Womanizer (Spoilt) (19 page)

Straight after visiting Carol, Isabelle headed towards the rendezvous spot, her frazzled nerves at breaking point. It took all her control to stay within the speed limit and stop at every red light that fate threw her on the way. When she arrived there was no sign of her stalker, so she tapped an impatient tune on the steering wheel as she waited.
Please let this not be some kind of cruel hoax. Please let Jesse be OK.
Tired of anxious waiting, she climbed out of the car and began to pace.

A dark sedan pulled into the car park. The windows were blackened, obscuring her vision of its occupants. It stopped beside her and the driver’s face came into view. It seemed familiar to her, just as the voice had. As she tried to place where she knew him from, she frantically searched the car for a sign of Jesse.

“I’m glad to see you did as instructed,” he said as he climbed from the car.

“Did I have a choice? Where’s my son?”

“You don’t remember me, do you?”

Ignoring him, she took a step towards the car and hopefully her son.

“Of course you don’t. Why would someone as stuck up as you remember a lowly photographer like me?”

The malice in his tone sent a shiver over Isabelle’s skin. An image flashed through her
mind and she grabbed it. Realization flooded her senses.

“Anton?”

“Well surprise, surprise, you do remember. I tried to strike a conversation with you after a shoot a few months ago but you dismissed me like I was a piece of chewing gum on your shoe.”

“That’s not how I recall it.” Movement behind the darkened windows caused her heart to jump and hope to surge through her.

“How convenient that you remember now. Either way, it doesn’t matter. Once you get to know me you will realize that you made a mistake and that we will be perfect together.”

Disregarding the repulsion she felt over his words she continued to search inside the car. “Where’s Jesse?”

The rear door opened and a frightened looking Jesse locked eyes on his mother and leapt from the car into her arms. Her relief caused her to squeeze him so tight she thought she would crush him. She never wanted to let him go.

“Get in the car,” Anton said.

Out the corner of her eye she saw a flash. He had a gun. Naively she’d thought there would be a way to save them both. The thought he may have the weapon with him again hadn’t even occurred to her. All her thoughts had been about getting Jesse back safely and not on what the next step would be. Perhaps reasoning would work.

“If I go with you then there will be no-one here for Jesse. I can’t just leave him here.”

“I anticipated you wouldn’t and that is why you are both coming with me.”

As he reached forward to grab her arm she heard the voice of the man she loved and hope replaced fear.

“Not if I have anything to do with it, Anton,” Mitch said.

A relieved breath whooshed out of her. Not only was Mitch here but he’d brought back up in the form of Nathan and Jared. Her fear returned when she remembered the gun and the thought of someone getting hurt overrode everything.

“Do you think you’re going to be the hero, Montgomery? Well I have news for you. Come any closer and I’ll shoot them both.”

In an instant Isabelle was pulled hard against Anton’s body and something cold and hard pressed against her temple. She begged her knees not to give out.

“Now get in the car,” he said, shoving her forward. At least the gun wasn’t aimed at her head anymore. His shaking hand on the trigger could have cost her life.

“Please, let Jesse go. There is someone here to take him now. I’ll go w
ith you. Just don’t hurt anyone … please.” Her voice sounded high-pitched and desperate. She could see the effect her words were having on Mitch and she hoped he wouldn’t do anything to put himself in the line of fire. Her fear and loathing of Anton burned her throat.

“He will only get in the way anyway,” Anton said. Isabelle met his eyes and saw his mania. The quicker she got her loved ones away from him the better.

“Go with Mitch, Jesse,” she said, urging him forward. “Go with Mitch. It’s OK, honey.”

“Mummy?” He lifted confused eyes to hers and her heart almost gave out. At that moment she wondered if she would ever see him again. She took in first Jesse, then Mitch, so she could carry them with her.

“Just go, Jesse,” she cried.

Without another word Jesse ran towards Mitch who took him in his arms before moving him to shield him behind his body.

Mitch watched in horror as Anton dragged Isabelle to the car and shoved her into the back. The sound of a car pulling in caused him to turn and he appreciated that it was just in time. Lucas had arrived in his unmarked police car. Anton backed the car out almost running them all down as he headed towards the exit which Lucas and Maggie had blocked with their car. To his amazement Anton didn’t stop but ploughed straight into the car, pushing it aside. He sped out of the exit towards the bridge.

Jared went to check on Lucas and Maggie while Mitch stood stupefied to the spot, clutching a sobbing Jesse. They both watched as the woman they
loved was driven away by a madman. In the distance Mitch heard Maggie on the radio calling for assistance, backup that might not arrive in time.

Without further thought, he deposited Jesse with Nathan, leapt in his car and sped off after Anton and Isabelle. If the police didn’t stop him on the other side of the bridge they could disappear.

The moment Mitch drove onto the bridge he heard the distinguishing sound of metal against metal and watched in disbelief as Anton’s car veered over to the opposite side of the road. The sedan missed the oncoming traffic before mounting the curb and crashing through the safety rail. It disappeared over the side into the water below.

Without consideration to his safety he jammed both feet on the brakes, left the car in the middle of the bridge and sprinted across to the other side. He searched left and right but could see no sign of them in the water beneath.

“Isabelle!” he shouted into the wind.

Shock coursed through her as they drove across the bridge. She couldn’t believe this was happening. They were actually driving away, away from Jesse and Mitch. How was she going to escape this maniac? He’d already smashed into Lucas’ car and it looked like nothing would stop him. Without thinking, she leaned forward and covered Anton’s eyes with the hope that it would entice him to stop the car. With dismay she realized her plan had backfired as they sped straight for the guard rail. Her head slammed against the seat as they hit it, before the surreal sensation of falling began in what felt like slow motion as they plunged towards the blackness of the water. She screamed when they hit the water and terror seized her chest as they began to sink.

Trying not to panic, she frantically began to wind down the window but water rushed in at her and she gasped for air. With one final breath she pulled herself through the window and kicked towards the surface. A strong current took hold
of her and dragged her away from the bridge until it looked small in the distance. With all she had, Isabelle kicked and fought to stay above the surface. Swimming with the current, she headed for land, and by the time she touched solid ground, she was exhausted. As she staggered through the shallows, a sharp pain down one side of her body took what little breath she had left. Nausea and dizziness assaulted her before everything went black.

Chapter Twenty Two

Without a trace

Boats circled the water waiting for divers to emerge. Further down, in the direction of the current flow, another boat searched the opposite side for signs of life. Rescuers were still searching the north side without success. On the bank, Mitch paced anxiously, feeling useless and helpless all at once. Jared paced with him, offering support whilst Nathan had taken Jesse home so Carrie could look after him. He would then go to the hospital to update Carol.

Mitch inhaled a sharp breath when a diver appeared holding a limp body. His breath hissed out when he
saw it was Anton.

“She must have gotten out,” Jared said.

“Then where is she?” Mitch bit out and regretted it. Jared ignored it and rested a hand on Mitch’s shoulder. A diver indicated something to the boat and Mitch turned to Jared with a questioning look.

“There was only one body in the car. This is good, Mitch. It means she got out.”

“How is that good? She could be somewhere else out there. Where is she?” His frustration came out in a growl and his frayed nerves stirred at his temper. The fear of the unknown felt like torture.

“Mitch, look.”

Following the line of Jared’s arm Mitch looked out towards the boat on the other side of the river. The rescue helicopter set down on the bank and Mitch froze. The boat moved away from the bank and this is when Mitch spotted her lying still on the sand near the rocky edge.

“I have to get over there, Jared but they’ve closed the bridge.”

“Let me go and see what I can do.”

Jared ran down the bank, stopped to speak briefly w
ith one of the rescuers and trotted back towards Mitch, who jogged up to meet him.

“There’s a boat about to dock over there.” He pointed to a boat crossing the river in their direction. “Hop on and th
ey will take you across and you can ride with her in the chopper.”

“Thanks, Jared,” Mitch pulled his brother in for a hug before running over to the boat and climbing aboard.

The journey across the water felt like an eternity, and after jumping from the boat and skimming through the shallow water, he stood watching, feeling helpless again as they readied Isabelle for the chopper. An oxygen mask covered her deathly pale face. One of the paramedics gestured for him to follow and he leaped in once they’d loaded her.

“Is she OK?” he shouted over the rotors.

“She isn’t conscious but her pulse is strong.”

Taking her hand, Mitch let out a shaky breath.

She was alive, that was all that mattered for now.

Nathan found Mitch pacing the waiting room, awaiting the diagnosis on Isabelle while Jared sat trying to keep Mitch calm. Nathan walked over and stood in front of his younger brother to halt his pacing.

“Sit down, Mitch. W
earing a hole in the floor isn’t going to speed things up.”

“I can’t, I -
” They were interrupted by the arrival of Isabelle’s doctor.

“
Mr Montgomery. I’m Dr Greene. You are here for Isabelle?”

“Yes, doctor. Is she OK?”

“Hard to say at this stage. She sustained a substantial blow to the head and has a deep laceration. She hasn’t regained consciousness, and until she does, we won’t know the extent of her head injury. We’ve done a scan and she doesn’t appear to have any bleeding or bruising. We just have to wait and see. I’m sorry I can’t tell you anymore at this stage but she is stable, which is a good sign.”

“That’s it?
Wait and see?” He asked a little more sharply than he intended. The idea of waiting and seeing and not being able to do anything chilled him to the bone.

“I’m sorry
, that is all I can you tell you right now. You can see her if you like, second door on your right.”

“I’ll go and update Carol
, if you like,” Nathan offered.

“Thanks,
Nath. I have to talk to her, see if I can get her to wake up.”

“It worked with Charlotte,” Jared said.

When he walked into Isabelle’s room his heart sank. He’d forgotten how fragile and pale she’d looked on the ride over. The difference now was the tube in her throat helping her breathe. His heart ached at the sight of her vulnerability. Sitting down next to her, he took her hand and was surprised by how cold it felt in his.

“
Izzy, please wake up. Come back to me, I love you. Jesse is OK and will be anxious to see you. Honey, please wake up.”

There appeared to be no sign she would respond
, and with tears in his eyes, he suspected it was worse than the doctor had indicated. He laid his head on the bed and watched the rise and fall of her chest with her hand wrapped securely in his.

Later that evening Carol pestered the nurses until they relented and took her to see Isabelle. They wheeled her in, and when she saw her daughter looking fragile and lifeless, hot tears stung her eyes. Lying with his head on the bed next to her was Mitch, who appeared to be sleeping. Knowing she was in good hands and not alone, Carol allowed the nurses to wheel her back to her room.

When Mitch woke he forgot for a moment where he was. Blinking bleary eyes he sat upright from the bed and groaned as he stretched his stiff body. With sudden realization he remembered why he was there and his heart leaped. But there appeared to be no change and he feared she might be lost to him. It was almost his undoing. His concern for Carol, wondering about her daughter, caused him to leave Isabelle’s side with reluctance and seek out Carol. Perhaps they could give each other a bit of solace.