Expert Witness: A Romantic Suspense Novel

by Luckourt, Nicole

  Jordan tried to keep her voice steady as the desperation of her situation rose. “What are you going to do? Karen and Mike know you’re here with me, which means Chase knows you’re here. You can’t get rid of everyone.”

  He shook his head and arched an eyebrow at her.

  “You never told them you were coming?” The words came out as a whisper as any hope of her friends putting two and two together in time to assist in her rescue dissipated.

  “No, they have no clue. I don’t have a room here, and I’ve made sure no one will remember us together. Besides, your fall will be an unfortunate tragedy brought on by a mix of alcohol and poor judgment. No one will be looking at it too closely. Though I will say the stop at Gator Lake was tempting. I almost considered revising my plan, but too many unknowns there, so I stuck with the original. What is it we say? The first response is usually the best one?”

  Jordan cringed at his use of the word we. Derek had no place among psychologists. The oath they took to do no harm when becoming a doctor would mean nothing to him.

  She had to act fast, before he did. In one swift move, she leaped forward and grabbed the first knife her hand encountered from the cutlery block. Adrenaline spiked her blood as she pulled it out and whipped around to face him. “Derek, get the hell out now,” she said, the knife held out in front of her. Her mouth was so dry that it felt like it was full of cotton. She was surprised when her command came out strong and foreboding.

  Instead of moving back, Derek came at her full force. She wasn’t prepared for how fast he made contact and was only able to drag the serrated edge across his ribs. The superficial cut did little to deter him. He grabbed her arm, twisting the knife out of her grasp and causing her to cry out in agony as her arm was contorted in an unnatural angle. She tried to fight him with the remaining arm, but he was much stronger and was rapidly gaining the upper hand.

  His fingers dug into her skin and he used the painful position of her arm to steer her ahead of him. “Try something like that again, and the little video you saw of my brother’s antics will look like a day at the spa,” he spat.

  Her eyes watered from the burning pain shooting through her shoulder and she blinked several times to hold back the moisture. Each step forward brought her closer to the balcony she was supposed to be falling—jumping from? What the hell had he said? “Your plan doesn’t make sense.” She winced as he clamped down even harder on her arm. “I’ve only had a couple of drinks.”

  “Yeah, you did screw that part up a bit, huh? I figured it’d be a lot easier to get you to loosen up some while you were here.” He rolled his eyes as if her failure to get sufficiently drunk was a personality failing. “But you’ve had enough to do what I need you to now.”

  They were almost to the glass doors now, and Derek grabbed a pad of paper and pen from the end table.

  “Here. This will be your chance to say good-bye. You can give Mike and Karen your best and, of course, don’t forget your new beau.” He placed the pen in her left hand, still wringing her right arm like a wet washcloth. Then he grabbed the pad of paper and positioned it against the wall in front of her.

  “I won’t write a suicide note,” she protested.

  He exhaled behind her. The warm air hit her neck and reminded her of the attack at her office. She fought the terror that came with it as her heart pounded so fiercely it felt like it was about to explode.

  “Everyone knows I would never do that.” Wetness escaped from the reservoir she’d been attempting to dam up and a lone tear trailed down her face.

  He gritted his teeth. “Write it how you want, but make it clear you can’t cope with the fears you have now.”

  She pressed the pen onto the paper awkwardly. Ambidexterity wasn’t a skill set of hers, but Derek wouldn’t react well to that revelation. Curling her fingers around the smooth plastic, she began to form her first letter. She needed to go slow. Needed to figure out another way to escape from this madman.

  The ringtone of her phone startled her.

  “It’s probably Chase.” God how she wished she was with him now. Will I ever be again? Her breath caught with despair. No. She couldn’t think like that. She wouldn’t give up.

  Derek didn’t loosen his grasp. “I think you and I both know you won’t be answering,” he hissed.

  “If I don’t, he’ll be worried.”

  “And you think that’s relevant? Chase may be intimidating to some, but he’s obviously no better than you are.” His teeth were clenched as he spoke, and bits of saliva sprayed onto her cheek. “When he was hired, I thought it might make things more exciting. That would have been fine with me. You weren’t nearly the challenge I’d anticipated, but he’s been a minor nuisance at best.”

  His words chiseled away at her fear. Dropping the pen, she pushed back from the wall as hard as she could, hoping to throw him off balance.

  Derek cranked her arm more.

  She screamed as spots swam in her peripheral vision.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Chase combed every inch of the beach in front of the cove, where the waves crashed up against the rocks in the moonlight. There wasn’t a soul around. Even the concession stand was closed. He used the light from his cell flashlight to illuminate an information board he discovered around the pavilion. It showed the trails at the park, including the one to Gator Lake.

  The route wasn’t long and as he ran along the path, he prayed that Derek hadn’t found her first. He couldn’t lose her. Memories of seeing Robert’s lifeless body after the shooting flashed through his head. Was this his fault, too? Had he let his feelings for her overshadow his responsibility? He forked a hand through his hair. God, how he’d tried to make sure they didn’t. What would you have done differently? His resolve strengthened as he remembered her words to him on the beach that day. Not a thing. He wouldn’t change any part of what he’d shared with Jordan. Their relationship wasn’t an error in judgment. This time it was going to end differently. It had to.

  The chorus of crickets was the only sound piercing the silence around him. The outline of a boardwalk up ahead came into view, but as he got closer, he could see that the lake was deserted. Like the beachside of the park, there was no activity nearby anywhere. He took in the smoky scent of nearby fires wafting through the damp air. The campgrounds probably weren’t too far, but he couldn’t think of any reason she’d have stopped there. Recognizing that the search there was fruitless, he retraced his steps.

  After arriving back at the resort, he made his way back up to the condo. She’d check in here eventually. At this point, it was his best hope.

  Approaching with caution, he was surprised to hear conversation coming from the condo as he got closer. He took post next to the kitchen window. The slats were closed so they couldn’t see him from inside. The sound of Derek’s voice made him bristle, and hearing Derek’s instructions to Jordan had him battling the urge to blast into the condo. It was crucial to be fast, but he also had to be smart. He ducked under the window so his shadow wasn’t evident inside and crept to the entrance. If only he had some type of distraction to ensure that he got to Jordan before Derek could do anything to harm her.

  He dialed her cell number and let it ring. It rang from within the condo, but no one made any move to answer the device.

  Damn. He was used to doing entries with his team. At least then, he’d have a flashbang so he could create a diversion. Nothing like a couple hundred decibels of noise and blinding light to pave the way for a smooth entrance. But he’d have to fly solo and make do tonight. He couldn’t risk waiting for backup with Derek intent on following through with his threat.

  While Derek complained about how easy it had been to carry out his plan, Chase slowly turned the doorknob. It wasn’t locked. He held his weapon in one hand and eased the door open, praying that Derek was too caught up in his own monologue to hear the movement.

  He let out a measured breath as he slipped into the entry hall. There was a wall separating the hall fro
m the living area, and neither Derek nor Jordan could see him yet. He could keep that advantage for a few more steps before he’d round the corner and be in their line of vision. Leaving an arm’s length in front of him so his weapon didn’t give him away, he started making the slow semicircle around the corner.

  He’d almost made it around when he heard a scuffle. Then Jordan screamed. Fury tore through his body, and his heart pounded so ferociously his ears rang. Upon entering the room, Derek was holding Jordan against the wall with her arm pinned behind her. He scanned his hands and spotted no weapons. Derek caught sight of him preparing to jump into the fight.

  “One more step and I’ll kill her,” he said, his voice cold.

  Chase didn’t move. Even with the way Derek was holding Jordan in front of him, he’d have a clear headshot. “Let her go or, I can assure you, she won’t be the one dead.” His tone was matter-of-fact. His request, nonnegotiable.

  Jordan stopped struggling, watching him from over her shoulder. Her eyes were wide with fright. The room was eerily quiet while he waited for Derek to decide his fate.

  Rather than let her go, Derek shoved her hard in Chase’s direction. She flew through the air, and Chase reached forward to grab her.

  Derek escaped past them as Chase steadied her in front of him.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  “I’m okay.” Her voice was unsteady. She bent her arm out in front of her and rotated her wrist. “It felt like he was about to break my arm, but I think it’ll be okay.”

  Her defensive movement sent another course of fire through his veins. “I’m going after him. Call nine-one-one and lock the door behind me.” Derek wasn’t going to get away. He wouldn’t let him. He darted in the direction of the stairs. The sound of echoing footsteps greeted him when he opened the heavy steel door. Despite the head start, Chase knew he was gaining ground as the steps got louder. He’d have him before they reached the bottom.

  A door screeched open, and the sounds stopped. Damn it. Derek must’ve arrived at the same conclusion. Exiting on the next floor, he hoped he was on the same path Derek had taken.

  A flash of color indicated a man had turned in the corridor in front of him. Remembering the two walkways both curved around to meet, Chase chose the opposite direction.

  A few steps later, and he was face to face with Derek.

  “Down on the ground!” Chase kept his weapon trained on the man in front of him.

  Derek squinted his eyes at him and then looked furtively around.

  “There’s no where to run, and I don’t miss,” he said evenly.

  “So you’re going to shoot me, Chase? You can live with that?” He raised one brow.

  Chase didn’t need time to consider the question. “Absolutely.”

  Derek changed tactics. “You’re way off here. This is a mistake.”

  “Save it, Derek. If you don’t get on the ground now, I’ll gladly put you there.” The steel quality of his voice made it clear he was ready to follow through on the threat.

  Derek glanced around at his surroundings one more time and then lowered himself to the ground.

  Chase didn’t trust him. “Hands behind your back.” Derek complied, and Chase anchored his knee on his back to keep him from moving while he cuffed his hands behind him.

  “You know, this isn’t over,” Derek said, his head turned to the side and pressed against the cool concrete floor.

  “Oh, it’s over,” Chase said, nodding. “You won’t be doing much from behind bars. Consider yourself lucky you’re still talking.”

  “No one will believe this. It’s her word against mine. I’ve made sure to leave no tracks, and my record is clean,” he said with a sneer. “As far as I’m concerned, you came barging in in a jealous rage.”

  Chase blew out a breath and contained the anger threatening to bubble out of him. He didn’t bother to reply. He’d make damn sure Derek never got anywhere near Jordan again.

  Police sirens reverberated into the night. The shrill, piercing sound escalated as his backup filtered in to the main level of the parking garage. He shouted out his location to the officers searching the halls.

  Handing Derek over to the police brought him genuine closure. The niggling doubts he’d harbored since he’d left her to return home dissipated. This time there were no awkward pieces they were trying to shove into the puzzle so it would look complete. No, this time each jagged edge fit, and the image was clear—it was one none of them had seen or had wanted to. He lengthened his stride through the halls, wanting to see Jordan and make sure she was okay.

  The living area was filled over capacity when he walked in. A first responder peppered Jordan with questions, but her eyes darted over to his. Though she didn’t speak, he read the question in her gaze. He gave her an encouraging nod, and her posture relaxed.

  After she declined medical attention, they were separated and questioned as to what had transpired. They both gave their accounts, with Chase confirming the details and supplying the conversation he’d heard while outside the window. The officers would relay their initial reports to Detective Larson for investigation.

  Hours later, the interviews were complete, and the officers gradually filed out.

  For the first time that night, Chase had a chance to pull her into his arms. The thick cords in his muscles began to slacken. “You had me so worried.” He closed his eyes and held her tight against him. He wasn’t sure he’d ever let go.

  §

  Jordan leaned into Chase, drawing from his strength.

  He let out a ragged breath. “Damn, I couldn’t believe how I’d missed it—that it was him.”

  “Don’t feel bad. He had me fooled, too. I feel like I should’ve caught on to something, but I guess that’s what makes people like him what they are.” A shudder ran through her at how close Derek had been to her. Plotting his revenge and watching triumphantly as each act had driven her further and further into desperation.

  “You mean subhuman?” he said dryly.

  “That’s probably a fitting term. Psychopaths like him don’t have the same emotions we do, but they can do a hell of a job of mimicking them. It can make them hard to identify at first. And I guess we didn’t have enough time before all of this to figure out who Derek was. Though what are the odds? It’s nothing any of us would’ve been watching for.” She paused for a second, wrapping her arms even tighter around him. “I’m just glad you got here when you did.”

  He let out another breath into her hair. “Me, too. When I realized what was happening, it felt like Robert all over again. That my feelings for you had put you in danger.”

  Jordan tipped her head back to look at him. “Don’t go there. You got here in time. If we’d hired anyone else, I’m not sure I’d be standing here with you now.” Her eyebrows furrowed. “How did you figure it out?”

  Chase looked down at her. “Well, I was telling Mike about us.”

  Her eyes widened. “Mike knows now?”

  “Yeah. He’s cool with it.” He grinned. “As long as I’m good to you. Otherwise, I’ve been fairly warned.”

  She chuckled. “He’s always been like the older brother I never had.” A comfort-filled warmth slipped over her. She felt immensely blessed at that moment. To have the friends she did, to have made it through everything okay, and to have Chase right here with her. But she was still confused as to how he’d known to come back. “So, how did your admission to Mike lead you back here?”

  He shrugged. “It was a hunch at first. Derek used the same wording in his message on your flowers as the perp had in the letter we found at your house. And then Karen was talking about how he’d unexpectedly left the office in a hurry. Both could’ve been a coincidence, but it was enough for me to check him out. And that’s when everything came together.”

  Jordan’s eyebrows rose. “Wow, you have some wicked intuition. You may have to charge me for consults in the future,” she responded lightly, but her appreciation was apparent in her tone. />
  He kissed her on the top of her head. “We’ll see about that.”

  “So, what’s your intuition telling you now?” she asked.

  Chase stared directly into her eyes. “Oh, that’s an easy one. No payment necessary. Well, maybe not a monetary one.” He leaned down, pressing his lips firmly onto hers. “It’s telling me to keep you close.”

  “How close?” she murmured, her voice throaty. She could feel tingles running from her lips down through her body. Damn, she didn’t think she’d ever get enough of this guy. She hungrily eyed his lips, wanting a repeat.

  “Really close.” This time he kissed her with more force, parting her lips with his tongue and delving into her mouth until she was breathless. He pulled back for a moment, cupping her chin in his fist while his thumb ran across her lips. “Like not-an-inch-of-space-between-us close.”

  Her stomach pirouetted at his words. “What did I tell you?” She winked at him. “Wicked intuition.”

  “Admit it. You like it,” he teased back.

  “Not quite,” she said. Then she paused. “I love it.” This time, she initiated a kiss that had them both lost in a passion neither had known before one another.

  Epilogue

  Six Months Later

  “Jordan, you have a call on line one. It’s a Mr. Keith Lancaster. Would you like to me to put him through? Or I can take a message?” Nancy asked.

  “You can put him through. Thanks, Nancy.” Jordan wondered why Keith was calling. “Hello, Mr. Lancaster. What can I do for you?”

  “Hello, Dr. Clayton. Look, I know you’re busy, so I won’t take up a lot of your time. I’m really just calling to apologize,” he said, sounding contrite.

  Jordan considered his words. His petition for guardianship had been denied by the judge. Though it was clear to the evaluators that his father was suffering from some type of condition, her evaluation had shed light on his depressive symptoms, the most likely origin of his cognitive deficits. She hadn’t heard anything more about the case since.