Page 39 of Cooper’s Promise

Chapter Nine

“Ten.”

“I don’t know, man,” the skinny man whimpered. He’d been whining and begging since Cooper had chased him onto the dock twenty minutes ago. It was clear he was trying to find a way past Cooper that didn’t entail jumping into the water or running into Cooper’s knife.

Cooper sat at the top of the dock’s ladder as he pretended to examine his Bowie knife. “Nine,” he said pleasantly.

“Seriously, I haven’t seen Josiah for over a year.” The man was sweating as he held onto the rungs, looking up at Cooper desperately.

“Eight,” Cooper said as he turned his knife over, allowing the sunlight to glint off the steel.

“Man, stop counting. I’m begging you. I told you, I can’t swim.”

“Seven.”

“I haven’t seen him!”

“Six.” Cooper admired the leather hilt of his knife.

“He owes me money, I wouldn’t do him any favors.”

“Five.” This time Cooper growled out the word.

“Please don’t hurt me.”

“Four.” Cooper thrust the tip of the knife into the wood of the railing.

“I gave him the keys to my dad’s boat! Dad’s in St. Croix until October. It’s at the St. Pete marina!” the man screamed.

“Which marina?” Cooper demanded.

“The municipal.”

“I want more details then that. I want to know when. I want to know the name of the boat. What’s the slip number?”

“Can you let me up?”

“Not until you tell me everything I want to know.”

* * *

Cooper couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It was something out of a movie that Jodie Foster could star in. Cooper recognized the dress that the mannequin was wearing. It was a white one with a wine stain. Josiah must have gone through Brenna’s trash and found it when she had thrown it out. Even worse were all of the pictures tacked up on the walls. So many pictures. Apparently she didn’t always have her blinds pulled all of the way in her bedroom, and the bastard had taken pictures of her sleeping.

Then there was what Cooper had to assume were telephoto lens shots of her shopping, and then outside eating with her friend Tanya. Cooper never intended to tell Brenna any of it. Especially not the fact that he had taken pictures of her bathroom as well, and had purchased all of her cosmetic brands and had them lined up here on the altar, waiting for her arrival, even down to the brand and scent of lotion she used.

The guy was planning on snatching Brenna. He had things waiting for her, Cooper was sure of it.

Cooper took pictures of the small bedroom, ice forming.

He got off the boat, got into his truck, and called Grey.

“I need some people.”

“Name it, it’s yours,” Grey immediately responded.

Damn, he loved his boss.

Cooper explained what he needed.