LETHAL OBSESSION (26 page)

      Rick
felt his gut clench as his face drained of blood.

      "Yep,
figured that would get a reaction out of you, but that's nothing compared to
how you're going to feel when you see that sweet mouth on my cock.  Then I'm
going to take her in every way possible and you have a front row seat. Ellen is
going to rue the day she turned me down for you. Then I'm going to do a bit of
bargaining for your life.  Let's just see how much your Ellen is willing to pay
to keep you breathing."

      "You
won't get away with this, Gene."

      "I
already have, Richard.  Nobody in this town is going to cross me and you know
it.  Ellen is going to be totally my slave after she signs over her wealth.  I
do believe that little gal will do just about anything to keep you alive and
unharmed.  Looks like I hold the ace card."

      Rick
struggled against his bonds causing excruciating pain to shoot up his arms and
legs.  Surely Ellen wouldn't come up here without police back up.

CHAPTER
TWENTY-THREE

      Ellen's
fingers trembled as she held the computer printed note. It was sealed in an
envelope and put on her car windshield at the shelter.                                                    

      COME
TO THE CABIN ALONE OR HE DIES.  NO COPS.                                                   .

      She
looked around but the street was deserted.  Anybody could've left this note. 
Should she give it to the police?  Then what?  Storm the cabin?  Call in a SWAT
team?  How long would it take for Gene to put a bullet through Rick's head?        Ellen
folded the note carefully and placed it in her pocket.  There was no doubt now where
Rick was and who held him captive. Racking her brain Ellen tried to remember
where that cabin was located.                             

      "You're
very quiet tonight, Ellen.  Is something wrong?  Have you found out anything
more about Richard?" 

      "I'm
sorry Martha.  I don't mean to be this way.  I know you're as worried as I am,
perhaps even more so because of Gene."

      Ellen
got up and joined Martha on the couch.  Taking her icy hands in her own, the
two women looked at each other. Ellen closed her eyes.  Out of protection for
the sweet woman who had become her close friend, Ellen hesitated to get Martha
involved in a situation this dangerous.                                  

      "Ellen,
I know there is something you are not telling me. I'm not as helpless as I
appear.  If my husband kidnapped my brother I need to know about it."                         

Wordlessly
Ellen handed over the note.  Martha's hands shook as she silently read it. 
"Oh my God, what are we going to do?"

      "You
mean what am I going to do?  The message said I had to come alone."

      "I
don't understand any of this.  "Why would Gene want to hurt Richard?  Why
did he take those pictures?   I've known this man for twenty years and never
thought him capable of something as horrible as this."

      As
she started to cry, Ellen took Martha in her arms.  She knew the reason but it
was not something she could ever share with Gene's wife. Ellen couldn't help
but wonder if the unnatural fixation began on the day she lost Mark. 

      Out
of loneliness she turned to Gene and fueled a fire.  It was a decision she
would always regret.  If she had only been stronger those horrible days after
the crash, but that didn't matter now.  What's done is done.  When Ellen and
Rick fell in love, Gene snapped and his obsession with her turned deadly. 

Now
Ellen had to make a decision that could endanger Rick and herself as well.  Why
would Gene, a fugitive from the law, reveal to her Rick's whereabouts?  Ellen
knew the sensible thing to do would be to notify the police and let them handle
it.  But if Rick died in the cross fire, she would never forgive herself.

      "Martha,"
she looked into the woman's eyes that were swimming with tears.  "I have
to do this."

      "I'll
come with you."

      "No
you can't.  He wants me to come alone and we can't do anything to jeopardize
Rick."

      "How
do you know where the cabin is?"

      Ellen
closed her eyes.  "Gene took me there, but he didn't betray you, Martha. 
I wouldn't let him."

"I
believe you."                                               

      "I'm
not sure I can find that cabin.  I've only been there once."  Ellen
couldn’t bring herself to tell Martha about the second time when Gene literally
kidnapped her.

      "I
know where it is.  Gene doesn't know that I know but I followed him a few
times. I had to know where he went when he disappeared. We can draw the map
together."

      "That's
a great idea."

      Martha
and Ellen put their heads together and tried to construct the route from
memory.  Only a few roads went up that high on the peaks.  They were private
and unmarked.  Ellen would be totally lost in the dark. 

      "Okay,
here's the plan.  I will have my phone hidden in my bra.  If you don't hear
from me in an hour, something is wrong.  Get the police out there."

      "I
think you should take the police with you now."

      "I
can't."

      "Then
take me with you."

      "Martha,"
she put her hands on her friend's shoulders.  "You know what the note
said.  We can't take a chance on Rick's life."

      "You're
right, but I'm so furious with Gene I can't see straight. I never thought him
capable of something like this."         

      "Hopefully
he will release Rick when he sees me.  Then he'll have a choice to run or turn
himself in.  Any way we look at it, your life will be changed, Martha.  Rick
and I want you to be part of our family and we will help you through this mess."                                                                    

      "Go
before it gets dark."  She gave Ellen a gentle shove.                                      

      Holding
her copy of the map, Martha watched until Ellen's car was out of sight.  Moving
quickly, she got in her own car and headed to the house she had once shared
with her husband. Walking into the deserted home, Martha was on a mission.  The
first two drawers were empty.  She figured Gene would arm himself but she
wasn't looking for his guns. What her dad gave her years ago should still be in
the place where she hid it.    

      Standing
on a chair, Martha found the shoe box hidden under wool scarves and hats.  The
pistol belonged to her father and Gene never knew she had it.  He also was
unaware that Will Carrington taught her how to shoot, turning Martha into a
sharp shooter. She still had her secrets. 

The
pastor told her not to hide anything from her husband.  Now Martha was glad to
have not listened to that piece of advice.  She checked for bullets and put the
pistol in her purse. A tiny tape recorder sat on the bureau.  Martha picked it
up and saw there was a new tape inside.  It might come in handy so recorder
joined the pistol.

      From
there Martha went to the garage.  She looked around not sure what was needed. A
roll of duct tape disappeared into the large purse.  She remembered an episode
of Miami Vice where an armed man was totally subdued by a group of women and
they used duct tape.

      A
can of wasp spray caught her attention.  There was an article sent to her in an
e-mail. A church secretary always kept a can in her desk to protect her from
possible robbers.  They say it can disable a person better than pepper spray. 
The can joined the duct tape and pistol.  Martha hauled the now bulging purse
over her shoulder.

      Well,
she's either totally prepared to rescue Richard and Ellen or she's a blooming
idiot. Either way it didn't matter because Martha was heading up to that cabin.

      She
had just started the climb into the hills when she heard the siren. Eyeing the
speedometer she slowed and pulled over. Crap. Martha grabbed her purse and
placed it on the floor.  She knew the young deputy who was getting out of his
patrol car.

      "Hello
Martha.  Where are you going in such a hurry?"

      "Hi,
Darrel."  Martha gave him a tight smile.  "I'm so sorry. I wasn't
paying attention to my speed."

      "It's
not safe to be speeding around these mountain roads you know. I realize you
have plenty to be upset about with Gene and your brother missing."

      Martha
couldn't stop the flow of tears and they were genuine. "Yes."

      "Well
okay then.  Why don't you go on home and relax."

      "I'll
do that, Darrel.  Thanks."

      Ellen
stopped the car, got out and looked around.  Darkness was descending fast.  A
wind whipped chilled air through the trees making a noise that sounded like a
thousand banshees. Ellen wrapped her arms around her shoulders and shivered. Did
she take the wrong road?  Where was the cabin?  Her heart started pounding with
mounting panic. In a few minutes it was going to be too dark to see anything.  She
had to find it now.  Rick's life hung in the balance.  Ellen took a deep breath
struggling to rein in her terror and not dissolve into a helpless heap of tears. 
It was imperative she calm herself if she was going to save her love. 

      A
small side road, no larger than a dirt path caught her attention. It was barely
illuminated by her headlights but something about it looked familiar.  Ellen
wasn't sure the car would fit but going on foot was out of the question. 
Getting lost up here with no vehicle was madness.

      She
steered the car through the brush and onto the tiny road. Another quarter mile
and a dwelling came into view.  Ellen stopped the car. The place was dark and looked
deserted.  Was this the right place?  She got out of the car feeling sick with
dread.  Touching her cell phone her heart felt like it was going to leap right
out of her chest.  Maybe this was a bad idea.  Ellen was totally alone and
defenseless. What would stop Gene from killing them both and hiding their
bodies?  Nobody would ever find them up here in the wilderness.

      Obviously
Gene was mentally deranged or he would never have kidnapped Rick and lured her
up here in the first place.  Being a wanted man he was capable of anything. And
he was armed, she wasn't. There was no choice.  Ellen had to come alone.

      Ellen
moved slowly, feeling her way in the dark as she started up the rickety steps
to the porch. She spied the broken swing and knew this was the right place. 
She went to open the screen door and found herself yanked inside so violently
she almost fell.  Holding brutally to her upper arm, Gene looked around outside
making sure she was alone.                  

      "Glad
you could make our little party, Princess.”           

      Ellen
struggled to break his hold.  "Where is Rick," she gritted between
her teeth?

      "Hey,
what about me?  Aren't you glad to see me?  I've been missing too."

      She
stared at Gene like he had two heads. Ellen had nothing to say to him.  Even if
he was a crazy killer, she was not in a pacifying mood.

      "Are
the cops out there hiding?"

      "No."

      "Ellen..."

      She
broke away from Gene and ran toward the voice.  Rick sounded weak but just
hearing him made her hopes soar.  Somehow together they would find their way
out of this mess. 

Even
handcuffed to the bed they managed to embrace each other. Ellen just held him
and sobbed unable to speak.  Gene left them there slamming the door.  Ellen
wasn't going anywhere in the middle of nowhere in the pitch of night.  She
wasn't that stupid.

      Gene
laid his gun on the table and poured himself a liberal glass of bourbon. He sat
at the kitchen table and downed half the glass. Now that he had them, he sure
the hell better have a plan. If the law caught up with him at this point Gene
knew he was looking at several years in the pen. Killing them would be murder
one and a life sentence with no chance of parole.  He turned up the glass
drinking the rest of the liquor. Of course if the bodies were never found,
could they get him on circumstantial?  Letting them go would not be an option
at this point.  Those two would turn state's evidence against him in a
heartbeat.  Well Ole boy, you're really into it now.  There's no turning around
in this tunnel, nowhere to go but straight ahead. Gene closed his eyes.  When
he opened them again he looked around startled.  Damn, he'd best not fall
asleep now.

      He
picked up his gun and headed for the bedroom. "Okay kids, the reunion is
over.  Ellen, step away from the bed, now."

      She
looked up and found herself staring down the barrel of his revolver.

      Martha,
quiet as a mouse, opened the front door and peeped in. From her vantage point
she could see her husband holding a gun on Ellen. Richard was on the bed his
hand cuffed to the brass head board. Getting the gun away from Gene was top
priority.  Martha turned on the recorder and carefully placed her purse on the
doorstep.  She forced her mind into a state of calmness so she could formulate
a plan. The gun and the wasp spray came out of her purse with utmost silence.
Gene still had his back to her.

      Ellen
said, "Gene, have you totally lost your mind?"

      "Actually
I lost my mind the day I met you.  Now I do believe I have found it again.  You
really don't have a clue, do you?"