by Edwin Dasso
As if in answer to his prayer, the grill once affixed over the heat and air unit controls dangled against the wall then fell to the floor.
Chuckling, Deke shook his head and peered toward the ceiling. “Not exactly what I was asking for.”
He stood then leaned over and picked up the metal casing. Inspecting the grill, he attempted to reattach the metal so his captor wouldn’t miss the protector but thought better of the idea. Maybe he could manipulate the metal to create some kind of tool. He might be able to pry…again, he gazed around the tiny room. Pry what? Nothing existed in this room that was remotely pry-able. Sick and tired of spending weeks caged and at the whims of his captor, Deke felt his blood boil and pump into his neck. Damn. His captor had thought of everything, down to the last detail.
He slammed a fist against the wall, hitting the AC control dead center, and a sharp pain shot up his arm. At the same moment, the truck shuddered, and the back panels slid apart into a hideaway wall to reveal a black curtain. His gaze shifted to the AC controls. He wiggled the box then touched the Off button and the back panel began to close. Immediately, he shoved a thumb against the On button. When the panels separated, a rush of heat swirled from his core and shot to his hands and feet. A sense of hope pounded his heart so hard he could hear the beat.
Edging toward the curtain, he paused and listened then hooked a finger and pulled aside the thick fabric to see––Holy crap. He could scarcely believe what he saw. Hidden behind the steel panels and a heavy curtain, a door now stood between Deke and his freedom. He twisted the handle, and the latch responded, opening into the dark night. Thank you, Lord. He was finally free. He peered outside then cautiously placed a foot onto the trailer hitch.
Listening to the nocturnal sounds of the forest, he scanned the area before stepping off the truck. Barefoot and lost, at least now he had a fighting chance to find the cabin and help Elise. But which way should he go? If he could locate the lake, he could watch the current to get his bearings. But he heard no lapping water to guide his way. Think, Deke. He knew the cabin was within walking distance…had Elise said anything to give him an idea of which way to go? Her voice came from the driver’s side of the truck, but that told him nothing. Surrounded by deep forest, he gazed toward the sky. The full moon shone brightly, casting shadows through the trees.
He snapped his fingers. “That’s it.” He remembered Elise talking to Jasper. The last thing she said was, “This time, we’ll take the path, boy. It’s shorter and much easier.” He spun, searching for a small opening or break from the dense forest. There.
Heart pounding, he rushed toward the path dimly lit by moonbeams, but the ground, covered in damp leaves, pine straw, vines, and underbrush bit at his bare feet. He’d have to stride slowly and watch where he stepped. Injuring a foot, at the very least, would slow his pace, and at worst, would prevent him from finding the cabin. That was not an option.
The damp ground chilled his toes. Striding carefully, he reached a path about seven feet wide and a bit more worn, which eased his already pain-stricken feet. He diligently picked up his pace and shook his head at his double’s clever plan. Disguising a panic button as an air conditioning and heat control. Deke never doubted the man’s intelligence or attention to detail. As crazy as the guy was, he had a shrewd mind…so ingenious he included a failsafe…an escape switch safeguard in the event he accidentally trapped himself––or his mark got the upper hand and locked him inside his own panic room.
Deke still didn’t understand why he was the man’s mark. A lot of more high-profile, valuable, and rich victims existed. He shrugged, continuing his trek toward the cabin. He needed to outsmart his double. He wouldn’t know the situation until he arrived, but he still needed a plan…and probably a backup strategy, as well. Deep in thought, he lifted his gaze toward the moon and felt a sharp stab on the pad of his left foot. He staggered to the side of the path and collapsed onto a fallen tree. Damn! He shouldn’t have looked away from the trail. He inspected the wound and yanked out a large sliver of wood under his big toe. Realizing the warm, sticky fluid was blood, he reached behind his perch for a handful of leaves to wipe the injury…but the prickly stubble he felt instead made his skin crawl. Spinning, he caught a glimpse of what he’d touched and jerked from his seat to stare into the cold, unshaven blue-gray face of an old man.
17
Glancing at his shriveled fingers, Daryl reluctantly stood then stepped over the edge of the hot tub and went inside. The logs in the fireplace, burned to embers, now glowed a reddish orange. He snatched a blanket draped over an easy chair and dried off, then slipped into his boxers and t-shirt and knelt by the fireside. After adding two logs, he stoked the fire until it burst into flames then sat and stared at the blaze, mesmerized by the flicker casting shadows that danced across the wall. For two years, he’d planned his revenge, but he never realized how sweet retribution would feel. He finally had the life he dreamed of...the life he deserved. He wished his momma was alive to see how clever he was.
Of course, she’d be appalled he committed murder. She lived by the mantra, first do no harm. For most of his life, Daryl had lived a studious, silent existence. As a loner, compliant and timid as a boy, he trusted his mother’s guidance and looked up to her and the doc. He was the perfect child. But the promise she and the doc made never panned out, and once he learned the truth about his past, he felt as if his life was a lie.
Perhaps his momma felt she was protecting him when she said his father and grandparents died. Keeping them dead in her own mind might have eased her pain, but she deprived Daryl from knowing his roots…not to mention what might have been a large inheritance. His heart hardened when he learned how her parents disowned her, and his once-kind soul filled with vengeance and rage. Not against his momma, but toward her family and the despicable men who stole her virtue.
Obsessed with finding and confronting his biological father, he studied genetics and DNA retrieval techniques. He doubted any of the gang would simply hand over their DNA, especially if they knew why he wanted the sample. So, he learned the basics to find out himself. Then, he plugged into genetic genealogy to search his ancestry. Narrowing down the truth took time and patience, but he dug deeply and found that using DNA phenotyping and genetic genealogy, he could enter his DNA into the genetic database for possible relative matches. All he needed was access, which he found hacking into the doc’s computer files. But he never expected to find that the Madigan family fit into the fray. With three possible prospects in hand, Daryl decided to shelf his paternal search briefly to turn his attention to Deke Madigan.
Again, Daryl flashed on his momma. She’d definitely be impressed with his work, but not the murders. Damn. He never intended to off that woman. He just panicked…and he hadn’t meant to kill the caretaker, either. That was an accident. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
All Daryl wanted to do was find a nice, quiet, secure place to park his cab. The Sloan lake property was perfect. Especially since he could use Elise as an excuse for being there. If the caretaker had just minded his own business, he wouldn’t have heard Deke clanging in the back of his truck. It wasn’t Daryl’s fault. Sure, he shoved the man and told him to mind his own business. How did he know the guy would trip and hit his head on a rock?
Now, he was a fugitive. Thank goodness he switched lives with Deke. If he hadn’t, he’d likely land in prison. The only loose end was Madigan.
When the latch turned on the back door, he turned his head and froze––until he saw Elise. “Wow. It took you a long time to find Jasper.” He stood and stretched. “I was beginning to worry about you.” He sat then patted the sofa beside him. “You must be chilled to the bone. Come sit beside me and warm up.”
“I uh…think I’ll run upstairs and take a quick shower. I had to trek through the woods, and I feel like I have spiders crawling all over me.”
Again, he stood and lifted his eyebrows. “That sounds like fun. Can I join you and wash your back?”
She turned toward the stairway and gazed upward to see Jasper watching her every move from his favorite perch. “No. I just want to wash off the prickly feeling. You stay here and enjoy the fire. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
He squinted, assessing her demeanor and body language. “Okay. Suit yourself, sweet pea. But I promise you’d enjoy every minute.” He chuckled.
Elise called out over her shoulder, “I’m sure I would. I’ll take a raincheck.”
The one wild card in Daryl’s plan was Elise. He knew her background meant she’d have the prissy, rich girl attitude he detested, but he was pleasantly surprised when he stepped into Deke’s life. She was sexy, sweet, and nothing like the women he’d known in the past. He wouldn’t mind a bit having her by his side––as long as she was as hot in bed as he assumed she’d be. One way or the other, he planned to find out tonight.
If she gave him any grief along the way, he’d simply drop her like a hot potato. He didn’t need her daddy’s money. He’d have all he wanted with an NFL contract. Besides, he’d already taken a taste of the wild women who drooled all over Deke Madigan. Daryl could have his pick…maybe a different one every night. Elise was damn lucky to have his full attention, and if she somehow managed to uncover his secret…he’d killed before…but never intentionally. He wondered if he could kill her with malice and forethought. He thought not. She was a good woman. As long as he treated her well and kept her from discovering the truth, they’d be blissfully happy.
Trembling, Elise calmly ascended the stairs toward the master suite then softly closed the door behind her. She turned on the shower then sifted through Deke’s––no, the imposter’s––bags, searching desperately for his truck keys. One thing was for sure, he didn’t have them on him…and he had to have them close. If she couldn’t find them in his overnight duffle bag, she’d have to check his car. That might prove to be a little tricky. Deke usually carried the keyless entry fob in a pocket. Would the imposter do the same? If so, she’d have to rummage through his jeans. But one step at a time.
Digging a hand into his bag, she searched every pocket, including those in his clothing. Nothing. Damn! She’d have to move to step two. After carefully replacing his possessions exactly as he’d left them, she stripped and stepped under the rain shower. Never had she gone through any semblance of the emotions she’d experienced in the last twenty-four hours. How could she have ever assumed the man downstairs was Deke? Her neck clenched as she recalled kissing him…trying to convince herself nothing had changed. But everything changed. And yet, she rationalized each red flag as her own issue.
“Pah.” She spat out the sour taste of his kiss then scrubbed her face. As much as she wanted to get as far away from him as possible, she knew in order to find his keys and return to Deke, she’d have to let him kiss her and hold her close. The thought of his hands fondling her made her stomach roil. But she had to fake whatever was needed…to save Deke.
Scrubbing her skin to wash off the filth, she thought about what she needed to protect herself if double-trouble sensed something was off. She wasn’t sure if he was capable of murder, but she had to consider the possibility. Her father kept a gun in a hideaway drawer behind the bedside table. Before she returned to the imposter downstairs, she’d check to make sure the cylinder was loaded. If not, she knew Dad kept additional cartridges…but where?
Her father had taught Elise how to shoot his gun when she was eight, and they often went into the woods for target practice over the years. At first, she thought it odd he wanted his daughter to learn how to shoot and wondered if he might have wished for a son, instead. She smiled, remembering how adamant he was when she questioned his motive.
“I prayed for a girl I could hug, kiss, and spoil. From the moment I saw you, Elise, you were the light of my life.” He drew her close and had squeezed her. “I hope you never need a gun, but I want to be sure you will always be safe. That’s why I’m teaching you how to shoot.”
She stepped from the stall and dried off then slipped into a pair of flannel lounge pants and a long-sleeved t-shirt. To make sure the imposter wouldn’t walk in on her checking the gun, she strode into the hall and gazed over the banister. “Hey, Deke.” It flipped her stomach to call him Deke, but she forced the bile down and continued. “Would you mind pouring me another glass of wine? I think there’s more in the bottle on the kitchen counter.”
“Sure, sweet pea. I think I’ll pour another for me, too.”
How did he know Deke’s pet names for her…the white rose for no occasion except to say he was thinking of her…and so many other details about his life––and hers? Why did he choose Deke’s life to steal? She turned away and rolled her eyes. “I’ll be down in a minute. I can get another bottle from the wine cellar if we need one.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
She shuddered at the thought of what she knew he expected from her then returned to the bedroom. When she pressed the hidden button, the secret drawer dropped to reveal the revolver. She checked to make sure the chambers were loaded. Yes. Good. She closed the cylinder, returned the gun to the drawer, and pushed it closed. Heart racing, she slowly stepped down the stairs…
18
With each descending step, Elise felt her pulse kick up a beat. She glanced at Jaz, perched in his favorite spot, and splayed her hand, commanding him to stay put. After a quick glance around the great room, she ricocheted to the dining room, searching for the jeans Deke wore earlier that evening. His keys had to be in a pocket of those pants. Wait…when she left to find Jasper, he was standing in the open doorway, naked. Maybe he disrobed in the bathroom, or by the spa.
At the bottom of the stairs, she glanced upward toward Jaz, now peering through the hallway banister. He didn’t trust Deke’s double, but he didn’t stray far from her, either. Turning toward the fireplace, she drew in a long breath. She had to pull this off, even if the man sitting by the fireside now repulsed her. If he thought she knew something, would he become violent? And if so, how far would he go? She’d seen no signs of violence and no temper since the switch. As long as she played the game, he’d have no reason to hurt her.
“Hey, beautiful. Come sit.” He patted the seat next to him.
The fire blazed and the ambiance was drenched in romance. Exactly what she planned. How could she keep him at arm’s length without arousing his curiosity about her one-eighty? Arousing…the very thought of the word associated with this impersonator made her blood boil. She strolled toward him then sat and snuggled close, the anger in her stomach churning.
“Sorry about letting Jasper out without a leash. I didn’t think he’d run off like that.”
She gazed at him through her eyelashes. “It wasn’t your fault. I’m just glad I found him.” She needed to get his mind off of romance…but how? “So, you’ve been hitting the books really hard since the Combine. Are you ready for finals?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” He slid a hand under her t-shirt and rubbed her back. “The classes aren’t difficult. I’m sure I’ll do fine.” He tilted his head and kissed her neck.
Leaning forward, she snatched the remote and pressed the power button. “I thought it would be fun to watch a movie. Let’s see what’s on…I can make some popcorn, too.” Clicking the guide, she scrolled down the list––until Deke’s lookalike placed a hand over hers, immediately halting her search.
So close she could feel his breath on her cheek, Deke whispered into her ear, “This is the first opportunity since I returned from Indianapolis we’ve had extended alone time.” With his free hand, he rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger. “I want you, Elise.”
Her inhale lodged in her throat as she fumbled for a reply. She couldn’t afford to provide him even the slightest doubt of her complete devotion. Leaning into his embrace, she kissed his neck then nibbled a trail to his ear. “And I want you...” Completing the sentence in her mind only–– to go straight to hell and burn. “It’s just that I’ve planned this entire we
ekend, building up to the perfect denouement.”
He drew back and tilted his head. “The perfect denouement, hmm. Interesting choice of words …but I can’t imagine any better ending to this evening than making love.”
“Come on, Deke. You’ve always humored me before. And how many times did you say you were glad we waited?” With any luck, her concocted comparison would give pause to Deke’s clone. He might want her, but if he was as smart as he’d already proven, keeping in character would take precedence over immediate gratification. Check, you son of a bitch.
“Okay. We can watch a movie.” He undressed her with his gaze. “But I won’t promise beyond that. Lying next to you in bed tonight might take more restraint than I possess.”
“Fair enough.” She handed him the remote and stood. “You find a movie and I’ll make popcorn.” Thank God, she was able to at least buy some time.
She strode into the kitchen but, as she passed the farm table, she peered outside toward the spa. He had opened the top…and draped over the edge of the canopy, she saw his jeans. She quietly opened the door.
“I thought you were going to make popcorn.”
His voice froze her step, and she turned toward him. “I just noticed the top of the hot tub is open. It’ll be too cool to use if I don’t close it.” She slipped outside then seized his jeans and rummaged through a pocket for his keys.
