Steal My Heart (15 page)

Paige awoke with a start.

Stretching, she found herself slumped in an overstuffed chair. Her back ached. She felt numb. She must have fallen asleep here. Not a smart thing to do, but Laroche’s drugs were making it hard to stay awake.

She peered into the darkness and saw Holly sleeping peacefully on the big bed, Jack the Rabbit hugged tight to her chest. That sight should have warmed her heart with tenderness. Instead a cold fist of terror took its place as she recalled that Laroche wanted to sell her daughter on the black market. They had to get out of here.

But how?

She rose, went to the window and parted the curtains just a bit. It had to be almost morning but the sky and surroundings were shrouded in blackness. Mark’s cell phone was on the windowsill, its red light blinking away.

Would it bring help? What if it didn’t?

She heard noises coming from outside the room. Their captors were busy tonight. She moved to the door, pressed her ear against it. It sounded like television. The news.

She heard Jimar’s low laugh. “Look at that. Storm’s been arrested.” His voice was low but clear. He couldn’t be in the living room.

“We knew that, Jimar.”

“Good news and bad. It’s a shame to leave the country without the money from the Fantasia.”

“Another thing to despise Mark Storm for.”

Jimar utter a low growl. “I didn’t think I could hate him any more than I already do.”

“We’ll get by. Getting back at Storm is worth more to me than even the Fantasia.”

The two stopped talking and she made out the faint voice of the female newscaster. “Federal agents apprehended the suspect tonight at the Piazza Hotel, which is owned by real estate magnet Spiro Adolphus.”

Oh, God. Her breath came in shallow gasps as her stomach twisted and tears burned her eyes. It was true. The FBI had arrested Mark for the theft of the Fantasia necklace. She’d guessed it, but to hear it announced on television broke her heart.

It was so unfair. So horribly unfair. Mark was innocent. She had been the one who took the necklace. Laroche had been to one who forced her to do it.

But it was worse than that.

The news meant Mark wasn’t coming for her. As far as the FBI was concerned, the case was closed. Panic rising inside her, she ran her hands through her hair. She had to get hold of herself. She had to do something.

Softly she put her hand on the door handle and turned. Her breath caught.

This time it was unlocked. She opened it a crack and poked her head out. She studied the short hall before her. On the left, it opened into the living area. On the right seemed to be a kitchen. There might be a backdoor there.

Turning she went to the bed and gathered Holly up in her arms. Her daughter stirred but didn’t wake up. That was good. As quietly as she could, she tiptoed out the door and down the hall. Step by step she crept over the hardwood floor hoping the faint noise of her shoes wouldn’t give her away.

When she reached the opening to the kitchen, she peeked inside. A backdoor stood on the opposite wall. Just past the refrigerator. She held her breath. Could she get to it? She had to try.

She stepped around the corner and saw Jimar sitting at a long, granite-topped island, greedily devouring a piece of chocolate pound cake. His back to her, he was watching a small flatscreen TV mounted in the corner. Where was Laroche? No time to figure that out.

She took another step toward the door. The giant didn’t move. Another step. He reached for his plastic fork to scarf down another bite.

Holly moved her head on her shoulder. “Chocolate.”

Paige gritted her teeth as Jimar turned toward them slowly, his eyes ablaze. “And where do you think you’re going?”

Paige’s heart beat so hard she thought she would faint. “Nowhere,” she stammered. “My daughter’s hungry. Why haven’t you fed her?”

His wide nose wrinkling in a snarl, Jimar held up his plate. “You want some cake, little girl?”

Holly wriggled out of her arms and Paige had no choice but to let her down. As soon as she did, her daughter hurried across the floor and let Jimar put the treat in her mouth. The poor little thing must be starving.

Laroche came into the kitchen with a dirty plate in his hand. “What are they doing in here?” he barked at Jimar.

“How rude of you to eat in front of your guests,” Paige smirked.

With a casual air, Laroche moved to the sink and laid down his plate and fork. He turned and regarded Holly, then waved a dismissive hand at Jimar. “Take her back to the room.”

The giant picked her up and went down the hall with her.

Paige felt her heart sink to her toes but it was just as well. She didn’t want Holly to see her grovel in front of Laroche. That was just what she intended to do. Beg for their lives.

She straightened her shoulders, gathered all the courage she had and looked the monster in the eye. “What do you want, Laroche?”

“Want?”

“I’ll do anything. Just name it.”

“Name it?” He repeated in a mocking tone as he crossed to the island. He broke off a piece of cake and put it did his mouth chewing thoughtfully.

“I meant what I said before. I’ll get the Fantasia necklace for you. I’ll give you an exclusive in the newspaper or take your secret to my grave. Your choice.”

He smiled at her, folded his arms across his bony chest. “My dear, it isn’t that simple.”

“Of course it is. I’ll steal something else.” Her mind began to run with the idea. “I’ll go to work for you. I’ll replace Mark. I have talent. You said so. You can train me just like you did Mark.”

His brow rose. “He told you about that?”

“Yes. It sounded exciting.” If she were on a lie detector, she’d be shaking the needle out of its socket. But she hoped she seemed convincing to Laroche.

He stroked his chin as Jimar returned to the kitchen. “I’ve never had a female pupil before. That might prove interesting.”

“It would be more than interesting. It would be profitable. I’ve got a challenge. I’d have to be better than Mark.”

Laroche chuckled to himself. “You might be at that, but unfortunately I’m not staying in this country. So I won’t be here to train you.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“The arrangements have already been made.”

“I’ll give you access to my bank account and pay you for the rest of my life. Whatever you want. Just name it. All I want is my daughter back.”

He studied her with a gaze so penetrating, she felt naked. “That’s very tempting, but how could I risk it? You and Storm are so full of tricks.”

“This is no trick. Mark doesn’t have anything to do with this. He doesn’t control me. He’s my
ex
, remember?”

He eyed her up and down, as if he were considering her offer for a moment, imagining all the things she might be able to do for him, and Paige felt a mixture of revulsion and wild relief.

Then he shook his head. “I can’t afford any loose ends. Especially without any profit from this little venture.”

“Laroche, I said I’d get you the Fantasia.”

He swallowed the last bite of cake and wiped his hands on a napkin, tossed it in the trash. “Sorry, my dear. I simply don’t believe you.” He brushed past her and moved back into the living room.

Panic pounding in her chest, Paige followed him. “You have to believe me, Laroche.”

“But I don’t.” His voice was quiet. Almost a whisper.

She stopped in front of the bearskin rug ready to fall on her knees and beg. “Don’t you see? You’d have me under your thumb for the rest of your life. I’d live in terror that you’d kidnap Holly again. I’d do whatever you say.” She was feeding his ego as fast as she could. Why wasn’t it working?

“Don’t
you
see, my dear? I would always be afraid that you’d get tired of living that way. And you would. Eventually you’d go to the authorities. And then we would just end up as we are here.” He spread his hands gesturing to the room.

How could she convince him? “You’re wrong. My idea would turn out great for you.”

“I’m sorry. But as I said, I simply don’t believe you.” He turned to Jimar. “Get rid of her.”

Rid of her?
Her stomach rippled with fear as the large man strolled to the fireplace and picked up a shovel that was leaning against it. A shovel too big for coals. What was he going to do with it? Dig her grave?

He stepped toward her and she noticed the gun tucked into his waistband. She backed away.

He nodded toward the front door. It was tall and ornate, with a gothic style to it. “C’mon, Lady, let’s go. The boss has made up his mind.”

“Laroche, be reasonable. We can work something out.”

Laroche laughed softly turning his back on her. “Didn’t Mark tell you? I’m far from reasonable.”

With an animal-like grunt, Jimar leaned the shovel against the wall and lumbered toward her.

“No.” She turned and charged to a door near the fireplace. She yanked at the handle. Locked. “Open,” she cried.

Jimar kept coming.

She ran to a door on the other side of the room. Tried it. Nothing.

She turned around and bolted for the stairs along the hall. Before she could make it up to steps, Jimar caught up to her and grabbed her dress, tearing the skirt even more. She screamed and broke away from him. On her hands and knees now, she began crawling up the staircase.

His huge hand went around her ankle, pulling her down.

She grabbed onto a post. “No!”

In a final act of cruelty, Laroche scooted down the hall and unlocked the bedroom.

“Mommie.” Holly shot from the room, trying to run to her, but Laroche caught her up in his arms.

“No, you don’t.”

“Leave her alone,” Paige screamed.

Laroche reached for the television remote and clicked it off. “What a brilliant idea I just had. The hidden camera will pick all this up. I’ll send it to Mark in prison. It will be my last gift to him.”

What? They were recording this? If these images would torment Mark, they knew he cared about her. And his daughter. She’d been right. When they said he’d deserted her before, it was all lies.

Jimar moved in and seized Paige, turning her around.

“No,” she cried, scratched at him, fighting his big arms.

“Stop it, bitch.” He grabbed her forearm hard and she squealed in pain.

She tried to twist out of his grasp, but his hand was like a vice clamped on her wrist.

He jerked her off the stairs and forced her across the floor. “I said, let’s go.”

“No.” She squatted down so he’d have to pull her full weight.

“You are really annoying me.” He dragged her by her arm toward the front door as if she weighed ten pounds.

She cried out in pain, watched him pick up the shovel with his other hand.

“Mommie. Mommie.” Holly kicked away in Laroche’s tight grip.

Paige twisted her body to get a look at Holly. The horror on her little face matched the terror that raged through her whole being. “Stop it. Let me go.”

“Mommie,” Holly screamed again in that raspy, heart-breaking child’s cry.

“Be quiet,” Laroche commanded. “Or I’ll have to give you something to make you go to sleep.”

“Don’t you dare drug her again,” Paige cried, though she knew her threat was meaningless.

Laroche heaved a sigh as if he was weary of the whole escapade. He stroked Holly’s hair. “Don’t be afraid, dear. Mommie’s just going for a little walk with the nice man. She’ll be back soon.”

Liar.

“Please, don’t do this,” Paige pleaded with Jimar as the big man set the shovel against the wall again and reached for the knob of the front door.

Ignoring her, he yanked it open with a whoosh.

She turned back and saw Holly’s terrified eyes.

“No. No.” Her throat was on flames from screaming. Her whole body throbbed with terror and pain. Tears clouded her vision. She was going to die. She’d never see Holly again.

What was going to happen to her little girl?

Still holding onto her, Jimar shoved Paige through the door and slammed it behind them. There was a chill in the night air, but she barely felt it.

“Let me go.” She scratched at him again. And bit and struggled to pull out of his grip.

Finally he did let go. After stroking the flesh she’d damaged for a moment, he laid the shovel he’d set against the outside wall over his shoulder and drew out the gun from his waistband. He pointed it at her with a grimace. “God, you are noisy. Shut up.”

Rubbing her sore arm, she turned to him, pleading. “Don’t let him do this, Jimar. Save my little girl. How can you hurt a child? How can you live with that on your conscience?”

Slowly he shook his head at her as if she were crazy. “I would have a lot worse on my conscience, if I had one.”

He didn’t care at all? Then money would move him. “I’ll pay you. I’ll get the Fantasia necklace for you. I’ll give it to you instead of Laroche. You can finally get out from under him.”

“Now why would I want to do that? Besides. I don’t believe you any more than he does.”

If he didn’t want to leave Laroche she couldn’t move him. Couldn’t change his mind no matter what she said. She looked around and saw they were standing on a circular drive. Nothing but thick forest across the road in the distance. The sun was just coming up, a faint light gleaming through the trees, but to the right she could make out a big yard. There had to be neighbors.

She did the only thing she could think of. She ran. He might shoot her, but he was going to do that anyway.

Behind her she heard Jimar grunt in disgust but she kept going, making her way over the uneven ground of the yard. The sunrise sliced through the trees ahead, casting an eerie, nightmarish glow over the land. As she reached the top of a slope she dared to look back over her shoulder.

The house where she’d been imprisoned, where Laroche was holding her daughter, was a sprawling Georgian style mansion, with what seemed like a hundred arched multi-pane windows lighting up the sky.

It stood quiet, aloof and unmoved like the killer inside it. The man who destroyed lives with no more concern than scraping uneaten eggs off the breakfast dishes into the trash.

Jimar was following her at a distance, gun drawn, the shovel over his big shoulder. He could have shot her by now, but he hadn’t. Was he enjoying her attempt to escape him? He must be confident that she couldn’t get far. She’d see about that.

Beyond the house lay a wide-open field. Should she go that way? No, she’d be too easy to spot. She headed the other way. For the trees. The ground was hard and hilly. The smell of pine and wet grass in her nose, she stumbled over the rocks, struggling for speed, but she could hear Jimar’s heavy breathing as he closed in behind her.

Then came that awful laugh. “You think you can run away from me, lady? You are very mistaken.”

“You can’t shoot me out here. The neighbors will hear you.”

He laughed again. “There are no neighbors for ten miles. There is nobody to hear it.”

Ten miles or hundred, if she had to crawl the whole way she’d get there. She’d get help and come back and save Holly.

“You’ve only saved me the trouble of dragging you out here. But this is far enough. It will be better at close range.”

Her whole body quaked but she kept going.

“I said stop.”

She ignored him. She heard him cuss and toss down the shovel. She heard his lumbering footsteps break into a run behind her. And then he was on her, his big hands reaching for her again.

She clawed at him, faltering over the rocks beneath her feet. “Leave me alone.” Fighting him with all her might she tumbled to the ground.

He dragged her back, away from the shelter of the trees, the rocks tearing at her legs. He dropped his grip and while she was on the ground, before she could get up, he aimed his gun at her.

Panic slashed through her chest. She gasped, struggling for air. On all fours she began to move away. Her heart pounded so loudly in her ears, she thought her eardrums might burst. She thought there was an odd flapping noise. Like angel wings. From far overhead, a light seemed to shine down on her.

Had he killed her? Was the sound in her head so loud she hadn’t heard the gunshot? Was this what it was like to die?

But her body was in motion, scrambling over the ground, crawling as fast as she could. She was getting away from him. Once more, she felt his grip around her ankle. No, he hadn’t shot her yet. But he was about to.

“Enough fun and games. It is time to get this over with.”

“No.” She rolled over, saw him towering over her, one hand holding her leg, the other pointing his gun at her.

Her reaction was pure instinct. She lifted her free leg and kicked his shin with all her might.

He stumbled back. The gun went off, the bullet landing not two feet from her head. Screaming, she spun around and crawled away again.

That kick wouldn’t stop him for long. She’d never outrun him. She needed a weapon of some sort.

She struggled to her feet but slipped again. Her hand went down on rock, cutting her palm. She cried out in pain but forced her fingers along the surface.

Wait. It wasn’t a rock. It was the shovel. She must have been crawling in circles and come around to where he’d dropped it.

Its wooden handle was right there beside her. But could she use it? She was exhausted. Her arms trembled from fatigue and terror.

She looked up, saw Jimar had recovered from her kick. She saw the glint of his gun as he aimed it at her heart. He was about to fire again. This time she was going to die.

She felt her hands slip around the wood of the handle. She felt herself rise to her feet. With strength that seemed to come from somewhere outside of her, she felt herself lift the shovel and swing it like a baseball bat as hard as she could.

The blade hit Jimar square on the temple with a metallic thud. He dropped to his knees, then keeled over.

His gun fell to the ground beside him. She picked it up and ran.

What direction was she going? Disoriented, she turned toward the house and saw a light as bright as the sun. But it wasn’t sunrise yet. Something large hovered over the back yard. A helicopter? No, two of them. Was that the flapping sound she had heard? It must be. Both choppers were making the same noise.

There were uniformed men and women moving over the yard, surrounding the house. Where had they come from? Was she hallucinating? Then her mind cleared with a jolt.

The cell phone.

It had worked. Mark’s cell phone had worked. She ran toward the house.

“Help,” she cried when she was within earshot.

A big-shouldered man with a rugged face jogged up to her. “Are you Paige Dunbar?”

“Yes.” She waved her arm behind her. “Laroche’s accomplice is out there near the woods. He tried to kill me.”

“Kesler,” he called to another man. “Get out there and check it out.”

“Yes, sir.” The second man and two others took off in the direction she’d indicated.

The man with the rugged face gave her a piercing look. “Ma’am, I’m Supervisory Special Agent John Foley. We’ve just arrested Jean-Claude Laroche.”

Her mind reeled. “Arrested? My daughter’s in there with him. Where’s my daughter?”

“She’s safe, ma’am.” He reached for her arm to lead her toward the helicopter. “We’ll have to get you medical attention.”

She pulled out of his grasp. “I want my daughter. Where’s my daughter?”

“Agent Storm handled everything. He’s securing the premises now.”

“Agent Storm?”

“Yes ma’am.”