Wade thought a moment and then chose the most central location, one that would hopefully not put them too far from finding Eliza, wherever the fuck she was, and barked his order for where Jones was to meet them.
When he ended the call, Dane stared him down, fury and worry that went bone deep etched into his every feature.
“Tell me she hasn’t disappeared,” Dane said in a pissed off voice. “Goddamn it, Sterling. You swore to keep her safe!”
“If your men hadn’t fucked up and let Harrington give you the slip, we wouldn’t be having this goddamn conversation,” Wade bit out. “We’ve got to move out now. Get your men so we can meet with Jones.”
Dane flinched and then briefly closed his eyes, his grief evident. But then Wade didn’t blame him considering the last letter she’d left that amounted to little more than a goodbye before embarking on a suicide mission.
“We can’t afford to wait to read the letters to act,” Wade said grimly. “We need every man you’ve got on this. I need to know everything about Thomas Harrington we can unearth. Any houses or property in his name. Anyone affiliated with him. Eliza told me one of the Devereaux brothers is a computer whiz and can hack into just about anything. We need to get him on Harrington and leave no stone unturned. Pay particular attention to the time he spent in prison and find out if he had visitors, contact with the outside world and if anything seems suspicious or if he received any special treatment while in prison. We already know he got to one of the police officers who investigated the case and was instrumental in gathering the evidence that put Harrington away for life. Look for any other irregularities. Anything. We’re operating blind here and we need every piece of intel on the bastard we can get. He has Eliza. I know it. He purposely lured us here so he’d have a clear path to Eliza and we took the bait, hook, line and sinker.”
“Let’s roll,” Dane said harshly.
Wade didn’t wait around for Dane to gather his men. He ran to his SUV, threw himself behind the steering wheel and pushed the vehicle to its very limits, knowing every precious minute counted.
He roared into town, screeching to a halt just as his men pulled to the back of the diner in a convoy of three vehicles. Wade was out of the seat before the SUV came to a complete halt, killing the engine and causing the vehicle to rock violently with the force applied to the brakes. He wasted no time stalking over to Jones and yanking the envelopes from his grasp.
Just seeing Eliza’s hastily scrawled address, his name, on the paper filled him with anguish. His hands shook violently as he tore it open to reveal the contents. As he pulled the single piece of paper from the envelope, headlights illuminated the area and bounced erratically as Dane and his crew roared up.
Dane got out and rushed over, taking the envelope Jones extended. Wade paid no attention to the others as he unfolded the letter and sucked in a deep breath as he began to read.
Wade, I know you’ll be angry that I snuck away and broke my promise to you to stay at the safe house and let you take care of Thomas. I’m sorry, but I had no choice. He called me. I have no idea how he knew my number but he obviously set up a diversion to lead you and Dane in the wrong direction. He told me he had already chosen his next victim and that she was with him now but that I could save her by trading myself for her, that he would let her go if I would come to him. He knows about you or Dane, maybe both, because he wouldn’t tell me the address over the phone. He told me to leave and he’d text me the address. I couldn’t call you for two reasons. You would have had your men lock me down and you would have gone instead of me. And when I didn’t show, he would have killed her. I had no other option. And I couldn’t live with myself if another woman dies because of me. I just can’t. Please understand that I can’t sit back and do nothing. I don’t want to die. I have too much to live for now. I will do everything I can to survive, to take him down. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it back to you. I love you. You taught me the true beauty of love and the difference between love and obsession. For the first time in my life, I was loved, truly loved, and I felt loved. You gave me the most precious gift anyone has ever given me. I have to try to save her, Wade, and I hope you’ll forgive me if I live to beg for your forgiveness. Always and forever. Eliza.
Tears burned like acid, blurring his vision. His chest ached. His heart hurt so damn much and he was sick to his soul. His beautiful, courageous, brave, compassionate Eliza. A woman who had no idea of her worth or how very loved she was, how very deserving of love she was. Dear God. He couldn’t lose her. He wouldn’t survive it. He had to find her fast.
He glanced up to see that Dane fared no better, the letter Eliza had written him shaking like a leaf in his trembling grasp. Sorrow and grief were so evident on his face that it was as if she’d already died, as though the letters were notifying them of her death.
Fuck that. He would not lose her. Not now. Not ever.
“If everyone doesn’t get that fucking look off their faces right the fuck now, swear to God, I’ll kill every damn one of you,” Wade said furiously. “We have not lost her. I have not lost her. Now snap the fuck out of it and give me anything you’ve got and you better have something, Elliot.”
Dane’s expression lost the despair and fiery determination ignited in his eyes.
“I have a list of houses, a few businesses and property he owns in a fifty-mile radius. Given the short amount of time between when he entered the house we had under surveillance and when Eliza disappeared, they have to be somewhere close. We divide up, divvy out the locations and hit them as quickly as possible.”
Zack Covington stepped forward, his expression grim, anger billowing from him in waves.
“Beau and I will partner up. Give us some locations and we’re out of here.”
Dane nodded then looked to the rest of his assembled men. “Isaac, you take Shadow and Knight. Eric, you take Dex and Zeke. Capshaw and Brent, you two work together, and I want all of you to be on your toes at all goddamn times. There has never been a more important mission than this one. One of our own is on the line. You make damn sure she’s not caught in the line of fire and that you protect her with your lives. Take Harrington out any way you can, as soon as you can, but make damn sure Eliza doesn’t end up as collateral damage or I’ll have your balls.”
Dane took out his phone and then looked to Wade. “You want north end of town or south?”
“I’ll take north. My men and I will spread out and cover as many locations as possible so give us an entire sector. You and your men see to the rest.”
“I’m forwarding the locations Quinn texted me so check your phones for your assignments. Now get moving so we can take Eliza home where she belongs.”
“Something’s not right. It’s too easy, too obvious,” Wade growled into the phone as soon as the call connected to Dane. “We’re missing something here. He’s not stupid and he’s had a long time to plan this. He wouldn’t bring a victim or lure Eliza to a place that a public record links him to.”
Dane’s voice was urgent and tense when he broke in.
“I was in the process of calling you when you buzzed me. Quinn found something and I think it’s the only logical answer.”
“Spit it out then. We’ve wasted enough goddamn time,” Wade said, his body rigid as he waited, hoping, praying that Quinn had come through in a big way.
“Quinn accessed Harrington’s prison records. Visitor logs, correspondence. His every move or anyone he had any contact with. The cop who testified that he tampered with evidence had visited Thomas in prison just a week before the cop made his confession. Here’s the interesting part. When Quinn accessed records of all correspondence Harrington received while in prison, he discovered that the cop’s wife had been writing to Harrington for a long period of time before the cop visited Harrington in jail and then subsequently confessed to a crime. The cop disappeared right after testifying and most assumed he did so to avoid sanctions and possible jail time. The wife, however, remained in Calvary and owns a ho
use just north of town. Not far from where you currently are. Now, the woman may or may not be a victim. She may be in league with Thomas and helped lure Eliza to her house, but it’s the only logical conclusion. We’ve come up with jack shit on every other lead.”
“Give me the address,” Wade demanded. “I can be there before you. Get there as fast as you can, but I’m not waiting.”
TWENTY-FIVE
ELIZA pulled to a stop in front of a modest ranch-style home in the vehicle she’d hot-wired and stolen as soon as she’d slipped past Wade’s men. The closest neighbor had been a five-minute walk. Eliza had made it in two at a dead run. Since Thomas likely assumed she was in Calvary, he’d given her a deadline that forced her to drive like a demon possessed the entire way, praying she wouldn’t be seen by a cop.
She wiped her damp palms down the jeans she’d chosen, and glanced quickly at her top, praying it would be nice enough for Thomas not to call her out on her lie about wanting to look nice for him. She’d quickly brushed out her hair and fluffed it out by bending over and tousling it with her fingers because Thomas like it that way. Thank God he wasn’t a fan of makeup, in fact he considered women who “painted their faces” whores, which saved Eliza time by not having to apply it.
Opening the door, she got out and sucked in several breaths to compose herself. This was it. This was everything. The biggest test of her strength she’d ever face. One she couldn’t afford to fail. A woman’s life depended on Eliza pulling off the ultimate deception. Eliza’s life depended on it. And no doubt countless other women’s lives depended on Eliza succeeding.
She walked slowly toward the porch and when she reached the first step, the door opened and Thomas appeared, a welcoming smile on his face.
“Melissa, darling, you have no idea how long I’ve hoped for this day. How many nights I spent dreaming of us being together again as we were always meant to be.”
Eliza swallowed and met Thomas’s gaze, careful to keep any hint of anger or disgust from her expression.
“I’m here now, let the woman go,” she said quietly. “I won’t set foot in that house until I see that she’s alive and is allowed to go free.”
In a daring, calculating move, praying she wasn’t making a huge mistake, she sent him a challenging stare, her words an obvious taunt.
“It’s not as though you should have any worry over letting her go free. You can manipulate people so easily without them ever knowing. You can make them do your bidding. All you have to do is make her leave and plant a false memory or simply command her to forget all about you.”
Thomas smiled and Eliza could swear he looked as though he were proud of her. “And yet you seem immune to my powers now. You’re much stronger now. I can’t read you like I could before.”
“I was a vulnerable, mixed-up teenager who only wanted to be loved. I’m not that girl anymore, Thomas. You’re right. I am stronger now, and I don’t want us to be together because you make me feel things that aren’t real. Is that really what you want? A puppet you control, knowing the entire time that her feelings for you are manufactured by you? Don’t you want to be wanted for who you are? Isn’t that what we all want?”
Thomas stared at her, shock reflected in his gaze. But also a glimmer of hope, as though she’d hit the nail on the head and had exposed a vulnerability he’d refused to acknowledge until now. His features softened and then he abruptly turned, stepping just inside the doorway and called for the woman.
A moment later, a pale woman in her forties stepped onto the porch next to Thomas, looking up at him as though awaiting instruction.
Thomas stared hard into her eyes, holding her gaze in a fixed manner. The woman’s eyes glazed and she swayed as though she were in a complete daze. A puppet awaiting its master’s manipulation. But then that was what Thomas cultivated. Mindless followers incapable of making independent decisions.
“Get out,” he said sharply. “Leave and don’t return until tomorrow.”
As if in a trance, the woman started down the steps, barefooted and only dressed in a nightgown, her gait jerky and stilted. She walked straight to a vehicle parked a short distance away, got in and then simply drove away, disappearing down the drive.
Panic swamped Eliza and she lifted her chin in determination, staring Thomas down.
“If you planted a compulsion for her to commit suicide, I’ll never forgive you.”
In a sickeningly sweet and soothing tone he said, “You have no need to worry about the woman. No harm will come to her. She’ll return to her home tomorrow and resume her pathetic existence. Now we need to hurry. We are also leaving this house and this town.”
“I didn’t pack a bag,” Eliza murmured, her tone regretful and apologetic. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted, what your plans were or if you even still wanted me.”
Thomas’s eyes glittered, triumph and victory gleaming brightly. “You don’t need anything, my love. I will provide everything you need. I only have one task for you before we depart.”
Eliza sent him an innocent, puzzled look. “You know I’ll do whatever you want.”
Thomas nodded approvingly. “You will write a letter explaining that you are leaving with me and that you only want a quiet life with me away from the prying eyes of those who would judge and scorn you.”
“But why bother?” she asked. “No one would care. Everyone here hates me. They won’t care that I’m gone. In fact, they’ll be happy.”
Thomas made a sound of impatience. “If we both disappear, it will raise suspicion and we will never have the life I want for us. It will be suspected that I killed you in revenge so you have to convince the public that you willingly chose to go away with me.”
A chill slithered down Eliza’s spine. She had been wrong about Thomas’s obsession with her and her certainty that he would never harm her, only those he saw as a threat for her love. He was lying about the reasons for wanting her to write the letter. He had no intention of taking her anywhere. The letter would only serve to exonerate him when he killed her and she disappeared, leaving him free to also disappear and everyone would assume she went willingly with him. No one would even look for her body or blink an eye over her sudden disappearance.
Except Wade and Dane.
They’d never buy anything she wrote about loving Thomas and going away with him. But would they find the letter—or her—too late to save her? Did Thomas plan to kill her here or would he take her somewhere so he could make her suffer for as long as possible before finally killing her?
Thank God he couldn’t read her now or he’d know everything. Everyone she loved would be a target. And because he couldn’t read her he didn’t know about her ace in the hole. Wade. She just had to buy enough time for him to find her. He wouldn’t rest, sleep or eat until he found her. She knew that. She just had to pray that he found her in time.
“Of course I’ll write a letter. Is there anyone specific you want me to address it to?”
She purposely injected excitement into her voice and then asked, “Where are we going Thomas? Where will we live? I can’t believe we are finally free to be together. You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment.”
His smile was smug and victorious. He thought he had her right where he wanted her and he was positively gleeful over the idea of retribution and escaping justice yet again.
“You don’t need to worry about a single thing. I’ll take care of you just like I always did.”
She smiled despite the fact she was screaming on the inside. She had to hold it together. She couldn’t fall apart. Everything was riding on her being able to deceive Thomas and buy enough time to either catch him off guard and take him down herself or for Wade to track her down and swoop in like an avenging angel and mete out his own brand of retribution.
“I know,” she said softly, her tone dreamy. “You always took care of me, Thomas. You always protected me. You’ve always been my hero.”
“Come,” he said, extending his hand to take her
s. “We need to get you inside so you can write the letter and then we’ll leave immediately.”
Eliza let him take her hand and managed not to shudder or recoil. She even leaned into him as they entered the house, but the entire time she was fervently praying that she would live to tell Wade how much she loved him again.
Thomas urged her to the kitchen table where pen and paper were already laid out. He directed her to sit, forgoing any attempt to be tender and loving as he’d been earlier.
He stood over her, dictating word for word what she was to write and he watched closely, ensuring she did as commanded. It took all of Eliza’s hard-won and practiced self-discipline to maintain her composure and calmly write exactly what Thomas recited without her hands shaking or her handwriting being illegible.
She made a mental sigh of relief when she completed the letter without giving herself away. She signed her name and dated it and then tilted her head up to look at Thomas and smiled.
“So do we leave now? Where are we going? I’m so excited, Thomas. You have no idea how much I’ve longed for this. It’s like a dream come true.”
Thomas reached over and snatched the paper, folding it neatly and then laying it aside.
“Stand up,” he said coldly.
She adopted a hurt, confused look as she rose from the chair. “What’s wrong, Thomas? Did I do something wrong? I wrote the letter verbatim as you told me to.”
His hand slid inside his jacket and he pulled out a handgun, aiming it directly at her. Her heart sank. She’d known this was going to happen but a secret part of her had hoped she was wrong. Was he going to kill her right now? How could she buy time? Time had run out for her.
“What are you doing?” she whispered. “I don’t understand.”
His eyes glittered with rage. “Did you honestly think that I would just forget and forgive what you did? I loved you. I would have done anything in the world for you. There is nothing I wouldn’t have given you. And you betrayed me. You are a lying, deceitful whore. I’ve spent the last ten years dreaming of this moment. To return the pain and suffering you caused me. I lost years of my life because of you. You ungrateful bitch. I gave you everything and you gave me lies. Now it’s my turn to make you suffer. To cause you unspeakable pain and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.”
TWENTY-SIX
WADE tore recklessly down the bumpy dirt road leading to the residence belonging to the wife of the cop who’d been responsible for Harrington’s release, his heart pounding with fear and praying the entire way that he would get there in time. That he wouldn’t be too late. God, please don’t let him be too late. He’d sworn to protect Eliza, that nothing would happen to her and he’d fallen neatly into Harrington’s trap.
As he rounded the bend, he was blinded by oncoming headlights and then yanked the steering wheel to the right to avoid a head-on collision. The other vehicle veered to the left, losing control and spinning in a complete three hundred and sixty-degree circle before skidding to a stop, hitting a large tree that lined the road.
Fuck! He didn’t have time for this shit!
He slammed on the brakes and bolted from the SUV, running to check on the driver, hoping no serious injury had been incurred. All he could do was call 911 because he couldn’t stick around when Eliza was in the hands of a madman and every minute counted. Every second he was delayed could mean the difference in Eliza living or dying.
He yanked open the driver’s side door and blinked in confusion. A woman was sitting stock-still, her gaze fixed through the windshield as if she had no awareness of the situation. Even more alarming was the fact that she was dressed only in a nightgown and her feet were bare.
“Ma’am, are you okay?” he asked sharply.
Slowly she turned her head and an eerie sensation slithered over Wade’s skin, raising chill bumps as he stared into vacant, lifeless eyes.
“I have to leave,” she murmured. “He told me to leave and not to return to my house until tomorrow. But where will I go?”
Oh sweet Jesus. In a flash, he knew this was the cop’s wife. And that it was Harrington who had compelled her to leave. She was the victim he had used to lure Eliza to come to him. A bargain. Her for the victim. Harrington got to Eliza in the one way she would never refuse. He would have known all too well the guilt and grief that had crippled her. He’d used her compassion and inherent goodness against her, knowing she would never refuse to save the life of another woman.
Wade grasped her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake, desperate to break through the fog. “Was anyone else there? A woman? Did he tell you to leave after she arrived?”
Confusion clouded her eyes and her brow puckered as if she were trying to recall what exactly had happened.
“Think!” Wade said forcefully. “I need you to focus. Fight him. I need your help. She needs your help.”
The woman’s hand fluttered to her forehead, pressing in as she closed her eyes in concentration. Then her expression crumpled and she brought both hands to cover her face as a sound of utter despair seemed ripped from the deepest part of her soul.
“He said he loved me. That we would be together. But then she came and he told me to leave.”
Assured that she had sustained no physical injuries, he guided her back into her vehicle and issued a harsh command for her to stay there until help arrived. Then he ran to his SUV and roared down the road, every muscle in his body tense and coiled, preparing to fight the most important battle of his life. To save the woman he loved.
As soon as the house came into view, Wade doused the headlights and pulled as close as he dared before shutting down the engine. He grabbed the Glock laying in the passenger seat and quickly popped in a thirteen-round clip as he jumped out and ran the remaining distance to the house.
Two vehicles were parked in front and the house was illuminated with light, nearly every window reflecting lights on in the residence. He skirted around the front, pressing himself against the brick exterior of the side, peering into each window before he ducked and moved on.
When he reached a window toward the back of the home, he saw that it was the kitchen and he halted in his tracks, his relief so profound that his knees buckled and he nearly went down.
Eliza was seated at the table and Thomas stood a few feet away. Wade gripped the pistol resting in his palm tighter, quickly assessing his entry options. Eliza handed him a piece of paper and after Thomas snatched it from her fingers, Eliza rose from her seat. Then Wade’s heart stuttered and nearly stopped when Thomas suddenly pulled a gun from the inside of his jacket and aimed it directly at her head.
Eliza stood frozen as she stared down the barrel of the pistol Thomas pointed