Inside the meeting room, Diablo handed him ten pages. "I looked through them, but I'm not sure what I'm looking for."
"Any name we recognize, the vehicle, and whatever shit they have in their records. That chick Army's fucking at the sheriff's office said they hardly have any evidence in the rape cases. They know it's that fuckin' Krutcher, but they don't have much to convict him. She said his car matched a witness's description, but they didn't find any hood ornament."
"He probably took it off," Diablo said.
"That's what I'm thinking. If we can get proof he bought one, it'll help put him away without any shit about being a nutcase. I just want to nail his ass any way I can."
"I can see that. Helping the badges with their case isn't like you."
"If the fucker wasn't in custody, he'd already be in a grave." Goldie picked up the document and started going through the names. On the last page, he paused.
"See something?"
Unblinking, he nodded slowly. Fuck! "I gotta go, and I need you, Army, Skull, Brutus, and Eagle with me. Fuck!"
"I'm in. I'll go round up the others."
Goldie called Hailey, but it went straight to voice mail. "Shit!" He sent her a text but nothing came back. Then he called the floral shop, but once again voice mail picked up. Cursing under his breath, he ran out to the main room and saw his brothers waiting. A gamut of feelings flashed through him as he saw the five brothers staring at him, in their cuts and packing their Glocks staring at him. This is why I fuckin' love the brotherhood. Jerking his chin at them, Diablo opened the door and they all went outside.
Soon the Night Rebels were flying out of the parking lot. I gotta make sure she's safe. I got a bad feeling. Shit! I let my damn guard down. As the wind stung his eyes, he pressed on, all his thoughts on Hailey.
He couldn't lose her.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Hailey stretched her arms and turned off the computer, having called it quits when black spots floated on her screen. Glancing at the clock, she knew she'd be a little early for dinner, so she'd take the time to stretch out her legs and stare idly at nothing until Goldie came. She looked at her dark screen and cursed her stupidity at forgetting to bring her charger. Maybe it's a good thing. That damn phone's attached to my hip. I need the break. Her brain was mush. All she wanted was to relax, talk to Goldie, then snuggle next to him and sleep. She was so exhausted.
After she locked the shop, she walked over to her car that was near the park. She laughed as she remembered how freaked out she was that night when she saw that man coming out of the bushes. I'm positive it was Dan. I still can't believe what a psycho he turned out to be. I'm so glad Goldie caught him.
She opened the trunk of her car and put her briefcase in it. When she shut the trunk, she thought she saw something.
A dark shadow disappearing behind the trees.
Silly. She had to stop parking by the park.
Shaking her head, she went to her car door.
Still … .
Something made her uneasy, and waves of cold washed over her. She pushed on the remote and her door unlocked, her headlights beaming.
She stopped dead, the remote slipping from her fingers and clanking on the asphalt.
There, right before her, not fifteen feet away, stood a man. He was shadowed by the large branches of the trees. He didn't move. Petrified to bend down to pick up her key, she stood glued to the spot.
Then he came slowly out of the darkness.
The car's headlights turned off. Hypnotized by fear, she watched him come closer and closer.
Opening her mouth, ready to scream, she breathed a sigh of relief as the streetlight lit his face.
"It's you," she said. She giggled, giddy with relief. "You startled me."
"I didn't mean to. Working late?"
"Yeah. I'm beat though. You're working late too. Are you on your way home?"
He shook his head. "No, I was waiting for you. I've been waiting for you for a long time, Hailey. Too long."
"What? Is something going on with my aunt? You can-" Hailey took a step backward. His friendly eyes had evaporated into cold, hard ones. His lethal stare pierced her. Her heart hammered erratically as the blood drained from her face. With widened eyes, she took another step backward, but as he grabbed her wrists, his fingers digging into her skin painfully, her suspicions were confirmed.
He was going to kill her.
* * *
Goldie pounded on the flower shop door even though it was dark inside, then took out a bump key he always carried in his wallet. Unlocking the door, he walked inside. Nothing seemed amiss. After checking everything, he joined his brothers on the pavement.
"Find anything?" Diablo asked.
"No. I'm going to see if I can find her car. It's a white Mustang. Brutus and Skull, check across the street, and Diablo and Eagle, check behind the shop and the alley. I'm gonna check this side of the street."
The brothers dispersed and Goldie walked toward the park. As he approached the area, chills scurried up his spine. Something happened here. Glancing around, he went to the bushes and rifled through them. Nothing but a few scared raccoons. Walking back to the sidewalk, the streetlight bounced off an object in the road. He walked to the curb and picked it up, his blood running cold. A silver charm of a ram and the word "Aries" etched on it shimmered in his palm. This is from Hailey's charm bracelet. Jaw clenched, he rushed back to the shop and whistled loudly. The brothers came over and Goldie told them what he found.
"The charm may have come off without her knowing it," Skull said.
"If that's the case, then she'd be waiting for me at the diner. Brutus, Skull, you guys go over to Leroy's and see if she's there. Let me know. Diablo, Eagle, and I will go to her house."
The brothers revved their bikes and left in a plume of dust.
Chapter Forty
I can't move! What the hell's going on? Hailey blinked several times, trying to clear her bleary eyes as she regained consciousness. Her nose tingled and she went to scratch it, but her wrist was secured to something. She craned her neck. I'm tied to the bedpost! She tried moving her other arm and legs, but they were secured tightly. Goose bumps pebbled her skin as she raised her head and saw that her clothes had been cut down the middle. Eyes bulging, she looked around the room.
Her mind was in a fog as she tried to remember the series of events that brought her to being tied spread-eagle on her bed. Then he walked in.
Dr. Daniels! That's right. He came over and then he … struck me with a hard object. When he did it the second time, I blacked out. This doesn't make sense. Why is he-
"I'm glad you finally came to. It's no fun when the woman's knocked out."
"Why are you doing this, Dr. Daniels? I don't understand."
He came over and trailed the tip of the knife gently over her forehead, then down to the base of her throat. "I love the way fear is creeping into your eyes. You have no idea what I'm going to do to you. The unknown is your enemy, but it's my best friend." He leaned over and tried to kiss her, but she thrust her head against his face and he jerked back. Surprise replaced cockiness.
"Don't touch me. Untie me and stop this right now!"
Taken aback, he stepped away, his wide gaze beginning to narrow.
I'm supposed to meet Goldie. When I'm not there, he's going to freak. He'll come here. I just know he will. I have to stall.
"You've caused me many sleepless nights, Hailey. I'd planned to take you a couple of months ago, but Goldie butted his low-life nose into your life and my plans had to go on hold. But now you and I have all the time in the world. I checked Goldie's schedule at the tattoo place and he's busy all night, so it's just you and me."
"Are you the one who's been raping all the women? Did you murder Nadine?" She couldn't stop the icy shivers strangling her nerves. When he smiled wide, she knew he was getting off on her fear. I have to try and calm down. Goldie will be here. I'm going to be fine. It's all good. I can't act afraid. But I am. I'm scared to death. She forced herself to think of the sun setting over the mountains.
"She pulled off my mask. I didn't want to kill her, but I'll let you in on a secret." His dead eyes stared at her as he leaned down close to her ear. "When I slit her throat while she looked at me, I fucking loved it. And then I was hooked." He bit down hard on her earlobe and she yelled out, but he wouldn't let go. Afraid he was going to bite it off, she raised her head again and hit him in the jaw.
Whack! Her head turned from the force of his slap. Tears rolled down her stinging face as he leaned close once more, watching her intently. "Yes, we're going to have a lot of fun," he muttered under his breath.
Keep talking. Stall! "Everyone thought Dan Krutcher did the rapes."
Sitting on the side of the bed, he smirked. "That was just luck. I was surprised at the ineptness of the police department, but then we're in a small town. I can't believe Dan killed the patients. He was supposed to care for them. They trusted him. When it occurred to me that someone might be killing the patients, I was horrified. The medical staff is there to care for, comfort, and prolong life, not destroy it." He shook his head.