There was nothing but grassy fields and trees on either side of the two-lane highway they were traveling on. Intense nausea filled Charlie’s gut.
She’d seen enough movies with this same theme, and they never ended well for the girl.
Looking around for anything she could use as a weapon, she spotted the gun still in Caleb’s right hand. He had it resting on his thigh as he drove with his left.
She had no idea whose car this was, but she prayed it had been reported stolen. At least then maybe there was a chance he’d get pulled over, and she’d be found.
No one is going to find you. Everyone thinks Caleb is dead.
The tiny voice was right. Derek was probably still with the police, and Jake and the others were most likely working to find a way to get him out of this mess. They wouldn’t be looking for Caleb or her.
Oh, Derek. I’m so sorry.
He’d done nothing but try to help her, and this was the thanks he got. Arrested for murdering a man who was still very much alive.
“The police said they’d found your body. How is that possible if you’re not really dead?”
“They foundabody. In my car, wearing my watch and clothes with my wallet in the back pocket.”
He’d killed someone?She never really knew this man at all.
“W-who was he?”
“Some homeless guy always hanging outside the firm, begging me for money.” Caleb laughed. “Well, he wanted me tothinkhe was homeless, anyway. Dumb bastard never even saw the bullet coming. Of course, then I had to burn him so they wouldn’t notice it was him and not me.”
He let go of the gun just long enough to sniff his fingers and grimaced. “Washed my hands three times, and I can still smell the gasoline.”
Charlie put her hand to her mouth. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
His smile straightened and genuine concern filled his eyes. Not for her, but for himself.
“Swallow that shit back down. You know I don’t do well around vomit.”
Doing her best to breathe through it, she asked, “Why are you doing this, Caleb?”
“Because I love you.”
She shook her head. “You don’t love me. You never did.”
“You’re wrong, Charlotte.” He glanced over at her. “I love you more than life itself. Don’t you see? That’s why I had to die. So we could be together, again.”
Jesus. He truly was demented. “You’re crazy.”
In a flash, Caleb’s arm flew out, and he smacked her with the back of his hand. Charlie cried out, the blow pushing her bottom lip against her teeth. She immediately tasted blood.
“Don’t call me that. Don’t youevercall me that.”
Charlie raised her hand to her lip to wipe away the trail of blood. “What else do you call this, Caleb? You’ve faked your death, killed someone, set Derek up for your murder, and kidnapped me! Not exactly the actions of someone who’s sane.”
“No, it’s the actions of someone who lost the love of his life.”
Charlie couldn’t help it. She laughed. “You have no idea what love is. But I’ll tell you what it isn’t.” She looked over at him, surprising even herself with her boldness. “It isn’t hitting someone because they simply talked to another man. It isn’t punching someone in the stomach because they didn’t fold the towels exactly the way you wanted them. And it sure as hell isn’t beating the crap out of your wife because she didn’t pack the suitcases to your specifications.”
Caleb’s fists tightened around the steering wheel. “I did those things to help you. To teach you how things needed to be. Order is important. Without it, we’re nothing but a bunch of animals.”
“Who taught you that? Your father?”
“My father is the smartest man I know.”
