Tempestuous Taurus Read online

  “Tell me who I am and I’ll cut the cable off your hands.” He stared down at her. “You really don’t have a clue, do you?”

  His eyes and nose still looked familiar but she had never been good at facial recognition. She recognized people by their walk, their smell, and their mannerisms, and she didn’t know this man. She flexed her hands and tried to move them around again. Had the ties loosened a little?

  “Well? Who am I?”

  “I don’t know who you are. It’s dark—I need more light.”

  “Then you’ll have to stay like this.” He left without a word and slammed the lock shut. The room went black again, the only light coming from below the door.

  Instead of trying to picture his face, his voice, the way he spoke, or anything about him, she started to go through the people who may have a reason not to like her.

  It wasn’t Randall. He had been her number one suspect, but he was thin and rangy while this man was short and burly. She knew he must be someone from her past. A classmate at high school? She went away to the University of Arizona, but she was sure it wasn’t anyone from there. This madman had to be someone further back in her life who knew her in Hardship. She didn’t know if she could remember everyone in her class. She hadn’t seen them for so long. Maybe Jules would have an idea, but she wasn’t there.

  She mentally went through each boy in her class, straining her memory. It took her mind off the numbness in her hands and the ache in her shoulders. She was thirsty, too. She hadn’t eaten for—she didn’t remember how long, but she felt nauseated and probably wouldn’t be able to stomach anything even if it was offered, which she didn’t believe was going to happen. But she needed a drink.

  She thought about Kaitlyn. Had Jared found her? He would take care of her and see that she got home safe. She must have been terrified when she saw Tara being kidnapped. And Cassie. Where was she? How would she ever find this place again if she managed to get back to Hardship? Was he joking or trying to scare her with the mention of a mountain lion in the area? Cassie had on that stupid nightgown and no shoes. What would happen to her if she couldn’t find her way back to civilization? She would be totally lost in the wilderness.

  Who was he? She had to figure it out. He knew her and Jared. From where? She needed to pee. The realization came slowly and then it seemed to snowball.

  Chapter 56

  “Here.” The man in the red truck pulled a colorful blanket out from behind the seat and handed it to Cassie. “Put this around you, your teeth are chattering. You gonna tell me what you’re doing out here dressed like that?”

  The rough fabric warmed her as soon as she wrapped it around herself. “Tha— Thank you for the blanket.”

  The man stared at her for a few seconds, his brow furrowed before pulling out back into the road. “You need medical attention for your feet. They’re bleeding. I don’t have a first aid kit. Where do you want to go to? I can take you to the clinic in Hardship.”

  “No. Please. I need to get to the sheriff’s office.” Cassie slumped back in the seat and realized she had been rigid with fear and ready to spring into action if he tried to touch her. She looked down at her feet. What a mess. She studied her rescuer through the corner of her eye.

  His graying hair was tied back into a rough ponytail, and bushy black eyebrows hung over deep-set brown eyes. A straggly salt and pepper beard hid part of his face, and the skin that was exposed had deep lines on it. He wore blue jeans and a camouflage T-shirt and had tanned, muscular arms.

  “What’s your name?” he asked.

  “Cassie. I . . . Thank you so much. I have to save my sister. She’s been kidnapped.” A note of desperation turned her words into a whine. She put her head down into her hands. “Oh God, what’s he gonna do to her?”

  “My name’s Nate.” He squinted at her. “Is that right? Your sister’s been kidnapped? Was it her boyfriend? Where’s she being held?”

  Cassie opened her mouth and then realized she had no idea where she had just come from. “I don’t know. Somewhere near where you found me. In a cabin.”

  “And you’re sure she’s been kidnapped?”

  Cassie took a couple of deep breaths to stop herself from crying. “Yes. It’s a long story. How long will it take to get to Hardship?”

  “It’s about fifteen miles from here.” Nate pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offered one to her.

  “No. Thanks, but I could use a drink.”

  He lifted a plastic water bottle from the pocket in his door and handed it to her. “That’s all I have.”

  It was half full and her hands shook so much she had to get Nate to unscrew the lid. She drank it all.

  Nate lit a cigarette and inhaled. He wound down the window and blew the smoke out of it. “You sure made short work of that. I bet you’re hungry, too. How long have you been walking around like that? You should call 911 and tell them what you just told me.” He handed her a cell phone.

  Cassie took the phone. “You said it would take fifteen minutes to get to Hardship?”

  “Right. About fifteen minutes.”

  Can you take me directly to the sheriff’s office?”

  “Of course.”

  “Then I don’t need to call anyone.” She handed the phone back.”

  Chapter 57

  A sheriff’s vehicle was parked beside the sheriff’s office, and Cassie heaved a sigh of relief that someone was there as Nate parked out front. He got out of the car and helped her to the steps and up them. She leaned on him and tread as lightly as she could, every step making her groan. She pulled the blanket tighter around herself.

  Nate rang the doorbell.

  The door creaked open and Deputy Tim Bowen stood there with his mouth open. “Cassie! My God. Cassie? Is that really you?”

  Cassie nodded, unable to find the right words or stop the tears that streamed down her face. “It’s Tara,” she sobbed. “You have to save her.”

  Her rescuer said, “Found her wandering on State Route 19, wearing next to nothing. Her feet need some medical attention.”

  Tim looked down. “Jesus! What in hell’s name happened to you? Come this way. I’ll get the first aid box.”

  “I’d like to use your restroom,” Cassie sobbed.

  “Of course. Can you walk?” He held his hands out as if to catch her if she fell. “It’s there.”

  Cassie had been too scared to look at her feet in the light, but now she did. She knew they had been bleeding and had kept them hidden under the blanket during the ride in the truck. She used the restroom and washed her hands and face, and rewrapped the blanket around herself before hobbling back to the conference room.

  “He’s making us some coffee,” Nate said as he stood up and offered his hand for support for Cassie.

  “Coffee. I haven’t had that for years and years. You don’t have to stay. I know you must have things to do. And I’m so thankful for your help.”

  “Yeah, well, you got me more than curious and I want to find out what’s going on.”

  Tim came back with three steaming cups of coffee. “Let me get the creamer and some packets of sugar.”

  “Now,” he said when everyone had taken what they needed. “Your feet.”

  “First you must listen, please. Tara’s in terrible danger. You have to help her. There’s no time to sit and talk. He said he would kill her.”

  “We know about Tara. The FBI are mobilizing, and should be here by this evening. Do you know where she is? We’ve put out a BOLO—be on the lookout--to all units here and in Groover, so there are officers out looking for her. Does her kidnapper have a tattoo at his throat?”

  “I don’t know where Tara is exactly, but I may be able to find the place I was held. He will be holding her there. And yes, he has a tattoo of a bull.” Cassie swiped at
the tears. “I ran away while he was distracted by Tara and I went through the woods to hide from him because he was hunting me, and he would have shot me, and then I found the paved road and . . . and . . .”

  “Yeah, she was on Highway 19, at about mile marker nineteen,” Nate said. “So if there’s a kidnapper, maybe he’s someplace around there. There are a lot of huntin’ cabins in the woods there.”

  “We’ll let the Feds know you’re here, and they’ll have a lot of questions for you. You’ll have to go to the hospital, but first, let’s see if we can give you a little relief. Turn your chair around and let me clean and bandage those up.” He pointed to her feet.

  Cassie did as she was told and winced at the first touch of the wet swab.

  “Hold still. I know it hurts, but I’ll be as gentle as I can. My God, Cassie. You must have quite a story to tell.” Tim paused to take a bandage out of the box. “You’ve been missing for how long? Something like nine years. A lot of people thought you were dead, but Tara-Grace—she never gave up on you.”

  “You have to help her. Please.”

  Tim wrapped the bandage around the first foot and gestured with his hand for the other. She rested it on his knee. He questioned Cassie as he worked. “So you’ve been in a cabin in the woods someplace all these years?”

  “No. I—I was on the streets in Los Angeles for a while, and then he took me away and we were in a house.”

  “Where? In Hardship?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think so. It took a long time to drive to the cabin from the house.”

  The deputy wrapped a bandage around the other foot. “That should make it a little easier ’til we can get you to a doctor.”

  The door chime rang.

  “What now?” Tim scraped his chair back and went to the door. Cassie heard him talk to someone, and then footsteps.

  “Cassie! Oh, my God.”

  “Jared!” Cassie sprang up and fell into his arms. She buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing loudly.

  “I’ll get you some coffee.” Tim left the room.

  Jared steered Cassie to her seat and pulled out a chair beside her. She clung to his arm. I must have died. He must have killed me after all and this was all a dream. Jared couldn’t be walking around free. He’s in prison.

  She started laughing and found that she couldn’t stop.

  “What is it?” Jared asked. “What the hell . . .?”

  Through her laughter, Cassie said, “I thought this was real, but it’s just a dream. Tara’s okay, and I’m still in the cabin. Just a dream.”

  “Say what?”

  She chuckled. “I thought I escaped from him and he had Tara, but if this was really happening you wouldn’t be here. Or—maybe I’m dead. We’re all dead.”

  Jared took her by her forearms and pulled her up onto her feet. He stared into her face. “It’s real, Cassie. This is really happening. I was freed. I didn’t do it. I would never have hurt your parents. I finally managed to get someone to believe me.”

  She stared up at him. “Are you sure? This is really happening?”

  “It’s happening. Where’s Tara?”

  “You have to save her.” She freed her arms and gripped his wrists. “He’s a monster and he has her. Please, Jared. Please.” She looked around and saw anxiety written all over Tim’s face. Did he think she’d lost her mind?

  “Why don’t you tell us about the man who has her? Who is he?” Jared steered her back to her chair, took a napkin, and wiped the tears and streaks of dirt off her face.

  She pushed his hand away. “He’s a bad man. He’ll hurt her like he hurt me, but he hates her. He said he would kill her.”

  Jared pointed to the file folder he had laid on the table when he first came into the room. “That’s why I’m here. I think I know who the dude is.”

  Chapter 58

  Time seemed to stand still and move too fast as images of people rolled through Tara’s mind. That guy. The one who came to the door with flowers. He invited her to the prom and he thought she would change her mind if he brought flowers. He told her mom he was in love with her. What was his name? Roderick something.

  She shifted around, trying to get her arms comfortable but knowing it was hopeless. The way he had tied her legs to the bedpost prevented her from getting off the bed. What if he doesn’t come back? I don’t want to pee in the bed.

  It was on the tip of her tongue. Come on. Passmore. That was his name. Roderick Passmore. No. No. It had hardly been rejection. He had to know she was going with Jared. Everyone knew Jared and she were going to get married one day. So why had Roderick come to the house that day?

  Darn. Her bladder was almost at bursting point.

  Mom wasn’t very kind to him, but that couldn’t cause a person to hate like this. But it was him, wasn’t it? He couldn’t handle the rejection. She had read about men who threatened to kill their wives if they ever left, so yes, it was possible. But . . . To murder people in such a despicable way just because you were rejected? Over a high school prom? She groaned. No. And yet—it all made sense. That was why he set Jared up for prison. He must be totally insane. A mad man. He should be in the psych ward. She chewed on her bottom lip. What else could she remember about him? Did Roderick Passmore even fit the body type of her kidnapper?

  Memories of unpleasant things were always so blurred. She had no reason to want to remember anything about him. Until now. She shifted again, tried to get comfortable. What’s he going to do to me? Rape? Torture? A shudder ran through her and fear made her stomach clench. She breathed hard. And why Cassie? She hadn’t done anything to harm him. Cassie looked so thin and pale, but she seemed to be physically okay. God knew how long she had been here, but she got away. I’m thirsty. What was that?

  She heard the key turning in the padlock. “Roderick Passmore,” she blurted out as soon as the door cracked open.

  A slow grin crossed his face. “It took you long enough. Turn over.” He held up a scary-looking hunting knife with a curved tip.

  Tara’s eyes widened. “What are you—? I need the bathroom.”

  He pushed her roughly onto her side as far as her bonds would allow. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, and heard herself panting.

  The knife cut through the bonds. She tried not to cry out from the excruciating pain of the blood running back into her hands, but they were free. She blew out a long breath. He didn’t hurt her with the knife. She shook her hands, trying to get the numbness to go.

  He pushed the knife into a leather holster on his belt.

  “Why?” she asked. “Why are you doing this?”

  Hard lines creased his face, his eyes dark. “Why do you think, you ungrateful bitch?” he spat.

  “M-My parents? I need the b-bathroom.”

  “They deserved it, and that dumb boyfriend of yours should never have gotten out of prison.”

  Tara said nothing. She was shaking all over. Holy shit, this guy slaughtered my parents and now I’m at his mercy.

  “But all good things come to those who wait,” he said. “I expected you to come back sooner, especially when your aunt got sick, but you waited until she died. And now I’m going to do everything I want to do to you. You’ll be sorry you missed out for so many years.”

  “Please. I need to pee. I can’t hold it much longer.”

  A look of disgust crossed his face. He slashed at the bonds holding her legs to the bed-posts. His knife hand hovered above her, and for a minute, she thought he was going to stab her. Heart in her mouth, she climbed off the bed and hobbled sideways to the bathroom, watching him. There was no door and he grinned at her obvious discomfort. There were no windows in the room and no hope of getting past him to escape without being slashed with the knife.

  He watched as she made her way back to the b
ed and sank down. She leaned forward and held her hands over her face. She had to find a way to escape. “Why did you take Cassie? She never did you any harm.”

  “Cassie was my insurance policy. It took some detective work and many hours—many days driving around LA, but I found her and took her away from that life on the streets. She was nothing but a whore. A whore and a junkie, and I took her away from that life. I always knew I could use her for bait, and I had fun with her for a while. I just had to wait for your auntie to die. I didn’t need to help her along. I could see the cancer would take her pretty soon. After that, you’d come back and start living here.”

  Tara shuddered. This man was pure evil. He must have been watching her even then, waiting for a chance to get to her. What happened to make him so angry and twisted? “You need an attitude adjustment,” she said, still rubbing her wrists.

  “Me? Ha. You’re about to start your attitude adjustment treatment right now.” He grabbed one of her wrists and slipped a Velcro handcuff onto it and locked it onto the bed. Tara struck out at his face as hard as she could and kicked him in his stomach. She wasn’t going to lie down and submit to whatever he wanted.

  “Bitch! You’ll pay for that,” he grunted. He wrenched her other wrist and tied it to the other side of the bed, and despite all her efforts, he managed to tie her feet to the bottom of the bed.

  He held the knife up. “You’d better lay still or I’ll cut you.”

  She tried to shrink back as the knife came toward her chest, and gasped out loud. The cold hard steel ran down her chest and between her breasts. Oh, God no. She was nauseated. I can’t throw up. I can’t.