Desperate Measures (An Aspen Falls Novel)

by Melissa Pearl

  She struggled once more against the ropes.

  His smile widened. “It means I’m going to have to take care of you sooner rather than later.”

  42

  Tuesday, September 11th

  6:30 pm

  “Slow down,” Alex said.

  Nate glanced at him for directions.

  He pointed. “There. That’s it.”

  Nate slowed and once again, Alex undid his seat belt and bolted from the car before the wheels had come to a stop.

  They’d cruised the city for hours, looking for Cam, all to no avail. There’d been no signs of Necco, either. Alex knew he was risking a lot, driving around town. He didn’t care.

  All he cared about was finding Cam.

  Travis had called twenty minutes earlier, during what felt like their tenth time trolling by the convenience store Necco was known to frequent.

  “Picked something up on the scanner,” Travis said.

  Alex’s breath caught. “What? What did you hear?”

  “Put him on speaker,” Nate commanded.

  Alex obliged.

  “An abandoned car call,” Travis said. “Description matches the car she was driving.”

  Nate and Alex exchanged glances.

  “You get the location?” Alex asked.

  “Just off County Road 37,” Travis said. “By the old metalworks factory.”

  Nate gunned the accelerator. “You can get us there, right? Navigate?”

  Alex nodded. “Hurry.”

  That had been twenty minutes earlier, and time seemed to stand still during the drive there, despite the fact that Nate was pushing ninety to get there.

  “Hold up,” Nate called to Alex as he hurried toward Cam’s car.

  Alex ignored him.

  He skidded to a stop at the driver’s door. His eyes searched the car for signs of foul play. There was nothing. No sign of a struggle, no sign of anything. He tried the door. It was locked.

  It was as if Cam had simply disappeared.

  Alex shaded his eyes and peered inside the car. Then he stepped back, peeled off his shirt and wrapped his hand in the fabric. He flexed his arm and smashed his hand through the glass.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Nate barked.

  Alex reached inside and unlocked the door. “Looking for clues.”

  Brushing the shards of glass to the floor, he sat down in the driver’s seat and ran his fingers lightly over the wheel. The smell of Cam’s coconut shampoo washed over him. It wasn’t fresh, more of a lingering scent, as if the tropical notes had somehow permeated the fabric and carpet of the car. He breathed it in. He could picture her sitting where he was now, her hands on the wheel, her mind spinning as she ran through the details she knew and the info she was still hunting down. He could see her driving through Bentley, past his old familiar haunts, her eyes scanning for any signs of Necco. And he could see her finding him—if she had—and sitting down with him. Putting him at ease, gently pulling information from him.

  His eyes stung.

  What he couldn’t see was what happened next.

  What had caused her to leave her car on a deserted street just at the edge of town?

  To his credit, Nate said nothing. He simply stood among the shards of broken glass and waited for Alex.

  To do something.

  To say something.

  Alex was about to step out of the car when he looked down at the floor by the passenger seat. A bag caught his eye. Tucked against the console, it was barely visible.

  Cam’s purse.

  He reached for it, his adrenaline kicking in anew. She wouldn’t have left her purse. Not in a million years.

  “What is that?” Nate asked.

  Alex hauled her purse into his lap. His hands shook as he reached inside, pulled out her wallet. He opened it.

  Her license was gone.

  He looked at Nate. His throat was so tight he could barely utter the words. “I know who has her.”

  43

  Tuesday, September 11th

  6:30 pm

  Cam was sitting in darkness.

  Again.

  She had no idea how much time had passed since Sarge’s visit. She’d tried to stay awake—thought she had—but it felt like there were minutes she couldn’t account for. Her mind felt as dark as the room, numbness settling over her like a thick blanket.

  She knew what her fate would be. Necco’s, too.

  Sarge had told her.

  They needed to be taken care of. They needed to disappear.

  And there was only one way he was going to do it.

  Kill them.

  Her eyes welled with tears.

  Not because her life was hanging in the balance, but because her thoughts immediately went to Alex and what his fate might be. Without her and Necco, there was no one who would back his story, no one to come to his defense. He was bound to meet the same fate awaiting her.

  She felt like a failure, on so many levels. She’d failed Alex, obviously, but she’d failed Necco, too. She was the one who had gotten him involved, and now he was facing certain death, just as she was.

  But she’d failed others, too.

  Her grandmother. She couldn’t believe that she’d just seen her that morning. It felt like it was a lifetime ago when she stopped in for a quick good morning. Guilt ate at her as she remembered how her grandma had asked her to stay. She wouldn’t understand why Cam wasn’t visiting anymore. She’d become another Marta, someone her grandma would always wait for to come back.

  Her brother. She’d used him, pure and simple. She hadn’t told him anything more than what was required to get what she wanted. What she needed. She’d never have the chance to tell him the truth about Alex. Or to tell him how much she loved him, how proud she was of him for the work he was doing at the clinic upstate.

  Nate. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she felt its wet trail as it traveled to her jawline. She knew he’d blame himself for what happened to her. It was his nature. She should have worked with him instead of striking out on her own. Not just because she might be sitting in a very different position, but because she knew her choice would haunt him for the rest of his life. He would obsess over what he could have done differently, never buying the idea that none of this was his fault.

  But always, she came back to Alex. A fresh set of tears filled her eyes. She wanted more time with him, dammit. Time to catch up, to make up for all of the years they’d lost. She had no illusions about what might be in store for them—she hadn’t allowed herself to think much beyond getting through each day—but now? Sitting in a dark room, bound and gagged, her death imminent, she wondered. And she wanted. She desperately wanted.

  The sound of wood scraping against the floor startled her.

  Was this it? Had the sergeant decided to do it in the dark of night? Maybe that was his way of being merciful. Do it quickly, unexpectedly. But Cam knew better. There was nothing merciful about that sadistic man. He would relish every second as he watched her die. It was the one thing she felt certain of.

  A hand reached from behind her and she stifled a scream. Or rather, the rag stuffed in her mouth muffled it.

  “Shhh,” a voice said.

  A face appeared, within inches of hers.

  Her eyes widened in shock.

  Necco.

  He ripped the rag out of her mouth, using his other hand to hold a finger to his lips.

  “How did you get free?” she whispered.

  Necco’s white smile was like a flash of light in the darkness. “YouTube.”

  Delirious laughter bubbled up inside of her, but she managed to swallow it down.

  Necco bent down, making quick work of untying her wrists. The ropes dropped to the floor and Cam pulled her arms forward. Her wrists were raw, her muscles tight, but it felt good to be free.

  “Get up,” he said.

  She felt woozy but managed to get to her feet just as Necco sat back down in his chair. If he felt anything like she did—sa
pped, depleted due to the continuous surge of adrenaline rushing through her—she could fully understand why he’d be inclined to sit.

  But they didn’t have time.

  “Come on,” she whispered. She stole a glance at the door. There was no one there.

  Yet.

  Necco shook his head.

  She frowned. “We have to get out of here. Now.”

  He shook his head again. “Tie me up.”

  She stared at him in disbelief. “What?”

  “Tie me back up,” he repeated.

  “No.” She glared at him. “Get up. Come on. I don’t care if you’re tired. We need to get moving.”

  “I’m not coming.”

  “What? Of course you’re coming.”

  “No.” His voice was firm.

  Cam couldn’t understand what was happening. Didn’t he know that staying there would mean certain death?

  “Alex would want you to come,” she pleaded. “He cares about you. Come on.”

  Necco’s expression changed. “He won’t care about me after he finds out what I did.”

  She stilled. But then she shook her head. It didn’t matter what Necco did. Not at that moment. Right then, the only thing that mattered was that they got out.

  Alive.

  “Yes, he will,” she insisted. “I promise.”

  Necco drew in a ragged breath. “That cop stopped me. I…I told him you were in town. That I talked to you. I told him what you were asking me about.”

  Cam’s heart beat wildly.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered brokenly. “I fucked up. I’m so sorry.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “What matters is right now.”

  He handed her the rope and the rag.

  She wouldn’t take it.

  “Please,” he said.

  She shook her head. She’d be damned if something happened to him on her watch, regardless of what he’d done.

  Voices drifted in their direction and Cam whipped toward the door.

  “Sarge,” Necco breathed. He stuffed the rag in his mouth. “Tie me up now.”

  She looked from the door to Necco and then back again. “Shit.”

  “Do it,” he urged.

  Cam had to make a decision.

  If she got out now, she could come back. Find something to use as a weapon, find a phone to call for backup—anything would be better than both of them sitting there waiting for Sarge to come in and kill them. Besides, if she disappeared, that might throw him off. There was a good chance he would refocus his attention on finding her instead of taking care of Necco.

  It was a gamble, but it was the only choice she had.

  Quickly, she knotted the rope around Necco’s wrists. She did it loosely, wanting to give him every advantage she could.

  “I’ll be back,” she whispered. “Do not give up.”

  Weakly, he nodded. His eyes were wide with fear, his bravado from minutes before taking a brutal hit from reality. She was reminded in that moment that he was just a kid. A scared little kid.

  She choked back tears. “Stay alive, dammit,” she ordered. “I’ll be back. I promise.”

  44

  Tuesday, September 11th

  6:45 pm

  “The cops have her. Don’t you understand?”

  Alex was practically screaming at Nate.

  To his credit, Nate kept his cool. The only thing belying his emotion was the muscle twitching along his jawline.

  “You don’t know that for sure,” Nate said.

  Alex threw Cam’s wallet at him. It bounced off Nate’s chest and landed on the ground. “Her ID is gone. Why else would it be gone?” He raked a hand over his head. “I’ll tell you why. Because they pulled her over!”

  “So what do you want me to do?” Nate asked. “Call it in? Call the police and report a kidnapping…by the police? I don’t know if you know this, but I’m outside my jurisdiction here. And the only people I can call are Bentley PD or BCA.” His eyes lasered into Alex. “You have any ideas how I could convince BCA to come out on such skimpy evidence? Because I can’t.”

  Alex hated that he was right. He knew without a doubt who was behind Cam’s disappearance. It was as if Sarge had left a calling card, it was so obvious. No one else would do something so brazen…or so sloppy. But that fit Sarge’s MO. He was arrogant, cocky, always considered himself above the law.

  A shiver ran down Alex’s spine. Because just as he was convinced it was Sarge behind it, he was also certain of what the man’s end goal would be.

  He was in damage control mode. It was the reason he’d gone after Alex, the reason he’d beat the shit out of him and decided killing him was better than allowing Alex to talk. The man’s very existence was being threatened, and Alex knew he would stop at nothing to protect himself.

  “I’m calling Kellan,” Nate said. “We need his opinion here.”

  Alex scowled. Fuck that. He wasn’t waiting for a committee meeting. There wasn’t time. They needed to act. Now.

  He had no idea how long Cam had been missing, how long she’d been in Sarge’s custody. Hell, they might already be too late.

  A sliver of fear stabbed at him.

  It couldn’t be too late. He shook his head. It couldn’t be.

  Not now. Not after he’d finally allowed himself to find her, to reconnect with her after all these years.

  He forced himself into Sarge’s shoes, as distasteful as it might be. He knew he needed to be able to think like him if he had any hope of finding Cam.

  Where would he take her?

  Alex surveyed their surroundings. They were on the edge of Bentley, fifteen minutes from the center of town. The area was mostly farmland, lakes and wooded parkland. He could have dragged her into any number of places if he was looking for seclusion.

  But taking her away from that location, even the smallest of distances, had its risks. He would have had to put her in a car. Unless he knocked her out—Alex’s gut tightened at the thought—she wouldn’t have gone quietly. Even if she had been unconscious, there was no way for him to know just how long she’d stay out.

  He’d stick close by. Alex was certain of it.

  He looked around again.

  And then he laughed.

  Nate shot him a confused look. “What the hell is so funny?”

  Alex stared at the abandoned building fifty yards in front of him.

  No.

  It couldn’t be that easy.

  But what if it was?

  What if the sergeant had decided that closer was better? The factory had been abandoned for years. There was no way in hell anyone would be lurking around that building. He could keep her there indefinitely while he formulated a plan, and no one would be the wiser.

  No one except Alex.

  Nate was on his phone, texting someone.

  Probably Kellan.

  Alex made a face.

  They could brainstorm as long as they fucking wanted.

  But him?

  He was taking action.

  His gaze shifted, and his eyes found what they were looking for.

  Nate’s gun was barely visible, tucked against his side, partially hidden by the sports coat he was wearing.

  Alex drew in a breath. “I’m sorry,” he muttered.

  Nate didn’t hear him.

  Alex walked toward him, flexing and shaking his arm.

  Nate looked up.

  Alex smashed his fist into Nate’s jaw, then lifted his piece from its holster.

  “What the fuck?” Nate growled. The force of the blow had sent him flying backward.

  Alex said nothing.

  He just gripped the gun and sprinted toward the abandoned building.

  45

  Tuesday, September 11th

  6:45 pm

  Cam needed a light.

  Dear God, she needed a light.

  She inched her way toward what she thought was the wall of blacked-out windows. The voices grew closer, but she knew one misstep coul
d be her undoing. She didn’t know if there was anything on the floor in front of her, any obstacles in her path as she headed toward freedom.

  She couldn’t screw this up.

  Not with Necco’s life hanging in the balance.

  She knew she needed to find an exit. Another door, maybe a window—anything to get her out of that room.

  She just didn’t know where she was going to find one.

  The voices sounded louder now. Two men, who she assumed were the cop who had pulled her over and the sergeant. Their voices were slightly elevated, and it sounded as though they were arguing.

  Good.

  Maybe that would be a distraction, provide her with a little extra time.

  In the darkness, she could just make out the bank of windows. At least she thought they were windows. She picked up her pace.

  Big mistake.

  Her foot dipped into a hole in the concrete floor. It was just deep enough that she rolled her ankle as she attempted to recover her balance.

  She bit her lip to prevent from crying out. Dammit, that hurt. Gingerly, she put weight down on the injured foot, wincing as sharp pain radiated from her ankle.

  She couldn’t be sure, but she thought it was sprained.

  She kept walking. The coppery taste of blood filled her mouth, no doubt a result of her teeth clamped down on her lower lip. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except getting out.

  The windows were within arm’s reach. She shot a hand out and her fingers connected with dried-out paper that lined the windowpanes. Her fingers searched the length of the glass, finally finding a lever that, if not locked, would push the windows out.

  She gave it a push. To her surprise, the window opened. A fresh breeze rippled through, rustling the paper hanging loosely from the panes. She breathed it in, the sweet taste of freedom.

  One more push and the window was fully open. Cam knew all she needed to do was shimmy out the window. One foot, then the other. Twist to the side, pull herself the rest of the way through, and she’d be free.