Stowaway (27 page)

Where was he now? Somewhere nearby with a posse of law enforcement officers? Neither her dad nor Jack had mentioned contact with out-of-town law enforcement authorities. They told her they’d received a reliable report regarding a militia movement today. After getting a good look at Russ’s compound, it scared her to think everyone she loved might be in horrible danger.

Had Nick taken his team to the cabin? Had he shared his concerns about the Merritt’s involvement in a possible terrorism camp? Had he listened to anything she’d said or trusted her at all? Did he really believe she could live with bigots and not know it? Hell, maybe he suspected her as well as the rest of her family.

It didn’t matter what he thought. She had to put him out of her mind and out of her life even though her body craved his touch. Even though she missed him more than she could have imagined possible. Even though her heart wouldn’t stop aching, she had to stop thinking and worrying about him.

With that thought, she went to the kitchen, poured herself a tall glass of sweet tea and carried it to the living room along with a bag of chocolates. Chocolate had a way of soothing her nerves, despite the overload of caffeine.

Making herself comfortable on the oversized blue-plaid sofa, she grabbed the remote and started surfing through televisions channels. The large, flat screen TV was the only change her dad had made in the house since her mom’s death.

Otherwise, the Early American-style furniture in hues of green and blue remained the same. The only clash in an otherwise stylish décor was her dad’s brown leather recliner. The plaid couch had a matching loveseat and easy chair. End tables flanked the couch with a long, oval-shaped coffee table directly in front of it. Her mom’s hand-crocheted doilies covered the smooth walnut surfaces.

She propped her bare feet on the table and flipped the buttons on the remote. Daytime TV left a lot to be desired, she decided a few minutes later when she’d run through all the channels twice. Talk shows and cooking shows didn’t hold her attention for long. Maybe she’d try to read a while.

When Keri crossed the room to the bookcase, she heard what sounded like a tremendous sonic boom. It just kept rumbling and reverberating. The floor beneath her shuddered and the windows rattled.

What the hell? Her mind flashed back to the explosion at the marina and the devastation it had caused. Had the task force attacked the militia camp? Surely she wouldn’t hear and feel an explosion that far away. So where and what had exploded? How close had they come to town? Judging by the direction of sound, it had originated south of them.

She moved to the window and looked out but couldn’t see anything beyond the trees. The phone started to ring, but she ignored it. Anytime something the least bit curious happened near Thornsbury, the residents bombarded the sheriff with calls. This time would be no different.

Keri wished she knew what had happened too. How close had Nick been to the blast? How close had her dad and Jack been? Was anyone hurt? Would the emergency room at the hospital be prepared for an influx of injured? Was it her civil duty to help them in a crisis?

No, she’d promised her dad to stay put. If he told her to go to the hospital and help, she’d go. Otherwise, she’d just have to wait and worry. She picked up the book again and forced herself to pay better attention.

After a few chapters and a few too many chocolates, Keri set aside the book long enough to go to the bathroom. Next she made a trip to the kitchen for a refill of tea. She moved back into the living room and stuffed another chocolate in her mouth, following it with a long drink. Chocolate always made her thirsty. She’d probably be on a sugar high the rest of the day, but she didn’t care.

A few minutes later, the ringing of the doorbell took her by surprise. Her first thought was of Nick, so she hurried out of the room to the foyer. Disappointment hit hard as she looked out the peep hole and saw Don Monroe. Swallowing her disappointment, she turned both locks and opened the door.

“Hi, Don. How are you? It’s good to see you upright.”

He laughed at that. “Good to see you too, Keri. I thought you planned to stay at the cabin for all three weeks of vacation.”

She cringed at the reminder of how much attention her plans had garnered. No way would she discuss her messed-up vacation agenda.

“Slight blip in the plans, but that’s the norm with any plans I make.” Changing subjects, she added, “I didn’t realize you’d been released from the hospital, but you look like you’re doing great.”

He gave her a warm, friendly smile. Keri knew several women in town were enamored of his blond, blue-eyed good looks. She found him attractive in an asexual sort of way. They’d dated awhile but never really clicked. At least she hadn’t felt much beyond friendly affection for him.

“I’m told I had great care even though I wasn’t conscious to appreciate it at the time.”

“Your body took some serious hits, both by gunshot and the blow to your head. We worried about a fractured skull.”

“My head’s too hard to fracture,” he teased. “But I don’t ever want another concussion. It took longer to recover from than the gunshot. Who’d have thought?”

“Neither is very pleasant,” she said. “I’m afraid Dad and Jack are both gone, if you wanted to catch them.”

“Nothing that can’t wait,” he said. “I’m just bored with the whole rest and recuperation process. Mind if I stay and visit with you awhile?”

“Not at all. I’m totally bored myself.” She motioned for him to come inside, and then closed the door. He waited for her to precede him down the short hall to the living room. When they passed through the arched doorway, she waved him into an easy chair and returned to her spot on the sofa.

“You must have heard the explosion,” she said. “Do you have any idea what caused it? It sounded like sonic booms from a whole squadron of jets.”

“I was hoping you could fill me in,” he said, crossing one jeans-clad knee over the other. “Since I’m officially on sick leave, nobody tells me anything.”

The phone rang again and Keri grimaced. “Everybody in town is asking the same thing. That’s about the tenth call. They all want answers, and I don’t have any.” They listened as another tax-paying citizen demanded answers.

Don laughed. “Leave it to Hazel Smith to throw the tax issue at you. That’s always her first line of defense. You’d think she’s the only person who ever paid taxes.”

Keri smiled and nodded. She’d known Don since his family moved to town during their high-school years. Some people still considered him a newcomer because he hadn’t been born in the county, but he knew most of the residents by first name and all their quirks.

The thought reminded her of Nick and how little he knew of her way of life. He didn’t like her community or anything about Thornsbury. He might as well be from another planet. It made her sad. To distract herself, she asked Don if he’d care for something to drink. When he said he’d like some tea, she went to the kitchen and poured him a glass.

“You like a little lemon in yours, don’t you?” she called to him from the opposite side of the house.

“Just a little, please, if it’s not too much trouble,” he called back to her.

“No trouble,” she assured him, adding a couple drops of lemon. She returned the pitcher and bottle of lemon juice to the refrigerator. “I didn’t think to ask if you’re hungry. Can I get you anything else?”

“No thanks, I’m fine,” he replied as she reentered the living room and handed him the glass.

She moved to the sofa, picked up her glass and drank the rest of hers before it could get watered down by melting ice.

“Would you care for some chocolate? I’ve already had way too much.”

“I’ll pass, thanks. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, remember?”

She did remember. He’d called her a sugar junkie, and she’d called him a sour puss. When they’d stopped dating, he’d accused her of dumping him because he wasn’t sweet enough. Relaxing against the sofa cushions, she shot a glance at him.

“You’re not still annoyed with me for that, are you? You’re really a sweet guy, aren’t you?”

As she watched, Don slowly shook his head. A lock of hair fell across his forehead in a boyish fashion. For some reason, watching him made her dizzy. She propped herself more firmly in the corner of the sofa but began to feel strange.

With a panicked glance at Don, she watched his head shift back and forth, back and forth, in a mesmerizing movement. When she tried to blink and stop looking, she couldn’t make her eyelids drop. She tried lifting her hand to her face, but had no control of her arms, either. A flutter of panic squeezed her chest as she continued to stare at Don.

“No sense in fighting it, Ker,” he said softly. “I slipped a little something in your tea. Nothing personal, mind you. It’s fast acting, but it shouldn’t kill you. Just keep you paralyzed for a while. I need your cooperation and you’re not always the most cooperative individual.”

A slow, all-encompassing numbness spread through her body. Her arms dropped to her lap, useless, and her legs felt like lead. Without the support of the sofa cushions, she’d have slumped into a heap.

Keri frantically racked her brain for a drug that caused such an effect. Had he given her some sort of nerve toxin? A neuromuscular blockade would eventually stop her heart and lungs, but he’d said this wouldn’t kill her. How could she have drunk it without noticing the taste?

Too late she realized she’d welcomed the enemy into her home, putting everyone she loved in more danger. She stared at him, frozen in place, unable to move or speak yet awake and aware.

“Since the bomb exploded prematurely, it’s my guess most of the militia got wiped out with it,” said Don, his tone and expression bland as though discussing the weather. “Anyone who survived will be under arrest, and the feds will be trying to clean up all the loose ends.”

Loose ends? Is that what he considered himself? He’d been a part of it? A terrorist? For how long? Had he known about her mother’s murder? Had he worked every day with her family while betraying everything they stood for? Why? Now what?

He’d poisoned her and sat there looking all calm and rational? He had to be insane! She’d opened her home and offered hospitality to a crazy man. How did you protect yourself from that kind of insanity?

“Are you feeling totally paralyzed yet?” he continued. “I need to load you into my car. You’re my bargaining chip if anyone tries to stop me from leaving the county. I figured I’d better have some insurance until I’m out of Tennessee. After that, I can disappear and change identities. I had prepared for that possibility.”

As he rose from his chair, they heard the screech of tires outside followed by the slam of a car door. He went still and slowly pulled a handgun from the back of his waist.

The action reminded her of Nick, and she said a silent plea for forgiveness. What if she never saw him again? It made her heart ache. What if she’d put him, her dad and brother at risk due to her lapse in judgment? It grated to know Don would use her as a pawn in his sick game, use her family’s love and loyalty as a weapon. How long before the effects of the drug wore off?

They heard the key in the front door and the sound of it opening. Keri silently screamed a warning but couldn’t force any sound from her throat. Jack called her name and then he stepped through the arched doorway to the living room. He flashed a glance at her but quickly faced Don, gun drawn. The two men glared at each other for a long minute.

“Give it up, Monroe,” said Jack as he slowly sidled closer to the sofa and her.

“You’re the one who’d better give it up, Jack. You’ve got a whole lot more to lose than I do at this point.”

“What’s wrong with Keri? What have you done to her?”

“Nothing she won’t survive, and I promise she won’t feel any pain if I have to shoot her to get your cooperation.” Don issued the chilling threat with little inflection.

“What do you expect to accomplish by hurting her?” Jack demanded. “You don’t want assault and kidnapping charges on your head. At this point you’re only under suspicion for conspiracy.”

“Ah, but it’s conspiracy to commit a terrorist act. We both know that’s the end of my career in law enforcement even if I don’t do time. I need a fresh start and your sister is going to help me get it. So are you. You’re gonna drop your gun and pick up Keri. You can carry her outside and strap her into your cruiser. That’ll give me another edge.”

The two men stared at each other, neither blinking nor moving a muscle. When Jack didn’t follow his orders, Don slowly turned his gun until it pointed at Keri.

“Where should I start?” he asked in the emotionless tone of a madman. “You want me to blow out her knee cap? It might cost her a career, but she’d live. Or maybe put one in her abdomen? From what I’ve been told, there’s not much left there to damage.”

Her stomach rolled. Even though her nerves had frozen, she still felt nausea rising in her throat. Before Jack could react, they heard another vehicle brake to a stop out front. The phone had stopped ringing and the house grew deathly quiet. Then Nick shouted her name as he came through the door.

“Keri!” His tone sounded calm until he didn’t get a response. He moved closer and he yelled in a louder voice, this time demanding a response. “Keri! Where the hell are you?”

“And the plot thickens,” whispered Don.

He appeared to be enjoying himself, which cemented Keri’s belief the man was certifiable. Her heart thudded as Nick finally stepped through the doorway. His gaze swept the surreal scene. Her heart pounded harder when he stopped beside Don, seeming to align himself with the enemy.

“
No!”
she silently screamed. “
Please, Nick!”
Their eyes met briefly, but her facial muscles were frozen. She could only hope the panic she felt was reflected in her eyes.

“Hey, buddy, what’s happening?” Nick asked Don with curiosity and concern. “Why the guns?”

“It’s just as we suspected,” Don told him in a steady, genial tone. If Keri hadn’t been in such a panic, she’d have admired his cool. “The Merritts are up to their eyeballs in the terrorist plot. I asked Jack to surrender his weapon, but he refused.”