Asking her about her feelings for him or even hinting at any kind of commitment seemed like it would be a bit much for her to handle just now. On top of that, he wasn’t sure he was good enough for her. He might be respected in his field and, false modesty aside, talented with a camera, but deep inside he knew he wasn’t the kind of man she deserved.
He’d spent his life as a nomad, roaming the world. He’d never, not once, felt the urge to settle down. And while he kept his family’s old cabin as a home base, he’d never stayed here for longer than a month at a time. Most times not even that. This time, he’d deliberately planned for a ninety day stay, figuring he might get itchy feet before that.
Yet the notion of retiring had been something he’d been considering for a good while, even before he’d met her. Seeing nothing but death and brutality did something to a man, twisting up his insides and making him wake in the night with cold sweats.
He’d had enough.
And though he’d spent a lot of time trying to figure out what he wanted to do next, now he knew. The future stretched out bright and shiny before him. As long as Abby was in it, that is.
They had a quick lunch, vegetable soup and crackers, and then he started cleaning up the kitchen. After refusing her offer to help, he set Abby to work cleaning the bathroom. Might as well get the place all tidy.
A few hours later, long enough for their intruder to have been fingerprinted and booked, Sheriff Jeffords called with a name. “Stephen Colter. Though he has several aliases. This guy has a rap sheet ten pages long. A lot of assault with a deadly weapon, a few breaking and entering, theft, along with several drug possession charges. Not a nice guy.”
“But no murder charges,” Jason pointed out. “I can’t help but be grateful for that.”
“True,” the sheriff allowed. “Of course, that could also mean he just hasn’t been caught yet.”
He had a point.
“If you somehow manage to find out who hired him, let me know.”
“Will do.” They chatted for another couple of minutes about inconsequential things like the upcoming holidays and how the sheriff’s department had finally gotten the decorations up on Main Street before the sheriff ended the call.
When Jason relayed this information to Abby, she shook her head. “I was hoping they’d find out who hired him.”
“Not yet. Maybe they will,” he replied, though he doubted it. “But for now, we need to be extra vigilant. His bosses might decide to send someone else.”
Expression troubled, she nodded. “Do you think we ought to load up your Jeep and head somewhere else? I’m not feeling too safe here in the cabin.”
She had a point. “Not yet,” he said. “Right now, with the hit man in custody, they won’t have time to get someone else out here right away. I hate to be forced out of my own home without a fight.”
Despite his brave words to Abby, as the day went on, Jason couldn’t shake the feeling that something else was about to happen. He’d long ago learned not to ignore these gut instincts so, as bedtime approached, he found himself restless and unwilling to allow himself to relax.
Rick called again finally. He sounded much more upbeat than he had the last time. “How’s everything going?” he asked.
Jason told him about the hit man and everything else.
“Damn.” Rick cursed. “Both of us would be dead if we’d hung around Kabul. Right now, I’m working on gathering up enough evidence to save my own ass,” he joked. “When they realized finding me wasn’t going to be as easy as they thought, they concocted a hellacious story about me and my motives. They’re trying to make me out to be some kind of traitor to my own country.”
“That’s ridiculous. No one who knows you would believe that,” Jason protested.
“I know. But that way, they’re covering all the bases. If they locate me, they can shoot me dead on sight with no questions asked. Easy cleanup.”
Suddenly, the unspoken truth hit Jason like a punch in the gut. “You saw too, didn’t you? Abby wasn’t the only one.” He took a deep breath. “Rick, do you have video?” The urgency in his voice caught Abby’s attention. Though she’d been puttering around in the kitchen, she immediately dropped whatever she’d been doing and joined him.
The silence on the other end of the line stretched out so long that Jason wondered if he’d lost the connection. “Rick?”
“Yeah. I’m still here. And you’re correct. I didn’t want to involve you, because the less you know, the better off you are, especially if you have to testify under oath.” Rick’s grim tone left no doubt he’d thought all this through.
“You have a point.”
“Yeah. But I have a reason for my call. I’m putting together a press release, to be emailed simultaneously to various news outlets worldwide. I’ve got the text typed up, and the video.”
“But why?” Jason asked. “That’s what I don’t understand.”
“Russell Stovall is the vice president’s son. Once word of this gets out, and everyone knows the VP tried to cover it up, any chance he might have had at winning the presidency is gone.”
The magnitude of what his friend had just revealed stunned Jason. “That never occurred to me. But then, I tend to avoid politics.”
“Yeah, good for you.” Rick sounded stressed. “Anyway, I’m wondering if you could shoot me a few of the more graphic photos you must have.”
Stunned, Jason gripped the phone. “That’s just it, Rick. I have tons of shots I took during the bombing, even one of Abby being brought out on a stretcher. But I wasn’t there when whatever went down with Russell Stovall. Abby was, and she didn’t take any photos.”
A thought occurred to him. “You’ve never explained how you were involved in this. You were supposed to meet up with me at the hotel, yet I never saw you. I figured once the bomb went off, you stayed away. But you didn’t. You were there, weren’t you?”
Silence again. When Rick next spoke, his voice had gone rough. “Yes, I was there. I was assigned as a bodyguard for the vice president. He asked me to watch his son. When he sneaked out, I followed him. I heard the first woman scream, so I rushed in. Abby came in after. The pimp, or whatever he was, pulled out his phone and recorded everything. I paid him $500 for that phone.”
Rick took a deep breath. “It was pretty bad, bro. If Russell had been one of the soldiers or, hell, even a civilian, he would have been arrested. But since his father has both power and money...” His voice trailed off. “When I tried to jump him after he first punched Abby, two of his own men held me back. I fought like the devil, but Russell nearly killed her, Jason. I couldn’t leave her there like that. I tried to get her taken to the emergency field triage that was set up after the bombing, but I knew Russell would come back and finish the job.”
“So you arranged to get her to US soil. How? I know how much red tape is involved in something like that.”
“I have my contacts,” Rick replied. “You know how it is.”
Jason had to admit that he did. When you’d been around as long as he and Rick had, there was always a back door somewhere.
“As for the rest,” Rick continued, “ask Abby. It sounds like her memory has come back. Apparently, Russell Stovall believes she died there in Kabul. He has no idea she’s still alive.”
“Seriously?” Jason swore. “I hope he doesn’t find out.”
“Don’t worry. By the time he does, I’ll have started the wheels in motion to take him down. Oh, speaking of which. If you have a shot of her after he beat the living hell out of her, email it to me.” He rattled off an email address, one he’d clearly set up as an extra.
Jason jotted it down, promised to send what he had and Rick said he had to go. He said he’d be in touch, especially once his media bomb went public. Jason sure hoped the satellite was working that day. He could only imagine the media frenzy.
“
That was Rick,” he told Abby, placing the phone in the cradle. “He finally got around to telling me how he got involved with the whole Russell thing.”
She nodded. “I think I remember. Wasn’t he one of the guys assigned to Russell’s security detail?”
“Bingo. What else do you remember about Rick?” Jason asked. “You’re sort of right about his duty assignment. Though he said he was assigned as a bodyguard to the vice president, but ended up watching over Russell instead.”
“That’s right. Russell wasn’t too happy about having people following him around. At the time, I couldn’t understand why. We were all warned about the dangers. It wasn’t like we could go wandering around on our own.”
“Though Russell did,” he pointed out. “And you followed him. Lucky for you, Rick was right behind him.”
“True. But honestly, I don’t remember anything that happened after Russell started beating me. Even thinking about it makes me feel sick to my stomach.”
Though she made a face, probably to downplay her words, her unease showed in her jerky movements and the way she kept shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
What could he do but go to her and pull her into his arms? As he gathered her close, inhaling the light feminine scent of her, he thought Russell Stovall was damn lucky he wasn’t anywhere near right now. The thought of what that excuse for a human being had done to Abby turned Jason’s vision red with fury.
And the fact that Vice President Stovall wanted to cover it up made Jason even angrier. Like Rick, he knew he’d do whatever it took to bring the VP down.
They stood without moving, clinging to each other, lost in their own thoughts. Jason thought of all the injustice he’d seen in his time as a photojournalist, most of which he’d managed to photographically chronicle. While all of it had hit him hard, none of it had been as personal as this.
“Make love to me,” she murmured, her mouth against his throat. “Please. I need to lose myself in your body.”
Instantly aroused, he let her take the lead. She kissed him as if she wanted to eat him up, climbed up on his lap and shed her own clothes before practically ripping his off. Once they were both naked, she rode him hard and with a single-minded purpose. He tried to slow her down, to make it last longer, but she took him rapidly over the edge and joined him there.
Later, after cleaning each other up, they’d put their clothes back on and headed into the living room. He made a quick detour to his laptop and sent a quick email with the photo attached. Rick had given him. Instantly, he received a response thanking him. Rick also told him to watch the evening news and to expect a call from the FBI.
Anticipation high, Jason joined Abby on the couch and turned on the television. The evening news would be starting in just a few minutes. As Abby snuggled into his side, pulling a blanket over them for warmth, he filled her in on what Rick’s email had said.
“Do you think he’s already gone public with the info?” she asked, her voice breathless.
“It sure sounds like it.”
“Talk about breaking news.”
Sure enough, as soon as the music began to play announcing the news was about to start, a red and white banner appeared on the screen. Breaking News. The anchor, expression properly serious, began to talk. “A video has been released that appears to show the vice president’s son abusing and torturing women. Warning, the video is extremely graphic and violent.”
Abby gripped Jason’s hand as it began to play. The women’s faces had been blurred out, as had some of their naked body parts. Russell wielded a thick deadly-looking whip and used it with apparent delight on three women who were not only naked and kneeling, but possibly underage.
One of them screamed. There was a blur as a large man—Rick—rushed into the room. Then Abby, bewilderment turning to shock as she took in the scene before her. When Russell turned the whip on her, the video cut off.
“They didn’t show all of it,” Abby protested, her voice shaky. She had a death grip on his hand and he could feel her trembling. “I wanted to see what happened after he started punching me.”
His gut twisted, though for her sake, he forced himself to appear calm. “I’m sure the FBI has seen the rest of it.” He held close until her shaking slowed. “I’m sorry. I know this must be traumatic for you.”
Attention once again riveted on the television, she didn’t immediately respond.
The vice president appeared on camera. He denied everything, despite the fact that the video evidence clearly showed his son. “There must be some rational explanation,” he declared.
“He’s looking at the end of any hope he had for becoming president,” Jason mused.
“I just want Russell to face charges,” she said, her jaw set. “He can’t be allowed to get away with what he’d done.”
For the first time, Jason realized she might yet have to continue to be involved. “Are you willing to press charges?”
Her chin came up. “Yes. I am.”
“Even if you have to go to court and be cross-examined by his attorneys, who will try to make you out to be a liar?”
Eyes flashing, she lifted her shirt. “I have scars to prove what happened. We have the video and your photos. I will do whatever it takes to make sure Russell Stovall pays.”
Chapter 15
Now that she had herself back again, there were two things of which Abby Tomblin was certain. One, she’d do whatever it took to take Russell Stovall down, no matter how difficult. And two, she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Jason Sheffield. Hopefully, he felt the same way.
First things first. Clearly, now that the video had been leaked, Jason should be safe. As long as no one realized she hadn’t actually died in Kabul. She’d been there, as had Rick Engles, and with both of their personal testimony there was no way Russell would get away with this. Since he’d demonstrated clear proclivities toward abusing and torturing women, she wondered if it would occur to the police to check a list of unsolved rapes in the DC area. If they didn’t investigate, she planned to make sure they did.
One thing she’d learned working at the top luxury car dealership in the metro area was how to present herself to the public. She’d do well in court, and even on television if it came to that. Plus, she had truth on her side.
“I’m really in the mood to get outside now,” Abby declared. “How about you?”
Jason looked up, his expression slightly distracted. He’d once again grabbed his laptop and appeared to be frantically going through files. “Maybe in a minute,” he said.
“What are you doing?” Curious, she went closer.
“Looking to see if I can locate Rick in any of the photos I took. I mean, clearly he must have been wearing a disguise. But any physical proof of his presence can only help prove our case.”
“That makes sense.” Leaning over his shoulder, she watched as he perused photograph after photograph. “Did you double-check the one of me on the stretcher? I have a feeling he never left my side.”
He nodded. “That’s the first one I checked. There is one guy whose back is to the camera. That might have been him, but I can’t prove it.”
“Let me see.”
Instantly, he located the file and clicked to open it. Once he had it up, he enlarged it until the image filled the computer screen. “Here you go.”
Taking a moment, she studied the photo. The first time she’d seen it, she’d been in too much shock to really take it in. The woman on the stretcher—her—looked awful. Huge purpling bruises on her grotesquely swollen face. And blood. So much blood. She could definitely understand why anyone viewing this would believe she’d been gravely injured in the explosion.
Instead, a man she’d once trusted had done this.
For the first time, she allowed anger to well up inside her. Anger? Hell, more like fury.
Something must have s
hown in her face. Jason leaned in and kissed her softly on the cheek. “He’ll pay,” he said.
“I know.” She’d never been more certain of anything. “I plan to make sure of that.”
The old-fashioned phone rang, startling her.
“I don’t recognize this number,” Jason said. With a grimace, he went ahead and answered. A moment later, he held the phone out to Abby. “It’s for you.”
Surprised and more than a little leery, she crossed the room and took it. “Hello?”
After verifying she was actually Abigail Tomblin, the caller identified himself as Derek Leahy with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He launched right into the fact that the FBI had received evidence from Rick Engles and that they were in ongoing conversation with him. Rick had mentioned a woman witness by the name of Abigail Tomblin and indicated she wanted to press charges. When Derek asked if that information was correct, Abby didn’t hesitate. “Yes,” she answered. “I do wish to press charges.”
“Where are you?” the FBI agent asked. “We’ll need to send someone to take your statement.”
“No.” Again, Abby didn’t have to think twice. “You don’t need to know that. Right now, forgive me if I don’t trust anyone. Russell is the vice president’s son.”
“Understood,” Agent Leahy replied. “Rick mentioned you’d been subpoenaed by NCIS. Is that correct?”
“I wasn’t,” she clarified. “Jason Sheffield was. How does this work? Are the FBI and NCIS working together? I thought they were looking for Rick, since they consider him AWOL.”
Instead of answering, he asked another question. “I left word at NCIS for an agent named Paul Groesel. Tell your friend Jason to hold off from taking you to NCIS or anyone else until we get this all straightened out. Believe me when I say we take this very seriously.”
Snowbound Targets (HQR Romantic Suspense) Page 21
