Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 117443 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117443 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
“She’s in serious danger,” Chris intoned, trying to keep his cool.
“I’ve explained the situation to Rawlins,” Caleb replied, also trying to maintain peace.
“She was attacked five years ago,” Chris told the man. Even though Caleb had already told him, it couldn’t hurt to highlight the fact that she was in the hands of a psycho. “She was raped and stabbed repeatedly. She’s been running from him for years.”
Rawlins looked unimpressed. “Well, so far I’m not really hearing anything that warrants issuing a missing person’s report.”
Chris was about to respond when Easy intervened. “She’s not here!” the younger man snarled. “So where the fuck is she if she isn’t missing?!”
Rawlins ignored Easy entirely. “According to Officer Barnes, you were in Sturgis and your friend came over to, uh, have breakfast with your girlfriend?”
A noise came out of Easy that was something halfway between a snarl and an actual growl. Chris, however, wasn’t such an easy mark. “That’s right. They’re friends. I asked Jimmy to look out for her while I was gone. Because she could be in danger. Turns out I was right.”
“And you’re sure Mr. Turnbull here didn’t move in on your woman while you were out of town?” Rawlins’ eyes brightened as he waited for an answer from Chris.
“No,” Chris said sharply. “He did not.”
“Ah, but you don’t really know, do you?” Rawlins prodded. “Maybe they’ve been knocking boots every time you go out of town. Living next door like he is. Maybe they had a little lover’s spat and she left.”
Caleb sighed loudly. “She didn’t take any of her stuff, Rawlins.” It was obvious to Chris that Caleb had explained this before.
“Women,” Rawlins proclaimed, as that explained everything. “You left town,” he said to Chris. “And your transient girlfriend-”
“She’s not a transient!” Chris seethed.
“Well, now, you said she’s moved around a lot. Never staying in one place for long. That’s transient, son.”
Two people in Chris’ life had called him “Son.” He wanted to beat the shit out of both of them. “Did you not hear me when I said she was raped and nearly murdered?”
Rawlins again looked at his blank notebook. “Ayuh. I heard. Five years ago. Ain’t heard from him since, you said.”
Chris surged toward the man, finally having reached his limit, but Caleb reigned him in.
Rawlins feigned surprise. “Whoa, now, son. You sure got a shit temper. I remember that about you, too. Just like your daddy. You sure maybe you two didn’t have a fight, you and, uh, your ol’ lady? Maybe you smacked her around a little. Maybe she took off and-”
“Rawlins,” Caleb said gruffly. “That’s enough. You file a report right now or I’m going to the station, talking with the Chief, and I’ll file the report.”
Rawlins scoffed. “Travel together in packs. Guess it makes sense,” the older man muttered.
“What?” Caleb snapped.
Rawlins squared his shoulders and glared at Caleb. “Seems to me that I heard a story that your daddy killed your mama. And he’s still in San Quentin. Beat her to death with his bare hands.”
The room got instantly glacial and Tex grabbed both Chris and Caleb by the arms and shoved them toward the door. “We’re going to the station,” he announced. “Easy, you stay in case you hear anything. Rawlins,” Tex drawled as he turned after successfully shoving Chris out the door. “It’s time to put down the doughnuts and get off your fat, lazy ass.”
Tex didn’t stay to listen to Rawlins’ reaction. He pushed both men to Chris’ extended cab and demanded they get inside.
“This is bullshit!” Chris shouted.
Caleb slammed the door of the truck. “I’m sorry he’s the one who caught the call. We’ll go over his head. We don’t need that sorry sonofabitch.”
Tex got behind the wheel and drove them to the Police Station for some real help.
************************
Hayley actually made it to the door before she realized he had let her get that far. He even let her turn the lock before grabbing her from behind and hurling her toward the wall. She crashed into it and collapsed in a heap on the floor. Her head swam.
He sighed again. “Get up,” he said impatiently, as though she were a child who couldn’t follow directions.
Hayley was too stunned to move.
“Get up,” he repeated, this time with an edge to his voice.
She steadied herself against the wall and got to her feet.
“You’re mine, Sarah. You’ve always been mine. And you are only going to leave here, with me, if you’re a very, very sweet girl. So you need to start proving to me that you can be sweet. Take off your clothes.”
Hayley hesitated. There was no way she could do that. The thought of him touching her again made her want to vomit.
“Take. off. your. clothes. Sarah.”
When Hayley still didn’t respond, he moved toward her. She fought the rising panic that threatened to consume her. She held out her hands to ward him off.