A Time to Live (24 page)

“Yeah, right.
You took every one of them away from me. First Tiffany, then Laura. I even had my eye on Joanna, but you took care of that. I thought by making you look guilty of the murders you would stop, but you were too stupid to get it. Then Nikki came along. But there you were again. I didn’t even get the chance to ask her out for dinner before you had moved in and took over. I never had a prayer with you around.”

Michael gaped at him.
“Christ, Josh, you never said you were interested in any of the others.”

“I never had the chance,” he screamed, the gun shaking.
“I thought you respected me until I found out what you did with Tiffany.”

“Josh,” Michael said gently, he took a single step forward.
“I swear to you, I never touched Tiffany.”

“It doesn’t matter, I showed her she couldn’t do that to a man.
She couldn’t destroy someone and just walk away.”

“What do you mean?”

“She never made it to Florida. She’s dead too, you idiot. I dumped her body somewhere between Denver and the state line. They will never find her. But it was wonderful. Ecstasy was becoming a popular drug on campus, so I used that. I showed her that I was better in bed than even you before I slit her throat.”

Michael shivered.

“That led to my Ecstasy research.
My colleagues were very impressed with the findings, wanting more information.”

“So you killed the others?”

“You still had to be taught a lesson, Michael, and I needed the research funding. Denise was a perfect target because I knew you were attracted to her and slipping her the drugs that night in the bar was simple. I was certain after you gave her the $20 you were going to bed with her. You left her and I broke into her apartment. But when all was said and done, I found out you didn’t have sex with her so that blew the conviction.”

“That’s why she thought I attacked her, because of the drugs.”

“Of course. I know how the mind works, Michael, and I know how the drugs work. I became you. But they weren’t able to convict you.”

“Why didn’t you try to pin Tiffany’s murder on me?”

“Unfortunately, I didn’t think ahead with her and I left too many clues at the crime scene. There was a possibility, however slim, if they found her body they would trace her to me, not you. So, I decided to err on the side of caution. Still, after Denise, justice wasn’t complete. Then Laura divorced you because she thought you really raped Denise. I began to realize that the suspicion - not a conviction - was the best revenge of all. I had the sheriff going in circles just like you. And the drugs still needed to be researched. The committee was interested in my work but I could never quite convince them to fund anything. They were still leery of such a dangerous drug. I needed more data. Killing Laura and then Joanna served both purposes and made your life a living hell.”

“And you did the same thing to Nikki.”

“Yes, Michael,” Josh said, his voice flat. “I wanted you to live with the knowledge that another man took away the woman you loved both body and soul. Just like you did to me.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Michael growled, stepping forward again.
“Tiffany lied. She was furious with me because I rejected her. She told me I would pay. I didn’t know what she meant then, but she lied to you...Josh, she only said all of that to make you jealous - to make us fight over her.”

Josh hesitated in confusion.
Michael’s body coiled as Josh warred with himself. He would pay for hurting Nikki...with his life.

“Starwell,” a hard voice barked.
“Drop the gun now!”

Michael’s gaze snapped to his left.
A form moved by the corner of the house. His jaw went slack when he saw Rory Sanders point a gun at Josh.

Josh shifted his gun from Michael to Sanders.
Without thinking, Michael seized the advantage and lunged.

A shot
echoed, followed instantly by a second.

White hot fire ripped through Michael.
The force knocked him onto his back and his vision darkened.

Michael roared in fury, forcing his vision to clear and his body to move.
He hauled himself to his knees and froze.

Josh lay on his back, a bright red stain growing on his chest, his dead eyes staring at the sky.

Sanders charged forward, kicking Josh’s gun away, his sleek Beretta still pointed at his target. He released his breath and checked Josh’s pulse.

“Dead,” Sanders growled and faced Michael.
He holstered his gun in his shoulder harness and approached. “Hell, Roumare, he could have killed you.”

Pain suddenly clouded Michael’s thoughts.
He clutched his shoulder, blood streaming down his hand.

Sanders kneeled next to him.
“Take off your jacket.”

Snarling in pain, Michael did so.
His flannel over-shirt followed. Sanders ripped it into strips, and bound Michael’s wound.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Michael growled between clenched teeth.

Sanders grinned brightly, and Michael was certain it was the first time he had seen the man smile. Sanders reached into his jacket and pulled out a wallet. “Agent Rory Sanders, FBI,” he said and flipped open the ID. “Rick Stover sent me. Told me to keep an eye on you, Roumare.”

Michael blinked...his mind scrambling.
“FBI? You mean...you’ve.....”

“Been working undercover.
Rick originally sent me when Taylor was released. We had evidence Taylor was trying to start up the illegal hunting again. But then these murders became serial killings, and you were getting the rap, Rick asked me to look into it. He knew you weren’t responsible.”

Michael shook his head in disbelief.
“You certainly never blew your cover.”

“All part of the job.
Sorry we couldn’t let you in on it, but I Starwell hit my radar a while ago. Since he was so fixated on you, I didn’t dare risk him finding out about me. Now where’s Nikki?”

Michael fought to breathe...he fought not to sob like a child.

Nikki was dead.

Grief rolled over him like a raging sea, tearing at his heart and his reason.

“He killed her, Rory.
She tried to escape and he shot her.” Michael’s shoulders slumped, sudden tears leaked down his face. “Nikki,” he whispered.

Rory paled but his jaw tightened and his green eyes turned icy.
“No way,” he snapped and rose.

“Rory, he told me
—”

“First rule, never believe an insane murderer who’s got it in for you.
Starwell probably lied just to hurt you. Second rule, trust the investigator. She’s not dead, Michael, I know it.” Rory hauled him to his feet. “She didn’t back down even when I tried to scare the hell out of her. She’s got too much fire in her to die so easily.”

“What?
Nikki never told me you scared her.”

“Like I said, I
suspected Starwell and knew Nikki was next on the list. I’ve been doing quite a bit of surveillance on him. I tried to scare her into leaving until we caught him - but it didn’t work. I know she’s alive and we’ve got to find her.” He pulled a cell phone from his pocket and quickly dialed. “Sheriff, Agent Rory Sanders, FBI, I’m at the Starwell house.” He paused and listened. “You and Doc are on the way? Good. Listen, Nikki’s missing, we need some search and rescue or at least hunting dogs.” He paused again. “No, I don’t want Taylor within a mile of this place, I don’t care if his dogs are the best.” He listened again, rolling his eyes at Michael. “Ralph Johnson? Okay, give him a call. Get up here on the double.” He clicked off the phone. “What an idiot.”

Michael shook his head.
“Ralph Johnson lives over an hour away.”

“Well,” Rory replied. “Now you can prove to me that you are as good of a tracker as Rick says you are.”

Numb with grief, but also hopeful, Michael moved toward the footprints in the snow. “That way,” he whispered and pointed with his good hand. “She ran into the woods.”

Michael and Rory followed the bizarre trail through the woods as the sky rapidly clouded over and snow began to fall in earnest.
“Look,” Michael said softly. “Nikki and Josh both stopped.” He looked around, scowling, then saw the broken branches in the thicket. “Dear God, she dove through this.”

“There’s a shell casing here.
She probably dove to avoid the shot.”

Michael was amazed at her ingenuity, on the other side of the thicket was a steep slope.
“She used this like a slide to get to safety.”

“No blood,” Rory said looking at the ground.
“Starwell didn’t hit her.”

They heard the faint sound of vehicles approaching.
Rory quickly took out his cell phone and again dialed. He spoke with the sheriff, giving instructions about the search and asking Doc and some deputies to follow them. Rory clicked off the phone and chuckled. “Boyd’s so confused, he doesn’t know what hit him.”

“He didn’t know you were undercover?”

“Are you kidding? At first, we suspected him of trying to frame you.”

Michael blinked.

“He’s had it in for you from day one. No way were we going to trust him, not until we knew more.”

“Rick must have really believed in me.”

“He had a gut feeling about the whole thing. I’ve learned to trust his instincts. And when I arrived here...well, it wasn’t long before I thought his instincts were right.”

Michael arched an eyebrow and kept walking.
“How did you get here when you did?”

“I have a police scanner.
When dispatch got on the radio to have the sheriff and his deputies come up here, I knew it was time to roll. Fortunately, I know some short cuts.”

Michael frowned when he saw where Nikki came to a stop.
“She plowed into this tree.” He hesitated. “Christ, Nikki, don’t do this to me.”

“What’s the matter?”

“When tracking a situation like this one, you have to look at it in the terms of predator and prey. Nikki was the prey, so she needs to make it difficult for the predator to follow her. But she’s made it hard enough that I’m having a problem. I didn’t think she possessed that kind of knowledge.” Michael continued to scan the ground, moving outward in a circle slowly. Then he spotted a bare patch under a tree, where the snow hadn’t covered the pine needles. Crouching, he studied it closely.

“Very good, love,” he whispered.

“What is it?”

“She was barefoot.
Instead of stepping in snow, she traveled over these pine needles. Josh lost her here and went back. You’re right Rory, she is alive.” He straightened, trying to fight back the pain of his wounded shoulder. “That’s if we can find her before she freezes.”

“Which way?”

“She went this direction.” Michael hurried forward, praying with all his heart.

Moments later, he picked up clear evidence of her trail again.
But darkness grew and the snow fell harder, blurring her tracks. Rory pulled out a flashlight but Michael lost the trail and couldn’t find it again.

Abruptly
, he sat down on a log, exhausted and dizzy.

“Michael?” Rory asked crouching beside him.
“Hell, you’re still bleeding like crazy. Let’s get you to Doc. The dogs will be here soon, they’ll find her.”

“No,” Michael replied hoarsely.
“Rory, you were right, Josh wasn’t able to kill her. But I’ll be damned if I leave her out here to freeze to death.” Stubbornly, he hauled himself to his feet.

“Michael, its dark, we can’t see a blasted thing.
Let’s have Doc at least take care of your shoulder and get some more flashlights.”

“By that time, the snow will have completely obliterated her tracks.”
Michael purposefully moved away along a small rise, if Rory decided to haul him back by brute force, Michael knew he couldn’t fight him, he had lost too much blood.

T
he lip of the ridge gave way and Michael shot downward. Agony roared through his shoulder, almost sending him unconscious. He tumbled to a stop in a snow drift, fighting to catch his breath.

“Michael?” Rory called, scrambling down the hill after him, the flashlight bobbing violently.

Michael bit back curses as he cradled his shoulder and struggled to sit up. His gaze traveled over the snow, stopping on a drift, his attention caught by something that looked like two hands bound with duct tape.

His heart slammed against his ribs and he lunged forward, praying it wasn’t a trick of the ever growing darkness and his fogged brain.
“Nikki,” he choked.

He grabbed her hand - it was real - and it was warm.

“Nikki!” He battled to uncover her face from the snow. “Rory, get down here! I found her!”

He pulled her out of the drift and caressed her face.
“Nikki, sweetheart, can you hear me?” To his shock, her skin, although cool, was not icy. How long had she been buried in snow? She should be half frozen by now.