Second Chance (31 page)

Cole stood at the door of the Fairchild mansion, surprised that Elizabeth had broken protocol. Not notifying him that the lunch was canceled until he arrived seemed like the complete opposite of the proper decorum she required from everyone else.

“Why wasn’t I notified?”

“Mrs. Fairchild took ill suddenly … a migraine. She asked me to call you at Mrs. Stephen Fairchild’s residence. Which I did, but you had already left.”

“Perhaps I could visit with Miranda then.”

“Miss Miranda informed me she has another appointment.”

“I see. Then please tell Elizabeth I hope she feels better.”

Patrick’s sour face never changed its expression as he nodded and closed the door, leaving Cole on the porch.

As he headed back to his vehicle, his mind whirled. Was Elizabeth faking an illness? If so, why? And Miranda … if she was supposed to join them for lunch, why had she made other plans?

A movement out of the corner of his eye caught Cole’s attention. He turned to see Miranda coming out of a side door. Purse and keys in hand, she was apparently headed to the “other appointment” she’d made.

Cole called out to her, “Miranda.”

Her entire body jerked as she whirled around. “Cole.”

“Sorry to hear about our lunch plans being canceled.”

Her expression indicated she wasn’t thrilled to see him, making him all the more determined to talk to her.

“Even though your mother can’t join us, why don’t we go grab a bite somewhere?”

“I can’t … I …” She cast a longing look at her little silver BMW parked at the side driveway. “When Mother told me she was canceling, I made plans with someone else.”

Her excuse would have been more believable if she didn’t look as though she was dressed for a hike in the woods. She wore a pair of faded jeans, a ragged T-shirt, and sneakers. Whoever it was that she was meeting, she apparently wasn’t trying to impress him or her.

“Where you headed?”

“I … uh … lunch with a friend.”

“Mind if I join you?”

She shot an uneasy glance at the house and then back at him. “It’s kind of a date.”

“Must be pretty casual.” He gave her body an up-and-down look. Yeah, kind of insulting, but he was hoping to piss her off. It worked.

Her spine straightened. “I’m not sure what you’re insinuating but I don’t like your tone.”

“Your mother says you go out quite a bit at night. Seems kind of rotten of you to leave your little girl home alone.”

Tears filled her eyes and Cole felt like he’d just kicked a sick kitten.

“Maggie is my number one priority.”

“How can she be your number one priority when you leave her alone with your mother?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but my mother has very little contact with Maggie.”

In his experience, making people angry was one of the best ways to get them to say something they never planned. Ignoring the tears sparkling in her eyes, Cole went for the kill. “Seems like getting rid of Keeley’s daughters would be a great way to get you some money and perhaps torture a woman who got your family’s money.”

Her eyes widened with shock. “My God, are you crazy?”

“Did you?”

Cole finally got the fury he’d been angling for. Her pale cheeks bloomed with color. “For the record, no, I did not have anything to do with their disappearance. No, I do not resent Keeley for having more money than me. And it’s none of your fucking business where I go or what I do. Is that clear?”

A smile twitched at his mouth. At last he’d gotten some truth from her. He backed away and said, “Have a nice lunch.”

As he slid behind the steering wheel, he could feel her eyes on him. He made his way down the long drive and knew she stood and watched him. Turning onto the main road toward town, Cole drove for a few yards, then pulled over onto a dirt road. He could see the Fairchild entrance from here. Almost convinced that Miranda had nothing to do with the abductions, Cole had to make sure. Following Miranda should give him an idea of what secrets she was keeping.

He saw her little BMW peek out from the drive, then turn left, shooting away from town. Cole waited a few seconds, allowing three other vehicles to pass by, then he pulled out to follow her. With three cars between them, he should be safe from her spotting him.

Miranda was definitely hiding something. If it had nothing to do with Keeley and her children, it was none
of his business. But until he was sure it didn’t, in his eyes, she was still suspect.

Elizabeth, on the other hand, continued to be at the top of his list. Nothing he could prove yet, but based on her mindless, pompous meanderings, several thoughts and theories were coming together. Very soon he intended to have a private and explicitly frank talk with the woman. She wasn’t going to like anything he said.

When his phone vibrated beside him, Cole kept his eyes on the car ahead of him and answered with an absentminded “Yeah?”

“Keeley’s gone,” Ethan said.

Cole’s entire body went into overdrive. “What do you mean, she’s gone?”

“I brought her to that children’s store. She went back into the stockroom with Mrs. Brackett. When she didn’t come out, I went looking for her. I found Mrs. Brackett on the floor. Someone had knocked her out. And Keeley was gone.”

Barely glancing in the rearview mirror, Cole made a sharp twist on the steering wheel and made a U-turn to head back to town. “How’s Mrs. Brackett?”

“She’s got a bump on her head, but said she was fine. Wouldn’t let me call an ambulance.”

“Did Mrs. Brackett see anything?”

“Said a man held a knife to her neck and told her to call Keeley’s name. Next thing she knew, I was helping her up.”

“You call the sheriff?”

“Based on what you told me about him, didn’t think it’d do any good.”

“You’re right. Idiots would only get in the way. I’m five minutes away from you.”

“I’m sorry, Cole, I should have been more aware.”

“Hell, Ethan, she was just a few feet away from you. The bastard’s damn cocky. Was Keeley’s purse there?”

“No. It was one of those shoulder bags that hangs from your neck and shoulder. She probably still has it on her.”

“Good. Hopefully he won’t throw it out and we can track her cellphone.”

“I’ll wait for you here.”

Cole closed the phone and shut down every emotion he had. If he allowed himself to think about what the bastard had done with Keeley, he wouldn’t be able to do what needed to be done. Once it was over and she was back in his arms, then he would explode.

He had to stay sane. If this was the same creep who’d taken the kids, this might be their best chance to also find Hailey. Just please God let Keeley’s cellphone be on so he could track it.

   Consciousness returned slowly. She became aware of whispered mutterings, as if there was an argument, which blended with sounds of birds twittering and the buzz of a low-flying plane. Keeley moved her head and groaned at the stab of pain.

“Wakee, wakee, my beauty.”

Her eyes flickered as she tried to focus. Something or someone stood over her. She moved slightly; agony exploded in her head. Her blurred vision made out what looked like the back of a car seat. Squinting, she tried to look around without moving. She was lying in the back of a car. Her hands braced against the cushion, she pushed to sit up; nausea surged and a whimper left her mouth.

“Yeah,” an unfamiliar male voice said. “That damn stuff always gives you a headache and makes you want to puke. It’ll get better.”

Dry, rough hands grabbed hold of her arms and pulled. Keeley found herself standing outside. Swaying back and forth, she leaned against the car as she
struggled to get her balance. Wavy images appeared in her blurred vision. She rubbed at her eyes, finally able to see a man standing in front of her. Grogginess vanished as fear seeped into her bones. Her eyes roamed the area. Woods surrounded them; a small cabin stood a few yards away.

“Welcome to our little love shack, Keeley.”

Her heart almost exploding out of her chest, Keeley forced her fuzzy mind to focus and did her best to not show her fear. Both Shea and Cole had recently taken turns giving her advice on how to protect herself.

Shea had told her that to keep people off guard, act the opposite of the way they would expect you to act. No doubt about it, she should look terrified … and she was. She would do her best not to let the creep know it. “Who are you and what am I doing here?” she demanded.

“Aw, Keeley, I’m hurt. Don’t you recognize me? We went to school together. And remember, I used to come into the diner where you worked?”

She squinted hard; recognition came in a flash. Yes, she did know him. Wesley something … Tuttle? That was it—Wesley Tuttle. He’d even asked her out a few times. She’d always said no … thankfully. This creep looked as though he’d done some hard living.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“Just what you refused to give me years ago.”

Her eyes shifted left and right, looking for any kind of escape. “You’re crazy.”

“Crazy like a fox.” He gave a sly grin. “Don’t you want to know where that little girl of yours is?”

She jerked around and then gasped as his face wavered in front of her. Gritting her teeth, she said, “You know where Hailey is?”

“Maybe.” He shrugged. “If you’re nice to me, I might just tell you where you can find her.”

“How do you know?”

“’Cause I’m the one who took ’em … and sold ’em.”

Fear and nausea forgotten, Keeley focused on the man in front of her. He was about the right height. Her gaze went to his arms. A thin, silvery scar lay on the inside of his right hand, just as Hannah had described. He was the one! She pasted a doubtful expression on face. If he thought she didn’t believe him, maybe he’d tell her more. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”

The grin grew into an evil smirk, making Keeley want to plant her fist into his face.

“Come on into the house. We’ll get comfy and talk.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the cabin door. “Let’s go get acquainted.”

If he got her inside, chances were slim she would get out before she was raped or worse. She had to figure out a way to overpower him, and then she’d make the creep talk.

Using the few skills she’d picked up from Shea, Keeley swung her right fist up, connecting with Wesley’s nose, and followed it with a kick to his shin.

Yelping, Wesley swung his arm and slapped her across her face. Keeley felt herself falling and grabbed at Wesley, hoping to do some damage to him on her way down. Her fingernails dug into his skin and she felt a brief triumph when she heard him howl. Then his fist slammed into her jaw and there was darkness.

   She woke to a pounding headache and nausea clawing at her stomach like little gremlins. Heavy eyes barely opened; daylight pierced her skull and she closed them quickly.

“Now, now, no going back to sleep again. We got some reacquainting to get done.”

Keeley forced her eyes open as memory reemerged.
Wesley. He knew where Hailey was
.

She pulled in a breath to focus. The terror building inside her would do her daughter no good. She had to find out as much as she could. “Where are we?”

“All in good time. Want to sit up now?”

The soothing tone had an oily quality about it, causing the nausea to increase. Keeley tried to sit up as bile rose to her throat. Pain exploded in her arms, stopping her forward progress. Dammit, she was tied to a bed.

“Easy now. I got you harnessed in tight, but I’ll loosen the restraints once we get a few things straight.”

The bile almost clogging her throat, Keeley swallowed hard and then said, “Who are you?”

“Come on now, Keeley. I didn’t hit you that hard, did I? It’s Wesley, baby.” The overexaggerated petulant tone held amusement. “I’ve been hot for you for so long and you forgot me all over again? That don’t bode well for our future, now does it?”

She glared up at the tall blond man. “Did you really take my daughters?”

As if she hadn’t spoken, he said, “Do you remember me asking you for a date, over and over again?” Before she could speak, he continued, “Once that body of yours bloomed, guys were asking you out left and right and you didn’t say yes to any of them. I always admired you for being so discriminating. That’s the only reason I didn’t take you in school. As much as I would have liked to have been the one to pop that cherry of yours, I figured you weren’t quite ready for the fun I had in mind.”

A cold shudder of revulsion and horror permeated Keeley’s being. This man had kidnapped her and planned to rape her? What did that have to do with his taking her babies?

“Dammit, did you take my daughters or not?”

“All in good time, Keeley.”

“Why are you doing this?”

That petulant tone came back. “You got a hearing problem or something? I just told you. I’ve had the hots for you since high school.”

“And you thought abducting and selling my children would make me like you more?”

His face loomed over her. “It don’t matter whether you like me or not. I just figured it’d be easier for you if we did a little talking first. But if you’d rather get to the good stuff, that’s more than fine with me. I’ve been waiting too long already.”

She restrained her fury. If she made him angry, chances were he’d rape her immediately and she’d learn nothing about Hailey.

“No … uh … let’s talk. Uh …” She swallowed hard and tried to come up with something. Hard to do when you were terrified. How did you talk to a lunatic?

Apparently he didn’t see her lack of conversational skills as a problem. “Let’s sit you up and get you more comfortable. We’ll catch up.” He grinned, revealing perfect white teeth, which seemed oddly incongruent with the face of evil. “Be kind of like foreplay.”

She heard him move behind her and then her arms loosened. Determined to make the most out of any opportunity to escape, she shot up straight and then screamed as he yanked her back by her hair.

“Not so fast, baby.” He laughed. “But it’s good to see you’re as eager to get started as I am.”

Her head dropped down to where she was lying on the pillow again. He came around to stand in front of her. She took a breath and asked quietly, calmly, “Do you really know where Hailey is?”