She hadn’t been keeping a close enough eye on him. “We’ll see about that. I’m not a big believer in coincidences.”
“Neither am I.” Zeke stepped away from her vehicle. “However, like many of my parishioners, I am a big believer in fate.”
* * *
After a shitty day, darkness without any moon pushed against her home’s windows as if trying to get inside. Teri Bearing finished the last drop of inexpensive sparkling blush wine, her head swimming and irritation filling her every pore. Her husband was such a complete asshole. It wasn’t her fault she’d gotten pulled over two nights before. It had been the officer’s fault. He’d been a complete dick, just wanting to make some point about her, and maybe get his name in the paper.
Pushing away the bottle, she walked over to her wine rack to find it empty. She had stayed at home by herself, hiding away from reporters who’d staked out her front lawn until finally they’d given up and gone away. That was lucky—she couldn’t have anyone following her tonight.
That hag, Rachel Raprenzi, had taken delight in streamingThe Killing Hourwith images and actual recordings of the arrest. Rachel had caught Teri actually assaulting that stupid Fish and Wildlife officer.
Her youngest son was staying the night with a friend, and she’d told Saul she had made plans to spend a couple days at a spa in Seattle. He’d stormed out at the news. No doubt he was out playing poker and getting drunk. He had no right to be so angry with her. He’d barely spoken to her since he’d bailed her out. She could not believe this.
It would be a true pleasure making that Fish and Wildlife officer’s life a living hell, but that joy would have to wait. Tonight, she needed companionship. Love. Adoration. Maybe some fucking fun in the snow. She’d dressed carefully, showing her best attributes. Her pants were pressed, pink linen and her sweater white cashmere. She wore pearls in her ears and at her throat because she was the mayor’s wife, damn it. They’d regret hurting her like this. All of them.
Yanking on her boots and a long wool coat, she grabbed her handbag before hurrying out to her car. She didn’t have far to go. Pausing, she darted back inside to grab a knit cap to cover her hair and a scarf to protect the bottom of her face. The reporters had given up, but she didn’t want to take any chances.
Muttering about men in general, she ran to her vehicle, backed out of the drive, and hit the mailbox. Damn it. She had told Saul not to put it there.
Grunting, she put the car in Drive and moved forward before backing into the street again. The car slid on the ice. Her head swam, but she took several deep breaths. She was fine and a better driver than any of them.
She slowly made it out of their subdivision and then turned onto the country road. She swerved and corrected, her car sliding across ice.
A vehicle behind her rapidly closed the distance. Morons shouldn’t be driving this time of night. Blinding lights filled her mirror, and she blinked. What a jerk. She pushed the mirror out of the way and sped up.
The vehicle behind her sped up as well. She could barely see. She slowed down. Fine, they could just pass her. The driver behind her hit the brakes and slid.
She laughed and increased her speed. If they wanted to play, she’d play. The truck sped up again, and the lights blinded her. Jackass. She hit her brakes.
The vehicle slammed into her. She spun wildly around and came to a pause, rage boiling through her. She opened her door, already screaming at the motherfucker who had dared to hit her.
A blur of motion came from the other vehicle and hit her so fast and so hard, she flew back against her car. The attacker punched her several times, and she shut her eyes, lifting her hands up to protect her face. Pain roared through her head, and her hat fell down her shoulder. The attacker grabbed her hair and slammed her head against the vehicle.
The world went dark as unconsciousness stole her away.
* * *
Teri came to with her hands bound behind her back and a blindfold over her eyes. Jerking awake, she tried to move, but she was in some sort of container in a moving vehicle. One bouncing over potholes.
Scrambling to remove the blindfold, she failed and started screaming until her throat hurt. Finally, she gasped. “Let me go. Don’t you understand? Do you know who I am?” She gingerly turned onto her side, her knees up to her chest.
The enclosure was too small for much movement. Her fingers, secured behind her back, touched some sort of rigid metal wire. Was she in a box? She moved her head, again trying to dislodge the blindfold, and again failing. The driver breathed evenly in the front seat. She was in the back? “You have to let me go. I won’t tell anybody,” she whimpered.
No answer.
She pleaded and threatened for a good five minutes until they rolled to a stop. Her heart thundered in her ears. The vehicle remained in idle, and she heard a door open and shut. Then silence. She instinctively knew she was alone.
A door opened, and a rush of cool air burst against her legs. Metal clattered and then strong arms grabbed her hips and yanked her out of the crate. She flew down and fell on hard ice, her hands tied painfully behind her back. She tried to struggle, and but her attacker grabbed her hair, pulling her over rocky, icy ground.
Bruises flared to life along her body, and she flailed, fighting, trying to scream. A rough rag was instantly shoved into her mouth. She tried to spit it out, material lodged down her throat. She started to gag.
The freezing cold bit into her, and her pants tore on the icy ground. Then her attacker released her hair, and she fell, hitting the back of her head, her fingernails digging into the ice at her back. She groaned and tried to roll to her side.
The sound of ice cracking filled the night, and she jerked. What was happening? A person grunted, and more ice cracked, the sound deafening.
She shivered from the brutal cold and tried to kick her legs out, rolling onto her butt and then kicking wildly with her feet. Her boots glanced off the ice, and she tried to crab walk away. Her fingers had gone numb, and her body was following suit. Then rough hands grabbed her shoulders again and pulled her in a different direction.
She fought wildly but couldn’t get anywhere.
