and pulled her unresisting body back against his. She relaxed against him immediately. Her hair was soft against his face as he gave her his support.

  “When did he say he would be here?”

  “He said he was only an hour away. I guess he was headed here anyway to have me review and sign my statement. He decided not to mail it, after all; he said it was easier to just make the drive and get it filed. And I’m sure he’s going to tell me about the most recent break-in to my apartment. He wouldn’t want to do that over the phone.”

  Zach tightened his arms. “You are not leaving my sight until this is over.”

  “I’m safe here.”

  But he heard the tremble in her voice. “Don’t lie to yourself, Beth. You’re safe with me, not here alone. And since Jess and I have some business that can’t be put off, I want you with me.”

  Her shoulders stiffened.

  “Don’t freeze up on me.”

  She pulled away from him and whirled. There was fire in her eyes and, while he was glad to see her spunky nature returning, now wasn’t the time. She jabbed one of her slim little fingers into the center of his chest.

  “I need space and air sometimes. I can’t stay cooped up and I won’t be dragged around.”

  “This sick son of a bitch knows where I live. It. Is. Not. Safe.”

  “I have my phone and this place is a fortress of security. You’ve made it safe.”

  He could feel his teeth clench over her stubbornness. The woman was going drive him to drink. “That hasn’t stopped you from going outside and leaving the alarm disarmed. How is that going to protect you? And no house is impenetrable. The windows can be broken. The doors kicked in.”

  Her eyes were wide as she stared at him and Zach realized that he’d been yelling. He took a deep breath to calm down.

  “Look. All I’m saying is that, until this asshole is under arrest, it would be safer if we stayed together.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “I know I’m being difficult. I know it’s irrational, but–”

  “But you can’t stand being told what to do. Especially by a man. By me.”

  She shook her head. “But I know I need to go, that I need to listen. It’s just hard. Can you try and understand?”

  Zach loved her, but her capitulation made him suspicious. And damn it, he had a meeting with Jesse that he couldn’t get out of. He didn’t want that detective in his home. He’d call the man and give him the address to the shop in town. He could talk to Beth at the café across the street. He’d give her the space she thought she needed.

  “I’ll try if you will. Go get ready, we’re leaving for town in ten minutes.”

  Beth nodded and, because he couldn’t stop himself, he leaned forward and took her lips with his before she turned and went back into the bedroom. He needed her like he needed air and he’d be damned if her own stubbornness would get in the way of his protecting her.

  He had a phone call to make. Beth might think he was compromising, but there was no way in hell he was leaving her alone with Detective Wolfe. And he had some friends that worked for his company from time to time who were almost as lethal as he and Jesse were.

  Someone would be close to her the entire time. And neither one of them would ever know.

  Zach made her crazy.

  She was trying to cope. And sometimes being stubborn was the only thing that kept her from curling into a ball of pathetic weeping mush. She’d worked hard on her independence after her tyrannical father died, and she wasn’t giving that up for Zach or anyone else.

  Detective Wolfe was leaning against his white Crown Victoria when they arrived in town.

  “He certainly made good time,” Zach muttered.

  “He’s just doing his job.”

  “If he was doing his job, he would have caught this scumbag already.”

  Beth stopped herself from rolling her eyes. “Stop being snarly and go to your meeting. I’m going across the street to the café you suggested with Wolfe. I’ll stay inside and have him escort me back when we’re through.”

  She got out, holding the plastic bag containing the package and her undies. Zach was right behind her as she handed the bag over to Wolfe.

  “Thanks for coming,” she said.

  Taking the bag from her, he slipped it into the trunk of his car and retrieved a brown folder full of papers. She assumed they were the ones she was to sign.

  “Just making sure all the paperwork is in place for when we catch this guy,” he replied.

  Zach grunted quietly before turning Elizabeth in his arms. “Stay in the café with the cop. You’re safer in a crowd. Do not go anywhere alone.”

  “What about the ladies room?” she sassed.

  “Hold it until you get back to this office.”

  She smiled and tried to reassure her big man by giving him a quick peck on the lips. Zach stopped glaring at Wolfe long enough to give her a hug.

  “Take care of her, Wolfe.”

  The Detective nodded, “I will.”

  Done with the macho posturing, Elizabeth shook her head, turned and strode across the street toward the little café that Zach said had the best croissants in Flagstaff. She didn’t stop until she was at the counter ordering a chocolate-filled croissant and a hot chocolate. It was shaping up to be one of those days where chocolate plus more chocolate was the only fix.

  Looking around, Elizabeth spied an empty spot and headed toward it. The man in the next booth looked up as she approached and nodded before going back to reading his paper. He was tall and lean, and when he’d looked at her, she got the weird feeling that he recognized her.

  “So, I guess you have a boyfriend after all.”

  She shook her head at herself for imagining things and looked up at Detective Wolfe as he slid into the booth across from her. The big window allowed her to look across the street at Zach and Jesse’s business. It made her feel better, being able to look at it and know he was just on the other side of the door. And she wasn’t exactly sure what Zach was anymore, but boyfriend didn’t seem the right word.

  She noticed his plain coffee and glazed donut. “Guess the cop stereotype is accurate as well.”

  He chuckled. “Hey, everyone loves donuts, not just cops.”

  Elizabeth grinned back at him. “True enough.”

  “Tell me about Mr. Steele and his partner,” he said, flipping open the brown folder and sliding a pen out.

  She sighed. “I went to high school with Zach. I’ve known him a long time.”

  “And you trust him?”

  “With my life, Detective.”

  “Okay, so why not mention him or his partner? Have you had problems with them?”

  “No. I didn’t mention Zach because he’s not a part of any of this. He would never do anything to hurt me. Anything.”

  And she realized that she meant it. She’d always known that Zach was capable of violence and, when he went into the military, it had made her nervous. She’d put a wedge of distance be
tween them because of that.

  It had been a purely instinctual move.

  She, who had always been fearful of large, controlling men, found herself in love with a warrior. One who was used to giving orders and being obeyed. And she wasn’t the least bit scared by it. Not anymore. Zach’s iron control was his strength and Elizabeth knew that power would never be turned against her. That was the difference in men like Zach and Jesse. They had tempers like normal people, but they had the self-control men like her father didn’t possess. And Zach really was only a fanatic about her safety.

  “Ms. Russell?”

  “Sorry, Detective. Just stunned by this whole turn of events.”

  “We will catch this guy, I promise.”

  She forced a smile. “I know you will.”

  “What can you tell me about Jesse Calhoun?”

  “Only that his mother named him after a famous bank robber, he has six sisters and was a Marine with Zach. Zach trusts him, so I trust him.”

  While he wrote in his notebook, Elizabeth drank her hot chocolate and tried to understand how being in love with Zach might change how she felt about commitment. What was stopping her?

  She was beginning to face the fact that she had been a coward most of her life. Avoiding emotional entanglements was safe, but lonely. Being with Zach opened her eyes to the possibility of more.

  She didn’t want to live life behind protective glass anymore. This whole bizarre situation she was in made her realize that life wasn’t safe. In a weird way, Elizabeth was grateful that she’d been shaken out her emotionless rut. Otherwise, she might have lived her whole life never being brave enough to take a chance.

  “Why don’t I sign those papers so you can get back to Phoenix and your investigation?”

  “Of course.” He slid some papers toward her, along with his pen. “This is your statement and an inventory of everything found broken or listed stolen by you.”

  “Victim statement,” she read aloud. “I hate that word. Victim. It makes me feel small and useless.”

  “It’s just a word, Ms. Russell,” he said kindly. “It doesn’t have to be a mindset.”