A memory of Kathy lying nearly naked upon her bed flashed through Doyle’s mind, and he gripped the steering wheel a little harder.
“Stop talking.”
“All right, but feed me, I’m hungry, and oh look, there’s a diner right there.”
“You must think I’m stupid. If we went into a diner you would call out for help and have me arrested.”
“All right then, get some drive-thru, anything, but I’m hungry,”
Doyle pulled into the drive-thru lane of a burger restaurant, and before moving up to the window to pick up his food, he raised a finger to his lips and flashed his .38.
“I won’t call for help. I promise,” Kathy said.
As he paid and gathered his food, Kathy sat quietly beside him with a smile on her face. Once they had the food, Doyle pulled to a back corner of the parking lot to eat.
“That was good the way you stayed quiet, thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Hank.”
“It’s Mr. Doyle, we’re not friends.”
When they had both finished eating, Doyle started the engine, but Kathy laid her hand on his.
“Don’t leave yet; I have to use the bathroom.”
“Damn, alright, but not here, I’ll drive across the highway to that gas station and you can use their rest room, but don’t try anything.”
As he waited for a chance to drive across, Doyle pinched the bridge of his nose.
“What’s wrong? You got a headache?” Kathy said.
“No, but I’m getting one, it’s not that warm out, but that sun sure is bright and I left my sunglasses at home.”
“Not to be mean, Hank, but you’re really not too good at this whole kidnapping thing.”
Doyle bit back his smile.
“I can’t argue with that.”
After they made it across, Doyle parked and escorted Kathy to the side of the building where the rest rooms were. The station only had four pumps, but there was also a small convenience store.
“I’ll be waiting right here, and don’t try to crawl out a window or anything.”
Kathy laughed.
“Crawl out a window? Oh Hank, you’re funny,”
It wasn’t until Kathy went inside that Doyle realized that he also had to go, and it wasn’t number one.
He told himself that he could hold it, that the feeling would pass. However, his body had a different idea and so he rushed into the men’s room and tried to be as quick as he could.
Despite needing to be quick, a lifetime of habit made him take a moment to wash his hands and he came out of the men’s room while still drying them on his shirt, only to find the door to the ladies’ room sitting wide open. Kathy was nowhere in sight, but couldn’t have gone far, and so Doyle rushed to the front of the building.
Still no Kathy,
Damn, damn, damn,
Doyle rushed back to his car, started the motor, but then cut it off.
Who was he kidding? The minute Kathy found a cop they’d all be out looking for him, and he had no doubt that the girl was smart enough to memorize his plate number, and they were out of state plates at that.
His whole quest to find and save Circe was stupid, and now, not only had he failed at that, but he’d be going to prison for kidnapping.
The passenger door opened and Kathy slid in, smiling.
Doyle jerked his head about, looking for a cop, or possibly a pair of toughs she found to beat him up, but there was no one else there.
“Why did you come back?”
Kathy thrust a pair of mirrored sunglasses at him.
“I was in the store getting those for you, so you don’t get a headache?”
Doyle looked at the sunglasses and then up at Kathy.
“You are one crazy girl, you know that?”
“Is that a thank you? It took all the money I had on me to buy those you know.”
He took the sunglasses and put them on.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome; now let’s go find your daughter and that hunk, Jeffrey Mitchell.”
Because of the mirrored lenses, Kathy couldn’t see the rage flare in Doyle’s eyes, but she saw the color rise in his cheeks and knew that by mentioning Jeffrey she had angered him, as she had hoped to.
“Jeffrey? Tell me something, Kathy, just what is it about Mitchell and men like him that turns you on so much? You’re a smart girl, my Circe, she’s not that bri—not intellectually gifted let’s say, but you, there’s not a damn thing wrong with you, so tell me, please, I really want to understand, why does Mitchell get you so hot and bothered?”
Kathy licked her top lip slowly before answering.
“It’s very simple, Hank. I love any man who takes what he wants, does what he wants, and God, society, and consequences be damned.”
Doyle tried to stop himself, but the question came out anyway.
“Does kidnapping you qualify me as one of those men?”
Kathy smiled and slowly nodded her head.
Doyle coughed nervously, put the car in gear, and headed on down the highway.
CHAPTER 8
Jessica came upstairs and found him in the nursery with the twins.
Their daughter, Emma, was asleep in the crib, but their son was awake and lying in his father’s arms.
He looked up at her from where he sat in the rocker.
“It still amazes me that they’re ours.”
“I feel the same way, and I carried them for nine months.”
“I think he’s already gotten bigger; he feels heavier.”
“You’re right, they both have grown.”
“How did your talk with Maggie go? Anything I should know?”
“That girl is more mature than I’d given her credit for, much more mature than I was at that age.”
“So she’s alright?”
“Yes, but I asked her if she needed to talk to anyone, such as a grief counselor, and she said no, that talking things out with me and with her friends seems like enough.”
“That’s good, because I worry about her.”
“She’s worried about you too.”
“Me, why?”
“You both lost your mother, and she knows that you loved her.”
“I’ll be fine the moment that Jeffrey and I are face to face.”
“About that, what do you plan to do if he’s arrested?”
“He won’t be; he’s mine.”
“You sound so certain.”
“It’s because I am, but now tell me what Dr. Colt had to say.”
Jessica looked at her son.
“He’s asleep. Let’s put him back in the crib and go downstairs to talk.”
***
He built a fire, and afterwards, they settled together on the sofa in the living room, sipping wine, as Jessica told him about her conversation with Elena.
“The Horoscope Killer? Her and Dr. Harven?”
“They weren’t always old, and Elena is still active. This organization of hers, this group called PREY, I think it does a lot of good, although not in any way that the law would allow.”
“You’re thinking about joining them?”
“Let’s just say that I want to learn more about it.”
“You like Dr. Colt, you called her Elena,”
“I do like her, and I think it’s mutual because we’re alike in many ways. She also gave up her practice to pursue other things, just like I gave up mine to become a profiler, and now an author.”
“Don’t forget to add mother of twins to that list, your plate is already full.”
“I know, but I’ve mostly been on the sidelines for months and I don’t like it. You have your assignments with Lawson, maybe I can have this.”
He leaned over and kissed her.
“Whatever makes you happy,”
She held his hand and gave it a squeeze.
“I’d like to make you happy, but it’ll be weeks before we can make love again.”
“Are you still in pain?�
��
“No, that’s passed.”
He opened his arms. “Come here,”
Jessica turned sideways and rested her head on his chest, then, she asked a question.
“I know you two are just friends, but do you find Blue... desirable?”
“Blue Steele?”
“What other Blues do you know?”
“Jessica.”
“Yes?”
“I am far too smart to ever answer a question like that.”
Jessica laughed.
“I know nothing is going on between you two, it’s just that she’s the only other woman I think you could be happy with.”
“Where is this coming from?”
“We both know that if not for a bit of luck I might be dead right now by Jeffrey’s hand. It’s made me think about what would have become of you, left here all alone.”
He shook his head.
“I don’t want to think about it. It does no good.”
“All right, then I’ll just say this, if anything ever happens to me, find someone to spend your life with. I wouldn’t want you to live a lonely life and my children will need a mother.”
“I don’t like this conversation.”
“Neither do I, but it needed to be said.”
They grew quiet and the only sounds in the room came from the ticking of a clock and the crackling of logs in the fireplace. After nearly a minute had elapsed, he broke the silence.
“You know...”
“Yes?”
“That Blue, she does have a way about her.”
Jessica laughed, and then punched him in the stomach.
***
Special Agent Robyn Dyer yawned as she stepped off the elevator in a Dallas hotel and headed towards her room to get a few hours of sleep. The door on the other elevator opened and Todd Gray stepped off.
Gray was a tall, good-looking man in his twenties who had won a bronze medal in the Olympics and whose athletic build turned many female heads wherever he went.
“Agent Dyer, I’m so glad that I ran into you.”
“Mr. Gray? How did you know to come to Dallas? Were you and your wife following us?”
Todd smiled his sexiest smile.
“You caught us, but really, Robyn, may I call you Robyn?”
“No.”
Todd laid a hand on his chest, feigning hurt feelings,
“Ouch, and here I was hoping that we could be friends.”
“Friends? I don’t even know you.”
“Then why not come downstairs and have a drink with me? I’d really like to get to know you better.”
“And will your wife be joining us?”
Todd leaned closer.
“On second thought, why don’t we have that drink in your room, eh?”
“Are you serious?”
“I find you quite attractive, and I’m hoping it’s mutual.”
“Mr. Gray.”
“Call me Todd.”
“No, I won’t be doing that and I damn well won’t invite you in for a drink. Go back to your wife, oh, and ah, by the way?”
“Yes?”
“Stay away from my investigation or I’ll charge you and your Kewpie doll wife with obstruction of justice, understood?”
Todd sent her a look of disgust. “Dyke!”
Dyer laughed. “Oh my, you’ve never really grown-up, have you?”
As if to make her point, Todd gave her the finger and pushed the button for the elevator, the doors slid open immediately and he stepped on.
Dyer watched him until the doors closed. Afterwards, she took out her phone and called Agent Smith.
“Hey Robyn, I thought you called it a night?”
“I did, Russ, but I need to get the word out on something.”
“What’s that?”
“Summer Gray and her husband are here, but I want it known that they are persona non grata as concerns the search for Mitchell, please pass it on.”
“Consider it done, now get some rest, we’ve got an early day tomorrow.”
“Right, and have a good night,”
Dyer walked down the hall, and as she opened the door to her room, she thought about Todd Gray and laughed.
“Dyke?”
***
Circe trembled as Jeffrey walked towards her. They were in the trailer together, at the rear in the tiny bedroom.
“Get naked,” Jeffrey said, even as he undressed himself.
Circe had been waiting for him to come to her, and so all she had to remove was a silk robe, which she let fall to the floor.
Jeffrey sniffed the air and smiled.
“You’re wearing that perfume again, the one that smells like lilacs?”
“Yes Jeffrey, do you like it?”
“I do, very much.”
He reached down and scooped her up in his arms. She was a small girl, but well-proportioned. Jeffrey smiled at her, enjoying the look of adoration in her eyes, and the knowledge that there was nothing she wouldn’t do for him.
The trailer door opened and Hanna rushed in.
“Wait!”
Jeffrey dropped Circe atop the bed and grabbed his pants.
“What’s wrong, is there trouble?”
“No, nothing like that, but I want her to take another test.”
Circe pouted.
“But I already took one.”
“Take another, you told me that you’re never late and now you’re a week late. You must be pregnant, go take another test.”
Circe opened her mouth to protest, but then saw the look in Hanna’s eyes.
“I’ll be right back.”
As Circe shut the bathroom door, Jeffrey laughed.
“I can’t believe you’re jealous.”
“I don’t like sharing you if I don’t have to.”
When Circe came out of the bathroom sniffling, Hanna knew,
“You’re pregnant!”
Circe nodded and handed her the test stick with the two lines on it.
Jeffrey slipped a hand under Hanna’s dress.
“I think this calls for a celebration, Circe, go outside for a while like a good girl.”
“But can’t we still—”
“No!” Hanna said. “Never again, your only job from this moment forward is to have that baby. Jeffrey is now off-limits, understand?”
Circe sniffled, whispered, “Yes,” and ran from the trailer, crying.
***
Circe’s father, Hank Doyle, opened the door of a Dallas motel room and looked around, as Kathy Jessup followed him inside.
“Two beds, Hank?”
“Yes, two beds, and I’ll take the one nearest the door.”
“Whatever you say,”
“I’m beat, but I’m grungy from the road and need a shower. Do I have to tie you up, or do you promise to stay put?”
Kathy smiled.
“We both know that if I wanted to escape I’d already be gone. Go take your shower and I’ll see what’s on TV.”
Doyle was too tired to argue, and so he grabbed his travel kit, along with a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and went into the bathroom. While he was in the shower, he half-expected Kathy to try and join him, but she left him alone, and when he came out of the bathroom, he found her watching a cooking show.
Kathy pointed at him. “Look at those sexy legs.”
“Go take your shower. I want to go to sleep soon.”
“Yes, master.”
“Don’t call me that.”
Kathy giggled and headed into the bathroom as Doyle grabbed the TV remote and lay down on his bed.
When Kathy came out of the bathroom, she was wearing one of Doyle’s white T-shirts, and nothing else.
“Why are you wearing my shirt?”
“The only thing I have to wear is what I had on, remember?”
“Oh crap, I’m sorry; I should have let you pack something.”
“It’s cool. My clothes aren’t that dirty and I washed out my undies in the sink and hung them up t
o dry.”
Doyle shut off the TV.
“You’re not wearing underwear?”
“Nope.”
He swallowed hard as he stared at her. The T-shirt fell to mid-thigh, and her exposed legs were shapely, while the nipples of her firm breasts were outlined against the thin fabric of the shirt.
“I’m real tired and uh, I, think we should go to bed, um, sleep.”
Kathy climbed into her bed and got under the covers.
“Goodnight, Hank.”
“Right, goodnight.”
When the light went out, they both laid there in the dark. The room was quiet, but from the highway came the faint whine of traffic.
Doyle had lost his wife four years earlier to a serious illness and had not been with another woman since, but he knew this girl was playing games with him, that she was just trying to get him aroused so that she could torture him with desire. And besides, she was daughter’s age. Even if there was really something there, which there wasn’t, he knew that, how could there be? But even if there was some mutual attraction there, she was too damn young.
“Hank?”
“Yes.”
“It’s chilly in here, don’t you think?”
“A little, yeah, the temperature is supposed to dip low tonight.”
“I’m cold.”
“And?”
“And shared body heat is the best way to stay warm.”
He heard her moving in the dark, then, the bed creaked and she was snuggling up against him.
“M’mm, you’re nice and warm.”
Too stunned to protest, Doyle just laid there with her pressed up against him, and the skin of her thighs was so soft, so blessedly soft, that he nearly moaned.
“You’re a cruel girl, Kathy, a tease and a cruel girl,”
“I have no idea what you mean, Hank. I’m yours to do with as you please.”
“Liar! You’re a fucking liar,”
Kathy made a small sound in her throat and leapt up.
Doyle turned the light on just in time to see her getting back into her own bed, and after an awkward silence, he spoke.
“I thought you were cold?”
Her back was to him, but when she turned her head to face him, he saw tears in her eyes.
“Turn out the light and go to sleep.”
“...Kathy?”
“Goodnight.”
“Hey, Kathy?”
No answer.
Doyle stared at her for a few moments more, before turning out the light and laying there in the dark.
The TAKEN! Series - Books 13-16 (Taken! Box Set Book 4) Page 7
