A Haunted Heart (8 page)

The sky was gray and a fall storm was brewing as I hopped into the truck and headed to her place. Knowing flowers were not an option, I grabbed coffee, bagels, cream cheese and donuts. I was starving. To be perfectly honest, I was hungry for her.  To see her. To touch her. To taste her.

Her car sat in the driveway and pride swelled in my chest when I saw the car pulled up further in the drive than it had been. She’d driven last night, and I couldn’t help but feel confident that I played a role in making that happen.

I found myself nervous as I walked up the steps to her porch, and a goofy-ass smile lit up my face. I knew I was being watched. Surveillance had been on her house for the past eleven months.

After knocking, I stood impatiently shifting my weight from side to side, and then glanced at my watch. I was seven minutes early. I knocked a little louder.

Still no answer. Pulling out my cell, I called her, but it went straight to voicemail. My heart began to pump at a faster pace as I swiveled around looking at the ‘construction van’ sitting across the street. I walked back to the truck, got in and slid in my earpiece, which was also connected to the mic that I lifted to my mouth.

“Talk to me.”

“She’s in there Adam. She hasn’t come out since she got home last night. But we will take those donuts.”

“You can have what she doesn’t want,” I joked, removing my piece and laying it in the seat of the truck.  I headed back up the porch.

After pounding on the door, I stepped to the side and tried to see in the window, but the blinds were drawn. An eerie feeling grew inside of me as I made my way to the back of the house where I beat on the back door too. No answer.

As I stepped off the back patio, two drips of something caught my eye. Dabbing them with my fingers, I smeared the liquid around on my fingertips. Blood!

Leaping from the steps, I sprinted around to the truck where I almost tore the door from its hinges and grabbed the earpiece and my gun.

“Adam. Stand down!” echoed through my ear. I ignored it.

“CODE ANNA!” I shouted into the mic.

As I dashed toward the front porch, from the corner of my eye I caught a flash of the men jumping out of the van.

“Adam, wait!” they hissed through my headset just as my foot blasted through the front door.  I continued to kick the wood until I was able to step through into her living room.

“ANNA!”

A rancid smell slammed into me and I covered my nose and mouth with my hand. Adrenaline fueled my run through every room of the house. And panic gripped me as I stepped over vomit and her clothes from last night.

“God damn it Adam! What the hell are you doing?” Hamilton shouted as I checked the last room…the kitchen.

“He’s got her. Mother Fucker! I knew it!” With my weapon still in one hand, I stared at Hamilton and Jennings, who stared wide-eyed back at me covering their noses.

“How do you know? What makes you think he has her?”

“There’s fucking blood on the back porch. I stuck my finger in it not knowing what the hell it was.” All emotion inside of me had shut down and my game face was on.

For the past six weeks, I’d been living in unskilled territory. Swimming in unfamiliar waters. Relationships. Romance. Thinking of another person other than myself. None of this had ever happened before. All of it…foreign to me.  But now…now this was
my
game. This was what I did best. My poker face was intact and there was no doubt I would find Anna.

“Adam?”

I spun around and Hamilton pointed to a folded up piece of paper next to the TV.  My name was scribbled on the front.  My heart stopped beating for a moment as other thoughts crept through my mind. Had she not been taken but left on her own?

Miranda burst through the broken door. “What happened? Where is she?” Fear distorted her features, as the smell overwhelmed her. She loved Anna too.

“Don’t touch anything. We need the entire place dusted. And find out where TJ is now.”  My tone was flat yet demanding.

“Stroud?” Caution permeated Hamilton’s voice as I approached the folded piece of paper addressed to me. The whooshing in my ears drowned everything out as my heart pounded powerfully against my chest.

“Get me some gloves.”

Jennings handed me a pair from his pocket and I worked my hand into the latex then carefully opened the evidence. Typed.

Dear Adam I thought I could do this but I can’t. You are not the one for me. I’m going away for a while. Good by. Anna

“It’s typed. It’s not from her. She would never spell goodbye wrong. I need the blood swabbed for testing on the back porch and ran. I’m going home to get my vest and change.”

Halfway to my truck, Miranda snapped her fingers from the porch and I spun around—her phone was to her ear.

“They spotted him on highway 64 going east,” she whispered, still listening to whoever was on the other end.

I fired up my truck, rolled down my window and eyeballed her, waiting for her to finish the call.

“She’s not in the car. They are hoping in the trunk,” she said swallowing and shaking her head while sliding her phone into her pocket. “We gotta get her, Adam.”

Our eyes connected for a long second, and I nodded only once.

“Do we have a mile marker?”

She glanced away from me. Miranda was a tough ass agent but this was getting to her. She’d been here eleven months; I’d been here two and a half.

“They spotted him at 243. Flipped around when they could and haven’t seen him since.”

She cleared her throat. “The FBI has an APB out but we have avoided local law enforcement. Highway Patrol is aware.”

When she finished speaking, I pulled out of Anna’s drive way.

Once home, I bolted from the truck, barreled through the door and ran to my bedroom, stopping immediately when I saw her lace panties on the nightstand. I’d kept them against her will…sort of.  I’d told her she’d get them back tonight. The simple fact that she wore lace panties to my house… I smashed her pillow to my face, inhaling her scent.

My eyes closed and I instinctively ran my tongue the length of my lips when I thought about her taste and her kiss. No woman had ever touched me with such passion and intensity and I knew I never wanted to be without that touch again.  My thoughts had also never been so caught up with a woman before. I longed for her in every way possible. The worst possible way I used to think…but now…now things were different…now it was the best possible way.

With the thought of TJ laying a hand on her, my entire body went rigid and I clenched my fists. No amount of training could prepare me for this—this adrenaline rush that soared through my body. After sliding my lead vest over my head, getting dressed and packing my weapons and ammo…I was out the door as quickly as I’d come in.

Back in the truck, I grabbed my cell phone.  The screen was blank.  I’d grown used to seeing her name light up my screen. Without overthinking things, I sent her a text.

Please don’t go. Talk to me.

It took only three minutes for her name to flash on my screen.
How fucking dumb are you, TJ?

I have too leave me alone

“Jesus,” I said out loud, shaking my head as I careened down the road. Anna always used punctuation and she certainly wouldn’t use the wrong version of to.

Picking up my other phone, I called the agency. “Her phone is on. She…or he just replied.”

“Yes we see that. Her location services aren’t on, but we are trying to track.”

I ended the call and parked once again at Anna’s, which was now considered a crime scene. 

Nine hours later, and after finding TJ’s prints spanning the entire house, including her windows…and every surface in her bedroom—doubts slowly crept into my mind.

“You doin’ OK?” Miranda asked me as I stared at the construction that continued on without me across the street. 

My cover was completely blown. The three black Denali’s with tinted windows sitting out front screamed “notice me.”

“Yeah, Miranda. I’m fucking perfect,” I spat out as I glared at her. “How are you? She’s been your best friend for the past eleven months.”

She quickly brushed away the single tear that escaped her eye and turned away from me.

“I know what you’re thinking, Adam.”

“Tell me what I’m thinking, Miranda.” My hateful, angry tone was evident.

“You’re doubting her. You’re doubting her feelings and what you two shared.”

I shook my head, angry that her assessment was spot on. “Whatever. So fucking what if his prints were on her goddamn head board. In her bathroom. In her closet. What does it really matter? She’s missing. I had a job to do. I did it. End of story. Now I find her. That’s what I do.”

Miranda, who was about as soft as a brick, touched my shoulders. The thought of any woman touching me made me sick.

“She loves you, Adam. She told me herself. She’s fallen for you.”

“We got him!” Jennings shouted as he and Hamilton darted down the front steps.

“Him? What about her?”

All four of us piled into one of the SUV’s.

“After several stops. He just parked at a farmhouse about 50 miles east of town,” Hamilton said. “No sign of her yet, but he’s going out there for a reason.” His eyes met mine in the rearview mirror.

I always drove, and I knew why he hopped in the drivers seat—I was emotional.

“Just go,” I whispered, silently praying that she would be alive.

The skin on my cheeks was tight from dried tears, and I squinted trying to focus on anything in the blinding darkness. With one eye swelling from TJ’s fist and the other trying to see… no matter how hard I tried to concentrate and calm myself, my breaths were still coming in short gasps. The pain radiated through my ribs with the longer breaths, and, based on the degree of gut wrenching pain, my ribs were probably broken. 

I’d collapsed on my hands and knees in the dirt hole he’d thrown me in and tried to listen to determine if he’d left. Though a nasty rag he’d found in his car gagged my mouth, I could easily manage a muffled scream if I knew for sure he was gone.  Footsteps thumped over the floor above me, and I silently prayed for him to leave.

Unsure how much time had passed, something crawled lazily over my hand and my chin trembled as tears lurked. I quickly flicked it off.  His footsteps had faded, but my hearing was in tune and a door never closed, so I continued to wait.

A shiver rippled up my spine as the temperature of the hole settled through me. My naked body shook from the cold and the shower he forced on me left me even more chilled. The way his soapy hands scrubbed over me…all of me…made the tears seep over their dams. That was at the first house we stopped at. My clothes and everything had been left behind.

I couldn’t stand and I refused to lie down, so I stayed on my knees with my forehead resting on my fists.

  More time passed and my right eye was now swollen completely shut—a constant throbbing pulsed behind my socket. And some sort of freaking something continued to crawl on me.

I’m sure Adam wondered what was going on and where I was.  The hurt of not seeing him ever again was pretty overwhelming and caused an ache in my heart that I forced myself not to think about.

Our beautiful night together now made my stomach turn over since TJ confided that he’d watched it all.  Every last detail. Images floated through my brain—visions of him…of us.  Lashes of Adam’s tongue until I completely came undone beneath him once again. The slow gentleness when he rolled down a condom and entered me in the most deliberate way.  The way he hissed my name like I’ve never heard it said before as he released inside me. The reality of learning there was a better lover than Michael—that alone was burden enough to carry. But the thought of being with Adam again washed that entire burden away, and even as I lay aching in a hole…caused my body to clench in hope.

“Adam…” I whispered his name, trying to find reason to fight. Then I closed my eyes fearing I’d never see him again.

Agency cars sat off the road ready to block off access from every outlet—ready to move once he came back home.  TJ had left the house about fifteen minutes ago and we were banking on Anna being inside. The fog was thick, which made penetrating the land and house a little more difficult simply because we couldn’t adequately evaluate the terrain and anything that he could have rigged for us.

Equipped in full tactical gear, I stood next to Miranda, Hamilton and Jennings waiting for our entry plan. The back of the house was covered. Agents were going in as we penetrated the front.

A single light silhouetted what looked like a living room, and the blinds were open as if to hide nothing. This…anticipation pumping through my veins at Mach 3 speed caused my breath to hitch with the taste of TJ’s blood…all of it…was a thrill I never wanted to live without. Our red laser sights dotted the ground as I gave hand signals indicating our entry.

The front door was locked, but Hamilton made quick work of the dead bolt and we were in—three agents simultaneously coming through the back with no sound.

Voices started echoing through my headpiece.

“Kitchen, clear.”

“Bedroom, clear.”

“Living room, clear,” Hamilton said from behind me as I gauged the dark staircase up to the second level.

I tilted my head to two officers who, along with me, slid our night vision wear down and soundlessly ascended the stairs. The house was quiet with no light upstairs. A bleach smell hung in air.

“Bathroom, clear.”  Agent Evert said in front of me as he pulled back the shower curtain. I cautiously opened the bedroom door across the hall. Agent Connell checked behind the door as I spotted the girl sprawled out naked across the bed.
Anna!

As I approached her, I realized she wasn’t Anna.  This girl was blonde and tremors shook her body. With fear in her wide eyes, she tried to determine who I was.

“Please, don’t hurt me!” she cried out as I grabbed a thin, dirty sheet at the bottom of the bed and wrapped her in it.

“Sshhhh. I’m not going to hurt you. But I need you to be quiet,” I whispered, stepping away from her.

“Don’t leave,” she squeaked out.

I whispered into the mic on my shoulder. “Female. Blonde. Located in upstairs south bedroom. Need assistance.”

Connell was checking the closet and beneath the bed.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Sarah McClinton. Please don’t leave me!” she cried.

Connell spoke into his mic. “One female, Sarah McClinton located. Victim is alive but may require medical attention.”

Connell nodded indicating us to move on so Evert and I continued to search for Anna. Evert slowly opened the door to the second bedroom. Another woman lay on the bed in the same position as the first girl—naked and visible to whoever came in. Her dark hair pillowed out around her head…but I knew instantly it wasn’t Anna just by her height.

“We have an additional brunette female on the second floor north room.  Possibly unconscious.” Evert spoke into his mic.

As I approached the bed, vomit lurched in the back of my throat when I considered what had happened to Anna. As my thoughts strayed, my foot accidentally kicked a heavy chain on the floor, shooting the woman upright with panic and terror in her expression.

I shifted my weapon out to the side and held my finger up to my mouth to try and shush her.

“Sshh! We are here to help. But I need you quiet,” I whispered.

The chains around her arms clanked against the floor and the bed.

“Please help me!” she shouted, and I instantly slammed my hand over her mouth.

“We will help you. I promise. But we need you to stay quiet.”

She nodded as big tears freed themselves from her eyes.

“What’s your name?” I asked, but in the back of my mind knew there was one more bedroom.

“Jackie Bro,” she cried as I freed her mouth from my hand.

I nodded. “Spell that for me, Jackie.”

“BREAUX.”

Evert cleared his throat and spoke again. “We have second missing female Jackie Breaux located. Victim is alive.”

Two officers I didn’t recognize came in. “Third bedroom is clear.” I heard through my headpiece.

“NO!” I shouted and both looked at me through their night vision goggles. “NO!” I shouted again and without thinking bolted from the room and barreled into the other bedroom. Nothing but an empty bed. Ripping the goggles from my face, I raked my hands through my hair, pacing as I tried to wrap my brain around all of the possibilities.

“Get it…the fuck…together,” Miranda hissed out, charging into the room. “We will find her. You’ve done pretty well up until this point. I will ask that you be removed if you can’t pull it together.”

I knew my lip was pulling into a snarl but I couldn’t help it. Motion in the hall drew my attention as one of the girls was being carried out.

“It’s the two missing girls that Evert told me about at the bar.”

She nodded. “I know. We hadn’t gotten word that any dogs were on the move.”

“They’re women,” I gritted.

“No shit.”

“Then we shouldn’t say dogs.” I’d never given it that much thought until now.  I couldn’t stand the idea that Anna would be referred to as a dog.

“Well. Maybe if we weren’t undercover we wouldn’t have to, Stroud. But since we can’t just shout to each other we have two missing women, we need a word that will work.”  Miranda was getting pissed, I could tell. 

“Please hurry before he gets back,” the girl cried from the hallway.

“Hey,” I said and turned away from Miranda, following the cradled girl downstairs.

“Did you see another girl here?” I asked.

She didn’t answer.

“Jackie…did you see another girl here?” I desperately questioned again.

“Stroud,” Evert cautioned setting her down on the sofa.

“ANWER THE GODDAMNED QUESTION!” I screamed. “When he was here earlier, did he bring a woman?”

“Suspect turned off highway and is approaching location.”

All of us reached for our earpieces and listened as the perimeter agent spoke. TJ was back.

“What?” the girl asked. “What’s wrong?” The room fell silent as we all looked at each other. Hand signals began to fire off.

“No one fucking touches him but me!” I growled.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
A thumping vibrated the wood floor. None of us moved. Panic seized the girl as she realized her captor had returned. Evert escorted her quickly from the room as the floor vibrated again.

What the hell?

“Subject is parking. Thirty yards from front door. Possibly armed.”

A pained moaning resonated from beneath the wood. Without thinking I shoved the coffee table and kicked the area rug exposing a door in the floor.

“Twenty yards.”

Arms wrapped me from behind in a bear hug. “Don’t fucking move.”

As soon as I heard the voice, I knew it was the one agent here who out ranked me. Disobeying his order would definitely be a one-way ticket to the unemployment line.

“Ten yards.”

“Stroud. If that’s her, she’s safer down there than up here right now. Get your head in the game,” Cummings hissed into my ear.

“At the door.”

Nine red lasers targeted his body as he stepped into the house. A defeated expression colored his features until his eyes landed on me.

When his line of sight flickered down to the exposed floor then back up to mine…my lips curled up. Not because I was smiling…but because I felt pretty confident she was there now.

“You work for the Feds?” he asked. But it was more of a rhetorical question.

My grin only broadened—
busted you piece of shit.

“Did you even care about her at all?” he asked.

My heart beat funny in my chest as anger boiled beneath the surface.

It only took him two seconds and my slight hesitation for him to pull the nine-millimeter out of his pants and point it straight up under his chin.

BANG! BANG! BANG!
The gunfire was deafening.

I didn’t even lift my gun.  Three other agents took him out—hitting him in the shoulder, the knee and the arm before he had the chance to kill himself.  As I kicked his gun away, I stared down at him writhing in pain on the floor.

“The good thing is, you’ll live. A long, pathetic life behind bars. The best thing is, you’ll never touch Anna or any other woman ever again.”

“It’s OK sweetheart, we got ya,” I heard Miranda say behind me. I spun around to see her and Evert pulling Anna from the ground. Her naked body was dirty and covered in angry red splotches.

“Oowww,” Anna cried out.

Hamilton stepped over the hole and covered her with a sheet as Anna’s arms flew around Miranda’s neck. Two other agents jumped down into the hole clearing the scene.

Leaning back and looking at Miranda, Anna worked the gag around her mouth off. “Miranda,” she cried—desperation clung to her words.    “What are you doing here?”

Miranda lifted the Velcro piece on her uniform and exposed the FBI logo.

The truth was unfolding before Anna’s eyes, and my heart nearly beat out of my chest as I measured her response to someone she thought was a friend.  Someone who hadn’t fucked her 24 hours ago.

“Are you OK?” Miranda whispered, cupping her face.

She nodded. “You’re with the FBI?”

Miranda brushed over her hair. “I suppose I have some explaining to do,” and smiled. “You need to be looked at by a doctor first, sweetie.”

“There are spiders everywhere down here,” one of the agents said.

“Adam…I need to speak to Adam,” Anna exhaled out frantically clinging to Miranda.  “TJ’s going to hurt him. TJ will kill him!”

Nine sets of eyes fell on me. I was up. I’d never been short for words in my life. But nothing in my life had ever meant so much. Miranda stared past Anna directly at me.

Then it happened, she turned around.