Breath of Malice (21 page)

“I see you haven’t moved at all.” Thames laughed at his own joke.

She was still nailed to the makeshift table. With her sight absent, her other senses had heightened. She needed every one of them. She had to distance herself from the pain. She had to quiet her heart so she could hear.

She heard Thames rattle his instruments. Despite the pain in the shredded skin, she bit her trembling lip to stifle a whimper. Not like this. She would not go out like this. And she would not go out alone.

Thames bent over her. The stink of his cologne drew closer. He would be using the dagger he’d shown her earlier. Paige brought the instrument to her mind, focused on it until she could see it clearly.

He would cut her now, mutilate her. She heard the unmistakable sound of a zipper. He hadn’t raped her yet, but he would. He would rape her now as he cut into her.

Thames was right-handed. He would use his right hand and make his first slice on her breast. He would relish the first cut. Paige knew he would make it count.

She felt him get onto the table with her. Felt his body move over hers. It took everything she had to control the panic, but she had to time this perfectly.
One chance.

The air shifted slightly. Thames brought the blade down. Paige reared up, screaming as she tore her arms from the nails. She reached up and grabbed Thames’s hand with one of hers.

Though she couldn’t see it, she knew she’d left skin pinned to the table. Blood trickled down her arms. She fisted her hand around Thames’s. One chance.
One chance.

She seized the back of Thames’s head with her other hand. He would be expecting her to try to force the blade back, away from herself. Paige would not do as he expected. She pushed his head forward, down, down, onto the dagger. She drove the blade into his throat.

She felt Thames’s blood spray her. He gurgled. His body bucked, but she held tight to him. The blade went all the way through, coming out at the back of Thames’s neck.

He stopped moving. He was dead. Paige knew he was dead. But even as Thames fell onto her and his blood mingled with her own, she continued to drive the blade through him.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Thames had not vanished. Sam dropped his pack and ran down to the spot where he’d last seen Thames. Loose rocks slid under Sam’s feet and dropped over the edge of the mountain. Thames had been here. In front of the bushes. Sam parted the dense growth. So thick he almost missed it, a narrow entrance to a cave.

The thought of going into that cave made Sam sweat. Too much of his childhood had been spent in dark, airless closets. But Sam didn’t hesitate. He would go into hell to get Paige back.

He, Mike, and Riley had split up, frantically searching for Thames. Sam spoke into his mic. “There’s a cave. Behind bushes. North side. I’m going in.”

Sam drew a pen flashlight from his pocket, then his weapon, and went through the opening in the rock. It was as quiet as a grave—and as tight as one. He had to duck his head. The rock walls brushed his shoulders. Sam fought back the feeling that he was in his own grave. More sweat broke out on his brow. But he did not slow his pace. Gritting his teeth, he moved faster.

The ceiling was low. Sam remained hunched. He kept the beam of the flashlight down, not knowing where Thames was and whether he would kill Paige if he knew Sam was in here with them.

The light showed thick, hard-packed ground and walls made smooth and round over the passage of time. Finally, the cave widened and the ceiling rose high over Sam’s head. He straightened and, ignoring everything he knew about not racing blindly into the unknown, ran.

Bats, maybe disturbed by his presence, flew out from their perch above him. But other than the bats, Sam appeared to be alone. Where the hell was Thames?

Sam’s light caught on a body. Mary Emerson was posed against a rock wall. Had Thames also killed Paige and set her against one of these walls? Cold sweat broke out over Sam’s body. Blood pounded in his head as he moved the beam along the other walls. But Paige was not here. This was not
her
dead body. Sam staggered, but that truth kept him on his feet. She was here somewhere, and he would find her. Sam ran on.

Up ahead, he saw a light. It was coming from behind a partition made up of thick white curtains. Sam dropped his flashlight and, with his weapon up, fisted the drapes and yanked them back.

Thames was on his back on the ground. Dead. He was coated in blood. A knife went all the way through his neck. Somehow Paige had managed to kill him.

Paige was on the ground, too, facedown. She was naked. Bloody. Everywhere but her face was marked. Seeing what Thames had done to her, Sam felt as if his chest was tearing open.

Her arms were outstretched, her fingers curled into the dirt as if she were trying to crawl out of here.

Sam’s heart kicked into overdrive. He dropped to his knees beside her. “Paige!” She was so still. His hands sweating, shaking, he pressed his fingers to her neck. “Paige!”

Her pulse was weak, thready, but he felt it. He kept his fingers pressed to her pulse point, needing to feel the proof that she was alive.

There was a line of glue along each eyelid. Thames had glued her eyes closed. Sam said into his mic, “I have Paige.” Sam’s voice sounded savage. “Mike, she needs medical. I don’t want to risk moving her.” Sam was wearing a tracking device but gave Mike his position anyway. “Get a medevac team in here. Now!”

“Right away,” Mike said.

Sam wanted to take Paige in his arms and hold her but didn’t know where he could touch her without causing her more pain or risking more injury. Her chest rattled with a shallow breath. Sam stared hard down at her, watching the small rise and fall of her chest, frantic that each breath would be her last. Hands shaking, he gripped her face as if doing so would keep her with him. “Hang on, baby.” He pressed his lips to her hair, kissing her, then left his lips there. “Hang on.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Paige sat in a wheelchair by the window in her hospital room at Kirk County General. The window overlooked a small park where hospital staff and patients, along with their visitors, lunched at picnic tables or sprawled on benches. The lunch hour had ended some time ago. Just now, the park was unoccupied except for a flock of birds. Yesterday was the first time Paige had been able to leave the bed and sit upright in a chair. Since then, she had taken to watching the people, birds, and other creatures as they made their way in and out of the trees.

It was another warm day, Paige had been told by one of the nurses. The sun was high. She turned her face up, feeling the heat on her skin. Since the cave, Paige had yet to feel warm enough again.

Ten days had passed since Thames had abducted her, driven her to the Adirondacks, and taken her to the cave. She’d spent four of those days entombed within those rock walls. Her memory of that time was all too clear. Paige expected it always would be. Thames had kept to the same pattern with her as he had with the other women. That fourth day in the cave would have been her last.

Paige didn’t recall Sam taking her out of there. Didn’t recall seeing him at all until her second night in this hospital. Fear made her fight the medication the doctors had given her and brought her out of the drug-induced haze. She’d jerked awake, and Sam had been by her bedside, holding her hand and telling her that she was safe.

She repeated that to herself now. At times, without warning or cause, fear took hold of her and she was back in that cave with Thames. She stared hard out at the park, not blinking, taking in the sunshine, the trees, the squirrels, and worked to bring herself back to this moment, to overcome the fear once more.

Behind her, the television was on low as it was every night.

“And the story on convicted, then released serial killer Todd Thames continues,”
a female reporter said.
“A mass grave containing the bodies of Thames’s victims was found inside the cave where Thames also attempted to claim the life of a federal agent.”

Paige turned to the television. The screen filled with a view of the mountain location that had housed Thames’s cave. The footage was live, being captured from a helicopter. Agents moved in and out of the range of the camera.

“An active investigation in Kirk County, South Carolina, led to this discovery.”

The mountain view was replaced with a shot of Sam pushing through a throng of reporters in front of the Kirk Bureau office. Sam’s features were drawn tight.

“Agent McKade! How many bodies have been found in the cave?”

Sam walked on.

“Have any of the bodies been identified?”

Sam didn’t respond, but continued to bulldoze his way through the men and women.

“Before you took over this investigation, law enforcement and the FBI failed to find the cave where Thames had buried the bodies of his victims. How did you find Thames’s burial ground? How did you succeed where everyone else failed and get Thames?”

Sam had made it to his truck and was about to climb in when he stopped abruptly and faced the man who’d addressed him. Sam’s eyes flashed.

“I’m not the one responsible for getting Thames,”
Sam said.
“The person who did that is Agent Carson. She almost lost her life going after Thames. She’s the one who got him when no one else could.”

Sam had likely given her back her career with those words and erased any black marks from her record. Paige closed her eyes. If she still had a career . . .

Her eyes had not suffered permanent damage from the glue. Thames had broken her ribs and punctured a lung. She was a mess of contusions and lacerations. The pain medication was still no match for the pain itself, and it left her light-headed and exhausted. But she’d been assured that those injuries would heal. She hadn’t received the same assurance about her foot.

An orthopedic surgeon had scheduled operations to begin to repair the massive damage. But the surgeon had told Paige the bones Thames had broken might never be as they had been. She might never regain full use of her leg.

She needed full use of both legs if she was going to continue to work a field post. And she wanted to. She no longer needed to remain behind a desk out of fear, and she didn’t want to. Harry, Dom, Mike, Riley, and Mrs. Hendershot stopped by often to see her. Paige’s surprise and awe at repeatedly seeing them had been met with a simple, “We’re your squad.” Their support and acceptance had felt better than anything in her career ever had.

Laughter and loud, excited voices came from the hall. Paige turned her head to the door as Ivy entered. Jonah bounced along beside her wheelchair. This was the first time Paige had seen him since Thames had taken him. Sam hadn’t spoken of it when she’d asked, other than to tell her that Jonah had recovered fully. Paige’s breath caught thinking of all Jonah had been through. She was overcome by gratitude that he was all right.

Jonah ran to her. “Hi, Paige!”

Her gaze roamed over him. He looked well. Happy. Untouched. Her throat tightened. “Hi.”

Jonah was holding a framed picture. “Look what Ivy did!”

It was his superhero portrait. It looked wonderful. Jonah struck the same pose now as the portrait, spreading his legs wide and crossing his skinny arms across his small chest. Blinking back tears, Paige brought him close and held him. “You are the best superhero.”

Over Jonah’s head, Paige saw Sam fill the doorway. Sam had been by her hospital room every day, bringing Ivy to visit. But after that night when she’d awakened and found him at her bedside, they’d never been alone. He’d never come to her on his own.

He was distancing himself from her. She could feel him pulling away from her. Though she expected it, deserved it, the pain of it rivaled the torture Thames had inflicted on her.

Paige lowered her arms from Jonah and looked to her sister. “Congratulations on your first commission, the first of many.”

Ivy’s cheeks reddened a bit with the praise, then she nodded. “Yes.”

Ivy’s newfound confidence in her artistic ability was well deserved, and it warmed Paige’s heart.

“Who’d like soda and junk food before dinner?” Sam asked.

Ivy laughed and Jonah said, “Us!”

Sam came into the room but only far enough to hand Ivy some bills. “There’s a new vending machine in the waiting room. Have at it.”

Ivy took the money, then turned back to Paige. Mindful of Paige’s injuries, Ivy hugged her. Ivy had been doing that lately. Paige squeezed her eyes shut for an instant. They were on their way back to each other.

“Be back in a bit,” Ivy said, then led Jonah from the room.

Paige watched them go. Again she thought about the fact that she and Sam were never alone. Now, he’d sent the kids away. Why? Paige could only think of one reason for that. Sam had something to say to her that he couldn’t or wouldn’t say in front of Jonah and Ivy.

Sam remained by the wall. “How you feeling?”

“I’ve been better.”

Sam’s eyes became murderous. “I’d like to drag Thames back from hell and use those medieval instruments on him.” Sam’s voice softened. “Ivy told me about your foot.”

Since Paige had confided in Ivy about Thames, Ivy had shown a new level of maturity. When the surgeon had told Paige about her foot, Paige had broken down. Ivy had been there for her, lending her support, and as if their roles had reversed, Ivy became the big sister.

Paige didn’t fault Ivy for telling Sam. Ivy had formed a bond with Sam and Jonah, and as her superior, for the time being at least, Sam would find out anyway when she didn’t resume her duties. “I won’t be coming back to work for a while. Maybe not at all.” She took them back to the conversation in his office at their first meeting. “Looks like I may not be around for the next three years after all.” Despite her best efforts, her lips quivered. “You may need to look into filling that position again sooner than you’d thought.”

Sam crouched beside her so their eyes were level. “You’ll always have a place in my office.”

She wanted that. A place where she belonged with Harry, Dom, Mike, Riley, and Mrs. Hendershot. Paige had hoped she could also belong with Sam. He’d told her not long ago that he was coming to feel that she did belong with him. But that was before Thames had harmed Jonah because of Paige.

Sam maintained his position beside her. He was so close she could see every feature that made up his handsome face. She longed to reach out and brush her fingertips across his skin, but she didn’t. She’d lost the privilege to just reach out and touch him at will.

That truth hurt. She looked away from Sam and said softly, “You found Thames’s grave.”

Sam’s gaze remained on her. “Yeah. We haven’t gotten to all the bodies. Once we do, we’ll be working to identify them.” He released an angry and frustrated breath. “It’s slowgoing.”

Paige hurt for the women who’d fallen prey to a madman, and for their families. A shudder coursed through her at how close she’d come to losing her life as well.

Sam said, “The Bureau issued a statement that the unlawful evidence that appeared in the Thames trial was the result of a clerical error. The earring that was entered into evidence was miscataloged.”

Paige told Sam of her conversation with Thames about the earring. “I don’t suppose it matters now. All those women dead, and it was nothing more than a game to Thames. He told me he killed Janet Lambert because he knew the Bureau would handle that investigation. Because of Mary Emerson, he already knew I was in Kirk County, and he knew I would be assigned to investigate. Janet Lambert was nothing more than a pawn Thames used to draw me deeper into his game.” Paige fastened her gaze on Sam. “I haven’t thanked you. If not for you, I would never have come out of that cave. You saved my life.” She shook her head slowly. “Even after I almost cost Jonah his.”

“What you did was save Jonah’s life. You traded yourself for Jonah. You were prepared to give up your life for my son’s life. Thank me? I’m the one who needs to thank you.” Sam’s gaze grew tortured. “I almost lost you.” His voice was raw. “When I saw you on the floor of that cave, you weren’t moving. I thought I was too late.” Sam looked as if his heart were being ripped out of his chest. He reached out and traced his thumb down her cheek, then took her face carefully in his hand. His eyes blazed. “I love you. You’re it for me, Paige. There will never be anyone else.”

Paige stared at him. Tears welled in her eyes. “I love you. You’re it for me, too.”

Sam’s hand tightened on her face, and he crushed her mouth to his. She kissed him back just as fiercely with all the love she had for him.

Paige heard Ivy and Jonah returning. She pulled back. “Ivy and Jonah are back.”

Sam brought her mouth back to his. Against her lips, he murmured, “They might as well get used to seeing me kiss you. I plan to do that for the rest of my life.”