Theirs To Claim (Predatory Desires Book 1) (3 page)

CHAPTEr 4

Sheriff Eli Strauss was a man whom Noah and Gabriel knew and respected well. He had been Whitford Falls’ lead lawman for over thirty years, and he had kept the area free of the heavier drugs that seemed to insidiously snake their way into small-town America these days. It was because he had built a relationship with his townsfolk, and he knew when something or someone was out of place.

Which only underscored how very careful Emily’s stalker had been. Because no one in the quaint North Georgia town had reported or noticed anyone suspicious in the area. And that meant to Noah and Gabriel that it was most likely one of their own neighbors stalking Emily. Someone she trusted.

While they waited for the sheriff’s arrival, they’d gotten the full rundown from the two deputies, and they had also placed the initial call to the six other men who worked on their specialized task force, bringing them into the loop and prepping them for the possibility that they were all about to go on another hunt. Even though they were all scheduled for downtime for the next two to three months, because it involved family, all of the men pledged their immediate support and willingness to move out at a moment’s notice.

Noah heard the sheriff’s car pull up before either Ryan or Andrew reacted to it. He headed for the front door, and held it open as the white-haired man entered with another deputy on his heels. Jasper Collins was closer to Noah’s age, just one year younger, and he smiled as he stepped inside, lugging a box under one arm.

“Noah, glad to see you, man. But sorry to catch up under these sad circumstances,” Jasper said and swatted Noah’s upper arm. “Damn, still built like a wall, I see,” he chuckled.

“Jasper,” Noah nodded and then looked to the sheriff. “Did you bring it all?

“Every last picture,” the sheriff replied. “Honestly, Noah, it’s all we have to go on. There are no fingerprints, no evidence that they were printed at any of the local shops or pharmacies, nothing that can give us a lead. Believe me, I’ve tried to find one and so far it’s been one dead end after another.”

“Mind if I take this?” Gabriel asked as he joined them and gestured to the box under Jasper’s arm.

“As long as you have gloves, then the answer is no,” Jasper answered with a grin.

“Here, son,” Sheriff Strauss offered, and passed a pair from his belt over to Gabriel. He snagged a second pair and thrust them at Noah.

“Thank you,” Gabriel said softly as he snapped the last one on. He flexed his fingers, a move that Noah had seen him execute more times than he cared to count, and then took the box of evidence Jasper was offering him. Gabriel carried it over to the coffee table in front of Emily’s sofa and promptly removed the top. Noah moved over to sit next to him, while the three deputies and the sheriff stood around them.

“The evidence is filed in order of the date Emily received it, with the most recent envelope in the front and the oldest at the back. I’ll need to open the envelope you guys found here today and catalog all of its contents before I can add it to this box,” Jasper said as he eased down on the sofa’s armrest.

“I’ll go get it,” Ryan offered and headed for the kitchen.

“Prepare yourselves, boys,” Sheriff Strauss warned. “I know you see all manner of things in the line of work you do. But seeing someone you care about targeted will do something to you. Trust me.”

Both Gabriel and Noah looked up at the seasoned lawman and they nodded their understanding. Yes, they had seen their fair share of evil and debauchery since joining the FBI’s specialized task force called Evan’s Own. It was named in honor of the seven-year-old boy who had lost his life to a habitual offender and child predator. A man who had seemed to have a knack for playing the system and escaping at will. Evan’s parents had lobbied and fought for the funding to see that such monsters were apprehended and taken out of neighborhoods, where they hid in plain sight and stalked their innocent prey.

But both men knew Strauss was right. This was different in every way. Seeing the woman they loved hunted, made a red haze cloud their sight and threatened to make them lose all perspective. And if they were going to apprehend this animal before he or she found Emily, they would have to keep their wits about them.

Gabriel pulled the first envelope the perpetrator had sent, and started there. The initial photos depicted the Emily they knew well – happy, carefree Emily, her eyes always glowing and vibrant. But as they moved from one envelope to the next, they could see the toll the stalker’s watch was beginning to take. She became more pale and withdrawn. Her shoulders seemed to curl in and her posture suffered. Almost as if the invisible shadow was slowly and methodically beating her down and sucking the very life out her.

As he and Noah went through the evidence, it became increasingly more difficult to remain seated and not step out back for a little target practice. Gabriel’s jaw clenched repeatedly as he worked to remain silent and keep his terse comments to himself.

“Oh my God!” Noah breathed, as they looked at one picture which showed Emily just stepping out of her shower, her towel barely wrapped around her glistening body. It looked as though the stalker had been just outside her bathroom window, watching her from a very short distance.

“I know,” Strauss said in disgust. “This was right before she covered all of her windows. After this photo, Emily stopped giving the pervert a clear view. She realized if the lights were on, he or she knew someone was home and in that particular room. So, she also started leaving all of her lights on, in every room, day and night.”

“She’s been living like this for
two months
, and no one thought to call us?!” Gabriel asked, no longer able to mask his anger.

“She forbade me, son,” Strauss sighed and sank down onto the rocker angled towards the sofa. “And as long as Emily asked us to leave you to whatever case you were working, I couldn’t override her and call you off your own hunt. She felt as though we could keep her safe for the time being, and she didn’t want to stop you from catching the predator you were after.”

Gabriel all but growled over the elder man’s answer and shook his head in disgust.

“And now we get to the commentary,” Noah muttered. He pulled out the photos which each bore a descriptive caption, his hands shaking with his own palpable anger as he spread them out on the coffee table. Curses flew under his breath with a force that had Andrew and Ryan taking a step back.

“I am going to find this bastard and take him apart with my bare hands,” Noah whispered.

“No, you are not,” Strauss stated firmly. “You are going to find Emily and protect her. Then, we’ll hunt down this stalker with your people and mine. But you aren’t going to prison and leave her, Noah, because you can’t control yourself.”

“Yes, sir,” Noah chuckled, despite himself. Whether it was the old man’s age, experience, or just Noah’s ingrained southern manners, he couldn’t ignore the sheriff’s clear command.

“I agree. Emily is our first priority,” Gabriel interjected. “She may have thought she was doing us all a favor by luring the perpetrator away from those she cares about, but she’s only playing into the psycho’s hands by completely isolating herself. We
will
find her, sheriff, of that you need not worry.”

“How are you going to find her?” Ryan piped up. “Where would she go?”

“Let us worry about that,” Gabriel replied and looked from him to Andrew. “You two said you’ve been regularly driving by and checking on things here. When was the last time you knew she was home?”

“Um, last night, I suppose,” Andrew said and scrubbed a hand through his short brown hair. “I came by around seven and parked just down the street for about fifteen minutes before I headed home. I saw Emily moving through the living room during that time.”

“You saw her?” Noah asked carefully and angled his head at the young deputy.

“Well, I saw her outline,” Andrew admitted. “With the shades and drapes in place, we can only see her general shape. But it was her. She walked through the living room and headed for the back where the bedrooms are located.”

“We could check the footage to know for sure. But honestly, it’s not something we’ve done thus far. It’s just seemed like too much of an intrusion to look at what she does behind closed doors, because God knows she’s felt violated by all of this enough as it is,” Ryan said.

“What footage are you referring to?” Noah asked quietly, not liking where he thought this was headed at all.

“From the indoor security cameras Andrew and I installed. We had Lamar’s over in Gordon County help us with them. They give us video of the major areas within the house.”

“And where is this footage stored?” Noah pressed.

“At Lamar’s and on my computer at work,” Andrew answered.

Gabriel muttered several rough curses that made Andrew pale slightly.

“Why is that a problem?” he asked, feeling as though he was about to be hauled outside by Gabriel any minute now.

“Are your computers on a shared network and do they have Internet access?” Gabriel asked and arched an eyebrow at him, as though he was speaking to a child and had to go slowly so Andrew could catch up.

Andrew felt heat on his skin and he flushed as he stared at Gabriel. “Of course they are. Who doesn’t have Internet access on a computer?”

“It’s a problem,” said Noah, “because if you can see out, then others can hack your system and see in. Your effort to protect her can actually backfire and give someone else a clear line of sight into the very home that should have sheltered Emily from this sort of madness. Most likely, she’s been watched far more closely than you realized.”

“We didn’t know,” Ryan breathed and shook his head. He looked from Noah to the sheriff and grimaced. “We honestly thought we were doing the right thing.”

“I know you did, Ryan. Be calm,” Strauss said and then looked to Gabriel. “I also know you’ve got people who can trace this kind of online criminal behavior. So, call them in and let’s get started on this together. The clock’s ticking if Emily has been gone for almost twenty-four hours. The sooner you find her, the sooner I can sleep again. I’ve been watching over her since her grandparents passed on, and I don’t like this one damn bit. She should feel safe in her own home and the town she was raised in.”

“Yes, she should,” Gabriel muttered his agreement.

“Um, guys,” Jasper said softly, causing all eyes to turn towards him. “You all need to see this. It’s gotten worse. Much worse. The only good thing I can say is that Emily never opened this last envelope, so she didn’t have to see what the stalker intended for her to witness.”

“Show us, Jasper,” Strauss directed him.

Jasper nodded and rose to spread the latest photos out across the coffee table. No one said anything more for several minutes as they digested the clear message the stalker had sent her. Photos of her parents were there, as well as photos of her grandparents. Each of her deceased family members had a large red circle drawn around their heads, with a red slash struck through their faces. There was a similar photo of Emily standing beside Tara at a backyard barbeque and one that featured Emily tucked between Gabriel and Noah on an outing to the nearby lake.

In each picture, those she loved most had the same red circle drawn across their faces. Only Emily’s visage remained untouched. That was, until they saw the last photo in the packet. Jasper placed it atop the pile and they all drew in a collective breath.

The photo showed Emily standing proudly by a fan at a book-signing event she had participated in. The fan’s face was covered by a piece of notebook paper cut in the shape of an oval. It featured a prominent question mark drawn in its center with a black marker. And the image of Emily’s body was covered in a bridal gown that had been cut from a magazine and taped on her. But it was the caption written in red script that said it all.

“
You’re not alone anymore, Emily.
I’ve waited for you for so long, but we don’t have to wait anymore. It’s time you came home to me and became mine,
” it read.

“Aw, man, that’s sick,” Ryan groaned. “See, I told you this person has some kind of romantic agenda where she’s concerned. And now it looks like the stalker has clear plans to stake a claim.”

“Not going to happen,” Noah said through clenched teeth. “It’s time to go to work, Gabe.”

“Long past time,” Gabriel agreed.

CHAPTER 5

Emily walked up the steps formed into the side of the hill from old railroad ties, and drew in a deep, cleansing breath. The resort area she’d located online after six and a half days on the road was exactly what she had hoped it would be: remote, private and several states away from the prison her home had become. She smiled as she looked around, finding no other people for as far as the eye could see.

The cabins belonged to a retired couple who had begun their own small resort in northeastern Kentucky, and were spaced far enough apart from one another that visitors never had to see another person, if that was their desire, according to the website. When Emily had called from the prepaid cell phone she’d purchased along her drive north, Mr. Eberhardt had assured her that his retreat offered the privacy she had told him she was looking for. Emily had admitted only that she was a writer, and needed a place to work on her latest novel.

A chime sounded over her head when she walked into the small cabin that served as the resort’s office and Emily was immediately greeted by a hefty, chocolate Labrador.

“Hello, there,” she chuckled, as the dog set about licking all ten of her fingers in greeting.

“Oh, just shoo him away, dear,” a gentleman said and laughed. “Riley, move back and give the lady some space. I’m Roger Eberhardt,” he said and extended a hand. “You must be Nicole.”

“I am,” she said and ducked her head to look back at the dog. It wasn’t technically a lie, Emily told herself, because Nicole
was
her middle name. “Thank you for taking my reservation on such short notice. I just needed a quiet place to write, and when I found your cabins online, I knew it would be perfect here.”

“Oh, well, we’re glad to have you. Now, you listened to my advice about supplies and such, right?”

“I did,” she nodded. “I’ve already stopped by a store and stocked up. So, I’m good for a while.”

“That sounds good, then. We don’t have much in the way of grocery stores nearby. Let me get your paperwork and then I’ll give you a key and you can get back to writing. You look awful young to be an author, if you don’t mind me saying so.” Mr. Eberhardt grinned sheepishly as he moved behind his counter.

Emily chuckled and blushed a bit. “I’ve been writing all through high school and college. So, I’ve kind of been at it for several years.”

“Written anything I might of read?” he asked, clearly delving.

“Perhaps. But I write under a pen name, and I don’t usually give the secret away,” she hedged, hoping he would take her words at face value and leave the topic alone.

“Ah, I understand. I’m sure it’s hard to maintain any sort of normalcy if you’re famous. And you are, I can tell.” He smiled and waggled his eyebrows at her.

Oh, Lord, Emily cringed inside. Please get him to back off, she prayed. It was true, her novels were wildly popular with young adults, but they’d recently caught the eye of older readers as well and her sales had skyrocketed. Now, Emily was regretting the fact that she had been truthful about her profession, for she feared Mr. Eberhardt would figure out just who she really was and blow her cover. And then she’d be running again.

“I’m sorry, dear,” he said ruefully. “I’m an old man, and I tend to pry too much sometimes. Your secret is safe with us, and don’t you fret about your privacy. I know every time a vehicle turns into our drive and comes up this mountain, so you can relax and focus on your writing. Here, now just sign this agreement and the key’s yours.”

“Thank you,” Emily breathed, feeling some of the tension leaving her shoulders.

She read over the short-term rental agreement and then surprised Mr. Eberhardt by paying in cash for the entire month. Emily knew better than to purchase anything with her credit card, because if and when Gabriel and Noah ever looked for her, that would be like waving a red flag at them, heralding her location. And it just might do the same for her stalker, because Emily had no way of knowing how tech savvy her ever-present shadow was, nor the lengths said shadow would go to, to hunt her down.

With a final thanks, Emily returned to her SUV and drove the rest of the way to the cabin that would hopefully be her safe haven for a while. She parked beside the small house, backing in so she could get away quickly if need be, and far enough back so that the vehicle wasn’t visible from the resort’s main road.

She did a quick check of the perimeter, looking for any and all vantage points that someone might use to their advantage to see her while she was indoors. Once she had a lay of the land in her mind, Emily used the old-fashioned, gold-tone key Mr. Eberhardt had given her and opened the cabin’s front door. It creaked as it swung open, and she smiled, glad to know there would be a sound signaling an intruder. If, Emily laughed to herself, he or she chose to politely come through the front door to assail her.

She walked through the small cabin’s rooms, finding a simple kitchen that flowed into a dining and living area, two quaint bedrooms with a large bathroom between them, and a deck that was closed in on one end. She opened the door to that section of the porch and found a hot tub. Emily almost cried when she saw that feature, knowing how desperately she needed the relaxation it could bring.

Hopeful to sink down in its therapeutic currents sooner, rather than later, she headed back to her SUV and began the process of bringing inside all of her luggage, groceries, and supplies she had picked up along the way. Once all of her food items were placed in the refrigerator and cabinets, Emily set up the one thing from her own kitchen that she’d brought along. Her grandmother’s old crockpot.

Emily ran her fingers over its surface and smiled at the memories the simple device invoked. So many dinners and late lunches had been slow cooked in that pot, and Emily could almost hear her grandmother scolding her grandfather for lifting the lid and letting the heat out, when he only hoped to catch a whiff of whatever she was preparing.

Emily shook herself from the reverie, and went about getting a chili started in the pot that would cook for the next four or five hours. It would be ready just in time for dinner, and then she could have a long soak in the Jacuzzi. She strolled through the cabin and began to lower the blinds over each window. She paused as she lowered the third, shocked by the sudden sob that tore abruptly from her lips.

She drew the back of her hand over her mouth to stifle the sound, but another and then another came forth, as if from deep within. Emily bent over and braced her hands on her knees, but even that was not enough to steady her against the onslaught. It had just been waiting for her to let her guard down long enough that it might break free.

She sank down on the floor and covered her face in her hands as a great dam opened up within her. All of the fear and heartache she’d held in for weeks came rushing out in that one moment, and Emily honestly wondered if she would be able to breathe as her throat constricted. On and on the storm raged within her, purging the gulf of hurt and anguish that her life could be so torn asunder from a nameless, faceless person.

Finally, utterly spent, Emily sank back on the living room’s rug and scrubbed her hands over her face. Her eyes felt swollen and she knew she lacked the strength or motivation to drag herself off of the floor. She was just tired. So, very tired of the strain, terror, and never-ending unease that shadowed her every movement. She closed her eyes and drifted off right there, hoping a nap would chase some of her sadness away.

The sound of a ringing timer, which she had found in a kitchen cabinet earlier, cut through the haze of the disjointed dreams she was having and Emily sat up abruptly to place her surroundings. It took her a few seconds, but then it all came crashing back in. The photos, the threats, her decision to leave home so maybe Tara, Gabriel, and Noah remained untouched. She swallowed, still feeling a knot in her throat, and then pushed herself off of the hard floor.

“I must look a mess,” Emily muttered to herself as she went into the kitchen and checked on the chili. “Perfect as always, Gram,” she whispered.

She gave it a quick stir and then headed for the bathroom. She took a few minutes there to refresh herself and grimaced when she looked in the mirror. Emily forced herself to shrug it off and then snagged her laptop, her grandfather’s old revolver and the prepaid phone she’d purchased in Tennessee on her way through that state. She came back to the kitchen and set up the computer on the small bar area, letting it start up while she resumed lowering all of the blinds within the home.

Like it or not, Emily told herself, this was her reality now. Even here.

Once she’d dished up a bowl of supper, she took the phone in hand and made the call that she had been dreading for days. But there was no putting it off any longer, so Emily prayed for the right words and called her editor, Wendy. She was supposed to have checked-in with her three days ago, but Emily had been on the road then and did not want to call from a hotel room or a phone that could be traced to a business. Now, she had one that wasn’t tied to her credit card, and she hoped that would be enough to keep her location hidden.

Emily took a bite of food as the line rang, and then she heard Wendy’s familiar voice loud and clear. It was a shock after so many days and weeks of deliberately shutting everyone else out.

“Hello,” she said cautiously, and Emily realized then that Wendy had no idea who was calling her from a strange number.

“Wendy? Hey, it’s me, Emily,” she said and had to hold the phone away from her ear when Wendy shouted her relief.

“Girl, where are you?! I have been calling and calling you for days!” she gasped.

“I’m all right, so stop worrying.” Emily smiled, thinking it was good to know she was still missed by someone, and that she hadn’t alienated everyone who cared about her. “I just decided to take a little vacation, but I have my laptop, so it’ll be a working trip.”

“Do you think I’m worried about you not meeting a deadline? Emily, honestly, I could clobber you over that stubborn head of yours sometimes,” she fussed, and Emily chuckled before she could stop herself. “Oh, go ahead and laugh. I’m very funny, I know,” Wendy said dryly.

“It’s not funny. I’m sorry.” Emily grinned and took another bite of chili. “It’s just good to know that some things never change, and I’m glad that you still feel comfortable reading me the riot act.”

“Always,” Wendy sniffed in mock authority.

She was nineteen years Emily’s senior, and like a big sister most days. Other days she could be a frightening adversary, but never to Emily. No, Wendy was Emily’s biggest cheerleader and staunchest supporter in the literary world. Always had been, and Emily hoped she always would be.

“Well, if you’re on vacation, I can’t find fault with that. I’ve been begging you to take some time off for the last two years since you graduated from college. So, if you’ve got a few minutes, let’s talk business and then I’ll let you get back to whatever it is that you’re doing. Dare I ask if there’s sand and sun where you are? Because if there is and you didn’t invite me, I will personally tear into the next batch of chapters you send me for proofing.”

“No sand, here. But there is sun,” Emily allowed. “And I’ve got time to talk now. I’m just eating dinner, so go ahead.”

“Fine, you chew and I’ll go through the next few deadlines and what I’ll need from you. Got a pen and paper close by?”

“Got my laptop on, so go ahead,” Emily encouraged her.

She took another bite of food while she listened to Wendy begin their monthly conference call. It was a routine she knew well by now, and somehow the normalcy of it all brought fresh tears to Emily’s eyes. She willed herself not to sniffle into the phone and continued to eat while Wendy chatted away.