The Damaged Heroes Collection [Box Set #1: The Damaged Heroes Collection] (BookStrand Publishing Mainstream)

by James, Sandy

  He chuckled; the sound horrified her. “Oh, they’re real enough. I know it. I was raised knowing it. You do too. Your intuition knows they’re real. If you didn’t believe that, you’d have given me the journal a long time ago.”

  She wasn’t about to tell him that her intuition had nothing to do with keeping the diary away from him. It would obviously be to her benefit to let him continue to believe she had fantastic psychic superpowers. Alex, you’re a moron.

  He grabbed her upper arm and gave her a rough shove toward the stairs. “Get your stuff. Get the goddamn journal. And get your ass ready in two minutes or I’ll kill that stupid husband of yours. Then I’ll kill Deepika.” She didn’t want to read him again, but when her eyes caught his, she saw the sincerity and resolve. Her stomach churned and her head swam.

  She had to try again, had to convince him of the futility of his whole ridiculous plan. “Alex, don’t be stupid. You don’t want to do this. Just go. Go while you have the chance.”

  “Of course I want to do this. I’ve been waiting my whole life to find those stones, and you’re going to help me. Now go get your stuff. We need to go,” Alex pushed her toward the stairs again. She stumbled then caught herself on the railing.

  He followed her to the second floor. Standing with his back to her, he vigilantly surveyed the open area downstairs. Laurie stepped into her bedroom and tried to find some calm. There just wasn’t enough time to try to come up with a brilliant plan that would get her out of leaving with Alex.

  With a heavy, shuddering sigh, she gathered some clothes and threw them into a small pile on the unmade bed. Her heart clenched when she remembered waking up that morning in her husband’s arms. Laurie wiped away her frightened tears with the back of her hands. She wasn’t about to let Alex see her cry.

  Opening the drawer of the nightstand, she retrieved the Prohibition journal and tossed it onto the pile of clothes. She grabbed a large gym bag from the floor of her closet and shoved what she’d gathered inside. Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she started to walk to the bedroom door. Suddenly, Laurie saw the small wrapped present for Ross sitting on the corner of the dresser. A premonition made her stop in her tracks.

  If he finds Ruby and the diamonds, he’ll save you.

  With shaking hands, Laurie reached in the bag to fish out the journal. Covering the noise with a loud cough, she ripped out the last page. Grabbing the box, she threw both the paper and the present on the bed, covered them with the quilt, and then hurried back to Alex.

  Standing at the top of the stairs, Alex’s gaze raked her up and down before he nodded his approval. With a sweeping gesture of his hand, a chuckle, and an evil smirk, he let Laurie begin to descend the staircase. “Be careful. Stairs can be dangerous.”

  Anger flooded her mind, and she whirled to face him. “You pushed me! You son of a bitch! You pushed me down the stairs!”

  “I didn’t want to hurt you, Laurie, but you found me looking for the journal. You couldn’t seem to understand. I need that journal.”

  Laurie dropped the bag on the stairs and tried to work up some courage to go with her fury. “I’m not going anywhere with you, you friggin’ psychopath.”

  Alex grabbed her upper arm and jerked her toward him. He gripped her chin and forced her to look at him. “If you don’t come with me, I swear to you that I’ll kill everyone you love. One. By. One.” The words were precise, methodical, cold. “Just like your patient.”

  She wrenched her chin away and shot him her best angry scowl. “I’m not stupid. You’ll kill me anyway. Even if I go with you. As soon as you have what you want, I’m dead.”

  “Maybe.” He let go of her to tap his temple with his index finger. “But maybe I want something from you. Something that makes your life valuable.” Alex reached out to touch her face.

  Laurie jerked her head away and then glared at him with all the rage flowing through her.

  He let his hand hang in the air for a moment before he dropped it back to his side. “But you know I’ll kill all of them if you don’t come with me.” Picking up her bag, he shoved it at her.

  Laurie grabbed the duffle and slung the strap over her shoulder. “Ross wouldn’t let you—”

  Alex interrupted her with a malicious laugh. The sound sent shivers along her skin. “That overgrown ape isn’t as smart as you seem to think he is.”

  “Ross thinks he knows where the diamonds are.” She blurted it without thought, immediately regretting the impulse.

  Alex just arched a skeptical eyebrow.

  “We read the journal together.”

  “You’re lying.”

  Duh. But she called his bluff with a shrug. “Believe whatever you want. I don’t believe they’re really there, but Ross agrees with you. He thinks the stones are real.”

  “If I’m not smart enough to figure out where they are, there’s no way in hell that jock did. You know I could’ve killed him that day on the street. But...” His shrug matched hers as if he was talking about something mundane. “I was just trying to get your attention.”

  Realizing what Alex confessed, Laurie understood he was capable of every evil thing he was promising to do. She had run out of options. If she went with him willingly, she might be able to spare her husband and her friends. If she didn’t go, they might all suffer the same fate as Miguel.

  If he finds Ruby and the diamonds, he’ll save you. The words echoed through her mind again.

  She’d bide her time. Her chance to save them all would come. Check, you asshole. But not checkmate.

  “You’ve only got one choice, Laurie. Come with me. Use your powers to help me find what I want.”

  She gave him a curt nod and headed down the stairs. Crossing toward the front door, Alex grabbed her arm to stop her at the table. Grabbing a piece of paper, he shoved it at her. “Write that stupid gorilla a note. Tell him no cops. He calls the cops, you die.”

  “You won’t kill me. You need me to find those stones.”

  “He doesn’t know that. Write the damn note, Laurie. Tell him I’ll be in touch.” Picking up a pen, Alex twirled it for a moment then pointed it at her. She grabbed it with a scowl.

  * * * *

  Ross was entering Joliet city limits when his cell phone rang. Popping it off of its clip, he held it up to check the caller ID then flipped it open. “Hi, Bruiser. What’s up?”

  “Is Doc with you?”

  A cold chill raced the length of Ross’s spine. “No. I left her at the house with Deepika. Didn’t you get my message about the murder?”

  “Shit. We better get to the house.”

  Ross tried to force away the near panic that suddenly threatened to drown him. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know. She called, but we got cut off. I’ve been calling, and all I get’s her voicemail. You told me you’d watch her at night. Remember? Kennedy? You still there?”

  Ross had already turned his car around and pushed the accelerator to the carpet.

  * * * *

  Bruiser and Sheila arrived at the house the same time as Ross. Running up the porch stairs, Ross saw the open door before he reached it. With a curse, he stormed into the house to find it empty. “Laurie! Laurie! Come on, damn it! Where are you?”

  Sheila went to the kitchen. “Hey, guys!” Ross and Bruiser ran to her call. “Look,” she said as she pointed at the stove. One of the burners glowed orange. “She must’ve left in a hurry. Tea’s still out and she left the stove on.” She twisted the knob to turn off the burner.

  Ross poked around the downstairs. Seeing nothing obviously out of place, he took the steps two at a time to reach the second floor. Flinging open doors and running through bedrooms, he couldn’t find any trace of his wife. “Where is she?”

  “Hey, Kennedy!” Bruiser shouted. Ross hurried back to the stairs. “Her cell phone’s down here.” Bruiser held up a jumble of shattered plastic being held together by thin wires.

  “Damn it!” Ross flew back down the stairs.

&nb
sp; Despite the frightening discovery, Bruiser offered what he probably thought was reassurance. “Don’t look like she fought. The cell phone’s a mess, but there’s no sign of a struggle. Wherever she went, she went willingly.”

  Ross was having a hard time harnessing his anger, an even harder time controlling his fear. His heart hammered a rough, fast cadence. “She wouldn’t just leave.”

  Sheila came into the living room. “Ross is right. Laurie wouldn’t go if she wasn’t forced. You’ve gotta find a trail.”

  “It’s gotta be Richards.” Bruiser stomped around the room. “Damn it. Goddamn it.”

  “I’m calling 911,” Sheila said, reaching for the phone clipped to Bruiser’s belt.

  Then Ross saw the note resting on the table. “Sheila, wait.”

  Ross – I know you’re going to be upset, but I need you to keep cool. You can’t call the police or Alex will kill me. He will be in touch soon.

  “Alex took her.” Ross tried to find some calm in the storm of his mind. Shit, he couldn’t think.

  “Want me to call the cops?” Sheila asked.

  “No. No cops. Not ‘til I figure this out.” Ross turned to level a stare at Bruiser. “Remember what happened to George Black?” God, he couldn’t think about that now. The wealthy client’s daughter had been kidnapped and held for ransom. George had wanted to pay the ransom, but the police had insisted on handling the whole operation and had botched the case so badly, the girl ended up dead. No, Ross wasn’t about to take a chance like that with his wife.

  Bruiser and Sheila both nodded before Bruiser said, “First case I worked for you. Cops got her killed. They sure screwed the pooch on that one. Can’t blame you for not wanting ‘em here.”

  “No cops,” Ross insisted.

  “You ain’t getting an argument from me,” Bruiser said, picking through the pieces of Laurie’s broken cell phone.

  Sheila poked around the first story. “Ross,” she called. “In here.”

  The two men came running. Sheila had found Laurie’s purse next to the pile of shoes by the kitchen door.

  “Shit,” Ross growled. He grabbed the purse out of Sheila’s hands and unceremoniously dumped the contents on the kitchen counter. They began to sort through the sundry of items. Everything seemed to be there—her Day-Timer, her wallet, her keys.

  Bruiser shot Ross a sympathetic look. “What does that son of a bitch want from Laurie?”

  All Ross could think of was Alex’s fixation with the Prohibition journal. Without a word, he ran back up to their bedroom and began to rifle around, searching for the black diary. Sheila and Bruiser followed him upstairs and stood in the doorframe as Ross tore through the nightstand.

  “What exactly are you looking for?” Sheila finally asked.

  Ross sifted through the clothes piled on the chair and replied without looking up. “Remember that journal I told you she found in Montana?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Alex wanted it. Laurie’s been reading the damn thing. The last place I saw her with it was here. She never took it to the condo. I can’t find it now.” He moved over to the dresser and noticed two of the drawers standing partially open. Ross sifted through the clothing and realized a few of her favorite shirts were missing.

  “Why would she go with Alex? Why?” Ross asked. He splayed his hand through his hair in frustration.

  “He had...something. Something he was holding over her,” Bruiser stated with way too much agitation to help calm Ross’s nerves. “Maybe he was armed.”

  “Miguel,” Ross said as he instantly understood what Brenda had meant by the perp leaving a message. “That sick bastard murdered Laurie’s patient. I’ll bet he threatened to hurt Deepika or Andrew.” Then it dawned on him which threat Alex had most likely used to obtain Laurie’s obedience. “Me. He told her he’d kill me. Just like he did Miguel. She’d go to save any of us. But why does he think she can help him?”

  “I’m going to prowl around up here,” Sheila announced before walking out the door.

  Ross stood in the middle of the room he shared with his wife, feeling utterly helpless. The emotion was new to him, and he despised it. Laurie was gone—in the clutches of a murderer. He kept flashing back to the conversation they had on their wedding night as he described his admiration of the heroine in The Phantom of the Opera, how she had sacrificed her freedom for the man she loved.

  He desperately wanted to throw something, but he knew that wouldn’t help matters one bit. He decided he’d settle with finding his wife and beating Alex to a bloody pulp.

  The ringing and vibration of his cell phone made him jump. Popping it off his belt, he saw a blocked number. He answered it anyway. “Hello?”

  “How much do you love your wife?”

  “Richards, you son of a bitch. Where the hell is Laurie?”

  “Ah, ah, ah,” Alex scolded. “I’m running this show now.”

  “You hurt her and I’ll...” Ross’s heart hammered in his chest so hard, he feared it might explode. “Let me talk to her.” He was amazed when Alex complied.

  “Ross. Listen carefully,” Laurie said, her voice sounding shaky.

  “God, Laurie. Are you okay?”

  “You’ve gotta go get the diamonds. I told him you know where they are, that you were smart enough to figure it out.”

  What in the hell was she talking about? “I don’t understand.”

  “You’ve got two days to get them. Alex will call in two days. You have to have them in two days.” She was rambling.

  “What diamonds, Laurie?”

  “He’s got the journal.”

  Journal? “The Prohibition journal? You’re talking about the journal? The stupid diamonds from the journal?”

  “Yeah, and I’m sorry I didn’t make the bed.”

  No, she wasn’t rambling. Laurie was telling him something important. Shit, he needed to pay attention. It was hard when the pounding of his heart echoed in his ears so loudly. “You want me to check the bed?”

  “Well, yeah. Of course I remember when we met.”

  His wife was brilliant. “He’s taking you to the ranch.” Why? Why would Alex be taking Laurie to Montana?

  “I—”

  “Two days or I start sending your wife back to you in pieces,” Alex ordered before he hung up.

  “Shit.” How in the hell was he supposed to find those damned diamonds? Alex had the journal. Things had quickly gone from bad to worse.

  The bed. Laurie had wanted him to check the bed. He reached for the cover. Sheila’s shout interrupted him.

  “Hey, guys! Come here!” She yelled from the bedroom that served as an office.

  Ross ran to her with Bruiser close at his heels. They found Sheila sitting at Laurie’s desk, shuffling through some papers. “Look at this.” She held up a small pile of copied pages. “This looks like it came from a journal.” She put the pile down and then grabbed the top page and started reading.

  Ross picked up one of the remaining papers. “Laurie made copies. Thank God.” Along the margins were notes that looked like Laurie’s handwriting in the green ink she was so fond of using. “We’ve got to figure out where these pages lead.”

  “Lead?” Sheila asked.

  “Alex thinks these,” he shook the papers in his hands, “lead to some diamonds. And I’ve got to find those diamonds to get her back.”

  Chapter 23

  Baby Thomas was born yesterday somewhere in Wyoming. We couldn’t even find a hospital in time. God delivered him into T.J. and Ellie’s hands under a canopy of stars. He’s so very tiny and helpless. The pain was quickly forgotten, but there was so much blood. I’m weak and worried for Thomas. T.J. promised me he would protect him with his life. Ellie swore the same. If I don’t last until we reach Montana, at least I know my son will be safe.

  How I wish things were different. To be back in Greenwood would be heaven. To hug my parents and tell them I’m sorry for causing them so much worry. May God forgive me for hurting them so.
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  New joined old. Life Ruby made.

  Old grew tired. A life did fade.

  My heart will forever pine

  for the Fortune I cannot make mine.

  “You can sleep on the bed with me,” Alex offered as he patted the empty space next to him.

  “I’d sooner shoot myself,” Laurie whispered as she pulled the blanket around her shoulders. The worn, musty chair was far from comfortable, but after sitting in a car for the last forty-eight hours, she was grateful to stop anywhere. Even a rundown dump of a motel like the one she found herself in now. The only other times he’d stopped were to let her pee in the bushes by the side of the road.

  Screaming wouldn’t do her any good. While she was handcuffed to the car door in an empty alley, Alex had secured a room as far from the office as he could get. The lack of cars in the parking lot told her they were the only customers anyway. Alex held the gun to her ribs as she moved from the car to the room, so she’d had no choice. Even if she had struggled, no one would have noticed.

  Laurie had spent the trip reading the journal aloud to Alex or dozing. The one time he pulled over in the middle of absolute nowhere to sleep, he’d handcuffed her to the car door, just as he did when he registered at the flea-bag motel. The only rest she’d had was a short, fretful nap. Tired, frustrated, and frightened of the insane man who had been her constant companion for the last two days, Laurie shifted between wanting Ross to charge in like the cavalry and wanting him to stay safe in Chicago.

  “Don’t be silly. I love you, Laurie. And I’ve been so good. You know, I could’ve had you by now if all I wanted was your body.” He patted the bed again; she wanted to vomit. “But I’d rather you come to me on your own.”

  She shuddered at his words and the thinly veiled threat they held. In between sessions of reading and re-reading the blasted diary, Alex seemed intent upon wooing her. Because he’d left her months ago, she had a hard time understanding his obsession now. But he’d declared his love repeatedly, and each time the words fell out of his mouth, she felt a wave of nausea. Between the motion sickness from reading as she rode in the car and the queasiness that rolled through her anytime Alex touched her or told her of his feelings, Laurie was miserable. She desperately wanted to take a long, hot shower and wash away any trace of his touch. Her shoulder, her knee, her thigh. She felt dirty.