Page 91 of Rekindle My Heart

He called her phone, and it went straight to voice mail. His foot tapped as he waited for the beep.

“Erica, I’m coming over. I got something on the case. Don’t sick Karma on me.” He threw his phone in the cup holder as he pulled out of the lot.

If he could connect Johnson to the fire, either at the building on Industrial Boulevard or any of the others, he could link Johnson as the one who assaulted Erica.

Time to connect the dots.

Johnson pulled into the marina. The same one Erica had been at two weeks ago. On the ride over, her mind ran through every action-adventure movie she’d seen, trying to think of ways to disarm this seasoned officer and call for help. Johnson had thrown her phone out the window somewhere around Eighth and Elm.

She wanted to ask questions, but he made it clear he’d shoot her if she didn’t shut up. So, she zipped her lip but let her brain work on a way to get out of this.

When he parked, he pulled a pair of latex gloves from the console. Pocketing his keys, he stepped from the vehicle and slipped on the gloves.

She tried the door. Still locked. Her mind raced. She opened the glove box. Nothing but fast-food napkins. Think, think.

Erica lunged across the seat, took the only chance she had, and jammed her fists into the steering wheel. The horn blared.

Please, let someone hear.

She swiveled her head, searching for anyone who could help her. Please. A police officer? A fisherman? Teenagers on an evening rendezvous? Come on. Anybody.

No one appeared. Her breathing sped up, and the panic in her chest gripped her lungs, squeezing the air out faster and faster.

Johnson held up the key fob and scowled. With a click of his finger, the locks released.

Oh fuck. She cringed. The color his face turned couldn’t be good. Not only had her plan not worked, but all it did was piss him off. She scurried backward until her spine hit the passenger door. She reached for the handle. Her hands trembled uncontrollably.

Johnson bared his teeth and pulled the door open with so much force, she thought it would rip free from its hinges. Pulling the gun from his hip holster, he jammed it to her temple.

“Enough.” He grabbed her wrists, then pulled her out of the truck. Before she could scream, he pulled her to his chest and shoved the gun deeper into her flesh. “Nice and quiet, or it will get messy.”

The lot was deserted. No one was going for a casual boat ride at night in late September. She had pushed his limits already—yelling for help would only get her shot.

She stumbled as they entered the dock. He yanked her up and shoved her toward Travis’s boat. “Ryan was right. Stevens is in on it.”

Johnson snorted. “Stevens? That wimp? He might be a tech wonder-boy, but he doesn’t have the backbone to run an organization like this one.”

“Then why are we here?” All the boats at the marina were dark. Her hopes plummeted.

“Leverage. We hired him to set up the site. I should have eliminated him when I had the chance.” He tightened the grip on her arm, no doubt leaving a beefy, hand-sized bruise. “I need to make you disappear, and if evidence is found on his boat, then I have a way to control him.”

She gulped. That was blunt. She knew he planned on killing her, but somewhere in the back of her mind, a tiny spark of hope whispered, “he’ll let you go.”

No. You aren’t dead yet.She had a chance. Even if it was the size of a frog’s hair, she’d take it.

“Does he know it’s you?” Erica hoped so. If she didn’t come out of this alive, at least, she hoped Johnson got a nice, long prison sentence and a roommate named Bubba who’d make him his bitch.

“No, it was all anonymous. Same with the site. That’s the beauty of it. No one knows who’s behind it. Hell, the clients don’t even know who the inside operative is.”

He pushed her up the ladder and then shoved her down on the cushioned seat. He pulled out a long, black zip tie and bound her hands behind her back. Then, he picked the lock on the cabin compartment. Erica wiggled her wrists. The stupid restraints cut into her skin.

The door slid open, and Johnson disappeared below.

She darted for the ladder but tripped a lifejacket. Figures. Instead of saving her life, it could be what ends it.

“Not so fast.” Meaty hands latched onto her braid, and her head whipped back.

Tears filled her eyes. “Just let me go.”