Shadow in the Pines (22 page)

There it was again. Muffled, but she was sure it was Bandit. Taking no thought for the cold, she rushed back into the house and hurried up the stairs. Struggling to get her Reeboks on over bulky socks, she didn’t bother to change out of her sweats and just pulled a heavy sweater on over her t-shirt. She raced downstairs and jerked on her coat, pulling on the stocking cap as an afterthought. Bandit must be freezing! There hadn’t been enough snow to really cover the ground, but the temperature was in the low thirties and ice crackled, weighing down the branches of nearby trees.

After she finished buttoning her coat, she slid her hands into her gloves and picked up the flashlight she’d left on the kitchen counter. There was no thought for her safety, just that of her faithful friend. Something that was in short supply these days.

A gust of frigid wind took her breath as she stepped out on the back porch and peered out into the darkness. The porch light cast an eerie semi circle of illumination that reached no more than ten feet out into the yard. Beyond that was total darkness. Clouds obliterated any light she might have gleaned from stars or moon.

Carefully pulling the door behind her, she tried to leave it open enough to add to the light, but the wind whipped it open again and she had to close it to avoid freezing temperatures inside as well as out. When she reached the perimeter of the porch light, she clicked on the flashlight and tried to walk softly. In the silence, the crunching of frozen grass underfoot seemed to echo as loudly as the target practice with her new gun.

Cautiously, she made her way to the edge of the yard, pausing every few steps to listen and call Bandit’s name. In the few short minutes she’d been outside, her cheeks and lips went numb from the cold and she didn’t even want to know what the wind chill factor was. When she started to shiver uncontrollably, she knew she had to give up and go back inside. If Bandit was well enough to bark, she had to believe he was well enough to find his way home.

Sorely disappointed, Dani turned and started back toward the house. As she passed the cellar doors, she thought she heard a faint whine. Closer inspection with the flashlight revealed the padlock was gone from the doors. With fear gripping her heart, she leaned closer and called Bandit again. This time, he answered with a sharp bark. Damn! He was in the cellar!

Refusing to even consider how he got there, Dani jerked open the doors and peered down into the darkness, surprised the air that met her was considerably warmer than what was outside. Must be well insulated, she thought.

“Bandit! Here boy!” she waited expectantly for him to come bounding up the stairs but he didn’t. “Bandit?”

His answering bark was shrill, but not moving. Dani shined the flashlight into the hole, but its beam didn’t even illuminate the bottom of the stairs. The batteries were getting weak. Maybe Bandit was hurt and not able to climb. Her desire to find Bandit and take him inside overrode her fear of the cellar and she started down the steps, wishing the flashlight did more than provide a tiny tunnel of a beam to pierce the darkness.

She nearly lost her footing, slipping on something on the steps, but when she shone her flashlight on her foot she didn’t see anything out of place. Bandit’s bark had given way to a persistent whine and all her thoughts were on reaching him.

The floor was so dark that even with the flashlight, she still saw more shadows than shapes. Shining the light along the wall as she reached the lower steps, fear gripped her heart as she located Bandit. He was in a doggie carrier perched precariously on one of the top shelves. Every time he barked, the whole thing shook. Obviously, his presence here was no accident.

“Be still Bandit!” she called, sweeping the floor with the flashlight before she took that last step.

It looked like the floor was covered with rope, but she couldn’t be sure. The lamp on her flashlight was dimming, offering the promise of light without really delivering. If only she could reach the string that dangled from the overhead bulb. Swinging the flashlight up toward the ceiling, she spotted it and took a step, reaching out with her other hand. She wasn’t surprised to feel a piece of the rope beneath her left foot, but she was shaken when it felt like it moved. Jerking the string in her hand, she froze in terror as the light flooded the room. The floor of the cellar was crawling with snakes!

Too terrified to move, or even scream, her mind raced. She was vaguely aware of the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle falling into place in her head, but couldn’t do anything about it. When one of the smaller snakes slithered lazily across her instep, she forced herself to wait, then slowly stepped back up on the first step, prepared to turn and run like hell. As she did, she looked up just in time to see the cellar door slam shut in her face!

Knowing in her heart that it was no accident, she climbed frantically to the top, pushing against the door with her shoulder, but to no avail. Whoever was after her finally got her. She wouldn’t be surprised to know the padlock was firmly back in place and now, she didn’t even have the assurance that Noah would come looking for her. Not any time soon, anyway.

Willing herself to remain calm, she made herself look back down at the floor. If the lab was missing over a hundred snakes, she knew there were at least that many on the floor below. Fortunately, they didn’t seem interested in the stairs. It was probably too cold near the door. What looked like a tiny space heater hummed away in the far corner and most of them were clustered around it. The few that weren’t were coiled tightly in corners and on shelves, going into hibernation mode she hoped.

Think, Dani! she chided herself. The choices she’d made left her alone again, with only herself to depend on for rescue. She tucked her hands back into her pockets and sat huddled, hunchback, on the top step, keeping a guarded eye on the steps below. Although some of the snakes had found perches on the shelves, there didn’t seem to be any movement near Bandit’s cage. She could only hope that his barking would keep them at bay. The holes on the cage front were plenty big to allow one of them to slither inside. It wouldn’t take long for a copperhead bite to kill her poor dog. Her, either, for that matter.

The feel of the gun in her right pocket was reassuring, although she knew a handful of bullets wouldn’t help much in this situation. How long would it be before someone noticed she was missing? Too long, she thought, despairing. School was out. No classes, no work. Beth might call in the morning, but she was just as likely not to call again for days. Besides, even if she called and got no answer, she’d just assume Dani was out shopping or something. And the way Noah sounded on the phone earlier, it would be days before she’d hear from him too, if she ever did. As far as the rest of the world was concerned, Dani had no appointments or commitments with anyone. Ever.

Shuddering at the implications, Dani felt a tear escape and slide down her cheek. Noah wanted a commitment. All he’d wanted to know was whether she was willing to pursue a relationship. He hadn’t asked for forever. He hadn’t really asked anything she couldn’t give. So what was she afraid of? Afraid he’d marry her, let her pay his way through medical school, then leave her? Dani closed her eyes with a sigh. She must have been crazy. Temporary insanity. There was no other logical explanation. Noah was exactly the kind of man she needed, the kind of man she’d hoped Mark was, but never would be. And he was hers for the asking. But, like a fool, she’d let a snide remark by a woman she didn’t even know condemn the best relationship she’d ever had without even questioning it. Why didn’t she just ask him about what Caroline Crane had said instead of jumping to conclusions and throwing him out of her life? If he’d acted suspicious when he answered, she could have decided then, but, the way her luck was running, he’d have had a perfectly logical explanation and she’d never given him a chance!

The way it looked right now, Dani figured she deserved whatever she got. She took her hand out of her pocket long enough to look at her watch then slipped it back inside. Was it possible only an hour had elapsed since she got up to make coffee? It seemed like years. Dani looked up at the cellar doors, examining them closely to see if there was any way out from the inside. They had to be fastened on somehow, but she didn’t see it. Probably screwed into the wooden frame that supported the ceiling.

She glanced across the room at the shelves and shuddered as she saw one of the larger snakes slithering along the second shelf in search of a spot to coil, or in search of prey. She preferred the former thought. Any tools she had available to her would be located there, on those shelves. At this point, they didn’t seem worth the risk.

Chapter Twenty

Making his way home just after midnight, Noah drove far enough past his own driveway to get a good look at the front of Dani’s house before turning in. Tired to the bone, both in body and in spirit, he still wanted to be sure she was safe. Except for the front porch light, the house was dark and the Taurus was parked in its usual place close to the walk. All was well.

He backed up the truck, then turned into his driveway, getting out to walk wearily to the door and into a cold, unwelcoming house. Although she’d only spent one night there, he couldn’t help but remember how her smile lit up the place. Even worse was the contrast between his place and hers. Every room in her house was warm and inviting. Her personality screamed from the wildlife photographs she had hanging in the living room and hallway to the eclectic choice of mismatched stoneware she used for dishes. And especially in the contrast of the tropical print comforter she loved on the bed to the cozy flannel sheets.

Everything about Dani was a contradiction, but in her, it seemed perfectly logical. She didn’t conform to the norm because she was like no other. Dani Jones was a living, breathing contradiction in terms.

Too wired to turn in yet, Noah fixed a cup of instant coffee and plopped down in the worn out easy chair facing the front window. He’d spent the better part of the last two nights in this chair. After sharing her bed, he’d had no interest in his. The scent of her perfume still lingered on the pillow she’d used when she stayed there. He’d really done it this time.

No matter how he prided himself on detachment and being able to be objective in any situation, somehow, she’d crept past all his defenses and rooted herself irrevocably in his heart. Scowling at the bitter, lukewarm mouthful of coffee he swigged, he got up and poured it out in the kitchen sink, then retrieved a beer from the refrigerator. Maybe he’d just drink himself to sleep. He was off tomorrow. At this rate, it was the only way he’d get any rest.

With one cold beer in hand and another as a backup, he dropped back into the chair and stared out the window, tired of fighting to keep his mind from examining and re-examining the relationship. It was easier to just let it run its course. There was no argument, really. He’d settled the issues that concerned him weeks ago when he’d finally admitted to himself that he’d fallen hopelessly in love with her.

For years, he’d listened as colleagues lamented their foibles of love, secretly amused and maybe feeling even a little superior. He was above all that; it could never happen to him. He wouldn’t allow it. A harsh laugh gurgled in his throat as he opened the second beer. Like he’d really had any choice in the matter. Hell, the only choice he was allowed was whether to admit it or not. The falling was something he had no control over.

To be fair, he did understand her reluctance. After what she’d been through, he’d worry if she trusted too soon. The passion was there, no doubt. And, he believed she loved him just like he loved her. She was just terrified at the thought. How could he blame her for that? In any case, he’d never let her go without a fight. She was too precious to him. In his heart, he knew he’d never love again. Not like this. He’d never let anyone get close enough. Now that it had happened once, he knew the signs. With another loud sigh, he let his head roll back against the chair and prayed that sleep would take him to a better place.

The persistent sound of an alarm dragged him from a deep sleep. Disoriented at first, he shook his head as if that would clear it, then realized it was his phone. Still dark out, he glanced at the window. His watch said 5:04. Who the hell would call at this hour? He wasn’t on call.

“Russell,” his voice sounded gravelly, even to him.

“Noah, it’s Graham,” a familiar voice woke him up. “I just got something for your desk, but I thought maybe it shouldn’t wait.”

“What is it?” Noah was on full alert now.

“You know that Atkinson guy you’ve been scoping?”

“Yeah.”

“You just got a copy of a missing persons report from Atlanta PD. Says his secretary reported him missing day before yesterday but it waded through the usual 24 before it came out on the wire.”

“Fuck me!” Noah barked. “They knew I was watching him. You’d think -”

“Yeah, I know,” Graham interrupted. “I’ll put it on your desk, but I knew you’d want to know. Your girl tucked in safe for the night?”

“Far as I know,” Noah answered curtly. “Thanks Graham.”

When he hung up the phone, he wandered back to the window, peering through the trees even though he knew he could see nothing. Or maybe he could, he thought. Without bothering to grab his coat, he walked out on the front porch to get a better look. A soft glow emanated from the kitchen window. Was she up at this hour? That light wasn’t on when he came home. Maybe she wasn’t sleeping well.

He thought back to the terse conversation they’d shared last night. She sounded fine when she answered the phone, but one word answers weren’t like her. He’d assumed she was annoyed to hear his voice. Maybe it was more than that. It bothered him enough to go back inside for his coat. It would only take a few minutes to stroll over and scope out the house, just to be sure. If his hunch was right and Atkinson was in this up to his neck, he’d bet money he was in the area somewhere if he wasn’t in Atlanta.

A few minutes later, he crossed the drive and peered through the blinds into the kitchen. The light over the stove was on and there was a coffee mug and a stack of crackers beside a block of cheese on the table but no sign of movement. Quietly, Noah moved toward the front of the house. It looked like she’d gotten up for a snack, but then where was she? Why did she leave it in the kitchen?