Rock Me, Stalk Me

by Jamie DeBree

  "So many questions." Ellison shook his head. "You'll find out soon enough, and Mr. Winston will be on the plane with you. Now if you'll excuse me..."

  Holly watched him go, biting her lower lip as she thought about what it could mean if she got on that plane. She had to get away, and the airport would be her best chance.

  * * *

  Two hours later, Holly sat in the back of a long black limo, fighting pain, fatigue and panic. Even with the assistance of the shy girl Ellison had sent to help her, getting dressed and to the car with her leg in such bad shape had taken more of a toll than it should have, and it was starkly evident that getting away under her own steam would be next to impossible.

  Across from her, Ellison poured two fingers of an amber liquid from a carafe into an old fashioned glass and held it out to her.

  "Drink this," he said, not asking. "It will help calm your nerves, and ease the pain."

  She considered it for a moment, then shook her head. "No thanks." He could easily have slipped something into the bottle before she got in the car, and it didn't seem impossible that he might try to drug her before she got on the plane. If he was trying to make her paranoid, mission accomplished.

  He shrugged, then tossed the liquid down his own throat. "Suit yourself." Placing the glass back into the cubby he'd taken it from, he took some papers out of a folder on the seat beside him, and handed them to her. "This is a copy of the behavioral guidelines we give to all of Mr. Winston's companions. It includes a list of what you can and cannot do in public, as well as issues to avoid discussion or commenting on. You'll be expected to follow it to the letter, so please familiarize yourself with it on the flight. Mr. Winston is already on the plane, and you'll be able to see him shortly before we touch down at our destination, not before. If you do not cooperate fully, there will be consequences, though you're already aware of that."

  Holly took the papers, glancing over them before setting them aside. "I'm well aware of that, Mr. Ellison," she said, adrenaline starting to flow as she took in the green directional signs that indicated they were entering the airport complex. "You won't have to worry about me."

  Because I'm not getting on that plane..

  He nodded, respect mingled with suspicion in his eyes before he turned his head to look out the window. He knew she'd try to get away, of course. He wasn't stupid. But Holly was banking on the fact that he thought she was too weak to be successful. And that was her greatest strength at the moment.

  The limo pulled up in front of the doors, and Ellison helped her out and handed her a pair of crutches to use while the driver turned a few bags from the trunk over to a valet. She had to work hard to keep up as Ellison led the way to security, and then helped her off with her shoes. She held on to the side of the conveyor belt, watching the baskets of personal items slide by as she waited for her turn to go through the metal detector. Spying a flat pocket knife in one that would undoubtedly be confiscated, she made sure Ellison wasn't watching and palmed the knife, slipping it into the back pocket of her jeans. Then she moved toward the archway, hoping it would be enough.

  * * *

  Eddie pulled up outside Sean Winston's gated estate and turned off the engine, leaving the radio playing softly in the background. He didn't think Holly would be well enough yet to move, so the odds were against her being here. But following Sean was better than doing nothing, and with a lot of luck he'd be visiting Holly soon.

  The thought left a sour taste in Eddie's mouth.

  Settling back in the seat for a long wait, he was surprised when Sean came down the front stairs flanked by a couple of bodyguards carrying luggage. They got into a waiting limo, and adrenaline shot through Eddie's system as he started the car. Maybe they wouldn't make him wait after all. He pulled into traffic behind the long black car and considered the damage Sean's bomb had done to his studio - and his couch - as if kidnapping Holly wasn't enough. It would be his pleasure to take the man apart, if given the chance.

  Twenty minutes later, Eddie frowned as they approached the airport. Where would Sean be going? Had they taken Holly out of the city with her shot-up leg? He handed his keys off to the valet and ran to keep Sean and his men in sight as they walked briskly down the wide mall. Checking in at a small private gate, they left the terminal for the tarmac, with no sign of Holly at all.

  Just about ready to follow them out, Eddie heard a loud two-tone alarm from the security checkpoint. Glancing back out of idle curiosity, he did a double-take when he saw someone who looked just like Holly undergoing a wand search as she stood off to the side. Scanning the surrounding area, he saw Leland Ellison waiting a few feet away, looking anything but happy.

  That explained a lot, Eddie thought as he tried to figure out what to do. Ellison was known for his ruthless determination to do whatever it took to get what he or his clients wanted, and he was often at the heart of some lawsuit. Somehow he always managed to evade the law, though no one really knew how. Enough people had been party to his less savory methods of doing business that it was mind-boggling how he managed to keep them all quiet.

  This time, he was going down.

  Holly swayed on her feet, or rather the one that appeared to be taking most of the weight, and Eddie wondered how he was going to get her out of there when she couldn't even walk on her own. As he watched, a man in a janitor's uniform approached her with a wheelchair, but she seemed to be arguing with him about using it. The security guard appeared to join the argument, and just then Holly looked over the guard's shoulder and met Eddie's gaze. Her eyes widened in recognition for a minute, and maybe even relief, though he couldn't be sure. She winked, and then turned her focus back to the security guard.

  Raising both hands, she shoved him away as hard as she could, earning a collective gasp from the crowd behind her.

  Chapter 8

  Holly's heart pounded in her chest as she shoved the security guard, praying she wouldn't get tased. Seeing Eddie had just made her more determined to make this ruse work, and when the guard reached for her, she allowed herself to fall backwards into the wheelchair, wincing at the bone-jarring shock that set her whole leg on fire. That slowed him down a little, as expected, but it didn't stop him from grabbing one of her wrists and hand-cuffing it to the arm of the chair.

  "Take her to a holding cell," the guard growled, glowering down at her from his not-so-impressive height. Suppressing a grin, she tried to look appropriately apologetic as she shrugged at Ellison before another guard wheeled her away. It was going to be a long couple of hours, but at least she was out of Ellison's control for the moment. If she could just figure out how to get back to Eddie, she sensed that he'd help her escape. The guards didn't seem too friendly, and might not think much of her for her stunt, but maybe if she told them what was happening, they'd help her.

  Or at least hold her until Ellison had flown off with Sean.

  Her chair was pushed into a small room with no windows, a table and a chair. Her captor didn't say anything, just pushed her up to one side of the table and left. Several minutes later, the door opened again and Holly looked up, expecting the guard.

  Instead, a female officer entered, followed by Ellison.

  "Oh there you are, darling," he crooned, coming over to place a light kiss on her cheek. "I've explained your little issue to these nice people, but they're still going to have to search you before they can release you. Naturally I insisted on being present." His expression was serious, but his eyes told her he would enjoy her humiliation.

  "Take your shirt off, please."

  The guard's tone was dry and she looked bored as she unlocked the cuff around Holly’s wrist and then leaned a hip against the table. Holly had to try one last time.

  "Can you ask him to wait outside, please? I'd be more comfortable if it was just the two of us."

  Ellison laughed, and then approached her, reaching for the hem of her shirt. "Oh come on, honey. Don't be shy. It's nothing I haven't seen before." Before she could protest, he yanked t
he shirt up and over her head, somehow wrestling it away from her arms. She started to cover herself, and then let her arms fall to either side. He wanted her to be embarrassed and humiliated. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

  The guard came closer, and snapped on a pair of latex gloves. "I'm going to feel inside your bra now." She waited for Holly's slight nod, and then slipped two fingers between Holly's breasts, following the contour of each cup out to the edge. Ellison looked ready to lick his lips, and Holly shot him a warning look. The guard handed her shirt to her, and Holly pulled it over her head, grateful not just for the cover, but for the warmth as well.

  "Now your pants, please."

  Before Holly could try to stand, door slammed open with a loud bang and Eddie strode in, followed by the two guards from the checkpoint.

  "Leland Ellison, come with us, please."

  The guard Holly had pushed in her attempt to be detained walked over to Ellison and took hold of one arm. Ellison twisted out of reach, redness suffusing his face as he held up both hands.

  "Wait just a second here. Whatever that man said about me is a lie, and you'll be sorry if you listen to anything he has to say. I've done nothing."

  The second guard turned to Holly. "Is it true that this man," he gestured to Ellison, "is trying to force you onto a plane against your will?"

  She nodded. "He kidnapped me a few days ago, after he - or one of his men - shot me in the leg. That's why I wanted you to hold me - I knew if I got on that plane I'd have no chance of getting away."

  The first guard shook his head. "Why didn't you just say something?"

  Eddie moved to her side, resting his warm hand on her shoulders with a light squeeze. "Ellison has friends everywhere. It's hard to know who you can trust when he's involved.

  "I completely agree."

  Holly looked up at the guard who had been administering her strip search as a loud click filled the room. The woman was standing by the door, pointing her gun straight at Holly.

  "I don't know what you boys see in these skinny blond chicks, but one thing I do know is that you are getting on that plane, Ms. Saunders. I don't care if I have to shoot you again, but one way or another, you're leaving, and everyone else is staying. Including you, Ellison."

  Holly noted that Ellison was the only one who didn't seem surprised at the sudden turn of events. He folded his arms across his chest, leaning one shoulder against the wall.

  "You have no idea what you're doing, Natalie," he said, shaking his head. "Winston won't be pleased if I don't get on that plane with Holly. You might think you're smart enough to pull this off, but it's not gonna happen, no matter how bad you want it."

  One of the other guards reached for his gun, and Holly ducked as the room filled with sound. Three steps to the left, the guard dropped to the floor, and Natalie turned her weapon back on Holly. "Anyone else want to be stupid?"

  Eddie's hand tightened on Holly's shoulder, but she resisted the urge to look up at him. She didn't want him to get shot, and she knew what she had to do to ensure his safety.

  "I'll go," she said quietly, pushing up out of the wheelchair and trying not to flinch at the pain. "There's no need to shoot anyone else. I --"

  "She's not in any condition to walk," Eddie said, pushing her back down into the chair. "Let me just push her out to the plane. Then you can still hold the gun, and it will be faster than waiting for her to walk."

  Natalie started to shake her head, then narrowed her eyes. "Are you armed?"

  "No." Eddie held up his hands and turned in circle beside Holly, his well-fitted clothing leaving no room for weapons. Holly closed her eyes briefly, banishing images of what that clothing covered from her mind. Talk about poor timing.

  "Fine." Natalie motioned toward the door with a flick of her gun. "Push the chair out to the hall. I'm right behind you, so don't get any ideas. I doubt you can run faster than a bullet."

  Eddie's fingers brushed her shoulders as he moved behind the chair. Hoping he had a plan, Holly put her feet on the metal plates and settled back as he wheeled her into the hall. They didn't get far before Natalie called out for them to wait, and Eddie obediently stopped. Holly heard the door shut behind her, and keys jiggling against the lock. At least that had minimized the amount of people involved. That had to be good.

  Natalie came around the chair and into Holly's line of sight. She looked nervous, but the gun in her hand didn't waver as she held it pointed at Eddie. So that's what nerves of steel look like, Holly thought, barely suppressing a giggle.

  Then Natalie holstered her gun.

  "We don't have much time," she said, pulling a wallet from one of the side pockets of her pants. "I'm a police officer," she held out her badge to show them before stowing it again and turning her attention to Holly.

  "I'm here on another investigation, but I recognized you from TV. You shouldn't lie, honey. It isn't good for you and you're terrible at it."

  Holly chuckled. "Hopefully I'm better at lying in real life. I write fiction for a living." The officer just shook her head.

  "I think I'll pass on your books then. Everyone could see that you weren't in love with Winston, so don't even try to tell me otherwise. What I can't figure out is why. What did they have on you?"

  Eddie shifted, laying a hand over her collarbone. "Me," he said, gently caressing her shoulders. "A bomb blew up in my studio recently, and I'm betting that's one of the things Ellison used to secure her cooperation. Is that right, Holly?

  She nodded. "That, and a bullet to the leg will slow a person down. I would have escaped a long time ago if not for this stupid bullet hole. I have another question for you though - Ellison didn't seem surprised when you pulled that gun. It seemed like you've been working together. Why is that?"

  Natalie shook her head. "Sorry, I can't talk about that. Yes, we know each other, and that's all I can say right now." She took a loaded key ring out of her pocket and started flipping through the various keys. Choosing one, she detached it from the ring and handed it to Holly.

  "Go across the main gate there and through those double doors - they'll be unlocked." She pointed to the double doors behind where people were lining up to board the next plane. "Follow that hall to the end, and it will intersect with another hall. Turn left, and just keep walking - it will be quite a hike. When you see an emergency exit at the end, use this key to open it, and you'll be outside in the upper parking lot. The rest is up to you."

  "Thank you," Eddie said, already pulling Holly back. "We really appreciate this."

  Natalie nodded. "Get going now. I'm sure there are people on the wa--"

  Holly turned her head in the direction of Natalie's stare. "I don't suppose those guys are with you?"

  Eddie didn't wait for Natalie's answer. He took off at a jog across the open area between boarding gates, pushing Holly in front of him. As he closed in on the doors, debating whether to slow down and open them gently for Holly, she stuck her good leg out and looked up at him.

  "Don't stop," she said. Then she faced forward again and grabbed the armrests. "Okay. I'm ready."

  Eddie sped up again, barely escaping an involuntary cringe as Holly's foot hit the door with a bang. She flinched, but only a little and then put her leg back on the metal footrest. Pushing her as quickly as the chair could easily go, he saw the far wall at the end of what seemed like an interminable length ahead. The men chasing them would be on their tail before he and Holly could reach it - there didn't seem to be any question about that.

  A few doors dotted the hall on either side, and he picked one on the left, surprised when the handle turned easily. Choosing to forgo the lights, he backed through the doorway, pulling Holly in her chair with him. Light was coming into the room from somewhere on the far wall, but he couldn't see where or how.

  "You don't think we can outrun them."

  Eddie nodded, then remembered that she couldn't see him standing behind her. "I don't think I can run that fast, and I know you can't," he said, locking the
door and pulling her farther away. "If we can hide out here for awhile, maybe they'll go all the way to the parking lot."

  "And then we run the other way?" Her tone was dubious, but not annoyingly so.

  Eddie left her for a moment, ducking behind a tall row of file cabinets where the light seemed to be coming from. He was relieved to find a generous window in the corner, the glass frosted. That might turn out to be their salvation.

  "No," he said, returning to wheel her back to the window with him. "Then we run after them."

  He could almost feel her thoughts as she silently considered that. "But what if they come back this way? How do we get past them outside?"

  He stepped around her and motioned to the window. "I was thinking we could just crawl out the window."

  Holly frowned, leaning forward to brush her fingers lightly over the dirty sill. "Does it open?"

  "I haven't tried it yet. But--" he put a finger to his lips as the sound of heavy footfalls drew closer and dropped into a crouch. He moved closer to Holly's chair, hands on her knees. "They're coming," he whispered, glancing in the general direction of the door.

  She nodded, sliding her hands under his. The steps halted in front of the door, and Eddie could hear them trying the doorknob. Holly squeezed his hands, then pointed to the window. He shook his head.

  "Not yet," he mouthed back. She gave him an exasperated look as the footsteps started moving again, going forward down the corridor.

  "Now?" she whispered.

  He nodded, rising and moving to the window. The two latches at the bottom were tight, but came lose with a little force. When he pushed against the frame though, the panel wouldn't move.

  "Good thing they kept going," he said, keeping his voice low. "We aren't getting out this way."

  Two seconds later, they heard the clatter of footsteps running back up the corridor before coming to a stop right outside the door.