Page 43 of Finding Carly
Carly hoped so. She didn’t think she could say Senior Chief Petty Officer Albertson every time she had a question for her. She let a sigh of relief when she was safely inside Jag’s Jetta and he started the engine.
“Home?” he asked.
“Home,” she said in satisfaction.
* * *
The man watched Carly and her boyfriend with a scowl. He hated how happy the bitch looked. He enjoyed the nervous look on her face as she glanced around, but then it quickly disappeared after the man distracted her.
She should be scared.
Terrified.
He liked her that way.
She’d killed Shawn. She hadn’t been there when he’d accidentally blown himself up, but she might as well have pulled a trigger and shot him in the head.
He longed to see the terror in her eyes when she realized who he was and what was going to happen to her. Shawn had taught him how to control women. How to make them second-guess themselves, to cower in fear, and he’d been coaching him on breaking down a woman’s barriers, to make her vulnerable and dependent on her man to make decisions. He’d been preparing to put all his skills to use when Shawn died. Without his friend and mentor backing him up, he no longer had the confidence he needed to mold his own perfect partner.
That wasCarly’sfault.
He’d dated another woman years ago. Someone he thought he loved, but things had ended badly. And with Shawn’s help, he now understood why. He hadn’t been assertive. Hadn’t broken her down before molding her into exactly what he needed. And just like Carly, she’d gone to the fucking police when he’d followed her around for her own safety. The bitch!
Just when he was beginning to try again, his friend had died.
He needed to step up his plans. That other asshole who’d come to his workplace, insisting on talking to him about Shawn, about what had happened, was too inquisitive. He’d covered his tracks well, but there was still a chance the older man would figure outhewas the one waiting in the ocean.
If it hadn’t been for that damn storm. If Carly hadn’t gone home sick. There were so many “if onlys” that it almost drove him crazy. But he wasn’t going to let anything get in the way next time.
Not the fucking watchdog she’d sicced on him.
Not the new boyfriend.
Nothing.
He’d gain her trust. Get her used to seeing him now and then. Use the tricks and tips Shawn had taught him to lure her in. Get her to let down her guard.
Today he was doing one of the most crucial steps in his plan. Learning her routine.
He knew what shift she’d worked the last two days, knew she sometimes brought food from Duke’s to this hole-in-the-wall food pantry, and he knew where the boyfriend lived—whereshewas currently living. It wouldn’t be long before he knew where she shopped, where her friends lived, what she did on her days off.
It was only a matter of time before he’d have Carly exactly where he and Shawn had wanted her.
At his mercy.
But this time, he wouldn’t risk her getting away. He’d kill her and be done with it. Feed her body to the fish. She’d disappear and no one would be the wiser. No one would suspect him. He’d make sure of it.
Grinning to himself, the man straightened and headed for his car, which he’d parked a few blocks over…just in case.
CHAPTERELEVEN
Carly winced as her muscles protested when she reached to the top shelf in the grocery aisle. Senior Chief Petty Officer Albertson—Elizabeth—had no mercy for her or the others. She’d pushed them hard, insisting that if someone tried to mug them or take them hostage—which wasn’t outside the realm of possibility, since they were with decorated Navy SEALs who had many enemies—they’d need to be ready to fight for their lives.
Despite the difficulty, Carly had loved yesterday’s first self-defense lesson. She’d felt extremely powerful after the hour-long session. Even though she was sore, she couldn’t wait to go again. After Jag had driven them home, she’d demonstrated what she’d learned and had actually managed to escape his hold when he grabbed her from behind. Carly suspected he knew exactly what she was going to do to get away, but appreciated him letting her succeed all the same.
“Good lord, I’m sore,” Kenna groaned from next to her.
Carly couldn’t help but chuckle as she put a box of noodles into the cart. This was the first time she’d been out anywhere without Jag. Riding to Duke’s with Kenna didn’t really count, as her friend had told her the driver Aleck hired used to be a Marine, and he looked more than capable of taking care of any threat that might come their way.
