The Devil You Know

by Morgan James

  Her voice was soft. “How are you holding up? For real?”

  Kate’s lips pressed together in a firm line before relaxing and letting out a soft exhalation, the tension draining from her body. “You know what? I’m actually okay. I know I look like a mess”—Kate grinned at her and Victoria couldn’t help but return it—“but I’ve realized something over the last couple months. I’m not really mad at Steve. I’m not even mad at myself anymore. We shouldn’t have gotten married, but I learned an important lesson. I need to do something for me. So much of my time has been spent catering to others. I’m selling my portion of the practice.”

  Victoria’s jaw dropped open. “But... Are you sure? I thought—”

  Kate held up a hand. “It was my decision. I want to do something that really matters, something that makes a difference. I’m applying to work for the VA.”

  Victoria gave her friend a soft smile, her heart warming. “I think that’s a fantastic idea. Tell me all about your plans.”

  They spent the next hour catching up, talking about the past, about the future, and Victoria realized how much she’d missed these moments.

  “I really haven’t gotten to see much of you since...” She waved her hand in the air, not wanting to dampen the mood by mention Kate’s attack from two weeks prior. “It’s been so crazy recently.”

  “I know.” Kate nodded emphatically. “I promise once all this is over, we’ll get back to our normal routine.”

  “Deal.” Victoria offered her friend a warm smile, then glanced out the window at the setting sun. “We better get out of here. I have to talk to Blake on the way out.”

  “Good.” Kate straightened and hitched her purse over her shoulder. “Keep me posted, okay?”

  “I will.”

  With one last hug, Kate let herself out and Victoria closed up her office, making sure everything was locked up tight. She made her way to the lobby, but Blake was nowhere to be found. With a sigh, she trudged to her car and slid inside, then dug her phone out of her purse.

  She bit her lip and drummed her nails on the screen. Should she text him or wait? Taking a deep breath, she quickly tapped out a message and hit the send button before she could rethink her decision. She tossed her phone back into her bag and headed for home, heart practically beating out of her chest. The house was a mess and she wanted to do a quick clean-up—just in case.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Victoria’s phone rang, startling her from a restless sleep. Hope filled her chest as Blake’s name flashed across the screen and she lifted it to her ear.

  “Blake?” Her voice came out raspy and a little hoarse. He hadn’t responded to her text earlier, and she’d finally fallen into bed—she glanced at the clock—not quite an hour ago, and cried herself to sleep.

  “Victoria.” His voice was strained to the point of politeness, but she could hear the heavy undercurrent in his tone. It also wasn’t lost on her that he hadn’t used his nickname for her, and the knowledge stung. Silence filled the air for several seconds before he cleared his throat and began to speak. “Listen, I’m sorry to tell you this way, but there’s been a break-in at the healthplex.”

  She sucked in a breath. “What happened?”

  “We’re not sure yet. Benny just called and said that the alarm went off about five minutes ago. The police have been notified, so they’ll clear the building to make sure that everything’s good. I just wanted to give you a heads up.”

  “I’ll meet you there.” Victoria threw the covers aside and slid from the bed, already tugging on a pair of sweats that lay discarded on the floor.

  “No need. I’m already on my way, and I’d feel better if you stayed at home where I know you’re safe.”

  “Blake...”

  “Let me take care of it. Please.”

  His words stopped her mid-motion and she sank to the edge of her bed. Did she trust him to take care of this for her? Yes, her mind spoke up. She would trust Blake with her life.

  “Will you call to let me know everything’s okay?”

  “Of course. I’ll call as soon as I’m done.”

  “Thank you.” She hesitated, gripping the phone so tightly her knuckles ached. “And, Blake?”

  His voice was tentative. “Yeah?”

  It took her a moment to gather her courage, but she couldn’t bear to sever the connection just yet. The words came out on a whisper. “I miss you.”

  She waited with bated breath as she heard a sharp inhale on the other side of the phone. “I miss you too, babe.”

  “Can we talk sometime? Maybe tomorrow after work if you’re free?”

  “I have all the time in the world for you, Doc.” A smile colored his voice. “Hey, I’m at the healthplex now, so I’ll call you in a few.”

  “Be safe.”

  “I will.”

  Victoria reluctantly hung up and stared at the phone in her hand, a riot of emotions swirling through her. She wanted to laugh, to cry, wanted to throw her arms wide and dance for joy. He cared about her. The thought suddenly made her sad for the time she’d wasted. From here on out, she wouldn’t allow anyone to influence her decisions.

  Still clutching the phone, she fell back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. She needed to address things with Johnathan once and for all. He’d stopped by the healthplex to see her, but she’d turned him away. Her heart hurt at the thought of losing her friend and confidant, but today’s discussion with her friends had opened her eyes.

  Maybe Johnathan really was more concerned about his own interests than in hers. He was a good guy, successful and handsome, but she would never feel about him the way she did with Blake. Blake had always made sure that she came first; he’d gone out of his way to make sure that she was safe, always placing her needs before his own. More than once he’d dropped everything without hesitation. He was strong and sturdy, trustworthy and dependable, and she...

  She jerked to a sitting position. She loved him. And Blake loved her, too. He’d told her days ago, but she’d refused to believe it. How was it possible that she’d come to care so deeply for him over just a few weeks’ time? It didn’t seem possible, but she knew what was in her heart. She wanted to see where this went. Elation filled her. For the first time, she wasn’t scared. Anticipation sang through her veins at the adventure that lay ahead. They had their whole lives ahead of them to figure things out. There would be ups and downs, good times and bad—but they could make this work. They would—starting now. As soon as he called, she would go to him, lay her heart on the line and tell him how much he meant to her.

  Unable to wait a moment longer, she scrambled from the bed. She pulled a sweater over the camisole she’d slept in and yanked off the sweatpants, replacing them instead with jeans. Shoving her phone in her back pocket, she jogged down the stairs. Bubbling with emotion, Victoria tapped the switch to awaken the coffee maker, and she scooped grinds into the basket. The potent aroma filled the air as the percolator jolted to life and spewed the hot brew into the cup.

  Her phone rang again, and she tapped the button to answer without looking at the screen.

  “Dr. Carr speaking.”

  “Victoria, thank goodness I was able to reach you.”

  Her heart sank as Johnathan’s voice floated through the phone and his words registered in her mind. “What’s wrong?”

  “A man just called me—gave me a woman’s name and an address. I think it was Greg Andrews.”

  Oh, God. “Have you called the police? Did—?”

  “We need to go. You don’t want him to hurt someone else, do you?”

  Fear constricted her heart, and Victoria sucked in a breath. She couldn’t allow that to happen again. Oh, God, how would she live with herself?

  “Okay, okay. I’m on my way out the door. Where is it?” Victoria dumped the coffee down the drain and started for the front door.

  “I’m already on my way to your house. I’ll be there in just a minute. Get ready and I’ll tell you everything I know on
the way.”

  Adrenaline pumping through her veins, Victoria slipped her feet into the ballet flats sitting on the rug by the front door and tossed her phone in her purse before slinging it over her shoulder. Rain pelted the windows, wind rattling the panes. She quickly disengaged then reset the alarm before striding out of the house. A small silver Toyota sped around the curve on her street just as she closed the door behind her, and it slowed to a stop at the bottom of her driveway. The window rolled down, and Johnathan waved to her from the driver’s side.

  She hurried toward him and slid into the passenger seat. She glanced around the interior of the sedan as she pulled the seat belt across her body. “I didn’t recognize you in this. When did you get a new car?”

  “I’ve had it for a while, I just don’t drive it much.” Johnathan threw a quick glance at her across his shoulder before making a U-turn and speeding toward the allotment’s exit. “You got ready fast.”

  “I was already dressed. I actually got a call from Blake just before you showed up.” Victoria shook off the water and pulled her phone from her purse to check for any updates. “Apparently the alarm went off at the healthplex and he stopped by to check it out.”

  “Is everything okay?”

  “I’m not sure, I haven’t heard back yet.”

  Johnathan nodded absently and turned right out of the complex, heading toward the outskirts of town. Victoria watched the trees fly past the window in a blur as the streetlights became fewer and farther between.

  “Do you know where we’re going?”

  “Of course.” She recoiled at his curt words. He’d never lashed out at her before, never raised his voice. But underneath that carefully cultured tone she detected a slight variation—was that a faint change in dialect or accent she heard?

  “Okay.” She nodded her head in acknowledgment, unable to suppress the uneasy prickles spreading over her skin. She flipped the phone over in her hand and cast another surreptitious look at the screen. Still nothing. What was taking so long? Was something seriously wrong? What if Blake was hurt this time?

  As if conjured by her thoughts, Blake’s name lit up the screen, and her heart jumped into her throat. She swiped her thumb over the phone and lifted it to her ear. “Hey, is everything okay?”

  “It’s fine, but—”

  “Oh, thank goodness.” She breathed a sigh of relief.

  “I’m coming over right now. We need to talk.”

  “I know. I think Greg Andrews might be after another woman. He—”

  “It’s not Greg Andrews.”

  She blinked, trying to process his words. “But...”

  “Sweetheart, I need you to listen to me. Don’t say anything, just listen, okay?”

  “I—”

  “Please.” The pleading in his voice made her blood freeze in her veins. “Doc, it’s him. It’s been Johnathan this whole time.”

  She sucked in a sharp breath. That wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be. She was dimly aware of Blake speaking and she turned her attention back to him.

  “...the breaking and entering, the assault at your office. We found him on the cameras. Everything lines up.”

  Her heart seized and her body went rigid, intensely aware of Johnathan’s eyes on her as she spoke. “What about...?”

  She could sense his hesitation and he finally let out a resigned sigh. “Leah was his first.” Tears pricked her eyes and she fought to control her breathing as she blinked them away. “I’m sorry, baby.”

  “Well, thank you for looking into that.” Fear and sadness and anger warred within her. She couldn’t believe she’d trusted him. He’d been her friend and now... Oh, God. If he killed Leah, he would certainly kill her too. Fear won out and she wiped a sweaty palm on her pant leg.

  “Do you know where he’s taking you?”

  Victoria knew a moment of panic as she answered truthfully. “No, I’m not sure.”

  “Have you left your house yet?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is he heading toward town?”

  “Um...” She pretended to deliberate. “No, I don’t believe so.”

  “Where the hell is he going?”

  From the quiet tone of his voice, she could tell the words were more for himself than her, but she felt compelled to answer, her own response soft and unsure. “I don’t know.”

  Blake swore under his breath. “Here’s what I want you to do: pretend to hang up but keep the call connected. Put it between the seats or somewhere he can’t reach it. Okay?”

  “Thank you again for the update.” She hoped he understood her affirmation, and she was rewarded a moment later as he responded, his voice thick with emotion.

  “I’ll find you, sweetheart. I promise.”

  Tears pricked Victoria’s eyes, her throat clogged with emotion. What if this was the last time she would ever hear his voice? “Blake, I—”

  “No.” His voice was fierce and there was a moment of silence as he drew a ragged breath. “You tell me when I find you. Just hang in there for me.”

  “Goodbye, Blake.” Her heart fractured, tears spilling over as she dropped the phone into the space between her seat and the door. Emotion swirled through her. What if she never got the chance to tell him how much he meant to her? Was she about to lose the love of her life just when she’d found it? Regret filled her for the time she’d wasted and she swiped at her cheeks as tears flowed from her eyes.

  “Are you okay?”

  Johnathan’s voice intruded on her thoughts, and anger filled her. She couldn’t believe she’d been so naïve. She wanted to lash out at him, scream, cry, tell him the game was up, but she could do none of those things. Not if she wanted to get out of this alive.

  “Fine.”

  “You still care about him.”

  It was a statement rather than a question and, for a moment, Victoria was unsure how to respond. Should she lie to him and tell him things were over for good? No, he was too good at what he did; he’d be able to see right through her. Opting for a semi-truth, Victoria nodded.

  “I like him a lot. But... some of the things you said made sense. I just don’t know if we could have a future together.”

  And wasn’t that the understatement of the century? She sat inches from Johnathan, a man who, for years, had pretended to be her friend. He’d deceived her. Used her. And now... God, who knew what he was going to do now? She was sure of a couple things, though. The first thing was, no one awaited her at the end of this journey. The further they drove into the darkness, the more the butterflies in her stomach kicked up, filling her belly with dread. The second realization was that, if she survived this, she would never leave Blake’s side again. She would love him until the day she died and spend every day making up for her stupidity.

  Johnathan drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, seemingly in thought and Victoria turned to look at him. He met her gaze for a moment before looking back at the road. His lips pursed pensively before turning down in a frown. “You’re nothing like her, you know.”

  His Midwestern accent was back, and it hit her full force, transporting her back to that awful night. Somehow she managed to choke out the word, though she already knew the answer. “Who?”

  “Leah.”

  Hearing her friend’s name roll off his tongue was like a stab to her heart. She’d known he was responsible, yet hearing those words from his own mouth somehow made it more real. Hearing him admit it, that he was capable of something so awful... Her heart ached.

  “Why did you do it?”

  Johnathan shook his head. “You wouldn’t understand. No one does. I saw her and I just knew. I felt this sense of... finality. It was like destiny calling me. Besides, it’s not like she was the angel everyone wanted to believe.” He threw a look her way before continuing. “After her death, they painted a picture of her being this good little Christian girl. But we knew better, didn’t we? She flaunted herself, treated others as if she expected them to bow to her, and I hated her on sight. It
was like something deep inside me let loose, clawing its way to the surface, desperately needing to lash out. It was so overwhelming and I just couldn’t hold it back anymore.”

  Bile rose in her throat and Victoria forced it down with a hard swallow. “But why me? What did I ever do to you?”

  “You never did anything.” He sighed and lifted a shoulder in a very un-Johnathan-like shrug. “By that point, I was high on adrenaline—I couldn’t turn it off. And you were a loose end. I knew you’d survived, of course, but I left the next day and headed back to college in West Virginia. I’d been gone for years by that point, and no one remembered me. I knew they’d never find me.

  “But I couldn’t let you go. It took me years to finally find you. Except...” He smiled ruefully. “It wasn’t at all the way I imagined it would be.”

  “You look... different.” His face haunted her dreams each night, but over time his features had dissolved away, leaving only the macabre mouth twisted into a sneer.

  He stiffened in the driver’s seat. “I’d already had the surgery scheduled. I mostly kept to myself, so no one thought twice about it.”

  She closed her eyes, despair enveloping her. Of course no one noticed. As far as anyone knew, he’d been miles away with no connection to the small town. His voice cut through her thoughts.

  “Do you remember how we met?”

  The question threw her for a loop and she hesitated for a moment before turning to look at him. “Yes. It was the conference in Austin, I believe.”

  “That’s right.” His head bobbed in acknowledgment. “I knew where you lived, what you did for a living. I’d planned for years to find you and finish what I’d started all those years ago. But then we got to talking, and I got to know you, got you to open up about your past. And all I could think about while you told me your story was how much you’d changed, yet stayed the same. You’d matured into this beautiful, intelligent woman, but inside you were still the same scared little girl you were ten years ago.