by Rebecca Deel
“No. The worst thing about this whole situation with my mother is not knowing the truth.”
He was silent a moment, then shook his head. “The nightmare is knowing the truth and not being able to change it.” The operative turned away after a warning glance at Jake.
Oh, man. Had he found Yvonne? Whatever it was, Jake wanted to spare his girl more pain than she’d already suffered. Unfortunately, he no longer believed that was possible.
“Don’t say it.” Lacey looked at him. “You won’t convince me to stay safe in whatever cocoon you find for me. I have to see for myself.”
“I care about you and don’t want you hurt.”
“Life is full of bumps and bruises. You can’t protect me from life. Please, don’t try. Just be there if I need you.”
An invisible band tightened around his chest. Although she appeared fragile, Lacey was anything but delicate. She might be the strongest woman he’d met, and he was falling in love with her. He accepted the truth, and prayed her feelings for him would grow as deep. Otherwise, he was destined for a broken heart in the near future.
He brushed his lips across hers. “Come on.” Jake clasped her hand and followed Cade deeper into the woods. Ahead, the operative’s flashlight shone, a beacon leading them to his location.
Cade waited where the tree and vegetation cover thinned. “She shouldn’t be here, man.”
“She’s not a hothouse flower. Lacey can handle it.” His girl squeezed his hand in appreciation for his belief. Hoping his confidence in her wasn’t misguided, Jake shifted his attention to the area in front of them. “What am I looking at?”
“You tell me. This is more your area than mine.”
Jake frowned and played the beam of his flashlight over the ground. What were those odd black lumps on the dirt? Jake released Lacey’s hand. “Stay here.” He looked back at her. “Please.”
She gave him a short nod.
He moved closer to the nearest black mass and crouched, balancing on the balls of his feet. He ran the light over the oddly-shaped lump. Metal gleamed in the center. Jake drew in a sharp breath. No. Dread coiling in his gut, he stood and carefully walked around the edges of the area, choosing his steps carefully to avoid leaving traces of his passage. As he walked, Jake did a quick tally in his head.
He had to call Jones, but his priority was locating Yvonne’s cell phone. Retracing his steps, Jake stopped in front of Lacey.
“Jake?”
“Come here.” He drew her into his arms.
“You’re scaring me. What did you see?”
“There’s no easy way to say this.”
“Fast. Tell me fast.”
His admiration for her grew stronger. “The black objects on the ground are body bags, baby.” Although she didn’t make a sound, Lacey’s knees buckled. Jake tightened his hold on her, easily taking his girlfriend’s weight. “Call your mother’s phone.”
“What’s the point?” Lacey’s voice broke. “So I can identify which bag is hers?”
“There are fifteen body bags, not sixteen. Call her phone.”
Lacey stayed in the circle of his arms while she retrieved her cell phone. She shoved the instrument into Jake’s hand. “My hands are shaking too hard. You do it.”
“Code to unlock your phone?” Once she’d given the information, he brought up her contact list. Scrolling down, he found Yvonne’s name and called.
Within seconds, a phone’s ring tone broke the silence of the woods. Cade skirted the dump site and followed the sound of the phone, followed by Jake and Lacey.
He gripped Lacey’s hand, catching her when she stumbled on an exposed tree root or a rock difficult to see in the inky darkness. When the ring tone stopped, Jake initiated another call.
Cade raced toward the left and plunged through a thick stand of bushes. A moment later, he called back, “Jake, over here.”
The medic found a gap in the brush and tugged Lacey into the opening with him. On the other side, he pulled up short as he almost ran into Cade.
“Careful.” The other operative directed his flashlight beam toward the ground.
Jake eased closer to the edge, his own light flashing over the gaping chasm in front of them. A ravine, a deep one. “Where’s the phone?”
Cade tipped his chin toward the embankment. “Down there.”
“Heard any movement?”
“Not yet. Haven’t tried calling out. Figured if Yvonne is down there and able to respond, she’ll be more inclined to respond to her daughter than a stranger, especially a man.”
Jake lay on the ground and scooted to the edge, directing his beam along the side and as much of the bottom as he could see from this angle. “Only one way to find out if she’s down there with the phone. One of us needs to rappel to the bottom.”
A nod. “I’ll get the gear.”
“Lacey, lay flat and ease to the edge of the ravine.” When she was in place, he said, “Call out to your mother. If she’s down there, let’s see if she’ll respond to you.”
“Mom?” Lacey called. “It’s Lacey. Are you down there?”
Nothing.
“Mom. Please, answer me or make some noise.”
Was she afraid? The night was quiet. If Yvonne was still alive, maybe she’d heard unfamiliar male voices and decided to remain silent.
“I’m here with friends from Nashville. They’re good men here to help you. You can trust them.”
Still nothing.
Jake eased back from the edge and urged Lacey to do the same. His heart clenched when he noticed the wet streaks on her cheeks. “We don’t know that she’s down there.”
“If she is, she’s hurt. She has to be. She’s been missing for days.”
He wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her temple. “I know.”
Cade jogged back to the ravine, slid a pack off his back, and handed Jake his mike bag. “Rappelling gear. You going down?”
He bent and started pulling on the safety equipment. “If Yvonne is down there, she’ll need medical help.” If it wasn’t already too late.
“Figured. I’ll keep an eye on Lacey and call the police.”
Jake sent a text to his Cade. “That’s Jones’s cell phone number. Don’t talk to anyone but him.”
“Roger that.”
With the safety harness in place and double checked, Cade tied off the other end to a tree. “There’s an outcropping of sharp rocks to your right. Watch yourself.”
With a nod, Jake squeezed Lacey’s hand.
“Be careful, Jake.” She pressed her hand against his cheek for a moment, then stepped back.
He eased his body over the side of the ravine and controlled his descent. He learned to rappel while in the military, but all Fortress operatives were trained to handle rugged terrain rescues as well.
Rappelling in the dark in unfamiliar terrain was different, though. He wasn’t a fan of heights and doing this without good light asked for injuries. Finally, Jake reached the bottom of the ravine. “On the ground,” he called.
“Keep the rigging on in case I have to haul you up in a hurry.”
“Keep your eyes on Lacey. She’s your priority.” He adjusted his mike bag and freed his flashlight. Sweeping the light along the ground, he hunted for any sign of Yvonne or her cell phone. “Call the phone,” he said to Lacey.
A moment later, a ring tone started again, this time to his right. He tracked the sound through the ravine. “Again,” he said when the phone went silent.
He scowled. Where was the phone? He should be right on top of it based on the sound. Slowly sweeping the light along the ground, he caught a metallic gleam. Easing over a fallen tree limb, Jake squatted on the uneven, rocky terrain. A cell phone. He pulled a pair of rubber gloves from his pocket and tugged them on his hands. Jake didn’t know if there were any fingerprints besides Yvonne’s on the phone casing, but Jones wouldn’t be happy if he contaminated any evidence. “Call the phone again.”
Seconds later, th
e phone in his hand lit up and a ring tone sang out. Guess that answered the question of whether or not this was Yvonne’s. He silenced the ring tone. “Got the phone.”
“Do you see Mom?”
“Not yet.” Sliding the phone into a pocket of his mike bag, Jake refocused the beam of his flashlight and swept the ground in a grid pattern. “Yvonne? My name’s Jake. I’m Lacey’s boyfriend. I’m here to help.”
Silence.
He moved further up the ravine. As he was about to turn and go back the way he’d come, he noticed drag marks in the dirt. He followed the snaking trail fifty yards before he spotted the sole of a tennis shoe.
Jake’s heart sped up as he hurried over to investigate. His light revealed a jeans-clad leg. “Yvonne?” A soft moan reached his ears. He swept the light over the figure lying prone on the ground. Although her face was battered and bruised, Jake recognized Lacey’s mother.
“Cade, we need an ambulance.”
“Copy that.”
“Did you find Mom?” Lacey sounded frantic. “Is she all right?”
“I found her. Not sure how bad she’s hurt.” Jake shrugged off his mike bag and grabbed his Mylar blanket. He draped the cover over Lacey’s mother. “Yvonne, can you hear me?” Another moan. “I need you to talk to me and tell me where you’re hurt.”
The woman dragged in a painful breath. “Dreaming?”
“You’re not dreaming. I’m here with your daughter. We’ll get you to the hospital.” While he talked to her, trying to keep her grounded and conscious, Jake checked her vitals, then felt for broken bones. When he reached Yvonne’s ribs, she cried out.
Definite broken ribs. They’d have to be careful when they moved her or the jagged edge of the bone could puncture her lung. Broken wrist, probably from trying to break her fall. Several cuts and abrasions. She also had quite a lump on her head.
“Lacey?” she whispered.
“She’s up top, waiting for you. She’s anxious to talk to you.” He moved to her legs. “Lacey, say hi to your mom.”
“I’m here, Mom. I’ve been worried about you. Jake and I talked to Harley. He’s been worried sick about you, too.”
“Harley.”
“We met him earlier today. He’s an interesting guy.” Another groan when Jake examined her right ankle. “Hate to tell you this, Yvonne, but you won’t be waitressing for a while. You have broken ribs, a broken wrist, and a broken ankle.” He was also worried about internal injuries. Nothing he could do about those except transport her to the hospital as soon as possible. Unfortunately, he’d have to wait for the EMTs and the basket to hoist Yvonne out of here without further injuring her.
“Who?”
He studied her face a moment. She was trying to focus her gaze on him. He found two vacuum splints in his mike bag and worked to stabilize her wrist and ankle. “Try not to move, okay? My name is Jake. I’m Lacey’s boyfriend.”
“Doctor?”
“Medic.” Once the temporary splints were in place, he thrust his hand back into the mike bag and grabbed the supplies for an IV. Yvonne needed fluids, fast.
As he worked, the sound of multiple sirens grew louder. “Hear that, Yvonne? Once the ambulance arrives, we’ll free you from the ravine. How did you end up down here?”
She frowned. “Don’t remember.”
Though he hated to press, his time alone with her was short. “Harley said you had a late meeting with someone four nights ago. Who did you meet?”
“Don’t know.”
Once the IV was taped in place, Jake gently felt around her head, praying he didn’t find anything serious. A couple of good-sized lumps. Might account for the memory loss.
Yvonne’s uninjured hand moved toward his. He sandwiched her hand between his own. “I’m right here.”
“Don’t leave me. He’ll kill me.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Jake pressed her hand. “Who wants to kill you, Yvonne?”
Confusion filled her gaze. “I don’t know. Why can’t I remember?”
“You’ve suffered trauma, including blows to your head. Temporary memory loss is normal.”
“How will I protect myself?”
“I’m employed by Fortress Security. We’ll make sure you’re safe.” Her protection was a job for more than two operatives. He needed to call Adam and Brent. Jake wanted Remy and Lily Doucet in Winston. Yvonne and Lacey would be well covered with four Fortress operatives. He hadn’t forgotten the serial killer’s ultimate prize was Lacey.
“Lacey, too?”
“No one will touch Lacey on my watch.” He ignored the fact he’d already given Beckett an opening to bruise Lacey’s arms. Wouldn’t happen again.
Relief smoothed the worry lines from Yvonne’s forehead.
“Davenport.”
Jake twisted to shine his flashlight for Jones to pinpoint his location. “Where’s that ambulance?”
“EMTs are two minutes behind me.”
Yvonne gripped Jake’s wrist with surprising strength. “Who?”
“Todd Jones, a Winston police detective. He’s been looking for you.”
A fierce squeeze. “What if he’s the one?”
“You won’t be alone with anyone except me or my teammates. No one will hurt you again. You have my word.”
After a moment, she gave a short nod.
He turned to look back at the ledge. “Have you seen the bags?”
“Yeah,” came the grim response. “Our crime scene team could use help.”
“Tomorrow.” Maybe sooner when he called Brent. The crime scene was too large for a small police department to process alone.
“I’ll deny any knowledge of that, but thanks.”
Shouts and running feet interrupted the exchange between Jake and the detective. Klieg lights were set up and the shadows receded in the ravine as the beams illuminated a broad swath of the terrain.
Two members of the fire department rappelled down the steep ravine wall. When they were on the ground, their medical equipment and the basket to extract Yvonne were lowered.
“I’m Nolan. I hear you’re a medic,” one man said.
“Jake. First in the Army, now with a private security firm.”
“What do we have?” The second man gawked at Yvonne. “Man, am I glad to see you. How you doing, hon?”
“Hurts.”
“The doc at the hospital will fix you right up, although it looks like Jake here has given you an IV.”
“Saline. She’s dehydrated.”
“What do we have?” Nolan asked.
“Broken ribs, wrist, ankle. Couple good bumps on her head. Some memory loss. Possible internal injuries. You bring a back board and neck brace?”
“Yep. Left them up top until we knew if we needed them.” Nolan swiveled on one foot. “Hey, Cliff, send down the board and brace.”
“Coming down,” came the muffled response.
Kevin, the second EMT, untied both items and carted them to Yvonne.
Between the three of them, they strapped on the neck brace and secured Lacey’s mother to the back board, then moved her to the basket.
“Helo?” Jake murmured. He hadn’t heard the rotors of a chopper hovering nearby.
“Transporting two critical accident victims,” Nolan said. “Ready for transport. Bring her up, nice and slow. Possible back and neck injuries.”
“Jake,” Yvonne said.
“I’ll be right behind you. My teammate, Cade, is up top with Lacey.”
“You’ll go to the hospital with me?”
“Yes, ma’am. I won’t leave unless someone I trust is with you.” He squeezed her fingers and stepped back. “Pull her up,” he ordered the firefighters at the top.
Using a pulley system with multiple ropes to keep Yvonne from bumping against the ravine wall, the basket began a slow ascent. Jake policed the trash from the medical supplies he’d used, then closed his mike bag. After shrugging into his pack, he climbed from the ravine.
He crested the ed
ge to see Lacey gripping her mother’s uninjured hand, smiling despite tears rolling down her cheeks. As soon as Jake unhooked his rappelling equipment, Cade said, “I’ll take care of the gear. Go with your patient. I’ll come to the hospital when I shake free.”
Might be a while from the looks of things. He nodded and followed the EMTs, Lacey, and Yvonne. Jake caught up with Lacey and hooked his arm around her waist.
“How can I ever thank you?”
He urged her closer to his side. “Not necessary. I’m glad we found her.”
“Was it in time?”
“She’s a tough lady. To have survived alone and injured this long, she’s a fighter. Your mother won’t be able to work for several weeks. She has a broken wrist, ankle, and ribs, memory loss, probable concussion, and maybe internal injuries.” He squeezed her waist. “She’s strong, like her beautiful daughter.”
Lacey’s breath caught. “Beautiful?”
“You haven’t looked in the mirror lately if you don’t believe me.”
“I know I’m not a troll or anything.”
A snort. “Not even close.”
“Jake?” Yvonne called.
“Right here, Yvonne.” He moved close enough for Lacey’s mother to see him. The relief on her face was obvious. “Focus on yourself. Let me worry about everything else.”
Although it took a little persuasion, he and Lacey rode in the back with Yvonne and one of the EMTs. Minutes later, the ambulance stopped outside the emergency entrance, and hospital personnel rushed Yvonne into an exam room. Jake and Lacey stayed with Yvonne until the doctor entered the room. “We’ll be in the hall,” Jake assured Lacey’s mother.
He escorted Lacey to the hallway and the door closed behind them. “Do you want to go to the waiting room?” he asked, already knowing her answer.
Lacey shook her head. “I don’t want to be far in case she needs me.”
Jake slid the mike bag off his shoulders and set it by Lacey’s feet. “I’ll find two chairs.” At least they’d be comfortable while they waited. He grabbed two chairs from the waiting room and carried them to Lacey.
Once they sat, she leaned close and asked, “Did Mom tell you anything? Does she know who is responsible for this?”
