Chapter 21
21
RAE
A brooding, sleep-deprived Alec was not a fun road trip companion. Another annoyed grumble from the driver seat had me rolling my eyes, just as annoyed. The sun’s first rays made the sky glow a golden yellow as we headed west. Waves of heat rose from the black asphalt.
Maybe when all this was over, I’d leave this suffocating heat, go somewhere cooler in the summers.
I watched Alec out of the corner of my eye. His job was here, so he wouldn’t go anywhere—couldn’t. What had bloomed between us, the growth we’d both had in just a few short days, was amazing, but was it enough to keep us together forever?
I swallowed hard to push down the rising emotions the thought of him leaving and not coming back dragged to the surface. This was a fling, right? He hadn’t promised me anything other than finding the man after me. So why did the thought of never seeing him again hurt like a punch to the gut?
I toyed with one of the silver charms while staring out the window, trying to process everything that had happened over the last several days.
“What’s with the bracelet?” I dropped my hand and tucked it beneath my thigh. Turning in the seat, I gave him a wide smile that I hoped said “I’m not hiding anything”.
“I just like them.” My shrug was stiff, awkward. “What’s the plan when we get to Sweetcreek?”
Alec shot me a knowing look.
The thing was, if he knew the truth, he’d understand, yet he was an officer of the law. An officer of the law in Texas, and what I did, even though it was with the best of intentions, was illegal. I wouldn’t tell him the details and make him choose between me and the law. “I think you brought enough guns and ammo to take down a small militia.” I hooked a thumb to the back seat, which was literally packed to the brim with most of the firepower from his storage.
“You’re the one who insisted to come along, so yeah, I need the guns to protect you. I still don’t think you’re taking this seriously. This bastard has killed nearly two dozen people?—”
“What the fuck did you say?” I blurted and slapped a hand to the dash. “Two dozen people, Alec? What the hell are you talking about? I don’t know that many people. Why would this person kill so many—” I sucked down gulps of air. The small breakfast Sherry made us eat before we left rolled in my stomach, turning the homemade pastries to lead.
“We’re not sure why, but Charlie found a connection between the murders surrounding your life and cold cases. They were all strangled with the same ligature—his signature.” He shifted in his seat and gave me an apologetic look. “Sorry, I should’ve told you. It’s why I wanted you to stay at my house. I’ll turn around and?—”
I shook my head, sending my loose hair to sweep along my upper back. “No, this is my fight too. You just stepped into this, while I’ve been living it for over twenty years. I want this done so I can move on. Maybe go to college, become the nurse I always wanted to be like Mom. Move to a state that isn’t so damn hot fifteen months out of the year.”
Alec’s smile turned icy. “Is that what you really want? The nursing thing and the moving away?” His words were tight.
“I don’t know. I’ve dreamed of being free but never thought it would happen. All I know right now is I’m ready for this to end.”
The tires hummed along the highway, lulling me into an almost sleep.
“I don’t want you to leave,” Alec mumbled so low I wondered if I was meant to hear him at all.
I dozed off and on the remaining hours of the trip, my dreams filled with Alec, death, and freedom. Grogginess hazed my thoughts, making me sluggish when we pulled along the curb in front of my house. I frowned at the little dilapidated cottage. It looked worse after being at Alec’s pristine estate for almost twenty-four hours.
And bonus, yellow crime scene tape wrapped around the porch, blocking the entrance. Had it really only been a day since a dead body was hand delivered to my house?
The door swung open, startling me, but a familiar lean frame stood in the open doorway, tattooed arms crossed, a firm expression on his chiseled features. Dressed in black tactical pants and matching T-shirt, Charlie looked ready for battle.
Apprehension swirled within me as I pushed open the truck door and stepped onto the sidewalk. That wariness grew the closer I drew to the house, Charlie’s hard gaze tracking my every move like he thought I might bolt.
“What?” I asked as I dipped under the crime scene tape and paused in front of him, unable to get inside until he moved. “Don’t tell me you’re mad at me too for coming.”
“Oh no, Rae Chapin, I’m very glad you’re here. We have some things to discuss.”
My stomach dropped at the anger in his hard tone.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Let me just go to the bathroom. I really?—”
“What’s this about, Charlie?” Alec asked at my back.
Sweat built along my forehead as Charlie stared me down with suspicion in his stare.
“Seems your girlfriend here has some explaining to do.”
I cleared my throat and took a step back. Charlie gripped my wrist and hauled me inside. I stumbled, my feet made of lead, nearly crashing to my knees.
I wrenched my wrist free and whirled around to face the two men.
Charlie was most definitely pissed, Alec just looked confused.
Shit.
I searched the living room that seemed ransacked. The only order was….
I swallowed down my fear. Five familiar burner phones lay in a line along the top of the coffee table.
“You went through my stuff?” I said accusingly. “How could you?” Hurt weakened my words. “Why would you do that?”
“Charlie,” Alec rumbled, his voice full of warning. “What the hell is going on?”
Charlie hooked a thumb to the coffee table, alerting Alec to what I’d already seen. “Want to tell me why you have five prepaid burner phones hidden beneath your bed?” I sealed my lips. “Or why I found razor blades and plastic coating things one would need to make fake IDs?” Alec’s arms fell limp at his sides as he blinked disbelievingly at me. “Or these?” Digging in his pocket, Charlie withdrew a baggie filled with small, round white pills. “Tell me if I’m wrong, Rae, but I think these are roofies.”
I opened my mouth only to snap it shut.
Fuck.
I am royally fucked.
“Is that how you met him?”
I shook my head, not understanding. I never met the men. “Met who?”
“The local enforcer for several of the dealers in the area. Did you meet the man responsible for all those murders when you needed these drugs and came up with a plan to kill anyone who found out about your habit? Did you roofie people before killing them?”
What? He really thinks I’m in cahoots with this psychopath who’s killed almost two dozen people? I shook my head, fighting off the hurt his words caused. I retreated a step toward the bedroom. The two men followed.
“Rae,” Alec demanded. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing,” I stammered. “It’s not what you think.”
“What about the missing money?” My eyes snapped from Alec to Charlie. I could almost feel the anger blazing off him. He thought I’d played him a fool. “Yeah, I checked your accounts. Each month you withdraw a large sum of cash, all in small denominations, leaving you barely enough to cover your bills.”
I rubbed at my sternum to ease the building pressure. I couldn’t look at either of them. “It’s not what you think,” I begged. My voice shook with anger and fear. How dare they investigate me? Me!
A thought snapped to the forefront of my mind, making me look at Alec. “You knew.” He blanched, confirming my fears. “You knew he was looking into my personal finances and history.” My voice was now void of emotion.
Charlie had the audacity to look at me with pity in his eyes. Why would he feel bad? That made little sense unless….
Then it all came together.
I balled my hands into fists and pressed them to my hips. “You told him to,” I accused. My finger shook as I pointed at the man who I thought trusted me, who I thought I loved. “You told him to look into me because you didn’t trust me.” I sucked in a shaky breath. “You said you believed me.”
An emotionless mask slid over his face, erasing any trace of familiarity to the man I’d allowed myself to fall in love with a second time.
“I am the law. I provide justice. I told you I’d help you find out who was behind this.” His thick fingers that caressed my body so gently only hours ago curled into tight fists. “I offer unbiased justice. It’s my fucking job to make sure no stone is unturned. Now answer the agent’s questions. What is the meaning of all this?” he yelled.
“The agent,” I whispered. No longer Charlie or Charles. No joking. This was all business, because they both assumed after seeing what I hid that I was capable of evil. Every ounce of emotion poured through my gaze when I looked into Alec’s stony stare. “Do you think I had anything to do with the murders, that I could kill my own parents? I called you. I’m the one affected by the deaths. Do you think I’m capable of hurting someone else?”
He sucked in a breath and held it, his chest ballooned out as he searched my face. I knew his answer before he said a word.
“Get out.” I pointed to the door. “You’re just like the rest of them, only seeing what you want to see. Get the fuck out of my house. Now!” I screamed, my voice breaking at the end as tears spilled down my cheeks. The rattle of metal drew my attention to a pair of handcuffs dangling from Alec’s right hand. I swallowed back the sorrow and looked to the floor. “Let me go to the bathroom first and change.” I peeked up at him. “You know I didn’t do this.”
“Then explain all this,” he roared, waving a hand at the so-called evidence.
“I can’t,” I stated. “Please, Alec.”
“You’ve played me this entire time, haven’t you?” I gasped and covered my gaping mouth. His features pinched like he was in physical pain. “You played on my feelings from when we were kids, knowing I’d do anything to keep you safe like I always did. And you almost got away with it.” He hitched his chin toward the bedroom. “Go change. Then we’re going down to the station.”
Streams of hot tears slipped down my cheeks. A devastated sob bubbled in my chest. Inside my room, I went to shut the door behind me, not daring a look back. But the door didn’t close. My vision swam when I glanced over my shoulder.
“Was any of it real?” Alec asked, his face between the door’s edge and the frame. “Or just a ploy to keep me distracted from discovering your secret?”
I turned to face the bed, not able to handle his accusing stare a second longer.
“You’ve always had my heart, Alec. I don’t think that will ever change.”
The door slammed shut, causing me to jump an inch in surprise.
Crumbling where I stood, I pressed a hand over my mouth to stifle my sobbing. I didn’t realize it would hurt so much to see the distrust written across his face. But it did. Holy hell, it felt like… actually, there was nothing to compare the pain to.
I gave myself three minutes to wallow. Three minutes to mourn the relationship I would never have. When those three minutes were over, I wiped at the still streaming tears with the edge of the quilt and stood.
No way in hell would I allow them to take me down to the station and explain myself. I couldn’t do that to all those who trusted me to keep their secrets—to keep them safe. I worked too hard to let those two jackasses ruin everything.
Which left me only one option.
I needed to run.