Desire Unleashed (29 page)

Frosty’s spine tingled. It was common knowledge that Kathy, Anne, and Baker had been out on several occasions, and Wolf’s words came back to haunt them. “Stalkers are rarely strangers.” What if it wasn’t Dawson?

“Not a lot, he keeps pretty much too himself. I know Kathy and Anne seem to think he’s okay.”

“We need his address pronto.”

“I’ll ring, Maggie.” Sarah left the table, and Frosty followed her down the hallway to the phone. “What’s this all about?” she said under her breath.

“Kathy’s missing, she was supposed to meet Ice and did a no show. I saw her get into Baker’s car this afternoon. I’ve got a real bad feeling about this, Sarah.”

Sarah dialed the principal’s number. Margaret Edwards and his wife went way back, and although her request was somewhat unethical, Frosty was sure she’d do Sarah this favor.

“Maggie, it’s Sarah,” she announced. “I hate to do this to you and I haven’t got time to explain now, but I need Len Baker’s address urgently.”

Sarah was a levelheaded woman, and Maggie was astute. She’d know this wasn’t a game and that something was drastically wrong and come through for them.

Sarah covered the mouthpiece. “She’s gone to get it.”

They both waited patiently for the minute it took Maggie to come back to the phone. Sarah scribbled the address, thanked her friend, and promised to ring in the morning with an explanation. Tearing the page from the pad, she handed it over.

Ice was seated at the dining table talking to the kids when Sarah and he walked back into the room. “I’ve got it.” He held it up like a trophy, and Ice leaped to his feet.

“How far?”

“We can be there in fifteen,” he said, retracing his steps and grabbing his jacket from the hall closet.

“Be careful,” Sarah cried, trailing them to the front door.

“Always.” He planted a quick kiss on her cheek and left.

Half way across the lawn Ice pressed the remote, the lights flashed and the vehicle unlocked. Frosty ran for the passenger door while Ice swung into the driver’s seat. The key was in the ignition and the motor roared to life before the passenger door slammed shut.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he said to Ice.

“Yep. Which way?”

“U-turn, end of the street and turn left. It’s off the old highway,” he explained.

Ice put the truck into gear and slammed the pedal to the metal. The screeching wheels left tread marks on the road as he did a U-turn and sped down the street.

Fifteen minutes later, the vehicle slowed to a smooth halt, and Ice cut the engine. The noise of gravel crunching beneath their feet split the night as they stepped out of the truck. The sound of the car doors closing, just a soft click in contrast.

A full moon lit the inky sky as Frosty and Ice stealthily made their way along a crumbled path that led to an old dwelling. The ramshackle cottage stood eerily alone in a state of disrepair, the gardens and lawns over grown. Both men thought it deserted until they walked around the back and saw a dull light peeping out from under the door.

They peered through a window but years of grime and a heavy curtain blocked their view. Although they listened intently, no noise but the song of night creatures could be heard. Ice signaled him to investigate the old shed further down the yard. His feet were soundless as he sprinted across the grass; the pale moon cast enough light to make out the shape of a vehicle inside. Pay dirt. Frosty recognized it straight away and covered the distance back to Ice in double time.

“Car’s there.”

“We’ll go ‘round the front, I’ll bust the door down if I have too.”

* * * *

Utter terror engulfed Kathy as she slowly regained consciousness. She had difficulty focusing at first. Her right eye was almost swollen shut, and her face throbbed where Len’s fist had connected with her cheek. As the fuzziness lifted, Kathy realized her shoulders and arms ached from being wrenched behind her. She tried to wriggle free, but her restraints were so tight they made movement almost impossible. Her ankles were tied too, separated and duct taped to the chair’s front legs, even her knees were taped apart.

The dim light in the room foretold the lateness of the hour. She was scared and with good reason. This was no ordinary infatuation she was dealing with. As her vision cleared, she studied her surroundings.

The bedroom she was being held captive in was neat and uncluttered to a fault. A heavy curtain covered the window, blocking any view and most of the light. A small pine table holding an assortment of cameras and detachable lenses stood by a wrinkle free bed. Next to the camera equipment was a reel of black tape and a wicked bone handled knife that sent arctic shivers along her spine as thoughts of Jack the Ripper flew to mind. But what chilled her the most was the collage of pictures that decorated the far wall.

There were hundreds of them. Meticulously cut to different shapes and sizes, taken at different locations but all with the one theme. Her. Most were of her jogging, many taken at school, and some were at the mall. There were even pictures of her at Shenanigans. The most appalling one by far though, was the eight-by-ten black and white of Shane and her, making love at the beach.

She was in his arms and naked to the waist. She remembered the day as if it were yesterday. He’d untied her halter top and taken her nipple into his mouth leaving her other breast exposed. Her head was flung back, and her wet hair fell in slick ropes behind her. Her full lips swollen from his kisses were a little apart. It was an erotic photograph that captured the pure lust and exhilaration on her face as she’d splintered apart in his arms.

Kathy was appalled at the depths of Len’s fanaticism. It would have taken months to put this together. He must have been watching her from her first day at school. It didn’t make sense; he’d never even made a pass at her. Sure, they’d met for coffee and been to the movies a few times, but always as a threesome never a duet. Anne was included every time. She’d only ever treated him like a friend. She’d had no inkling when she accepted his lift this afternoon that he was the deranged lunatic who’d been stalking her over the last couple of months; she thought that was Dawson and he was dead.

Kathy willed herself calm. She needed a strategy, needed to rationalize her thoughts. Shane would be searching for her by now, but that thought gave her little comfort. How would he know where to look? Unless someone saw her getting into Len’s car and passed it on to Shane. Then she might have a chance. It was a long shot, but the only one she had, and she held on to it fiercely as Len unlocked the door and with cold determination snapped, it shut behind him.

“You’ve ruined everything,” he accused, crossing the room. “We could’ve been so happy, we were made for each other, but you let him violate you.”

His hands landed on her shoulders, his face mere inches from hers. “You’re no better than the others,” he hissed.

She recoiled, the smell of beer on his breath nauseating. She choked back the panic that clawed up her throat. “I don’t understand Len, what are you talking about?”

“Don’t play the innocent with me,” he jeered. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. We always had fun on our dates. You accepted my flowers, you were mine. Then you let him corrupt you.”

“I’m not corrupted, I…”

The back of his hand connected with her already bruised cheek, forcing her head to snap back.

“You lying slut, I saw him fuck you at the beach.” He pointed at the photograph.

“Len, please let me go, it’s not too late.” She struggled to keep the rising hysteria from her voice. “Untie me and I won’t say a word to anyone. It’ll be our secret.”

“Shut-up, it is too late. You made your choice whore, now you have to be punished.”

Kathy flinched as Len picked up the knife from the table and pressed it to her skin. The tip of the cold blade pierced the base of her throat. Warm blood trickled down her chest. Dread seized her. She couldn’t hear the sound of her own screams over the roaring in her head.

Len slapped her quiet and covered her mouth with his hand. Leaning across the table, he picked up the duct tape, tore off a strip, and sealed her mouth shut.

Icy fear gripped her like a vice. Her eyes darted wildly. Len slipped the blade of the razor sharp knife under the top button of her sleeveless blouse and began systematically popping the pearl fastenings that held it together. She winced at the sound as each one hit the parquetry floor.

The blade grazed over her chest as Len used it to separate both sides of the flimsy garment. His cruel hands clutched the shoulders of her top and reefed it down to her elbows, revealing her midriff and white lacy bra. She recoiled at his touch, her eyes filled. Len slid the knife between her bra and skin and sliced through the expensive fabric, then flicked the cups aside with the tip.

“My, my, what perfect tits you have Kathy, the photo doesn’t do them justice,” he exclaimed, cupping her breast and squeezing the soft flesh with his rough hand.

Fat wet drops splashed down her cheeks, and she started to whimper.

“Save the crocodile tears.” He spat and yanked her skirt up over her bottom causing it to rip and bunch around her waist. “They won’t work on me.”

Kathy thought she couldn’t be any more terrified. Then Len ran his hand up the inside of her thighs. She began to shake like a tree in a hurricane. The little begging noises coming from her throat made no impact on him.

“You’re very pretty there.” His manic eyes glowed as he viewed her dark pubic hair through the sheer lace of her panties.

Kathy felt the knife slide under the soft material between her spread thighs. It was cold against her skin, and as Len sawed through the crotch exposing her, the tip of the blade kept biting into the sensitive flesh of her inner thigh. Scarlet beads appeared shockingly bright against her translucent skin. She stared transfixed as he scooped one up with his fingertip, studied it a mere moment then licked it off.

“Mm, just the first of your juices I’ll be sampling tonight.”

As more beads appeared, they pooled then streamed down her leg. Fevered lust lit his eyes with a wildness that had Kathy cowering as again he put knife to fabric. After slicing through the hip of her panties, he tore them from her and hurled them across the room with a viciousness she could not fathom.

“Now, let’s begin the fun stuff.” He sniggered, pushing his fingers through her curls, knuckles grazing her mound.

Horror, panic, revulsion, skittered across her face as wide-eyed she stared back at him. He’d duped her and was nothing like she’d believed, a contradiction, a Jekyll and Hyde. A madman.

Cold, bitter and glacial raced along her veins. Her teeth began to chatter as her body went into shock. Len smirked at her visible distress. His fingers trailed down the left side of her breast and tangled through the silken locks that fell over her shoulder.

Sharp shards of pain exploded in her head as he gave a brutal tug on her hair, but worse was to come. Her nightmare had only begun.

“You cut out my heart with your betrayal, so tell me Kathy, should I cut out yours now?”

Terror gurgled deep in her throat as Len pressed the point of the blade cruelly against her breast with malevolent intent. She jerked and struggled to be free. The chair scraped backward two inches.

“No you don’t.” He clamped a huge paw on her shoulder holding her still, his fingers biting, bruising.

The sting of cold steel piercing tender tissue had fresh tears raining down her face as like a hot knife through butter, Len cut into her left breast.

She watched the warm blood carve a path through the valley between her breasts and down to her stomach, soaking her skirt where it was absorbed like a sponge. At her whimper he stopped.

“Don’t like that? Perhaps you’d rather the feel of my cock?” He put the blade down and unzipped his trousers. “What do you say Kathy, you wanna know what it feels like to be fucked by a real man before you die?”

The tiny glimmer of hope she held for her rescue was extinguished, and she prayed for a quick death as Len ran a finger up her cleft. Her eyes squeezed shut, and her jaw clenched. She braced herself for what was to come then miraculously, like an answered prayer, loud knocking rekindled her hope.

Len wheeled around at the intrusion. “This isn’t over,” he warned, zipping his pants and retrieving the knife.

Chapter 17

Ice put his ear to the door but detected no sound. An uneasy feeling crept up his spine, his neck hairs spiked. Something was seriously amiss, he’d bet his left nut on it.

A cloud smothered the moon, and a dark shadow covered them like a cloak, increasing his foreboding. “She’s here. I know it.”

His fist jackhammered the door.

“Easy.” Frosty cautioned.

Ice banged again. “If the bastard doesn’t answer soon, I’ll break the fucking thing down.”

He didn’t have to, a light came on and seconds later the front door opened a slither.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Are you Len Baker?” Ice growled back, pushing the door wider.

“Who wants to know?”

Ice ignored the question. “I’m looking for Kathy Bellamy. She was last seen getting into your car this afternoon.”

“Yeah pal, she missed the bus. Said she had an appointment, so I gave her lift. What’s it to you anyway?”

“She didn’t show. You won’t mind if I take a look around now, will you?”

“Yeah I mind. I’m busy so take a hike.”

“Got something to hide scumbag?”

“No, I’m alone. I haven’t laid eyes on her since I dropped her off after school. She was off to meet some dude, said she had a hot date, so go hassle him instead of wasting my time.”

A reverberating crash sounded from somewhere inside the house causing the three men to spring into action.

“Alone are you asshole?” Ice barked as he tried to barge past, but Baker went for his throat, lashing out with a ten-inch blade he’d been concealing behind his back.

Ice’s reaction was instinctive. He blocked the thrust with his left arm and jabbed with his right. The punch was so quick, Baker didn’t see it coming. It snapped his head back, and he came up spitting teeth. He was no slouch though, he gave one shake of his head, and growling like a wild animal consumed with the bloodlust lunged at Ice. Frosty shoved past them, making a beeline to the room where the noise had come from.