Marina laughed softly. “She won’t be needing any guard out on that rock. I’ll wait in the car for you. In the time it takes Jess to figure out where sweet little Elly is and call in the cops, we’ll be on a plane out of Portland. We can be safely out of the country before anyone figures out which direction we’ve gone.”
The word rock worried Elly more than anything else that had happened so far. She had been subconsciously working on the assumption that the Carringtons hadn’t progressed to the point of contemplating murder. Maybe she was wrong. That realization sent the first of several cold chills down her spine.
But the real chills began much later that day when she finally realized what was in store for her. The short twilight was falling across the ocean when the Carringtons finally jostled her into the Porsche.
“I’m going to hate leaving this baby behind,” Damon said, patting the leather-bound steering wheel.
“You can get another.”
“The fifty thousand isn’t going to go far if I start out using most of it to buy another car.” Damon frowned as he turned the vehicle down a back road that led close to the beach.
“We’ll get it on credit. We can make the fifty thousand look like five hundred thousand to a potential creditor. Look how long we made that insurance money last,” Marina reminded him. She was the one holding the gun now. She kept it loosely aligned with Elly’s midsection. When the fifty thousand is gone we’ll think of something else.”
“We always do,” Damon agreed with a strange smile.
“It keeps life interesting.” Marina smiled at Elly. “You should be grateful to us. This is probably the most excitement you’ve ever had. Enjoy it.”
“I can live without your brand of excitement.”
Marina laughed. “That’s what Jess eventually decided, too. Wonder what he’s thinking now that he’s having to cope with it again.”
Elly looked away, not bothering to answer. Her mind was filled now with the path Damon was taking to the sea. It would be totally dark soon, but she knew where they were. They were nearing the cove that was less than a mile from her home—the cove that contained the castie rock. Elly remembered what had been said earlier about leaving her on the rock. Then she frantically tried to recall the tide schedule. A new kind of fear began building in her.
“This should be it,” Damon announced, parking the Porsche at the edge of the bluff. “Let’s get moving. I don’t want to stay out here in the open any longer than necessary.”
“It’s getting dark,” Marina pointed out. “No one can see us.”
“Still, I don’t like it.” He reached for Elly, pulling her out of the car so abruptly that she stumbled and fell to her knees. “Get up, bitch.” He glanced at his twin. “Got the rest of that rope?”
“I’ve got it.”
“Give it to me. I’ll take care of this.” He yanked Elly across the wet sand, pushing her toward the castle rock. “I hear you don’t like salt water, Elly, love. In fact, I gather you have a real fear of swimming in the sea. In another couple of hours that’s the only way you’ll be able to get off that rock. That’s assuming you found some way to untie yourself first, which isn’t very likely, is it? Besides, I got a good look at this place the other day when I brought Sarah and her brat down here. When the tide is in, even a good swimmer would have trouble with those waves. Even after we tell him where you are, Winter probably won’t be able to get you off until morning.”
Elly flinched as she stared straight ahead. The sea was already beginning to foam around the base of the rock. It licked eagerly at her feet as Damon forced her toward the encrusted fortress. In another hour the waves would be crashing roughly and the water would be waist deep in the imaginary moat that protected the castle. In two hours it would be over her head and pounding the cove violently. Only the tip of the rock would remain above the water. If it stormed, even that position would be untenable.
“This is hardly necessary, Damon,” she tried to argue calmly. “Why not leave me tied up on shore? I’m not going anywhere with both hands and feet tied.”
“Just an added precaution. I don’t want any surprises. Marina and I have this planned down to the minute, and I don’t want anything happening to alter our plans. And,” he added with an evil grin, “it appeals to my sense of humor.”
“Leaving me stranded here? You’ve got a very distorted sense of humor.”
“I know. But it helps keep life amusing. Move, Elly.” He forced her into the ankle-deep water, chuckling when she instinctively recoiled. He motioned for her to start climbing to the top of the rocky castle.
Elly tried not to think about the crunching sound her feet made as she slithered and slipped on the shells of the small creatures clinging to the sides of their private fortress. When she had to grip the rocky surface in order to keep her balance, her hand came in contact with something that moved hurriedly out of the way, and’she almost screamed.
“Hurry up, Elly. I haven’t got all night.”
She wanted to plead with her captor and knew it would be useless. He would only derive more pleasure out of what he was doing to her. Grimly, Elly tried to push her imagination to the furthest corners of her mind while she finished the awkward scramble. In a few more minutes she wouldn’t be able to see much at all, and then what would she do when the small things skittered and darted in and around the rocky pile they called home?
Ten minutes later Elly sat alone, imprisoned queen of the castle, and watched the lights of the Porsche disappear. Below her the sea began to surge more and more impatiently around the base of the fortress.
Elly decided she could certainly understand why the Carringtons’ brand of excitement had begun to pall on Jess.
Nine
It was when she began fumbling for the paring knife that Elly realized there were other aspects of her situation that didn’t fit the movie stereotype. It was damned hard to work her bound hands around to the pocket on the side of her jacket—especially when the sound of the sea and the silence of her fellow inmates kept distracting her.
She was sitting on a reasonably level surface of the rock, a position that would have been visible if someone had happened by on the bluff above the beach. And if it had been daylight.
Her fingers seemed to have grown rather numb, although Marina hadn’t tied her wrists tight enough to cut off circulation. Perhaps it was the cold evening air that was causing the lack of feeling.
Something moved around her toes, probably a small crab. Elly jerked her bound feet away and felt her ankle scrape across a rough-edged shell. It was impossible in the dim light to tell if she had cut herself, but Elly was very much afraid she had. The thought panicked her for an instant. Would blood draw more of the rock’s denizens?
She mustn’t think about that. She had to focus every ounce of concentration on getting free. Soon the rendezvous between Damon and Jess would take place, and if there was to be any hope of resolving this mess she had to get off the rock. Damned if she would let Jess shell out fifty thousand dollars for her. And damned if she would let the Carringtons get away with using her to get at their old enemy.
The paring knife came into her fingers at last. It seemed slippery as she drew it carefully from her pocket, and her initial fear was that she would drop it and never find it again in the darkness.
Cautiously, she grasped the knife’s handle and tried to angle the blade toward the cords that bound her wrists. She made contact easily enough, but there was no magical parting of the strands. Instead she seemed to be sawing away uselessly. The knife had been dulled by her insistence on using it on her plants. Jess had been right. You never knew when you were going to need a sharp knife.
Chagrined, Elly closed her eyes in frustration and wondered how she would make excuses the next time she saw Jess. Contemplation of that gave her the energy to continue sawing on the cords. Surely there was some cutting edge left on the blade. Jess had spent time and care sharpening it. With a gr
owing sense of desperation, she continued working away at the cords and finally something began to give. She was making some progress, Elly realized. The knowledge gave her the courage to continue.
The process took far longer than she would have expected. By the time Elly’s wrists were freed and she started in on the ankle ties, she was chilled and tired. Her muscles ached from the constant pressure of trying to cut through the bonds, and her jeans were damp from the restless spray of the incoming waves. The knowledge that the spray was already leaping as high as her perch told Elly just how deep the water around her was becoming. Frantically, she renewed her efforts and cried out in shock and rage a moment later when the frail knife finally snapped.
“Damn it to hell!” Tossing aside the useless handle, Elly leaned down to wrench at the remaining cord. Perhaps they had already been nearly severed, or perhaps her fear and anger made her stronger than she knew. In any event, she was finally free a few moments later.
She scrambled to a kneeling position, wincing as her palms found the wet, rough surface of the rock. Her legs were chilled and so were her hands. Thank God for the goosedown parka.
There was only one way down from the top of the castle and that was the same way she had climbed it. It was either that or cower up here until Jess finally found her.
The thought of Jess searching for her sent Elly over the side. Once again she closed her ears to the awful crunching sounds. When she accidentally came into contact with a scurrying crab she inhaled sharply, but she didn’t lose her grip. The stupid crab could just get out of the way, she told herself resolutely. Five more minutes and she would be off his house.
The hardest part came when her feet slipped into the foaming surface of the water. She was startled at the strength of the surging tide.
“Well, at least it’s headed in the right direction,” she told herself aloud in hopes of arousing another drop or two of courage. “I won’t be carried out to sea. I’ll be washed ashore.”
Being battered about on the rocks didn’t sound like a heck of a good alternative, however. Elly clung to the wall of the castle and tried to remember exactly what the terrain around her looked like when it wasn’t inundated with water. Slowly the picture formed in her mind. While she thought about it, she remembered to unzip her down jacket. She should try to keep it as dry as possible. She was going to need it when she got to shore. She would be chilled to the bone from the cold sea. She tied it awkwardly around her throat.
To her right there was a shoulder of rock that contained several pitted areas. They could prove treacherous footing. She inched to the left and lowered herself a little farther. She was seeking the sandy bottom at the base of the fortress. How had the water become so deep so quickly? She was losing track of time.
She found the bottom with jolting force when a playful wave ripped her free of the rock and tossed her toward shore. Elly floundered, trying to right herself and staggered violently when her foot touched bottom. The water was up to her waist. She was soaked. Her clothing and her shoes seemed to be deadweights trying to drag her under.
Once again she remembered the possibility of her ankle having been cut earlier. Primitive fears of sharks and other creatures being drawn by blood sent Elly splashing desperately for shore. The swirling water caught at her, playing with her, terrifying her, but it didn’t succeed in tripping her. For a split second she almost considered climbing back up the rock.
Closing her eyes against the salty sting of the sea, she again pictured the terrain in her mind. When she risked lifting her lashes again, she knew where she was and what she had to do in order to get to shore.
Jess would be frantic worrying about her, and he would be in danger from the twins. Elly had no alternative but to get to shore—just as she’d had no alternative that day so long ago when she’d gone into the sea to rescue Dave. When there was no alternative, you did what had to be done.
The struggle to the beach seemed to last forever, and it drained so much energy that by the time she reached the damp sand Elly could hardly stand. She wavered for a moment trying to savor her victory, but she was beyond any thoughts of triumph. There was a vast sense of relief but that was it.
She was so cold. She had never been so cold. The sudden fear of hypothermia made her untie the damp jacket. Hastily, she shrugged into it. It provided the warmth the core of her body needed. Knowing there was no longer any time to waste, Elly turned in the direction of her home. She would take time later to congratulate herself on the battle with the sea.
The only goal in her life right now was to get to the beach cottage before Damon and Marina got away with using wholesome little Elly Trent against Jess. As she jogged heavily down the beach, Elly realized she didn’t feel very sweet or wholesome at all tonight. She felt like committing murder.
The house was deserted when she reached it. If Jess had come there to wait for the phone call, he had already received it and left. The front door was unlocked, Elly discovered. He must have left in a hurry. Not like Jess to overlook details.
She walked into the front room and stood there dripping while she examined the scene. Jess had been there, all right. A half-empty glass stood on the table in front of the sofa. It didn’t appear to contain Scotch, however. It looked more like mineral water.
Jess wouldn’t have risked dulling his reactions with alcohol, Elly decided. Not when he was on his way to meet Damon Carrington. Hastily, she stripped off her jeans and wet clothing, dashing up the stairs as she did so. Grabbing for dry clothes in her closet, she put them on with the same fumbling haste. Then she was racing back down the stairs. The car keys were sitting on the table in the hall where she always left them. She had them in her hand and was out the door in seconds.
Halfway to her destination Elly belatedly began to wonder if she shouldn’t have called the local authorities. Well, it was too late now to have second thoughts. She pushed the accelerator closer to the floor. She would have to leave the car some distance from the beach cottage or the Carringtons would be warned of her approach. She knew exactly where to put the vehicle. She’d place it squarely across the road that Damon would take when he and Marina started for Portland.
Parking the car where she had intended, Elly abandoned it and started toward the cabin. With any luck the distant rumble of the sea would hide any noise she might make as she approached. It wasn’t until she rounded a corner and saw the tail of the Porsche in her path that she remembered Marina was supposed to be waiting in the car. The thought brought Elly to an abrupt halt.
Changing her direction, she slipped into the trees alongside the road and stayed out of the sight of anyone sitting in the Porsche. As she went past, she thought she saw Marina’s blond head in the driver’s seat. Elly went on toward the cabin.
The white Jaguar was sitting in the driveway. Elly halted again, uncertain of what to do next. There were lights on inside the old house. Slowly, she approached from one side. When she reached a window she realized she was looking into the main room.
Jess was standing there, the briefcase at his feet. He looked deceptively casual, as if he were only talking business. It was Damon who looked nervous. He was holding the gun very tightly, not with the studied ease he’d used when aiming it at Elly. His evident tension told Elly all she needed to know.
Damon might be reckless and dangerous, but he was also smart enough to be scared. He’d gotten himself in fairly deep this time, and he seemed to be realizing it. So did Jess. Elly couldn’t hear his muffled voice through the window, but she could hear Damon’s. The younger man’s words were too loud and too sharp—further evidence of his unstable emotional state.
“Don’t you dare threaten me, Winter. Not if you want to see your precious little country girl again. Believe me, it will be easy enough for Marina to leave her where she is. You’ll never find her in time to save her unless I tell you where we’ve put her. So just shut your damn mouth and open that briefcase. I want to see the money.”
/> Jess said something quietly in response. Elly couldn’t make it out, but she saw him go down slowly on one knee to open the briefcase.
Unable to think of anything else to do, Elly yelled through the window, “Hey, Carrington! If you think we’re going to let you have that money, you’re…” She didn’t get any further.
Elly wasn’t at all surprised when Damon whirled to face the window with a shocked expression. She had meant to get his attention. But she was more than a little startled to see him raise the gun with deadly purposeful-ness. He’d clearly panicked at the sight of her. Realizing belatedly that he was going to pull the trigger, Elly threw herself down onto the cold ground.
The gun roared and the window shattered as the bullet tore through it. Elly ducked her head instinctively, staying down. But there was no second shot. She heard Damon’s violent yell from inside the cottage and then the sound of crashing furniture.
“Elly!”
She glanced up from her crouching position to see Jess leaning out the window, an expression of savage concern on his face.
“I’m all right, Jess.”
He didn’t wait. Instead he turned back into the room before she could move.
Alarmed at the thought of what might be happening, Elly leaped to her feet and stared at the scene in front of her. Clearly Jess had jumped Carrington in the same moment the other man had pulled the trigger. The impact of his lunge had sent Damon crashing up against the wall, stunning him. Now the two men were sprawling across the floor in a short, violent battle that was ending almost as soon as it began. Damon didn’t stand a chance.
The gun had been sent flying in the first assault and Jess’s sheer fury had taken care of the rest. With a ferocity that left Elly wide-eyed and voiceless, he pinned his younger opponent to the floor and started to hammer at Damon’s beautifully chiseled face.
Cautious Lover Page 14
