Brave Love

by Allyson Simonian

  Long blond hair stretched into the blood pool on the floor on the other side of the table, and Paige screamed as she dropped the envelopes and stepped around to see . . .

  NO! It couldn’t be Jane. The woman sprawled awkwardly on the tile floor, her eyes open and her mouth twisted in a frozen rictus of fear, couldn’t possibly be her roommate. She’d seen Jane just a few hours before, laughing as they’d debated over whose turn it was to cook tonight, and she’d been fine.

  Before Paige could react, her own hair was grabbed roughly from behind and a foul-smelling cloth was pressed over her nose and mouth. Panicked, she lashed out, kicking and struggling to free herself, but the arm that held her was unyielding. Within seconds, her eyes blurred and her muscles refused to respond. Then everything went black.

  When Paige came to, she found herself blindfolded and tied to a bed in an unfamiliar room that smelled of mildew and dirt. Her head throbbing, she craned her neck, trying to sense where she was as she cleared her muddled thoughts.

  Hours passed, so many she lost track. Hungry, thirsty, and scared out of her mind, she screamed herself hoarse, hoping someone would come to her aid. She pulled repeatedly at her bindings, tugging until her wrists bled, but they held fast.

  All the while her mind spun, first reliving the horror of the moment when she found Jane’s body, then imagining what fate might lie ahead for herself. She cried and pleaded for her life, but her cries went unheard.

  Sometime later, completely exhausted, she slept. And when she awoke, still trapped within the same nightmare, Paige screamed and cried some more.

  At one point, she thought she heard a rustle, a small movement, and she froze. Footsteps approached, and unsure if they were made by her attacker or a rescuer, she stayed silent.

  The feel of a hand stroking her hair shocked her, and Paige gasped. Instinctively she jerked away, her heartbeat roaring in her ears as she waited for what might come next.

  Moments passed. Another rustle of movement, and something tugged at the binding that held her right hand. She held her breath and waited, praying that she’d be released, and then nearly cried with disappointment as the footsteps moved away.

  Paige waited, counting the seconds inside her head to be sure a few minutes had passed before she moved. She tugged at her bindings and felt the right one give slightly. Encouraged, she twisted her arm and tugged harder, then yanked over and over until her arm was free.

  Elated, she ripped off the blindfold and looked around to find herself in what looked like a basement. The small room was dim and windowless, the smell of earth overpowering. There was no furniture other than the bed she lay on, and only one door.

  Frantically she worked at the knots that held her other arm, and once free, scrambled to untie her feet. As she tore at the ropes, she caught a whiff of smoke and stiffened.

  Fire.

  If she’d thought she was frightened before, that was nothing compared to the terror that engulfed her at that point. The thought of being raped and tortured was bad enough, but the possibility of being burned alive was intolerable.

  The rest of the experience was a blur. Paige had freed herself, and finding the room’s door unlocked, had held her breath and raced blindly through a couple of smoke-filled rooms before finding a crude staircase that led to a hatch in the roof. She ignored the flames that crackled as they raced up one wall, and scrambled to safety before the room was engulfed.

  When she emerged outside the hatch, she found herself in a forest. Choosing a direction at random, she ran until the trees thinned and she found a road. A passing motorist stopped to help as she stood screaming and waving frantically at the side of the road. Thankfully, it was a woman, and she took Paige to the nearest police station for help.

  Later, she was told that she’d been held for two days in that underground bunker. The FBI interviewed her in her hospital bed, and informed her that a man’s body had been found in the charred remains of the bunker, presumably her attacker who had died in the fire. Paige felt sick when they explained that the bodies of two other young women had also been found in the rubble, apparently dead even before the fire was started.

  Paige spent a week in the hospital, frequently reminded by well-meaning hospital personnel how lucky she was to have such minor injuries. She hadn’t been raped, hadn’t been tortured, hadn’t even seen her attacker or heard his voice.

  Her parents were worried sick about her, and when she was released from the hospital, they took her home with them. They meant well, showering her with love and attention, but Paige had suffered inside, even once her injuries had healed. She’d begun having panic attacks, brought on by anything that reminded her of the kidnapping, and in order to deal with them, she learned to shut down her emotions.

  As the months dragged on, the frequency of the panic attacks had lessened, but she’d still felt as if she were adrift. She’d gone through the motions, continuing to live at home as she went back to classes and graduated from college a semester late, but felt as if she had no direction.

  Then David’s offer had come.

  • • •

  Straightening, Paige put the pill bottle back into the cabinet and moved to turn on the shower. She needed to go see David. Each day he looked better, and it brought her some comfort. That day in the office . . . well, it was a miracle no one had been killed.

  She pictured the officer with the green eyes—Officer Cole. David had said he’d come by the hospital. He’d also been in her dreams the past nights as her subconscious replayed everything. Even there, she felt drawn to him.

  But it was only the trauma, she told herself; she’d been vulnerable and he’d been there to help. That was the extent of the connection she was feeling.

  When she reached David’s hospital room an hour later, he was sitting up, sipping hot tea from a plastic mug.

  “How are you feeling?” she asked.

  “Better.”

  She studied him, mentally agreeing. He looked better. Fervently, she wished his wife, Laura, were still alive. They’d been a wonderful couple, and David had been devastated when she’d died. It was hard seeing him alone now, showing signs of age.

  Paige hoped he’d eventually meet someone. But she supposed that was a lot like the pot calling the kettle black. David was even more of a workaholic than she was. Like her, he seemed to have no desire to date.

  “What’s the status of the video?” he asked.

  Case in point, she thought, but she smiled. For the first couple of days in the hospital, he hadn’t mentioned work. She took it as a sign that he was feeling better.

  “I was able to reschedule everything for tomorrow, and I told Karen we should still be able to have everything to her on time.”

  With a grin, he said, “No sense sitting with me, then. Get to it.”

  She shook her head, then smiled before she kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll try to stop by tonight.”

  That night, though, by the time she finished getting everything ready for filming, it was too late to visit the hospital. She took her usual route home and passed by the police station. Even before the shooting, this route had brought her peace of mind.

  Now it brought thoughts of Officer Cole. Was he on duty now or was he at home? The light she was sitting at changed, and Paige pressed on the accelerator. If Officer Cole wasn’t working, then he was with his wife. His girlfriend, at the very least.

  Once Paige had arrived at home and settled in, she made a salad. While she ate, she reviewed the script for the next day’s shoot. Satisfied it wasn’t in need of last-minute changes, she set the script aside and reflected on the day.

  It had been her first back in the office. Half the other employees still hadn’t returned to work, though. A coworker had phoned Anne to check in, but Anne hadn’t called back. It had to be tough; Anne must be feeling a ton of guilt.

  With a sigh, she stood and cleared her dishes.

  • • •

  The next morning, Paige was running later than
she’d hoped. There would be no time to visit David if she wanted to be early for the shoot. Knowing he’d want her focused on work, she decided to call him during her lunch break instead.

  When she entered the office, Anne was at her desk.

  Paige stopped short and took in a slow breath before walking over and asking, “How are you, Anne?” But she could see for herself. There were lines of worry across the other woman’s face, and she looked pale.

  “I . . . I’m wondering how David is. Have you seen him?”

  “I have, and he’s okay. He’s recovering well.”

  Anne’s eyes shimmered with tears. “He must want to fire me.”

  “No, Anne,” Paige said softly. “He knows what happened wasn’t your fault.”

  Shuddering, Anne swiped at her eyes. “After the shot went off, I was sure he was dead.”

  Page inhaled a long breath. Obviously, she wasn’t the only one experiencing flashbacks. And the guilt Anne felt on top of that . . .

  She stepped closer and embraced the other woman. “Don’t worry, David’s pretty tough.” Pulling away, she said, “I’m going to see him tonight. Why don’t you come with me?”

  But Anne shook her head. “I’m sure I’m the last person he wants to see.”

  “Come on. You know him better than that.”

  Paige left Anne’s desk, intent on bringing the subject up again when she had a free minute. For the next several hours, she was busy with filming.

  At some point during the day, Anne must have had a change of heart. By the time Paige made it back to her desk, Anne was already warming to the idea of visiting David. Together, they left work and stopped at a pharmacy.

  When they arrived in David’s room, Anne handed him a stack of magazines, along with a bag of toiletries. Then she twisted her hands together. “God, I’m so sorry. I never thought Chuck would do anything like that.” Her voice broke, and she covered her face with her hands.

  David reached out and grabbed hold of her arm. “Don’t cry.”

  “I understand if you want me to quit.” Anne sniffed and wiped at her eyes.

  “You can’t quit. We’d never be able to replace you.”

  Anne’s chin quivered as she whispered, “Thank you.”

  Paige’s heart warmed as she watched David continue to reassure her.

  Chapter 14

  Two months later

  Ethan and Mark were on lunch break. As they walked downtown, Ethan noticed a woman on the sidewalk several yards in front of them. He’d thought of Paige often since the shooting, and even though the woman’s back was turned, Ethan had no doubt it was her. She was tall and had the same lithe figure, the same long, wavy hair, a deep chestnut brown that glinted with red highlights in the midday sun.

  “Excuse me for a minute,” he told Mark.

  With a nod, Mark headed into the sandwich shop.

  Ethan continued down the street and called Paige’s name.

  She turned, and her eyes widened in recognition. “Officer Cole.”

  “How are you?”

  They spoke for a few seconds before she said, “Thank you so much for your help that day. It was . . .” She shook her head and gave him a smile, one that tugged at his heart. “Well, it was a rough day, but you helped make it better. Anyway, Officer Cole, thank you for everything.”

  “Please, call me Ethan,” he said as he studied her.

  Paige was obviously in better shape than she’d been that day, but he still felt a powerful draw to her. What he felt went beyond what he’d thought was just protective instincts. She seemed different from any woman he had ever met before, and Ethan knew without a doubt he wanted to explore this further.

  Who knew when, if ever, he’d see her again. If he was going to act on his feelings, it would have to be now.

  “Can I have your number?” he blurted.

  She raised one delicate brow; apparently, the sudden question had taken both of them by surprise. But whatever happened, he didn’t want her walking out of his life again.

  A moment later, she smiled and provided her number. As Ethan said good-bye and turned to join his partner at the sandwich shop, he felt a joy and anticipation he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

  • • •

  That night as Ethan worked on installing new tile in the upstairs bathroom, he picked up his ringing phone. When he saw it was James calling, he grinned and answered, “Hey.”

  “Hey,” James said. “Want to meet at the bar tomorrow night?”

  “I can’t. I’m having dinner with someone.” He and Paige had texted back and forth after they’d exchanged numbers, and had agreed to meet at a restaurant.

  James snorted. “What, like a date?”

  “Yeah,” Ethan said. “Got a problem with that?”

  “How adult,” James said drily.

  Ethan shook his head. James really liked to rib him, but he had a point. It had been a while since he’d been on a real date. The last time, he’d nearly broken into a cold sweat when the woman had started talking in detail about how she wanted five children. It had been a little much for a first date, and there hadn’t been a second.

  When Ethan didn’t respond, James teased, “And how’s Brenda going to feel about that?”

  Several months ago, he’d been in a casual relationship with someone he met at the bar. But when James had started teasingly referring to the woman his friend-with-benefits, Ethan had become uncomfortable. The term made him feel guilty, as if he were using Brenda.

  “You know we’re just friends now,” Ethan said with a sigh. “Besides, I’ve been too busy with the new house to see anyone.”

  James chuckled. “I’m just kidding you, man. Seriously, it’ll be good for ya. Who knows, you might even end up happy like me.”

  When Ethan hung up with James a few minutes later, his mind turned to his date with Paige. He thought again of the surprised look on her face when he’d asked for her number. But the investigation into the shooting was now closed, and he wasn’t breaking any department rules.

  Running into Paige now that he was free to pursue a relationship with her had been a stroke of good luck. Ethan was relieved when she’d said yes, and was looking forward to seeing where things went.

  Chapter 15

  The next night, Paige and Ethan sat in a casual Italian restaurant downtown. The conversation was light and easy across the small linen-covered table, and after they’d ordered, Ethan gazed at her with interest. The light from the small candle at the center of the table flickered, adding to the calming ambience. Paige found herself relaxing, and eased her posture a little in her chair.

  The conversation naturally found its way to family, and after Ethan told her about his mother, Paige shared a little about her parents, how her father was a cardiologist who had recently resumed practicing.

  Ethan’s brow creased in confusion. “What happened?”

  Unnerved a little for opening up that line of conversation, Paige paused for a moment. “Remember when Pinnacle Pharma hit the news a couple of years ago?” Ethan nodded, and she continued. “David, my boss, was married to a woman who worked in the finance division of Pinnacle. For years, Laura kept my dad up-to-date on their upcoming cardiology drug, and my dad was intrigued. He was the first doctor in the country to prescribe it, then two of his patients died.”

  She glanced at Ethan, expecting to see disapproval on his face, but was surprised to see his expression was merely curious. “The investigation was horrible, it really stressed my father out, and the media . . . well, they convicted him of a crime before the investigation was even done. Dad was already devastated about losing his patients, but when we started getting hate mail and awful phone calls, he took a leave of absence, wanting to protect us.”

  “That must have been awful,” Ethan murmured.

  She nodded. “When the results showed that he wasn’t at fault, it was too late. He’d already lost half his patients, plus he was dealing with a lot of guilt. He just went back to work la
st month.”

  Paige stopped speaking, surprised by all she’d shared. Ethan was listening with a sympathetic expression.

  Her kidnapping had happened around the same time, but that wasn’t something she wanted to bring up. Not only did she hate talking about it, but it made her feel different. As illogical as it sounded, having been targeted by a serial killer made her feel like there was something wrong with her.

  Changing the subject, Ethan asked about her move to Bennington. “How did you find your place?”

  “I was staying at David’s while I looked for an apartment. My landlord, Melissa, had put an ad on Craigslist. When I went to see it, it immediately felt like home. It even had backyard garden space, so that sold me. I’ve only been there about six months, and now that I’m all settled in, I’m looking forward to planting a small garden plot next spring.”

  “That would sell me too,” he said with a grin. “Are you her first tenant?”

  Paige nodded. “She’d just renovated the place when I moved in. We’ve become good friends.” That had been an unexpected bonus. While she enjoyed the company of her coworkers, Melissa was really her only friend in Bennington.

  As their server appeared at their table with their plates, she studied Ethan. It surprised her how much she was enjoying this date. Ethan was not only down-to-earth, he was nice, and easy on the eyes. The same things could be said about Tom Bradshaw, but with the bartender she hadn’t felt sparks like she did with Ethan.

  The aromas of Italian herbs and fresh-baked bread were amazing, triggering Paige’s appetite. It had been a while since she’d felt so hungry, and she dug into her lasagna with an inaudible moan of pleasure.

  Her warm feelings continued until Ethan glanced up, a forkful of fettuccine in midair, and asked, “How’s David’s recovery coming along?”

  Paige froze, and was embarrassed to find tears pricking her eyes at the innocent question. Even though months had passed, the shooting still felt like yesterday.