Dangerous Intentions (His Agenda 2) Page 9

  The knot in my stomach tightened the closer we came to the desk, but to my surprise, there was also something else—a kind of relief mixed in with all the anxiety. Relief that perhaps with my confession, this phase of my life would be coming to an end. I would no longer live in limbo. I would be able to move forward in some way. For better or for worse.

  Knowing it could also mean the end of Jude’s freedom was relief in itself. Having him behind bars would keep him away from me and the baby. My only fear was that the cops might not believe me and I could end up behind bars as well. I tightened my hand around the envelope full of the photos Cole had given us.

  “I’m Officer Lester. How may I help you?” The man folded up his newspaper, tossed it into the desk, and folded his arms over his rather big belly.

  Dustin pulled out a chair for me and I sank into it gratefully. My knees had been just about to give way.

  “Good morning, Officer. We’re here concerning the prostitute murders,” Dustin said, sitting down. “We know who the serial killer is.”

  The officer uncrossed his arms and opened a drawer. He pulled out a notepad and pen. “Get over here, Scott,” he called, and a spindly man wearing a suit and a bright orange tie joined us.

  ***

  Everything happened fast. As soon as I told the short version of my story from the very beginning, more cops showed up, and Dustin and I were separated. I was kept inside a stuffy interrogation room and questioned for three straight hours while Dustin waited for me outside.

  At first Detective Inspector Scott Rimes was skeptical; he told me many people had shown up over the past month claiming to know the prostitute killer and none of them had been right. But when I told them about the murders of Jude’s wife, mother, and my friend Diana, and explained how the prostitutes all resembled me, he started to pay attention. In the end, the interrogation room was filled with myself, one cop, and four detectives.

  They finally let me out of the room after trying to convince me not to leave Serendipity. I told them that staying in Serendipity was not an option, and that my baby and I would be in danger. They had stood their ground until Dustin joined us in the corridor and gave them a piece of his mind. He reminded them that Stony Creek was only a stone’s throw from Serendipity and if they needed me, he’d fly me in. Or they could drive up.

  Rimes agreed and promised to contact me if they had news, or if they needed anything else from me. In the meantime, they were going to forward my information to the police department in Madison investigating Diana’s death.

  We gave them the address of Dustin’s ranch and the phone numbers where they could reach us.

  The good news was I was not being arrested for murder. They first had to look into Leon’s murder, which wasn’t recorded in any of the police databases. They needed to find out the man’s true identity, since all I could give them was the name I knew, which had no surname to back it up.

  The only stop we made in Serendipity was at Dustin’s mother’s house. Dustin had asked my permission before telling her what was going on. She would find out sooner or later, so I agreed.

  During the time we were with her, Rachel did seem understanding and fed us the most amazing early dinner. But I could also see she was uncomfortable and perhaps scared for her son. Who wouldn’t be? He was harboring a serial killer’s wife.

  At one point I stepped out of the dining room to go to the toilet. When I returned, I heard raised voices slipping through the kitchen door, and when I entered, both their faces were flushed.

  Dustin closed his eyes, breathing deeply, and told me it was time for us to leave. Feeling uncomfortable, I thanked his mother for the meal. She touched my cheek briefly, her eyes glistening. Then she kissed Dustin on the cheek. “Be careful,” she whispered into his ear, then ruffled his hair. “Call me.”

  “Don’t worry, Mom. We have to leave. The jet’s waiting.” Dustin took my arm and we left.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  I hardly slept last night with everything that happened running endlessly through my mind. While Dustin was preparing breakfast, Rimes called to confirm that Jude was now a strong suspect and they were hunting him down, and all the nightclubs and strip joints in Serendipity were being watched.

  Leon’s identity had also been revealed. His real name was Simeon Wilson, a drug addict who had lived on the streets of Serendipity for years. At the time of his death, no one reported him missing.

  “Miss, my suspicion is that your husband may have known this man. In fact, I have reason to believe he used the man to get to you.”

  I licked my dry lips as my world continued to turn. “He knew him?”

  “Possibly. Jude Macknight has money; he could have bought Wilson.”

  “And gotten rid of him when he had no more use for him.” My voice was a mere whisper now, the words barely able to squeeze through my throat.

  “Possibly. We’re still looking into it. But with no body to speak of, we can’t confirm his death. We’re interviewing a couple of employees at the Devine Resorts. Maybe we’ll find out more.”

  “Detective, have any more prostitutes been killed? I didn’t see anything in the papers.”

  “Strangely, no. At least not that we’re aware of. But we could get the news later in the day. I’ll let you know if anything new presents itself.”

  I sighed. “Does he maybe know there’s a search for him going on?”

  “Hard to say. We have shown all the nightclub and strip joint employees his photo, so they can alert us if he walks through the door. Word spreads fast. Unfortunately we can’t keep his identity under wraps. Too many people have died already.”

  “Of course.” My fear was that Jude might flee Serendipity and make it harder for the cops to get to him. He could even leave the country.

  “Mrs. Macknight, I’ll give you a call if I find out more. For now, please remember to stay put. And give me a call if you hear anything.”

  ***

  “I don’t feel too well,” I said to Dustin while we ate—or rather, while he ate and I pushed my food around my plate. “Something must not be agreeing with my stomach.”

  It had to be the stress, and the fear that they might not catch him. I’d just told Dustin what the detective had said and he was more optimistic than I was that Jude would be found. He told me to let the police do their job and try to relax and concentrate on the baby.

  “Do you want me to call a doctor? I know one who makes house calls.”

  I lifted a hand to wave the idea off. “That’s not necessary. It will pass. I’ll just go back to bed. I hardly slept all night.” I pushed back my chair and stood. “Just nerves.”

  “But I think you should still see a doctor to get checked out… make sure the baby is okay. Don’t worry about the cost. I’ll take care of it.”

  What he meant was that I needed to get the pregnancy confirmed. I’d been thinking about it for the last few days. It would be wise to go and make sure the baby was okay. But I’d been putting it off; a part of me still refused to accept my new reality. I couldn’t get over the idea that I was going to give birth to a monster’s baby.

  “I will. Grace gave me the contact info of an OBGYN in the area. I’ll give her a call in the morning to make an appointment.” A spear of pure pain stabbed my lower gut and I slumped forward, clutching the edge of the table. As pain raged through me, I scrunched my eyes shut and beads of sweat popped up on my forehead. Through the pain, I felt a driving urge to go to the toilet.

  A hand rested on my back and Dustin’s words floated to me from a distance.

  “I… bathroom,” I croaked, pushing past him and heading in the direction of the downstairs toilet. I only just made it.

  I felt much better afterward. I washed my hands and face and leaned against the basin, sighing with relief. But my heart was still thumping hard.

  “Haley,” Dustin called from the other side of the door, “are you okay? Are you sure I shouldn’t call the doctor?”

  “No.” I s
hook my head. “I’m fine. I’m better now.” I breathed in deeply and moved toward the door. The dots in front of my eyes were just fading away.

  Then I felt a trickle crawl down one of my legs. I looked down just in time to see a rivulet of blood trailing down the inner side of my calf toward my ankle.

  I screamed.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The baby was gone. Even though I hadn’t wanted it in the first place, it left a hole in my heart. I felt as if a part of me had been ripped away.

  The doctor placed a bottle of painkillers next to me on the bed. “Take one of these every few hours if you need to. I’ll come and see you again in a day or two. I’m so sorry, Mrs. Macknight.”

  As soon as he’d heard me scream and I wouldn’t respond to his calls, Dustin had actually kicked down the door. He found me in a pool of blood, crying like a baby. He gave Grace a call and she showed up less than fifteen minutes later with Dr. Susan Bryne.

  They found me nestled in Dustin’s arms on the bathroom floor.

  Dr. Bryne was in her fifties and very tall with salt-and-pepper hair. She was beautiful and must have been a knockout when she was younger. She had kind eyes too, the sort anyone would want to have as a mother. The way she looked at me reminded me of my own mother during good times, how she’d cared for me when I had a cold or had bruised a knee. I hadn’t realized just how much I missed my mother.

  “Thank you.” I pulled the sheets up to my neck.

  Dr. Bryne was about to leave when Grace entered the room with a tray laden with tea and cupcakes. She placed it on the table by the window. “You should eat, young lady.” Fussing over me was her way of showing me she cared, and it touched me deeply.

  “Dr. Bryne, you should have some tea and cupcakes before you leave. I’m sure there are more where those came from.” Dustin gestured toward the tray. “Grace always bakes more than we could ever eat.”

  Dr. Bryne closed her leather carryall. “Unfortunately I have to run off to another emergency. Maybe some other time?”

  “Sure, no problem. I’ll see you out.” Dustin stood from the edge of the bed where he had been sitting with a hand resting on one of my feet.

  “Thanks, Mr. Brannon.” She turned to smile at Grace. “I hope I’ll see you tomorrow at game night. We haven’t seen you in a while.”

  “Wild horses wouldn’t keep me away. Thank you for coming over on such short notice, Susan.” Grace kissed the doctor on the cheek.

  “It’s my job.”

  After Dustin and Dr. Bryne left the room, Grace came to sit next to me on the bed. She placed a warm hand on my forehead. “Don’t let this stop you from living. God must have decided that your little one is better off as an angel. Hold on to that thought.”

  “I’ll remember that.” I forced a smile. “Thank you for everything, Grace. I appreciate you.”

  “I feel the same way about you. Now, do you want a nice cup of tea?”

  “No. I think I’ll just get some sleep.” The day’s events had really taken their toll on my body.

  “That’s a good idea. You need your rest.” Grace tucked the sheets around me. “I’ll see you later.”

  Dustin reentered the room after Grace left. He removed his shoes and climbed into bed next to me.

  “What are you doing?” I giggled in spite of myself.

  He wrapped an arm around me and swept me closer to him. “Not what you think I’m doing. I just want to be here with you. Let me just hold you, okay?”

  “Okay.” I inhaled. I really didn’t have to go through this alone. Dustin was here for me as a friend. For now. I had no idea what the future held or what I wanted it to hold for me—for us. But for now, I would gladly take the comfort he offered. “Thank you.” I turned my face and buried it in his neck, inhaling his comforting scent.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  I woke up feeling as if my world had been tipped on its head and its contents poured out. When I looked into the mirror, I hardly recognized myself. My face was rumpled from a night of weeping for the baby I’d never get to meet.

  I splashed cold water on my face and brushed my hair into a ponytail. Then I went back to the bedroom, got dressed in jeans and a plain t-shirt, and just stood at the window staring out into the distance at the grazing cows. A truck rolled up into my line of vision and two men climbed out—Dustin’s employees.

  Life went on while my wheels had stopped turning.

  I couldn’t help feeling guilty that I’d caused the death of my baby. I had not wanted it; I couldn’t embrace having a baby whose father was Jude. I had not wanted to be linked to Jude forever. It seemed I got what I wanted—except not having the baby felt wrong too. The baby had been innocent. I would have been able to raise it to be a good person, to be more like me than Jude. But I would never get that chance now.

  I dropped down onto the bed as tears burned my eyes.

  “Morning, sleepyhead.” Grace was suddenly in the doorway, carrying a breakfast tray. “I thought I’d surprise you with breakfast in bed. How are you feeling?”

  I wiped my cheek and sat up, forcing a brave smile. “I really don’t know.”

  Grace came to sit next to me, the tray on her lap. She must have known I wasn’t ready for a full meal. On the tray was only a cup of tea and some fruit.

  She placed a hand on my knee. “I know how it feels to have a miscarriage. God knows I had enough of them in my lifetime.”

  “I’m so sorry to hear that.” Grace was such a warm, loving person. It didn’t seem right that she was denied the chance to be a mother when she was clearly born to be one. “That’s horrible.”

  Grace inhaled. “Things don’t always work out the way we want them to. I had my niece to look after. Cancer took her mother’s life when Lorna was just five years old. Maybe God wanted me to be her mother. So I don’t feel as if I missed out on anything.”

  “You’re brave to think like that.”

  “And you are stronger than you think. I see it in your eyes.”

  “I wish I could be braver. I just don’t know how to be at the moment.” I reached for the pear on the tray and bit into it.

  “Sometimes you don’t need to know. You just do what you have to do and the braveness comes to support you when you need it most. You left that man of yours. And you went to the cops. That took guts.”

  After returning from Serendipity, I had told Grace everything. She was worried and at the same time proud of me.

  I breathed in deeply. “I want to live, Grace. I want to really live.”

  “And you can. You can’t let that man hold you back. You just live your life.”

  I looked at Grace with determination. “I don’t think I’ll be able to live freely as long as he’s roaming the streets.”

  Grace took one of my hands. “He will be found. And God will eventually make him pay for what he’s done.”

  “I don’t know if there’s a price high enough for the crimes he’s committed.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The alarm shrilled and I opened my eyes easily. I hadn’t been able to sleep anyway. My eyes were clear, devoid of drowsiness. Since losing the baby five days ago, sleep had been hard to come by. No matter how much I craved it.

  Thunder rolled. It had been raining almost non-stop for the past two days and the August air had cooled drastically. I climbed out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans, and one of the pullovers Dustin had given me. This one smelled of his cologne—ocean-fresh, calming, and masculine.

  Lying in bed with all my thoughts coursing through my head would be a waste of time. I’d brave the rain and go feed Hope.

  I tiptoed down the stairs, careful not to wake Dustin even though it was almost seven. He would be up soon, if he wasn’t already in his office.

  When I reached the last step, thunder crashed outside and I jumped. I stopped moving for a moment and inhaled.

  From a stand behind the door, I reached for one of Dustin’s raincoats and stepped into my knee-high PVC boots. I
heard the clatter of plates and pans in the kitchen. Grace was probably making breakfast.

  As soon as I opened the door, a spray of rain hit me. I stepped out and closed it quickly behind me so the water wouldn’t enter the house.

  I thought of driving one of Dustin’s trucks to the barn, but a refreshing walk in the rain was just as tempting. Rain always reminded me of my childhood, when Liz and I would run through puddles and dance with the raindrops.

  Feeling unstoppable in my boots, I walked straight through the mud puddles, which resembled coffee with milk. I pushed my hands into my pockets and enjoyed the sound of the rain beating down on the hood of my raincoat, my shoulders, and back. I hunched my shoulders forward to avoid getting water in my eyes and trudged on.

  I found Hope in the small stall Dustin and I had created for her close to the barn, since she refused to go into the building anymore. The stall had a roof so she was safe from the rain. She lay on her bed of hay, waiting for me, and lifted her head as I approached.

  “Hey, little one.” I removed the raincoat and approached the makeshift feeding station where I prepared her bottle. The milk was already there, along with bottles and a small portable stove for warming it.

  With a fresh bottle of milk in my hand, I approached the calf, and she instinctively moved her mouth in the direction of the bottle. She trusted me, and I adored her. I made myself comfortable and looked up at the small barn windows, where the rain slammed against the panes. Feeding Hope was relaxing and comforting for both of us.

  When I was done, I patted her on the head, sighed, and stood up. “I’ll see you later.” I cleaned the bottle and everything else I had used to prepare it, and prepared to leave.

  Slipping into my raincoat, I glanced through a slit in the door and saw that the rain had slowed to a drizzle and the thunder had stopped. Shame that I wouldn’t be able to experience another walk through the rain. But at least the air would be fresh and invigorating.

  I stepped out the door and hurried down the path, inhaling the smells of damp soil and grass. I wanted to make it back in time to have breakfast with Dustin. Halfway down the path, I saw something white on the ground.