License to Love (57 page)

“He moved it. That’s all. Into a safe deposit box so Keith
wouldn’t find it in my account, but I don’t have time for this.” She loathed hearing
her own desperation, but she had no choice. She banged on her locked door.

“You want to save Nick’s life?”

“That’s what I’m trying to do, you jackass.”

“You’re mad at me?” He chuckled. “I’m not killing Nick in a
few hours. Wow, Keith’s a heartless man to kill his own son.”

Takes one to know one, doesn’t it?
“You piece of
shit!” She started hitting him.

He grabbed both her wrists. “Do you have the key with you
now?”

Honesty had always been her best bet, and right now it might
save her life. “No.”

“You’re meeting whoever has it?”

How did he know so much? Her teeth clamped together, sending
pain through her jaw, but the pain actually brought relief from her urgent
anger and fear. She nodded.

“Then what?” he asked.

“I have Keith’s number.”

“So if Keith gets his money, he’ll let Nick go, whether or
not you’re there?” Alexander leaned closer to stare into her eyes. She
understood what he was suggesting, and she didn’t have any other choice. Nick
had to get out of this alive. She didn’t answer because they both knew he had
her. Once he read her face, he let go of her.

He handed his cell over. “Call this person, Adam I’m
guessing, and tell him to get the money and meet Keith. Don’t explain why you
won’t make it. Don’t mention me. He’ll ask questions, but just say you’ll call
back. Got it?”

Cora had to dial three times before she could punch the
numbers in the correct order.

Adam answered and gasped her name, “Cora?”

“Listen.” She choked on her dry throat. “I need you to pull
the money out of the deposit box and set up a meeting with Keith.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m short on time. Can you meet Keith and get Nick back?”

“Yesss….” The unspoken questions seemed to provide their own
answers. Adam knew she must be in danger but unable to tell him.

Sensing the pause in the conversation, Alexander leaned his
head next to hers to listen.

“I have to go.” She ended the call.

Cora sat for several minutes with Alexander’s cell phone
sitting on her lap. She pondered how many seconds she needed to call 911 or
Adam again, for help. Could she fight Alexander off long enough?

She moved her thumb toward the screen to dial but
Alexander’s hand reached over and took his phone back. She never looked up.

***

Keith’s white Avalanche pulled into a state park outside of
Eugene. A minute later, Keith and Terrance walked on either side of Nick as
they approached Adam in the middle of the parking lot. Adam stood alone, not
wanting to reveal Herald’s involvement. Adam could see the question in Nick’s
worried eyes at first, but then Nick seemed to guess that Adam was protecting
her.

“Where’s that girl?” Keith demanded.

Adam tried his best to get around the question. “Let’s just
keep this simple. I’ve got the money.”

“This is a serious situation, I don’t want any games. Now
where is she?”

This had been his uncle growing up. His family.  Now Adam
saw not only suspicion, but hatred in Keith’s eyes. “We thought it’d be safer
this way.”

Keith’s gaze moved to the briefcase in Adam’s hand.

“You can count it.” Adam opened the briefcase, sat it down,
and then stepped back. Terrance grabbed it and both he and Keith looked it
over. They decided it was all accounted for and clean.

Nick slightly tipped his head at Adam in question. Adam
responded with a very slight sideward movement of his head. He didn’t want Nick
losing it out here and getting someone killed, but he couldn’t ignore him. Nick
had never fallen for a girl like this, with his heart and soul. Adam knew
Nick’s feelings about Cora were bigger and stronger than his drive to go to law
school and defend the helpless. That was saying a lot when it came to his
cousin. Nick clinched both his fists, and appeared to be on the brink of
exploding. 

After closing the briefcase, Keith stood and said, “This is
all over now, and you’re both out as far as the family is concerned.”

A look passed from Nick to Adam, and they didn’t need to
waste words expressing their feelings. Keith and Terrance headed back to their
vehicle, and Herald pulled the car forward.

They jumped in and Herald hit the accelerator. They sped out
of the parking lot in the opposite direction of Keith’s Avalanche. It should
have been time for their victory dance but instead Nick pounded his fists into
the back of the seat.

“Where is Cora?” Nick’s voice was grim.

“Alexander’s got her, we think.” Adam spoke in a low voice
through gritted teeth. He was angry at himself for letting it happen, and for
not knowing where to begin the search for her. “She called, but couldn’t tell
us anything. So we came and got you.”

Nick balled his fists again but stopped himself from hitting
anything. “That’s it? No ideas?”

Herald and Adam said his name at the same time and kept
talking.

“The police are watching the airports.”

“And now the FBI is on the case.”

“What brought them in?” Nick asked.

Herald explained, “Keith’s been under investigation for a
year. Someone alerted them to the drug operation, but they haven’t been able to
collect enough evidence to arrest yet.”

“It’s better than that.” Adam handed Nick a 9 mm handgun to
replace the Beretta Terrance took from him. “They believe us.”

“Great.” Nick’s low, tight voice sounded more determined
than Adam had ever heard it. Nick checked the gun for ammunition. “Now if we
can find Cora. How long ago did you hear from her?”

“Two hours.”

***

Alexander sped out of town and headed east, one hand was
rested on his lap and holding a gun pointed in her general direction. The
windows were tinted and the door wouldn’t open.

“Where are we going?”

“You think I’m going to tell you?”

“What am I going to do?” Cora snapped. “Send a telepathic
message out? I don’t have a phone and you’ve got a gun.”

“Aren’t you feisty today?” Alexander smirked at her. “I like
it. Okay, fine. I might as well tell you. After all, what are you going to do
about it?” While speaking, he pulled his gun up and smelled it
, smelled
it. He slowly turned his head to see the look of horror on her face. He smiled
at her. “My Taurus Tracker, this little baby’s been through a lot with me.”

Cora did not want to hear about any of it. The awful feeling
in her stomach had turned into real nausea.

“I have to go with plan B since I don’t have my million
dollars.” He shook his head, tisking at her. “You only hurt yourself by turning
that money over to Keith. I was saving it for you, but we still have a small
house outside a tiny town. A nice, quiet place.”

It was possible Jerry that knew about it. Someone might. She
had to believe there was still hope in order to keep her sanity intact.

“So what about Angela?” she asked, suddenly remembering his
possible affair. “Just leaving her in the dust?”

“She served her purpose, and now I no longer need her.”

Cora stared at him with such revulsion that he couldn’t
ignore her glare. When he glanced her way, however, he merely shrugged.

“And what happens to me once I’ve served my purpose?” As the
words left her mouth, she suddenly shivered, wondering why on earth she had
asked in the first place.

“Oh, I’m keeping you.” His voice dropped so low and quiet,
it seemed to vibrate in the car. She shivered again, her stomach churning. He
drove on a curvy country road, and she started to feel sicker. Maybe she’d get
her wish and puke all over him. Cora focused on that thought, trying not to
feel how afraid she was, trying not to picture where Nick was. She pulled in deep
breath after breath, but it didn’t help. Sweat broke out all over her. Her
vision narrowed to a pinpoint of light.

She was so sick that Alexander noticed. “There’s a small
campground up the road. I’ll stop for you.”

The car pulled in and she stumbled out, leaning with both
hands on the car and breathing in the country air
. Please, please, don’t
hurl in front of him.

He kept his eyes on her like a hungry hyena waiting for its
turn to eat. Her knees tried to give out, making her realize she had to pull it
together. Remember Jerry. Remember Nick. Alexander was smart, cunning, and
evil, but she could do this, somehow.

He pulled out a cigar and lit it as she brought her face up
in disbelief. He laughed, but walked back a few steps to finish his smoke.

A few minutes passed and his sickening smoke hadn’t come her
way. Leaning over, she put her forehead on the cool surface of the car roof.
Okay, she wasn’t going to throw up. There wasn’t anything in her stomach, to
tell the truth. She closed her eyes and listened, but she didn’t hear a river.
The only sound around was the light wind teasing the oak trees in the park. Not
even the noise of an engine.

She opened her eyes to look around. There was a green
outhouse off in the trees.

“Do you mind if I go to the bathroom?”

“You don’t want to go in there.”

No, she didn’t. That was the last place on the planet anyone
would want to be sick, but she had a plan. “Please, I don’t want you to see me
sick.” Still somewhat ill, she hoped she looked sick enough to gain his pity.

“I won’t watch, but you’re not going in there.”

“Fine.” She kept her head down, waiting. Her entire chest
thumped with each forceful heartbeat. Her vision blackened slightly but she
pushed back.
Go, go, go
! Shoving herself off the car, she sprang into a
full speed sprint toward the trees.

The park’s low branches were cleared, but she went straight
for the brush and let the twigs whip and cut her.

“CORA!”

She stumbled several times over sticks, but didn’t slow
down. Logs turned into hurdles from her races in high school. She flew, not
caring when her feet landed awkwardly and pain jolted her ankles.

“I’ll shoot!” His yell was a ways back.

The ground rose and she turned to follow it, watching as a
gorge appeared to her right. The dried riverbed grew deeper and wider. It was
about five feet across, maybe ten or twelve as it widened. She used to jump
that, and farther, in track. She could do it.

She veered left to put some space between her and the gorge,
but only for a few seconds. He yelled behind her. She turned sharply, faced the
gorge, and raced toward it.

She leapt, willed herself across, kept her limbs back,
snapped her legs and arms in front of her in perfect long jump form, and then
crashed onto the ground on the other side. Scampering on all fours, she hugged
the dirt to avoid the bullets overhead while she scrambled away.

“CORA! CORA!”

She weaved through the trees, keeping up her speed. She was
almost certain that Alexander couldn’t jump the gorge without stopping and
backing up. She risked one glance back. Dust flew up where he was skirting down
the side.

The noise of air rushing in and out of her lungs filled her
ears. She kept her direction straight until she reached a patch of blackberry
briars, where she then steered to the right. Another small hill sloped upward
and when she reached the top she fell to her knees. She tried to control her
breath as much as possible while she hid in the Scotch Broom bushes.

She didn’t hear anything. There were endless trees blocking
any possible view of a road. She’d made it away from him!

Then she heard a noise.

Alexander?

Cora held her breath, listening, and she realized the noise
was growing louder. A motor? A log truck; she heard a logging truck! Springing
to her feet, she bolted down the hill, dodged more trees, and ran toward the
noise. The trees cleared as she neared the road, and she saw the semi truck
roaring toward her.

She waved her arms, jumping, and heard the tires trying to
stop in the gravel. Alexander could be coming so she ran to the other side of
the road, to the passenger side of the truck, and waited while the truck slowed
down the rest of the way. The trailer almost fishtailed at the sudden stop. The
door swung open as the driver stepped half way out and began cussing and
yelling.

Still dragging in gulps of air, she yelled back, “I need
your help, please. Stay inside and shut the door!”

Instead of waiting for an answer, she climbed up into the
cab. “A man is chasing me. I think I lost him, but I need to get out of here.
Please.”

“No need to plead.” He got the truck going as quickly as
possible while she tried to get her breath back. She half expected to see
Alexander run out of the trees or shoot at them but nothing happened.

“What’s your name?”

“Cora Evans. I’ve been missing for a week.”

“Let me call for help.” He picked up his CB and put out a
message. “This is a 911 call.”

Her body hadn’t been prepared for that jump or crazy run,
and now she felt the pain in her muscles and ankles, and the burning scratches
on her face, arms, and legs. The man pulled out a tissue for her, and she saw
in the mirror that several cuts were bleeding.

“Are you hurt other than those cuts?” he asked.

“I don’t think so.” She wasn’t sure, and her mind was busy
contemplating whether or not Alexander could be behind them.

The truck driver gently patted her hand. “You’re all right.
We’re only thirty minutes out of town, you weren’t too far out. It’ll be
okay.” 

It’ll be okay.
Half an hour wasn’t close enough for
Cora, but she didn’t spot Alexander’s car anywhere. Finally, the town appeared
around the corner and four police cars were waiting in the small parking lot of
a convenience store. The truck barely had room to maneuver onto the side of the
road. Several officers hurried to her door and helped her down.