by Anne Rainey
Jonas grunted. “She’s definitely under my skin.”
Hearing the desire in Jonas’s voice had Wade counting to ten. It was either that or punch him. “Jonas?”
“Yeah?”
“This is the part where you shut the hel up.”
“Right. Sorry.”
Wade sighed. “It’s not that I don’t want you with Deanna. It’s just that I don’t want to see her get hurt. Don’t play with her feelings.”
“You have my word.”
And Jonas’s word was as good as gold. Stil , Wade made sure they understood each other. “I’l have more than that if you break her heart.”
“Noted.”
With that settled between them, Wade turned his attention back to George Lusk. With any luck, they’d find proof that he was Gracie’s stalker.
They’d be able to turn him over to the police without any problems. And Wade would be able to spend his evening loving Gracie. But that little prickly feeling he’d felt earlier hadn’t gone away. And that, Wade knew, was a very bad sign.
28
The first few hours back to work had seen Gracie playing catch-up. If she’d known what awaited her, Gracie never would’ve taken Monday and Tuesday off. When she final y had a few minutes to think straight, Gracie picked up her cel phone and sent a text message to Wade, letting him know she was looking forward to their lunch date. Oh, God, she missed him something terrible. Gracie wondered if he were feeling the same way or if having her out of his hair was a relief. The text he sent back had her heart racing.
I’M HUNGRY, ANGEL. FOR U. MISS YOU BUNCHES.
She sent one back asking how they were doing with Lusk.
AT HIS HOUSE NOW . . . HE’S DEFINITELY THE GUY. TELL YOU MORE AT LUNCH.
Gracie had to read the message three times before she would believe it. It was real y happening. After two months of dealing with the jerk, they were final y starting to close in on him. Soon it would be over, and she’d be able to concentrate on her relationship with Wade. And why did that thought send her into a panic? Simple, Gracie thought, because this is the first time you’ve been in love.
On a whim, Gracie flipped her cel open again and dialed Cherry.
She answered on the second ring. “Hel o?”
Gracie took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Cherry, it’s Gracie.”
She laughed. “I know, sweetie; I saw the cal er ID. What’s up? Everything okay?”
Gracie picked up a pen and started doodling. “Everything’s great. In fact, we may final y have a lead on my stalker.”
“That’s wonderful news!”
“Yeah, but that’s not why I’m cal ing. I need to talk. Do you have a minute?”
“I’m in between clients right now. What’s wrong?”
“It’s Wade. I-I think I’m in love with him.” Why did it seem so ludicrous out loud?
“Ah, I see. Have you told him?”
“God, no!” Gracie’s face heated, and suddenly she couldn’t catch her breath. Crap, just thinking about tel ing Wade she was in love with him was giving her an anxiety attack! “He’l think I’ve lost my mind, Cherry. I mean, we’ve only spent a few days together.”
“First of al , Wade won’t think you’ve lost your mind, so get that thought out of your head. Second, stop trying to look at this logical y. Logic and love don’t always go hand in hand. I know they didn’t for Dante and me. He walked into my life and swept me right off my feet.”
“When you know, you just know. Is that it?”
“Yeah.”
“But what if he doesn’t feel that way about me?” She paused, then added, “I mean, I’m sure he doesn’t. Men don’t fal in love that quickly, right?”
“I don’t know about that. It sure didn’t take Dante long to figure out I was the one for him. Actual y, I was the hesitant one.”
She hadn’t known that about Cherry and Dante’s relationship. It was hard to imagine any woman wavering with a man like Dante. He was so kind, so giving. And then there was the sexy, hard, dark-haired Italian part. “You were?”
“It’s tough when you’ve been hurt before, Gracie,” Cherry said, her voice softer now. “It’s hard to let someone else in. There’s always that fear of getting burned al over again.”
Cherry had been married, and it hadn’t ended wel , but that didn’t explain Gracie’s reluctance to lay her feelings on the line with Wade. “I’ve never been in love. That’s not what this is about.”
“No, but you’ve been burned, sweetie. Your mother leaving you. Your dad’s drinking. It’s hard because you’re afraid to let yourself trust. It’d be difficult for anyone with your circumstances. But Wade’s a good man. Give him a chance.”
Knowing Cherry was right had Gracie slumping against the desk in defeat. She’d kept people at arm’s length her entire life, too afraid to care. After al , she hadn’t been enough for her own mother, and her father cared more about alcohol than his own daughter. That Wade could want her, that he could possibly love her . . . It seemed too good to be true. “Why is this so hard? I wish I could let the past go and just grab Wade and tel him everything.”
“It’s hard because the past has a lot to do with who you are now. Just don’t let it rob you of something as wonderful as love. Don’t let them take that from you, Gracie.”
She started to tel Cherry she was right, but her phone made a pinging sound, indicating there was a cal waiting on the other line. “Cherry, I need to go, but thanks for letting me unload on you.”
“That’s what friends are for.”
Friends. Gracie smiled at the word. “I’l see you tonight.”
“If you need the evening off, it’s fine. We’re not super busy today.”
“No, it’s okay, but thanks.” Gracie glanced down at the doodles she’d made on her day calendar. One word scrawled over and over: Wade.
Good Lord, she was in so deep.
“Okay, then, see you tonight.”
When she heard the pinging sound again, Gracie quickly switched over to the other line. “Hel o?”
“Ms. Baron?”
“Yes, this is Ms. Baron. Can I help you?”
“This is Frank Gaetz. I’m a friend of your father’s. He asked me to cal you.”
She wasn’t aware her father even had friends. Concerned now, Gracie asked, “My father?”
“Yes, ma’am. He’s been in an accident. It’s pretty bad.”
Gracie paled. “Oh, God. Where is he?”
“He’s at Saint Mary’s Hospital.”
Saint Mary’s was just a few blocks away. “I’l be there as soon as I can.” Gracie slammed her phone shut and shot out of her chair. After grabbing her purse from beneath the desk, Gracie headed toward the elevator. She stopped short when she realized she had no ride. Damn!
Wade was her ride, and he wasn’t due for another hour. Gracie looked around the office and spotted her boss, Marie, explaining something to a coworker. She headed toward her. “Marie?” The gray-haired woman looked up and smiled. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
“Sure, Gracie.” Marie closed the distance between them. “What do you need?”
“I just received a cal . My dad’s been in an accident.” Gracie’s hands shook as she thought of her father lying helpless in a hospital bed. He might have been a drunk, but he was stil her father.
“Oh, no!”
“I need to go to him, but I don’t have a car. I hate to trouble you—” Gracie stopped midsentence. She hated to ask the woman for a favor after she’d been generous enough to give her the time off after the accident. But what choice did she have?
Marie held her hand in the air. “Think nothing of it. Just let me grab my keys.”
Gracie stopped her before she could rush off to her office. “You have that conference cal at noon with those suppliers. You can’t miss that; it’s much too important.”
Marie frowned. “Shoot, I forgot about that.”
“If I could just borrow your car? Normal
y I wouldn’t ask, but I’m real y worried about my dad.”
“Of course, Gracie. Don’t know why I didn’t think of it myself. Let me get my keys. Be right back.”
Gracie watched her hurry off, grateful al over again for having such an understanding boss. When Marie came rushing back to her, handing the keys over, she said, “Wil can swing by and get me. Go ahead and keep it until morning.”
“Thanks, Marie. I’l take very good care of it, I promise.”
Marie tsked. “You’re the most reliable person I know, Gracie. I’m not worried.”
Gracie smiled and thanked her again, then headed for the elevator. She hit the Down button and waited. The elevator doors opened, and another man was inside, but she barely noticed him. Her mind was on her father. The last she’d heard her father didn’t have a license. So, how could he have been in an accident? As an afterthought, Gracie sent Wade a quick text, explaining where she was headed.
GONE TO ST. MARY’S. DAD’S BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT.
As the doors opened, Gracie tucked her phone into her purse and sprinted across the parking lot, easily locating Marie’s black BMW. Just as she hit the Unlock button, a hand closed over her mouth. A sweet-smel ing odor fil ed her mouth and nostrils. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. Gracie reached into her purse, hoping to grab the mace Wade had insisted she carry that morning, but the words fil ing her ears sent a chil down her spine, freezing her in place.
“I’m very disappointed in you, Gracie Lynn. I thought after that last lesson I was forced to teach you that you’d be more circumspect in the company you keep.”
No, it couldn’t be. Gracie struggled harder, kicking out with her legs, using her fingernails to claw at the hand clasped tightly over her mouth and nose. She heard him curse, but he didn’t release her. She fought harder, tried to kick him in the shin, but her legs felt like rubber. What was wrong with her? Suddenly, her vision blurred. Oh, God, he’d drugged her. Gracie felt herself being lifted into the air, and then there was nothing but darkness.
29
“Jesus, this guy is seriously twisted, Wade.”
Wade stared around the smal , dark room, anger twisting his gut at the sight before him. The wal s were papered with pictures of Gracie. Al four wal s were covered with them. Gracie heading to work. Gracie talking on the cel phone at the market. Gracie coming in and out of her apartment. Wade stepped closer to the bed, staring at the wal above the oak headboard. “Fuck, these are from outside her bedroom window!”
Jonas came closer and cursed. “He’s been watching her. A lot.”
Wade fisted his hands at his sides. “I’m going to kil him, Jonas. There won’t be anything left for Henderson, because I’m going to gut the bastard.”
Jonas grunted in agreement, then frowned as he looked around the room once more. “Look at the bed, Wade. The nightstand. The dresser.
Unless I’m misreading the message here—and I highly doubt that I am—he’s readied the place for her.”
Wade walked over to the nightstand. A pink brush with the tag stil on it sat next to the phone. A bottle of light pink fingernail polish and matching lipstick were placed on a little silver tray. On the bed lay a long white dress. Demure white heels were placed on the floor directly in front of the dress. Wade turned to Jonas. “What the hel ? Lusk think he’s going to marry her?”
Jonas pointed to a bottle of champagne on the dresser across from the bed; a box of condoms sat next to it. “I think that’s the plan. As crazy as it sounds, I think he’s set the stage for their wedding night.”
“Son of a bitch.”
Wade’s cel phone started to vibrate, interrupting his building rage. He yanked it out of the holder on his front jeans pocket and flipped it open. It was a message from Gracie, letting him know she was looking forward to their lunch date. Damn, how was he going to tel her about this? The pictures of her in various stages of undress alone would make her feel violated, much less the crazy scene he was staring at now.
Wade sent her a quick text, tel ing her he missed her. He’d have to think of a way to explain al this. Knowing how upsetting it would be for her had Wade cursing. Again.
“She’s been through enough,” Wade bit out. “These pictures are going to . . .” He couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.
Jonas slapped him on the back. “Let’s get some pictures of our own, then we’l head to the station and fil Henderson in on what we’ve found.”
Wade waited as Jonas walked around the room taking several shots of the bed, the dresser, the wal s. After he’d finished, they headed out the back door. They’d parked a street over, careful not to be seen. When they’d realized Lusk wasn’t home, Jonas had gone to work on the lock. It’d only taken a few seconds to get inside.
After they reached the truck and were on their way, Wade said, “We can’t just walk into Henderson’s office and show him pictures that we took of Lusk’s bedroom, which were taken after we broke into his house, by the way.”
Jonas shrugged. “He doesn’t have to know how we managed to get the pictures. For al he knows, we befriended Lusk, and the man invited us into his home.”
“Fuck it. I don’t care what we have to do or say. I just want this guy taken care of.”
“One way or the other he wil be,” Jonas promised, his voice ice-cold.
“One way or the other,” Wade repeated the vow as he gripped the steering wheel and took the corner faster than he should have. The prickly feeling, the one that told him something bad was about to happen, hadn’t gone away.
Within minutes they were standing in Detective Henderson’s office, watching as the seasoned detective flipped through the pictures on the digital camera. They’d already fil ed him in on everything they’d learned about the market George worked at, which Gracie visited every Monday, like clockwork. Once the detective reached the end of the pictures, he quietly placed the camera on the desk and looked up. “How did you say you came to be in Lusk’s bedroom?”
“We didn’t,” Wade ground out, not bothering to explain further. He didn’t care what happened to him, as long as Lusk was arrested. Keeping the freak away from Gracie was his number one objective. Nothing else mattered.
A muscle in the detective’s jaw jumped angrily as he pushed away from his desk and stood. “You say he works at the market that Gracie goes to every Monday. Does she remember him?”
Wade raked his fingers through his hair, his instincts firing at him that something wasn’t quite right. “No. Gracie has no idea what he even looks like.”
The detective let out a breath. “Is there anything else I should know before we investigate this guy?”
Wade couldn’t have heard him right. “Investigate?” Wade yel ed, as he stepped forward and planted his hands on the desk. “He needs to be behind bars, detective. Drag his ass in for questioning!”
“We can’t pul random people off the street just because you say so, Harrison!” he yel ed back. “It doesn’t work that way. We need probable cause.”
Jonas pointed to the camera. “Did you see those pictures? He’s set the stage. He’s going to take her. My guess is soon.”
Henderson held up his hand. “He’s obviously off his damn rocker. And we’re going to do everything in our power to keep him from harming Gracie. But you need to leave the rest to me. This has to be legal or the scum walks. Is that what you two want?”
Wade’s temper boiled over. “Son of a bitch! I fucking knew this would happen.” Wade’s cel phone vibrated, interrupting his murderous thoughts. He yanked it off the clip and read the words on the little screen.
Jonas stepped closer. “What is it?”
“It’s a text from Gracie. She says her dad was in an accident. He’s at Saint Mary’s Hospital. She’s taking her boss’s car and heading there now.”
“I’ve got a bad feeling here, Wade.”
Wade did too, and it was getting worse by the second. He started tapping the smal keyboard. “I’m tel ing her to wait for me
.” He hit Send.
“Good plan.”
Within seconds he received a reply. Only it wasn’t from Gracie. “He’s got her. That son of a bitch has Gracie.”
“What? How?” the detective asked, as he moved around the desk.
Wade handed Jonas the phone. Jonas read the text aloud. “ ‘Too late. Gracie Lynn is mine now.’ ”
Wade and Jonas took off running, the detective hot on their heels. “He’l take her to the house,” Wade shouted over his shoulder. “He thinks he’s safe there. He doesn’t know we’re on to him.”
The detective caught him by the arm and pul ed him to a halt. “I’l cal for backup,” he gritted out, “but you two need to stand the hel down. This is a police matter.”
Wade shot him a glare. “No way in hel is that happening.”
“Ditto,” Jonas growled.
Henderson seemed at war with himself for a moment, and then he let Wade go. “Christ! Fine.” Before Wade could turn to go, Henderson jammed a finger against his chest. “But if you go in there in the state you’re in now, you’re liable to get Gracie kil ed. Think, goddamnit!”
Wade smiled. Henderson paled. “Trust me, detective, my thinking has never been more clear.”
30
Gracie’s head hurt, but she couldn’t understand why. She tried to open her eyes, but that only seemed to make the ache worse. Tugging on her hands and feet, Gracie realized she was very effectively bound. She remembered everything then. The cal about her father. It’d been a ruse, but she’d been blinded by worry. She’d rushed out to Marie’s car without thinking about her own safety. A hand had slammed down over her mouth. Gracie’s eyes shot wide, and she looked across the room and came face-to-face with her stalker.
“Oh, good! You’re awake,” he said, a maniacal smile lighting his face as he stood across the room, watching her. “I wasn’t sure how long that nasty stuff would knock you out.”
Gracie licked her lips; they were chapped, her mouth dry. “You drugged me,” she muttered. Her throat felt as if it had been scraped raw.
“Yes. I’m sorry, but it was necessary.”
Gracie looked at George, taking note of his filthy appearance. He had dirty, sandy blond hair parted down the side, and if Gracie had to guess she’d say he was in his mid-thirties. He looked as if he hadn’t showered in weeks. He wore a black hooded sweatshirt and jeans. He couldn’t have been tal er than five foot seven. He was thin, almost painful y so. This was the man who’d been sending her e-mails? The person who had run her off the road and had torn up her home? Somehow she had expected someone more sinister. Someone bigger, meaner. This guy looked like an accountant. He was so normal in appearance, so completely average. And yet he was clearly insane. He was also a complete stranger. How was it possible to attract such obsessive attention, and yet she couldn’t even remember seeing him at Charlie’s Market?
