by Marla Monroe
Just as she made it to the front door, someone grabbed her from behind, slapping a cloth with chloroform over her mouth and nose. She struggled, but without a clear breath, she was useless to get away. As soon as she was forced to take a deep breath, she passed out.
* * * *
Cole and Zack were pissed off when they got off work at nearly six that night. The supplies for the drywall hadn’t come in on time, and they spent three hours fucking around waiting on it. Now it was late, and they’d been there since six that morning. When they drove, up to the house and saw Tina’s bike parked out front with the garage door closed, both men knew something was wrong. Cole pressed the opener mounted to his bike and they drove into the garage. Zack walked back and rolled Tina’s bike in as Cole closed the door behind them.
“Something’s wrong.” Zack started for the door.
“Zack. Careful.” He tapped just below his eyes with two fingers and put them back in the army.
They approached the garage door as if it were the enemy. Cole quietly unlocked it and they rolled in checking either side of the door. Nothing. Cole disengaged the security system. They systematically checked each room but found no sign of Tina or that she’d even been home. If not for her bike being parked out front, they never would have known she had been there.
“He’s got her,” Zack ground out between clinched teeth. “The bastard has her.”
“Fuck!” Cole hit the door with his fist. “She’s been gone at least ten hours. God knows what he’s done to her.”
Cole immediately snapped back into line and pulled out his phone to call the police. They informed him they couldn’t do anything until they filed a missing person’s report when it had been twenty-four hours. No amount of pleading or fussing did any good.
Finally, Zack pulled the phone from Cole’s hand and snapped it closed.
“Get a hold of yourself, man. This isn’t doing her any good.”
“What in the hell are we going to do? It’ll be too late in twenty-four hours if it isn’t already,” he yelled.
“Call that investigator from the highway patrol. He knew what was going on and will recognize the coincidence. Not to mention her picture was all over the TV for two fucking days.” Zack handed Cole his phone back.
Cole pulled out his wallet and located the man’s card. Then he called and got his voice mail. He left a message and sighed.
“I think there was a brown van following us the other day when we went out for a ride. I didn’t really think anything of it till now. It kept going past the house when we turned in and I never saw it again.”
“Fuck, Zack. Why didn’t you say something then?” Cole demanded.
“Because I didn’t want to upset Tina and I didn’t think it was important at the time. We hadn’t seen it before. At least I hadn’t, but maybe Tina had. She seemed to have watched it pass, too. Maybe she had noticed it before. Why in the hell didn’t I say anything?” Zack ran both hands over his face and turned away.
“Hell, it’s not your fault. It’s not anyone’s fault but that bastard that has her. We’ve got to find her.” Cole walked over to the kitchen and started some coffee. “What are our options?”
“We can call all the guys in and get them to help look for brown vans.”
“We don’t need to pull them off the work site. We won’t be going back until we have her back safe. Besides, we can’t crash through every place that has a brown van. We’ll end up in jail, and not do her any good that way.”
Cole’s phone rang. He answered it on the second ring.
“I received your message,” a man’s voice said. “This is Investigator Todd Leany.”
“This is Cole Tominellie. We met about a month ago when my friend, Tina was attacked back at a truck stop in…”
“I remember. She’s the only one to escape the Truck Stop Killer.”
“I think he has her now, though. She’s missing. She made it to the house after work last night but her bike was parked outside the garage and she hasn’t been in the house that we can tell.” Cole explained about the brown van, and that they didn’t leave the garage door closed when she was at work.
“I’m about an hour from you. I’m going to report this to my commander, and we’ll be at your house in a little over an hour.”
Cole hung up and sighed. At least they had someone that believed them now. He wasn’t sure what they could do, but it was something.
A little before eight that night, the doorbell rang. Cole checked the window and let in the patrolmen standing at the door. There were three of them. They each carried a briefcase. They turned out to hold computers. Everyone introduced themselves and shook hands.
“This has narrowed down our search,” one of the investigators, Harry Lumpkin, told them. “We had three suspects we’ve been watching. Since he doesn’t take them across state lines, but kills within the state he took them, the FBI hasn’t gotten involved—officially. They have lent us some resources, so we’ve been able to keep track of the brown vans reported in the areas of the attack.” He pulled up a picture of a dorky-looking man on his computer screen.
“Strangely enough, the least likely candidate lives here in Dallas and drives a brown van. He matches the description just like the others, but he appears less organized than our profile tells us he should be. We’ve mapped out his whereabouts using the tracking device we attached to his van and he did drive through this area on several occasions over the last few weeks, with the last time being this morning around seven-thirty.”
“Then let’s go get him,” Zack immediately grabbed his jacket and pulled it on.
“Wait. We don’t want to spook him or he might kill her,” Todd told him.
“Every fucking second he has her he might be hurting her or killing her,” Cole yelled, hitting the bar with his fist. “You know where he lives. Get her out of there, or we will.”
“Don’t make us arrest you and put you in jail while we do this,” Harry said in a cool voice.
“Then do something,” Cole demanded.
“We have his house surrounded right now. There is an emergency response team already in place to handle hostage negotiations if it comes to that. We’re hoping to run a quick operation, and pull her out without that, but it’s in place should we need it,” Harry told him.
“So let’s go,” Zack said standing by the door.
“I need your cooperation to do it.” Harry closed his computer down.
“What do you mean?” Cole asked suddenly worried.
“No matter what happens, you can’t interfere, or you’re not going with us. This is going to be tricky, because we know he isn’t averse to killing his victim.”
“Her name is Tina,” Zack yelled.
“Zack, calm down.” Cole knew what was coming.
“She could already be dead. We have to prepare for that possibility.”
“She’s not, though,” Cole assured him. “I’d know if she were.”
Harry looked at him, then at Zack and sighed. He snapped shut the briefcase and nodded.
“Let’s go. I want you with me so I don’t have to worry about what you’re doing on your own.”
They followed them out and got in the back of Todd’s car. Cole wasn’t pleased that so many people were involved. The more people, the bigger chance someone would fuck up. He didn’t want anything to happen to Tina because someone screwed up. He refused to dwell on what might have already happened to her. All that mattered at this point was to get her back alive. They could deal with the rest later.
Zack was staring out the window with his hands in fists. Cole knew his friend blamed himself for not saying anything about the brown van earlier. It wasn’t his fault, though. There was nothing either of them could have done. Tina would never have stayed cooped up in the house twenty-four-seven. Even that might not have saved her from this bastard.
Chapter Fifteen
They pulled up behind a tactical van the highway patrol used in hostage situations. He and
Zack had to wait for Todd to let them out. The other man turned around in his seat and looked at them.
“I’m going to let you out, but the first time one of you gets in the way, I’ll cuff you and put you right back in here. Got it?”
“Yeah, we’ve got it.” Cole stared hard into Todd’s eyes to let him know how he felt about the situation.
Zack waited as Cole and Todd came to an understanding of sorts then was out of the car as soon as the locks clicked. They followed Todd over to where the command post had been set up.
“Where is the house?” Cole demanded.
“It’s one street over directly behind the one we’re in front of,” Harry told them. “He’s got all the windows papered so we can’t see inside to know what is going on.”
“Why aren’t you moving in?” Zack asked.
“We were waiting on more intel. We have someone going door-to-door asking about his place to see if anyone has ever been inside. We need to know more of what to expect going in or we’ll run the risk of getting her killed.” Harry put his hand to his ear and turned away.
“I don’t like just sitting here,” Zack said in a growly voice. “He could be hurting her or killing her while we’re standing around with our thumbs up our asses.”
Harry walked back over. “Okay, we got as much information as we’re going to get. They know the general layout of the house and are about to go in. I want you two to stay out of the way until they give the all clear. Do you understand?”
“Right,” Cole said.
Zack only nodded his head.
Cole had no plans of causing a problem that could get Tina killed. He’d be ready to take care of her when it was all over, though. He and Zack would make everything okay for her somehow.
Zack’s eyes were cold and hard when Cole looked over at him. He was expecting the worst. That was usually Cole’s take on things. This time, though, he expected everything to work out. He didn’t know what he would do if she were gone.
Both men jumped when they heard a muffled explosion. Then there was gunfire, and both men took off running for the house despite Todd’s warning. No one would have been able to subdue them at the moment. They rounded the corner of the man’s house to find the tactile team pulling out a man by his hair and clothes. The bastard was screaming about police brutality. Zack was all over him before the others could hold him off. They finally got him off the man by telling him he needed to see about Tina. Cole ran into the house ahead of Zack looking for her.
They had used tear gas in the house and it was almost more than they could handle, but it was dissipating quickly thanks to all the fans in the house being turned on. They grabbed the first man they came to and asked where Tina was. The man pointed toward a back room. Cole raced to the room only to be blocked by a monster of a man.
“They’re bringing her outside. You need to wait outside or I’m going to put you out,” the bruiser of a guy said.
Cole and Zack were not small men, but this guy was massive and totally blocked their view of the room.
“Out. Now!” he yelled.
They cursed but backed out of the house to keep Tina from being subject to the smoky tear gas any longer than necessary. She’d already had it full force for several minutes.
Less than two seconds after they walked back outside, Todd was all over them about breaking into their investigation. Cole ignored him and waited for Tina to come out, but Zack yelled right back. It was so unlike his partner to be this verbal with anyone. He was usually the one who calmed Cole down.
“Zack, here she comes. Hold up, buddy.”
* * * *
Tina coughed and choked, trying to get the nasty tear gas out of her lungs as she clung to the man carrying her out. The mask on her face did little to help with the gas already in her lungs. Her eyes were tearing up to the point she couldn’t see anything around her. God, she was free.
Then she heard Cole’s voice and real tears began to flow. They were there looking for her. They hadn’t forgotten about her. They’d really been trying to find her. She sobbed trying to call for them behind the mask.
“Easy, Tina. You’ve got two men here who are about to get arrested for interfering with your rescue. Do you want to see them?” the man carrying her asked.
“Yes, yes, yes. Please, I want Cole.” She reached out blindly trusting that Cole or Zack would catch her.
The blanket covering her slipped and she hissed out a breath at the sting on her arms where she’d been restrained. Then Cole had her in his arms. Zack jerked off the mask and began covering her face with his hands as if searching for wounds.
“Baby, oh, God. We thought we’d lost you,” Cole was saying.
“We’ve got you now, Tina,” Zack was murmuring over and over next to her ear.
She realized that they’d all sunk to the ground and she was in Cole’s arms with Zack wrapped around both of them. Her eyes burned so badly she couldn’t open them past mere slits.
“I was so scared, Zack. I knew you’d come for me. I knew you and Cole would find me, somehow.” Her voice was raspy from coughing, her throat raw.
“Sir, let us check on her. We need to see about her.” A paramedic was trying to get between Zack and Tina.
Tina nearly choked trying to laugh at the idea the small man could possibly move Zack out of the way. Still, he was persistent and finally got his attention.
“Let us help her, man. You can watch us.”
Zack backed off and gave the man a killer stare. “You hurt her and I’ll hurt you.”
“Don’t go threatening the paramedics, Zack,” Cole said with a shake of his head. He still hadn’t let go of Tina, though.
“Sir, you, too. We need to check her out and get her to the hospital.” The brave man reached out for Tina. Cole shook his head and stood up with her in his arms and carried her to the stretcher. He gently laid her on the gurney and stood next to her while they removed the blanket and covered her with one of theirs.
Tina knew she was a mess, but she couldn’t help it. She had done what she had to do to survive while she waited on them to come get her. She knew they would come get her.
“Ma’am, are you hurt anywhere other than your arms and ankles?”
She shook her head no. She didn’t think she could speak again without wanting to throw up. She’d gotten so used to making herself get sick that the taste of the tear gas in her throat was making her need to retch.
“Baby, you tell them everything. Let them help you.” Cole squeezed her hand.
Zack was standing a little behind Cole. She smiled at him. He smiled back, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Was he angry with her?
“Sir, we’re going to transport her to the hospital now.” The paramedic gave the name of the hospital and they loaded her up, but wouldn’t let either of them ride in with her.
On the way, they cleaned up the blood from her wrists where she’d cut them trying to get untied. She’d used the corner of a metal bookshelf to try and cut through the ropes. Mostly, she’d only succeeded in cutting herself. She had a bruise on her forehead she supposed from being in the back of the van unconscious, and various other bruises all over her body from the trip to his house, she supposed.
All in all, he hadn’t really hurt her. When she had first awakened, she had gotten sick, and he’d been thoroughly pissed off. He kicked her a couple of times, but left her alone other than that. Then every time he tried to move her, she coughed until she gagged and threw up on purpose. She was sure he was going to catch on soon though and had been trying to cut the ropes away when a tear gas grenade had come through the window and all hell broke loose.
Now she lay in the emergency room in one of the rooms with one of her coworkers helping her get undressed.
“You were so not lying about the two hunky men, Tina. I’m jealous.”
“Don’t let Doug here you say that. He’ll spank you for sure.” She was grateful for Emily’s barrage of comments about the guys. It helped keep her mind off
of the last twelve or so hours.
“I wish. He’s been totally remiss in that department lately. Maybe I’ll drop a word or two about how good-looking your guys are in front of him.” Emily waggled her eyebrows at Tina.
“When can I see them? I need them with me, Emily.”
“I know, but let Dr. Kearny check you out first.”
* * * *
“We’ll give you a lift,” Todd told them. “Although, we should be taking you in for disregarding direct orders to stay out of the way.”
“You can arrest us after we are sure she’s okay. She has blood on her. I want to know where it’s coming from,” Zack said in a quiet voice.
“They’ll take good care of her. Come on.” Todd led them back to the car and they followed the ambulance in to the hospital.
It turned out to be the very one she worked at. Her own people were there to take care of her. Neither man was allowed in the back with her when they took her inside. They had to give her information to the clerk and then wait in the waiting room. Todd settled them in with a promise to find out what was going on and come tell them.
“I’ll let you know what I know as soon as I can get any information. Right now, we need her clothes for evidence, so when you go home, she’s going to need clothes,” he told them.
“We’ll take care of her.” Zack told him.
“I’m getting the picture,” the other man said, then disappeared into the main part of the building.
“How bad do you think she’s hurt?” Zack asked Cole.
“I think she’s basically okay. I didn’t see anything but the blood on her arms and hands. She seemed okay other than the fucking tear gas making her cough and her eyes red.”
“They better hope they have enough to convict him or I’ll make the rest of his short life hell,” Zack told him.
“From what I overheard he had trophies in the room of his victims. They’ll seek the death penalty for that alone.”
“Hell, he’s killed in more than four states. He’ll be tried in each state and spend the rest of his life in one prison or another regardless of the death penalty here,” Zack said with disgust in his voice.
