Coveting Love (Jessica Crawford) (34 page)

She swallowed hard, tried to choke back tears. “Well…I was going to marry him, Phillip. Those are strong feelings. I’ll need time to adjust to the idea of not being with him.” She tried one last time, pleading this time, her words a whisper, “Phillip, please don’t kill Brandon. If you really love me you won’t do it.”

He jumped up, paced the room. “Don’t confuse me anymore. I have to think for a while. In the meantime, you need to be careful in here.” As if suddenly realizing he was empty handed he said to her, “I’m sorry, I didn’t bring you food today.”

“
That’s okay. I’m not hungry tonight,” she said. All she wanted was to be alone. She wanted to think about Brandon. She could close her eyes and imagine him standing before her. She wanted desperately to touch him, hold him in her arms, and kiss him joyfully, passionately. She wanted to profess her love for him. She had to think of a way to get a message to him.

“
Are you sure?” he asked. She nodded and watched as the door slid shut behind him. Tonight though, she didn’t feel the usual sense of desolation that came with the sound of the sliding door, the sound that usually echoed loudly in her mind long after she had fallen asleep, the sound that had become a nightmare to her.

But tonight...yes, tonight, she didn’t seem to mind the sound, because tonight she had some hope. Hope that Brandon would come to her. Hope that she would see her family again. She imagined their faces as they clung tightly to her, realizing she was alive after all. It was this thought that allowed her to sleep peacefully that night, for tomorrow could well be the day she was rescued, and she wanted all her strength to be with her when she was.

**********

CHAPTER 18

Brandon walked silently and quickly to the waterfront. He knew it couldn’t be Jessica. With all his heart, he wanted to believe it. He had wasted so much time trying to track down a past on Phillip Stewart that he failed to see what was right in front of him.

The Illinois police wanted Everett Watkins, but Everett Watkins was the phony name. It appeared Phillip Stewart had married under an assumed name and killed his wife to get her money. When the trail got too close, Phillip Stewart resurfaced as himself, throwing off the police. Everett Watkins disappeared altogether, that is until Brandon started digging up his past. Then he concocted a ruse to get Jessica out of the country, and away from Brandon. He had spent the past week in Illinois, trying to get the police to do something. He should have come to get her right away, instead of wasting time trying to find proof of his past crime. “Bring us more proof,” the sergeant had insisted.

If anything happened to her, it would be his fault.

“
Are you ready for this, Brandon?” John asked, putting his hand on his shoulder.

“
As ready as I can be.”

They were loading the body on the gurney when they arrived. Taking a deep breath, Brandon approached the gurney. He closed his eyes as one of the attendants drew back one corner. He slowly opened them and let out his breath.

“
Oh, God,” he moaned, and took off running.

**********

CHAPTER 19

“
What?” she screamed. She could not believe what she was hearing. Suddenly, all the anger and humiliation she had felt the past week came raging forth. “I can’t believe what you’re telling me. How could this happen?” she asked, heaving with exasperation.

“
Everything was going to be all right now,” she cried. “I was going to be rescued from this hellhole, and my life was going to return to normal.”

She knew she was making a big mistake, knew she should keep her mouth shut, but she could not. She was unable to control the emotions that poured from within her. He watched as she raged on. Then she stopped, watching Phillip’s expression as it changed from one of sheer joy, to horrifying anger.

She was betraying her true feelings of disgust that she felt for this man. She had worked so hard this week convincing him she wanted to be with him. She told him of her false desire for everyone to leave and let them go on with their lives. Now, because of this shocking blow, she had spoiled it all. There would be no rescue, and now that Phillip knew how she truly felt, he would not grant her any more special favors. Surely, this room would now become her grave.

He had come in through the door. It was morning this time. From the sunlight streaming through the window, she could see his joy clearly displayed across his face. Her heart raced with anticipation as she listened with horrifying reality to the dreadful news.

“
Oh, Jessica!” he exclaimed. “You won’t believe it. The most wonderful thing has happened, just when I thought everything was ruined. I was even considering confessing. They wouldn’t have done anything to me if you didn’t let them.

“
After you told them how much we love each other, they would go away and leave us alone. But that wasn’t how I wanted it to be. I wanted them to think you were dead. Then they would never bother us. I couldn’t believe it when I turned on the television and there it was on the news. A young woman, about your age, with your hair color and eye color has washed up on the beach. It’s incredible, Jessica. Everyone thinks it is you. Now they will all be satisfied that you are not coming back, and they will leave us in peace.”

She sank on the bed in utter disbelief. Then the shock wore off and the rage set in. She stared numbly at his glowing face. The hope she had felt the day before left her, and in its place was despair. She looked around the room, painfully felt the foot that still throbbed, remembered the ugly purple color it had become. She thought of the nights she had lain shivering under the flimsy blanket—and of the long days she had endured, hungry and alone. She could not hold it back any longer. She lunged at him with all her strength. She pounded on his chest, wailing. Her ankle throbbed and her heart ached, but she screamed as loudly as she could.

Suddenly, she saw the violence pervade her captor’s eyes. She was no match for his wrath. He shoved her against the wall. She cowered against it. He approached her, fire blazing in his eyes, black pools present where there had previously been hues of green. He grabbed her roughly, kissed her hard, grinding his teeth against hers, devouring her lips. The veins in his neck throbbed, sending shivers through her body.

Her heart beat wildly, fear taking over her emotions. She pushed him away, jumped to her feet, trying to push past him. If only she could make it to the door, then she might be able to find the button that released the spring that barred her freedom. She knew the general location of it. She had watched Phillip every night fumble on the wall for it. She had spent countless hours searching in vain for it. If she were able to find it, would it require a key to open it?

She lurched forward, putting unwelcome pressure on her foot. She cried out in agony as the pain shot up her leg, rendering her helpless against the strong arms that picked her up and carried her to the bed.

When she opened her eyes, Phillip hovered over her. The anger was gone, replaced by concern. He pulled up her pant leg, wincing at the sight he saw. The color had begun to travel up her calf. The entire area was swollen and red. He was shocked at both the pain she was in, and the sight of the ugly injury.

He wiped the perspiration from her forehead. “My darling, why didn’t you tell me you were in so much pain? We must get you a doctor.”

Yesterday she would have welcomed those words, but today she didn’t care. Her whole life had been turned upside down in the space of a couple weeks. It mattered little to her what happened now. No doubt, Phillip would buy off any doctor he brought in to care for her leg. Assuming he would even allow him to leave. Perhaps this would be his grave as well.

She closed her eyes tightly against the pain. She felt arms ripping from around her body, heard the unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh. Then she heard splitting boards. She remembered the sound from the night she had fallen through the floor.

Unable to bear what was coming next, she refused to look into his eyes. She kept her eyes closed tightly. Then gentle arms enclosed her. A voice softly called her name. Tears slipped down her cheek, a feeling with which she was becoming well acquainted. She flung open her eyes. “Brandon?” she whispered.

“
Yes. I’m here. You’re safe now. I’m going to lift you now. It’s going to hurt but hold on tight.” She wanted to tell him it wouldn’t. Nothing could hurt after what she had been through, but she didn’t dare say anything. What if he was a dream—might he disappear if she spoke to him?

Tears stung her eyes, and a sob caught in her throat. It was real. Brandon was here and he had come to rescue her. Phillip did not attempt to stop them as they made their way to the door. She clung to Brandon, afraid to let go.

She saw the remorse on Phillip’s face as they passed him. She felt pity for him. He had loved his grandmother so much that it had twisted his mind. No one could blame him for that.

Brandon managed to find the button on the wall; it did require a key. As soon as the door opened, Jessica gulped the fresh air. They walked through the door and it shut behind them.

“
Thank God the idiot left the key in the lock,” Brandon said. The door slid shut, locking Phillip inside.

“
What about Phillip?”

“
He’ll manage until the police let him out,” Brandon replied with bitterness.

John rushed to their sides as they entered the sitting room.

“
Jessica!” he cried in disbelief.

Brandon set her down on the chaise lounge and picked up the phone to call for an ambulance.

John sat down beside her. “I don’t know what’s going on here,” he said, “but I’m sure glad to see you.”

She started to tell him of her ordeal, but he silenced her.

“
Hush, there’s time to tell us all about it later,” John assured her. “For now you just need to rest.”

“
It’s odd,” she said. “I have done nothing for two weeks, yet I feel so exhausted.”

“
That’s your emotions talking. You’re physically worn out.”

“
I guess you’re right,” she said, stifling a yawn. She closed her eyes, content with the safety of friends. “John,” she murmured.

“
Yes, Jess.”

“
Thanks for being such a good friend.”

He smiled and kissed her hand. “You’re welcome, my friend.”

**********

CHAPTER 20

Jessica smiled with love and gratitude at the man sitting beside her on the plane. “It sure feels good to be going home.”

He smiled back. “I second that.”

“
What do you think is going to happen to Phillip now?”

Brandon said, “He’ll get the help he needs, and then who knows. Perhaps this whole incident will change him. He gave no resistance when I finally pulled him off you. I really believe he was glad it was over.”

She nodded. “Yes, I think he was. Right before you came in he said he was going to get me a doctor. I want you to know, Brandon, that he never hurt me. I think he really did love me, but his grandmother’s illness messed with his mind. She did awful things to his mental state. It was such a shame. A boy should be out playing with friends, not playing companion to an aging, unstable, bitter woman.” She sighed. “You still haven’t told me how you figured out where I was.”

“
The question is where to begin. I was concerned when you went away without telling me. I spent most of the time trying to track down information that would prove Phillip’s involvement in the death of his former wife.”

“
And did you?”

“
No, not enough to get the police involved. It seems without some concrete proof that Phillip Stewart is really Everett Watkins, they won’t cross states, and since Phillip Stewart really is Phillip Stewart, I don’t think there is much to go on.”

John said, “Wait, I’m afraid you lost me. Is Phillip Stewart really Everett Watkins?”

“
No. Actually, Everett Watkins is really Phillip Stewart. What I discovered so far has led to this theory, and it is just a theory mind you. Phillip Stewart came to the United States and married the current Mrs. Stewart. Then he met Mary Watkins—a very wealthy woman. He couldn’t marry her because he was already married. So he created an alias identity—Everett Watkins. He married Mary, and then killed her after she changed her will, leaving the bulk of the estate to our beloved Phillip. Mary, however, has grown children and an extremely angry ex-husband, who were concerned about her leaving so much money to him. They of course, expressed their concerns to the police, who were eager to listen to their theories and began to investigate. Phillip got wind of it and hightailed it out of there, leading to the warrant for his arrest, or rather for Everett Watkins’s arrest.”

“
Wow, you discovered all this during the two weeks I was being held captive?”

“
Yes, but unfortunately, I wasn’t convincing enough to get the police interested.”

“
Well, they should be interested now.”

“
I think they will, but even if they don’t, Phillip kidnapped you. Kidnapping is a serious charge; he’s going away for a long time.

“
When I couldn’t reach you, I contacted Clair. She finally admitted that she had tricked you into working with Phillip Stewart. I was worried after our last meeting with him. I kept trying to get in touch with you, but I never could. Your cell phone just kept giving me an out of range signal. Whenever I called Phillip’s house, I was given excuses regarding your whereabouts.”