by Dora Hiers
The green tint around Gunner’s lips eerily reminded Ryker of his recent plane ride. Man, could he relate. “Need to sit down for a while, buddy?”
“Might not be a bad idea.” Gunner clapped Ryker on the back. “We’ll spot you for a few minutes, if you want to check things out.”
“Sure. I’ll do that after I wash my hands. Danae treated me to a caramel apple.” He glanced at Danae, bobbing her head in agreement at some story Tessa relayed. Ryker nodded at Gunner. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Take your time.” Gunner rolled his eyes. “Sitting on ground level feels pretty good about now.”
Still chuckling, Ryker made a quick stop in the bathroom inside the Henderson cottage, then headed back out. He glanced at the admissions table, satisfied to see Danae still in conversation with Tessa and Willow.
He took off at a fast pace toward the rides, dodging hundreds of people on the midway. Families enjoyed a fun night out, couples sauntered by, happy just to hold hands with their loved ones. Kids plunked wads of cotton candy in mouths opened wide. Girls screamed on the scary rides. Smiles covered faces, and laughter rang out in the night. This was the sound, and the picture, of people having fun.
Would someone ruin that tonight? Squelch Danae’s dream to make enough money to build another cottage to house more kids?
Not if Ryker had anything to do with it.
If it was in his power, he’d make all Danae’s dreams come true.
Starting with the orphanage.
****
With tears blotting her vision, Danae smiled. “What a romantic ending to your story, Willow.”
A happy-ever-after ending that would never come true for her and Ryker. Danae blew out a sigh, lifting a few stray strands of hair from her eyes.
Chris stalked past the admissions table, a hand hovering just above his weapon. He glanced her way, gave a terse nod, a frown marring his forehead, but kept walking.
Danae smiled and waved.
“So, Danae, do you have anyone special in your life right now?” Willow asked, her gaze following Chris then spearing Danae.
Danae gasped. Nothing like cutting to the chase.
“I think this is where I excuse myself.” Gunner laughed and stood. “I’ll be right back, honey.”
“But we’re just getting to the juicy part,” Willow said.
“It doesn’t get any more romantic than sharing my love and life with you. That’s all the excitement I need.” Gunner stooped to kiss his wife’s cheek.
Danae sighed. How romantic. Would she ever hear those words?
“Okay. Tessa and I will stay here and help Danae man the booth.”
Gunner took off, lagging a few paces behind Chris, but it was obvious that he planned to follow him. Why did both Gunner and Ryker suspect Chris? Danae frowned.
“We’ve got company.”
At Willow’s soft voice and nudge, Danae whipped her head back around to the front.
David Andrew walked toward the admissions table, his steps light and quick, a smile decorating his lips, but not his face. With about as much personality as a mannequin and dressed as immaculately in pressed khaki pants and a knit polo shirt.
Great. Just what she needed.
Oh, Lord. Why am I complaining? Maybe You dropped this opportunity right in my lap to persuade this city council member that raising money for the orphanage is a good thing. Please forgive me!
She smiled a greeting, far from the thoughts pinging through her head. What was going on? Why was Gunner following Chris? Did Ryker and Gunner discover something about Chris that they hadn’t shared with her yet?
David offered his hand. Danae stood and shook, then introduced him to Tessa and Willow.
“Danae, do you have a few minutes to talk?”
She looked to Willow. “Willow, do you and Tessa mind taking care of the table while I chat with David?”
Willow threw an arm around Tessa’s shoulders. “Not at all. We’re happy to help.”
“Thanks. I’ll be right back.”
“Take your time.”
David gripped her elbow and guided them away from the crowded carnival. “Do you mind if we sit in my car? It’s a private discussion. One I’d rather not share with hundreds of people.”
She glanced around the darkened parking lot. A few people milled about, not like the noisy crowd in the midway. David had a point.
“Plus, I think I might be coming down with something. I’m a little chilled. We can run the heater.” Sweat beaded on his forehead and above his upper lip, and he looked pale, sickly.
She turned around. “Maybe I should get my first aid kit. You look like you could use some ibuprofen.”
David frowned and tightened his grip on her arm. “No, I think I just need to warm up. I didn’t realize it was so cold out tonight when I left the house. But I do have something important I needed to discuss with you.”
What was so important that it couldn’t wait until the poor guy felt better?
“About the orphanage.”
Ah. Maybe he wanted to apologize for his behavior at the city council meeting. Danae owed him the chance to speak his mind. “Okay, David, but I really don’t have long. I need to get back to the fundraiser.”
A weak, artificial smile curved his lips. But, hey, a genuine smile was tough to pull off when you didn’t feel good. “Just a few minutes of your time, Danae, then I’ll leave you to it.”
She nodded. “Sure.”
David stopped to shake hands with a man who greeted him.
Danae turned away, pulled out her phone and punched in a quick text message to Ryker. Chatting with David. Where r u?
David resumed their walk to the car. He pulled out the key fob and hit the unlock button. Lights blinked on from an SUV sandwiched between two compact cars.
A seed of doubt pierced Danae’s conscience. Something about the car struck a nerve. A dark SUV. She stopped behind the car, fear clamping her stomach, paralyzing her legs.
He gestured for her to go first, between the two cars. “Here we are. I appreciate you hearing me out, Danae. I’ll make it worth your time.”
Danae hesitated, still gripping the phone. Had David seen her text Ryker? Did he know she held the phone in her hand?
She dipped her head, stalling.
Then she saw them.
Hiking boots.
17
Ryker unclipped the vibrating phone from his belt and glanced at the screen. “What’s up, Gunner?”
“Danae’s…” Screaming, laughter, and blaring music washed out Gunner’s words.
Ryker pressed the phone tighter to his ear and covered the other one ear. “I’m sorry, Gunner. I’m standing next to the swinging ship. What did you say?”
“Danae’s gone!”
Fear snaked through Ryker’s gut. “Gone? What do you mean gone?”
Gunner huffed, heavy footsteps pounding through the phone. “I chased Burton around for a few minutes. Came back to find Mina and Tessa by themselves.” He paused, panting. “Mina said a guy named David asked to speak with Danae. A guy from her church. They walked toward the parking lot about five minutes ago. She hasn’t come back yet. I’m heading there now.”
Dread swallowed Ryker whole and spit him out, leaving him a sweaty mess of emotions, his stomach threatening to heave, his wound leaving him precariously dizzy. He spun around, fighting the stars exploding in his vision, and raced to the shortcut between two cottages leading to the parking lot. “I’ll meet you there.”
****
Head still lowered, Danae took a deep breath and released it slowly. Was David the ghost on her porch? The creep who poisoned Ames and Jacko and trashed her work locker?
She allowed her gaze to take in the secluded parking lot without moving her head, just like she’d seen Ryker do. Harder to do when it was so dark.
She didn’t see anyone. Couldn’t hear any movement.
Looked like it was just her and the dude wearing expensive hiking boots.
What should she do? She didn’t have anything with her, no purse, not even the first aid kit.
Her hand clenched. She had her phone.
Could she position it to call Ryker without David seeing it? Or send another text to let him know that she was in the parking lot?
“Do you still feel bad, David?” Danae asked, kneeling to tie her sneaker. Maybe in the darkness David wouldn’t see her fumble with the phone.
“Yeah. Let me start the engine, get the heater going.”
“Good idea.” Actually, a great idea. That would give her a head start. She tucked the phone under her shoe.
He walked behind her and slid in the small space between his SUV and another car. Stopped. She waited for a door to open, the engine to crank.
Still bent over on the pretense of tying her shoe, Danae pressed the phone to connect with Ryker, then slipped the phone in her sweater pocket. She finished tying her shoe and stood up.
To a gun barrel pointed level with her nose.
She gasped. Her heart raced, stomach clenched. So much for getting a head start. Had he seen her messing with the phone?
The gun jerked in the direction of the vehicle. “Get in!”
Maybe not. She needed to buy some time and to relay as much information to the marshals as possible. “So this is the same SUV that I saw at the airport. Why, David? Why did you follow me? Why poison my friends? What do you want?”
Sweat from the man’s forehead dripped down the side of his head. He brandished the weapon. “Get in!”
“What have I ever done to you? At least tell me why you’re pointing a gun at me.”
“I’ll explain everything on the way.”
“Where are we going?”
He waved the weapon again, erratically slashing it through the air. “Don’t be a fool, Danae. I’m not afraid to use this.”
She held up her palms in surrender mode. “Hey, I didn’t say you were. I’d just like to understand why you’re holding a gun to my head.”
The gun made a distinct clicking noise. She blinked, gulped. “So you’re not kidding. Got it.”
God, I don’t want to get in this car. Please help me know what to do. Protect me.
“Over here. I want you to drive.”
“Drive?” Her voice squeaked.
This was so not good. She slid past him and opened the driver’s door. Could she get the car started and backed out of here before he got in? She peered inside, hope budding in her chest.
“Looking for these?” The key fob dangled from his hand.
She chewed on her bottom lip. So much for that plan.
Ryker, where are you?
Danae got in and waited for big shot city council member to open the back door and slide in.
Cold metal pressed against her neck.
Her jaw dropped. Moisture broke out on her palms.
“Back up. Nice and easy. Head for the interstate. No tricks.”
“Interstate. No tricks. Got it.” She cranked the engine. Took a breath. Mashed the accelerator.
The big car lurched backward. “Sorry. I’m not used to such power.”
His only response was to press the gun farther into her neck.
She shifted into DRIVE, and this time lightly pressed the accelerator. She navigated the exit and the turns leading to the interstate.
“That’s better.”
“South or north?” Her voice sounded loud to herself. Hopefully not too loud that David would suspect something. Was her phone still connected? She resisted the urge to slide her hand into her pocket.
“South.”
“Okay. South it is.” She flipped the blinker and sailed onto the entrance ramp, setting the cruise control once she reached the speed limit.
Now was as good a time as any for him to spill his guts. Her gaze sought the rear-view mirror. “So, you said you’d explain everything on the way.”
Blue eyes, cold and ruthless as the steel he jammed against her neck, stared back at her, no hint of the model’s smile. “I need the orphanage property.”
“You need the orphanage property?” Danae scoffed. What did the creep mean by that? Quiver Full wasn’t going anywhere. They wanted to construct more cottages on the extra land they owned.
“Yeah. I want the additional property they would use to build on.”
“Why don’t you just offer to buy it?”
“I had an attorney make an offer. An anonymous offer. But, with this fundraiser planned, they wouldn’t sell. Wouldn’t even budge.”
“So what makes you think I can help you?”
“You can’t.”
Danae gulped, blinked. “So why am I in your car?”
“With you out of the way, Quiver Full won’t do their own fundraising. Any thoughts they might have entertained about building on that land will completely disappear. Like you.”
He had a point. None of the other board members had the extra time to devote to fundraising right now. “For now, maybe. Until someone else steps up to the plate.”
“Yeah, well, I’ll take my chances. They’re busy with the kids. Until you came along, nobody bothered to consider expanding. That dream will die. Along with you.”
“David, this is insane.”
“Insane?” His head rattled sideways, an evil look slipping over his face like a mask. “No, Danae. Insane is letting a million dollars slip away because I couldn’t get my hands on this property. That’s insane.”
“So, this is all about money?” Something about this whole thing didn’t make sense. Why would he attack her then? And who was the guy on the elevator?
“Money is a powerful motivator, Danae. Money speaks, and people listen. Without it, they don’t hear you, no matter how important your message or platform is.”
“Why did you try to rape me then?” Her gaze fixated on his reflection in the mirror.
“Rape you?” His perfectly sculpted nose wrinkled in distaste.
“Tried to. A couple weeks ago. Inside my house.”
“Ah. That would have been my incompetent colleague. Ex-colleague actually. I had to dispense with his services.”
“So was this incompetent colleague also the dude in the elevator at my brother’s wedding?”
“The wedding. Yes, he bungled that job, too.”
A horn blared from beside the SUV. Danae jerked the steering wheel, wrenching her gaze and the big vehicle back to her side of the road. Good thing there wasn’t much traffic tonight. She didn’t want to hurt anybody.
“So you plan on killing me. How?” Ryker, are you listening?
“Telling you would take all the fun out of it, don’t you think?”
Ryker, I love you. Why didn’t I ever say the words to you?
“Exit here.”
Danae glanced at the exit sign. “Martin Luther King?”
“Yeah. That’ll work.”
“Where are we going?”
“To my building.”
Got that, Ryker?
“Make a right turn at the stoplight.”
The pressure from his weapon had lightened on the drive here, but now the cold metal felt like it was making a hole through her neck. “No sudden moves, Danae. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Like you, you mean?” She glared at him in the mirror. “Wouldn’t you call attempted murder a stupid thing to do, David? Because that’s all it’s going to amount to, attempted. You won’t get away with this.”
“We’ll see. Pull right into this parking garage.”
Danae scanned the words on the sign. “Cassett Parking?”
The half-constructed building next to the parking garage demanded her attention. Reaching about twenty stories high, the cool night air flowed through the unfinished floor-to-ceiling windows. Dread and fear spiked through her veins. “Is this your building?”
His evil smile made her blood run cold. “Yeah. Do you like it?”
“What’s to like? It’s not even finished. Just lots of open air.”
Oh, G
od, please help me. I don’t know what to do or say. And not to be mean-spirited, but if You send Ryker to help, please send somebody along with him! The marshal wouldn’t make it past the third floor, not with the unobstructed, well-ventilated lack of walls.
“It’s perfect for my plan. Park here.”
She stopped the vehicle in the middle of the drive, not bothering to pull into a vacant parking spot. What did it matter where they parked? There wasn’t another car in sight.
He jabbed the gun to the back of her head. “Let’s go.”
Danae drew a deep breath. Think, Danae, think!
David was out of the car first. He hauled her from the car and dragged her to the elevator. Mashed the button labeled “20.”
Uh-oh. The top floor? This could not be good.
Sirens blared from far away. The elevator door swished open.
It’s now or maybe never, Danae!
Danae jerked from David’s clutch and sprinted toward the entrance to the parking garage. His boots pummeled the concrete behind her.
She pumped her arms and legs harder, faster, the entrance sign looming closer. But an arm snaked around her neck and yanked, knocking her backward.
Her spine flopped on the hard, cold concrete. Her head hammered against one of David’s boots.
She couldn’t move. With the breath knocked out of her lungs, her limbs felt useless and limp. White pinpricks of light exploded against the back of darkened lids. Oh, God, help me!
Fingers clenched her hair and pulled, forcing her to use her spaghetti legs. “Ow!”
“Get moving! Don’t try any stunts like that again!”
“Or what?” She gritted her teeth. The jerk was trying to kill her. What difference did it make if he pushed her off the highest floor or just shot her?
He shoved her, flattening her nose against the elevator, the gun poking a hole in her back this time. “Or I won’t stop with you. I’ll go after your bodyguard boyfriend.”
“You think you can take down Ryker?” She scoffed. “You are certifiable, you know that?”
A metallic click answered her. His hand wound around her side to hit the elevator button. The door opened immediately this time. “Get in!”
She took a deep breath and stepped inside the small space. With the gun steady in his hand, David followed and faced her, standing with his back to the door.
