Colton Nursery Hideout

by Dana Nussio

  Behind the hedge, Travis found Luke propped against the side of the house, a blood-soaked scarf pressed into a head wound.

  “Sorry, man,” Luke said. “He got her. Couldn’t stop him. Surprised me.”

  Travis swallowed. “Don’t worry, buddy. We’ll find her.”

  He said it as much to assure himself as the wounded bodyguard.

  “What did he get you with?” Travis asked as he took a cursory look at Luke’s injury, making sure not to pull the cloth away and start the bleeding again.

  Luke leaned forward and then swayed, so he rested against the wall again. “Snow shovel.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Did you already call an ambulance?”

  Luke shook his head. “Asshole took my phone.”

  Travis pulled out his phone and placed the call himself.

  “Police will be here in a few minutes, too,” he told the other man before he opened the front door and rushed inside.

  The front part of the house was trashed with broken glass pieces; there were clear signs of a struggle. But, like Luke said, she was gone.

  He rushed back out the front door just as Melissa ran in. “I thought I told you not to go inside.”

  “Couldn’t wait.” He gestured toward Luke. “I called for an ambulance, but you might want to ping Luke’s phone. Dylan took it so he couldn’t call for help.”

  As Travis rushed down the driveway, a woman in a long parka marched up it.

  “Are you looking for the tall, skinny guy in the white SUV?” she asked. “He forced the lady inside. She was yelling.”

  “Did you call 9-1-1?”

  She shook her head. “Didn’t want to get involved.”

  “Story of my life,” Melissa said as she approached. “I’m Chief Melissa Colton. One of my officers is going to need a statement from you.”

  “I’ll look for them.” Travis yanked open the door.

  “Wait. We don’t even know where he’s taking her. Why don’t you leave it to law enforcement? We’ll find her.”

  “I left her here. Don’t you get that?” He looked away, trying to block all the horrible scenarios invading his thoughts. If anything happened to Tatiana or to the baby, he would never forgive himself. “I have to try.”

  * * *

  Tatiana wiggled against the nylon zip ties holding her wrists behind her and her ankles together, as she sat in the front seat of the guy’s car. She would have yelled again, but the gag between her top and bottom teeth put an end to that. The sound she made was supposed to say, “What do you want with me?” but it ended up sounding more like a series of grunts.

  “I’m sorry, Tatiana. I tried to take the gag off, but you just wouldn’t be quiet. You have no one to blame but yourself.”

  His tsk-tsk-tsk sound made her want to yank out all his bushy blond hair. As if she didn’t want to already. His voice sounded familiar, though muffled behind the mask he wore over his nose and mouth. She vaguely remembered him as someone from inside the Colton Plastics office, but so far, she hadn’t been able to recall his name.

  Where was Travis? Would he even try to find her after the argument they’d had that morning? He was a good man. He would certainly search, at least for the baby’s sake. Just the thought of the innocent human inside her made her chest squeeze with loss. What would her abductor do to her when he realized she was pregnant with Travis’s child?

  She made another sound behind her gag that was supposed to be “where are we going?” It must have had some similarities to the real words, as he answered her.

  “I decided against Grave Gulch Park. Too predictable. And too much of a police presence there lately. So, the cemetery it is. I found your mom’s grave recently and have been visiting every chance I get.”

  “You stay away,” she attempted to say, but again, he must have understood her muffled words.

  “Sweetheart, you’re going to have to get used to it. You and I and Polly will have a wonderful life together, and your daddy will be so proud.

  “I was thrilled when I learned you would be coming to Colton Plastics. It was fate. As if he brought you to me. You almost messed it up, though, by getting involved with Colton. He doesn’t deserve you. He’ll never understand how much you value your role as a serial’s daughter. I know. That’s why you’re mine.”

  Right then, he pulled off his mask and even in profile she recognized him as one of the IT guys she’d been putting off from working on her computer.

  “Remember me? Dylan. You’d know me better if you finally had let me install the software on your computer, but I get the feeling you didn’t have that laptop anymore.”

  As he pulled the SUV into the tiny cemetery where her mother was buried, the sorrow she always felt when she visited was magnified as the man’s fixation on her father’s murders seemed to desecrate Marcia’s memory.

  “Come on. We get to enjoy this for the first time together.” He reached in the center console and pulled out a handgun and tucked it in his pocket. “In case you get any ideas.”

  He came around and opened the passenger door and then hauled her out.

  “Let her go, Dylan,” Travis called out from somewhere in the darkness.

  Tatiana couldn’t breathe. She’d wanted him to come for her, and now she wanted him to be far from there and out of harm’s way.

  “Hello, Colton.” Dylan yanked her closer to him and held the muzzle to the small of her back. “You’re out of your league here. Do you really think Tatiana Davison would choose you when she has someone who understands the superior mind and venomous instincts she inherited?”

  “Why don’t you let her choose, then?”

  Tatiana stiffened as Travis’s voice seemed to come from a different place this time. Closer. “Get back, Travis. He has a gun.”

  “That was a mistake, my love.” Dylan whipped out the gun and used it to whack her across her cheekbone before she had the chance to move.

  Tatiana screamed, a white-hot flash of pain searing her face. The sharp pain was replaced by a constant pulse of it, signaling the swelling had started.

  Then it was Dylan’s turn to yelp as Travis attacked from out of nowhere, a loud thud of a fist connecting to bone, fracturing the silence again. Her abductor lost hold of her, and she fell forward into the snow. She tucked her limbs in so that she rolled before she reached the ground, trying not to land on the baby.

  “Run,” he called out, unaware that her feet were zip-tied.

  As the two men wrestled for control of the gun, she crawled behind a larger tombstone and closed her eyes, waiting for the worst to happen. Travis disarmed Dylan instead, tossing the handgun and then landing several sickening-sounding punches.

  Suddenly Travis was at her side, sliding his arms under her and lifting her. “You’re going to be okay, Ana.”

  “Where did he go? And where’s the gun?”

  “I can’t tell. He ran.”

  As if in answer to that question, the headlights of the white SUV came on, and Dylan aimed the much larger weapon at them, mowing over gravestones as he went. With Tatiana in his arms, Travis ran and dived behind a tree. The SUV hit it dead-on.

  The tree won.

  Both airbags deployed, trapping the driver inside. The cemetery was awash then with lights as several police patrol cars, an ambulance and even a fire engine lined the drive.

  Travis and Tatiana lay in the snow, their lungs heaving. He pressed his forehead to hers.

  “I should never have left you alone.”

  “You had every right to be angry. I shouldn’t have lied. I should have trusted you.”

  “Oh, Ana. He could have—”

  “But he didn’t. Because of you.”

  “I love you so much,” he told her.

  “And I love you.”

  She nestled close to him, and he pressed his
lips to hers. Their kiss tasted of tears. Maybe hers. Possibly his. Theirs.

  “If you two could stop making out, we need to have the paramedics check you out.”

  They looked up to find Melissa grinning down at them. As soon as Travis stopped kissing her, the pain returned. It was becoming more difficult for her to see out of the sliver of her swollen eye.

  Travis pulled back. “He hit her with the gun.”

  “That’s right. You said you threw it, so we’ll be out here combing through the snow for an hour to find it.” She frowned. “Thanks for that. It’s probably our murder weapon.”

  Melissa whistled, glancing in the direction of the SUV where Dylan, already handcuffed, was being treated for his injuries.

  “Hey, over here,” she called out to emergency workers.

  She shook her index finger at her brother. “You’re lucky you didn’t get yourselves killed. I told you not to play the hero.”

  He shrugged and then brushed back Tatiana’s hair from her face. “Sometimes you just do what you have to do.”

  “Well, for our non–law enforcement brother, you didn’t do a half-bad job,” Melissa told him.

  “How’d you get to us so fast, anyway?” Travis wanted to know.

  “Luke’s phone. Just like you suggested.”

  “Oh, make sure that someone goes back to Dylan’s house to get the dog,” Tatiana said. “It’s not her fault her owner is a schmuck.”

  “We’re on it,” Melissa said.

  Travis and Melissa stepped back to let the paramedic examine Tatiana, using a penlight and his moving index finger. But as he continued with his exam, the chief of police moved closer again.

  “Be extra careful with her, because she’s important to my little brother.” She caught Tatiana’s gaze. “And be gentle. She’s pregnant.”

  “How’d you know?” Tatiana asked as soon as the paramedic stepped away after she promised she would go to the ER for a full exam.

  Travis studied her as well. “How did you?”

  “Have I ever told you I’m really good at my job? Maybe I have an instinct for protecting family.” She pointed to Tatiana’s belly. “And that baby is Frank and Italia Colton’s first grandchild.”

  Travis grinned at her but then stepped forward and took Tatiana in his arms again. “Yes, this baby will have that weighty title but will have a more important role as well. He or she will be Travis and Tatiana’s first child.”

  Chapter 23

  On the last Sunday in March, for the second time in a month, all four of Frank and Italia’s children, plus a pledge class of new recruits, were gathered around the mammoth table in Frank and Italia’s lakeside home for dinner.

  Travis was particularly happy about the newest attendee, who wasn’t quite official but would be by the end of the meal, if he could help it. Already they’d devoured most of the glazed ham with roasted potatoes and cheesy garlic asparagus, so if he didn’t act soon, he would miss the dessert course as well.

  Gathering all his courage, Travis pushed back his chair and stood. “I have an announcement to make. Tatiana Davison and I will welcome a child—the first Colton grandchild—on or about October ninth of this year.”

  He bent to kiss her cheek, which still held a green-yellow reminder of the stalker, who could have taken this amazing life from them both.

  Everyone set aside their forks for a round of applause.

  Stanton stood on the opposite side of the table. “And if there’s anyone at this table who hasn’t heard this news, please stand.”

  Immediately, he sat as laughter broke out around the room.

  Travis frowned. No one was going to make this easy on him. “Remind me never to tell any of you secrets that need to be kept.”

  At the head of the table, Frank tapped the butt of his knife on the wood. “Duly noted.”

  “But seriously,” Travis said, grinning, “we are so excited to welcome Bean into our lives and into this family.”

  Italia lifted a hand. “I nominate one Italia Vespucci Colton as official babysitter.”

  Travis rolled his eyes. “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Go, Grandma,” Stanton said. At her frown, he said, “I mean, Nonna.”

  “Excuse me,” Travis said. “Can I try this again?”

  “You mean you weren’t finished?” Clarke chimed.

  After his comment earned him a glare from Travis and a poke from Everleigh, Clarke held out his hands, palms up, and returned the floor to his brother.

  “Thank you. Well, a few of you have asked me how you should refer to Tatiana.” He grinned at her, and her face immediately pinkened. “Should I call her my friend? Sure, she’s that, but so much more.

  “And what about ‘girlfriend’?” He shook his head. “So, if you don’t object, Tatiana, I would like to call you something infinitely more precious. First fiancée, then wife.”

  He stepped around his chair, reached into his jacket pocket for the box and lowered to one knee. Then he popped it open to reveal a sparkling round solitaire diamond engagement ring. Her eyes automatically filled with tears.

  “Tatiana Davison, ours has been a whirlwind romance. Please be my wife, and our whole life will be that slow courtship we missed. Every day can be our first date, and every kiss can be our first. I bring to you a large, messy family that you will some days see as a reward, others as a consolation prize. So, will you accept this ring?”

  She had been doing okay until he’d mentioned family, but at that moment, tears spilled from the corners of her eyes. He reached over to wipe each side with his thumbs.

  “Well, will you take us?” Stanton asked.

  “Yes. Absolutely.”

  After slipping the ring on her finger, Travis pulled her into his arms for a kiss that was indecently long. It earned applause all around.

  Clarke wiped the back of his hand across his forehead. “Sure glad that’s over. I never thought we’d make it to dessert.”

  More laughter, jokes and hunks of chocolate-walnut torte followed.

  When the last of the crumbs had been consumed off the dessert plates, they returned to the fifteen-conversations-at-once plan that was a Colton staple. Somehow Melissa still managed to take the floor.

  “Have any of you seen the recent social media posts from Dominique de la Vega, the investigative reporter from the Grave Gulch Gazette?” she asked. “She’s been posting about asking sources for info about corruption about the GGPD.”

  Clarke nodded. “I’ve seen them. The way she’s talking about the story, you would think she was looking at the keys to the Watergate Hotel. Who’s going to be her Deep Throat, do you think?”

  Melissa frowned. “Thanks for that historical comparison, dear brother. You make me feel so much better.”

  “I’m sure it’s going to be fine,” her fiancé, Antonio, offered out of obligation.

  She leaned forward and continued. “Anyway, she’s asking for anyone with information about the GGPD, and especially its former forensic scientist, to contact her. This could be awful for all of us.”

  Clarke leaned in and glanced down the table at his only remaining uncommitted sibling.

  “Didn’t you two used to be a serious couple?”

  Stanton shifted in his seat and frowned. “Why’d you have to remind me of that?”

  “You could be the one to explain to her how dangerous this investigation is,” Clarke said. “And then you could convince her to leave the investigation to us.”

  Stanton scoffed at that. “No problem. I’ll just do that on my lunch hour tomorrow.”

  Frank, who’d kept quiet most of the meal, spoke up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “I’m telling you, any time I’ve run into Dominique in the past two years, she’s glared at me and walked in the other direction.” Stanton shook his head. “So, I’m definitel
y not the man for that job.”

  “Hey, I thought that was all women when they saw you coming,” Travis said, earning the laugh he was going for.

  Stanton chuckled, too, but he wasn’t his usual jovial self. He was clearly unnerved after hearing Dominique’s name.

  The party broke up soon after, which was just as well since Travis needed to get his new fiancée back to their condo and hopefully wrapped in something much more comfortable. Like him. With their life already so perfect, he’d worried that adding marriage as well might be asking too much. But he would never forget the look on her face tonight when she’d said yes.

  A short while later, as they lay sated in the soft sheets, Travis smiled down at her.

  “How are you feeling, future Mrs. Colton?”

  “Can’t complain,” she said, dreamily, as she lay draped across his chest.

  “So, you made it through another night with the Colton clan showing no visible scars.”

  She shook her head. “Your family’s amazing, and you know it. You’re so lucky.”

  “You’re part of that family now, too.”

  She became quiet then, as she often did when they spoke of family.

  “Thinking about your dad?”

  Her lips lifted. “Is it so obvious? I’m glad your sister didn’t bring him up at dinner.”

  “Melissa understands. Still no sightings of him since the lake?”

  She shook her head against his skin. “Since I led the police to him. I’m not sorry. I still worry he’ll follow the pattern and kill again in two months though.”

  Travis brushed his fingers through her hair. He couldn’t remove her pain or her worries, but he could be there to support her as she faced them.

  “Do you think the copycat threw him off his pattern?” he asked.

  “I hope so.”

  “Either way, you can be at peace knowing you did the right thing.”

  “I am,” she said without hesitation.

  He brushed her hair until she drifted to sleep, her arm still covering him.