Every Move She Makes

by Jannine Gallant

  “I’ll survive. Obviously you’re fine, so I’ll get a couple hours sleep now.”

  “Come here, then.” She held out a hand. “The floor can’t be very comfortable.”

  “It’s not bad. The carpet is nice and thick.”

  “Well, the bed is better. Come on, Kane. You won’t be any use to me or anyone else if you don’t get some sleep.”

  “That’s true.” He stood and snapped off the light then stretched out beside her.

  Rachel curled up against him. “Kane?”

  “Yes.” Turning on his side, he stroked the hair away from her face.

  “Will that man come after me again?”

  His hand stilled. He wouldn’t sugarcoat the truth. “More than likely he will. Psychos who are fixated the way this one seems to be usually don’t give up until they’re caught.”

  “I’m scared.”

  He pulled her tight against him. “It’s okay to be worried. It’ll make you cautious.” He pressed a hand to the soft curve of her breast. “Know in your heart I won’t let anything happen to you. I’ll keep you safe. You can count on it.”

  She hugged his hand against her. “Thank you.”

  His chest tightened with emotion. “Go back to sleep.”

  With Rachel in his arms, he finally let his guard down to relax into oblivion.

  * * * *

  He lay in a sleeping bag in the back of his pickup at the side of a little-used dirt road. Jordan was only a few miles away. So close—and yet so far. She should have been here in his arms. Tonight, she should have belonged to him.

  He slammed his hand against the truck bed and cried out, the sound echoing in the silent night. It was near dawn, but he hadn’t slept, hadn’t taken his medication either. Instead, he’d thrown the pills into the bushes before crawling into his lonely bed. He didn’t like the way taking them numbed his senses. He wanted to remember every horrible detail of his encounter with Jordan with crystal clarity.

  Jordan screaming and kicking. Jordan calling him those awful names. Jordan struggling to get away. Worse, Jordan lying unconscious at his feet.

  “I had to do it.”

  Tears ran down his cheeks as he wondered how it had gone so wrong. Should he have revealed himself to her? Would Jordan have come willingly if she’d known who he was? He hadn’t been willing to take the risk.

  He closed his eyes and remembered the feel of her in his arms. Even damp with sweat, she’d smelled incredibly sweet. The skin on her neck had been so soft beneath his arm, and his hand had touched her breasts. Just a brush, but enough to make him throb with need. His breath quickened.

  “She wanted me.” He moaned. “She wanted me, too.”

  His body surged. A wet stickiness flooded across his stomach and thighs, a tribute to his love for Jordan. Memories would have to sustain him until the next time.

  There would be a next time, a better plan than the last one. Failure wasn’t an option. He would watch every move she made and wait for his chance. Soon, Jordan would be his.

  Chapter 12

  The bed was empty when Rachel woke the next morning. Her head was still tender, but not nearly as painful as it had been. After swallowing a couple of ibuprofen, she dressed in a pair of shorts and a sleeveless blouse. Downstairs the house was strangely silent. A billow of white through the dining room window caught her eye. She stepped outside. A huge white tent had been set up on the back lawn. Most of the family was out there milling around it.

  “Hi, Mom.” Jade waved then ran toward her. “How’re you feeling?”

  “Much better.” She nodded toward the tent. “You could fit a herd of elephants in there.”

  Olivia glanced her way from the edge of the lawn. “We’re expecting over a hundred people for the party, and you never know when an afternoon thundershower will pop up. Erica ordered it as a precaution.”

  “I’m sure she knows what she’s doing.” Rachel crossed the patio and gave her mother-in-law a quick hug. “Happy birthday.”

  “Thank you, my dear. Are you sure you should be out of bed? Did Ford say it was okay?”

  “I haven’t seen him yet this morning, but I feel fine. My head’s just a little sore.”

  “That’s encouraging, but with a concussion you can’t be too careful.”

  “Here he comes now. If it’ll ease your mind, I’ll have him take a look at my bump.”

  “I’m sure he’ll insist on it.” She raised her voice. “Ford, dear, Rachel is up.”

  He smiled as he crossed the patio. “Your color is better. Let’s go inside, and I’ll check your head.” He directed her toward a chair in the dining room then felt the lump with gentle fingers. “Ah, much smaller. Have you had any dizziness or nausea this morning?”

  “Not a bit. My head is still tender to the touch, but it isn’t throbbing anymore. My throat’s a little sore. I took a couple of ibuprofen.”

  He nodded then peered into her eyes. “I’d say you’re recovering nicely. How did you sleep last night?”

  “I was a little restless, which is probably why I got up so late this morning. I can’t believe it’s almost ten.”

  “You needed the sleep.” He patted her cheek then stood. “Kane left for the sheriff’s office about an hour ago. He said to tell you to stick close to the house and he’d be back soon.”

  “In that case, I think I’ll get a bowl of cereal. Then I’ll see what I can do to help.”

  “Erica is around somewhere. She has a list of chores for everyone. I love my wife dearly and would give her the moon if she asked for it, let alone a huge birthday party, but between you and me, I’d rather sneak off to the golf course than host this three-ring event.”

  Rachel laughed. “It’ll be fun once the confusion of setting up is over. You’ll see.”

  “You’re probably right. Until then, I’ll just do what I’m told and keep my mouth shut. If I’ve learned one thing in the last sixty-plus years, it’s not to mess with a woman on an important day.”

  Rachel grinned. “You’re a wise man.”

  “You bet. See you later, honey.”

  “Thanks, Ford.”

  After eating her breakfast, Rachel went looking for the girls. Ivy and Wes were throwing sticks for Daisy in the yard, and Jade was watering the containers of flowers on the front porch.

  Rachel bent to scratch Daisy’s ears when she ran up, tail wagging. “Where were you yesterday when I needed a protector? Now I wish I’d taken the time to find you before I left for my run.”

  Jade refilled the watering pot at the spigot. “She was at the store with me and Grandpa. She chased us down the driveway, so we took her with us.”

  “That explains why I couldn’t find her. Where’s Lark?”

  Ivy and Wes, both breathless from running, plopped down on the porch steps.

  “She went with Uncle Dan to pick up the cake. I think she’s tired of Aunt Erica bossing everyone around.” Ivy scrunched up her nose.

  Wes giggled. “My mom is really good at bossing people. That’s why we snuck out here.”

  “Why’re they picking up the cake? Shouldn’t the bakery be delivering it?”

  “Yes, but there was some problem with their schedule. Aunt Erica was freaking out, so Uncle Dan said he’d get it himself.” Jade emptied the watering can into the last pot of petunias and smiled. “Didn’t you hear all the yelling?”

  “I did, but I ignored it and finished my cereal.”

  “Smart move, Mom.”

  “I’m a smart woman.” She looked up when an engine rumbled.

  Kane’s Jeep rolled down the driveway. He parked and jumped out. “You’re awake.”

  “I would hope so. It’s after eleven o’clock.”

  “How’s the head?”

  “Better. What did the sheriff have to say?”

  “Let’s go for a ride, and I’ll tell you. He wants you to sign your statement.”

  Rachel nodded then went insid
e for her purse. On her way out, she paused beside Jade. “If anyone asks, tell them I went to the sheriff’s station. Hopefully we’ll be back by lunchtime.”

  “Can I go with you?”

  “No, you can’t. You can help out around here.”

  Smiling at her daughter’s woebegone expression, Rachel climbed into the Jeep. Kane pulled up to the gate then closed it behind them.

  “I warned everyone to be careful not to leave the gate open.” He turned right onto the main road. “Your stalker could be hanging around, waiting for a chance to get near you. Although if he has any kind of a brain, he’ll back off for a while before trying anything else.”

  “I guess that means Sheriff Barns didn’t find him.”

  “I’m afraid not.” He reached over to squeeze her hand. “Not yet, anyway. I called Jed’s reservation service, and they’re faxing over a list of addresses and phone numbers for the men who were at the lake. That’ll give me a place to start.”

  “If I’m right about being followed while we were up there.”

  “You have good instincts, and this guy’s pattern of behavior is escalating. It makes sense he would try to get close to you in a nonthreatening way before resorting to violence. The fact that he’s now aggressively hunting you means he’s taken his game to the next level.”

  She let out a long breath. “It’s just so hard to believe a person I know would attack me.”

  “Honey, if this guy is someone from the camp, you don’t know him at all. You only saw a façade, not the man beneath it. He’s obviously good at disguising his emotions.”

  “I suppose so. It’s just weird thinking some freak has been stalking me since I was on the soap, and I didn’t know anything about it.”

  “He’s been obsessed with you since then, but the stalking is probably a fairly recent development. There’s a big difference between the two. One is passive and the other aggressive. Something may have happened to set him off.”

  “The whole situation is so strange. I never considered myself a real celebrity, not compared to Bryce. He was the one who got all the media attention. Women would literally throw themselves at him when he walked down the street. I can’t believe some guy has similar urges toward me.”

  “Believe it. Has anything happened in your life recently that could have triggered his need to pursue you?” He pulled the Jeep into a parking slot in front of the sheriff’s office and cut the engine.

  Rachel frowned. “Nothing’s changed. My life’s been in a rut since my divorce. I’m really a very boring person.”

  “You’re far from boring, but if your life hasn’t changed, maybe his has.” He jumped out of the Jeep and came around to open her door. “Let’s go talk to the sheriff. Hopefully he’ll have the fax by now.”

  The sheriff was on the phone. A female deputy rounded a desk to hand Rachel a typed statement.

  “Let me know if there’re any changes.”

  Kane stood close behind her and read over her shoulder. The breadth of his chest and the warmth emanating from his body were comforting. She glanced up when he stiffened.

  “You didn’t tell me he said you’d betrayed him.”

  She shuddered. “That bothered me. Do you think he could have been watching us the day we hiked to the little lake or when we were out in the canoe?”

  “I guess it’s possible, but it makes me feel like an idiot. I didn’t have a clue, and that’s inexcusable.”

  She touched his hand. “Your mind was otherwise occupied. Why would you need to be on alert for some sort of threat?”

  He grunted and kept reading. When she finished, Rachel signed the statement and handed it back to the deputy.

  Sheriff Barns left his office and smiled. “You look much better today.”

  “I feel better.”

  Kane turned to face him. “No lasting damage, thank God. Have you learned anything new?”

  “I received the fax we were expecting. I also spoke with your brother, Jed, and a Mr. Ozzie Thompson.” He gave Kane a penetrating look. “They both verified you were at Granite Lake during the time of the attack.” He checked something off on the list he carried.

  Rachel gasped. “You can’t think Kane was responsible? Didn’t he tell you he’s a detective in San Francisco?”

  Kane shrugged. “Some cops are dirty, and we have a personal relationship. Of course he would consider me a suspect.”

  “It never hurts to be certain.” The sheriff’s voice was tinged with amusement. “I’m glad you aren’t holding it against me. We eliminated Jed and his employees, since they can alibi each other. Also George Dawson and his two sons-in-law. They’re still at the camp.”

  Rachel drew in a breath. “So that leaves Chip, Bob, Curt Dawson and Dennis Olmstead as possibilities?”

  “Don’t forget Greg Andrews.” Kane lifted one shoulder. “He left the camp yesterday morning. Having a wife and kids doesn’t make him any less suspect.”

  “Except his family and two neighbors all swear he was home last night.” The sheriff made another check mark. “None of the other four answered their phones when I called. I’ve contacted officials in their respective home towns to question them when they’re located.”

  Kane frowned. “So we have four candidates if the attacker really was someone from the camp. Where do they each live?”

  Sheriff Barns looked down at his list. “Dennis Olmstead lives about three blocks from your house, Mrs. Carpenter. Chip Stevens and Bob Mayfield both live in Vallejo, and Curt Dawson’s home is in Santa Rosa. All are reasonably close to Vine Haven. I was hoping at least a couple of them had flown in from out of state for their vacation.”

  “Most of Jed’s business comes from the Bay Area and Sacramento, so I’m not surprised. What about the dates the reservations were booked? Rachel didn’t decide to come to the camp until a week before her stay, so that should narrow it down some.”

  “The Dawson party booked their reservation in May. One of the daughters reserved four cabins. The other two are more interesting. Mr. Olmstead booked his stay the day before Mrs. Carpenter made her reservation, and Mr. Stevens booked a cabin for himself and his friend the day after.”

  “So we can eliminate Curt?” Rachel asked.

  The sheriff shook his head. “Not necessarily, but I’d put him on the back burner unless he gives us a reason to think otherwise. Of course we’ll still check out his whereabouts last night. The other three look more promising.”

  Kane rubbed her drooping shoulders. “You have to remember it might not be any of them. It could be someone who was up there on his own, camping nearby and watching you whenever he had an opportunity.”

  “We’ve got the Forest Service looking into that. They’re searching for any recently used campsites in the vicinity and checking wilderness permits for overnight use.”

  Kane nodded. “Jed is out looking, too. I talked to him about it this morning.”

  “So, what do we do now?” Rachel pressed her lips together. “Pretend it didn’t happen?”

  “You should take it easy until you’ve fully recovered from the attack. Make sure you don’t go anywhere alone. I’ll have my deputies drive by your in-laws’ place periodically to look for anyone who doesn’t belong. In the meantime, we’ll be checking alibis for our list of suspects.”

  “It’s my mother-in-law’s sixtieth birthday today, and we’re holding a rather large party. We’re expecting over a hundred guests.”

  The sheriff winced. “That’ll make isolating any one individual tough, but you should be safe in a crowd. Make sure you stay with a group.”

  “What about my girls? Do you think they’re in any danger?”

  “I doubt it. These head cases usually stay focused on the object of their desire.” Kane squeezed her shoulders. “Still, we won’t take any chances.”

  “You don’t think we should cancel the party?” Rachel glanced from one man to the other.

  “Frankly, I think
he’s long gone.” The sheriff looked toward his office when his phone rang. “He’ll probably wait until you’re home again to try something else, although I can’t guarantee it.”

  “Great, so I’m safe until I go home. That’ll be the day after tomorrow. Then what?”

  Kane eased her toward the door. “I’ll be there to make sure you’re safe.”

  Her eyes widened. “I can’t ask you to change your plans for me. Coming to Tahoe was enough of a sacrifice.”

  “You aren’t asking. I volunteered. We’ll get out of your way now, Sheriff. Thanks for the update.”

  “I’ll pass along all this information to Sheriff Walker in Vine Haven. I already spoke with him about checking on an alibi for Mr. Olmstead. He’ll be the man to see if you have any more problems.”

  Rachel and Kane left the building, and she let out a relieved breath. “At least we don’t have to cancel Olivia’s party. Erica would have had a breakdown. She put a ton of work into this event, and she’s sort of freaking out about the cost. I think she’s in over her head.”

  Kane opened the door of his Jeep for her. “Erica sounds…interesting.”

  “She’s pretty high maintenance.” Rachel slid onto the seat then pulled the door shut.

  Kane smiled as he climbed in from his side. “I can’t wait to meet this woman.”

  “We used to have a lot of issues, but she’s really come around. Still, if I wanted someone to blame for the attack yesterday, it would have to be Erica.”

  Kane glanced over as he pulled away from the sheriff’s office. “How do you figure?”

  “I would never have gone running if I hadn’t needed some down time after a day spent on the lake with her. She was more high-strung than usual, and it rubbed off on me. Now I wish I’d just challenged Ford to a game of ping pong to let off a little steam. It sure would have made my life less complicated.”

  They drove through town then waited in a line of cars for the single stoplight to turn green.

  “The traffic alone would make a person tense. This place is packed.” Kane nodded at the bumper-to-bumper traffic on the two-lane road around the lake. “Summer in Tahoe is busy.”