Bones Of Contention: The McKinnon Legends - The American Men Book 3 (9 page)

Damn Josh’s hide, she cursed under her breath. She was perfectly comfortable with her decision to meet Trey until he showed up in her driveway. Now, as she walked across the parking lot, she was having second thoughts about several things as her eyes darted around surveying the lot.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she entered the safety of the restaurant.

Trey was waiting for her at the bar.

“Sorry I’m late,” she apologized, mentally blaming Josh for her tardiness. “I had a brush with the law.”

“Not to worry, all is forgiven. Besides, I have always loved seeing a fashionably late entrance. It gives me the opportunity to fully appreciate the scenery. You look fantastic,” he said kissing her on the cheek. “I have a table already waiting.”

The hostess politely asked them to follow her to a beautifully set table for two along the outside wall. She could see their reflection in the glass as they made their way to the table. He was a very handsome man, but she found herself comparing him to Josh. That was a comparison that came out of nowhere, she thought, pushing Josh out of her thoughts. It was not fair to her date on several levels.

Holding out her chair, she sat thanking him as he handed her wrap to the hostess to take to the coatroom.

“So,” she started after the waiter took their order, “tell me about yourself.”

Most men, she found, were well versed in talking about themselves. It made dating easier when she did not have to carry the conversation. Inevitably, when the conversation turned to her and her work, she could usually tell the moment the date was officially over. However, considering she was plastered all over the news recently, the way she made her living was not exactly a secret to him.

She found him to be a very interesting man, having lived and traveled all over the world, first in the armed service and then as a buyer for a New York arts and antiquities dealer. He was engaging, enjoyable company. The evening flew by much more quickly than she would have ever hoped.

Josh watched her from across the road. He had settled into the parking lot of the movie theater across the street from where she had spent the evening dining. Having her out and alone with a stranger might not be something he could control, but he could, by God, stand watch. He knew she would be annoyed if she knew he was standing sentry. If she did find out and fly off the handle, she could just get over it, he reasoned.

Until they closed this case, her life was not totally her own. He needed her alive to testify as she had seen the face of the killer, and as good as a police sketch might be, an eyewitness was better. However, more than this, he needed her safe. Something deep inside was pushing him past normal parameters.

He watched them through the glass as they went through several courses. She looked beautiful, and she seemed relaxed, like she was enjoying herself. The man, however, set his teeth on edge. Trey was old enough to be her father, yet Josh could not begrudge her an evening out. He surmised she did not have a chance to get out much since she worked so hard. He could totally relate. Considering the last few days had been trying at best, she needed this diversion. He just wished she would have let him take her out if she felt the need for entertainment. He was a much better escort for her.

He also, with total certainty, understood she would feel he had overstepped his boundaries calling a friend of his, Aleeza Vargas, who was an F.B.I. Special Agent. He had Trey Jackson checked out and the man was clean, much to Josh’s relief. If he could not stop her from seeing this stranger, then at least on the surface the man seemed to be on the level.

Josh watched through his binoculars.

“Okay, so go on lover boy, tip the waiter and let’s call it a night. Doc needs her beauty sleep,” he said inside the truck cab.

After dessert and coffee, Josh watched as Trey paid the tab and walked Jamie to her car.

“You better keep your hands to yourself, Grandpa,” Josh warned from the interior of his truck as they walked through the parking lot to Jamie’s car.

“Oh, big surprise,” Josh mumbled as he watched Trey asking Jamie for another date. He knew men and Trey was more than just a little interested in the pretty doctor. He could not blame the guy. The Doc was a little hottie. He had to admit she cleaned up very nicely.

“You don’t stand a chance, buddy, face it. She is too smart to be suckered into your smooth moves.” He spoke with utter certainty and then just about as quick she proved him wrong.

“Awh, Jamie, please tell me you are nodding your head to something other than another date with this guy. Damn.” He sighed, bringing the binoculars away from his eyes. It was going to be a long weekend.

“I’d like to see you again, Jamie,” Trey said, opening the door for her.

She nodded. “I’d like that as well. I have enjoyed this evening, Trey,” she answered honestly.

It was not often she was able to have an intelligent, open, and grownup conversation with a man whom she just met.

“I have tickets to see the stage production of
Hair Spray
.”

“It’s coming here?” she asked surprised.

Usually the big name productions are sponsored by the university. With her on the Committee for Cultural Arts, she usually knew before the general public when and who was coming to town. This was news to her.

“No, New York,” he smiled indulgently. “I’ll call you tomorrow morning. Is nine too early for you?”

She agreed before he closed the door waiving good night.

Josh started his truck. He would follow her home, making sure she got inside safely. At least he knew Trey was not joining her. That pleased him. It made his job easier. After they cracked this case, she could sleep with whomever she wanted, not that he would be happy about that either, he finally admitted.

However, she needed to use her head and let him stay close until they were able to identify this killer. Josh was not sure he would convince her with any ease.

“What are you up to now, Doc?” he asked as she headed north on University Street.

Jamie wanted to stop and pick up some papers she needed to grade. If she and Trey were going to New York for the weekend, she would grade them on the plane. She had not decided if she would be joining him. It was quick and would entail an overnight stay. However, if she were very clear in her stance that separate rooms were in order, it might be fun. The timing was good. Monday was a school holiday, and she had never been to New York. The extra day would give them Sunday to do a little sightseeing.

Continuing to follow her through town, Josh kept a discreet distance. She stopped first by the post office to check her mailbox. She then pulled into a gas station. Filling up her tank, she sat in her SUV looking through her mail. The pump shut off, so going inside, she paid the cashier and then pulled out of the parking lot in a completely new direction.

“Now what?” he wondered out loud as she still was not headed in the direction of her house.

Pulling into the faculty parking lot, Josh watched as she let herself into the building.

It was totally dark.

How she could go into the building alone was beyond him. Most women he knew would never take it upon themselves to walk through the halls of an old college campus building without the benefit of an escort or at least have a firearm with the knowledge how to use it.

He wondered what else she was capable of doing without the help of the stronger sex.

He could see her progress through the halls, watching her through the windows as she turned on lights and made her way to her office. A few minutes later she exited the same way she had entered turning off lights as she went.

“Not getting a good feeling about this either are you boy?” Josh had a bad feeling as he unleashed Saber’s harness from the seat belt and scratched his K-9 partner behind the ears. He never took his eyes off Jamie as she made her way back to her car, her shadow elongated by the dim sidewalk lights.

Securing the building, she headed back to her car. Jamie saw the two boys coming toward her which was not a surprise. It did not alarm her. This was a college campus after all, and there were individuals out at all hours of the day and night. It was a Friday night. Evening activity was even more elevated given it was the night before a serious rivalry home football game.

“Evening guys,” she acknowledged as they passed.

“Nice tits,” one commented reaching to cop a feel.

She sidestepped. They were drunk. That did not surprise her either. It was also another common occurrence on Friday and Saturday nights since there were bars within walking distance of campus.

What did surprise her was the way they were focusing on her. They had stopped along the sidewalk talking with their bodies turned three quarters in the same direction she was heading to her car.

Now, as she looked back there were three guys. The smaller one was convincing the other two of some scheme. Whatever it was, she thought, was not going to be selling magazine subscriptions door to door for some bogus trip to Cancun. She kept an eye on them, looking over her shoulder, picking up her pace, and quickly leaving them behind, but not fast enough for her comfort. Perhaps, she thought, I’m just being paranoid.

Then they turned around and headed right for her, cutting across the parking lot.

“Oh, not good.” Her heart hammered in beat with her high heals. The faster she walked, the harder it slammed in her throat.

Her fight or flight instinct was in hyperdrive. As a woman alone, at night, with no way to protect herself, she was potentially in trouble if these two decided she was to become a part of the evening’s entertainment.

Hastening her steps and fumbling with her keys, the tap, tap, tap of her heels sounded loud on the pavement serving as a reminder to her she was in four-inch heels. There was no way she could out run them. Hopping along on one foot, she jerked off her shoes, first the right then the left, tossing them to the side. Her dress offered little in the way of concealment or protection. It was the little black number she drug out on rare occasions for nicer dining establishments. The sequined wrap served even less of a purpose.

Ten more feet was all she needed.

It might as well have been one hundred.

Her purse dropped and papers went flying as arms grabbed her from behind. The two set the trap well, dragging her into a nearby row of hedges. Jamie struggled to get out of the grip the two had on her body, managing only to get out a single scream before the taller of the two covered her mouth and stifled any further cries for help. He held her upper body in a malicious, iron grip.

Fighting to no avail, the second one had her feet and legs tucked under his arm carrying her like a rolled up rug. She did not stand a chance as they flung her callously to the cold ground strewn with fallen leaves. She lost her breath as she made impact with the hard ground. She saw stars as her head hit and the impact momentarily stunned her.

She should have been more careful as Josh’s words echoed in her head. It was just a little too late to go back now.

Fear ran cold through her veins as she flashed back to the night Debbie was kidnapped. In the blink of an eye her world was spinning out of control as she felt her dress rend with the force of two hands tugging at delicate fabric.

She heard the drunken laughter.

Unable to cry for help, the hand over her mouth crushed her lips against her teeth. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth and smeared across her cheek as Jamie continued to struggle. Using the only weapons she had, she bit his hand and scratched his face with her nails.

“You bitch!” the taller one cursed as she raked her nails again.

“Help!” she screamed once he let her mouth go, only to strike her.

“Hey, hold her while I have a go,” he commanded the other guy with him who was now backing away. Her attacker tried to unfasten his pants one-handedly.

“No, man. You and the troll boy back there said we would have a little fun, but I didn’t agree to this. You are on your own.”

“No, please, don’t leave me here,” she begged. “You have to help me! No!” she cried, struggling against her attacker and watching the other disappear from her line of sight. She continued to fight.

It was incomprehensible. She was under attack only feet from the safety and security of her car.

Regardless of the fact he was holding her down with only one hand, she was at a disadvantage. She was just too slight to fight him off of her body.

Jamie prayed for a miracle. It was all her mind could do. He was squeezing her breasts painfully, maliciously.

She fought him.

Her prayers answered, he went flying backwards as even more powerful hands than his took hold.

“Help me! Please, help me!” she screamed to the shadow.

“Run, Jamie!” Josh commanded.

Now free of the near-crushing weight, she scrambled out of the bushes, tearing the skin on her palms and knees. At the edge of the parking lot she saw the other boy subdued face down in the grass with his hands cuffed and ankles tied. Jamie was angry almost beyond words. Running over to him she jumped on his prone body beating him with her fists.

“Hey, I didn’t do anything wrong,” he yelled at her.

“You will never touch me again!” She vowed giving him one more kick for good measure.

“I’m not the one you need to kick. I did not hurt you,” he protested.

The one who undoubtedly was the instigator was long gone, but her main attacker was still fighting with Josh.

That fight was stupid and futile, in her opinion. However, let him experience how it feels to be overpowered by a greater force. Let him understand how helpless it makes him feel, she thought, and just how small and powerless you become when another human takes away all your ability to choose and defend yourself.

An expert in Brazilian Jujitsu and mixed martial arts, it only took seconds for Josh to overwhelm and cuff the second young man. He protested loudly as Josh shoved him face-first against the closest tree for a quick search for weapons. Josh found the blade in the boy’s front pocket.