Divine Phoenix(Divine Creek Ranch 10)(131)

His phone rang in his pocket as he pulled out of his parking space, and he hit the button on his steering wheel and answered the call via the truck’s Bluetooth system. “Clay Cook.”

“Clay, it’s Del! Where are you right now?” Del’s tone was serious and brooked no kidding around, which was unlike him.

“I’m taking Tabitha home. Her car wouldn’t start. Why?”

“I just got a call from Seth Carter. He lives near the old house on Bluestem Street. Seth said he saw Lily being dragged by her hair out of the house by a man who fits JT King’s description.”

Clay barely noticed when Tabitha gasped in shock.

Del continued, “And I just found a note from Lily lying on the kitchen table next to her cell phone. She said JT told her that he had her dad and had instructed her to come alone. She thinks he’s trying to force her to stop the divorce. Seth said he’s pretty sure that King is armed.”

Clay gripped the wheel and wanted to pound it at the helplessness he felt. “Son of a bitch! Did she say anything to Seth, try to warn him?”

“Seth said she acted like she’d never met him. He said she looked terrified and when they were driving off JT hit her head against the window frame to knock her out. She must’ve tried to fight him. Seth said she told him they were going home.”

“That would be Durst.”

“There’s only one road to take if you’re heading to Durst. Where are you?”

Clay pulled out of the parking lot and sped toward the highway. “I’m headed that direction. Del, whatever he has planned, the storm is going to make it even worse. There’s no telling what he’ll do to her. He may even kill her.”

“Well, but…” Tabitha blurted out but then slammed her lips shut and gulped when Clay looked at her. Of all the times for her to run her mouth this wasn’t one of them, and he was grateful when she decided to keep her trap shut.

“Don’t worry, Tabitha, I’ll get you home as soon as I can.”

He pulled out a handkerchief as his nose began to tickle. At least it wasn’t as bad as it would’ve been if he hadn’t remembered the preventive medications. This was a fine time to be having a sneezing fit. His heart tripped as he thought of what could possibly be happening to Lily at the moment.

Over the sound system, Del spoke. “What did you say, Clay?”

“Nothing, Tabitha’s in the truck with me. I was saying something to her.”

“She’s in for a wild ride, I guess.”



* * * *



Jerrald Tyrone King chuckled as he watched the lightning crackle across the now-dark sky as he sped up and down the hills on the state highway outside of Divine. “Perfect.” Nothing freaked his little wifey out like a good thunderstorm.

After that long-haired coward had backed off with his tail tucked between his legs, Lily had changed her subdued tune and begun kicking and fighting at him. Unwittingly, she’d revealed the very thing that finally pushed him over the edge as she struggled. He’d gotten a glimpse of his mark of ownership, or what used to be his mark and had just about flipped his lid.

She’d tried to have the tattoo redone and had ruined his brand on her in the process. The bitch thought she could just erase him from her life that easily? She’d continued fighting so he’d had to knock her the fuck out before she damaged his truck. She lay in a limp heap on the floorboard, waiting for him to dictate what happened next.

After taking each traffic light and stop sign with care, he’d headed toward the state highway that would take him back to Durst. Home, sweet home.

After talking to helpful little Tabitha earlier in the week, he’d fit the smaller bedroom with reinforced window locks and door locks as well as installed hardware in the room to keep her in her place until he was ready to turn her loose.

He planned to keep Lily in there until he finally succeeded in breaking her for good. If she couldn’t be broken in the time Les Valentine had left on earth, then by God she’d follow her dad into the ground, just as soon as he had possession of the money and there was no chance of suspicion falling on him. People died in accidents every day. Lily wasn’t known for her high IQ, so she’d wind up having some stupid accident at home.

Lightning streaked across the sky, reminding him of his immediate goal. He needed find a place to pull over and get her settled so she could enjoy the light show. He mentally ticked through the list of supplies located in the truck bed that he’d need.

Wire cutters. Spool of speaker wire. Duct tape. Tie-down rings in the floor of the truck bed.

He saw a sign for a perfect spot and pulled over at the derelict picnic spot. The rest area must’ve been closed for renovation or tear down so no lights were lit around the covered picnic tables. He pulled to a stop on the pitted pavement and climbed from the truck, dragging her along with him. He wouldn’t give her an inch or an opportunity to escape from him ever again.