Tabi lifted her head. “Arrested him? Like booked him?”
“Yes.” The sheriff sat taller. “I’m sure he’s being fingerprinted right now.”
Tabi looked at Evan. “Crap. This is worse than we thought.”
Chapter 10
The only thing that kept Raine from losing his damn mind was the fact that Evan and Tabi were with Mariana. He sat in a cell for nearly an hour before the sheriff deigned to take him to an interrogation room. The human’s satisfied smile nearly got him punched in the mouth.
Apparently Raine’s thoughts showed on his face because the sheriff lost the smile and hustled them to the room, securing his cuffs to a bar across the table.
Then he sat across from him. “Sorry about the delay but I was running through the case with Mariana.” The possessive tone and purposeful use of the woman’s first name set Raine’s teeth on edge.
Yet he kept his bored façade in place. “Lawyer. Want one. Now.”
The sheriff sighed. “Now Raine. Is that really necessary? Don’t you want to get this taken care of? I think in your own sick way, you care for Dr. Lopez. How about you tell me everything, and I figure out a way to help you here? I think you need help.”
Raine studied the man. His eyes had dilated when he’d said Mariana’s name. “You’re interested in her.”
The sheriff’s eyebrows lifted. “This is a case.” His eyes darted left and then back.
“You know, you’re not a very good liar.” Raine crossed his arms.
The door opened, and his brother strode in, briefcase in hand.
Raine looked him up and down. “What the fuck?”
Cade kept his serious expression in place. “I was close by.”
Raine’s nostrils flared as the reality hit him square center. “Were you, now?”
Cade had the decency to wince. “We thought it was a good idea.”
Oh, Raine was going to throw him through the door face first. “Who was with you?” Already he knew. Of course he knew. Cade and Collin were twins and rarely did stupid stuff alone.
“Collin,” Cade admitted. “We didn’t hurt anybody, and it seemed like a good idea at the time.”
The sheriff cleared his throat. “What the hell are you two talking about?”
“Nothing,” Raine growled. “It’s a family matter that we’ll talk about later.” With a punch or two to the face. The twins had kidnapped him and Mariana to force his hand. He might have to kill them.
Cade relaxed. “Yes. Family matter to handle later. Right now, let’s deal with this.”
Raine looked him over. “Nice suit.” It was gray and probably cost more than ten grand. When his brother played a part, he did it with style.
“This old thing?” Cade drawled.
The sheriff stood and puffed out his chest before holding out a hand. “Sheriff Baker.”
“Cade Maxwell.” Cade must’ve gripped too tightly when they shook, because the sheriff failed to hide his wince. “I’m Raine’s brother as well as his attorney. Well, one of his many attorneys. We do like to sue people.”
Raine cut him a look. Cade was twenty years younger at almost three hundred and eighty years old and was just as broad across the chest and as tall as Raine, but his hair was a burnished brown and his eyes a cerulean blue. “Get me out of here.”
“Not happening.” The sheriff retook his seat.
Cade strode around to sit next to Raine. “All right, Sheriff. Show me what you’ve got.”
The sheriff then proceeded to show them pictures of Raine in Dallas as well as the records search showing that Raine was never sentenced to anything in Indiana.
Cade leaned forward. “Well. This is a disaster.” He rubbed his smooth shaven chin. While Raine’s face was all hard angles, Cade had more of a rugged and square look to him. “I mean, it’s horrible.”
The sheriff smiled and looked at Cade with respect in his eyes. “Exactly. Help me to help your brother. The guy is sick.”
Raine sat back to watch. Why not?
Cade blinked. Once. Just once. “Why, Sheriff, I was talking about your case. I mean, come on. You have pictures of my client in Dallas, and none of them show Dr. Mariana Lopez in them. Well, except for this one in the bar. As you can tell, Raine is sitting next to what can only be considered a stunning redhead in a dress that was truly lovely, even if a size too small. He was on a date.”
The sheriff scoffed. “On a date at the same bar and restaurant Mariana was having dinner at with friends? On the same night?”
“It’s a hot spot for young couples,” Cade returned.
“Ha,” the sheriff muttered. “Mariana would never fall for that line of bullshit.”
Cade cut Raine a look. “Mariana? The sheriff seems to have a familiarity with the woman here. Please tell me this is a jealous male situation. I always get such a good payment from juries for those.”
“No.” The sheriff slammed his hand on the table. “Dr. Lopez is a citizen in my town, and I’m concerned for her safety. The bomb your client threw into his own truck could’ve started her home on fire. This is dangerous, Mr. Maxwell. I know you have a job to do, but think of the bigger picture.”
Cade smiled, and it was a clear warning. “You really believe my client blew up his own truck? He loved that truck. Trust me. A jury will be crying for him when I’m done talking about that truck and how he willingly let it burn to make sure Mariana was protected in the house.”
“Raine has been sending her white roses. She hates those,” the sheriff barked, his eyes darkening and his complexion turning ruddy.
Raine could almost feel sorry for him. Almost.
“I assume you have proof of that slanderous allegation?” Cade asked.
The sheriff’s nostrils flared, but he didn’t speak.
“That’s what I thought,” Cade said. “I do hope you haven’t kept my client here for hours based on a hunch, Sheriff. Not only does that kind of thing get a city sued, it usually results in the removal of the authority who made such a fucked-up mistake.”
The sheriff leaned forward. “Oh yeah? What about the order that forced your brother into Dr. Lopez’s anger management group? He showed her documentation, and there isn’t any.”
“Do you have a copy of said documentation?” Cade asked.
“No, but Mariana confirms that she saw it.” Now the sheriff smiled. “She’ll make a great witness, don’t you think?”
Irritation flushed through Raine, and he started to sit straighter, but Cade waved him down.
“It is a pity somebody played such a terrible joke on my brother by sending the order to him in the mail. He had gotten into a bit of a brawl a few weeks before, and he figured the group session was in leu of going to court - at least that’s what the document said.” Cade sighed and shook his head sadly. “He didn’t call me.”
“Bullshit,” the sheriff snapped.
“Sheriff, I understand your emotions are at play here since you’re interested in Dr. Lopez, but we really must stick to the facts. Raine did receive that document in the mail, and it’s long gone. I’m sure he threw it away after graduating from the class,” Cade said.
Raine dutifully nodded, even though the prickle at the base of his neck was starting to really irritate him. “I want out of here. Now.” He had to get back to Mariana.
A deputy opened the door and handed over a series of papers to the sheriff. “We ran him and there’s no record. He’s clean.”
Tension rolled from his brother. Raine inwardly groaned. He’d figured they’d have time to stop his prints from being put into the system, but apparently the sheriff had been determined. Shit. He glanced at his brother.
The look he got back wasn’t reassuring.
He sighed again.
* * * *
Lightning zinged outside in proportion to her current mood. Mariana shoved clothing into a bag, her head pounding and her stomach cramping. “I can’t believe this.”
Tabi stood in the doorway, watching her w
ith worried eyes. “I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation.”
“Like what?” Mariana carefully chose which socks she wanted to take.
“I’m not sure,” Tabi admitted.
Mariana zipped the bag and pulled it into the living room. “There isn’t enough evidence to hold Raine, and you know it.”
Evan still stood by the front door. “I think we should at least let him explain. If there’s no good explanation, we can keep you safe, Mariana.” The ex-cop’s eyes blazed a fierce promise, but even he looked uncertain.
There was something Mariana was missing, and she couldn’t figure out what. “I can keep myself safe.” She tucked her gun into her purse. “For now, I just need some space to figure all of this out.” She’d already called Laura in Dallas with the updates, and she was running a background check on Raine Maxwell right now.
“I’ll come with you,” Tabi offered.
Mariana smiled at her new friend. “You’re just rebuilding your factory, and Evan is in the middle of a campaign for sheriff. You don’t have time to hide out with me.” Tabi’s factory, which built some kind of ski masks, had mysteriously blown up earlier that year.
“Friends are more important than any of that,” Tabi said, looking so petite next to Evan’s large form.
Mariana shook her head. She could take care of herself, but she wasn’t sure she could protect Tabi at the same time. “I’m not going away for good.” She’d wait to hear from Laura about Raine’s background and then come up with a plan. The local sheriff would help her, and if Evan was elected, he would as well—just in case Raine was a crazy stalker.
How could the man who’d given her the best night of her life be her stalker? It just didn’t make sense.
Worse yet, maybe it made perfect sense. If he had been stalking her, she’d given him exactly what he’d wanted. Her. “I’m so confused,” she admitted.
“Then wait and talk to him,” Evan advised, the gun at his hip looking like it lived there.
She shook her head. “You don’t understand. When I’m around him, I believe him. He’s charming and smart, and we slept together.” She might as well tell them the full truth. “I need time and distance from him to be able to think this through.”
“I get that,” Tabi said. “But you shouldn’t go alone.”
“I’m not alone. I have my gun, and you two are just a phone call away.” She grabbed her keys off the table and headed toward the garage. “I’ll let you know where I land when I get there.” She had a spa in mind—she’d been looking at the place for a while. A couple of massages, a lot of champagne, and some quiet time was just what she needed. “Don’t worry.”
“Where are you going?” Evan asked.
Temptation to tell him warred with the lessons in survival she’d learned the last year. “I’ll decide on the road, and I promise I’ll call when I get there.” She’d let Laura in Dallas know where she ended up. “I’ll miss you two.” Then she jogged out to her car, opened the garage door, and drove off like she knew what she was doing.
She had no clue what she was doing. Except escaping for now. Sometimes that had to be enough. She called Laura. “I’m on the road. Any news?”
“Not yet, but we’re doing a deep dive on the guy. Are you going to that spa?” Laura asked.
“Yeah. I’ll call you when I check in and am safe. Thanks, Laura.” She clicked off the call, keeping it short. Oh, she seriously doubted Raine had the ability to trace her calls, but just in case, she was going to be careful. If Raine was the stalker. What if he wasn’t and somehow he had an explanation for all of this? Just in case, she kept an eye on her rearview mirror and surroundings, making sure she wasn’t followed.
The luxury spa hotel was about three hours away, and she finally started to relax after the second hour. Rain pelted down in an impressive autumn storm, but she kept a slow and steady pace. She pulled off the interstate at a rest stop, parked right up front, locked her car, and took her purse with gun inside. After taking care of business, she walked outside, feeling better than she had all day.
Her car was gone.
She paused. Wait a minute. She’d parked right up front. Shit. The place was fairly empty save for a luxury SUV parked down the way. Turning to run, she tried to grab for her gun. Strong arms yanked her back, and something covered her face.
Her scream came out muffled, and then confusion slid through her veins. She tried to push the cloth away, but her arms were too heavy to move.
Then, nothing. She fell into unconsciousness with one more gasp of tainted breath.
Chapter 11
The growl of thunder jerked Mariana awake. Her head ached, and her mouth felt like it was stuffed full of cotton. She swallowed several times and tried to stretch her heavy limbs. Was she in bed? What was happening?
The chilly ground permeated her jeans and light jacket. Reality threw her into awakening fully. She sat up and then gasped as her head swam. Ouch. Okay. She blinked her eyes open to find herself in a small closet with shelves containing cleaning supplies. The floor was concrete, and the shelves plastic wire. The lone door was across from her, and somebody had left the light on.
Memories from the rest stop floundered through her head. A man had grabbed her. Who was it. Was it Raine? A part of her hoped Raine was her kidnapper. At least she knew him.
She gingerly stood and tiptoed to the door to press her ear against it and listen. Nothing. She twisted the knob. Nope. Locked. Bending, she took a good look at it. The thing seemed like a normal lock. Then she looked around at the cleaning supplies. Surely something there could blow the lock or melt it or something. She reached for a bottle of bleach just as the door opened.
Yelping, she jumped back. Then she blinked several times. The man in front of her was taller than Raine, closer to seven feet tall. He was thinner and was wearing some sort of Halloween mask. “Is that mask necessary?”
He motioned her out, and she complied, ready to make a run for it.
“Sit there.” He pointed to a metal folding chair next to the closet.
She did so and looked around an empty airplane hangar. Her stomach sank. “Who are you?” Even without the mask, she’d recognize somebody that tall if she already knew him. So this was her stalker, and she had no clue about his real identity.
“You can call me John with no h.” He smiled, and the sight was ghoulish. The guy even wore fake teeth? He had long black hair with red tips, and his mask was a pasty and unnatural white color with blue veins. His contacts turned his eyes a freaky purple, and his teeth were yellowed and too sharp looking. “You’re Mariana.”
“I am,” she said, eyeing the door to the far right. The hangar door was shut, but she could make it to the human-sized door in a few seconds.
“Don’t make me tie you up. It seems so unnecessary.” Jon’s voice was gritty but not too hoarse.
She took a deep breath and tried not to hyperventilate. Panicking wasn’t going to help her out of this. For some reason, her stalker didn’t want her to see his face. That was good, right? He wouldn’t kill her if she couldn’t identify him. For now, she had to use her knowledge as a psychologist and figure out who he was without angering him. “What did you think when we first met?”
He frowned, and darn if the mask didn’t move perfectly with his face. “Huh?”
Okay. He must really be in a delusional state. “Why are we here, Jon?” That was an innocuous statement.
He frowned and studied her as if she was missing brain cells. “We’re waiting for transport to headquarters. The plane is on its way, but the storm is hampering its travel. We might be here for several hours.”
Headquarters? “I don’t want to go to your spaceship,” she snapped, letting fear take over common sense.
He smiled, flashing those sharp canines again. “Stop playing dumb. You know you’re enhanced. What do you comprehend of the Kurjan people?”
Okay. This guy was beyond delusional. The outside door opened, and two more men weari
ng masks walked inside. Like Jon, they had on plain black pants and shirts. They paused and flanked the doorway, gazes flicking to her. They also wore the black and red wigs and the too pale masks.
Was this some kind of a cult?
“What’s up with the masks?” she asked.
Jon crouched next to her, still taller than she. His contacts had some red mingling with the purple. “You’re enhanced and you’ve created a marking already. Surely you know about us.”
It was like he spoke another language. “I have no idea,” she whispered. The guy smelled like too sweet musk.
He frowned, and the mask wrinkled perfectly. “Interesting. You’ve never heard of us?”
She shook her head. So far, he’d seemed rather approachable.
“Have you heard of species other than humans? Surely you have.” He placed a large and bony hand on her knee.
She barely kept from jumping away from his touch. His hand felt cold through her jeans. Other species? “Like animals?”
“No.” He chuckled. “Like Kurjans, vampires, demons, and so on. Well, I guess shifters are animals, but we don’t intermingle with them much.”
She tried to swallow over her dry throat. Were they going to drain her blood? “You think you’re a vampire?”
“Of course not.” His smile slid away from his blood-red lips. “I’m a Kurjan.”
“Oh.” She could play along a little, but she needed information. Were the white roses part of their ritual? “How long have you been stalking me, Jon?”
“Stalking? I just got the orders to take you this morning. Our techs narrowed down your location, and we followed you from your home today. Thank you for making it so easy.” He patted her knee.
“I didn’t see you following me.” She pushed his hand away.
He nodded. “We’re good at the job.”
She shook her head as the fear rose in her until it was difficult to breathe. “You’re talking in riddles. Did you or did you not send me the white roses?”
“I don’t send roses.” He leaned in to examine her eyes and ignored the fact that she shrank back. “Did I give you too much chloroform? Sometimes I get it wrong.”
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