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Elizabeth pulled her purse out of the truck and searched as calmly as she could for her cell phone. She could feel Franklin’s angry glare boring into her back. She finally found it at the very bottom of her purse and pulled it out. She turned slowly back to face him and asked, “What do you want me to say?”
“Tell her you came here to get her jewelry box just like the phone call said, and you’ve got a flat tire. Tell her to come and pick you up.” Franklin’s voice was suddenly calm and steady.
“Why do you need Amy?” Elizabeth asked.
Franklin slapped Elizabeth with his free hand and said, “Call her now.”
Elizabeth forced back the terror that threatened and ignored the sting of his hand. She hit her speed dial for Josh instead of Amy and tried to keep her breathing slow and steady, hoping Franklin wouldn’t notice. The phone rang once in her ear then Franklin snatched the phone from her grasp. He glanced at the screen and disconnected the call.
“You fucking moron!” He screamed at her, shoving her against the truck. “The last woman that deceived me didn’t live long enough to regret it. I will shoot you in the stomach and make you call her with your dying breath if you try anything else!”
Elizabeth couldn’t believe what was happening. Franklin was not the man standing before her screaming. A psychopath had replaced him. She and Amy were going to be his next victims.
Elizabeth’s phone began to ring. It was Josh. Franklin glared at Elizabeth, his eyes wild with fury, and ignored the call. He dialed Amy’s number and shoved the phone at Elizabeth saying, “Get her here now!”
Amy’s frantic voice answered immediately; Elizabeth cut her off. She had to make Amy realize what was happening and make sure she did not come. “Amy! I’m so glad I caught you. I had to run to the cabin. Mr. Weller’s son called me. He found your jewelry box. I went to pick it up, but I ran into a snag. You know what a crazy driver I am. I ran the truck off the driveway leading up to the cabin, and now I have a flat tire. Can you drop Molly off at Mike’s and come pick me up?”
“Are you hurt?” Amy asked; Elizabeth’s tone just didn’t seem right, and what was this about her being a crazy driver? She’s a cautious driver. She treated that truck like it was her baby.
“Not yet, but Kilo is, and Charlie's here too,” Elizabeth answered cheerily.
Amy gasped Kilo’s been hurt! “Franklin is the stalker,” Amy said softly.
“Okay, that’s no problem. When Molly’s out of the bathtub, drop her off at Mike’s and head over here. I’ll be waiting. Thanks!” Elizabeth ended the call. She glanced at Franklin and said, “She’s got to get Molly out of the tub, then she’ll be right here.”
Franklin stared at her with such intensity Elizabeth thought he was going to strike her again. Instead, he turned and began to pace the length of the vehicle. Elizabeth watched, searching for the words that would calm him. Calm down and think. He’s a sociopath, a psychopath, a narcissist. Think, think, think. This is your job; you know how to speak to him; you can do this. Compliment him, play to his ego, his superiority.
“Franklin,” Elizabeth spoke softly, “I can see now that you are the one who’s been watching us. I had no idea what a great hunter you are. I never knew you could shoot a bow. That fox you shot, I heard the men say it was a perfect kill.”
Franklin stopped and turned to stare at her. The rage was gone from his face. His eyes were dark and cold. His face held no expression. Elizabeth continued, “You must be an expert marksman to make that shot with the pistol that took down Kilo. You dropped him with one shot. I don’t know why I’m so surprised, because that’s what you do Franklin, isn’t it? Everything you do is perfect. It always has been.”
“I became an expert hunter in the woods behind my house. I was very good at tracking animals. I could find a stray dog and her litter of puppies in a matter of minutes.” Franklin gazed at her with glassy eyes. “No one missed them. I was free to do as I pleased. It was my first experience with the frailty of life.”
A chill ran through Elizabeth’s petite body as Franklin's words hinted of torture and death. “You are an expert at everything you do, Franklin.”
“You’d be nothing without me,” Franklin said moving closer to her. His face showed no emotion, his voice was low and soft.
“You are so right.” Elizabeth added, “If I hadn’t listened to your advice on going national three years ago, I would still be a struggling author just waiting for her big break. You took that leap of faith and pulled me up the mountain right behind you.”
He searched her eyes, “I could have done more if you listened to me about the romance series. It would have allowed me to spend time helping Amy create the covers.”
“I should have listened to you. You are my agent; you’re the expert. That’s why I came to you in the first place. That’s why I asked you to take Amy on as a customer.” Elizabeth had to keep him focused on himself, on his self-love. “I knew if anyone could make Amy a success it was you.”
“You’re an idiot.” Franklin moved so close his face was inches from hers. “Art is not what I do. I am a literary agent. Only a complete fool would think that I could just snap my fingers and whip up an art show for Amy. That’s not how it works, Elizabeth.” He reached out and grabbed her throat, but didn’t squeeze hard enough to cut off her air. “I don’t have those kinds of contacts.”
Elizabeth had lost control of the conversation. She forced the rising panic back and held his gaze, determined to survive. There had to be a way. Amy would have the State Police here soon; she just had to stay alive long enough.
“You’re right, Franklin.” Elizabeth had to keep praising him, keep him thinking he was in control, convince him he had all the power and she knew it. “I was wrong, but you did it. You found a way to set up an art show in Los Angeles. Amy’s first step up the ladder of success and it’s all because of you.”
Franklin squeezed her throat harder. Elizabeth gasped for air. He whispered in her ear, “It’s all a lie.”
Three-Year Rule Page 31
