Wicked Bad Boys (53 page)

“You know you’ve always wanted me. And now I can feel it for myself.”

He lifted her top and raised her bra above her breasts. “Oh God, Tara. You’re so beautiful. And your nipples, they’re so hard for me.”

He leaned in and licked each one. “These are mine now.”

Tara tried to escape him, making every effort to tip the chair back, or free her arms from behind her, but she couldn’t do anything but fight the sensations.

“Stop, Jake.”

He pulled back and went to the corner, and came back with more duct tape. Her eyes widened in horror as he placed a piece over her mouth.

“If you keep begging with your voice so sweet, I think I’ll come, baby.”

He tilted his body to reach one hand down inside her jeans.

“God. You’re so hot, so wet for me, Tara,” he groaned, flicking her clit and reaching farther down to slide two fingers between her folds.

She titled her head back, refusing to let herself enjoy it. She held on to the thought that she hated him, and it helped, but she felt the heat building from her core.

“I’m so hard right now, baby,” he moaned. “And I can smell your need. But I have to go.”

He pulled his hand out of her pants and stood up. She was so relieved.

“See this?” He pointed at the bulge in his pants. “It wants you so fucking bad. But I’ll be back soon to show you how much it can please you. I can be as gentle or as rough as you want me to be.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Roll your eyes all you want. I felt your body react to my touch. Soon you’ll admit you always wanted me. I’m not the guy out to hurt you. You’ll see that eventually.”

He headed toward the cave’s entrance, and paused to turn back to her. “I’ll be back soon.”

He walked away and she immediately tried to move her wrists around in the rope. It dug deeper into her flesh, but her hand was close to her pockets, now that he had undone the zipper. As she reached for the pocket Reggie stuffed his hand into, she felt the hope rise from her chest.
God bless you, Reggie.
He had put her cell phone back into her pocket.

K
evin paced
in front of the desk. His heart had not stopped its rapid fluttering. He wouldn’t be able to relax until Tara was back in his arms. “Are you sure they know I’m here?” he asked the desk Sargent, stopping from his pacing.

The officer looked up and she nodded at him. “They’ll well aware of it, Mr. Crawford. I’m sure that Officer Jessup and Officer Grayson will be out with you momentarily.”

He turned away from the female officer. If they had any idea of how serious this was, they’d be out there by now. He glanced up at the clock. It was after ten o’clock and time was ticking by. He couldn’t stand by for much longer, without knowing what Tara was, and what was going through her mind. She could be hurt…or dead.

“Sir…sir…Mr. Crawford?” the officer stated with frustration.

He looked up at her. “What?”

“Officer Jessup asked for me to escort you back to her office.” She eyed him carefully, and led him down the hall.

He followed her through the familiar double doors and they headed down the long stretch of hallway. He hated the familiarity of the place, and longed for when he would not have to spend his time at the police station. It seemed like only a dream. The officer got to the end of the hallway and pointed toward a door that was ajar.

“There.”

“Thank you,” he mumbled.

“You’re welcome,” she said, walking back to her station.

He nervously knocked.

“Come in,” Jessup called.

He opened the door and walked in. She was busily typing on her computer and didn’t acknowledge him. He sat in the chair facing her, watching and waiting for her to speak. When she didn’t, he cleared his throat and took the seat in front of her.

“I don’t mean to interrupt your busy schedule, Officer Jessup, but…” he stopped talking and she finally looked up. “I needed to make you aware of what’s happened.”

“I admit, I was a bit shocked to learn that you were here. So, something’s come up?” she asked, looking away from her computer and focusing her attention on him.

“Yes. It’s Tara…she’s been kidnapped. I need your help.”

Officer Jessup reached for a notepad and pencil. “What makes you so sure it’s a kidnapping?”

“I…uh…I mean…I just know.”

She looked up from writing down some notes. “You just know?”

He nodded. “She called me and said she was on her way home, and never showed up. It was kidnapping.”

“I don’t want to be so blunt, but maybe she changed her mind.” Officer Jessup challenged.

“What?” he asked, glaring at her. “No she didn’t change her mind. She’s been taken. I’m positive.” He reached into his pocket and retrieved Tara’s car keys, pushing it across the desk toward her. “I found these next to her car. It was outside the community center, where she was lasts seen by her mother and others at a grief recovery meeting. She wouldn’t have walked from that far away. And her mother said she was walking to her car when she last saw her. I have no doubt…she was taken. Now, what are you going to do to help me find her? Someone has her out there. I’m guessing it’s Jake. I’m going crazy with worry, so I need you to help us.”

“You think your brother did this?” she inquired. “How did you know he’s still alive? We’ve kept that out of the media. Has he contacted you?”

He felt the anger rising up his neck. “You knew he was alive?” he shouted, standing to his feet. “Why didn’t you tell us something? Why didn’t you keep your people on Tara?”

He sat but the rage was building up.

She tapped her pen on her notebook, thinking. “Do you have evidence…a note, a phone call, or something else that would prove to us that without a doubt that she’s been kidnapped, or that your brother orchestrated her
alleged
kidnapping?”

“It is,” he said, angered that she’d question it. “No. I don’t have evidence, but you can call it intuition. My brother is alive. I just feel it. And he’ll do anything to have Tara for himself.”

“How well do you know your brother?” Officer Jessup asked.

“Not as well as I thought,” he answered honestly. “I never thought he’d kill before, and look where that’s got us.”

“True, but what about Tara? Do you think your brother would harm her?” she asked.

He wanted to believe there was no way. If he felt he loved her, then how could he hurt her? Yet, a part of him didn’t know how to answer. He couldn’t get inside the head of a serial killer, even if it was his brother.

“Jake thinks he loves Tara. I couldn’t imagine him hurting her, but…” he swallowed hard. It was difficult to admit the truth. “Clearly he’s capable. That’s what worries me the most. I need you to get people out there. Standing around waiting for evidence isn’t going to get Tara back. Now are you going to help me or do I have to go out there and find my brother myself?”

Jessup sat there for a while, like she was thinking about her next move, and weighing all the options. She picked up her phone and dialed a number. Her eyes never left his.

“Hey, where are you?” she asked into the phone. She continued to watch him, while she listened. “Okay. Get back to the station as soon as you can. There’s been a development.” Again, she paused, before replying, “Crawford. Just hurry up. I’ll fill you in when you get here.”

She disconnected the call and turned her attention to him. “Tell me everything you know, even if you don’t think it will help. Where do you think Jake would take her?”

He wasn’t sure where they were, but he felt better having Jessup entertaining the possibility. He needed the police to help. He would find a way to be strong, until Tara was back home. As he started to offer Jessup some possible places, his phone rang.

J
ake hoped
he remembered the way back. He walked and searched in the darkness, unsure he was even going the right way. Even with the flashlight, it was hard to tell which direction he was going. When he noticed the clearing ahead of him, he sighed with relief. He was back in the right place. He walked a little further, but stopped in his tracks. Reggie’s body wasn’t in the spot where they’d left it. He walked forward and spotted the blood on the ground, only slightly hidden by the falling snow.

“Where the fuck is he?” he grumbled, frantically looking around. “He lost a lot of blood. There’s no way, he could’ve…” his words trailed off.

As he followed it, he spotted legs sticking out from behind a tree. He rushed over. Reggie’s face was buried in the snow. Jake leaned close to his cheek to listen. There was no breathing. He survived the gunshot, but lost the battle when trying to find shelter.

“I didn’t plan on getting rid of you so quickly, man. But you fucked it up by trying to take away my girl. I had no choice.”

He stared down at Reggie’s body for some time, and then looked around the woods. The snow had stopped falling and the wind had picked up. He pulled his coat tighter and zipped it up, then looked back down at Reggie.

“I have to get you out of here.” It wasn’t going to be easy, but it was his only option. He grabbed his feet and hid him deeper in the bushes behind the tree. Reggie was a fit guy, but he was heavy. Too heavy for Jake to get rid of him alone. He would get the van and bring it as close as he could to the clearing. Still, he would need to get help. He left, walking through the snow covered ground, which was becoming deeper as he went. He had a body to dispose of, so he pushed through it.

He closed in on the spot where he parked the van, and heard movements nearby. He hid behind some trees. Again the rustling sound disturbed him. He dropped to the ground and waited. He was too close to completing his plan for something stupid to screw it up.

T
ara searched
through the dim cave and prayed. The only light in the cave came from a lantern and the glow of the fire. As she waited, she dug deep to keep her spirits up. After all, she had new hope.

She had grasped the phone in her pocket and managed to pull it out and dial Kevin’s number, but she couldn’t speak. Jake had left her gagged, so as Kevin called out to her through the phone, all she could do was press the speaker phone and groan for help. It was so frustrating. He was so close, and still so far away. She hoped it was enough, but couldn’t afford to take a chance.

After hanging up from the call to Kevin, she dialed 9-1-1. The operator answered and she groaned to the speakerphone again, continuing to press the 9-1-1 buttons over and over again. She let the phone drop without hanging up this time, optimistic that they might be able to trace the signal if it was connected. She shivered, trying to work at the ropes and tape that kept her wrists tied. Nothing she did freed them. All she could do was wait.

J
ake watched
as his two unsuspecting assistants sat in their camper van. Their timing couldn’t be more perfect.

“I can’t believe it’s our first winter trip in this brand new camper and the darned thing stops running,” the man said as Jake’s eyes were trained on the pair. Talk about bad timing.”

“Don’t worry about it, Shane,” the middle-aged woman beside him answered. “The drive out here was beautiful. And look, the stars are absolutely amazing tonight, even with the snow falling. We can’t get this kind of ambience in the city. Not to mention…it’s pretty romantic out here, honey.”

Jake rolled his eyes at the sappy exchange.

“See that’s why I married you, baby. You’re one tough cookie and are ready to have me anytime, anywhere. But don’t you think it’s cold out?”

“Well close your window and we can heat things up, sugar.”

“It won’t go up. The engine’s dead and this thing has power windows. Shit.”

Jake watched as she leaned in and kissed him. “Baby let’s get in the back. That big comforter will have to do until morning. I don’t want to call triple A yet. We can keep each other warm until morning and enjoy having this whole park to ourselves.”

“I like the way you think, Chelsea. Now show me what you have in mind!”

He grabbed the woman’s hand and the two passed between the driver and passenger seats to get to the back of the camper.

They were perfect.

A
s Jake drove
his van to get closer, he kept his mind focused on the goal. Tara was so close to finally being his, he could taste it. And her ripe body told him everything he needed to know. She wanted him. Her tight, sweet pussy and firm breasts gave it all away. And soon she would see how much pleasure he could give a woman. He had an erection just thinking about it.

When he spotted the red camper van parked in the same place, he turned his lights off and parked a few feet away from where Reggie’s body lay in the snow. It was so close to the broken down camper too; it was perfect. He cautiously got out of his vehicle and approached it.

The closer he got, the more moaning he heard coming from them. He couldn’t waste time. Any more disruptions could ruin everything. Iron Horse park was mostly deserted, but it was still a place a few people—like this unlucky couple—would visit. He knocked on the driver side to draw them out. Their laughter and lovemaking sounds stopped, but no one came to answer. He knocked again, only this time a little harder.

Moments later, the man appeared. He popped his head between the driver and passenger seats to look out.

“Yes?” he asked.

“Hello sir. Do you have a car trouble? I might be able to assist you,” Jake said, hoping he sounded cool and casual, like he was only there to help.

“Yeah, but we’re fine. We’ll get a tow truck in the morning, kid. Thanks for the help, but we’re fine.”

The man disappeared in the back again. Jake was fuming, the way he dismissed him. He angrily knocked on the driver-side door again. The man returned, this time he passed between the front seats and glared at Jake.

“What the hell’s your problem, man?” he asked.

“I don’t think you want to turn down my generosity, Shane.” Jake pulled the gun out and pointed it at the man’s face.

The man’s eyes bulged as Jake pulled the door open.

“Get dressed and bring your woman out here.”

The woman peeped through the opening and shrieked when she saw the gun.

“Shut up! Both of you get dressed and come out now!”

He lean against the door as the pair nervously went to the back. Jake heard mumbling and only guessed they were planning their escape. It didn’t bother him, because he was ready for them if they tried anything. After several minutes, the door opened and the man and woman got out of the camper. He held her hand, keeping her close to him.

Jake didn’t need both of them…not now. He walked around them and stood behind them, gun to the man’s head.

“Walk…or I’ll shoot,” he whispered into his ear. “Then, I’ll turn the gun on your woman. Walk!”

The man and woman walked slowly forward, until they reached the back of his van.

“Stop!”

He kept the gun on them, as he moved around to the back of the van and opened up the back. He grabbed the duct tape from the back of the van and tossed it at the man. The man’s eyes looked down at it, but then he looked back at Jake.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” he asked.

“Tie her up. Go on, wrap it around her wrists and ankles, and put some over her mouth,” he shouted, annoyance building.

“What? You’re crazy!” The man threw it down on the ground.

Jake put the gun to the woman’s head and glared at the man. “You don’t want to piss me off. Tie her up!” He reached down and grabbed the tape, tossing it back to the man.

The man hesitated, looking at Jake and then back to his wife. He shook his head. “I’m so sorry, Chelsea.”

Tears were streaming down her face. “It’s okay, Shane.”

She held her wrists out. They shook as he wrapped them, her ankles and gingerly placed a piece over her mouth. He turned to Jake, handing the tape back. Jake ordered him to put her into the back of the van.

“I can’t…” he whispered.

“Do it!” Jake anxiously ordered.

They’d already wasted so much time. The woman was lifted into the van, with little struggle as Jake pointed the gun at her and waited for Shane to finish. He pulled him back from the van and slammed the door shut.

Shane fidgeted in that spot. “Why are you doing this? Is it for the money? You can have whatever I have. It’s not much, but−”

“Shut up!” Jake ordered. “This isn’t about money.”

He grabbed Shane’s arm and forced him to walk with him to the area where Reggie’s body was hidden. When they were close, he turned on the flashlight and Shane stopped. He glanced at Jake and his eyes widened as the glow of the flashlight illuminated his face.

“I know who you are. I saw your picture on the TV. You’re that guy! You’re from Forrest Hills. You’ve killed all those innocent people and now…” his voice faltered and his eyes scanned the gun. “We’re not going to get out of here alive. Are we?”

Jake stared him down. He had not thought past the task at hand. Chances were slim, but he couldn’t let his guard down. “You talk too damn much. Keep moving!”

Shane started to move, but then slowly turned around. “If we’re going to die anyway, why should I bother listening to you? I−”

Jake broke off his words, hitting him squarely in the jaw. It was enough to get his attention and still leave him alert enough to do what he needed done. “If you stop again, I’ll kill you and make your wife do what I need you to do.”

Shane stepped forward, remaining quiet as Jake directed him.

“I have a job for you to do and if you do everything I say, I’ll let you and your wife go.”

“Right,” Shane answered. “We’re as good as dead. I know how this works. I’ve watched enough movies. I do your dirty work and then you kill us, right? I’m not stupid.”

“Shut up.”

Jake laughed when he saw Shane’s reaction to Reggie’s dead, frozen body. The man’s leg’s buckled and he bent over and threw up. He held the gun on Shane, not wavering, in case it was an act to serve as some kind of distraction.

“Get a hold of yourself, Shane. Haven’t you seen a dead body before? I thought you’ve seen enough movies? Look. You’re going to help me dispose of this body.”

Shane looked away from the corpse to Jake’s face. “If I don’t?” he asked.

Jake glanced down at Reggie and then turned to the van. His eyes remained fixated on the van, as he said, “You know, for a man who talks so much, you’re fucking stupid. If you don’t, then this will go down as the ultimate worst winter camper trip, and neither you nor Chelsea will live to tell the story.”

Shane’s jaw dropped. “Okay man. I’ll do it. What do you need me to do?”

“Finally I get through that thick skull of yours. Because I really didn’t have all day to begin with.”

Jake waited anxiously, tapping his foot in urgency as Shane slung Reggie’s body over his shoulder. He wanted to get back to Tara, but this needed to be finished up first.

“
W
e’re dumping
the body here?” Shane asked him as they stared over the side of the mountain ledge.

It was so high up, Jake couldn’t see the bottom. No one would find Reggie until at least the spring. Jake nodded, glancing at him and then turning back to Reggie’s body.

“Do it now. You’ve wasted enough of my time.”

Shane quickly shook his head. “Once we do this…it’ll be over?”

It was originally the plan, but plans change. Jake shook his head. “I need you for one more job.”

The disgruntled look on Shane’s face didn’t surprise Jake. It’d been an hour since they’d put the woman in the back of the van.

“What job is that?” Shane asked in disgust.

“Shut up and finish this one.”

Jake walked back over to Reggie’s body. He picked up the arms, while Shane slowly approached and picked up the legs. He stared down at the body, like he was waiting for it to miraculously come back to life. Jake walked toward the edge of the mountain, with Shane lagging behind.

“On the count of three.”

“Are you sure we can’t just bury it?” Shane asked.

Jake laughed. It was all he could do to get the job done without taking the gun and shooting Shane.

“I’ll count to three,” he said, again. “One…two…three…” with a rush, they swung the body and it fell down the side of the cliff.

Shane looked down, watching it fall.

“There…now that that’s finished.” He lifted the gun to Shane’s head. It was his security blanket. As long as he continued pointing it toward Shane, he wouldn’t do anything stupid, such as running for help. “Let’s go back to the van.”

They headed back to the van and stood at the back door.

“I’m here, Baby. Hang in there!” Shane said quietly.

Jake rolled his eyes and opened the back.

“What are you doing?”

“Get her out.”

“You’re leaving us here?”

“In a matter of speaking, yes I am.”

“It’s the middle of nowhere, man.”

“Get her out.”

Jake watched as Shane helped Chelsea out. He stood her up and held on as her ankles were still bound.

“Carry her over there.”

“Wait, I thought you said—”

“Carry her over there and I’ll have enough distance and time to make my getaway. Or do you want me to shoot you both right here where you stand?”

Shane did as he was told. He carried Chelsea to the edge of the cliff and placed her to sit on the ground.

“Now turn around. Count to a thousand and then you can start screaming for help.”

The man turned around. When he got to three, Jake had heard enough. He shot them both in the head and pushed their bodies over the ledge.

He shook his head. “Sorry lovebirds. I didn’t have much choice. I leave you two alone and the first chance you get, you’d run and tell the police what happened. Now I can finally get back to my Tara.”

T
ara heard
sounds coming from outside the cave and prayed it wasn’t Jake. She couldn’t believe her eyes when they appeared. They rushed up to her and one of the men peeled back the tape over her mouth.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe this! You can’t know how happy I am that you guys found me. Please, untie me before he comes back and kills us all!”

“Are you alright?” It was Bruce and Brian, the twins who she and Kevin met when they had gone camping in the woods during the summer.

“I’m fine! Please, stop asking questions and just get me out of here! You have no idea who put me here, and he will be back anytime now. Come on, hurry! We can talk after we get away. Hurry!”

The men freed her from the ropes and tape. Before she left, she picked up her phone and hurried out the cave with them.

“We have to head north!” she said anxiously, still feeling the adrenalin pumping through her veins. She knew they weren’t safe until they got far away from there. “He’s gone the other way to hide Reggie. He shot Reggie when he tried to help me.”

“Calm down, Tara,” Brian said, rubbing her arms. “We have a faster way out than going north. Look. Trust me, okay. Follow us. We’ll get you to safety.”

As they led her east, Tara took out her phone and dialed 9-1-1 again.

“Hello this is 9-1-1 emergency. Police, fire, or ambulance?”

“Hello? This is Tara Matthews. I called before but couldn’t speak. Please send help...”

“Ma’am, yes I just pulled up your earlier call. Help is on the way. Are you still at the same location?”

“I just got help from some park scouts. They’re taking me to a safer place before Jake Crawford comes back.”

“Ma’am, I’ll need you to tell me the full names of the men who are taking you.”

“Brian, what’s your last name?”

“Robson is the English last name we go by. Brian and Bruce Robson. Here let me give her details on where we’re going.”

He took the phone and provided their full names, address, the phone number of each of their cell phones, so the police could track them, and even their driver license numbers to authenticate who they were. Tara let out a sigh of relief. She felt she was closer to escaping the nightmare.