She was so damn tired of running and hiding. She was angry and fed up with herself, with the police, with her life—which up to now, hadn't been much of a life at all.
She wanted more. She wanted a real life, a home, a friend.
Could she start a new life? Make a new friend, a real friend?
Dot grimaced.
She had gotten away, yet she hadn't.
He was her past and her present. He had destroyed her life, destroyed so many lives, yet no one knew who he was.
The police thought they had put him away. But the guy sitting safely in prison wasn't him. He hadn't been caught.
As long as she kept running, she would never be caught either. But perhaps she should let herself be caught. Because getting caught might be the only way to catch him.
Dot clenched her fists and shoved them under the table so Lilly wouldn't see them shaking.
No more running, Dot swore. She only hoped that by staying, she hadn't brought darkness and danger to the remote, peaceful little town of Bear Cove.
CHAPTER FIVE
“Is everything okay?” Lilly asked, peering at her with concern. “Was it something I said? Mom says I sometimes suffer from Foot-in-Mouthritis. You...”
“I'm fine.”
“You look a little...”
“I'm fine, really. In fact, this is the finest I've ever felt in a long time,” Dot told her honestly. “Initially, I'd plan to just stay in Bear Cove for no more than six months, but now...”
Lilly's eyes sparkled. “Now you're falling in love!”
“No, I...”
“I mean you're falling in love with the town!” Lilly said happily. “I've seen it before. Many people come to Bear Cove, thinking they're just passing through. And then something happens, something clicks. They realize this is what they want. This is what they've been looking for, even if they didn't know it then.”
Dot stared at Lilly and broke into a slow smile. “You're a very wise woman, Miss Lilly Grove.”
“There's only one wise woman in town, and that's Nanny Riddle.” Lilly dropped her voice to a stage whisper. “Nanny knows everything. She has some special powers.”
“Like magic?”
“Nanny says there's no such thing as magic,” Lilly sniffed and lowered her voice. “Nanny Riddle will never admit that she's a witch. She says it rhymes too much with...another word starting with the letter “b”. Nanny prefers the title 'Wise Woman'.”
Dot canted her head. “I don't think I've ever seen Nanny Riddle in Papa Bear's Diner. And from what I see, almost everyone in town comes here.”
“Almost.” Lilly laughed. “Nanny usually stays in her cottage. She grows her own herbs and vegetables. Even has her own goat and chickens. She has everything she needs.”
Dot nodded thoughtfully. “You said Nanny knows everything?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I wonder...if she knows about me.”
“I'm sure,” Lilly said without hesitation. “Nanny knows everything.”
Dot swallowed nervously. She wasn't sure if she should be worried or relieved.
“You know, you're my very first friend in Bear Cove,” Dot said, looking at Lilly's helpful, friendly face.
“Oh, you'll make plenty more. This is only your first month here. You might even find a nice young man who sweeps you off your feet. Oh God! I sound like my mom! She's been throwing me not-so-subtle hints about all the eligible bachelors in town.” Lilly giggled.
“You're not seeing anyone?” Dot asked, surprised. Lilly was very attractive. She had a warm, bubbly personality and she was very pretty, with intelligent brown eyes and rich, mahogany curls. She imagined that Lilly probably had to beat all the single men in Bear Cove away with a stick.
“Nope.” Lilly grinned. “I broke up with Maddox Bleeker some time back. We're still friends. Hard not to be in a town like this.”
Dot mulled over the word 'friends'. If she wanted a true friend, she had to start by being truthful.
She didn't want to hurt Lilly. She wanted to protect her first friend, her only friend.
Finally she said very quietly, “My name isn't really Dot.”
Lilly stared at her for a long moment. “Are you a fugitive from the law?” Lilly asked point blank.
“No!” Dot's eyes rounded as she shook her head vehemently.
“Have you killed someone, hurt someone or cheated someone?” Lilly went on.
“No.”
“Are you in danger, Dot?”
Dot gulped and gave a jerky nod. “That's why I never stay in one place for more than a few months. I...I have to keep moving. So no one will know me or remember me. That way, I stay alive and no one gets hurt because of me,” she whispered.
Lilly folded her arms over her chest. “Bear Cove isn't a town of cowards,” she said at last. “Everyone has a past, and everyone knows everybody's business here but we don't expose each other's secrets.”
Lilly leaned forward and said, “Many people don't go by the name they're given at birth. Dot. This is what you call yourself. It's your, um, plum name, right?”
Dot nodded.
“Then it's your name,” Lilly said simply. “Plum or no plum.”
CHAPTER SIX
Troy dropped his two rambunctious nephews off at school and drove towards Papa Bear's Diner. It was going to be a long day, and he wanted to grab two large lunches to go. One for him and one for Brandon. They had to finish the gazebo for Mrs Lake today. Mrs Lake ran the Cozy Cove Inn and she thought it would be great if couples would hold their weddings at her inn. A gazebo was just the thing for a wedding, she said.
Troy wanted to make sure they had enough food on hand so they could finish the work quickly. Brandon was a horrible grouch when he was hungry. Which was why Lilly had nicknamed him “Bulldog”. The guy was usually hungry and grumpy when he bulldozed his way into Papa Bear's Diner and frankly, his creased, scowling face did resemble a bulldog's.
But Troy knew his best friend was no bulldog. He was a very different animal. A much bigger one.
He and Brandon ran Mister Handyman together. The two of them did almost all the maintenance and repair work in Bear Cove. No odd job was too odd for them. As a result, they knew almost every family and business in town.
As he drove, Troy found his thoughts drifting to that beautiful, mysterious newcomer. He didn't want to admit it to his sister but Megan had hit the nail on the head. He wasn't watching Dot because he was suspicious of her. He watched her because he wanted to protect her.
But—protect her from what?
Troy didn't know what secrets Dot was hiding, but he could see the fear in her haunted gray eyes.
He had seen her the very first day she drove into town.
The real estate agent had contacted Mister Handyman to do some last minute repairs to Mr and Mrs Yong's house. The new tenant was moving in today, the agent said.
It turned out he just had to secure a loose shelf. As he was leaving the house with the agent, he saw a little car rattle to a stop in front of the house. A raven-haired woman stepped out and walked up to the agent.
“Miss Dot!” the agent exclaimed and glanced at his watch. “You're...right on time.”
Troy made his way to his truck and watched as the agent handed the woman the keys to the house. Troy kept his eyes on her, unconsciously memorizing every detail about her.
The woman was clean-scrubbed with not a trace of makeup on her face. She was of average height and build, around five foot four, and her black hair was tied up in a simple ponytail. She was wearing faded jeans and a dull, brown jacket. There was not a single piece of jewelery on her body. No rings, necklace or earrings. Most women did their best to enhance their looks, but this woman seemed to be trying to hide her natural beauty.
The woman noticed him at once as he stood beside his truck but pretended not to see him.
No one would ever accuse Troy of being effusive and effervesce
nt. But for some reason, Troy wanted to walk up to this woman and talk to her. There was something about her that called to him.
The woman frowned and turned sharply away from him. Her body language told him that she very much preferred not to make small talk. In fact, she wanted him to pretend that he hadn't seen her at all.
Well, he could pretend but he still wanted to see her. Troy climbed into his truck and watched her in the rear-view mirror.
The woman's large, gray eyes continued scanning the street behind her. Her gaze lingered for a while on Troy's truck which was idling at the side of the curb. After a few seconds, she turned and followed the agent into the house.
As soon as the agent left, the woman strode quickly back to her car and grabbed her duffel bag and laptop bag. She went into the house and the door closed behind her.
Troy watched the front door, but it didn't open again.
Was that all she brought, one duffel bag and a laptop?
The agent had mentioned to Troy that the new tenant had rented the place for six months. Troy knew his sister packed a whole suitcase for a two-day trip.
Miss Dot certainly traveled light.
And Dot appeared to be her first name and her last name, her only name.
It wasn't her real name, he was sure of it.
Dot was running from something or someone.
It didn't matter to Troy who Dot really was or what she was doing in Bear Cove.
From the first moment he saw her, Troy knew that he would do everything in his power to keep her safe.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Someone walked into the diner. Dot looked up and saw a tall, handsome, blond man walk up to the counter and place his order. He chatted amiably with Lilly and Daisy for a few minutes.
Dot closed her notebook and slipped it into her bag. She usually lingered at Papa Bear's after breakfast and wrote for an hour or so in the diner. In the afternoons, she usually continued her work in the library before going home. The house that she rented was very nice and comfortable, but still, it was just a house. It had walls and furniture, but no people.
It was nice to sit in a corner and listen to the low hum of human conversation. Having strangers around her was better than being utterly alone.
But this morning, Lilly had become a friend.
Lilly was unfazed and undaunted even after learning that Dot was just “a plum name”. The woman was determined to befriend her and it had touched Dot deeply.
Daisy had stopped by and patted her hand. “I'm so glad you found a friend in our Lilly. I've been telling Lilly to come over and talk to you. You girls are about the same age. And you look like you could use a friend,” Daisy said softly.
“Thank you,” Dot managed, blinking quickly. Lilly and Daisy had both seen her aching loneliness and sadness beneath that tough, impassive exterior and had discreetly and quietly showered her with care, concern and friendship. They had been her friends even before she opened up to them.
These people were amazing. And there were many more warm, wonderful people around her. If only she'd let them in.
Dot took a sharp breath as her eyes returned to that tall, handsome man leaning against the counter.
She recognized him.
She had seen him on the very first day she arrived in Bear Cove. And she had seen his truck around town.
Mister Handyman. That was the logo emblazoned on his truck.
Mister Handyman had been watching her that day as she unloaded her bags from the car and scuttled into the house.
And he was watching her now.
His brilliant, blue eyes looked right at her and held her gaze steadily until she had to look away.
He was wearing faded jeans and work boots, and his t-shirt announced that he was Mister Handyman to the world.
Mister Handyman pushed away from the counter and started walking towards her booth.
Dot gulped and squirmed in her seat. If she jumped up now, she would still have to squeeze past his broad frame to get to the door.
He was standing beside her booth now. She had no choice but to look up.
“Hi. I'm Troy Hillman.” His voice was deep and gentle.
“Hi. I...I'm Dot.”
“You're living in that blue house at the corner of Tulip Drive.” It wasn't a question.
“Yes.”
“I did some work on that house. I'm...”
“Mister Handyman,” she finished with a faint smile.
“Yeah. Brandon and I run the business together, so there are actually two Mister Handymen,” Troy said, returning her smile.
Dot blinked. Troy was even more handsome when he smiled. She had initially thought that he was in his late thirties, but now she guessed he was only in his early thirties at most.
He was very tall with broad, powerful shoulders. His arms were tanned and muscular, and from what she could see, his body was lean and ripped. He was a very good-looking male, but she detected no arrogance in his body language or tone. He wasn't smug or smarmy, and he was just chatting with her, not trying to chat her up.
Troy frowned slightly as he stared deep into her eyes. It felt as though he was looking right into her heart.
Could he see all her secrets and terrors? Would she ever be free of the evil that was determined to follow her?
Dot gripped the edge of her seat tightly as the tormenting images swirled in her mind. The diner and all the light around her began to dim and recede from her.
She was in that dark place once again.
Twelve years. It was twelve years ago, but she was still trapped. In that dark cabin that reeked of fear...and him.
She was alive, but she hadn't escaped after all.
CHAPTER EIGHT
With a groan, the Artist stood up and pulled off the condom. He always wore a condom and latex gloves when he took her.
She clung on desperately to that last sliver of hope.
If he was taking care not to leave his semen and fingerprints, that meant that he wasn't intending to kill her, right? Maybe he would let her go after he grew tired of her.
She had never seen his face. So she couldn't identify him. She had tried to ask him his name, but he only told her that he was the Artist.
The Artist threw the used condom and gloves into a plastic bag. But he didn't remove his hood. She could only see his eyes through the hood. His eyes were like chips of ice, greenish-blue, flinty and cold.
She sagged against the wall, tugging at the collar around her neck with trembling fingers. She closed her eyes and tried to stem the nausea. She always felt like throwing up after he touched her.
The Artist settled in a creaky wooden chair and picked up his pencil and sketch pad. He gestured with the pencil and said, “Kneel, Daniella. On your hands and knees. And spread your legs, the way you spread them for me just now.”
Shivering, she obeyed.
The slightest sign of disobedience and defiance would be punished. She didn't mind the slaps, beatings and cigarette burns. She was almost numb to the pain and humiliation by now.
No. He punished her by depriving her of food.
He would starve her for days, until she was so weak from hunger. Then he would take her unresisting body on the floor.
Without food, she wouldn't have enough strength to escape. And she was going to escape. She wasn't going to die here. She would escape, or die trying.
She knew his routine by now. She had lost count of the days, but she knew that a few months had passed.
And no one had come looking for her.
She had no family who would miss her. No one who cared enough to search for her.
She was just another missing person, and the police wouldn't pay much attention to her case.
Her foster family would just have assumed that she had run away. They would have thrown away all her things by now. No one would remember her.
The Artist began to draw.
His pencil moved swiftly
over the paper, making soft, scratching sounds.
“Look at me, Daniella,” he said. “I want to capture your expression.”
She raised her head, muting the hatred and hostility in her eyes.
The Artist made an appreciative sound. “You're so beautiful, Daniella.”
He leaned forward and ran the sharpened tip of his pencil down her naked body. Deliberately, he dragged the pencil up the inside of her thigh and toyed with her.
She forced herself not to shudder, not to make a sound.
He laughed.
“I won't hurt you, Daniella.” His voice was quiet and menacing. The threat and warning was clear.
He could hurt her very badly indeed. And she would be in agony for days before he would allow her to die.
“Daniella, my muse,” the Artist declared proudly as he returned to his drawing.
The walls of the cabin were covered with his sick, twisted drawings. And all the drawings were of her.
CHAPTER NINE
Dot tried to suppress the sudden, violent shudders as she fought those dark, screaming images back into the deep, buried recesses of her mind.
“No,” she whispered angrily. She squeezed her eyes shut and fought against the pain and nausea.
She wasn't going to live half a life and keep looking over her shoulder.
It had to stop.
When she opened her eyes again, she saw Troy staring intently at her. He was sitting opposite her now, his brilliant, knowing blue eyes boring into hers. For a few terrifying heartbeats, Dot felt as though Troy could see what she was hiding, who she really was.
“I...”
She let out a small cry like a wounded animal when Troy leaned forward and covered her hand with his. She knew she should pull away but his touch seemed to comfort and calm her. She wanted him to keep touching her. Her body angled forward of its own volition as though it were trying to close the distance between them.
“Everyone has secrets and everyone has a past. Many people come to Bear Cove to start a new life.” Troy paused and took a deep breath. “I did,” he said quietly.
Bear My Heart: A Small Town Paranormal Romance Page 2
