by Liz Bradford
She took the package and inhaled deeply. This was it. Inside was hopefully the identification of their killer.
“What is it, Johnson?” Gavin stood and came over.
“Is that what I think it is?” The Captain pointed at the package.
She nodded.
“Let’s go to my office. Riley, you can come too. Where are Becca and Jared?”
“Went to get coffee.”
“Here we are.”
The Captain clasped his hands together. “Good. Everyone in my office. Hopefully this is the break we need.” The five went to the Captain’s office and closed the door and blinds. “All right, open it, Amelia.”
She took a deep breath and opened the well secured envelope. She slid the piece of paper out and set the envelope down on the Captain’s desk.
Jared asked, “You guys going to fill us in to what this is?”
The Captain answered, “Not unless it’s helpful. Well?” he asked Amelia.
She read the document. We were able to compare the DNA you provided us with all North Carolina police records, employees of the departments along with criminals. The results are attached. She flipped the paper and scanned the lab report until she found the only piece of information she cared about. She found it. “99% paternal match.” Her hands shook and the documents dropped to the Captain’s desk.
“What is it, Amelia?” Becca came close and put her hand on Amelia’s shoulder.
Amelia looked up at the Captain. “It’s Scott Rebus.”
Captain Baker took a step back as if blown away by the information. “I trusted him. I was a fool.”
“He fooled us all, Captain.” Amelia couldn’t believe she had thought he was innocent.
“Now, I think it’s time to fill us in,” Jared said.
The Captain explained the source of the DNA sample, about the child, and the trip to Charlotte.
“Is he here today? Let’s go arrest him,” Gavin said.
“I haven’t seen him at all today,” Jared said.
Fear washed over Amelia. “I have to call Adam!” She pulled out her cell and dialed Adam’s as fast as she could. It went straight to voicemail. She tried again. Same.
“Try Ella.” Becca said, the worry lines digging deeper into her forehead, much as Amelia imagined hers had.
She dialed Ella’s. Straight to voicemail. Her heart raced. This wasn’t good.
“Where are they staying?” Gavin asked.
“I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“Surely he told someone.”
Jared walked closer. “Maybe he told Caleb.”
“Good thought.” Amelia dialed her husband’s phone. He answered on the second ring. “Did Adam tell you where he’s taking Ella tonight?”
“He did, but I’m not supposed to tell you.”
“Caleb, I appreciate your loyalty, but we know who the killer is. And I can’t reach Adam or Ella!” The fear started catching up with her. “Oh, Caleb, he could have already killed them. He could be killing them right now, it’s been over an hour since they left.”
“Calm down, Hun. I’m coming to the station.”
“But you’re working.”
“Yep, I’m bringing my crew. We’ll stay with you all and be on hand when we get to where they are… just in case.”
“Ok, but we need to know where we’re going? Warrant and all.”
“You won’t need one. I’ll be there in less than five. I love you.”
“I love you too. Hurry.”
Adam swallowed the bile that rose into his mouth at the sight of Scott touching Ella. He had to get out of this duct tape, but his arms shook with anger. Think, Adam. No. Pray. He closed his eyes briefly. Hey God, really could use some help here! How do I get out of this tape? He didn’t wind it around too much. You think I could pull out of it? God, I have to do something. I can’t sit here and watch him hurt Ella. The screw! Adam shifted his hands to where the exposed screw stuck out of the back of the chair.
“This is new for me, Jamison, having someone watch. I have to say I like it.” He moved away from Ella and came close to Adam. “It’s a whole new rush to have someone who loves the girl watch me decimate her.” He spun the knife in his hand. “And who better than Heather’s bratty little brother. I’ve been thinking about how I want this to go. Initially, I had thought I’d make it simple and just put a bullet in your head. But where’s the fun in that? I saw how close you were getting to Ella and that’s when I realized that maybe I could expand my business.”
Adam wiggled his hands. He had to get out.
“Oh really, you’re going to fight it. It’s time to give up.”
He jabbed the tape against the screw; he almost had his hands out, but he stopped.
“Let’s be clear about how this is going to go down. I’m going to take my sweet time with the lady over there. And you’re going to watch.” He pointed the knife at Adam’s face. “And if you don’t watch I’ll make her suffer even more. Her pain is my favorite part, so I’ll start by cutting off one finger at a time. So, pay attention. After that we’ll play it by ear. But you annoyed me too much when we were younger and that whole fist fight yesterday, yeah, I’m going to kill her first. Then, I’ll kill you.”
Adam’s jaw was locked in place. Ella was sniffling; her sobs caused her to hiccup.
Scott stepped back toward her and backhanded her across her face.
Adam lunged forward, but the duct tape kept him secured to the chair. “Keep your hands off of her, Scott!”
Tsk, tsk, tsk. “You’re much too feisty, Jamison. That’s just not going to work. I don’t want you actually getting free. Hmmm… let’s start the dying process with you.” Scott stood over Adam and leaned one hand on the arm of the wooden chair and with the other hand pointed the knife at Adam. “Now, if I stab you here”—he poked the knife at Adam’s chest—“I’d have to contend with bone, not to mention you’d die quite quickly. And I don’t want that.”
Adam’s pulse raced, and his stomach churned at the smell of the man’s foul breath.
“Now, your abdomen is a good place to stab you, but again, I don’t want to hit that major artery running down the center so, let’s see, off center, right about here should suffice.”
Adam was so close to having the duct tape off his hands, but it wasn’t quite off. He needed more time. But he didn’t have it. He looked over to Ella. Their eyes met. The longing in her eyes matched his heart. She lipped the words “I love you.”
With the best Han Solo expression he could muster considering the circumstances, he lipped, “I know.” He needed to hold her again, they had to survive this.
Scott pulled his hand back.
“Scott don’t!” Ella shouted her voice cracking under the weight of her emotions.
Scott snorted and plunged the knife into Adam’s abdomen.
Ella screamed. “NO!”
When Scott pulled the knife out the intensity of the pain registered. He groaned. His body collapsed forward, the stinging and burning sensation overtook his whole torso. The world went fuzzy for a moment. Oh Jesus, send in the cavalry! But they don’t know where we are or that we need them. Send your angels. Give Caleb one of those feelings he gets. He credits them to you. Now would be good. He tried praying to keep his mind off the pain. He needed to apply pressure, but he couldn’t do anything.
Scott’s voice cut into his thoughts. “Now, that’s good.”
Adam opened his eyes. The look of satisfaction on Scott’s face was downright terrifying. This man really got pleasure from causing pain. Adrenaline surged through Adam’s body. He wasn’t going to let this end here. He wasn’t going to let Scott win. He worked again at the duct tape on his wrists.
Chapter 27
Gavin eased the chain link gate open as quietly as possible. They still weren’t a hundred percent sure what the situation was, but they were taking positions around Adam’s house. Gavin’s truck, the one he had loaned Adam so that Adam’s Chevy didn’t
act as a neon sign to where they were, was parked in the driveway, pointing to them being here, but that didn’t mean they were still. Gavin made his way closer to the house. He was trying to get a clue as to whether or not they were here.
Amelia’s voice crackled in his earpiece, “Anything, Riley?”
“Nothing. The windows are all covered,” he whispered. “Can’t tell if there is a light on, let alone if anyone is inside.”
He crept further along the house. As he approached one of Adam’s bedroom windows, he stopped and tried to see in. This window was also completely covered, so he listened. Nothing. He moved on to the next window along the back of the house, also part of the back bedroom in the little bungalow. Same deal. But an unseen force urged him to wait before he moved on.
Muffled by drywall, insulation, and siding, he heard the unmistakable sound of Ella scream!
“They’re in there!” Gavin fought to keep his voice low. “Did anyone else hear that scream?”
“Scream?” Amelia asked.
“Yes, and it sounded like Ella. Can we go in?” Gavin moved back towards the back door on the porch.
“Not yet. We need eyes!”
Ella screamed again as Scott came close to her with the knife dripping with blood. Adam’s blood.
“Now you,” Scott came onto the bed next to her. “It’s time to have a little fun. Does this bother you?” He held the knife close to her face. “Your love’s blood dripping all over you?”
She tried to turn her face away, but he touched the knife to her jaw and forced her to look at his by pressing the side of the wet knife against her skin.
A drip of blood fell on her chest. Adam was dying in the chair across the room, and she was helpless to do anything to save him. She had to get free. She pulled at the duct tape that bound her hands to the headboard. But he had used a majority of the role to tape her hands.
“That’s it. Struggle.” He snorted a sinister laugh.
He liked that she was fighting the restraints, but what was she to do. She couldn’t give up. Their lives depended on it.
“How did you find us?” Adam coughed out. Ella’s heart broke at the sight of the strain in his face because of the pain.
“As soon as I heard that stupid rumor, I knew she wasn’t going to be there. You’ve been entirely too careful so far. I didn’t think you’d actually be stupid enough to bring her here, but I had hoped. And if you had shown up without her, I had a plan.”
Adam leaned his head back. The tight muscles in his face and neck proved that he was in so much pain. “Oh, my gosh. The front door.”
Scott looked towards the door. “What about it?”
“Ella, did you lock the front door?”
Ella shook her head. Why would Adam be worried about the door right now?
“Mrs. Williams. What if she comes in? I think I forgot to lock the door.”
Scott tossed the bloody knife on the foot of the bed. “For crying out loud. You really are the worst security guard. You’d think, with a killer after you, you’d lock the door.” Scott turned on his heals and left the room.
“Adam!” She pulled at the tape and tried to twist her hands.
“We’ll be okay.” He struggled back and forth. “I almost… There!” Adam’s arms snapped out of the duct tape. The blood was soaking his shirt, but he moved as if he wasn’t hurt. He reached down and pulled the tape off his feet. He gripped his stomach as he stood and stumbled towards the bed. “Now…” he moaned. “Let’s get you out.”
He grabbed the knife Scott had left on the bed and crawled towards her. Blood seemed to pour out of his wound. He reached up and cut her hands out of the duct tape. He was losing too much blood. Her hands fell free, and Adam dropped to the bed next to her; he was struggling to stay conscious. “Get… my gun!”
She rolled over to the bedside table. Her wrists hurt from struggling against Scott and the tape. Would she be able to grasp the gun tightly enough to shoot the man who was trying to kill them? And could she really shoot someone, possibly taking their life? Adam had taught her to shoot to kill. And their lives now depended on her. She pulled open the drawer. She glanced back over at Adam, he was unconscious, he needed to get to the hospital immediately. Her fingers met the cold steel of Adam’s pistol. Her wrist ached, but she tightened her grasp on the heavy weapon.
“What do you think you are doing?” Scott sneered.
Her eyes shot up and met his. He pulled his side arm. She pulled the gun from the drawer.
Chapter 28
Amelia couldn’t stand the waiting. She was running point from the van like Jared had ordered. The SWAT unit along with the detectives were positioned and ready to breech on her command, but she couldn’t risk that he had a knife to Ella or Adam’s neck. They needed eyes on the situation. Were they even still alive?
Pkew Pkew Pkew Pkew Pkew Pkew! The unmistakable sound of gun fire resonated through the silence surrounding Adam’s house. Amelia jerked the radio mic to her mouth and yelled, “NOW! Breech! Go, go, go!”
She jumped out of the van and ran to the house faster than she knew her swollen legs would take her. The SWAT were in the door first followed by Jared and Becca. If she hadn’t been so pregnant, she would have pushed past them. Her partner was in this house somewhere possibly dead.
“Clear.”
“Clear,” various voices called from throughout the house.
“Back here!” Gavin shouted from the back of the house near where he had gone in through the back door.
Amelia pushed Jared out of the way and ran to the bedroom. She stepped over Scott who was bleeding and struggling for breath on the floor with multiple gunshot wounds in his chest. Her eyes went to the bed. Ella sat on the bed, barely dressed, cradling Adam and pressing a bloody blanket to Adam’s abdomen. She rushed to Ella’s side. Someone called for the EMTs.
A gun sat on the bed next to Ella. Had Ella shot Scott?
“Sergeant!” She looked at Jared and pointed to the gun. He nodded and went over and collected it.
Ella was shaking. Amelia wished she still had her blazer for Ella’s shoulder’s. Her friend was staring at Adam. “Ella?”
“Where’s Caleb?” Ella’s voice was loud.
“I’m here.”
Amelia looked up to see her husband stepping over Scott. He tossed her the blanket in his hands as he went around to the other side of the bed. She draped the blanket over Ella’s shoulders.
Caleb asked, “Can you tell me what happened, Ella?”
Ella’s ears rang from the gun shots making it nearly impossible to hear Caleb. She could see that he was speaking to her. “Huh?” Her brain was also foggy. The adrenaline from the whole situation made it hard to process the sounds she could hear. She opened her mouth and tried to pop her ears that helped a little.
“Ella, can you tell me what happened? Was Adam shot or stabbed?
“Stabbed.”
“Okay. You can move your hands now.”
She looked down and saw Caleb’s hands on hers. She pulled her hands back and looked at them. They were covered in Adam’s blood. Her whole body shook. Amelia wiped Ella’s hands with a towel and tried to direct her away from Adam, but she couldn’t. She ran her hands through his hair.
“Ella, let Caleb help him.”
“Ok.” She leaned down and kissed Adam’s warm lips.
“Let’s go over here, Ella.” Amelia pulled her away by the shoulders, but she kept her hand on Adam as long as possible. “Let me look at you.” Ella willingly turned as Amelia directed her to sit on the side of the bed turned away from where Caleb and his partner worked on Adam. “Are you hurt? Is any of this blood yours?”
She stared at Amelia. As hard as it was with the ringing, she understood what Amelia asked, but she didn’t know the answer. Had she been shot? Had Scott gotten a round off before she put him down? She didn’t know. “I… I don’t know.”
“Okay, that makes sense. Let me look you over to be sure.”
She nod
ded. It was like she wasn’t even in her body. The shock was overwhelming. She needed Adam, but Adam was dying on the other side of the bed. Amelia lifted the blanket to check her body but kept her body hidden from those around them.
“Looks like you’re okay, Ella. Let’s get you cleaned up and dressed.”
Ella couldn’t move.
Amelia leaned over until her face was even with Ella’s and reached up and wiped the tears from her face. “He’s in the best hands. They’re going to get him to the hospital, and Adam is going to make it through this. You hear me?”
She nodded. She looked back at Adam. They were loading him onto a backboard, so they could move him to the stretcher that had somehow come into the room. She couldn’t look to where Scott had fallen. She didn’t want to know if he was alive or dead. Had she killed him? They started rolling Adam out of the room. She jumped to her feet. “Wait, I have to stay with him.”
Amelia’s hand grasped her arm. “No, hun. They have to get him to the hospital ASAP. Let’s get you cleaned up and dressed, and I’ll take you there myself, all right?”
She turned to her friend. The flood gates opened. Amelia pulled her into her arms and let her cry on her shoulder. As the sobs subsided, she raised her head and looked at Amelia. Her friend had been crying too. They smiled weakly at one another.
“Clothes?”
“Bathroom.”
She stood and let Amelia guide her out of the bedroom. Scott was no longer there. Amelia led her to the bathroom, but as she turned into the room the memory of Scott busting down the door came rushing back. She froze, and the tunnel drew her in.
“Ella, you’re safe. You’re right here with me, Amelia. We have to get your clothes so you can go to the hospital to be there for Adam.”
She was able to pull herself out of it long enough to get her clothes out of her bag and grab Adam’s sweatshirt she had kept since last week. But she couldn’t change in there. She went into Adam’s spare room that held his workout equipment and pulled on her jeans and t-shirt as fast as she could. She had to get to the hospital. She needed to see Adam.
