“Don’t even think about it,” Kurt warned. “You can’t go in there half-cocked. He could have a gun or worse.”
“You’re not keeping me out of this, Uncle Kurt.” James pulled away from him.
“If you go in there all Rambo like, you know it could screw up any case we have against him.” Kurt was right but at this point James didn’t give a damn. This guy had already beaten Marina before and he wasn’t letting her get hurt again by this man.
“I don’t give a fuck about the case. He’s not going to hurt her again.” James suddenly found himself slammed against the wall.
“I said calm the fuck down so we can make a plan to get the bastard and get Marina out safely.” He should have known better than to disobey Kurt. He could kill a man with his bare hands.
“Now, Kurt, ya calm down before I bust yar arse. Jimmy has every right ta be worried. Now get yar hands off yar nephew and help him get de woman he loves home safe and sound.” Nanny Betty stepped in between him and Kurt. She was probably the only one of the family who didn’t care what kind of skills Kurt had. To her he was still her little boy and she had no problem making him feel that way.
“Jesus Christ, Mudder, I’m not a kid anymore.” Kurt groaned.
“Watch yar language.” Nanny Betty slapped Kurt on the back of the head. “Dat goes fer all a ye. Ya can do all dis without using da Lord’s name in vain and using bad language. Dere are two lads upstairs sleeping and they don’t need ta hear any a dat. Now get ta work and get our girl home.” James met Kurt’s eyes and he couldn’t help it, his lips twitched when he saw Kurt roll his eyes. Nanny Betty was the one in charge, just like any other time she was in a room.
“Well, I guess we better get to work.” Keith tried to hide the smirk.
James paced the floor while Keith, John, Kurt, Aaron, Greg and Rick made a plan to infiltrate the cabin, but they really weren’t sure if he was even there. It was possible he’d taken her somewhere else. They really couldn’t have a perfect plan until they could see the cabin and know for sure that Marc was still there. No, it wasn’t Marc. It was Martin. James still couldn’t get his head around that bit of information.
He couldn’t sit still in the rear of the truck because his whole body was on high alert. Kurt had sent in a team from the St. John’s department to get a better look at the cabin and give him the information. They were warned not to go in unless they suspected Marina was being hurt. So far they were still just watching. The last report was that the suspect was outside the cabin pacing the front deck and talking to himself. The curtains of the windows were all closed and nobody could see inside to check if Marina was okay. That was the worst feeling in the world not knowing if she was safe.
They were all dressed in tactical gear with earpieces so they could keep in contact as they moved through the woods towards the cabin. Nobody wanted to do anything to let Martin know they were coming. He wondered if the asshole had told Marina that he wasn’t Marc and that he’d been the one to kill her husband and take over his life. It was still surreal to him that someone would do that to his own brother.
“Sir, we just found a body out here.” James heard the voice of one of the tactical team through his ear. He froze.
“Male or female?” Kurt asked and James held his breath waiting for an answer.
“Male, sir, and it looks like he’s been dead for a while,” the guy said.
James almost fell to his knees.
“Stay there and give the coordinates to the coroner.” Kurt said. James felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned around. John stood behind him.
“Let’s get her out of there,” John whispered.
“Thanks, bro.” James continued towards the cabin.
“Suspect is entering the cabin again. Will we move in, sir?” James knew the voice. He’d worked with Greg for years and had been in this situation many times with him, but this was the first time James was terrified of what would happen.
“Is everyone in place?” Kurt asked and everyone except James answered, but John replied for him.
“Move in slowly and see if you can get eyes on Marina before you go inside,” Kurt ordered.
James had a full view of the front of the cabin. It was a quaint little house that would be great for spending a weekend away from everything, but now it looked ominous. He was ordered by Kurt not to interfere with the team and he wasn’t permitted to enter until they had Martin secured. It was the hardest thing in the world for him to do knowing Marina could be hurt or worse.
Chapter 24
“For the hundredth time. I don’t have anything that belongs to you. I don’t know what box you’re talking about,” Marina said.
“I know you’ve got it somewhere because he told me it was in the attic.” Marc growled and Marina was starting to wonder if the man had completely lost his mind. He kept referring to himself in third person and he wanted a box that was in the attic. Even when they lived together, there was no attic because they lived in an apartment.
“Marc, please listen to me. I don’t know what you’re talking about. You never showed me any box.” Marina tried to keep her voice soft and calm.
“Stop fucking around and don’t call me by his name again,” he yelled, and her first thought was he really had lost his mind. She didn’t know what he wanted her to call him.
“Wh... What am I supposed to call you?” She needed to know how far gone he was, and how much danger she was dealing with.
“I can’t fucking believe you’re that stupid that you couldn’t tell the difference.” He laughed and it sounded more like a cackle than a laugh.
“The difference between...” His hand hit her cheek hard enough that her head snapped to the side and her ears rang.
“I don’t want to hear another fucking word out of your mouth except to tell me where I can find that box.” He bent over so his eyes were level with hers and she tried not to cringe at his closeness. It was hard because his breath smelled of smoke and bad halitosis.
“I don’t know what box you...” The back of his hand hit the other side of her mouth, and she whimpered.
“What the fuck did you do with the rest of his things that were left at the apartment?” He grabbed her face and squeezed it hard. “I’m going outside for a smoke, and when I come back you better have an answer or I swear I’ll beat you until you remember.” He pushed her face, and she fell back against the couch.
The door closed and she couldn’t stop the tears. She had no idea what he was talking about but if she didn’t tell him, he was going to kill her. She couldn’t believe that she’d been so stupid as to not check with James or Bull before she’d left the office building. She’d just been so tired and wanted to go home, so when her secretary told her James had called and wanted her to meet him at the back exit, she didn’t think twice. Of course, her phone was dead so she couldn’t text him before she left or she would have known that it wasn’t James that called.
When the receptionist told her something was wrong with Danny, she didn’t even check outside before she stepped out. Then it was too late. Marc was there with a gun to her ribs. He never said a word, just shoved her towards the truck and made her get in. How could she be so stupid?
She could see his shadow going back and forth on the front porch and knew she didn’t have long to come up with an answer. She had to tell him something, or he was going to kill her. She just had to stall for time until someone noticed she was missing and come find her. Who was she kidding? Nobody was going to think to look for her here, and she didn’t even have her cell phone.
The door opened again and he stomped back into the cabin. She readied herself for him to ask her again, but he went straight to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of whiskey. She’d never known Marc to drink anything that hard before. He put the bottle to his lips and guzzled half of it before he lowered, he turned and glared at her. This was it, he wanted an answer, and like a gift from God an idea popped into her head.
“Well, where’s t
he box?” He didn’t come closer to her, but he stood holding the gun in one hand and the bottle in the other. She swallowed and met his gaze.
“I stored all of your things in the shed behind my dad’s house.” She hated the thought of Marc going close to her parent’s place, but she knew they’d been staying with Stephanie and John since all of this started. It was a safety measure John and Keith had come up with, but John made it seem like it was all her dad’s idea.
“So the box is there.” He scratched his head with the barrel of the gun. It made her quiver.
“Everything belonging to you is there.” She wasn’t being dishonest because when he left, her sister helped her pack up the rest of his things, and what his friend didn’t take, her father stored it.
“Is that prick home?” he snapped.
“No. Mom and Dad have been staying with Steph.” She really didn’t know if the box was there or not, but at least it seemed to appease him that it could be.
“We’ll wait until midnight and then you’re going to show me exactly where the stuff is.” He walked towards her. “Maybe we could have some fun until then.” Marina pulled her knees up to her chest and shook her head.
“Please, Marc, you don’t want to do this,” she begged. After everything he’d done, now he was going to rape her. When he stood in front of her, she closed her eyes and waited for the attack.
“You’re right. I’d throw up if I had to stick it in you. I really don’t know what he saw in you.” He turned and walked to a door in the back that she’d assumed was a bedroom or a bathroom.
“What happened to you, Marc?” She had to ask because he was so different.
“You really haven’t figured it out, have you? I guess it must be the blonde hair that makes you so stupid.” He laughed. “I didn’t change. I’m not Marc.”
He really had lost his mind. “If you’re not Marc, then who are you?”
He turned around. “He never told you about me, did he?” he spat at her. “So he was telling the truth. Oh well, I guess letting him die was probably a mistake.”
“Who’d you let die?” Marina asked.
“Who do you think? Marc.” He pulled a chair over in front of her and straddled it. “Let me tell you something about your loving Marc. He wasn’t an only child. As a matter of fact, he was a twin and guess what? I’m the twin.” Had he completely lost it or was he telling the truth?
“I don’t understand.” This had to be his imagination, some sort of delusion because of the drugs.
“You know the dumb blonde act is really getting old.” He pushed himself up off the chair and stood directly in front of her. He was doing it again. Making her feel stupid.
“I’m trying to understand what you’re telling me.” She really was trying to keep the tremor out of her voice, but when he stood over her, it was intimidating.
“I’m not Marc, you stupid fucking whore.” He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up until she was stood on the tips of her toes. “Your precious Marc is dead and has been for a long time.” He was hurting her, but what he was saying was starting to make sense. “I left him chained up in that trailer he wanted me to stay in, until he could tell you about me.” He ran the barrel of the gun slowly down her cheek. “So I knocked him out, chained him up inside, and left him there to die.” He laughed and his lips formed a sadistic smirk. “You didn’t even know the difference when I showed up after he told you he had to take that trip for work.”
“Oh. God.” It finally made sense. The major change in his personality, not wanting to touch her, treating her like dirt—the violence. “My God you... you... killed him and took his place.” Tears filled her eyes and sobs wracked her body so hard that she couldn’t catch her breath. All this time she’d been hating Marc for putting her through hell. He let go of her hair and pushed her back on the chair. Marc hadn’t become the monster she thought he was. The Marc she fell in love with was murdered by this crazy clone.
“Well look who finally caught on. I can’t believe you couldn’t tell the difference. I’m no where near the pussy that husband of yours was.” He picked up the whiskey and gulped from the bottle again as he tossed the gun on the coffee table. He was being pretty careless with the thing. She didn’t know much about them, but she was pretty sure you weren’t supposed to throw them around. “And you’ve got that kid of yours just as soft. I never got the chance to give him a good smack because the idiot I hired to watch him went and overdosed and the kid got away. Smart little bastard, though. He managed to find his way out of here but when I get him again, he won’t be so lucky. I need that kid to get what’s due to me.” It was then she realized once he found the box he was looking for, he was going to go after Danny again. Suddenly all her fear didn’t matter anymore—all that mattered was keeping this crazy monster away from her son. While he went on with his rant she slowly moved forward until she was within reach of the gun. It was as if it happened in slow motion.
She grabbed the gun off the table, he turned around and as she raised the gun, the door burst open and then... Pop, Pop, Pop.
Chapter 25
James and John stood along the treeline in full view of the front entrance as the team of officers and Keith’s security team swarmed the cabin. Then he heard the gunshots and time seemed to crawl waiting for someone to come out. John held him back from running into the house, and he was struggling to get free but it seemed every bit of strength he had, was gone.
“James, you can’t go in there until it’s cleared,” Kurt shouted as he stood in front of him.
“I need to see if Marina’s okay. For fuck sake, let me see if she’s okay.” It was then he realized he was on his knees with John holding his hands behind his back and Kurt kneeling in front of him.
“She’s fine, James.” He heard the crackle through the earpiece and he couldn’t tell who said it, but all he knew was she was safe. He looked around Kurt and saw Rick walking with his arm wrapped around Marina. All the air whooshed out of him when he saw the splatter of blood across the front of her shirt.
“John, let me fucking go.” James struggled, but this time John released him and he was running towards Marina. When she met his eyes, he felt like his heart was going to shatter in two because she held up her hand to stop him.
“Don’t... please. Just... don’t.” Marina sobbed and leaned against Rick as he led her down the pathway to the awaiting cruiser. James watched her get in the car and then it drove off.
“She didn’t realize he had two weapons and when she picked up one, he turned the other on her. Rick got him before he got a shot off. That was his blood splattered on her.” Greg stood behind him. “Give her some space, buddy.”
Martin Tapper was dead, and they were no closer to finding out what box he was talking about and what it had to do with Danny.
Marina was admitted to the hospital and refusing to see him. He just didn’t know why. All he knew was, Stephanie came to take Danny to Doug and Janet’s house, and nobody was telling him anything. Mason was spending the night with his parents because he was in no condition to look after him. So he sat in his living room staring at the wall wondering why Marina didn’t want to see him.
“Why are ya sitting here feelin’ sorry fer yarself?” Nanny Betty sat next to him on the couch. “Dis is not like ya, Jimmy.”
“She doesn’t want to see me and I don’t know why.” James pulled his hands down over his face.
“I see.” Nanny Betty sighed. “Can I tell ya a story?” James turned to his grandmother and nodded.
“When I was sixteen years old, I was madly in love with dis handsome fella.” She smiled at him.
“Grandda?” James smiled.
“No.” She tilted her head. “Dis boy was my first love. I thought I was going to marry him someday. His family were very poor and me fadder wasn’t too happy about me seeing de lad, but me mudder put him in his place.” Nanny Betty chuckled.
“I guess you take after her, huh?” James forced a laugh.
/> “That I do. Anyway, we continued ta see each other fer over a year. Then his parents and two brothers died in a terrible fire. He had spent the night wit me so he wasn’t home.”
“I’m not understanding what this has to do with Marina.” James was shocked his grandmother admitted to spending the night with a man she wasn’t married to.
“Guilt my son. Tommy felt so much guilt about not being dere, he refused to see me anymore, and he left de province. I eventually got over him and fell in love wit my Jack but Tommy always held a piece a me heart.”
“I’m sorry, Nan but I don’t know how that compares to this.”
“She’s probably blaming herself fer not knowing de difference between her husband and his brother. She’s probably blaming herself fer his death, and she’s probably feeling all sorts of guilt fer hating him so much over the last few years. Remember, she thought her husband had beaten her, but really he was dying somewhere and she didn’t know.”
“How do you know that, Nan?” James asked.
“I overheard her tellin’ her mudder.” Nanny Betty smiled. “I went ta visit her, and I heard dem talkin’. Jimmy, ya’ve got ta think about it like this. She just found out the man she married died, and she’s mourning dat man.”
It finally made sense and he knew how it felt to lose someone you loved.
“I don’t know what to do, Nan. I love her and how can I be there if she’s refusing to see me?”
“Just give her time.” Nanny Betty said. “In de mean time you can’t be sitting here feeling sorry fer yarself. So clean yourself up. She loves ya and I know things will work out.” She took his hand in hers and kissed his cheek.
“I will, Nan, and thanks.” He said standing up. “Wait a minute. That guy you were talking about you said his name was Tommy. Are you talking about Tom Roberts?”
Dangerous Abduction (O'Connor Brothers Book 2) Page 24
