Some Like It in Handcuffs

by Warner, Christine

  “I’m glad I came inside.”

  “Me too.” Sunny pulled his face toward hers and kissed him again, thoroughly.

  Chapter Twelve

  Judson left thirty minutes before Sunny’s shift ended so he could pick up a player from the station. They planned to meet back at her place to listen to the cassette tape, and if everything worked out time wise, they should arrive at about the same time.

  With the last of the clean glasses overhead, Sunny shook away the creepy feeling that tingled down her spine. The panic which started at the thought of Judson being hurt or in trouble hadn’t lessened. A firm believer in women’s intuition, Sunny knew the night wasn’t over yet and she needed to stay on alert.

  With renewed vigor the wet bar cloth hit the counter with a splat causing water droplets to scatter across the surface and over her face. She wiped off the moisture on her forehead and cheek with the back of her hand, finished wiping everything down then flung the cloth into the sink. Benny sat at the table in the corner and she leaned over the counter to get his attention with a short whistle.

  “Anything else you need before I head out?”

  He looked toward her and nodded. “Let me finish up here and I’ll walk you to your car.”

  She shook her head. “No need, I can find my way. You take your time.”

  The bar was almost deserted. Benny sat with Tasha, who snapped her gum in rhythm to the music from the radio behind the bar, a burly weight lifter type with barrels for arms applying for the bouncer position, and the new girl waiting for the verdict on her performance. In a few minutes she’d know if she had a job or not. The redhead twisted her hands in her lap while one leg bobbed up and down under the table.

  “You sure?” Benny asked. “You know how I feel about…”

  “I’m fine.” Sunny grabbed the strap of her purse from the lower shelf and flung it over her shoulder. Even though her heart pounded inside her chest so loud she feared everyone heard, her imagination couldn’t get the better of her. After all, she was a grown woman that could more than take care of herself.

  On her way out she grinned at the new girl. “Good luck.” She nodded to the bouncer guy and he smiled back. Thrilled Benny had taken her advice and decided to hire a reliable guy to work the floor. It was a start, although she’d tried to persuade him to hire two.

  Sunny pushed the back door open and walked down the steps into the alley. Since the parking lot had been jammed earlier, she’d parked on the street. The mercury light flickered. An unlatched door down the way banged against its frame as the wind caught and released it. Her steps were quick, and her hand tightened around her purse strap. The voices of two men talking and laughing carried on the wind. Her eyes darted around the lot, but nobody was nearby. The light flickered off and bathed the alley in a blanket of darkness. Sunny stopped, looked up, the light flickered in quick succession but gave her enough light to skip across the lot to her car. Damn bulb, someone needed to check that.

  Once seated behind the wheel she fished inside her bag until she found her cell, pulled it out and snapped it open to turn it on. Too bad Judson didn’t have his cell, the comfort of hearing his voice would make her drive home easier, plus she could question him about his talk with Derek. Her insides fluttered. It was important that Judson not only like her family, but they like him.

  The drive to her apartment went quick as her mind wrestled with her emotions. She didn’t want to act differently around Judson. At this point she couldn’t let on how she felt, maybe she never would. Although she could tell he was attracted to her, attraction and love weren’t the same. His obvious feelings for Roxanne, and his decision to move back to Montana, were both major obstacles she had no control over.

  The tires of her sports car crowded the curb as she parked. Another vehicle pulled into a space across the road and at least seven houses down. Sunny waited, her nerves still on edge, exhaling a large breath when she recognized the movements of the tall form as Judson. As he moved under the light from the street lamp, his familiar profile reassured her. He must’ve driven his personal car instead of the department sedan.

  Stepping from her vehicle, the quiet, breezeless night allowed her whistle to call his attention to her. “Should I call my brothers first and make sure it’s okay to have you over after dark?”

  Judson shook his head, and even though she couldn’t see his face in the dark, she was confident he smiled. “I’m right behind you. I just need to grab a few things from my trunk.”

  “See you inside,” she giggled.

  ****

  With hooded lids, Judson’s gaze followed Sunny. He enjoyed her humor, but he enjoyed the way her body moved around her car more. The limited lighting outlined her curves. He rested his hand on the top of his open trunk to admire her. She closed the driver’s door and rounded the front of her vehicle.

  He whistled softly when she bent at the waist to inspect an imaginary flaw on her side panel, the light fanned across her backside highlighting every curve. Sunny stepped up on the sidewalk at the same moment the squeal of tires caught both of their attention.

  Judson’s eyes shot in the direction of the rusted, brown sedan as it fishtailed around the corner off the main street and braked on an angle next to Sunny. The bag in his hand hit the edge of his car then tumbled inside the trunk. His heart hammered against his ribs.

  A thickset man jumped from the passenger side of the ancient vehicle and grabbed Sunny. Even through the darkness, it was evident he wore a ski mask. Judson slammed the trunk closed and broke into a run, yelling Sunny’s name at the same time.

  She yanked her arm from the stout man and kicked him in his shin. With a twist of her body she managed one step before the unknown man grabbed her by the upper arms, tugging her back. He shoved her into the side of the car. She lashed out smacking him in the head with her fist. The sounds of their struggle filtered across the street. Panic raced through Judson’s limbs as he feared he might not reach Sunny in time to save her.

  Judson honed his gaze on the man and the awkward way he bent Sunny backward over the car. Even as he drew closer, she threw a punch which connected with the man’s chest in a loud thump. The attacker grabbed her by the hair, she cried out in pain, before being dragged upright with one hand. Judson cheered her on in silence as she kneed her assailant in the groin, wincing at the appropriate time, feeling the attacker’s pain.

  Judson ran faster, fighting for air to fill his lungs. Too late he spotted the pothole in his path. Unable to sidestep it, he went down. Hands outstretched he slid forward a few feet across the gritty pavement. Tiny pebbles and stones embedded themselves in his palms, but he ignored the pain. He jumped to his feet when the man assaulting Sunny yelled then doubled over in agony.

  The man’s grip on Sunny was broken, but the driver had already jumped from behind the wheel of the rolling rust bucket. The second attacker grabbed Sunny by the neck, and slammed a fist into Sunny’s lower jaw with a solid crack.

  The heat of Judson’s anger made him pound forward on the pavement, biting back the burning discomfort in his ankle as he sped toward Sunny.

  Porch lights flickered on up and down the street as the man on the ground stood. Still doubled over, he opened the rear door of the car. The one with the knockout punch dragged Sunny’s limp body away from the curb and tossed her into the back seat as if she were a basket of dirty laundry.

  The pair jumped into their car, shifted gears and drove in reverse down the road until they found a spot where they spun and gunned the car until it faced the right way. Judson’s legs didn’t move fast enough, his heart pounded in his throat, his lungs burned from his effort. He ran the last several steps, reached out with his hand, and touched the edge of the get-a-way car as it veered to the right.

  “Go. Go. Go!” A male voice screamed from inside the car.

  A white trail from the exhaust followed their departure.

  Damn it, if he’d grabbed the gun underneath his seat he could’ve shot at the
tires.

  He shifted into auto pilot and raced back to his car. Guilt over not reaching her in time bogged down his legs. The idea of failure forced him to move faster. His restored vintage high performance car was ready for a race. He’d never been able to open her up as fast as he’d like, but he didn’t doubt her power. Now would be the time to prove it.

  He automatically reached for the spot where his radio would normally have been, realizing with a jolt he didn’t have that equipment in his personal vehicle, he had no way to call for backup. Hell, he didn’t even have his cell.

  Angry at himself for not being prepared, he’d worry about protocol and cell phones later, he had his gun, and at this point it was the only back up he needed.

  Judson sped down the street, leaning out the open door to grab the handle and pull it shut. The smell of rubber followed him as he rounded the corner, intent on nothing more than rescuing Sunny.

  When he caught up to the rusted vehicle with no license plate, the passenger waved his arms about in the confined space of the car’s interior, and the driver’s head jerked from the left to the right. Judson’s fingernails bit into the hard leather of the steering wheel as he rounded yet another corner.

  Who had taken Sunny? Was it that dirty customer that pawed her the other night coming back to make good on his threat to Judson? Or, did this have something to do with the DeVito case, or a case she’d worked on in the past? Most investigators had plenty of enemies, and Sunny would be no exception. She had riled plenty of people over the years with the evidence she’d provided in divorce cases.

  A picture of Roxanne came to mind, but faded away to Sunny’s smiling face. He had to protect her. Judson balled his fist against the wheel, angry with himself. He never should have forgotten his gun before racing down the street to save Sunny.

  Hell, it just proved his theory, women and this type of work didn’t mix. At the same time a small voice in his head berated him for letting his attraction to Sunny get in the way of him doing his job.

  His arms tensed as he turned another corner, the steering wheel slid underneath his fingers back into place as he hit the gas pedal. The car ahead of him lurched forward and they wound their way down several more back roads and twisted side streets.

  The warehouse district by the water seemed to be their target. If they managed to get just one turn ahead of him, he’d lose them. The maze of alleys by the water’s edge all looked the same in poor light.

  His stomach tightened when the car careened forward and a burst of smoke exploded from the exhaust. It swung around a corner and within a few short seconds sped from sight. Judson pounded his steering wheel, stepped on the gas, and turned his head from side to side. The sedan was nowhere to be seen.

  Letting up on the gas, he coasted and turned his headlights off. He zigzagged down the dark alleys and tried to spot their headlights in hopes they’d give themselves away. Judson pressed the brake, slid the gear into park, opened his window, and clicked the engine off.

  He held his breath listening for the loud muffler, or Sunny trying to make her whereabouts known. The velvet swish of water kissing the docks was the only noise.

  “Damn it!” Judson brushed his hand over his head and swallowed hard. He started the car and shifted into drive. If anything happens to her—

  He wouldn’t think like that.

  ****

  Sunny blinked several times. Absolute darkness. It didn’t do any good to widen her eyes, she couldn’t see a thing.

  A stab of pain ran the length of her jaw. She twisted her head and arched her stiff back. Her neck ached, her head hurt and her jaw throbbed.

  The sound of her groan echoed and she realized wherever she’d been taken was large, empty and cold. The scant pair of shorts she wore didn’t stop the dampness from the cement floor seeping into her bones. Her back was supported by a brick wall. The coarse surface dug into the bare skin on her shoulders. Sunny tried to sit forward, coming fully alert as she realized her arms were secured above her head.

  Her heart thumped as she flexed her fingers one by one, and counted each digit in her head. Ten, she was good.

  She slid her arms as far as she could one way then changed directions. The familiar sound of metal against metal filled the silence as she identified the cool steel wrapped around her wrists.

  Handcuffs.

  Sunny choked back a sob, then another. Her stomach rippled as she held back her tears. Now wasn’t the time to lose it. “Pull it together.” Her voice echoed back to her over and over again, somehow it comforted her.

  The events of being taken unfolded in her mind and she sagged against the wall. How long had she been gone, and what happened to Judson? She had no way of knowing.

  Without a doubt he’d be looking for her, he’d witnessed everything. She blinked away the moisture from her eyes, hoping he hadn’t been kidnapped too. Otherwise nobody would know they were missing.

  Frustrated, Sunny kicked her leg out in front of her and leaned back. She closed her eyes and Judson’s face stared back at her, his sturdy and sure features gave her a measure of calm.

  She liked having him around. Even though she hadn’t wanted anything to do with him at the start, she wouldn’t trade a second of the last few weeks. Judson wasn’t only easy on the eyes, smart, and funny, but he knew his job. His calm demeanor and quick thinking kept her grounded. Not that she’d let him know, but he was right, most of the time she did leap before she looked.

  When they finished the DeVito case he’d leave, and for a brief moment she considered sabotaging it, just so he’d stay. No. The desperation she felt from what had happened tonight was getting the better of her. She wouldn’t allow it. Her feelings for Judson couldn’t delay this case for Mr. DeVito. Sunny sighed, the lump in her throat didn’t move when she swallowed.

  First things first, she had to stay focused and find a way out of this dungeon. She’d think about Judson when she gained her freedom.

  She closed her eyes to relax her mind so she could think of a plan of escape. For some reason whomever had taken her didn’t seem to be around, and it would be nice if she wasn’t here when they did show up.

  Sunny slid her legs up against herself to absorb some of their warmth, and discovered one of her heels was gone. Her brows drew together and she stretched out one leg to see if she could feel it. Nothing, she dropped her head against the wall.

  “Damn it.” She loved those shoes. They’d been a luxury buy for her and now one had vanished.

  Sunny opened her eyes and stared into the darkness for so long her eyes burned. Not only couldn’t she see anything, but the drum of silence deafened her. From a distance, muffled voices filtered through the thick silence, her ears strained to make out their words, but she couldn’t. She flexed her fingers and shook her elbows to get her circulation flowing.

  The voices could belong to one of her abductors. Or maybe they belonged to someone else, and she could scream for help. Sunny smoothed her tongue over her dry lips and leaned forward, her heart pounding in her chest.

  As soon as she opened her mouth, she snapped it shut on a whimper. Since she hadn’t been gagged it stood to reason she must be in a deserted area. Away from anyone who could help. Any screaming she did would only alert her captors she was awake.

  “Damn, damn, triple damn.” She pressed her lips together until they stung.

  A loud squeak permeated the silence. Her body stiffened as a rush of air blew across her body. The distant light from the outer room fell through the doorway and over her face, unable to shield her eyes against the glare, she twisted away. Sunny tilted her head back and from beneath her lashes she could make out the figure of a man. The way he walked, his calculated strides and heavy steps were a dead give away. Behind him another figure emerged, the thinner form moved with small, quick steps and the curvy shape clued her into the fact it was a female.

  Sunny’s brow knotted, and as her eyes adjusted to the light, she glanced up at the pair. Their features were hidden by
ski masks. The woman cleared her throat. Sunny’s heart gripped in her chest and her breaths came in quick spurts as she craned her neck to look behind her captors to see if anyone else was in the room.

  They were alone. Sunny pressed herself up against the wall as far as it allowed.

  The man folded his arms across his husky chest. Something about the way he moved seemed eerily familiar. If she could calm down and get her jumbled thoughts together she could make sense of this.

  “What the hell is going on here?” Sunny demanded.

  The woman shifted her slight weight and put her hands on her hips.

  “You have no right...”

  Sunny’s voice faded away when the woman kneeled on the floor in front of her. Although it didn’t seem possible her already clammy skin turned to ice. The woman teetered on the balls of her feet, her gloved hands resting on her knees, and studied Sunny through the round eye slits of her knitted mask.

  Her disguise didn’t hide the smell of liquor on her breath, and Sunny crinkled her nose.

  “Who are you people?”

  The man appeared uncomfortable, taking several steps back, scuffing the toe of his shoe against the floor. His movements were very telling and in an instant Sunny realized the woman would run the show.

  Her tormentor grabbed Sunny by the chin and forced her head up. “Listen here, girl, we’ll be the one askin’ questions.” The woman’s raspy voice cracked, and she cleared her throat often, probably all due to the fact she’d indulged in too many years of booze and cigarettes.

  “Get your filth off me.” Sunny pulled her chin from the woman’s grasp.

  Harsh laughter carried through the building. “Girl, ya need ta shut up. The only words ya gotta come up with will be answers ta our questions. Got it?”

  Sunny nodded, unable to think straight, fear filled her every thought. The man tapped his hand against the side of his leg, shifting his weight back and forth as if he wanted to pounce on the pair, but something held him back. His eyes bored into her as she stared at him, and the same feeling she’d had moments ago about him being familiar came to the forefront.