Chapter 41
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
“I’m fine,” Charley said, her blue eyes glistening as she looked up at him. “Are you okay?”
As he and Groves stood with Charley in the dank cave, illuminated only by their flashlights and with a dead body at their feet, Sully took a moment to study Charley to convince himself she was alive and safe. He’d noted the bloody claw mark on the corpse’s face.
“Yeah, I’m good now,” Sully whispered.
“His name wasn’t Leon Lerfeld,” Charley said to him and Groves while shaking her head in confusion and certainly with a good deal of shock. “He said it was Dorian Fester.”
“Dorian Fester?” Grove repeated immediately as though he recognized the name.
“Yes,” Charley said.
“You heard of him?” Sully asked Groves. Seeing the maniac with a knife pressed to Charley’s throat had been the single most terrifying thing Sully had ever witnessed in his entire life. He wrapped an arm around her and hugged her tightly.
Holding on to him as well, Charley asked, “How on earth did you find me, Sully?”
“I called Detective Groves and told him what was going on,” he said, giving the cop a nod of appreciation. “He gave me the address of Leon Lerfeld.”
“Custis, here, took off like a bat out of hell after you,” Groves said. Staring down at the bloody corpse, he told them, “There’s an APB out on Dorian Fester.”
“For what?” Sully asked.
“An all-points bulletin went out after he escaped from the mental institution about forty miles from here, down in Pueblo,” Grove said.
“He murdered his mother and two sisters years ago by strangling and stabbing them. Obviously, we’ve kept an eye out for Fester, but using Lerfeld’s identity and that shack in the woods he stayed hidden. ”
“I think he murdered his uncle and aunt too,” Charley said.
“Fester had no living relatives. The Lerfeld address was never on our radar. The Lerfelds were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’m sure my team checked out the Bleak Road house,” Groves said.
“But if one or both of the Lerfelds had dementia, along with age and seclusion out in the sticks, they were easy prey for Fester.”
“Fester said he was held in the institution after being found not guilty by reason of insanity. He pretended to be catatonic after murdering his mother,” Charley said. “He never mentioned killing two sisters too.”
“Officially, they had him for three murders and who knows how many more,” Groves reported.
“Let’s get out of this rathole,” Sully said.
“Yeah, let’s go.” The detective nodded. “CSPD should be here by now with a couple of our best K-9s.”
Sully pulled Charley’s glove out of his pocket and gave it to her.
Having dropped her glove had allowed her to strike a defensive blow against Fester.
Charley’s eyes glittered in silent confirmation as she stuck the glove in her pocket.
Grasping her hand and trailing her behind him, Sully shooed rats out of their way and entered the same tunnel he’d traveled to get here.
“The rats will have a go at Fester by the time I get back here with my team,” Groves said, following close behind Charley. “That’s karma for you.”
“People can feel safe again in Old Colorado City,” Charley said quietly. “That makes me happy for the couple who bought my property and for everyone else in Colorado Springs.”
Sully agreed, keeping a grip on Charley’s hand.
He never wanted to let go. He couldn’t imagine his life without her.
Had Fester murdered her…with every step through the tunnel, Sully thanked God for keeping Charley alive.
Nearing the ladder they had descended, he heard voices before he saw the flashing lights.
“Police!” somebody up in the house yelled into the pit.
Detective Groves stepped in front of Sully and Charley, and called, “Detective Burt Groves.” A light flashed into the hole, and Groves shielded his eyes.
“The Cave Killer has been killed in his cave. I’m coming up with the two people who helped us catch him.
” Turning to Sully, he said, “I’ll climb out first, and you send Charley up after me.
Together, we’ll make sure she escapes this cave in one piece. ”
“Yes, sir,” Sully agreed.
When Groves was out of the pit and in the house, he turned and looked down at them. “Okay, Charley, come on up.”
“Okay,” Charley said and took hold of the ladder.
“Careful,” Sully said with a pat to her fanny before placing his hands to her waist. He watched her climb and saw Groves assist her to safety. Sully followed her out of the pit.
Police and other first responders filled the old shack.
Sully wrapped an arm around Charley as they paused beside Detective Groves.
Advising them he would take their statements the following day, the detective escorted them out of the house.
Outside, Sully took a welcome breath of fresh air.
He felt Charley do the same as he took her hand and gently squeezed.
Narrowly cheating death, they had achieved freedom from stark raving madness.
As the snow continued to fall, red and blue lights flashed from the police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks parked around the wooded area surrounding the rundown residence.
While one officer used yellow tape to identify the house as a crime scene, another policeman moved his patrol car to allow Sully and Charley access to his Jeep.
Walking her to the Jeep, Sully opened Charley’s door and pulled her into his arms. Amid the blizzard and chaos, he kissed her for the first time since finding her, loving her with all his heart.
Then he helped Charley into the Jeep and hurried around to the driver’s side.
Charley was buckling her seat belt as he turned on the windshield wipers and heat.
Sully buckled up, too, and turned to her with a smile.
“I love you, Sullivan Custis,” Charley whispered.
“Are you gonna marry me or what, Charley Cooper?”
In spite of everything, Charley giggled her one-of-a-kind laugh, making him grin. “Is that your idea of a proposal?”
“Yeah,” Sully said. “I don’t have a ring, but we’ll get one if you say yes.”
“Yes,” Charley replied without hesitation. Unbuckling her seat belt, she leaned over the console and hugged him. He hugged her back and they kissed. She wiped a tear from her eye as she leaned back and said, “I’ll marry you whenever and wherever.”
“Hawaii?”
“Valentine’s Day?” she suggested.
“Yeah.” Sully’s cell phone rang, and he looked at the caller before answering.
“Hey Dad.” He listened for a moment and said, “Yes, Charley is okay, I’m okay, and we’re gonna get married.
” Sully held the phone away from his ear as his dad howled with relief and happiness.
“We’re on our way to pick you up.” Sully clicked off the call, and to Charley, he said, “Let’s get out of here and leave this nightmare behind. ”
“Morning, fiancée,” Sully said as Charley rolled over in his king-size bed and, with her blue eyes still closed, she hugged him.
“Morning,” she murmured and tilted her head so that he could kiss her lips. “Let’s flirt, fiancé.”
“Let’s.”
Sully pulled her closer and slipped his hand to her soft breast. They’d showered the previous night and fallen into the big bed naked.
He’d made love to Charley passionately and urgently.
She had responded to him as though her life had depended on it.
Charley had whispered her love and gratitude.
If he’d saved her life, he knew she’d saved his too.
He’d told her so, and their happiness and love had spiraled into sex, wild beyond all imagination.
This morning was no different as Sully rolled on top of her. Charley spread her silky thighs and wrapped her legs around him. Gently opening her velvety feminine folds, he entered the unique tightness that was Charley. Enjoying her warm, wet clasp around him, he buried himself to the hilt.
“Mmm, Sully, yes,” Charley purred near his ear. “I love this.”
“Me too,” he groaned.
Sully moved slowly and then faster, with Charley meeting every plunge and thrust. When he sat up, he took her with him.
Impaled, she moved up and down, driving him to near madness.
Lying on his back again, he placed Charley in the cowgirl position atop him.
She ran her hands under her long brown hair, letting it fall around her body in silky waves.
He stacked his hands behind his head to watch her in action.
She flung her head backward and stretched.
Then, leaning forward, she rested her hands on his shoulders, bowed her head and let her glossy tresses caress his bare chest. Pulling her to him, he rolled Charley onto her back.
Between her legs, he moved hard and fast. His release built, and when her orgasm burst, rippling and gripping the length of him, it triggered his own ecstasy, spilling his hot seed deep inside her.
When heartbeats slowed, she whispered to him.
“I love you, Sully.”
“I love you, too. Let’s get you a ring today.”
“Let’s.”