by Jenna Mindel
There. She’d finally said it without flinching.
The steely look in Philip’s eyes showed he struggled with hearing her, struggled to rein in his temper. One more reason she regretted a relationship with him. His fuse was much too short.
She made a move to step past him, but Philip blocked her path. Bree swallowed hard. “We’re done.”
“I don’t think we are.” His voice was softer than usual. He sounded perfectly calm, almost as if he joked with her, but there was an edge she’d never heard before.
One look in his eyes and Bree shivered. She stepped back.
Philip laughed, spreading his arms wide in surrender. “You’re so touchy.”
Bree searched his face, but the odd fury was gone. She didn’t wait for it to come back and slipped past him. Her fingers shook when she bent to cut the spear of asparagus she’d nearly stepped on. Settling the wild veggie in her basket, she moved closer to her mother.
“Here, you take these.” She dumped her basket into her mother’s. “I’ll go get more.”
“There’s enough for dinner tonight. I invited Philip to stay with us.” Her mom stepped forward to pick another green spear.
“Not a good idea, Mom.”
“Why not?”
Bree briefly closed her eyes. They needed to have a talk, but not here. No way could she let Philip stay for dinner or anything else. She’d planned to leave early in the morning and didn’t want Philip following her. Didn’t want Philip staying behind when her father wasn’t up north yet, either. “Trust me on this.”
“It’ll be fine.” Her mother limped away to slice another spear. Her mom did pretty well with her cane. She’d be even stronger by next week’s class.
“You okay?” Darren whispered.
Bree jumped. “Fine.”
She watched Philip hold the basket for her mother while she bent and sliced the tender stalks of green. Bree needed to make him leave. She’d ride back to town with him. With her mom there, she’d spell it all out if she had to. Whatever it took.
“You sure?” Darren’s voice sounded harsh. He looked like a bull ready to charge if she said the word.
The last thing Bree wanted was a scene. She laid her hand on his arm. “Please. It’s fine.”
But it wasn’t. Bree had never felt this rattled before. Maybe she’d imagined that dark look in Philip’s eyes. But what if she hadn’t?
* * *
Something didn’t feel right. Darren wasn’t sure if it was his jealousy kicking in or if Philip might be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Very expensive clothing. He’d be all over the guy if needed, but Bree had said she was fine. Philip stayed near Joan, away from Bree.
“Aren’t you going to do something about that?” Stella poked him with her elbow.
“About what?” Darren sliced an asparagus stalk.
“Philip,” Stella whispered through her teeth. “He’s moving out there.”
Darren couldn’t keep a guy from relocating. “I heard.”
Stella stared him down.
“What?”
“You’re better for Bree.”
“Thanks for your vote, but that’s up to her, now, isn’t it?”
Stella poked him again. “So? Go out there and see her.”
“Seattle’s not exactly across the pond.”
Stella shook her head. “Youth is wasted on the young.”
“What’s that supposed to mean, anyway?”
“It means you’re seeing only obstacles and not possibilities. Don’t lose her to distance, Darren. She cares for you.”
“Hmm.” There was no right reply to such a comment.
He knew that Bree didn’t want to care. She didn’t want a relationship between them to get in the way of her plans. If she got back with Philip because he was willing to move near her, there wasn’t much he could do about it. He wasn’t getting into that position again. Losing out to golden boy success.
There wasn’t much he could do to gain Joan’s approval, either. Not when the woman wanted Bree and Philip back together. A family’s opinion carried a lot of weight when it came to relationships. Mothers knew if a guy wasn’t good enough for their daughters. Unless that mother didn’t really know her own daughter.
He turned to Stella. “How well do you know this guy?”
Stella shrugged. “Well enough to know that I don’t like him. Bree broke up with him once before but took him back.”
“What happened?”
Stella shrugged. “I’m not sure. She never talked much about it.”
He should stop digging and talk to Bree. Relationships were an odd place of discovery. Sometimes it took a while to realize why things didn’t work. He checked his watch. Their class time was spent. “Okay, everyone, let’s load up.”
“’Bout time. My bag is near bursting.” Ed made his usual grumbles. His plastic grocery bag was indeed packed full. Ed’s thinning dark hair had been blown out of place by the wind, and holding that long field knife made him look like an old pirate. All Ed was missing was the black patch over one eye.
Darren laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Ed didn’t look amused.
“That’s some knife.” Darren slapped Ed on the back.
“My daughter gave it to me for Christmas.” The old man sheathed it with a scowl.
“Good gift.” He nodded and counted heads as they loaded into the van. Six, seven, eight, nine—Bree made ten, but she hesitated before climbing in.
“Joan’s riding back with me in case I get turned around.” Philip thumbed toward his Cadillac. He’d already started the slick coupe, no doubt to kick in the air conditioning.
“Hang on and I’ll go with you.” Bree handed Darren her basket. It overflowed with green spears and leggy stalks. “Can you take this for me? I’ll see you back at the community room.”
“No problem.” He took the small basket, covered her hands and searched her face. “Everything okay?”
She wouldn’t meet his eyes but gave his hand a quick squeeze. “See you in a few.”
He watched her dart toward Philip’s coupe.
Philip held the driver’s seat forward for her to climb into the back while Joan tried opening the passenger door without success.
“It’s locked.” Joan tried it again. “Philip?”
“I’ll get it in a minute.” Philip’s smooth voice sounded more like a shrill growl.
He’d only met the guy today, but that voice didn’t sound right. Philip sounded nervous.
The hairs on his arms itched with a tingling sensation Darren knew all too well. He set Bree’s basket down and walked toward the idling car. He was used to acting on hunches, but his mind raced for an excuse to get the women back in the van.
Before Darren took more than five steps, Philip had slipped behind the wheel and driven off without Joan.
Fast.
Dust kicked up from behind the car, which tore down the road, its back end fishtailing on the packed dirt.
“Philip!” Joan nearly fell as she quickly backed up.
Darren steadied her shoulders. “Get to the van.”
She coughed but didn’t move. “Why—”
“Now, Joan.” Darren’s instincts took over. He could barely make out the license plate through the cloud of dust, but managed to memorize some of it and quickly jotted it down.
Joan stood gaping after the speeding car. “Why would he do that?”
Darren called Bree’s cell and got voice mail. “Call me.”
Something was definitely wrong. He wrapped his arm around Joan’s shoulders and quickly led her back to the van. “What’s Philip’s last name?”
“Ah...let me think.” She shook her head as if trying to clear it before climbing in. “I’ve kn
own them for years, why can’t I think... Johnson!” Joan’s face paled. “Do you think he took her?”
“Maybe.” Seemed pretty obvious after the way he’d left Joan. The woman could have been hurt.
Joan gasped, and her shoulders quivered with a sob ready to roll out. She looked like she was about to crumple into a heap but blathered on. “It’s my fault for letting him come up. I thought if Bree saw him again, they could work things out.”
He touched her arm. “Hang with me, Joan, okay? We’ll figure this out.” He sounded more confident than he felt. His instincts screamed that Philip had kidnapped Bree. His hand tightened around his cell. If he was wrong—
Deep down, he knew he wasn’t.
Philip Johnson. Could the name be more common? Searching for such a common name to match what little he had of a plate number would be slow. He quickly texted Bree and waited a couple of seconds. Nothing. Not even a smiley face or question marks.
Nothing.
Darren’s blood ran cold.
Stella popped down from inside the van and helped Joan into the passenger seat. “Buckle up, now. That’s it.”
He gave her a grateful nod with his phone to his ear.
“Let’s go after him, Darren.” Stella stood with hands on hips.
As if he could. He had no idea what direction Philip had gone. He’d waste time driving aimlessly and couldn’t do that with a van full of civilians. If Philip had truly taken Bree against her will—and that fact hadn’t firmly been established yet—Darren needed to tread with care. Philip struck him as the kind of guy who’d sue at the drop of a hat. He’d been awfully jumpy right before taking off. Was that when he planned this...
“What are we waiting for?”
“Yeah, let’s go.” Echoes of agreement came from the rest of them. Ed had even pulled out that knife.
“Put that thing away before someone gets hurt,” Stella yelled as she climbed back into the van.
An argument ensued, and Darren raised his hand to quiet them as he made another phone call. “Stan? It’s Darren. A situation might be developing, and I need to trade vehicles. Meet me in front of the Bayside General Store. I’m less than ten minutes away. Good.”
Darren climbed behind the wheel and started the engine. “Buckle up and hang on. This is going to be a rough ride.”
“Let’s go get Bree,” Connie called out.
More bluster from his elderly avengers.
In other circumstances, he might have laughed. Ideally, when this was over, he could have a good laugh with Bree. His gut twisted. He didn’t have a good feeling about this, though, and his hunches were usually right.
Turning the van around on the narrow dirt road, Darren glanced at Bree’s mom. She gripped her cane tight. So tight, her fingers looked white. “It’s going to be okay.”
Joan’s eyes were wet, but she’d calmed down. Her face remained pale. “He won’t hurt her. He’s crazy about her.”
Or plain crazy.
The occupants in the van quieted as reality hit. Bree was in danger. How serious the danger was yet to be determined. As he tore down the dirt road with the windows open, dust sifted in and choked off conversation.
He glanced at his phone lying in the console next to him. Come on, Bree. Give me something here. Are you okay?
A few minutes later, Darren’s phone buzzed to life with a text, and his heart stopped when he read it.
M ID V Rd. HEL
He grabbed his phone and called for backup. “Looking for a newish bright blue Cadillac coupe registered to a Philip Johnson last on Middle Village Road. Looks like an abduction.”
He heard the sharp intake of Joan’s breath.
That sound tore through him as he pulled into the parking lot of a little old general store in the middle of nowhere.
Darren was out of the van and heading for his fellow CO’s truck in seconds. “Take these people back to Bay Willows. I’m going after Johnson.”
Stan nodded and tossed him the keys.
Darren caught them and turned back to Joan. She looked so small and sick with worry in the passenger seat. “I’ll find her. I’ll bring Bree back.”
Joan nodded, trying to be brave. It was then that he saw the resemblance Bree had to her mom. That willingness to stretch and conquer fear.
Fear for Bree’s safety cut through him. He prayed that he’d find her quickly. And he prayed he’d find her safe.
* * *
“Philip! Slow down.” Bree tried to climb into the front seat, but Philip pushed her back. She slammed hard against the leather seat. “What’s wrong with you? Stop this car right now!”
He didn’t say a word.
She looked out the back window. Already they were far away, speeding down the road. Through the cloud of dust, she spotted Darren with her mother leaning against him. She could have been hurt by Philip tearing away like he had. Tears stung the corners of her eyes.
Mom.
She heard her cell phone’s muffled ringtone. It had to be Darren. She reached for her phone but came up empty. She searched the floor, the seat. Nothing. It must have fallen out of her pocket.
“Don’t answer that,” Philip growled.
Her phone kept ringing, making her frantic. “I can’t even find it. Will you please stop the car?”
“Shut up!” His shrill voice slapped her ears.
She looked at his reflection in the rearview mirror. Philip had a wild look in his eyes that she didn’t like. Didn’t trust, either. She quickly scanned the floor, felt under the front seats. Nothing. “Where are we going?”
“Someplace to talk.”
“There’s nothing more to say—” Her phone buzzed with an incoming text. Where was it?
“You wouldn’t return my calls or my texts. I had to come up here so you’d see.”
“See what?” Bree felt along the crease in the backseat. Her fingers connected with the plastic rhinestone-encrusted case. Slowly she pulled it out, keeping it low so Philip wouldn’t see.
Darren had texted her.
“That we belong together. We always have.”
No, they didn’t. Bree knew the moment he’d freaked over her application to the music residency that she needed to get out of their relationship once and for all. Philip had gone on a rant, saying he wouldn’t allow it.
At the time, she’d nearly laughed because he’d acted like her nephew during one of his temper tantrums. She’d thought Philip couldn’t have been serious. Like an idiot, Bree had believed his excuse of stress for the bizarre behavior. Right now he was acting the same way. Oh, why hadn’t she told her parents then?
Quieting her voice, she tried again. “Stop the car, let me get in the front seat and then we can talk.”
“No.”
Bree searched the vast fields and wooded hills beyond. Where were they? They’d driven onto pavement, and Philip floored it. There were no street signs that she could see. She hit Reply, focusing on where they might be so she could tell Darren as soon as she knew something. Anything.
“I’ll do the thinking for both us. You just stay quiet back there,” Philip barked.
Bree racked her brain. Glancing around the car’s interior, she knew she had to find a way to escape and fast. They came to an intersection, and Bree peered out the side window. She spotted a green road sign. Elated, she typed the street name into her phone while keeping it low, out of Philip’s sight. She hit Send, hoping it made sense.
“Give me that.” Philip reached for her phone.
She wrestled away from him. “Stop it.”
The car jerked sideways, nearly going off the road as Philip grabbed her hair and pulled hard.
“Ow!” She dropped her phone to grab his hand.
He pushed her back again. Harder this time. “Don�
�t make me hurt you.”
The tone of his voice stopped her cold. Would he really hurt her? Up until this point, she hadn’t thought him capable. She’d known him for years. Surely he wouldn’t...
She glanced at him again in the rearview mirror.
Philip stared back. He didn’t look right. “Don’t think I won’t.”
“Why?” It came out a raw whisper. “Why are you doing this?”
His feverish gaze shifted to the road ahead of them. “I saw how that guy looked at you.”
Darren.
“We’re friends, Philip. That’s all.” Bree appealed to his common sense, but this wasn’t a jealous fit. Philip had been jealous of the young composer. Philip had been many things, but never crazy.
This was crazy.
Bree closed her eyes and prayed. Dear Lord, please get me out of this. Please help Darren find me.
Philip took a turn. According to the dashboard, they headed north. “I won’t let him have you.”
“Where are we going?” she croaked.
“You’ll see.”
She searched the floor for her phone. It lay under the passenger seat. Reaching for it, she dialed 911.
Philip’s hand swooped down and grabbed it. She pulled at his arm, but he jerked away, pressed the button to open his window and threw it out.
“No!” Bree turned and watched it bounce once, twice, three times before it lay along the narrow, sandy shoulder of the road. Her only connection to Darren now gone.
Her stomach twisted. She mopped the sweat that beaded along her hairline with shaky fingers.
Find me, Darren. Please find me.
The window remained open and the warm air whipped in, beating up her now throbbing head and tossing her hair in all directions. She had to think.
Think!
They were miles from town but no longer in the desolate area they’d come from. Though sparse, there were houses on this road. Even a couple of farms. The surroundings looked familiar, too. She’d been on this road before. Last week on the way to the Zelinsky home, she’d followed the van.
Her pulse picked up speed.
She had to do something fast before Philip pulled off somewhere. Before he made good on his threat to hurt her. Somehow she had to get out of this car.
