Page 18 of Shadow Angel
Searching her pockets, Tina pulled out the flyer and handed it to him. “No, sorry. I didn’t want anyone else to take the job.”
“It’s all good.” Bill pulled off the road and followed a dirt track into a wooded area. “The cabin is just through there. I came in the back way.” He opened the door and slammed it behind him. “Grab your backpack and I’ll show you the way.”
The side door to the van slid open as Tina circled the hood. The scent of cut pine branches and grass clippings wafted from inside. “Have you been gardening?”
“Yeah, I’ll drop it at the landfill when it stops raining.” He smiled at her and shrugged.
A light came on inside displaying a fat black plastic bag. It spilled leaves over a mattress complete with blankets and pillows. Suddenly afraid, Tina hesitated. This had been a huge mistake. They were in the middle of nowhere and only a fool would walk into a dark forest with a stranger. Panic gripped her. She needed a plan fast and glanced around searching for a solution. Her backpack was close to the open door and the highway was maybe only a mile away. She could grab the bag and run. He wouldn’t be expecting her to bolt into the forest. She’d be away through the trees in seconds. Heart thundering in her chest, she stepped closer to the door. As her hand closed around the handle of her backpack, pain slammed into the back of her head. She bit her tongue and the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth. Dizzy, the van appeared to tip as he lifted her up as if she weighed nothing and tossed her inside. Her back hit the mattress and he was on top of her, grabbing at her hands. Terror had her by the throat and she bucked, but pinned under the weight of him, she couldn’t move. Gasping for air, she aimed her head for his nose, but he moved away as if expecting it and smiled down at her.
“Keep wiggling, Tina.” Bill chuckled. “It feels so good.”
Fighting for her life, Tina slapped at him. “Get off me.”
“Sorry, this is all part of the fun.” He kneeled on one arm pinning it down. “You’ll see.”
The weight of his knee numbed her fingers and parted the bones in her forearm. She couldn’t move and was suffocating under him. Seconds later cold handcuffs snapped around one wrist and then the other, attaching her arms to chains on each side of the van. Stretched out, she stared at his grinning face. The weight of him pinned her to the mattress, making it hard to breathe.
“Let me go. I won’t tell anyone, I promise.”
“No can do.” He slid down her body, staring at her with a wild look in his eyes.
Screaming, Tina kicked and bucked, but he was so strong and had her legs secured in seconds. There was nothing she could do. Tears spilled down her face and she trembled at the sight of a knife. It glistened under the overhead light, the edge honed until it was deadly sharp. Begging was her only choice. “Please, don’t cut me. I’ll be good. I promise.”
“You don’t really have a choice, do you, Tina? No one can hear you and no one cares what happens to you. It’s just you and me. We have all night.” Bill slowly pulled down the zipper on her jacket and spread it wide. “Look at you all bundled up in pretty things like a gift.” He bent to sniff her neck. “You smell so good.” He slid the knife under the edge of her shirt. “Let me see what’s inside…”
TWENTY
Rattlesnake Creek
Styles placed two more glasses of red wine on the table and then slid into the booth at Tommy Joe’s Bar and Grill opposite Beth. “The steaks are on the grill.” He smiled at her. “This wine is very good. I don’t mind beer but it’s way too cold outside right now. Wine warms, don’t you think?”
“I guess. What did Ryder say?” Beth indicated with her chin to the sheriff standing at the counter. “Has he made any headway in the case, or is he leaving everything to us?”
Sipping his wine, Styles smiled. “Oh, he’s working the case. He dropped by Lost Gem Mine and spoke to the manager. He’s obtained copies of the shifts for the last month or so and to the end of the month. We can use them to cross-reference the info we obtained from Outlaws.”
“Why just that mine?” Beth leaned back in her chair looking at him. “You mentioned a few mines in the area.”
Nodding, Styles turned the stem of his glass around in his fingers. “That’s true but Lost Gem works twenty-four hours, seven days a week, so they have unusual shifts. Two of our suspects work there and he figured it would be a good place to hunt down others who visit Outlaws.” He cleared his throat. “As he knows the barman at Outlaws, he was able to call him and ask if he’d noticed any locals dropping by regular, especially on Friday nights, and now he has a list.”
“And what are his plans?” Beth stared at him. “We need to be at the autopsy in the morning. Is he planning to hunt down any potential leads?”
It seemed that Beth still hadn’t gotten into the slower way of doing things in Rattlesnake Creek, and she wanted everything done yesterday. Styles rubbed his chin. “Do you really want him out there alone stirring up a wasp’s nest with a serial killer on the loose? He only has us for backup. It’s a little dangerous.”
“You’d do it alone, right?” Beth gave him a quizzical stare. “I know he’s inexperienced but you gotta stop treating him like a kid. He must be thirty and he can use his service weapon, can’t he?”
“He can.” Styles regarded her for a long minute. “And yeah, I’d go it alone but I’m different and you know it. Why are you giving him such a hard time? He’s following normal procedure and it’s what I would do.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” Beth blew out a long breath and her frown melted. She leaned back and shook her head. A sweet smile curled her lips and she shrugged. “It’s hard to take out the DC in me. I had superiors snapping at my heels all the time. I know I need to chill and realize that life is slower here. I’m aware Ryder doesn’t have the resources to get things done faster.” She met his gaze. “I’m finding it hard to find my niche and being laid-back isn’t usually my style. I guess I need to unwind some in my downtime.”
Nodding, Styles returned the smile, glad to see her relax. She’d been wound up tight for days but suddenly the ice maiden had melted and he could see the well-hidden charming side to her. Her smile lit up her eyes and it was like looking at a different person. Maybe it was the wine? “Laid-back, like now, suits you. I understand the need to be the professional iron lady on the job but it’s just you and me here, Beth. I’m not your superior. You can relax with me. You must know that by now, right?”
“Yeah.” Beth sipped her wine and shrugged. “I’ve never really trusted anyone, so making friends in the agency has been difficult.”
Her situation dawned on him, like someone turning on a switch. He face-palmed his forehead and peered at her between his fingers. Of course, anyone who worked with her would have known her father was a serial killer. Although the details were redacted, it was still there. He’d read it:Father a convicted serial killer, currently in Washington State Pen.She’d have been treated like a pariah. “Oh darn. You know, I’ve never considered the implications of your background. I should apologize for being an ass.” He dropped his hand. “I must admit, I’m curious to know who your father is and who he murdered, but that’s just the cop in me.” He smiled. “It doesn’t make any difference to me. I take people on face value. At first, I thought you were a little strange, let’s say, by your interpretation of the law, but when I look at myself I’m the same.” He indicated between them. “We’re alike. I push boundaries and so do you. If you’d been a stickler for the rules, we’d have clashed big-time.”
Their conversation was interrupted when Tommy Joe arrived with the meals.
“There you go.” TJ slid the plates onto the table and handed them silverware wrapped in paper napkins. “Enjoy and there’s fresh baked apple pie if you’re still hungry. More wine?”
