Before The Night Is Over (25 page)

No purse and no cell phone.

“
Damn it,” she whispered reverently. “Now what the hell am I going to do?”

The open glove box caught her attention and she noticed the butt of Laurel’s service revolver buried under the multitude of papers.

Her gun? But, I don’t know how to shoot a gun.

“
She needs me. Even if I don’t know how to shoot it, maybe I can get it to her so she can protect herself.”

Elizabeth pulled the gun from the glove box and wrapped her hand around the butt of the pistol. After she softly closed the door, she tried to keep her steps light as she followed in the direction they’d gone.

Several moments later, she heard voices in the distance.

“
You just can’t keep your fucking nose out of anything, can you Laurel?”

“
I’m not letting you hurt Elizabeth anymore, Jeff. She needs to leave you, you son of a bitch.”

“
She’ll never leave me. She loves me, the crazy bitch. She likes the pain. You should feel her pussy clench around my fingers as I take my belt to her ass until she’s welted and bloody.”

“
I’ll kill you before I let you hurt her again.”

“
It doesn’t matter, Laurel. They’ll find your body back here in the woods, just like those other two worthless bitches, when I’m done with you.”

“
Other two?” Laurel asked and Elizabeth crept closer.

What the hell is he talking about?

“
You know. You found one of them. They were nothing. Barfly’s. But they fessed up a nice piece of ass before I beat the hell out of ‘em.”

“
You killed those girls?” Laurel questioned as she leaned heavily against a tree.

“
Yep, but it doesn’t matter if you know or not because you aren’t leaving here alive either. I’m going to enjoy whipping the fight out of you before you die.” He grabbed Laurel’s hair, spun her around and plastered her front against the tree trunk. The clink of a chain sounded loud in the dimness of the forest, but not loud enough to attract anyone else’s attention even if anyone were around this late at night.

Elizabeth was frozen with fear as she watched her husband tie her sister to the tree. Laurel continued to talk, but Jeff obviously wasn’t listening to her.

“
You won’t get away with this, Jeff. Kale is at my apartment. He’ll be looking for me soon.”

“
So, you’re fucking my old boss, huh? No wonder he fired me. You were blowing him all along, weren’t you?”

“
Does it matter? He’ll still be looking for me and when he realized what you’ve done, he’ll kill you with his bare hands.”

“
Kale’s a pussy,” he snarled, continuing to tie Laurel to the tree until he seemed satisfied she couldn’t get free. Once he finished, he stepped back and grabbed something off the ground.

No, no, no. He’s got the whip.

Elizabeth knew the sting of the whip by heart. It seemed to be one of her husband’s favorite toys to use on her.

As he stepped back and cracked it a couple of times, Elizabeth stepped out of the shadows. He wasn’t going to hurt, Laurel. He could do what he wanted to her, but not her sister.

“
Jeff,” she said softly, hoping to catch his attention.

He quickly spun around at the sound of her voice.

“
Elizabeth? What are you doing here?”

“
I followed you after you hit Laurel at her apartment. You aren’t going to hurt her. I won’t let you.”

The crazy laughter coming from his mouth sent chills down her back.

“
You? You can’t stop me. I’m tired of her getting in the middle of things between us, Elizabeth. The fucking cops are asking way too many questions after your trip to the emergency room. I can’t have them snooping around.”

She stepped closer and put her body between Laurel and him. “You won’t hurt her.”

“
Get out of the way, bitch. I’ll take care of you after I’m done with her.”

“
I heard what you said about those other women, Jeff. You killed them? How could you do such a thing? I know you like to punish me when I’m bad. I understand that, but kill someone?”

“
Shut up, Elizabeth. Just shut up.”

She pulled Laurel’s revolver out from behind her back and pointed it at her husband. “I’m going to untie her. You stay there.”

He took a step towards her.

“
I said, stay there.”

“
You don’t know how to shoot a gun, Elizabeth. Give it to me and we’ll forget this ever happened. All right, sweetheart? You know I love you.”

Her hand wavered.

“
Don’t listen to him, Elizabeth. He’s fucking crazy. He’s going to kill me and probably you too, now.”

“
He’s my husband, Laurel,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. “I love him.”

“
Elizabeth please,” Laurel begged as she wiggled her hands trying to get one free. “Step back here towards me and untie me.”

“
Give me the gun, Elizabeth,” he said and then jumped toward her, knocking the gun from her hand. He brought his fist back and punched her hard, throwing her back away from the gun and into the pile of leaves. “You sniveling bitch!” His voice roared in the darkness, bouncing off the trees and she covered her ears as tears rolled down her cheeks.

I’ve failed. He’s going to kill us both before this nightmare ends.

Jeff picked up the gun and moved toward Laurel. “I thought I’d beat the shit out of you before I killed you, but now that your lovely sister has given me your weapon to use, I think I’ll just blow your brains out and be done with you.” The butt of the pistol rested against Laurel’s temple and all of his attention seemed focused on her.

No, no, no.
Elizabeth’s hands moved around in the pile of leaves next to her and closed around a heavy branch.
I have to stop this. I have to save Laurel.
She picked up the heavy tree limb, slowly got to her feet and swung it at Jeff’s head. The sickening thud as it connected with his skull, broke the silence of the forest around them and he slipped to the ground. The blank expression in his open eyes told her he wouldn’t hurt either of them again.

“
Oh, God. Oh God,” Elizabeth said and then pressed her knuckles to her lips. “What have I done?”

“
Elizabeth!” Laurel snapped. “Untie me, now!”

Her fingers shook as she worked the chains and ropes loose to let her sister free. “I’m sorry, Laurel. God, I’m so sorry.”

When the bonds fell away, Laurel grabbed her shoulders and hugged her so tight, she thought she might break some ribs.

“
Listen to me, Elizabeth. There is nothing to be sorry for, honey. You saved me—saved us both. He won’t hurt anyone every again.” Laurel wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they walked back towards her car to retrieve the cell phone she’d dropped on the floor.

Within moments, the wail of sirens broke the silence and the flash of blue and red lights lit up the night.

* * * *

The high-pitch ring of the phone on the nightstand brought Kale upright in the bed. He looked around confused for a moment, trying to figure out where he was. The phone rang again and he reached over to grab it.

Where the hell is Laurel?

“
Hello,” he croaked into the phone.

“
Kale?”

“
Laurel? What the hell? Why are you calling your own phone? Where are you?”

“
I need you,” she choked out and then cleared her throat. “Knock on Teresa’s door and have her watch Kimmy. I’m at the park on Oak Street on the other side of town.”

“
Tell me what’s going on,” he said, pulling on his pants and shirt.

“
I…I can’t over the phone.”

“
Do I hear sirens?”

“
Yes.”

“
Are you all right?”

“
I’m okay.”

“
That’s not what I asked, Laurel. Are you all right?”

“
I will be when you get here.”

He slipped on his socks and boots, then grabbed for his keys. “I’ll be there shortly. Stay there.” God, he wanted to say I love you, so badly his teeth ached from grinding them together.

Two quick raps on the door to Teresa’s apartment and she called, “Who’s there?”

“
It’s me, Kale. Laurel’s friend.” Teresa opened the door with a sleepy-eyed blink. “Can you come over and watch Kimmy for a bit. I’m not sure what’s going on, but Laurel just called and she’s on the other side of town.”

“
Oh, Lord. I hope she’s okay,” Teresa said, coming out into the hall and following him into Laurel’s apartment.

“
I think she’s fine. I need to get over there and find out what’s going on. I’ll call when I can.”

Taking the steps two at a time, he raced to his truck, cranked the engine and popped it into gear hardly a second after his butt hit the seat.

“
She’s all right. She said she’s all right.” The chant sounded hollow, but it was all he had until he held her again.

Ten minutes later, he whipped into the parking lot of the park. Cop cars were everywhere. Blue and red lights flashed, bouncing color off the trees and scant buildings nearby. He was out of the truck before it even stopped; running toward where she stood with her sister huddled in a blanket.

“
Laurel?”

“
Kale! Oh, God, Kale,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes as she dropped the blanket and threw herself into his arms.

“
God, baby, what happened? I don’t understand,” he said, brushing the hair back from her face and noticing the bruise forming on her jaw and cheek. “What the fuck?”

“
Jeff.”

“
Elizabeth’s husband, Jeff?”

“
Yeah. I got out of the bed because I needed to think. He called telling me Elizabeth wasn’t moving. I grabbed my keys to go to her house and see what was going on, but he jumped me in the parking lot of the complex, knocked me out and drove me here. Apparently, Elizabeth had followed him and then followed us here.”

“
I’ll kill him with my bare hands,” he growled, pushing her back and searching the area for the son of a bitch. Death wouldn’t be enough for the man.

“
No need. He’s dead.”

“
Dead?”

“
Yeah, he was going to shoot me and Elizabeth. She hit him with a tree branch.”

Kale shook with rage so strong he fought to keep it under control. Luckily, the man was already dead. “I wish I’d been here, darlin’.” He softly stroked his fingers over her face. “I didn’t protect you.”

“
He could have hurt you or Kimberly. I couldn’t have handled it if he had. It’s bad enough he hurt Elizabeth, but I would lose my mind if he hurt you.” Her whole body shook with tremors.

Smoothing both hands down her back and up to her shoulders, she slowly calmed and leaned into his embrace. Her warm breath skipped over his neck with each exhalation. Her hands held him tight against her like she thought he might disappear. He wasn’t going anywhere—not now—not ever.

“
Officer Hayes,” the chief said, stopping at her side.