Crime & Passion (43 page)

She rushed to the front of the shop, trying
to control the panicked feeling in her chest. Now that the
excitement with Lindsey was over, Madeline’s fear for Donovan
kicked up a notch. She longed to talk with him more than anything,
to know he was okay.

Eric paced back and forth when she walked
through the door, talking into his cell phone. “That’s not good
news...Yes...Okay. I understand. I’ll watch over her.” He punched
the touch screen and looked up at her. “That was Donovan. He told
me to take you home and stay with you.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Why didn’t you let me
talk to him?”

He shook his head. “He said he’ll call back
as soon as he can, but didn’t have time to talk now. Unfortunately,
he’s dealing with some complications.”

After shoving a screaming Suzie into the back
of his police cruiser, Donovan had helped Brice into the front
seat. The man’s ankle was definitely snapped. He’d called the
police department in Eureka and they promised to send an ambulance
and some officers to meet Donovan out at the highway.

“Just a little bit further,” Donovan said,
glancing at Brice’s ashen face.

The car hit another rut in the road, jostling
them around. Brice cried out and clutched his leg. “Be careful,
damn it!”

“Sorry.” He slowed down a little bit, hitting
redial on his phone once again to call dispatch at Pleasant View.
As it had the last two times he called, the phone rang many times,
never being answered. “Shit. Something must be going on. Dispatch
still isn’t answering.” He couldn’t stop his hands from shaking,
imagining scenarios that might make the office so busy dispatch
couldn’t man the phone lines. Something like an explosion in
Madeline’s apartment or Suzie’s accomplice on a killing spree. He
shuddered.

Brice gripped his shoulder though the man let
out a soft moan of pain. “I’m sure Madeline’s fine. Eric’s with her
by now.”

Donovan checked the rearview mirror, meeting
Suzie’s bloodshot eyes. She’d finally stopped screaming a few
minutes before.

“You’ll never make it in time to save her. My
trap is too clever.” She smiled at him, and it chilled Donovan’s
blood. “We still have a chance though, baby. Ditch Brice and take
me away with you. Maddie will never love you like I do.”

That’s for sure. Maddie’s not twisted.

Brice hissed again as the car dipped.

“They’re waiting for us at the highway,”
Donovan told him. “The medics will help you, but I’m just going to
drop you off and hurry to Maddie, okay?”

His boss nodded. “What’s your plan?”

Donovan gripped the steering wheel harder.
“I’m going to go to our apartment and hope for the best. She and
Eric aren’t answering their phones.”

“Eric will protect her. Try not to
worry.”

There was that. Even if Eric hated Donovan,
the kid obviously had a major crush on Maddie. He’d protect
her.

“You need to think about this, Donnie.” Suzie
sneered into the mirror. “Precious little Maddie is already dead by
now. Without me, you’ll end up alone. You can’t handle that. Face
it, you need me.”

Donovan watched the road, forcing himself to
ignore her even though her words made him sick. He slowed the car
as he reached the paved road, flipping his emergency lights on and
careening onto the street. “Just a few more minutes, boss.”

He glanced at Brice’s white face. The bead of
sweat across the man’s upper lip was worrisome, but hurrying to the
ambulance was the best Donovan could do.

They came over a small rise and Donovan
finally spotted the flashing lights of the other emergency
vehicles. Static crackled over the radio line as they came back in
range for the CB system.

“...shots at 892 Maine. Ambulance dispatched
to 537 Yorkshire.”

“Shit! That’s Woofy Cuts’ address.” Donovan
yanked the CB off the hook. “Come back, dispatch. What was that
code?”

“962 gun shots at 892 Maine.”

Nonfatal. He heaved a sigh of relief.
“Identity of victim?”

“Lindsey Butters,” Tony, the dispatcher,
replied. “Are you in the area, Andrews? They took her to Yorkshire
Clinic to await help.”

“I’m twenty minutes out. Any news on Madeline
Scott?”

“Negative.”

Laughter erupted from the backseat. “You’ll
never reach her in time,” Suzie said in a sing-song voice. “She’s
dead, dead, dead.”

“Shut up,” Brice roared. “You’ve caused
enough trouble.”

Donovan pulled his car up to the emergency
team and put it in park without looking at Suzie again. She wanted
to upset him, but he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of knowing
it was working.

The waiting medics opened the passenger door
to attend to Brice. A pair of cops from Eureka’s force stood to the
side.

Hopping out of the car, Donovan waved them
over. “Suzie Stone’s in the back, handcuffed.”

“I can’t believe that happened.” The shorter
officer shook his head. “They still don’t know how she escaped.
Good work catching her.”

Donovan nodded. “Look, she’s set something up
to harm a citizen in Pleasant View. I’ve got to get back
there.”

The cop opened the back door and grabbed
Suzie’s arm. “No problem. We’ll take care of this, but we’ll need
to talk to you later.”

“Thanks.” He looked across the car to where
they loaded Brice into the ambulance. “Take good care of him,” he
yelled at the men.

One waved a hand in acknowledgement.

“Donnie, please.” Tears coursed down Suzie’s
cheeks as the officers hauled her out of the car. “Don’t leave me.
I love you. I’m sorry. Give me another chance.”

“I know you’re sick, Suzie.” He clenched his
jaw and met her eyes. “But I’ll never forgive you for this.”

Without another glance at her, Donovan hopped
into the cruiser and took off. He picked up the CB again. “Has Eric
Sanders checked in?”

“We’ve had no radio contact with him since he
got to Woofy Cuts.”

Damn it. If Eric tried to protect Madeline by
taking her home, he’d spring whatever trap Suzie had waiting for
them. “Keep trying to contact him. Tell him to stay away from
Madeline Scott’s apartment. Dispatch a unit there and tell them to
wait for me.” His fear turned to irritation. “And why the hell
haven’t you been answering the phone line?”

“Didn’t you hear my earlier calls? There’s
been a huge accident on the highway right outside of town. There
aren’t any available units and I’ve only had time to answer the
9-1-1 line.”

Had the entire world gone mad? He forced
himself to take a deep breath. “Never mind. I’ll get to Madeline
myself.”

***

Madeline unlocked the apartment door, an
uneasy feeling settling on her. “Maybe we should wait for Donovan
at the police station.”

Eric shook his head. “Didn’t I tell you? He
said Suzie set something up to harm you, and the apartment’s the
only place he’s sure is safe. He said to wait here for him. I
really think we should listen to him.”

Madeline ran her hands over her arms, feeling
chilled and a bit overwhelmed. “What if he’s wrong about the
apartment being safe? She couldn’t have possibly done anything to
the police station.”

“All I know is what he told me. Don’t you
trust him?”

“Of course I do. I just don’t...”
I don’t
really trust
you.

Eric’s phone went off yet again, and again he
silenced it.

“Shouldn’t you answer that? It might be
Donovan.”

He shook his head. “That’s not his ring tone.
I don’t want to get caught on the line with anyone, in case he
calls. I know you’re anxious to speak with him.”

“I wish I could find my phone.” It hadn’t
been in her purse. She couldn’t imagine what happened to it.

She put her keys back in her purse and opened
the door. Whether she trusted Eric or not, Donovan obviously had
decided to—Madeline didn’t really have a choice in the matter.

Eric walked into the apartment close on her
heels and Madeline couldn’t shake the discomfort tightening her
chest.

“You’re crowding me,” she complained, taking
a step away from him.

“Sorry.” He followed her into the living
room. “Wait here while I check things out.”

She nodded and sank down onto the couch,
heart pounding. “Try not to shoot anyone,” she whispered as he
walked into the bedroom.

Chewing on her fingernail, she looked around
the room, wondering if Suzie actually had done something to the
apartment despite Donovan’s certainty it was safe. Then again,
Suzie likely focused her attention on Donovan. That had always been
the woman’s objective, her reason for everything.

Eric walked back into the room, gun in his
hand. He crossed the carpeted area and stopped behind the couch,
out of Madeline’s line of vision.

She craned her neck back to see him looking
down at her. “Aren’t you checking the kitchen?”

He shook his head. “Game’s over.”

The cold metal of the gun slid across her
neck and Madeline froze. “What are you doing?”

“I really do like you and wish things were
different. You picked the wrong boyfriend.”

“Maddie, Maddie, Maddie. This really does
make me sad.” Eric sighed and ran the cold barrel of the gun
against the side of her face. “How many times did I try to warn
you? Donovan is poison...a bad person. Now you’re paying the
price.”

He sounded tougher somehow—less timid. The
certainty that he was going to kill her filled her with dread and
Madeline blinked back tears.

“Don’t hurt me, Eric. I haven’t done anything
to you.”

“It’s nothing against you. The problem is,
you’re everything to
him
. Collateral damage, baby.” Eric
leaned over the edge of the couch and draped his arms around
Madeline’s chest, the gun tracing along her breast and then digging
into her lower ribs. “I want him to suffer for the rest of his
life. You wouldn’t help me out by leaving him and hurting him that
way. Now I have to make you leave permanently.”

A tear spilled over the side of her face.
“What did he do to you?”

“I tried to tell you that.” He sighed into
her hair. “You blew me off and didn’t want to listen.”

“I’m sorry.” Madeline licked her dry lips.
“Please, don’t hurt me.”

“Donovan shouldn’t get love and marriage and
happiness,” Eric whispered into her ear. “He should spend the rest
of his life in prison. Payback for what he stole from me. A few
stray fibers on the rope that couldn’t be linked to him and all my
plans were ruined.”

She had to keep him talking. He obviously
wanted to. The longer he talked, the more opportunity she’d have to
get away.

“Your plans?” Madeline turned her head toward
him, forcing a smile on her face though her stomach twisted with
revulsion at the nearness of him. “I thought you were just a
follower. Have I been wrong?”

“I knew you thought I was a loser.” He dug
the gun deeper into her, and Madeline tried not to cry out with
pain. “I’ve been in control this whole time.”

Donovan always insisted Eric had a crush on
her. Maybe if she played into his ego, she could find a way to save
herself.

“That’s exciting to hear. Bad boys are so
mysterious.” She ran her hand across the top of his, stroking down
the barrel of the gun and back up to tickle his hand. “Tell me how
bad you are, Eric.”

“Very bad.” He laughed. “Did you actually
think Suzie killed Frank and Maria?” The gun eased away from her
and Eric stood up. He kept the weapon pointed on her, but walked
around the end of the couch to sit next to her. “She was all too
eager to confess when I told her it would help her get Donovan.
She’d do anything if it made Donovan love her. Stupid woman.”

He fed into a sick woman’s delusions? He was
as disturbed as Suzie, it seemed. Madeline forced the smile to stay
on her face. “So you killed them and talked Suzie into
confessing?”

“I paid off the guard at the hospital who sat
in on her supposed confession. I promised to get her out of the
hospital so she could get Donovan back. All she had to do was
confess to the murders. I can’t have anyone suspect me...not before
I destroy Donovan’s life. After that, it doesn’t matter.” He
shrugged. “A few more thousand bucks for the guard, and he was
happy to help her escape this morning so I could complete my
plan.”

The plan to ruin Donovan’s life by killing
her. She had to keep him distracted. So far, she couldn’t come up
with a way to escape. The gun trained on her was powerful
motivation against trying to run. Talking was her only defense.

She batted her eyelashes and tried to seem
impressed with his story. “So, it was you who planted all the
evidence in her house?”

“She already had the shrine to Donovan set
up. Newspaper clippings, pictures, a diary detailing every
encounter they’d ever had. She really is a loony one. I just
planted the baton, the last rope, and a blanket from my bedroom.”
He shook his head. “That damn blanket. All my careful planning, and
they dropped the charges against him because of those blanket
fibers.”

“That must’ve frustrated you,” Madeline
murmured sympathetically.

“Suzie had a dark running suit in her closet
and I put that with the other stuff since you saw me that day.” He
slung his arm around her shoulder, resting the gun across her
chest. “Almost shit myself when Donovan said you thought it was a
cop. Good eye, Maddie. Thought I was going to have to kill you
months ago because of that, and you wouldn’t stop cooperating with
the police.”

“So you hurt Brutus as a warning to me.”
Which explained why Brutus attacked him today—he must have
remembered Eric. Too bad Madeline didn’t connect that earlier.

Eric’s body shuddered against hers. “I hate
dogs. Filthy beasts.”