Forever Entangled (4 page)

“Of course,” Sienna motioned for him to sit on the couch. “What did you want to see me about?”

“It’s embarrassing,” Zack started as a blush crept up his cheeks, “but I need help with something.”

“That’s what I’m here for. And you know I never say a word, so no matter what you tell me no one will ever know,” Sienna said reassuringly.

“It’s about women, Doc.”

Sienna almost groaned. “Have you been talking to Jaylen?”

“About the sex thing? I already know that. I learned about the mental and physical benefits of sex in college. No, it’s more about talking to women.” Zack grimaced.

Sienna forgot that Zack had a biology degree from Duke. He was the smartest player on the team and quite possibly in the entire league. “Go on,” Sienna encouraged.

“In college, I was always at practice, in the weight room, or studying. I didn’t really have time to date and all those women who just tried to bag players seemed so shallow, I didn’t waste my time on them. Well, I’m trying to break out of my shell now that I’m out of school and went to a club with the guys after the game last night. I froze, Doc. A real nice lady came and started talking to me, and I froze. I couldn’t think of one thing to stay. I stuttered something that didn’t even make sense, and after trying to draw me into a conversation, she finally gave up and left.” Zack fell back against the pillows and let out a frustrated sigh.

“Don’t worry, we’ll work this out.” Sienna gave him a pat on the knee and got to work.

CHAPTER FOUR

Sienna made a cup of tea and headed out the kitchen door for the back patio. When she had gone to school for her doctorate, she had not envisioned helping a giant lineman learn how to talk to women. But that was why she loved her job. She was there to help balance the stress of playing sports with the rest of their lives.

“Good evening, Malik. How did you do last night?” Sienna asked as she answered her phone.

“Great. I feel like at least five million bucks now. I slept for almost five hours.” Sienna smiled as Hooch snored at her feet. She looked out over the peaceful countryside and listened to Malik talk with excitement about his improved insomnia.

“Are you ready to begin?” she asked a moment later.

“Let me just put you on speakerphone,” Malik told her. “Okay, you’re on speaker.”

“Now, lie down in a comfortable position,” Sienna instructed. She heard the covers move as Malik lay down in bed.

“I want you to take a deep breath . . .”

“Hold on, Doc. I think someone just opened the back door,” Malik whispered. She heard the covers being pushed down and the bed move as Malik got out of bed.

“Call the police, Malik,” Sienna urged as she automatically shot to her feet.

“What are you doing here?” Malik demanded. Sienna froze. She didn’t even breathe as she heard Malik repeat his question to the intruder. The sound of a fist connecting with flesh burst across the phone line in response to Malik’s question.

“Malik!” Sienna screamed. With the sound of a struggle loud in her ear, Sienna screamed his name again. Adrenaline was surging through her body as the sounds of thrashing on the bed were heard a moment before Malik starting making choking sounds.

“I’m calling the police! Let him go! Malik!” Sienna hollered as the night went quiet around her. Hooch growled at the attacker a town away while Sienna listened as the room suddenly went quiet.

“Hello? Malik, are you safe? Are you there? Tell me you’re all right,” Sienna asked, trying to hold her voice steady. She heard heavy breathing as is if someone were standing over the phone listening to her.

“I’ll find you. If you hurt Malik, you won’t get away with it,” Sienna swore as she heard the breathing growing louder over the phone. Then only silence answered her. She pulled the phone from her ear and looked at the
call ended
displayed on the screen.

With shaking hands, she pulled up the keypad on her cell phone and had to take a couple of deep breaths in order to hit the right numbers.

“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”

“There’s been an attack,” Sienna stated as clearly as she could and gave the operator Malik’s address. “Hurry. I don’t know if he’s alive.”

“Police and emergency responders have been dispatched. Are you still hiding in the house? Is the intruder still there?”

“I don’t know,” Sienna said as a sob escaped. “I’m not there. I was on the phone with him when it happened.”

“What’s your name and address, ma’am?”

Sienna told the operator, who then put her on hold to pass information along to the responders. Hooch pressed against her as if he were afraid she might faint at any moment. Sienna managed to pull up a text message.
There’s been an emergency. Can you come to my house immediately?

Almost instantly she received a text back. Help was on its way.

“Ma’am, the police have arrived at the house,” the dispatcher said. “The officers have asked that you remain at home. They want to take your statement.”

“How’s Malik?” Sienna asked cutting off the dispatcher.

“I don’t know, ma’am. The officer will fill you in when he arrives.”

Sienna nodded her head silently and hung up the phone. She made her way slowly to the front door and unlocked it. She stepped onto the porch and stared out into the darkness as she willed lights to appear. Her whole body vibrated with fear as Hooch pressed his head against her hip and whined in a show of concern.

Less than five minutes later, the sight of headlights tearing down the country road came into view. She heard rubber skidding on pavement as the SUV turned at breakneck speed into her driveway. The door opened a second later as a man clad in jeans, a black T-shirt, and a black cowboy hat bolted from the SUV. His silver eyes matched the streaks in his dark hair, which reflected in the moonlight.

“Are you okay? What’s going on?” FBI Special Agent in Charge Cole Parker demanded as he raced up the stairs. He kept an eye on the house as if determining if there was danger lurking inside.

Cole was married to Paige Davies Parker, one of Sienna's mother’s best friends. He had been like an uncle to her growing up. Sienna took one look at Ryan’s father and burst into tears. Ryan had had a crush on her since they were six years old, but eight years ago everything changed. She had thought of him as a young kid even though he was only a year younger than her. One night they were playing matchmaker for Nabi, the current head of security for Mo and Dani, the Prince and Princess of the small island country of Rahmi, and his now wife, Grace. During their snooping, she’d discovered that Ryan Parker had become a man after giving her a passionate kiss. Since that night, he wouldn’t talk to her, and she couldn’t keep a boyfriend because no one ever measured up to him. Ryan was permanently etched in her mind.

“What happened, Sienna?” Cole asked patiently as he wrapped his arms protectively around her.

“I,”
gulp
“heard”
gulp
“ Malik being attacked.” Sienna lost her battle and started sobbing. Not delicate sobs, but body-shaking sobs that robbed her breath.

“Is he in the house? Is the intruder still here?” Cole asked quietly as one hand dropped to the gun on his hip.

Sienna took a deep breath to calm herself. “I heard it all over the phone, and the police won’t tell me if he’s even alive. They just said an officer is on his way to get my statement.”

“Shit. Hon, I’m so sorry. What can I do to help?” Cole asked as she wiped her tears off on his shirt.

“I just want to know if Malik is hurt. Can you call the Lexington police and find out?” Sienna asked, trying to fight back another round of tears.

Cole nodded his head. “Of course. What’s Malik’s last name and where does he live?”

“Malik Coleman,” Sienna answered before giving him the address.

“Oh man, the receiver for the Thoroughbreds? The news outlets will be over this in a heartbeat.” Cole let out a long breath. “Okay, while I call, why don’t you go inside and make that tea you like. It might take me a bit to get some answers since this will be a high-profile case.”

Sienna gave a sniff in response and turned to go inside as Cole reached for his phone. She put a mug of water in the microwave and made her way to the open front door.

“Detective Braxton, I’ve heard good things about you. I’m Agent Cole Parker, the head of the Lexington FBI field office. I’m calling about the Coleman case. I’m with Sienna Ashton, and she’s worried about her friend.”

Sienna watched as Cole kicked the dirt with his cowboy boot.

“She’s practically family, that’s who she is. Now what’s going on?”

Sienna went inside to retrieve her mug from the microwave. When she came back outside, Cole was still on the phone. When the screen door closed, he turned around and the look on his face told her everything she needed to know. The mug slid from her fingers and crashed to the porch floor. The tea spilled and ran along the floorboards as the mug rolled down the stairs and came to a stop in the grass.

“He’s dead,” Sienna stated as shock rocked her body.

“I understand, Detective. I’ll wait here until you arrive.” Cole hung up the phone and walked straight toward her. “Why didn’t you tell me the attacker picked up Malik’s phone?”

“I told you, I heard the whole attack. I can’t believe it. Is he really gone?” Sienna asked even though she knew the answer.

“Sienna, I know this is a shock, but I need you to focus right now. I want you to sit down here.” Cole led her to the porch swing and sat her in it. “Now start from the very beginning. I want to know every word, sound, feeling you got from the call. Nothing is too small or unimportant.”

Sienna felt a shiver run down her back. Cole was in serious cop mode. “Okay. It all started when Malik called me.” Sienna recited everything she remembered word for word, sound for agonizing sound.

Cole took off his cowboy hat and ran his hand through his hair. The gesture made Sienna worry. “What is it?”

“Here are the facts I’ve gotten from your statement. Malik knew the intruder. The intruder picked up the phone and heard your threat,” Cole stated in his even cop voice that only served to make her worry more.

“What I’m worried about is the killer knowing who you are. Was your name on the phone? Or was it just your number that we can disconnect immediately and try to bury any evidence of your name being attached to it?” Cole asked as Sienna’s mind raced to connect the dots.

“It was my private cell phone. The number shouldn’t be publicized anywhere,” Sienna told him hopefully. The thought of a killer knowing her identity was enough to make her nauseous.

“Detective Braxton said she was going to come out to talk to you. She’ll be here soon. We’ll find out more then.”

Thirty minutes had never passed so slowly as Sienna battled to control her thoughts. Eventually the sound of a car reached her and lights appeared. The cop car pulled into her driveway and parked next to Cole’s SUV. A young woman with dark brown hair, hanging in perfect waves down her back, stepped out of the car. She wore a light blue fitted V-neck shirt tucked into black pants with a badge at her waist. She was so beautiful that Sienna half expected to see her in stilettos, but instead she wore a pair of well-worn cowboy boots.

With one quick look, the detective took in the house, Cole, and Sienna. Sienna’s training kicked in as she evaluated the detective. She was confident in herself and her abilities. That was clear from just one glance, but she was also smart. The way she silently observed her surroundings as she walked made Sienna sure she had taken in a million little details and already formed her own opinion of Sienna and Cole.

“I’m Detective Andrea Braxton,” she said in a strong Southern accent as she climbed the stairs and held out her hand.

Sienna shook it. “Sienna Ashton.”

“Cole Parker,” Cole said as he shook her hand next. “Why don’t we sit down? Sienna, I’d appreciate it if you repeated what you told me to the detective before we ask any questions.”

Sienna nodded and held open the front door. Hooch ambled into the room, and she heard Detective Braxton’s composure slip as she let out a quick gasp.

“Don’t worry, that’s just Hooch. He knows I’m upset and wants to be near me,” Sienna told her as the big dog leapt onto the couch and stretched out over her lap. His tail gave a sedated thump and Cole caught the lamp that almost fell from the table next to the couch.

“He’s not a dog. He’s a water buffalo,” Detective Braxton murmured as she pulled out a tape recorder and a notepad. “Do you mind if I record this?”

Sienna shook her head. “Not at all.”

“Why don’t you start by telling me how you know Malik Coleman?” the detective asked.

“I’m the psychologist for the Lexington Thoroughbreds. That’s all I can tell you unless you have a court order. I’m sorry,” Sienna said as she nervously ran her fingers over Hooch’s head.

“I understand. Let’s move to your phone call with Mr. Coleman. What time did your conversation start?”

“Eleven ten.”

“Can you tell me what you talked about?”

“No. But only a minute into the conversation Malik told me to hold on, that someone had opened his back door.” Sienna closed her eyes and felt her grip tighten on Hooch as she recounted the conversation. “Can you now tell me what happened to Malik?”

Detective Braxton put her notepad down and frowned. “I’m sorry to tell you this but . . .”

Sienna’s hand flew to her mouth. Deep down she knew what was coming, but knowing it didn’t prepare her for being told.

“He was strangled. We dusted the phone for prints, but the attacker must have had gloves. Only Malik’s fingerprints were on it. I haven’t been able to unlock the phone yet,” Detective Braxton told her as she reached into her purse and pulled out the phone in a plastic evidence bag. “Dr. Ashton, I need you to call Malik’s phone.”

“Why?” Sienna asked as she stared horrified at the phone. She heard the heavy breathing and whipped around to make sure it wasn’t real.

“I need to see what the killer saw,” she explained.

Sienna tapped Hooch on the butt and waited as he hefted himself off her. She reached for her phone on the coffee table and pressed Malik’s name. The phone rang and Cole and Detective Braxton both leaned forward. At the same time they cursed and looked at each other.

“What is it?”

Cole looked up. “It says,
Dr. Sienna Ashton
. The killer knows who you are.”