Any minute now.
They walked out of the collection room.
They were almost at the stable doors where they expected to escape into the night.
The picture changed. It was dark but an exterior security camera showed the stable door opening. Two shadowy figures emerged. One closed the stable door.
They walked a couple of steps away from the building.
A couple more.
The courtyard in front of the stable block flooded with light.
‘Put your hands up!’
The stable door swung open and two black-clad members of the security team emerged behind the thieves as at least eight others ran into the courtyard from all directions. All the guards had guns drawn. The men were completely surrounded before they could react and retrieve any weapons of their own.
‘Hands up! Hands up where we can see them.’
It all happened quickly.
The villains could see there was no escape and apart from spewing a stream of curses at the guards, they stood there, covering their eyes as they were blinded by the spotlights.
Thankfully, it’d been easy to apprehend them.
‘You’re under citizen’s arrest for trespass, theft and attempted murder.’ Jenna recognised Hans voice. ‘The police are on their way.’
Two security guards exerted a little physical force as the thieves made a half-hearted attempt to evade the handcuffs from being slapped onto their wrists, but the guards were far too experienced to be thwarted.
Hans spoke into his phone and, almost instantly, Jenna heard the distant wail of sirens. At the same time, her mobile phone rang and she saw from the caller ID that it was Max.
‘Hey, I’m watching. It’s over!’ Her lips spread into a smile of relief and her shoulders slumped back against the pillows.
‘The police are on their way,’ Max said.
‘I can hear the sirens.’
‘I’m going to wait around here until these bastards are formally arrested, then I’ll be with you.’
‘See you soon.’
‘Love you,’ he told her before he disconnected.
Oh, and she loved him.
After turning off the laptop and putting it on her bedside table, Jenna got up to go to the bathroom.
Yes. Yes.
Even with a rounded tummy, she wanted to skip to the bathroom. So many anxieties were relieved because it was highly unlikely she’d be a target anymore. Now the culprits had been caught red-handed, it wouldn’t be her testimony alone that would send them to prison. There was nothing to be achieved by the crime lords hurting her. It wouldn’t be necessary for her to look over her shoulder and wonder where the next attack was likely to come from.
Jenna was brushing her teeth in her ensuite when she heard the bedroom door open and close. Finishing the task quickly, she went out to meet Max, wanting to hug him the second she saw him.
With a frown, she registered the room was empty.
A split second later she was pulled sideways, a hand clamped over her mouth and a cold, metal object pressed against her temple.
‘Struggle and you die.’
Eyes wide, heart punching irregularly against her ribcage, Jenna froze. Even if she’d wanted to struggle, she doubted her limbs would’ve obeyed her commands.
‘I’m going to take my hand away. You scream. You die.’
Through her fear, Jenna knew the voice was familiar. Frantically, her brain tried to put a face—a name—to the person who spoke.
She was pushed forward.
‘Lie down on the bed.’
Shit. There were ropes at the end of the bed.
Fear beat a frenetic pulse through her temples and at the base of her throat. Jenna looked on the bedside table, wondering whether she could grab the laptop and hurl it at her assailant. She discarded the notion—the cold metal pressing against her temple had to be a gun.
Where the hell was Charlotte? Wasn’t her security guard supposed to have been stationed at the end of the hall?
‘Lie down!’ The order was angrier.
Jenna did as she was told and only then did she dare to look up at her assailant. ‘Carmen!’
Carmen was attacking her?
Shit. Carmen had a gun and was pointing it right at her.
‘You remember me, do you?’
Yes. She remembered. Carmen was two years older than Jenna and had lived at the park for as long as Jenna could remember. ‘Why are you doing this?’
Green eyes glittered maliciously at her. ‘Got nothing to lose now, have I? I’ve been watching the stables through the telescope in the study and I saw the whole bloody thing go down. Those idiots are likely to sing like canaries and drop me right in it.’
Jenna frowned. ‘You’re the one who’s been supplying information to the crime ring? You’re the insider?’
‘The insider who’s always been on the outside,’ came the cryptic reply.
‘Why, Carmen?’ Jenna could hardly believe it. Carmen’s mother had been household staff at the park until she’d married several years ago and moved to Bath with her husband. Carmen had stayed on to help train the horses. ‘Why would you betray me like this?’
‘Betray you?’ The slightly older woman’s face twisted with bitterness. ‘All these years, I was the one who was betrayed.’
‘I never betrayed you. We’ve been friends since we were children.’
‘You’re just a stupid, stuck-up bitch. You’ve always got everything you’ve ever wanted. Now, you’re going to get what you deserve.’ Carmen took a couple of steps closer and indicated towards the ropes with the gun. ‘Tie your feet together.’
What was Carmen planning?
Jenna had no choice, but she moved slowly. If she could keep her talking and buy some time …
Max is coming. He can’t be far away now.
Surely it wouldn’t take very long for the police to bundle the two crooks into the car, for Max to thank his security team and make his way back to the house?
‘Tight!’ Carmen growled. ‘Tie them tighter!’
God. Any tighter and the ropes would draw blood. ‘Tell me how I betrayed you, Carmen.’
Her childhood friend raised her free hand and struck Jenna across the side of her head, causing her to cry out in pain.
‘Shut up!’ Hatred radiated off Carmen like the heat from a blast furnace, blistering Jenna in its intensity. ‘Everything was going fine. I was finally getting some of the wealth that should’ve been mine, and you stuck your nose into the stables that night. God, bitch, you were supposed to die. Tonight you will.’
No. Max will come.
‘Put your arms up above your head.’
With one hand, Carmen looped the rope around Jenna’s wrists. There was a split second when Carmen used both hands to tie the rope. In that window of opportunity, Jenna thought she might be able to knock the gun out of her hand. Trying to punch both hands sideways, Jenna’s attempt was futile and only earned her another whack—this time right across her mouth.
For a few moments, Jenna couldn’t think straight.
The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth from where her lip had been pounded against her teeth. Her lips throbbed and she could feel the tingling where her flesh was probably already starting to swell.
The rope pulled tight against her wrists.
Carmen straddled Jenna—her weight unbearably crushing.
‘My baby.’ The words were blurred through already swollen lips. ‘Please.’
‘Your baby will die too.’
No!
Carmen reached for a pillow and Jenna knew what she was going to do before she declared, ‘When we were children, I used to lie awake at night thinking about you and how much I hated you.’
Hurry up, Max!
‘I thought about different ways to kill you. I decided the easiest way would be to sneak into the house and up to your room in the middle of the night and smother you while you slept.’
‘Carmen, we were friends.�
�
‘We were so much more than friends, Jenna, but nobody ever acknowledged it.’ They were the last words Carmen uttered as she lowered the pillow.
The white of the pillow became like a snowstorm, blocking Jenna’s visibility before it cut off her air supply. Desperately, she turned her head to evade it, but it closed down on her. Initially, she was still able to draw a breath, but the tiny pocket of air depleted and Carmen was relentless as she pushed the pillow down with all her might.
The air was gone.
Jenna couldn’t breathe.
Panic flared through her and fear for her life leant her extra strength to ward off her attacker, but in this position, it wasn’t enough. She was definitely at a disadvantage. It was impossible to twist her head to find a pocket of air, and impossible to lash out with her hands.
She bent her legs and tried to push her pelvis up to buck Carmen off and make her release her hold. All her effort was also to no avail.
It became increasingly difficult to think.
Her lungs burnt.
‘Jenna!’
Max had come to save her.
The weight and pillow lifted off Jenna, allowing her to suck in great gulps of air. There was a mighty crash of furniture, a small skirmish and then Jenna saw Max held Carmen’s gun.
Another deep breath.
I’m going to be alright.
‘Jenna, are you okay?’
She couldn’t form words so nodded in response.
‘Get up!’ Max commanded as he pointed the weapon at Carmen.
‘Go to hell!’
‘You’re bloody lucky I don’t send you there.’ He reached into his pocket and tapped a number on his phone before saying, ‘Jenna’s room. Now.’
Jenna wanted to sit up, but her bonds tied her too firmly.
‘Turn and face the wall and put your hands above your head,’ Max ordered.
‘You’re a real hero, aren’t you, Bennett?’ Carmen scorned him, but followed the command.
Keeping an eye on Carmen, Max moved so he could untie Jenna’s ropes.
Jenna started to shake.
‘You’re okay, darling,’ he told her.
Carmen’s laugh bordered on maniacal. Turning back to face them, she glared at Jenna and let her verbal vitriol spew forth. ‘You were always the little princess who got everything you wanted. All you had to do was look interested in something and it was yours.’
‘I’ve supported you and given you every opportunity you ever asked for, Carmen.’ Jenna couldn’t understand the hatred directed her way. ‘You’ve turned into a great trainer.’
‘I wanted so much more. I deserved more.’
Clearly, Carmen needed help. ‘Max, we need Dr Gerber.’
‘Huh! You think I need a shrink?’ Carmen bit out scathingly. ‘I was the clever one. I decided you wouldn’t have everything you wanted. I followed you two to your little rendezvous in the stables and told your step-father he’d find you there. I’m the one who got you both sent away.’
Max’s features tightened in the face of her gloating. ‘You bitch!’
He grabbed Carmen by the upper arm when she looked like she was going to launch herself at Jenna.
‘You’re the one with the mental problems, Jenna!’ Carmen accused. ‘Maybe you’ve lost your memory caving under the secret your mother was desperate to keep.’
Jenna got up off the bed a little unsteadily. ‘What secret?’
Max wasn’t as calm. ‘What the bloody hell are you talking about?’
‘He was my father too.’ Carmen’s anguished words sounded like the howl of a pained animal and Jenna staggered on her feet as if she’d been hit. ‘Hector Sinclair was my father and all my life I’ve been his dirty, little secret.’
Jenna’s mouth gaped open and she stared at Carmen as though she was seeing her for the first time. ‘You’re my half-sister?’
Carmen’s eyes narrowed. ‘You really didn’t know.’
‘I had no idea.’ It took a lot of effort to remain standing when she wanted to sink back onto the bed.
‘Enough! I don’t care who you are,’ Max cut in. ‘Jenna, she just tried to kill you.’
Carmen swung back to Max. ‘I would’ve been successful this time too if you hadn’t come along. I would’ve killed the love of your life and your bastard baby with my bare hands.’
‘You were the one who tried to run Jenna off the road?’
‘Too bloody right.’ There was no remorse in Carmen’s tone. ‘She found out about our little operation. The men said to let her go, but she’d seen them and I knew she’d talk. Always a superior bitch when Herlstone Park should’ve been mine.’
Jenna couldn’t believe her childhood playmate was her half-sister, let alone that Carmen had tried to run her off the road. Also, Carmen’s logic was seriously screwed because Herlstone Park had never been Hector Sinclair’s property.
‘I was the one kept stuck in the coach house with my mother while you got to live in luxury,’ she spat at Jenna. ‘You used to think you were so kind asking me to play with you and your stupid toys. Oh, all the best toys for you from our father and nothing for me. Your stupid attempt at kindness just rubbed my nose in all I was missing out on. I was second best to you just like my mother was second best to Victoria.’
The sound of heavy footsteps running filtered into the room from the hallway.
‘Boss?’ Hans appeared with two other security men behind him.
‘Carmen, I’m so sorry,’ Jenna said. ‘I had no idea.’ All Jenna could think of was how horrible it must’ve been to grow up as the unacknowledged daughter and to see the difference in their lifestyles—not just the material difference, but the love she’d missed out on.
‘This woman tried to suffocate Jenna and has also admitted to trying to run her off the road. She’s the informer.’
Hans and the other men moved into the room and Max thrust Carmen towards them. ‘Take her away and alert the police. Call a doctor to check Jenna and make sure Charlotte’s okay. I left her out in the hallway nursing a bump to the head that knocked her temporarily unconscious.’
‘Yes, sir. One of the men is seeing to Charlotte now.’
‘Get your hands off me,’ Carmen screamed.
‘Max! She’s my sister!’ Jenna was appalled. Memories of her childhood flashed through her mind. Carmen had practically been her closest friend before Max had arrived with his parents. ‘I can’t let her go to jail.’
Max ignored her plea and nodded at Hans to have him take Carmen away.
‘Max!’ Jenna implored him.
‘Jenna!’ His voice was as firm as the arms that enfolded her into his embrace. ‘Enough. She tried to kill you. She’s a crazy woman.’
‘She’s my sister.’
‘I doubt it very much.’
‘What?’
‘You and Carmen look nothing alike. Besides, from all reports, Hector Sinclair was a very decent man. I don’t believe he’d treat a child the way she’s suggesting he did.’
Jenna didn’t know what to believe. ‘You told me you’d never met him.’
‘I didn’t, but I heard a lot about him. I doubt he’d have betrayed your mother.’ He raised one arm from around her middle so he could smooth his hand down over her hair. ‘All the staff respected him. Besides, this is Herlstone Park. If he’d got one of the household staff pregnant, and kept his lover and illegitimate daughter right under your mother’s nose, I would’ve heard about it.’
‘You can’t know that for certain.’
‘I know your mother wasn’t stupid. I doubt she’d have stayed married to Hector if he’d been unfaithful to her.’
‘But Carmen’s older than I am. He might’ve had an affair—’
‘Hector and Victoria were married for years before they had you.’
‘But what if it’s true?’
‘I’ll make enquiries.’
‘In the meantime, Carmen’s going to jail. I can’t let that happen.’
‘
Jail is where she should be—jail or a psychiatric ward.’ Max made a sound of pure exasperation. ‘For God’s sake, Jenna, she could’ve killed you and our child. Twice!’
The breath whooshed out from her lungs.
‘You’re right.’ Of course he was. Carmen was dangerous and clearly unhinged. It didn’t matter what unfortunate circumstances had driven Carmen to try to commit murder, she was a threat. ‘But I feel badly for her.’
‘Don’t. Take a look in the mirror at your bloodied, swollen lip and at the red welt coming up near your temple. If she’d decided to use the gun, it would’ve all been over before I even reached you.’
‘Still, if she is my sister—’
‘Get her help by all means if you feel inclined to do so, but don’t try to excuse her behaviour.’
She lifted her arms up and let her fingertips slide across the nape of his neck then up to spear through his hair. ‘You can relax now, the baby and I are both safe.’
‘You’re being checked by a doctor.’
Jenna doubted she needed a doctor. ‘You said Charlotte was knocked on the head. Is she okay?’
‘Most likely concussed.’ Max’s hands worked up and down her spine, kneading out her tension. ‘She was coming around as I made my way to you.’
Her body shook. ‘Oh God, when is this going to end?’
‘It’s over. The police are certain at least one of those men will give evidence against their big boss in order to get a lighter sentence. All that remains is for you to testify and that’ll be the end of it.’
She nestled her head against his chest. ‘Come to bed with me, Max.’
‘The doctor’s on his way.’
‘I don’t need a doctor, I need you.’ She wanted to lie naked with him, listening to the reassuring beat of his heart. ‘I want you to hold me close all night long and make me forget all the horrors.’
He placed his index finger under her chin and urged her to tilt her head so he could place a kiss on the tip of her nose. ‘Your lips look way too sore to kiss.’
‘You’re right.’
‘We need some ice.’
A masculine throat clearing from the doorway arrested Max’s movement.
‘Excuse me, sir. The doctor is on his way to see you, Miss Sinclair, but will be about half an hour. The ambulance officers have offered to check you, if you’d like them to.’
Seduced by the Stranger (Billionaires & Babies, #2) Page 22
