Harlequin Intrigue March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2

by Nichole Severn

  Then watching her reaction when she’d opened the present he’d left for her had been priceless. Her fear, her utter horror, had fed his very soul.

  But he was tiring of the games. He’d already taken care of one loose end. It had been pathetically easy for him to lure Ted Johnson out here with the promise of more money. Ted had arrived and Peter had invited him into the kitchen. Thankfully, Sheila had been in one of her dope-enhanced nod outs and had no clue that they’d had a visitor.

  He and Ted had shared a few drinks, and then when good old Ted was feeling nice and mellow, Peter had stabbed him. He’d slid the big, sharp knife in just under Ted’s armpit and then had ripped it downward.

  “Wha...” The single syllable had fallen from Ted’s lips, and his eyes had widened. Before the man could say anything more, Peter carried him out to the porch and threw him into the pigpen.

  It was true. Pigs could dispose of a human body in a very short time. He’d stood on his porch and listened to the pigs’ frenzy. They squealed and fought each other to get a piece of the meat, and the sound of bones crunching filled the air.

  When it was all over, there was nothing much left of Ted. Peter had then driven Ted’s truck to an old shed on the property and parked it inside. And that was the end of Ted.

  He was ready for his ultimate revenge. He was ready to make Colette learn the price for leaving him and shattering his world.

  By listening in on her, he’d heard her make plans to go out with some girlfriends tomorrow night. Melinda was spending the night with a friend, and Deputy Do-Right was working. It would be a perfect night for a reunion.

  And the pigs were still hungry.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Although Ainsley would much rather be spending her Friday evening with Hunter, he had to work, and so when Lana had approached her about several of the waitresses going out for drinks and to chill out, Ainsley had agreed to go with them.

  Melinda had already made plans to spend the night with Bonnie, and in truth a little downtime with friends sounded good. It fact, it sounded wonderful. She hoped for just a little while she’d be able to get out of her own head and leave all the drama that had become her life at home.

  Thursday night pizza had been a huge success. She believed real strides had been made between Hunter and Melinda. At the end of the night there had been no new “present” waiting for her, making the evening a real success in her book.

  She now stood in her bathroom, putting on her makeup for the evening out. She had noticed there were two bars in the small town. The one on the edge of town, the Wrecking Ball, was supposed to be a nasty dive.

  The other one, just off Main Street, was called Barney’s Place and was supposed to be a nice place to get a drink, relax or do a little moving on the dance floor. Ainsley certainly didn’t intend to do any dancing unless it was with Hunter, and since he wasn’t going to be there, she’d be cooling her heels in a booth and visiting with Lana and the two other waitresses who were going.

  She didn’t intend to make it a late night. She had to open the café as usual the next morning, and she knew Lana wouldn’t want a late night, either. They were all supposed to meet at eight, and she figured she’d probably be home by around ten.

  At seven forty-five she walked out of her apartment and headed to her car. Already the shadows of night were beginning to fall. As she got inside her vehicle, she looked at the dumpster, but thankfully she didn’t see anyone lurking around.

  It was sad to think that Ben Wilkins lived on food out of the dumpster. Apparently he had nobody in his life who cared for him. He needed help, but there was nothing Ainsley could do about it.

  Barney’s Place was a fairly large bar with plenty of parking in front. Already the parking lot was filled with pickup trucks and cars, indicating that the bar was a popular place on a Friday night.

  She scanned the area for Lana’s car. The two had agreed to meet in the parking lot and enter the bar together. She finally spied her friend’s car and pulled into the parking space next to it.

  Lana got out of her car, looking like a woman on a mission to find her next husband—her purple pants hugged her legs, and her purple-and-white blouse displayed her full breasts.

  “Wow,” Ainsley said when she got out of her car. “You look hot.”

  Lana laughed. “I might be old, but I’m not dead.”

  “Have you seen Betsey and Abby yet?” Ainsley asked. The two women worked the same shifts as Ainsley and Lana.

  “They came together about ten minutes ago. I told them to go on in and get us a booth or a table,” Lana replied. “Let’s head inside and find them.”

  Ainsley had never been in the bar before, and as they walked into the dim interior her nose was assailed by the odors of bar food, beer and various colognes and perfumes battling for dominance.

  There was a long counter where people either sat on the stools or leaned in to order drinks. Booths were against both walls, and tables and chairs surrounded a decent-size dance floor. A live band was on a small stage just off the dance floor, playing a rousing country music song.

  They found their friends in one of the booths, both with drinks already in front of them. “Hey, ladies,” Betsey said in greeting.

  Ainsley slid in next to Betsey, and Lana sat across from her and next to Abby. Almost as soon as they were seated, a waitress appeared to take Lana and Ainsley’s orders.

  Lana ordered a beer and Ainsley ordered a margarita, and within minutes the drinks were before them as the four chattered about work-related events from over the past week.

  “I still can’t believe Ted is missing,” Betsey said. She twirled a strand of her long blond hair as her blue eyes widened. “I mean, it’s like a real mystery.”

  “Yeah, he just seemed to vanish into thin air,” Abby said. Abby was a favorite among the café diners. She was a short, cute redhead who always wore a smile. “Has Hunter told you anything about it?”

  “No, we don’t generally talk about his work,” Ainsley replied.

  “You’ve got your own mysteries going on,” Lana said to Ainsley.

  “I don’t even want to think about all that tonight,” Ainsley replied. “Tonight I’m on a mental vacation and all I want to do is relax and not think too much.”

  “Then we won’t bring any of that up tonight,” Lana assured her. “Tonight is for fun. We’ll all worry about real-life stuff tomorrow.”

  Ainsley raised her glass. “I’ll drink to that.”

  “Hell, I’ll drink to anything,” Lana said, making the others laugh.

  For the next couple of hours, the women laughed and joked with each other. Lana saw several male friends in the crowd and occasionally got up to grab one and hit the dance floor.

  Betsey also got up to dance while Abby and Ainsley remained seated. Abby had a serious boyfriend and, like Ainsley, had no intention of dancing with another man.

  None of the women ordered a second drink. They were all responsible women who knew the dangers of driving while under the influence, and all four of them were working early the next morning.

  However, that didn’t stop them from having fun. Abby did impressions of some of their customers, and the other three practically rolled on the floor with laughter. After all the tension of the past couple of weeks, Ainsley was grateful for the lighthearted fun.

  “Hey, Ainsley.” Jimmy Miller appeared by the side of their booth. “I’ve never seen you in here before.”

  “That’s because I’ve never been in here before,” Ainsley replied.

  He gestured toward the dance floor. “Why don’t you come out with me and let me show you my smooth moves?”

  “Sorry, Jimmy. I’m not here to dance. I’m just enjoying some time with my friends,” she replied.

  “I could be your friend,” he returned.

  “Buzz off, Jimmy. She’s your friend, bu
t her heart belongs to Hunter,” Lana said. “And she only dances with her man. But I’ll dance with you.”

  Jimmy backed up, a wide grin on his face. “Oh no, Lana, you know you scare the hell out of me.” As he hurried away from the booth, they all laughed.

  “I think that’s my signal to call it a night,” Ainsley said. It was already a few minutes after ten.

  “Yeah, me too,” Lana said. “As much as I hate to admit it, I can’t stay up until all hours of the night and then work the early-morning shift the next day.”

  “At least we get a day off on Sunday,” Ainsley said.

  “I think Betsey and I are going to hang out here for just a little bit longer,” Abby said.

  “Then we’ll see you two in the morning,” Ainsley said.

  They said their goodbyes, and then Ainsley and Lana left the bar together. They stepped out into the darkness and headed toward their cars.

  “This was fun, and I needed to have a little fun and relaxation,” Ainsley said.

  “It was fun,” Lana agreed. “It’s nice that all of us get along so well.”

  “Abby and Betsey are so nice it would be hard not to get along with them,” Ainsley replied.

  “Isn’t that the truth?” They reached the two cars. “Well, girlfriend, I guess I’ll see you bright and early in the morning.”

  “Good night, Lana.” Ainsley got into her car, grateful to turn on the heater as the night air was bordering on cold. She waited a couple of minutes for the car to warm up and then headed back to the apartment.

  She was grateful that at least for the night she’d managed to put her worries away and really relax in a way she hadn’t since she’d received the anonymous roses.

  She stifled a yawn as she parked the car. Before she got out, she grabbed her cell phone. She’d promised she’d call Hunter when she got home.

  “Hey,” he said in greeting. “Did you have a good time?”

  “I did. It was fun, but also very laid-back and relaxing,” she replied. “And now I’m ready for a good night of sleep.”

  “I’m glad you had a good time. Are we still planning on the cookout at my place on Sunday?”

  “We’re up for it if you are.” She looked toward the dumpster, grateful that once again she saw nothing and nobody to concern her.

  “I can’t wait to introduce Zeus to Melinda,” he said.

  She laughed. “I have a feeling it’s going to be a match made in heaven.”

  “We’ll see. In any case I’ll come into the café tomorrow, so I’ll see you then.”

  “Okay, good night, Hunter.” Her smile still lingered on her lips as she finally left her car and went to the apartment door. She’d just put her key in the lock when, in her peripheral vision, she caught movement rushing toward her. She didn’t even have a chance before she was slammed with her back against the door. Her breath whooshed out of her, momentarily rendering her helpless.

  It was a man. He was clad all in black and wore a black ski mask. That’s the only thing her brain could comprehend before his fist slammed her in the stomach.

  Sharp pain weakened her knees, and nausea rose up inside her. Before she could recover, he tried to pick her up. Someplace in the back of her mind it registered that if he managed to pick her up and spirit her away, she’d never be seen again.

  Sheer terror shuddered through her. She kicked and flailed her arms in an effort to keep him back. He punched out and connected with her jaw. Her head snapped back as a new pain roared through her and stars momentarily filled her head.

  Tears blurred her vision as he continued to pummel her. She tried to kick him again. He grabbed her leg and pulled. She tumbled to the ground. She finally gained enough air to scream.

  “Help,” she cried. She screamed again. He kicked her in the ribs, and intense pain once again stole her breath away.

  Who was it? Dear God, did he intend to beat her to death?

  “What do you want?” she yelled with what breath she had left. “Help! Somebody please help me.”

  “Hey, leave her alone,” a voice called out from the distance. “Hey, you...stop what you’re doing. We need help over here.”

  “Help me,” Ainsley screamed. The attacker kicked her in the ribs over and over again, making it impossible for her to scream or fight back. She curled up in a fetal ball in an effort to protect herself.

  “Stop hurting her,” the man cried out of the darkness. “I’m calling the police.”

  She managed to scream again, the other man continued to yell about getting the police and suddenly the attack stopped. She remained on the ground, sobbing and in so much pain she could hardly think.

  “He’s gone and I didn’t really call the police because I don’t have a phone.” The words were slurred, and as he came closer to her she could smell the booze. “What can I do to help you?”

  Ben Wilkins. Hysterical laughter rose up inside her. The town drunk...the man she had thrown out of the café...was her savior. The laughter quickly changed into deep sobs, and the sobs shot such excruciating pain through her ribs that darkness encroached and she knew no more.

  * * *

  “BOYS, I KNOW THERE’S marijuana in this car, because I can smell it.” Hunter had just pulled over a car with four boys in it. They had blown through a red light on Main Street.

  “I swear there’s nothing in the car,” the driver, Lenny Nicholas, said. “Maybe it’s my cologne you smell.”

  Hunter laughed. “Right, and maybe you think I was born yesterday.” He recognized all four of them—they weren’t bad kids. “I know weed when I smell it. Now, do you want to hand it over to me? Or do you want me to call all your parents out here and then I’ll conduct an official search of the car?”

  They all protested until finally one of the boys in the back seat handed out a roach. “That’s all we have left, Deputy Churchill. I swear. We just had one cigarette and we all took a puff off it and then we put it out,” he said.

  “Honestly, Deputy Churchill. That’s the truth. The guys just wanted to try it,” Lenny said. “I didn’t have any. And that’s all we have.”

  “You know I could arrest all of you. Weed is still illegal in this state, but I’m going to let you off with a warning tonight. Possessing weed is against the law, and smoking it doesn’t make you cool. From now on I’m going to have my eyes on all of you.”

  “We didn’t even like it,” Lenny said. “That’s why we didn’t smoke the whole thing. It tastes nasty.”

  “I’m just warning you all. Next time I catch you with weed, it’s going to be a whole different story. Now get out of here and don’t run any more red lights.”

  As Hunter got back into his patrol car, Lenny eased away from the curb. Hunter placed the roach in a bag to be taken into the station and destroyed. He’d just pulled away when his phone rang.

  He frowned as he saw Ainsley’s number come up on the caller identification. What was she doing calling again? She should have been in bed and sound asleep by now.

  He answered. “Ainsley?”

  A male voice replied, his words a jumble Hunter couldn’t understand. “Who is this?” he asked, a ring of alarm sounding in his head. Why would any male be on her phone?

  “It’s Ben. You know...Ben.”

  “Ben?” Hunter sat up straighter in his seat. What in the hell was going on? “Ben, where is Ainsley?”

  The man began to sob, obviously drunk. “I can’t wake her up.”

  “What do you mean, you can’t wake her up?”

  “She was...you know...attacked. A big man all in black hit her and kicked her. I wanted to call the police, but I don’t have a phone. I got into her purse to use her phone, but I didn’t take nothing. I swear all I took out of her purse was her phone.”

  “Ben...where is she?” A sick horror filled Hunter. “Where are you, Ben?” he asked aga
in urgently.

  “I was dumpster diving. I know you told me not to, but I came back and I found a couple pieces of good meat, some fries and a whole loaf of bread.”

  “Dammit, Ben, are you at the café?”

  “I thought I told you that,” he replied.

  Hunter hung up and turned his car around. He flipped on his siren and lights and drove as fast as possible. Blood rushed through his veins as an urgency he’d never felt before filled him.

  Ben couldn’t wake her...

  She’d been attacked...

  Ben couldn’t wake her...couldn’t wake her.

  The words buzzed through his head over and over again. How badly was she hurt? Was she unconscious or was she... Oh God, his brain couldn’t take him there.

  He got on his radio and requested an ambulance to meet him behind the café. He also radioed for more officers to meet him there.

  She had to be all right. She just had to be. He continued to speed through the night to get to her, hoping and praying that she would be okay.

  He pulled into the back of the café and turned his spotlight on. He immediately spied Ben half sprawled next to a prone, unmoving Ainsley in front of the apartment door.

  He jumped out of his car and rushed to them. Ben looked up at him, drunken tears falling down his face. “She won’t wake up. I should have done something sooner,” he lamented. “I tried to help, but I’m nothing but a stupid drunk and the man scared the hell out of me.”

  Hunter crouched down, his heart thudding hard against his chest. He picked up one of her cold, lifeless hands and felt for a pulse.

  His heart jumped into his throat as he waited to feel any stir of life. Was her heart no longer beating? There...he felt it. It was slow and faint, but it was there.

  “I’m sorry,” Ben half slobbered. “I should have done something more. I shouldn’t have been so scared.”

  “Ben, move away. You did a great job and I appreciate you waiting here with her, but now I hear the ambulance coming,” Hunter said. The ambulance couldn’t get here fast enough for him. She needed immediate help.