Scent of Gardenia (Scott Tucker Series) (16 page)

Chapter
38

The sun
was peeking through the blinds although it had been a sleepless night. Several
times Scott had begged, as best he could, for her teasing to stop, but she was
rewarded for not giving into his request. He was an incredible lover. Although
she regretted Lisa had died in an accident, she couldn’t grasp what it would be
like not to have Scott here with her.

Scott
didn’t have the freedom to move about the cabin, so she had to tend to the fire
herself. She attended to
both
fires extremely well. However, there was
something that concerned her as the hours passed. Scott was enjoying her
attention, but she was becoming concerned about her own behavior.

She sensed
a strange sensation when Scott was helpless to stop her. At one point, she
thought about Melanie and her three friends, keeping those men for an entire
weekend. It was to make them pay for their rapes. She knew it became something
much more than that to the women. She felt it earlier herself.
Oh my God, am
I turning into my sister?
She knew she could never kill a man, especially
one she loved.
But, could she kill a man that she didn’t love in this same
situation?

She
studied Scott as he was recovering from the last sexual workout. His breathing
was returning to normal. She undid the blindfold and gag. She leaned over,
kissing his eyes and then his mouth. Tears fell on his body, as her sobbing
lasted for several minutes. She could tell Scott was confused.

He tried
to comfort her. “Honey its okay. I’m okay. There’s nothing to cry about. I love
you, and I can tell you love me too.”

She
moved off him, using the key to unlock the handcuffs from his wrists.

“Scott,
I’m so sorry…I don’t know what came over me.” She started crying again.

He
reached over and hugged her. “Mercedes please stop. Everything’s okay. You just
had to get some things out of your system. You can tell I was enjoying things,
couldn’t you?”

She
slipped in beside him and he wrapped her in his arms.

“Scott…Scott,
I’m scared. There was a point during that last session where I felt I was
turning into my sister. I had a strange feeling that I could have lost control
of myself very easily.” She hugged him without saying anything. “Scott, all of
my ‘profile’ studies has never given me the understanding I just learned. I
don’t want you to
ever
let me make you helpless again.” She was
literally shaking.

He
remembered back when Melanie had him captive.
I thought I was going to die,
and it was just a matter of time. Just now with Mercedes, I had no fear of any
real harm…however, that just changed.

*.*.*

When she
looked at the clock several hours later, she realized they had both fallen
asleep. She studied Scott as he slept. She was concerned about her behavior,
but more concerned about telling him about it. The cabin was chilly now, the
sheets no longer covering them. She carefully moved Scott’s arm, getting up to
bring the fire back to life. It took several minutes, but she managed to get it
going again. She sat on the Indian blanket on the hearth, studying the fire and
Scott.

She
was so lucky to have met him and now to be with him. So many things had happened
to bring them together. She was worried her confession might impact their
relationship going forward. She was still trying to understand what happened. It
was obvious she had blacked out…or did she? She was going to have to tell Scott
about the profile she came up with for the Bermuda killer. Could one woman be
kidnapping these men and keeping them for months, or was it more than one?

She
looked over at Scott, noticing the red welts all over his body.
Oh Scott, I
love you…what have I done?

*.*.*

She went
into the bathroom and started the shower. The pipes banged as the hot water
started to come. She climbed in the shower and started washing her hair. A minute
later she felt another set of hands washing her hair and she just let him take
over.

They
enjoyed their shower and the feel of the spray as they made love again.

She left
the shower to dry off, heading to the bedroom.

Scott
came out wrapped in a towel, looking shocked to see her dressed. He didn’t say
anything, but dried off and got dressed himself. She put another log on the
fire, and then went to the window to look out.

He went
over to her and sat down. “Mercedes, are you okay?

She took
a deep breath, looking worried but she didn’t answer.

Her hair
was still damp but she looked as beautiful as ever. There was a strong scent of
Gardenia, much like he smelled for most of the night, only much stronger.
“Mercedes, I know you’re concerned about last night, but its okay. I’m glad we
came here, I’m glad we were together, and I’m okay.”

She
shook her head. “Scott, didn’t you notice the marks on your body?”

“Yeah,
so what?”

“Scott,
do you remember what I said to you this morning about not letting me…well…did you?”

“I
remember what you said. Mercedes, its okay, really it is.” He studied her, then
added, “You’re not your sister…you could never be.” He could see her eyes
watering.

“Scott,
listen to me. I’m serious about this. There was a point where I don’t remember
what I was doing. I can’t remember some of my time with you. I’m scared
Scott...I really am. I never had an experience like that. As you know, my
sister had a split personality, maybe I have one too. I love you, I know I
really do. I have fallen for you and I don’t want to hurt you—but I’m scared.”

He held
her. “I love you too. From now on, I’ll be the one tying you up. Okay?”

She
pounded on his chest with her fists. “That’s not funny, not funny at all.” She
started crying, and soon both of them were letting their emotions out.

*.*.*

I should
have called the office, but I didn’t. Mercedes went to the McDonald’s next door
and brought back two large coffees. We were consuming the food she purchased
last night; although it was cold, it tasted good. After the food was gone, we
just sat holding hands, looking out the front window of the cabin.

Mercedes
looked over and smiled but a frown quickly appeared. “Scott, I need to talk to
you about something important. Please don’t interrupt me…I need to get this
out.” I nodded. She let go of my hands and continued, “I have looked at this
missing men case and have developed a profile. The kidnapper, now a killer, is
a woman. Although she is young, probably in her late twenties, she has not had normal
relationships with men. I believe she has been raped. Because of that, she is
seeking revenge on men she finds attractive.” She stopped to make sure I was
paying attention.

She
continued, “Although she was raped, she remembers what it is like to be
helpless and at the mercy of her attacker. She has taken that feeling and
turned it around to being the assailant. She gets sexual pleasure from her
dominance. Getting back to her rape; it was not by a single man, it was by
several men, over an extended time period. That’s why
multiple
men need
to be her captives. In a way, she is reliving her rape experience with the
roles reversed.”

“Mercedes,
it sounds like you’ve found your right profession.”

“Please
Scott, I asked you not to interrupt me. Let me continue. Unfortunately, there’s
no limit to the number of times she’s going to repeat this process. When she
tires of one captive, she kills him and disposes of his body. She replaces that
void with another attractive man. Here’s what really worries me…I believe this
cycle is shortening. The time between men going missing is diminishing. It
looks like the next man will go missing in just a few weeks, or three months
from the Nielsen’s kidnapping. I will go so far as to say she has room for four
men, but I could be wrong about that.”

I could
see the white of her knuckles as she gripped her coffee cup. I didn’t say
anything, but pictured her scenario as clear as day.

She
finished her coffee and continued. “This woman has established a way of keeping
these men alive, going undetected for almost eighteen months. That would mean
she has a home private enough to keep the men out of sight and sound.” Her eyes
were staring right through mine. “Scott, does this make any sense to you? Does
it sound familiar at all?”

As I
heard her questions, the hair stood up on my arms. “It sounds similar to what
your sister was doing; only in this case, the person is alone.” She clenched
both hands, turned her head and stared out the window. I watched her nostrils
constricting and her chest heaving.

“Scott,
if I didn’t know better, this profile fits my sister so well, I could almost
see her doing this. However, she’s dead,
right
? We all witnessed her
jump into the freezing ocean years ago. She couldn’t have survived, to be doing
this now. However, when I picture the person…I see
Melanie’s
face.”

“Scott,
I have to go into the office. Max and Ralph have probably already arrived. My
boss will be wondering where I am. We need to give an update of our trip to Bermuda. We’ve got to go…I’m sorry.”

I looked
at her. I know she was torn between staying and leaving. “Mercedes, it’s okay.
I have to get to work also. Thanks for kidnapping me.”

I
think I just said the wrong thing.

Chapter
39

Holly
looked at Jules asleep beside her. He’s such a large man, but so gentle. She
feels so comfortable with him. They fit nicely together, but that’s not what
this is about. She has never felt like this…
is this, what she has been
waiting for all of her life?
It’s strange no woman has laid claim to him…
am
I missing something?

Her norm
is to do a thorough investigation, which is why she is such a great
investigator.
Why am I not checking him out in more detail? Why? Miss
Compton, do you have plans that go beyond just sharing a bed?

For
some strange reason, she knew the answer to that question.

She
carefully climbed out of the bed, pulling Jules’ very large Bermuda T-shirt
over her head. Since it came down to her knees, she was smiling at how she must
look. She started the coffee and then the; toast, eggs and bacon. The smell in
the small galley was pleasant. She wondered if it would wake Jules. The tight
quarters of the galley made everything within arms reach. She filled the coffee
cups and made two plates. She carried the plates to the small portable table
near the stern. The sun felt warm on her back. Then a shadow appeared.

“Well
Holly, look at you. Were you expecting company, or is one of those plates for
me?” Jules said, standing just behind her.

“Good
morning Jules. Did you sleep well?”

He put
his arms around her waist and kissed her on the neck. “I had a wonderful sleep
and dreamed about a princess. When I woke up she had also made breakfast.”

She
could feel the strength of his arms, his body pressing into her back, and his
soft lips on her neck. “If you keep up what you’re doing and don’t sit down and
start eating…we’ll be having this for lunch.” She turned quickly, moving out of
his arms, and sat down. She looked at him. “Maybe you should put some clothes
on first.”

He
returned having donned a pair of cutoffs and a sleeveless white dress shirt.
“Holly thanks for breakfast and last night.” He smiled, sat down immediately,
picked up the coffee cup and took a long sip. “You’ll have to tell me your
secret.”

She
looked at him, wondering if he was referring to what she thought about earlier.
She didn’t respond to his comment.

He
laughed. “I guess I might have hit a nerve…I was talking about how wonderful
the coffee tastes. I need to know your formula for it…my attempts always give
me the impression I could use it as motor oil.”

She was
relieved and laughed. “Maybe I’ll show you tomorrow morning.”

His wide
grin showed his white teeth. “That sounds promising.”

While
they ate in silence, she had time to think about her presence on the boat.
I
know almost nothing about this man. What are you doing Holly? Am I making the
biggest mistake of my life? She was thinking with her heart and not her head.
Maybe I need to go a little slower and find out more about Jules.

He broke
the silence. “Holly, you looked concerned. I should have told you the breakfast
is incredible. Are you concerned about something? Care to share?”

“Thanks,
I’m glad you liked it. I’m just concerned about being here. I mean here in Bermuda, and finding something that will help find these missing men. I need to focus on
why I’m here.”

He studied
her and then asked, “Why are you here?” He spread his arms out, with a
concerned look on his face.

She let
his question sink in, and then left quickly to get dressed.

*.*.*

They
were both silent as Jules rowed the skiff to the dock. Once inside his cab, he
broke the silence. “Me lady, what will thy desire be t’day?”

She
could tell he was upset, and he didn’t deserve that.
Don’t be a fool
Holly…you know you like this man…don’t ruin it.
“Jules, you will have to
forgive me. I’m normally not confused about things, but I have to make some
progress on this investigation. Please
bear
with me.”

He
laughed a soft laugh. “It’s okay, but I thought we did that last night.”

She
realized the double meaning in what she said and hit his arm. “That’s not what
I was talking about.” She leaned over and gave him a kiss. “Now, let’s get some
progress made, okay?”

He
laughed again. “I thought we did that last night too.” She was going to hit him
again and he just held up his arms. “I give up…we’re going to make some progress
on the
case
today,” he said with a deep artificial voice.

She was
feeling more comfortable. “Okay Jules, for starters, I want to find out more
details about the dive cage in which Mr. Elliot’s body was found. Where do you
get those things? We need a more detailed description of the cage. Then, do you
have any idea where to start looking once we know the details?”

“Well,
those cages are not that common. I’m thinking they’re used for studying, or
filming, shark habitats. I can think of a few places where we need to
investigate, but I think that might be something the authorities might have
overlooked. Let me take you to talk with Chief-Inspector Hughes.”

*.*.*

She left
Jules in his cab while she attempted to see inspector Hughes. It took an hour
of waiting but the officers were polite. They brought her into a small
conference room to wait for the inspector.

The door
opened and a distinguished gentleman entered the room. “Miss Compton, I’m Chief-Inspector
Hughes. I understand you want to know something about the Elliot case. How can
I help you?”

“Chief-Inspector,
thank you for seeing me without an appointment. I’m here doing an investigation
on Mr. Nielsen’s disappearance for his family. One facet I’m interested in is
the dive-cage in which they found Mr. Elliot. Do you have any details you can
share?”

“Well,
we’re normally not accustomed to having additional simultaneous investigations,
but these disappearances have come to the attention of the US authorities. I cannot see any harm in sharing the details of what you asked. Is there anything
else you need from us?”

“Would
it be too much bother to get a description of the missing yachts and pictures
of the missing men?”

“That’s
available through public records, but I can save you some time as I have those
readily available. I’ll have one of my officers pull the information and have
it brought in. It was nice meeting you. Should you find something that will
help the official investigation, we would appreciate your sharing it. How long
are you planning on being here, and where are you staying if I need to reach
you?”

“Thank
you for meeting with me Inspector. I’m not sure how many days I’ll be here. It
depends on how much progress I make. You can reach me by contacting Jules
Bennett. He knows where I will be staying; he’s been hired as my guide.” She
could tell the name was familiar to the inspector. She wanted to ask if he knew
Jules personally.

“Interesting.”
He offered his hand and added, “Please enjoy your stay while you are on our
beautiful island. We usually do not have any major problems, however I would
suggest given your close proximity to these crimes, you be vigilant to your
surroundings and those around you at all times.”

Fifteen
minutes later, a woman brought in pictures of the dive cage along with its description,
the names of the yachts and the pictures of the missing men. She noticed how
attractive the yachts were, but the men were even more attractive. She could
understand why someone might want to kidnap them. One of them, Shawn Dustin,
resembled Scott Tucker.

*.*.*

She
joined Jules in his cab. “Jules thank you for waiting. I had no idea it would
take me almost two hours to get some additional information. Here’s what I
have.” She looked at the dive cage and its description, then handed it quickly
to Jules. “What are your thoughts on this?”

He
studied the pictures and description, but didn’t immediately answer.

“Jules,
how well do you know Chief-Inspector Hughes?”

He
didn’t answer her question. “Holly, what else do you have?”

She
shared the yacht descriptions and pictures of the missing men. “Jules, did you
hear my question?”

He
started the cab. “I heard it. Let me say…it’s a very small island. You get to
know many of the people if you’re here long enough. Yes, our paths have crossed
a few times.” The tires spun and kicked up some small rocks under the cab. “Now
that I see the pictures, I know where to take you.”