Hot For You

by Cheyenne McCray

  Sirens going and lights flashing, Reese called for backup as he tore through town toward the mountains.

  Cody’s gut was churning. They had to find Carilyn. She had to be okay.

  For the first time in a long time, Cody prayed.

  * * * * *

  Carilyn’s entire body shook as she watched Nathan light matches. He looked at the flames like a lover watching his mate remove her clothing, until the fire burned down to his fingers. He dropped burnt matchstick after burnt matchstick into a pile on a kitchen table.

  Every now and then he would grin at her and she knew he was toying with her, doing his best to frighten her.

  It was working.

  She was tied up in a cabin, God knew where, and no one knew where she was. She swallowed. Somehow she would have to save herself.

  How? She bit the inside of her cheek as she hopelessly strained against her bonds. How am I going to save myself? Images of the woman being burned alive were seared into her retinas and she could see it as if she was watching the video now. The flames, the muffled screams behind the gag, the terror…the body…

  A tear rolled down Carilyn’s cheek and she wished she could wipe it away before he saw it. She didn’t want to show weakness in front of this bastard, but she hadn’t been able to help herself.

  Nathan grinned at her, affirming that he had seen the tear and liked seeing her scared, that he reveled in it. “It won’t be long, my sweet Carilyn.”

  “Don’t call me that.” She glared at him. “I’m not your anything.”

  He chuckled. “I’d say you certainly belong to me now.” He gestured around them. “Do you see anyone else? There’s no one here who cares for you the way I do.”

  “You pig.” A part of her snapped. “You’re nothing but a loser who gets off on hurting and killing women.”

  A clear change went over him and she instantly regretted her outburst. “I’m going to enjoy watching you burn,” he said in a nasty tone. With his brows narrowed, he went back to lighting matchsticks.

  Eyes watering, she looked at the camera he had set up on a nearby tripod. He’d turned it on just before he’d started lighting matches and it was recording everything…everything but him. He was clearly out of the scope of the lens.

  She squeezed her eyes shut tight. Dear God, what was she going to do? Was she going to die here, burned alive by this—this insane man?

  “Watch me.” Nathan snapped the words. “Watch or I’ll light you on fire now.”

  Carilyn looked at him, a burn in her throat and pressure behind her eyes. She tried to avoid his gaze and instead stared at a crack in the wall just over his left shoulder.

  “Look at me, Carilyn.” Nathan spoke in a warning tone as she heard the scratch of another match.

  She swallowed and met his gaze, and then she shuddered at the death in his eyes. Her death.

  “Please let me go.” The tears in her voice were impossible to avoid. “Please.”

  He gave a bitter laugh. “It’s your fault, you know.”

  “How is it my fault?” she managed to ask.

  He shrugged as he paused in lighting matches. “If you hadn’t rejected me that night at Jo-Jo’s, I wouldn’t have to do this.”

  “I was with someone else.” A pleading note was in her words. “I couldn’t just leave him.”

  Nathan snorted. “You could have told him you were leaving with someone else.”

  “I would have hurt his feelings,” she said.

  “So instead you hurt mine.” He sneered. “It’s okay to hurt me just because I’m not as good-looking as your boyfriend.”

  It’s because you’re a sadistic creep, went through her mind. Instead, she said, “Maybe if I’d met you first—”

  “Shut up, bitch.” His expression grew darker. “You’ll say anything hoping I’ll set you free.”

  She bit the inside of her lip again, biting it hard enough that she tasted blood, just to keep herself from showing any more weakness.

  The pile of matchsticks grew and he hummed to himself. He looked extraordinarily pleased as he scratched matchsticks on the box and watching each flame until it died away.

  “What could I do to make you happy?” She was grasping at straws. “I’ll do anything.”

  “Shout my name as you die.” He gave her a look that told her he was aroused. “I can’t wait to hear your screams while I watch you burn.”

  Feeling sick to her stomach, she stared into the flames as she watched matchstick after matchstick burn, knowing it all would come to an end soon.

  When he burned the last matchstick, he scooped them up and set them on the chalk line, close to her feet. Her terror grew as she watched him take gasoline and pour it over the large circle that surrounded her.

  He picked up the matchbox. “One match left.” He smiled, a sick, satisfied smile. “You’ll get to watch the fire burn in a circle around you,” he said. “Gradually it will close in until you’re on fire, too.”

  He struck the matchstick and held it over the gasoline-soaked chalk line.

  ***

  Chapter 26

  Reese, Cody, and Sam raced against time, finally reaching the foothills of the Bradshaw Mountains. Once Cody had figured out that Carilyn had been taken, he’d stopped calling her phone because Firebug, who he now was certain was Nathan Morris, might hear it and turn it off.

  For all Cody knew, Morris could have heard the phone already and planted it someplace to send anyone trying to find her on a wild goose chase. Cody prayed that wasn’t the case. He prayed Carilyn was exactly where the phone app said she was.

  “Dear God,” Sam said in a frantic voice and Cody glanced over his shoulder at him. Sam’s face was pale and his teeth were clenched. “Can’t you drive any faster?”

  The car fishtailed as Cody turned his gaze on Reese who said, “If we go any faster we’ll end up in the ditch. I’m doing what I can without losing control on this road.”

  Sam crossed his arms over his chest and looked out the window. “Why did this guy kidnap Carilyn? I think you should explain it to me.”

  Cody looked at Reese who gave a slight nod. “Tell him without giving the details we’re keeping from the press.” Which meant Cody wasn’t to tell Sam about the Barbie dolls.

  Starting at the beginning, Cody gave Sam the Cliff Notes version of the case and what had been happening to Carilyn. He didn’t mention Janice’s burnt body or the videos of her being burned alive.

  “Dear God,” Sam said again when Cody finished telling him the pertinent information.

  “We’re getting closer to her.” Cody glanced at the phone, his heart throbbing painfully in his chest. “The app says we’re within five miles.”

  Reese turned off the siren and lights as they got closer. Backup was four or five miles behind them.

  Cody was afraid the phone’s app wouldn’t get them far in the mountains, just like the mapping app gave them problems once they got to rural areas. However the Find My iPhone app seemed to be more powerful than the mapping application.

  When they came to a fork in the road, Cody told Reese to turn left. A little ways further, the app told him they needed to make a right. The phone was within half a mile if the app was correct.

  Cody’s heart beat faster as they approached. “We should stop here,” he said as they came within two hundred feet of the location. They couldn’t see anything ahead, but didn’t want to be spotted.

  “Stay with the car,” Reese said to Sam. “I need you to tell my men which way we went. If you follow, I have to I’ll cuff you and lock you in. Understand?”

  Sam set his jaw but nodded.

  Reese and Cody climbed out of the car. “You stay back,” Reese said. “I’m breaking the damned rules letting you come with me.”

  Cody nodded, with no intention of staying back at all.

  They headed through the brush, careful to stay out of sight. Finally, up ahead they saw a cabin through the trees. Reese started to step forward when Cody grabbed his
arm, stopping Reese. Cody pointed down at a silver wire that glinted in the little bit of sunlight that filtered through the pines.

  “A trip wire,” Reese said grimly, echoing Cody’s thoughts.

  Cody nodded. “Looks like it.”

  While Cody marked a tree, Reese took out his cell phone and called the dispatcher to have her let backup know about the trip wire.

  “We’ll wait a few minutes ’til a couple of my men get here to show them where the wire is.” Reese was holding his mutilated left hand close to his side. The spots of blood were bigger now. “I’ll also have backup then.”

  Cody gritted his teeth, not wanting to wait, but knowing they had to in order to make sure no one tripped the wire. God knew if it would trigger a bomb or something alerting Morris to their presence. He figured Reese was probably missing his partner, Detective Petrova. They were one hell of a team.

  It was only a few minutes before two officers, one of whom was John McBride, met up with Reese and Cody.

  “Stay here,” Reese said to Cody as he stepped over the wire.

  Cody ignored him and stepped over it, too. John followed but said nothing.

  “Damn it, Cody,” Reese muttered. “Just make sure you stay clear. I don’t want you getting harmed.”

  They eased through the brush, closer and closer to the cabin. An older model white Corolla was parked in front of it. When they reached the edge of the brush, Reese and John drew their weapons and made sure it was clear.

  “Stay here, Cody,” Reese growled. “Wait until I tell you it’s safe.” He looked at the cabin. “If it’s safe.”

  Cody prayed Morris didn’t have any surveillance cameras set up as Reese and John crouched low and made their way to the cabin.

  In spite of what Reese had ordered him to do, Cody started to follow—and then he smelled something burning.

  His gut clenched as he saw smoke coming through a partially open window.

  * * * * *

  Nathan laughed as the fire started to burn hotter in a ring around Carilyn, and terror ripped through her. The circle smoked where the water had been spilled on the chalk line he’d put around her and he coughed as the smoke streamed past his face. The smoke made her cough, too.

  “I’m going to have to leave soon,” he said in between coughs, “but I want to watch you go up in flames.”

  Tears rolled down her cheeks as she struggled harder against her bonds, knowing it would do no good. She couldn’t help the tears, but damn it, she wasn’t going to scream. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.

  But as the flames grew higher on the chalk line, the heat becoming oppressive, she couldn’t stop herself. She let out a scream of fear so loud that her throat hurt. She was going to be burned alive.

  Nathan smiled. “Good, good.” He backed away from the fire, a look of rapture on his face. “I like that. Scream again.”

  Sweat dripped down the sides of her face, as it grew hotter. She clenched her teeth to hold back any more screams, but she knew it was going to be impossible to hold them back once her flesh started to burn.

  A crash echoed through the cabin and she startled. Through the flames she saw Nathan whirl around.

  “No!” he shouted as he held out his arms as if to keep anyone from passing him. He backed up to the flame. “You can’t have her!”

  “Hands over your head and get away now or I’ll shoot,” came a voice she knew and her heart leapt.

  “No!” Nathan took another step back.

  His clothes caught fire.

  He shrieked as he went up in flames. The next thing she knew he’d dropped on the floor and was rolling around.

  Through the flames she saw a figure rush forward. In the next moment, Cody was in the circle of fire with her.

  “Cody!” Relief flooded her but she felt a burst of fear for him. What if he caught fire?

  “Get the bag of C-4 and get the hell out of here,” she heard Reese McBride shouting to someone. “There might be more explosives that we can’t see. Cody, hurry!”

  Cody grabbed her, chair and all over his shoulder. Carilyn screamed as he leapt back through the flames with her.

  She felt a flash of intense heat and then he’d set the chair down. His gaze swept over her and she saw that his clothes were on fire. Hers were not. He dropped on the floor and rolled to put out the flames where his T-shirt had started to burn. He surged back to his feet, grabbed her and the chair again, flinging her over his shoulder, and he rushed for the door. Police officers were clearing out of the cabin, too, and one of them had Nathan.

  Cody jogged down the porch steps with her and didn’t stop running. She saw others tearing away from the flames, too. As they ran through the trees, an explosion came from behind them. Cody stumbled forward and she screamed as they both went down.

  They hit the ground hard, knocking the breath from her, the chair bruising her flesh and her head landing on a soft patch of ground. Another explosion ripped through the air and Cody flung himself over her to protect her from any falling debris.

  After a moment he got to his knees and reached into his pocket. “Are you hurt anywhere?” he asked as he pulled out a pocketknife.

  She stared up at the face that she’d thought she’d never see again. A face so dear to her that she couldn’t imagine being away from him ever again. “I don’t think so. I feel okay.”

  He sliced through her bonds, then grabbed her again. “We’ve got to get out of here. The whole damned forest might go up.”

  “I can run,” she said as he flung her over his shoulder again, this time minus the chair, which he left behind.

  He didn’t listen to her, as if he didn’t want to let go of her. His feet pounded on leaves and rocks as he tore through the brush and trees. It felt like he was running forever.

  She heard the roar of fire, along with the crackle, hiss, and popping sounds of the fire burning the forest. She could feel the fire rushing down on them.

  From her side vision, she saw Nathan cuffed and being dragged along by his arm, through the forest. Despite the dire circumstances, she felt a rush of satisfaction to see Nathan in custody.

  She saw that portions of his clothes were burned off and angry blistered patches of skin were showing through the large holes. She felt no sympathy toward him, none at all.

  They burst through the trees to where several cars were parked. All but one of the vehicles were marked police cars.

  Cody adjusted her in his arms. Someone had jerked open a car door and he thrust her inside the back seat and climbed in after her. Reese was in the driver’s seat and someone else was sitting in the front passenger seat.

  Reese started the car, backed up, then turned the car around and shot out onto the road. She saw the police cruisers doing the same thing. When she looked over her shoulder, through the back window she saw that the forest was on fire.

  Cody swept her up in his arms and gave her a fierce, hard kiss. “I was so afraid for you,” he said and kissed her again.

  “Thank God,” came another familiar male voice from the front passenger seat. She shot a look at him and saw that it was Sam.

  “Sam.” She stared at him in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

  “The iPhone app.” He nodded to Cody. “He got hold of me just as I was getting ready to leave town and we used it to find you.”

  “Thank you,” she said, her eyes filling with tears from the smoke, the fact that she’d almost been burned alive, and because of the men who’d saved her. “Thank you all.”

  Cody held her tightly to his chest, drawing her into his lap. “I am never letting you go, Carilyn. I love you so damned much.”

  Vaguely she was aware of Sam watching and the pain in his expression, but she had to tell Cody how she felt.

  “I love you, Cody.” She met his gaze. “You mean everything to me.”

  ***

  Chapter 27

  Carilyn took a long drink from a bottle of spring water as she leaned up against a counter
in Leigh’s kitchen. Leigh was in her room taking a shower.

  Will life ever feel normal again? Carilyn wondered. She thought maybe it would now that Leigh was back and they’d scrubbed the house from top to bottom, as if that would eliminate every trace that the home had been ransacked. She was still adjusting after her traumatic experience, but with every day that passed, she felt more and more healed.

  Of course when she’d returned, Leigh had been shocked at everything Carilyn had been through and had supported Carilyn in every way possible.

  It had been three weeks since she’d almost been murdered. Nathan Morris was still in a burn trauma unit from third degree burns all over his body. Once the hospital released him, Reese, who was back at work as soon as the doctor cleared him, had assured her that Nathan would be sent directly to jail without passing Go. There would be a trial of course, and she’d need to be in Prescott to testify and see him go to prison, but she wasn’t going to think about all of that just yet.

  “When is Cody getting here?” Leigh asked as she came into the kitchen while pushing her blonde hair behind her ears.

  Carilyn looked at the clock on the coffee maker. Her stomach skipped with excitement. “Any time now.”

  “I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that you and Cody are together.” Leigh looked absolutely delighted. “I knew you two would hit it off.”

  The doorbell rang and Leigh smiled. “Looks like your Prince Charming is right on time.”

  Carilyn gave a quick grin. “He may not be a prince, but he is a rather charming cowboy fireman, I have to say.”

  Leigh hooked her arm through Carilyn’s and they walked through the kitchen and into the living room. “Any idea what Cody has planned for you two this weekend?”

  “Nope.” Carilyn shook her head. “But my bags are packed just like he told me to, and I included everything he suggested.”

  “I love surprises.” Leigh smiled as she released Carilyn and reached for the door handle. “Mike’s an awesome guy but he needs a few lessons in that area.”

  Leigh opened the door wide and waved Cody in. Carilyn wanted to melt at the sight of him in his Wrangler jeans, cowboy boots, and the Stetson he wore when he wasn’t on duty at the fire station.