Dangerous Intentions (15 page)

“I’ll kill you first.” With strength I never knew I possessed, I charged toward him and gave him a massive kick in the ribs that tipped him to the side. He groaned, but before I could back off, he grabbed my ankle in an iron grip and I fell to the ground face first. I turned my head to the side. I was facing his feet. Only for a moment, though, because he was pulling so hard at my ankle that I was being dragged along the floor, toward his face. Dust rose and plugged my nostrils.

At first I screamed and then I remembered I still had a weapon. Even with the fall, my fingers were still wrapped around the knife. I breathed in and forced myself to stay calm. I stopped fighting to make it easier for him to pull me, the floor scratching my cheek.

My fingers tightened around the knife as I slid past his thighs. Then I raised the knife and jammed it into his groin. “This is for every woman you’ve ever raped, you sick bastard.” I pulled out the knife again.

He released me and I clambered to my feet, still holding the knife.

“You fuckin’ whore,” he wailed, his words soaked in agony. He pressed his hands against his manhood, blood seeping through his fingers.

“You’re the bitch now.” I backed away farther until I was stopped by a few containers. In a flash, I remembered what they contained.

Last time I’d been here, they had been filled with oil. Before Jude could get any closer, I grabbed one and opened it, keeping my eyes on Jude. I tipped it over and poured out its contents, thick and viscous. I swung the container and sent some oil flinging in his direction, onto his bare back and shoulders, his hair. I had the advantage of being able to move fast on my legs while he was on all fours.

“I’ll never let you touch me again.” I ran toward him as fast as I could and grabbed the lighter and keys in one hand. The oil was surrounding him now. I didn’t have much time before he found the strength to get back to his feet.

I flicked the lighter, then threw it at him. The oil caught fire instantly. He howled and rolled onto his back, trying to stifle it. The flames latched onto the oil around him, and spread rapidly as he tried to back away from it.

For a moment I watched him, his face creased in agony and fear pouring into his eyes. I had seen what I needed to see. I ran to the door and managed to push the key inside the lock even as my hands shook. I tore through the door and broke into a run, his screams piercing the air behind me.

Chapter Thirty-Four

My leg muscles screamed and my heart felt like it was on fire. But I kept running, even when I felt a thorn dig into one of my bare feet. My blouse was still open, my breasts bouncing freely in the cool air, but that was the least of my problems.

I saw headlights in the distance. Wheezing and panting, I stumbled off the dirt road, through sharp blades of grass, and hid behind the large trunk of a nearby tree. It could be Nolan and I didn’t want him to see me. He might try to kill me too.

The car whizzed past, and I sighed with relief and sank to the ground. I had no energy to continue running so I laid my head on my knees and closed my eyes tightly, my shoulder thrumming with pain.

Minutes later, as if a switch had been flipped, light exploded around me, more headlights piercing the darkness. My head snapped up.

The sounds of many cars disturbed the silence, followed by sirens, followed by an explosion that caused the ground to shake.

My head snapped to the side just in time to see the barn collapse, sending sparks and flames shooting into the sky like red and orange stars.

Clutching my shoulder, I wept from both pain and relief. It was over. I leaned my head against the trunk and closed my eyes to fend off the dizziness. I needed to go on, to find Dustin, but I couldn’t move anymore.

Eventually, someone found me and draped a blanket around my shoulders. I opened my eyes and was shocked to meet Dustin’s. A wave of relief swept over me and I collapsed into his arms, sobs shaking me. Jude had lied. Dustin was alive.

Dustin called out for a paramedic just as thundering boots ran past us, headed in the direction of the barn. Some of them asked me questions, but my lips just wouldn’t move.

As I was lifted onto a stretcher, I gripped hard onto Dustin’s hand and finally spoke. “He’s dead. I… I set him on fire.”

“It was self-defense,” Dustin said, and climbed into the ambulance with me.

A fire truck drove past. They would be able to quench the flames, but there wouldn’t be anything left in the barn to save.

***

I refused to spend the night in the hospital, so the paramedics treated my wounds in the ambulance. The stab wound wasn’t as deep as I had feared, and I was released with painkillers and bandages.

We were driven back to the farmhouse by one of the deputies, who wouldn’t quit making me repeat everything that had happened. All I wanted to do was fall asleep and not answer any more questions about the man I so desperately wanted to forget. My head stayed on Dustin’s shoulder and my eyes were already drifting shut. But I told the deputy what I could, even if it hurt to relieve the nightmare.

Grace was at the house when we got there. She had made a pot of coffee and was sitting at the table holding a steaming mug. When she saw me, she jumped out of her chair and gathered me into a hug.

More cops and detectives showed up with more questions. They jotted down what they needed, drained their cups of coffee, and left with the promise to return in the morning with more news or questions. Detective Rimes would also come by in the morning to talk to me.

“Are you okay?” I asked Dustin, eying the bandage on the right side of his head. I touched it lightly and blinked away tears. “He said he shot you… that you were probably dead.”

“He just wanted to scare you.” He stretched an arm across the back of the couch and wrapped a hand around me, pulling me close. “I just can’t believe I was so stupid. How could I not have known? I should have done a better job protecting you.”

“You did, Dustin. You did everything to keep me safe.”

“And yet he still managed to get to you. He almost killed you.” He took a sharp breath. “I tried to warn you. When we arrived here and he revealed himself to me, I tried to call you. But the bastard hit me over the head with a brick.”

“A brick?” I pulled away from Dustin and covered my face with my hands. The thought that I had put him in danger was eating at me. But I couldn’t stop thanking God that he was still alive.

“Yes. When I was fading in and out of unconsciousness I heard him say something about not wanting to kill me yet, that he wanted you to see me die. Then he pressed a rag to my mouth and nose. I think it was soaked in chloroform.”

“He did the same to me.” I looked up and shook my head. “Then he locked you in the basement?”

“That was where I was when I came to.”

 “How did you get out to call the cops?”

“Grace and Travis were already on their way to visiting her niece when Grace realized she had forgotten her blood pressure medication in the kitchen. They decided to drive back and leave town again tomorrow morning.” Dustin sighed. “As soon as they entered the house, they heard me slamming a baseball bat against the door.”

“Thank God they found you. And that you were okay.”

“Thank God we found
you
… alive. I’ve never been so terrified in my life.” He interlaced his fingers with mine. “On their way here, Grace thought she heard a scream coming from the barn and saw the light was on. I knew instantly that Jude had taken you there. You were so brave to fight him.”

“I was far from brave.” I gazed up into his face. “I just wanted to get to you.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

I folded up the newspaper I was reading and leaned back in my chair to watch Dustin and Travis unloading the truck. They were going to start building a new barn today.

I closed my eyes and tried to relax. I was still learning how it felt to live without fear.

A lot had happened since Jude died a month ago.

The remains of Leon’s body were discovered in the garden of the house I had shared with Jude, just as Jude said. Several witnesses—ex-employees of Devine Resorts—were brought in for questioning in connection to Leon’s murder. Their statements, backed up by surveillance videos and photos, helped clear my name.

The bodies of Jude’s ex-wife, mother, and his prostitute victims had not been found, but the charges were dropped against Diana’s ex-boyfriend, who had been awaiting trial for her murder.

A week after Jude died, Lin, the woman who had been our housekeeper, came forward and told the cops that she had seen Jude kill a woman matching Diana’s description in the basement. Jude had told me Lin had been let go, but like everything else he’d said, that was a lie. After witnessing the gruesome murder, she walked out of Jude’s mansion and never returned. The news of Jude’s death had given her the courage to come forward.

To take the last step toward freeing myself from the chains that bound me to Jude, I filed for the annulment of our marriage. Soon, Jude would be nothing but a memory—a painful one, yes, but in memory he could not harm me.

I was finally beginning to understand what freedom might be like. The only thing that weighed on me now was the fact that the cops still hadn’t found Nolan.

Chapter Thirty-Six

“There’s a package for you on the dining room table,” Grace told me when I came downstairs. “I found it at the door. God knows who left it there.”

I frowned as I walked into the dining room. The small box was right in the middle of the table, wrapped in gold-embossed wrapping paper with a silver bow planted in the center.

I hesitated before picking it up. I couldn’t imagine who would send me a gift—especially delivered by someone local.

I touched the bow and then reached for the whole box.

“What’s inside?” Grace said from the doorway and I spun around.

“Haven’t opened it yet.”

“Go on then. Maybe it’s something nice.”

I drew in a breath and sat at the table. I pulled away the paper to reveal a midnight blue velvet jewelry box.

Forcing myself not to think, I opened it with Grace looking over my shoulder. There were two things inside—a small piece of vintage paper that was rolled up, and a silver key. They were both nestled in a bed of blue silk.

“A key,” Grace said, her breath warm on my ear. “That’s interesting. What could it mean?”

“Maybe the note will tell us.” I unrolled the piece of paper. There was no message scrolled on it, just an address in Serendipity.

I gazed up at Grace.

“Do you think—” Grace was breathing heavily now, her hand on her chest.

“I… I don’t know.” I shook my head. “No, I don’t think so. It’s not possible. He’s been dead for over a month.”

“Maybe he meant for this package to be delivered to you before he died.” Grace picked up the wrapping paper and gazed at it for a moment. “Look.”

With my heart pounding, I took it from her and peered closer. I dropped it on the table again and shot out of my chair.

The paper had writing on it, tiny cursive words that were almost invisible.

Always & Forever

After the initial shock had worn off, I called Dustin, who was at an important meeting in New York. He promised to fly back immediately so we could drive to Serendipity together. He also encouraged me to call Detective Rimes. My head spinning, I picked up the phone and called the detective. Rimes confirmed that Jude was dead, and the package must have come late. But since the note and key were suspicious, he insisted on accompanying Dustin and me to the address.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

By the time we pulled into the driveway of the address on the paper, the sun was just setting.

We sat in the car for a while, staring at the rundown cottage by Serendipity Lake. It was surrounded by long weeds. Part of the roof looked like it was about to collapse, and some of the windows were broken, the panes replaced by cardboard.

Dustin turned in the passenger seat to look at me in the backseat. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

I forced a smile even as I felt like running the hell away. My stomach was in knots. The entire drive to Serendipity, thoughts raced through my mind as I tried to find an answer to this puzzle. “I have to do it.” If this was a chance to completely close the Jude episode of my life, I had to do it.

Dustin nodded, and Detective Rimes cut the engine.

Outside the car, I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling chilly even with a coat on.

Detective Rimes told us to wait for a moment while he checked to see if there was anyone in the house—he wanted to avoid any nasty surprises, he said. He walked around the outside of the house, peering through the windows, and then waved us over.

The front door was weathered and decorated in graffiti. Everything looked old and worn out except for the lock and door handle, which looked almost brand new, just like the key.

When we entered the house, I started coughing immediately. There was dust and cobwebs everywhere. Just like the outside, the interior was neglected and old. The walls were peeling and dirty. There wasn’t a single piece of furniture in the front room, which I guessed to be a living room.

We didn’t speak as we wandered through the house. Surprisingly, in contrast to the rest of the house, the kitchen was clean, and several pizza boxes and Chinese takeaway cartons were neatly placed on the wooden table.

One of the bedrooms upstairs was also clean and furnished with a single bed, a dresser, and a clean but shabby rug.

“Feels lived-in,” Detective Rimes said, walking out the door.

Dustin rubbed his chin. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”