Witness (Otter Creek Book 1)

by Rebecca Deel

  She unhooked her seatbelt with one hand and jerked on the door handle with the other.

  Mitch grabbed her and hauled her against him, his arms forming an iron band around her back. “Where’re you going? We need to talk.”

  “Not now. It’s too late at night for a discussion.” And the location too isolated. “Take me home, or I’ll walk.” Serena pushed against his chest. He didn’t seem to notice. The man’s chest felt like granite under her hands.

  His hard kiss bruised her mouth. Heart pounding, Serena wrenched her head back. “No, Mitch!”

  His mouth curled in a smile that sent a shudder through her body. “Teasing me, darling?” He wrapped her hair around his hand, yanked her head into position and ground his lips against hers. She struggled against him. The coppery taste of blood filled her mouth.

  She couldn’t fight against his strength. Could she outsmart him? If he believed she was softening toward him, would he loosen his grip? Serena stopped struggling, even managed to kiss him back. She felt hesitation, then a subtle change in the way Mitch held her.

  Adrenaline surged through her body. She eased her mouth far enough from his enough to capture his lower lip with her teeth. She bit down.

  “Ah!” Mitch shoved her away from him and clamped his hand to his mouth.

  Serena yanked the door handle, scooped up her purse and scrambled from the car. She ran toward the road, stumbling in her heels. Righting herself, Serena kicked off her shoes and sprinted up the road. Behind her, Mitch cursed.

  She glanced over her shoulder. Blood trickled down his chin. Nausea struck hard. Serena swallowed. Please, not now. If she stopped to throw up, he would catch her.

  “Serena, wait! I didn’t think you were serious about just being friends. I’m sorry. Let me take you home.” Mitch peered over her head into the darkness.

  What was that noise? A car? The headlights from an approaching car swept across the trees ahead of her. Serena pivoted and ran, desperation lengthening her stride. She listened for Mitch’s footsteps, but heard nothing except her ragged gasps.

  The sound of another engine, then squealing tires reached her ears. Which way was Mitch going? Would he try to catch her before she could get help? She pushed herself harder, rounded the curve, tripped and fell headlong on the asphalt. Headlights bore down on her.

  #

  Ethan slammed on his brakes, swerving to the right, close to the edge of the mountainside. He threw open his door and raced back to the woman sprawled on the road. “Ma’am, are you all right?” The woman sat up, long hair hiding her face. “Should I call for an ambulance?” He knelt beside her.

  “I’m fine.”

  He froze. “Serena?”

  She shoved her hair away from her face with a shaking hand. “I’m glad to see you.” A tear slipped down her face.

  What was Serena Cahill doing here this time of night? He pivoted on his heel and scanned the area. Where was her car, her shoes? “Are you hurt?”

  “A few scratches on my hands and knees from the fall.”

  He cupped her chin with his hand and turned her face to the street lamp’s glow. Anger flared in his gut. He expected cuts and scrapes on her face. She didn’t get that swollen lip from a fall. “You going to tell me you hit your lip when you fell?”

  Another tear escaped. “Take me home, please.”

  “Let me take you to the hospital.” He dug deep to control the fury, kept his voice even. “If you’ve been assaulted, you need medical attention.” And he wanted evidence against the guy who hurt her. A date, a boyfriend? She looked too dressed up for a night on her own.

  “Assaulted? It’s not what you think. He didn’t . . .” She squeezed her eyes closed.

  “Tell me the truth, Serena.” He forced the ugly words past his lips. “Did he rape you?” Pain wrung his heart. He never wanted to hear a positive response to that question, but even the possibility that this woman suffered such brutality filled him with rage. He bridled the impatience and forced himself to wait for her answer.

  She shook her head.

  “Let’s get you home, then.” He lifted her in his arms and carried her to his SUV.

  “I can walk, Ethan.”

  “No shoes.” He set her down to open the door, then helped her inside. “Where are they?”

  Serena’s gaze dropped away from his. “I’m not sure.”

  Would she feel trapped riding in the same car with him? His size intimidated a lot of perps which suited his purposes on the job. The thought that Serena might be afraid of him made Ethan queasy. “Will you be comfortable if I take you home? Would you rather call a family member or friend?”

  “I trust you.”

  He climbed into the driver’s seat. “Tell me how to get to your house. I’m still learning streets around town.” Ethan listened to her instructions, eyes scanning the nearby forest and rocks. His internal radar didn’t warn him of someone hiding, watching. Had the date left Serena stranded? Another reason to have a talk with this guy if she’d give Ethan his name.

  “Why were you in this area?”

  He pulled onto the asphalt. “Looking for teenagers out past curfew.” The conversation lapsed into silence until he parked in her driveway a few minutes later.

  Ethan shut off the engine and shifted in his seat. “Who was it, Serena?” The porch light illuminated her expression.

  “It doesn’t matter. I won’t be seeing him again.”

  “He’s a stranger?” She didn’t seem the type to go on a blind date. Too beautiful to need one.

  “I meant I wouldn’t go on a date with him again. I shouldn’t have this time.” Her eyes pleaded with him. “Don’t mention this to anyone else. I’m not stupid. I made a mistake, one I won’t repeat.”

  He came around the car and lifted her into his arms again, surprised at how little she weighed. Couldn’t be much more than one hundred pounds. A muscle in his cheek twitched. “Are you pressing charges?”

  Serena shuddered. “I want to forget this night ever happened.”

  Ethan’s grip on her tightened. As a cop, pounding the man’s face into the pavement without provocation wasn’t an option, but with a name, he could warn the guy off. “If he hurt you, he may hurt someone else.”

  “Please, let it go.”

  “Only if you give me a promise.” He set her on the porch.

  “What?”

  Ethan touched her bruised lip with his fingertips. “I want to know if this guy contacts you about anything, even an apology.”

  “Why?”

  “If he does, I’ll want a name. No excuses.”

  She sighed, her breath warming his hand. “Okay, I promise.” Serena unlocked her door. “Thanks, Ethan.” Her smile changed to a grimace.

  “Put ice on your lip.” He stepped off the porch. “I’ll cruise through your neighborhood a few times tonight.” He slipped a card into her hand. “If you want to talk, call me.” He waited until she locked her door and turned on the lights before returning to his car.

  At the intersection, he turned right. “Dispatch, this is Unit One. I’m headed to Overlook Point.”

  #

  Serena plumped her pillows and crawled into bed. Should she call Ruth? Was 1:30 too late? Ruth answered on the first ring. “How long have you been waiting by the phone?”

  “Long enough to be concerned.”

  With good reason, too. “I’m home. And safe.” Thanks to Ethan.

  “So, how did your evening go?”

  Serena gave a short laugh. “About like you expected. The first words out of his mouth were, ‘Couldn’t you find something sexy to wear?’ The evening went downhill from there.”

  “Wasn’t the dinner at 8:00? When did he bring you home?”

  She slid further under the covers, grateful for the darkness in her bedroom. She dreaded this part of the conversation. At least on the phone, Ruth couldn’t see her scrapes and bruises.

  “Serena, what happened?”

  “We returned to Otter Cree
k after midnight.”

  “And?” Suspicion sharpened Ruth’s tone.

  “Mitch refused to take me home. He took me to Overlook Point instead.”

  Silence. “Are you all right?”

  She swallowed around the lump in her throat. “A few scrapes, bruises. He’s angry with me.”

  “Because you turned him down?”

  “I bit him.” Her stomach churned but Ruth’s laughter brought a smile.

  “Good for you. How did you get home?”

  Warmth flooded her heart. “Ethan Blackhawk was patrolling around there. He brought me home.”

  “Excellent. Is Mitch in jail?”

  “I’m not pressing charges. I didn’t tell Ethan the name of my date.”

  Ruth sighed. “I think you’re making a mistake.”

  “I want this episode behind me. Don’t discuss this with anybody else, okay? I feel stupid enough already.” She fingered the card on her nightstand. “I think I made Ethan upset with me, too.”

  “I imagine you did. Will you be all right by yourself? You could stay with me. Of course, I’m sure one of your sisters would be glad to let you stay over for the night.”

  “I don’t want a sermon from Maddie or Meg. I’ll be fine. Ethan said he’d drive by a few times tonight.”

  “When will your parents return?”

  “They’re bringing Josh home from rehab tomorrow morning.”

  “Try to get some rest, dear. And, Serena, be careful. I’m not convinced this episode is finished.”

  #

  Ethan switched on the flashlight. The blade of light cut through the darkness, revealing trees and underbrush on one side of the road, a guardrail on the other. He knelt where Serena had fallen. Not much to see on the asphalt except for a rock the size of his fist. Is that what caused her to fall?

  He walked down the steep incline, watching for signs of Serena’s flight. At the edge of Overlook Point’s parking area, he stopped and squatted in the dirt. A footprint about Serena’s size. The stride length and the kick out at the back of the print indicated running.

  His jaw clenched as he followed her footprints. She stumbled there. He shined the light in a broader sweep. Something glittered in the underbrush. He stepped over the tracks and shoved aside the brush. A woman’s shoe. Grim satisfaction settled in his gut. He located the other shoe about ten feet away.

  Shoes in one hand, Ethan resumed tracking to the parking lot. He walked the area in a grid pattern. Scuff marks and tire tracks told the story Serena refused to voice. She’d gotten out of the car on the run with her shoes on. She stumbled over the uneven terrain in the darkness, then kicked off her shoes and ran for the road.

  The man had chased her about twenty feet. At the roadside, he’d run back to the car and peeled out, leaving tread marks in the dirt.

  The male’s shoe print looked like a size eleven or twelve. At around six feet, the man outweighed her by at least one hundred pounds. Was this related to Miller’s break-in or was it a coincidence?

  Ethan frowned. He didn’t like coincidences, especially ones involving a crime witness. Tendrils of uneasiness wrapped around his spine. He had no proof, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling something more was going on than a rash of simple burglaries. The last time he’d felt like this, his witness ended up on a stainless-steel slab in the Las Vegas morgue. His jaw clenched. Not this time. No matter the cost to himself, he wouldn’t allow Serena to die like Kate.

  He climbed into his SUV and clicked on his radio. “Dispatch, this is Unit One. I’m back on patrol.” He needed a cup of coffee.

  #

  Ethan sipped the steaming liquid. “Not bad, Al. What’s your secret?”

  The bald night clerk chuckled. “No secret, Chief. Directions are on the can.”

  “Wonder if our directions are in English, then. Each pot of coffee at the station tastes different, all of them bad.” He strolled through the convenience store. Ethan paused in front of the soft drink coolers. He debated with himself for a moment, then opened the glass door.

  He placed a Diet Coke on the counter and, on impulse, laid a foil-wrapped chocolate rose beside the drink. “How much do I owe you?”

  The clerk waved Ethan’s money aside. “No charge.”

  Ethan’s face heated. “It’s for a friend.”

  “Figured that.” He grinned. “You don’t look the type to eat chocolate blooms. Your money’s no good here, Chief.”

  The sun’s rays peeked over the horizon as he parked in Serena’s driveway. He placed the shoes, Coke and rose on the porch mat, and propped a card with his cell phone number against the drink. Her lights had been out by 3:00 this morning. He hoped that meant she’d slept a few hours.

  Ethan climbed back into his SUV and headed to the station.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Grocery list and purse in hand, Serena opened her front door. Her eyes widened. Did Mitch bring her shoes as an apology? She rejected that idea. His thoughtfulness extended to one person—himself.

  She knelt, read the card, and smiled. Ethan. He’d gone back to Overlook Point and found her shoes. No fanfare, just an act of kindness. What a potent combination. A heart of gold and cover-model looks.

  She laid the shoes and rose inside the front door, then locked up and headed to the car, Coke and card in hand. On Main Street, she turned on her phone and punched in the number.

  “Blackhawk.”

  Okay. A heart of gold, cover-model looks, and a great voice. Why did she feel like a love-sick teen? She hoped she didn’t sound like one. “Hi, it’s Serena.”

  “Good morning.” Did his voice shift from business to something more intimate? Or did she imagine the change? “How are you?”

  “Fine, especially after finding your delivery. Thank you, Ethan. The chocolate and Coke are exactly what I needed this morning. You made me smile.”

  “Did the ice help?”

  “No visible bruises or swelling, thanks to you.” She wheeled into the grocery store parking lot and turned off the engine. “I owe you for last night.”

  “How about a name?”

  She added stubborn to his growing list of characteristics. “I’m not pressing charges.”

  “Someone needs to remind him how to treat women.”

  Did he plan to beat Mitch into an apology? With Ethan’s size and skill, the journalist wouldn’t land more than a punch or two before he went down. Much as she might enjoy seeing Mitch kiss the dirt, she didn’t want Ethan earning a reprimand. “Wouldn’t you get in trouble?”

  He said nothing for a moment. “There are legitimate ways to get my point across.”

  “He’s not worth a mark on your record, Ethan.” Serena locked her car and leaned against the door. The owner of Wilson’s Grocery waved at her through the window and turned on his store lights. “Going off duty soon?”

  “I’ll go home in a few minutes. I have reports to finish before I leave.” A male voice called to Ethan. “I need to go. My cell phone will be close if you need me. I’ll call you later.”

  She slid her phone into her purse, a smile curving her mouth. The day looked a lot brighter than it did a few minutes ago.

  #

  Ethan adjusted his sunglasses to better shade his eyes against the sun’s glare. Six hours of sleep hadn’t changed his mind. He wanted the name of Serena’s attacker. Could he get the information without causing her embarrassment or losing their relationship? He didn’t know how to classify their relationship, just knew he didn’t want it to vanish.

  His phone vibrated. Serena? Ethan pressed his cell phone to his ear. “Blackhawk.”

  “Ethan, it’s Shane. I spotted that blue truck.”

  “Where?”

  “Just turned south onto Hamilton Pass.”

  “Good work.” He switched on his lights and siren, and maneuvered his SUV through a u-turn. He’d just driven by the north end of Hamilton Pass. He tromped on the gas pedal and swung to his right. The SUV shot up the steep incline.

  “I l
ost sight of him around Dead Man’s Curve.”

  Ethan’s stomach tightened. “I’m on Hamilton Pass. I’ll pick them up from the north side. Break off pursuit.” He scanned the road ahead. The truck should have appeared in front of him by now. A shortcut around Otter Creek, Hamilton Pass was only a couple of miles long.

  “I’m going to see if I can catch up, maybe get a license plate number.”

  Something was wrong. Where was that truck? Ethan raked his memory, dredging up the map of Dunlap County and Otter Creek in his mind. Hamilton Pass had two side roads into a housing development. “Shane, back off. Now. They’re waiting on one of the side roads. Back off!”

  “I don’t see them.” Static. “Wait, there it is.” Shane’s voice cracked. “He’s got a gun!”

  Sounds of screaming metal and shattering glass filled his ear. Ethan floored the pedal, tires squalling. Around each curve, he fought to keep the SUV on the road.

  At the top of the pass, he slammed on the brakes. His vehicle skidded to a stop beside Shane’s mangled pickup. Ethan threw open his door, grabbed the first-aid kit behind his seat and, in a low crouch, approached the driver’s side of Shane’s truck, weapon drawn.

  He scanned the mountainside, watching for movement that might betray the shooter’s position. Shielding Shane with his body, he felt for a pulse. Thready. He snatched his radio, reported his position and requested an ambulance.

  The young farmer moaned, his eyelids fluttering.

  “Don’t move. The EMTs will be here in a couple minutes.”

  “Should have listened to you.”

  Ethan opened the first-aid kit and grabbed a packet of gauze. He ripped it open and pressed the pad on the gushing arterial cut on Shane’s arm. “I’ll yell at you later.”

  A weak smile fluttered across his mouth. “He shot the tire. Couldn’t keep control.”

  “You see the shooter?” A siren sounded in the distance. Ethan estimated the ETA and frowned. Judging from the soaked gauze, they’d better hurry. His gaze scoured the countryside again. Still no sign of the shooter. He’d have to chance putting down his weapon for a moment.

  Ethan laid his weapon within easy reach, unbuckled his belt, and cinched it around Shane’s arm.