Corpse Whisperer (26 page)

His grip tightened on her. “No. Leave that to the cops.”

“I’m not in any danger. He wants me, alive, as his lover.”

“Don’t Grace. Promise me.”

Her head cocked and she studied him as if looking for an answer to a question she didn’t want to ask. “All right.”

“This may sound crazy, but I just found you, I don’t want to lose you. If nothing else, I have good instincts and those say you’re important. To me and my future.”

A smile lifted her mouth, but only a little as exhaustion probably reigned.

“I promise.”

***

Ed Bauer called Zach as he left Grace.

“We got him.”

“Who’s him?”

“The torch. We got someone to confess. Sang like a bird. Squealed like a stuck pig. Told us a name.”

“I realize you’re excited, but could you cut the metaphors and tell me the name.”

“Mark Handon.”

Zach’s breath left his body. “Mark?”

“The name sound familiar?”

“Too familiar.”

“Know where I can find him? He’s a professional torch. Freelances all around the county apparently.”

Oh no. Grace was in trouble. She had to be if Mark was her friend. How could she get mixed up with that guy? “I know he’s in Glen Hills.”

“Really? Hot damn. Shouldn’t be too hard to find him.”

“That’s what you think. Gotta go, Ed.”

He disconnected then dialed Grace’s cell. The call went right to voicemail. “Damn.”

He dialed the hospital, but no one answered at the Emergency Medical Services office. She was probably out on a call.

She’d be safe in the hospital anyway.

***

Grace slept fitfully on the couch in the EMS office. The phone rang once, but she chose not to answer it. No emergency calls woke her, but her dreams wouldn’t let her settle into a refreshing respite.

Her partner woke her when the shift finished. Entering her car, she vacillated between keeping her promise to Zach and finding Mark.

The exhaustion in her bones decided for her. She drove to her hotel room only to find she had a visitor.

“Mark.”

Her heart beat faster as he looked even more deranged than earlier.

“Gracie.”

“What are you doing here?”

She leaned against the hotel door hoping she could open it again in a hurry. He stalked towards her. “I’ve come for you. Let’s leave here.”

“You know I can’t.”

“But if I leave, Dolores lives. I won’t be here to kill her.”

So he was the killer. She couldn’t wrap her brain around the idea. Mark had been her friend for years. Why? “Why did you, Mark?”

“Because she was going to leave Glen Hills.”

“So?”

“Move away from the door, Grace.”

She did, but only a few steps. She didn’t really think he would hurt her. “Okay.”

“Sit on the bed.”

“Why?”
“I can’t trust you. You go off and have feelings for Zach.” He tutted. “Look what happened when you did that last time.”

The horror of her last corpse came rushing back to her. As if caught in an undertow of emotions, her head spun. “Did you do that? Did you kill Kevin’s mother?”

“I had to Grace. She would have made sure you and her son got married.”

The breath went out of Grace. “I loved him.”

“But you shouldn’t Gracie. You should love me. And you’ll learn to.”

This was insane. He was insane. She had to get away from him. Now. Think. “Mark, you can’t make me love you.”

He sat down next to her on the bed. “You will Grace. And just think if you go with me Dolores won’t die. You’ll have accomplished your task.”

“It isn’t that simple, Mark.”

“Yes it is.” e

He stroked a hand along her jaw and she stiffened. “Get used to it Grace. I plan to have lots of children with you.”

She gritted her teeth, attempting not to react to him. She’d pulled out her cell phone in the moment he wasn’t looking. She had it set to discreet so he wouldn’t hear her dialing.

Just as she connected with the other phone Mark said, “Now, put your hands behind your back.”

***

Zach’s phone startled him awake. He turned it off figuring no one would need him now.

Then he realized Grace might call, so he switched it on again. Not recognizing the number, he let the call go to voice mail.

Dolores woke up and searched the room. Her gaze rested on him.

“Hey.”

“Hey, Lors. How you feeling?”

“Like a truck hit me. Zach, I’m sorry.”

“No need. I believed what I wanted to believe. Anyway, I need to know all about Mark.”

Her mouth dropped open. “How do you know about him?”

“That doesn’t matter. I know that he’s going to try to kill you.”

“Mark? No, he wouldn’t. He’s just an arsonist. No one has ever died.”

“Yes, Grace. You’ve never been one to be a good judge of character.”

“Can’t argue that, but Mark?”

“Where’d you meet him?” Zach asked.

“Rehab. I know you’re not supposed to do that, but he pursued me.”

“Rehab?”

“Yes, he was released a day or two before me. He’s got a similar background. Rich, distant parents even though they are still alive.”

“What else do you know about him?”

“That I care deeply for him.”

“Does he have a violent streak?”

“Zach, I may be stupid, but I’m not going to put up with abuse.”

“True, sorry.”

“Why do you think he’s going to kill me?”
Should he tell her? A war waged before he answered. “Because of Grace.”

“Jeez, she won’t let him go.”

“No, Lors, it’s the other way around. He wants her.”

“No, that’s not what he told me. She won’t leave him alone. That’s why she followed him here and that’s why she wanted to know who my tenant was.”

“Grace didn’t know he was here until she saw him.”

“Is that what she told you?”

He hoped his gaze bore into her. He had to make her see. “Lors, who’s a better judge of character?”

“You obviously.”

“Then trust me when I say Mark is dangerous.”

His phone barked.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“I have an e-mail. Who would e-mail me?”

He looked at the picture on his phone and stood fast enough to knock over the chair. “Gotta go, Lors.”

***

Zach had alerted the state police. In his research on Mark Handon he had found out that the man owned a house down the Shore. He directed the police to the Garden State Parkway.

An All Points Bulletin was sent out.

The police had received multiple sightings of Mark’s car. They would get him.

Zach’s heart raced. It wouldn’t stop until he saw Grace. Touched her. Knew she was alive.

Nothing would do until she was in his arms.

And he’d make everything up to her.

He promised himself that as he exited Route 287 to get on the Parkway.

***

Thanks goodness the snot-nosed twenty-something at the phone store had talked Grace into a camera phone.

She took a picture of Mark and sent it to Zach. That’s if she remembered his address correctly.

Her captor had confiscated her cell phone not long after that. It rang once before Mark turned it off, dropping it on the seat beside him.

Grace lay across the back seat, her hands duct taped behind her. Her sweat was beginning to loosen the glue on them so she worked at the binding with as little noise as possible.

Mark rambled in the front.

“I have a nice house down the Shore for us. It’s been in my family for years.”

His family? She thought he was an orphan. How much did she really know about him?

“What house?”

She’d promised not to scream so he didn’t put tape over her mouth. Her mind worked furiously to get herself out of this situation. She didn’t know how stable he was. Maybe he would kill her.

“Our beach house.”

Think. Keep him talking. “I thought your parents were dead?”

“They are to me. They put me in a home for boys when I was younger.”

For mentally ill boys? He’d mentioned about running away at one point. That must have been from the home.

“Then they stuck me in rehab.”

Oh, God, that’s how he met Dolores. They had been lovers.

“You know, that Dolores isn’t a very good judge of character, getting involved with me.”

Grace grunted in agreement. Her hands were getting looser by the minute.

“She fell in love with me, not that that’s hard to do. That’s why I never figured out why you didn’t, Gracie. You were the one I always wanted.”

“That’s sometimes how it works. The one you want isn’t the one who wants you. Most people get over that.”

She heard Mark shift. “We’ll have to do something about that mouth, Gracie it just won’t do.”

Then she heard him utter an oath. Mark stopped the car. “Lay still Gracie or this cop gets it.”

Grace held her breath, wondering if Mark really had a gun. He didn’t show her one, but she didn’t trust his stability.

Think. What could she do? A blanket lay over her head and body. Maybe if she moved. She stretched out her feet, trying to shift her covering off of her.

“Step out of the car, sir,” the cop said.

Grace’s heart leapt. She wiggled as best she could. The blanket fell away from her feet, but not her head.

“Is there a problem, sir,” Mark said.

“No, I just want to show you something on your car.”

The door opened then shut.

“Hey, wait,” Mark said.

Grace’s heart skipped a beat, then something hit the side of the car.

Chapter Thirty Two

Zach pulled in behind the cop car where Mark sat. He didn’t glance at the attempted murderer. He would have wanted to spit on him.

He was too concerned about Grace anyway. He realized Grace was his future. With or without her powers. He didn’t care, when he’d been sure he would lose her, he knew that he loved her.

And he’d never had sex with her. He laughed at the idea.

The officer was just pulling her out of the vehicle when Zach got there. Her white hair stuck out at odd angles and her face looked haggard. She’d been through an ordeal, but she still looked beautiful to him.

“Grace.”

He took her into his arms, relief washing over him. She didn’t struggle. She melted into him as if she belonged there. And she did. She was his soul mate. The one he thought he’d never find.

Whispering in his ear, she said, “If you untie my arms I can hold you back.”

“Sorry. For everything.”

He nodded at the officer who cut the tape on her hands. He kissed the raw spots then she wrapped her arms around him. “You got my message.”

His grin hurt his face. “Yeah, pretty ingenious. I’ve never used that part of my phone.”

“He was taking me to his beach house.”

“He bought that house with the money he made torching places. We found someone who would finger him.” Zach pulled her closer, not ever wanting to let her go. “Not anymore.”

“I’ll get him in to booking,” the officer said then left them by the side of the road.

Zach just held onto her as if she’d disappear. “Don’t leave.”

“I don’t have to.”

He wanted to cheer. She wasn’t going to leave him. His gaze roved over her. His hands searched for any marks the monster could have put on her. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. I was scared. How’s Dolores?”

“She’s awake, but sad about the baby. The baby was Mark’s. She tried to blackmail him, but he turned the tables on her. She was scared, but didn’t believe he’d hurt her.”

“He wasn’t going to if I went with him this time.”

“You’re not going anywhere.”

“No, I don’t think I will.”

Epilogue

“Happy Birthday to you,” Zach said in a sing song voice.

Grace’s eyes were covered with his hand as he led her somewhere. She knew it was the hospital. She worked there so she ought to know its smell.

She hugged him. She’d been thinking about nothing else all day. She hadn’t wanted to bother him. She was wrong. He already knew what she was thinking.

“I want you to have peace of mind. I don’t want you to wonder. Besides, I think I’d fall in love with you no matter what,” he said.