Beautiful Dreamer (9 page)

Something hard slammed against Chase’s head, causing an explosion of pain behind her eyes, and blackness sucked her under.

* * * * *

Chase came to with a start, heart galloping. She couldn’t move. Her hands were tied behind her back, and her ankles were bound, as well. She blinked several times as things slowly came into focus. She was on the floor. Like her, Lauren was trussed up. She lay on the opposite side of the room and looked to be out cold. How long had Chase been unconscious? Had it been long enough for Phillip to be close? He’d said he’d be here in an hour, and if anything, he’d be early.

“I see you’re finally awake,” Nicole said.

“You hit me,” Chase stated. “What the hell is going on, Nicole?”

“What’s the matter? Memory on the fritz?” Nicole asked with a nasty laugh.

“Why did you knock me out?” Chase demanded.

“You didn’t stay asleep long enough this time, only half an hour,” Nicole informed her with a shrug. “The question is, what am I supposed to do with you now? There’s Lauren to contend with, too. You had to drag her into this.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Chase answered and repeated her former question. “What’s going on?”

“Can the act,” Nicole yelled. “I know you remember. It was written all over your face when you pulled up with her. I knew they were lying. There’s no way you’d forget.”

“No…” Chase shook her head, swallowing back bile. “You?”

Nicole laughed, the sound tinged with madness. “I love the way you all dismiss me. You forget I’m in the room half the time. Quiet, inconsequential Nicole. Good when you need her, but easy to ignore.”

“That’s not true,” Chase tried to argue and earned a kick to her stomach for her troubles. She cried out, trying to curl into herself as pain radiated through her midsection.

“Save the lies. It’s too late for them,” Nicole warned. “I would have done anything for you two. Gone anywhere. Said anything. Just to fit in, to be included. That’s all I really wanted. Just to be included.”

“We included you all the time.”

“No, you didn’t. You tolerated me. Nothing more.” Nicole paced around the room. “I was the roommate because you left. Did you think I didn’t know that? Even when you were gone, it was all about you. Chase this and Chase that. I think she even dated Seth because he lived close to you. They could double with you, or at least, they could before you broke up with Boy Wonder. You just couldn’t stay the fuck away. No, you had to come back here and mess everything up.” Nicole squatted down by her again. “Why couldn’t you just stay with your boyfriend and leave Jocelyn with me?”

Chase closed her eyes, not wanting to give anything away. She needed to keep Nicole talking until Phillip arrived.

“What are you talking about?”

“You had to come crawling back and talk to Jocelyn about getting an apartment with you in the city. Just the two of you as if I didn’t fucking exist!” Nicole leaned down and fisted her hand in Chase’s hair, jerking her head up by it.

Chase gritted her teeth, fighting to hold in her cry of pain. “Why are you doing this?”

“You don’t remember all of it?” Nicole asked. “I guess the drug I gave you worked too well.”

“What drug? I was in the hospital. If I’d had any drugs in my system, they would have known,” Chase argued.

“Please. Your ex-boyfriend is a cop. Didn’t he tell you about all the nice date-rape drugs out there that leave no trace? Plus, as an added perk, they prevent you from remembering what happened to you—if you live.”

“The Coke?” Chase asked, vaguely remembering Jocelyn having a Coke in the car. They’d shared it, just as they’d done a million times before. Something else tickled her memory, and as it dawned, her eyes widened. “You were with us. Driving. You were driving.”

Nicole smiled. “Not so easy to ignore me now, is it?”

“Why? Why would you do something like this? Because we ignored you?” Chase asked furiously. “You beat her! Killed her!”

“Please, don’t play the victim with me,” Nicole yelled. “You don’t get to be the victim. I’m the only victim in this room. Me!”

“Is that what you need to think?” Chase fired back. “Does that make it all okay for you? Killing Jocelyn? Because you didn’t get enough attention? Because we excluded you?”

“I didn’t mean to kill her. I loved Jocelyn. All I ever wanted was to be her best friend. I thought maybe when you moved away and I moved in… But no. You wouldn’t stay gone. It was supposed to be you! You were supposed to die!” Nicole screamed.

“What did you do?” Chase demanded.

“I drove and waited for the drugged Coke to work. As soon as the two of you started slurring your speech, I headed out to the country. I knew it was just a matter of time before you passed out. I had it all planned. I brought gloves to protect my hands. I couldn’t let them show any proof of what I was doing,” Nicole said.

“You drugged me then beat me when I was defenseless? What kind of person does that?” Chase jeered. “And why did you kill Jocelyn? Why?”

“Because she tried to stop me!” Nicole screamed and slammed Chase’s head against the floor. “She should have stayed out long enough for me to take care of you, but she must not have drunk enough. She got out of the car and tried to stop me. She said… She said she loved you and begged me to stop.”

Chase let out a sob and shook her head, pulling against Nicole’s tight hold. “No.”

“I hit her. I just wanted to knock her out so I could finish you, but she wouldn’t stop. She kept on and kept on, and it was just like it always was. Chase this and Chase that, and I couldn’t fucking take it anymore. I wanted to make her stop saying your name. I wanted to shut her up. I left you lying there and followed her. She was getting her phone to call for help. So, I knocked her down and put my hands around her neck, and I squeezed until she just…quit…talking.” Nicole looked down at Chase, and there was complete madness in her eyes. “I just wanted her to be my best friend. I loved her.”

“You fucking bitch,” Chase growled. “You didn’t love her. You don’t know what love is! You’re going to pay for what you did. I’ll see you rot in jail for taking her.”

“Even if I do, you won’t be around to see it,” Nicole mocked and used her body weight to force Chase over, latching her fingers around Chase’s throat. “You want to be Jocelyn’s best friend forever? Then you can join her.” She pressed her fingers tight and squeezed.

Chase fought as best she could without the use of her arms or legs. She wiggled and squirmed, but she couldn’t get away from Nicole’s death grip.

“You want to know if Jocelyn suffered? Want to know exactly what she felt when she lay dying?” Nicole pressed her fingers tighter around Chase’s throat. “Let me show you.”

Chapter Seven

Phillip wasn’t happy when he saw Seth sitting in his car, just staring at Jocelyn’s old house. He got out, careful not to give in to his anger and slam his door, then walked over. Seth stepped out of his car as Phillip approached.

“Following me, Detective?” Seth asked with snort. “Don’t you have anything better to do? Like keeping Chase safe?”

“What are you doing here?” Phillip asked.

“Did Nicole call?” Seth glanced at the house.

“Why are you here?” Phillip demanded again, ignoring the question.

Seth sighed and shook his head. His gaze moved back to the house. For a moment, he looked lost and so sad it made Phillip uncomfortable. “The last time I was in that house, Jocelyn and I made love. She was laughing and smiling, teasing me.” He glanced back at Phillip with eyes that had gone hard and cold. “So, forgive me if it’s taking me a bit to walk in and face the emptiness.”

“It’s not empty,” Phillip said. “Nicole still lives there.”

“Everything’s empty without Jocelyn,” Seth murmured. “Everything.”

“I know we don’t always get along,” Phillip said, “but Jocelyn was Chase’s best friend. Loving Chase meant caring about Jocelyn, too, and I’m damn sorry this happened to her.”

Seth nodded. “I’m glad Chase is okay.” He glanced up at Phillip. “You’ll keep her safe?”

“Yes,” Phillip said without reservation. He’d slay dragons for the damn woman if she needed him to.

“She loves you,” Seth said. “I know about the breakup, the uncertainty. I sat across from her in that diner, and I saw the truth all over her face. She loves you.”

“I know,” Phillip grunted.

“So, what are you really doing here?” Seth asked after a few seconds. “Are you seriously following me?”

Phillip shook his head. “Like you said, I have better things to do. Chase went out with Lauren today. They…had some things to do, too.” He stopped to swallow. Seth looked beaten down enough without Phillip mentioning Jocelyn’s grave.

“I saw them at the cemetery,” Seth stated. “I stayed in my car until after they left. I figured Chase needed time to say goodbye on her own. I understand that.”

“Are you following Chase?” Phillip demanded.

“No,” Seth answered. “I go to the cemetery every day. Sometimes, I even make it out of the car.”

“Chase said you were thinking of leaving town,” Phillip said.

“I can’t stay,” Seth replied and closed his eyes again.

“Look, I understand,” Phillip said. “In your place, I’d most likely feel the same. Just make sure you let Detective Grant know where you’re headed.”

“I’ll let Chase know,” Seth said, and his voice hardened when Phillip opened his mouth to reply. “Unless something’s changed and I’ve officially become a suspect, you don’t need to know jack shit about where I go or what I do.”

Phillip bit his lip and nodded. Seth was absolutely right. Besides, Phillip didn’t think the other man was guilty. Still, there was something about Seth that rubbed the cop in Phillip wrong.

“So, why are you sitting out here?” Seth asked again.

“Chase and Lauren headed here after they left the cemetery. Chase said Lauren needed her help to sort through some of Jocelyn’s stuff.”

“Yeah, I’ve got some stuff I need to pick up. Been sitting and staring for a couple minutes. Guess I should head in and get what I need,” Seth admitted then glanced around. “I don’t see Lauren’s car here, though.” He glanced at his watch. “I’ve been here about five minutes. No one’s come or gone.”

Phillip glanced around, as well. “No, they have to be inside. Chase would have texted or called if they’d gone somewhere else. I told her I’d meet her at Jocelyn’s, and they were just pulling up when we disconnected.”

“Maybe, something came up, and she didn’t have time to get in touch?” Seth suggested.

Phillip shook his head. “No, she would have taken the time to let me know. Especially after what happened.”

Seth seemed to come to attention before Phillip’s eyes, and Phillip finally saw the soldier Seth had once been. “Then where’s the car?” Seth demanded.

Just then a scream split the air.

“Fuck!” Seth yelled. He raced beside Phillip to the door. “That’s Lauren.”

Phillip had his gun drawn when they reached the house. He was glad he’d donned his shoulder holster out of habit before leaving for the station earlier. He was motioning for Seth to wait when they heard Lauren again.

“Chase!” she screamed, and everything inside Phillip went cold. He temporarily froze, and Seth reached the door first and tried the knob.

“Locked,” he grunted and threw his shoulder against it.

“I’ll go around to the back,” Phillip yelled. “I’m calling for backup, now!”

He had his phone to his ear as he ran. He cut off the voice that answered, immediately identifying himself and requesting backup as he explained the situation as best he could.

Another scream rent the air, sending a surge of adrenaline through Phillip. He found the back door and tried it. It was locked, as well. He pointed his gun and fired two shots then threw his shoulder into the door, ramming it open. He headed inside cautiously, darting and weaving as he made his way toward where he heard commotion.

There was a crash from the front, and he knew Seth had finally busted his way in. They both hit the main room at the same time. There were only three people in it—Chase, Lauren and Nicole. Nicole was bent over Lauren, and Seth was headed toward them. Phillip rushed over and dropped to his knees beside Chase.

“Chase.” He ran his hands over her then patted her cheeks. “Chase. Open your eyes, baby.”

She didn’t move. It was like seeing her in the hospital all over again.

“Phillip,” Lauren croaked, pulling his attention to her.

He turned to see Seth with his hands wrapped around Nicole’s throat, squeezing the life out of her. He crawled over and shoved him.

“Seth, let go!” he yelled at the other man. “Seth!”

“I’m going to kill her,” Seth stated calmly. “I’m going to choke the life out of her just like she did Jocelyn.”

Phillip’s eyes darted to Lauren, who nodded her head, tears streaming down her face.

“Choked…Chase…” Lauren managed before going off in a coughing fit.

“Seth!” Phillip hit the other man hard enough to loosen his grip and gain his full attention. “If you kill her, it’s murder.”

“I don’t care.”

“I do, and Jocelyn would. So, back the fuck off.”

He shoved Seth again, and this time, Seth finally released Nicole who lay gasping, her hands holding her throat while she coughed and sucked in air.

“Turn her over and cuff her.” Phillip handed Seth his cuffs and moved back to Chase. He felt for a pulse and found it, weak and thready.

“What happened here?” He turned his head to look at Lauren.

“I don’t… remember,” Lauren said. “We pulled up, and I saw Nicole come to the door. She told me to park in the garage since it would make it easier to carry boxes out to my car. I pulled in and parked. I got out and we were chatting when I noticed Chase still in the car. She looked like she was having a panic attack. I opened the door, and it was like she couldn’t breathe. I was talking to her, trying to find out what was wrong when…”

“When what?” Phillip asked.

“When I was hit from behind.” Lauren glanced over at Seth and Nicole. “Everything went black. Next thing I know, I’m waking, tied up and hearing Nicole and Chase yelling at each other. Nicole started choking Chase. She said… She said she’d show her how Jocelyn died.”