Protective Instincts (21 page)

By the time Douglas returned to his post, he had almost calmed down. He set about pretending to do yard work and placing spy equipment where he could watch the house. Cameras recorded each move. Listening was no help, since stereos and televisions blasted his ears. The new occupants must be crazy about their gadgets.

He needed information and he needed it yesterday. He slipped into the house for a few minutes and returned, wearing a suit and tie. His hat covered a good portion of his face. He strolled down the street, approaching the muscle bound letter carrier. Her face was ugly enough to stop a clock, but Douglas smiled and charmed her. After several minutes of grilling her, he gave up.

Carrying a briefcase, he prepared to try again. He walked up the sidewalk to a house near his target. When a tall, slender redhead answered the door, he went into his spiel.

"Hello, Ma'am. I'd like to show you our line of stainless steel cutlery. It's guaranteed to cut anything, from tough shoe leather to rocks." He smiled and gave the woman his most charming look. "May I demonstrate for you?"

"Thanks, but my husband just bought me a really nice set."

"Maybe next time?" He tipped his hat to her and left. He turned back and asked. "Oh, do you know anything about Mrs. Roberts, the teacher down the street? She ordered a set and paid for it. I want to deliver it, but I can't get her on the phone."

The lady shook her head. "Sorry, I don't know her."

"Thanks anyway. You have a good day, you hear?" He left.

The rest of the neighbors were away from home.

He approached the house he'd been watching. Maybe the new people living there knew something. After all, she still got her messages there. He'd tried the number, hoping she'd not had it changed with a forward. He'd better catch her before she did.

Drawing himself up and pasting on a posed smile, he rang the doorbell. He wasn't sure what he'd expected, but it wasn't the beautiful, dark haired woman, who looked like a goddess.

"Yes, may I help you?"

His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Brit watched from the closet where she hid. She couldn't risk being recognized or she'd have answered the door herself, instead of letting Esther do it. She punched her speed dial to call Sam, for him to call the authorities. They were finally going to get the bastard who'd tried to rape her.

The man at her door looked normal, but she recognized his voice. What was he carrying in the briefcase? Knowing Esther was trained in self-defense and carried a gun strapped to her thigh, gave Brit confidence she could handle herself. Backup support had better get here soon or Brit might shoot the man with the weapon she aimed at the door.

"Afternoon, ma'am. I'm looking for Mrs. Roberts." He smiled at Esther. Oh, yes, Brit would have recognized him anywhere.

"I am sorry," Esther had put on a slight Spanish accent. "There is no one here by that name." Esther shrugged, looking puzzled. Brit thought she should have been an actress.

"Are you sure?" the man asked. He looked confused. "But I was here last week and she ordered a set of cutlery." He patted the briefcase. "I was supposed to deliver it today. Are you sure she's not here? She made me promise she'd have them in a week."

"I am sure. My brother and his wife are buying this house from some real estate person. That is all I know." She moved as if to close the door in his face.

Brit heard the panic in her attacker's voice.
Good, let him sweat. His turn, now
.

"My name is Michaels. Maybe she left a message for me, like where she can be reached."

Brit watched him shift his weight from left foot the right, then back again.

"I know of no message for anyone named Michaels. You come when my sister-in-law is here. She maybe would know something." She shrugged again.

Sitting quietly was killing Brit; she wanted to run out to the porch and confront the man and beat the living shit out of him. She and Esther needed to immobilize him, but she would wait for reinforcements. Sam and Drew should be here soon. Esther couldn't let this jerk get away. If he became suspicious and left, he might keep on walking.

"Look, if I could just come inside for a second, I could leave a message for Mrs. Roberts."

Esther paused as though in thought. "Well, just a second." She moved aside for him to enter. Esther led the man to the dining room table, in plain sight of a camera. She maneuvered him so his back was to Brit, who was ready to slip up and get the drop on him while he was distracted.

Esther smiled at the man. She pointed at the briefcase. "Maybe you could show me the cutlery set? Maybe my sister-in-law would like one, whatever that is."

"Oh, it's a set of knives, you know, steak knives and all kinds of knives fit for a chef." He hefted the briefcase onto the table and slid out a box. Before he could open it, Brit was behind him, a gun in her hand pointed at his heart.

"So, you're looking for me?"

He turned to face her. His expression showed surprise. "No, ma'am, I'm looking for the teacher." He nodded toward the gun. "You don't need that thing. I'd never harm a beautiful woman, certainly not two beautiful women." It was clear he didn't recognize Brit.

"So you don't remember me?" Brit stared at him.

"You have to be mistaken. You're not the kind of woman a man would forget." He looked almost innocent. "I was looking for the woman who owns this house. I need to deliver something to her. If you have a way to reach her, I'd appreciate your help."

Brit enjoyed the game of cat and mouse but she couldn't risk losing this man. "I'd like you to sit in that chair." She pointed to a chair in the kitchen, away from the box he'd led them to believe contained knives. There might be a weapon in it.

Esther had been quiet, watching, evaluating. Her voice came out hard and demanding. "Do as the lady says." She pointed a gun at the man's head. "Now."

Douglas moved to a chair in the kitchen. "All you had to do was ask. So, what are we playing? I'm into bondage."

"We're playing capture the crook," Brit scowled.

Esther whacked him on the back of his neck. She grabbed his hands behind him while he was dazed and handcuffed them. Reaching for the rope they'd hidden, she started to tie him to the chair. This time she was in control and she liked it. He started to resist.

Esther skimmed the gun along his jaw. "Don't make me use this." The cold steel traced a line across his skin. Brit noticed the man in the chair seemed to be enjoying this situation. Outside a car door slammed. Brit knew it couldn't be their cavalry. They wouldn't be so noisy. Who?

Esther was convincing as she moved the gun to the man's chest, then lower. Damned if he didn't look like he anticipated the gun's nearness to his crotch.

The front door slammed and Julie's voice sounded loud enough to startle everyone.

"Brit, what the Hell is going on? Your mama said you'd headed back home with Sam and your machine said …. "

Julie barged in, distracting everyone's attention. The man in the chair jerked his hands loose and bolted. The chair clattered to the floor as he grabbed Esther's gun.

"Wha ...?" Esther shouted.

The man must be an escape artist to get one hand free. Brit whirled to point her gun at Drake.

He dove at an unsuspecting Julie and grabbed her hair, yanking her into his grasp. The gun in his hand dug into her neck.

"Where the Hell is your teacher friend, bitch?" His nice guy voice was gone. "You and the teacher's boyfriend are really getting on my nerves." Julie tried to scream but no words came out.

"The party was just getting started. You can join us now."

"And you," he pointed at Esther. "You hit me. That wasn't nice. I liked you. We could've had a good time together. Now you have to pay. Get over here." He kept the gun pressed to Julie.

Esther shook her head.

"Undo these bracelets."

No one moved or broke the silence.

"Do I have to shoot this one?"

Esther looked at Brit.

Brit shrugged.

"And put that gun on the floor, now!"

She hesitated.

"Do it now!" He pulled back the hammer on the gun.

Staring at the man holding her best friend, Brit slowly lowered the weapon to the floor. She refused to break eye contact with the man who had turned her life upside down. "Hurt my friend and you'll wish I had shot you."

"Now," he jerked Julie, "shove it to me."

Brit pushed the gun toward Julie and her assailant. The gun wasn't what she wanted to shove to him. "You're such a big man. Like to hurt women, do you? Well, there are three of us now."

The man laughed. "You'll get your turn." He didn't break eye contact with Brit. "Bring the key and open this bracelet."

When Esther hesitated again, he fired the gun over Julie's head. The picture over Esther's head fell to the floor. "Next time it won't be a picture. Get the Hell over here."

Esther glanced at Brit.

Brit's look of pleading was enough. She moved cautiously to the man she cuffed earlier. Unlocking the cuffs, she threatened, "They'll get you."

He slammed his fist into Esther. "Now, you sit in the chair." He growled at Brit, "Tie her to it."

Brit steeled herself and sat down. She and Esther still had hidden weapons. Esther grabbed the discarded rope and began to tie Brit's hands.

"Do it right!" The intruder growled. He inclined his head toward Julie. "Now, blondie, where is your buddy?"

Julie glanced at Brit, "I don't know where she is. Who the Hell are you? And why are you threatening us?"

"He's a rapist," Brit watched his fury grow. "Not a very good one."

Esther finally stopped. She walked over to Julie and her captor. "The teacher got away. You lose."

"I never lose! I'll find the bitch and kill her. This one will draw her here and I'll do her when I'm through with the first one." The man looked angry. He paused, snorted, ran a hand through his hair and settled his steely gaze on Brit. Then, he shoved Julie to another chair. "Move and I'll shoot you all." Waving the gun at Esther he ordered, "Cuff this one to the chair."

While the one called Esther worked, he moved to the shorter one. "You got a smart mouth, bitch." He leaned close to her face. Her violet eyes glared at him like he was dirt. He hated that. He backhanded her. "Get that smug look off your face."

He rubbed his crotch. Reaching down, he grabbed a handful of her blouse and yanked. Buttons flew across the room. He grinned wider at her gasp. "Come over here," he called to Esther. "See your sister-in-law's blouse? I want to see more. Show me her tits."

He pointed his gun at the woman's crotch. "Now, show me her tits or I'll kill her, bit by bit."

The man grinned at her gasp. He must have sensed her excitement when he rubbed the barrel along her thighs.

With two women occupied, he reached for the tall one with the green eyes. He grabbed her and yanked her to him, his dick hard as Hell. She could take care of him, on her knees. "Down, bitch. Open that red mouth of yours. I'll bet you can show your friends how to do a proper blow job on a real man."

Esther slowly moved to her knees, holding his gaze. One hand unzipped his pants. She exposed his turgid penis.

His gun hand relaxed. He looked ready to explode in her hands. His eyes closed in that instant before climax.

She brought her gun up to his exposed cock and hit him.

"Bitch!"

"Now try to come, you bastard," she sprang up, hitting his wrist with cold hard steel.

She slammed her knee into his groin. He grunted, pain etched in his expression. She hit his jaw with her head. He staggered back. Her foot connected with his throat.

He fell.

Esther slid a knife into Brit's hand and cuff keys into Julie's.

Julie moved to Brit's side before she could finish untying herself. "Who is that bastard? What have you done to yourself?"

Brit stood and hugged her friend briefly. "I'll tell you everything as soon as this asshole is in good hands."

She helped Esther. The asshole was regaining consciousness.

She hit him again herself. She and Esther checked him for weapons, taking a gun from his pocket. Where were Drew and Sam? Where were the cops? Someone should have been here to get this bastard long ago. Grabbing the phone, she dialed nine-one-one. Her high-tech gadgets hadn't been any help so far.

* * * *

Sam left the shower as soon as his neck began to itch. The pain in his belly matched the pain in his head in intensity. That could mean only one thing: Brit and Esther were in trouble.

The towel wrapped around his waist failed to protect the carpet from dripping water. The screen of the monitor filled with images of Brit and Esther and a man Sam didn't recognize at first glance. The panic signal blinked. Detective Peters was asleep. Sam uttered a curse, as he raised the audio to match the pictures broadcast from a camera in Brit's house.

What the Hell was Julie doing there? The man in the picture had a gun on the girls and Sam knew. He damned well knew. His pain was no longer from his premonitions. It was fear.

At his curse, Peters started awake. "Holy Mother." He jumped from the chair and reached for his phone and his gun. "Oh, God, I'm sorry." His voice quivered. "No replacements came and --"

"Get Drew and the local police." Sam yanked on slacks and a shirt. His shoes and jacket dangled from his hand. His gun and shoulder holster hung in place. "Tell them what's happened and find out why no one seems to be responding to Brit's signal."

Sam raced out the door and was on his way to the elevator before Peters could respond. Sam pulled his coat on to hide his weapon. He hopped around on first one foot, then the other. He slid his foot into the last shoe as the elevator door opened.

"Why the Hell did I have to take that damned shower?" Sam unlocked his truck. "Peters picked a fine time to finally doze off." He slid under the steering wheel and started the vehicle. Why hadn't someone spelled Peters? Even he needed to sleep sometime. The radio picked up sounds from his hotel room.

"I made contact." Peters' voice was breathless. "Drew is on his way back from the meeting at the prison and the police have dispatched backups." Sam pulled from the motel parking lot into the street. There was a pause. "I won't fall asleep again."

"I know." Sam skidded around a corner. "Stay on. Patch me in for video." He switched his laptop monitor on. Horns blared as he passed under a traffic signal, just turned red.

Pain sliced through his gut. The man was threatening Brit and Esther and Julie. "Sick bastard," he growled. "Oh, Hell." He hit the brakes in time to avoid plowing into the cars ahead of him. All lanes were blocked. Firemen helped paramedics load people into emergency vehicles. Four cars formed a jagged line across the street. Crazy chain reactions!

He couldn't look away when Esther tied Brit to a chair. "Damn. Not again." He wanted to scream when he saw Julie handcuffed. Only Esther remained free, but for how long?

Sitting still in traffic, Sam could not tear his eyes away from the scene unfolding across town. Where the Hell was Drew? Where the Hell were the police?

A vehicle was being hooked to a tow truck, but more remained in a jumbled mess. Sirens blared as an emergency vehicle sped away. Red and blue strobe-like lights lit the area.

"I'm not believing this," he muttered. "I'm just not damned believing this." He'd bet every cop in town was at the scene of this accident.

Sam nearly puked when he saw the gun barrel touch between Brit's thighs. He maneuvered toward the shoulder of the road. He grabbed his cell phone before the first ring finished. "Where the Hell are you?" Drew's voice came loud and clear.

"Stuck in traffic." He watched Esther kneel at the bastard's feet. Sweat covered Sam's body. "No, Sis, no!"

Another piece of the car collage ahead, moved onto the bed of a tow truck.

Sam heard Drew's voice. "Oh, shit! Get him, Esther."

The girls had him. Ahead several cars came toward him. "They're finally letting cars through," Sam yelled into the phone. "Thank God." Sam rested his head on the steering wheel for a second only. Esther turned to the sink and ran water onto towels. She handed one to Brit and one to Esther.