Chapter 20

CHAPTERTWENTY

Tal looked at his watch for the umpteenth time. Heather was late. Whitney had called and let him know she’d left. But she hadn’t arrived. With what had happened to Bristol last year still fresh in his mind, Tal didn’t hesitate to raise the alarm.

He called Simon first, then Ethan, who’d agreed to call everyone else. Then he’d immediately driven to the Chestnut Street Manor. He spoke briefly with Whitney, who confirmed the time Heather had left and what direction she’d walked, then began to walk the same direction she would’ve taken, looking for any signs of where she might be or what could have happened to her.

Raiden joined him within minutes with Duke at his side. The bloodhound immediately picked up Heather’s scent and took off down the sidewalk. He only tracked for two blocks before beginning to walk in circles with his nose in the air. Both Raid and Tal knew what that meant. She’d gotten into a car.

The question was…had she gotten in voluntarily or involuntarily?

If someone she knew had just offered her a ride, she would’ve shown up at the diner to meet him for lunch much faster than if she’d walked. But that hadn’t happened.

“She swore she’d never go with him,” Tal said, the fear clear in his voice.

“We don’t know if this is Cypress or anyone from that cult,” Raid said, trying his best to keep his friend calm.

“It’s him,” Tal argued.

“It could be someone who saw her interview and got obsessed. Someone who feels the same way about women as the assholes in that cult who raised her,” Raid suggested.

But Tal shook his head. He didn’t think so. He racked his brain trying to come up with a reason why Heather would go with the man who’d caused her so much pain. As he was trying to figure it out, Simon’s cruiser pulled up next to them.

“What did Duke find?” he asked.

“Followed her trail to here, where it disappears,” Raid said succinctly.

Tal blocked out his friends’ conversation and stared into space, trying to figure out what Heather could’ve been thinking. He closed his eyes for a moment, picturing her walking down the street. A car pulling up, someone rolling down the window to talk to her…and she simply got in? Why?

Was it really Cypress? Or maybe someone else from that bloody cult she’d grown up in? A stranger? He supposed it didn’t matter who it was at this point, just that she’d gotten into the vehicle. He didn’t think anyone had grabbed her and forced her into the car, because someone would’ve noticed. She would’ve screamed her head off.

So…why?

Tal frowned as Simon called his name.

He held up his hand, stopping the police chief from saying anything more to him as he furrowed his brow and thought of everything he knew about Heather. She’d promised she would never go back to Cypress. Had seemed adamant that she wanted nothing to do with him ever again. What might he have used as incentive to get her to comply?

Somehow, Tal knew this was Cypress. All the publicity on Heather’s kidnapping and subsequent return had lured him back to town, just like they’d been afraid of, because he wanted her back. She hadn’t been kind when she’d talked about her life with the cult on TV. Had been especially harsh regarding Cypress and his late father. It was most likely he was back for revenge.

Tal’s eyes popped open as a horrible thought occurred to him.

He turned to Raid and Simon. “He’s taken another child.”

Both men stared at him in confusion.

“We don’t know that,” Simon started, but Tal shook his head.

“It’s the only thing that makes sense. Heather swore she’d never go back to Cypress. Think about it…even when she was scared to death of Fallport, of anything outside the world that she knew, she still defied him by hiding in the forest when they were ready to leave. Deep down, she knew if she left this area, she’d lose her one connection to people who used to know her. To her home. And after she realized what was really happening in that cult, she was appalled. She especially hated that children younger than her had been taken to raise as future wives for the men in the group.

“I’m thinking Cypress came back for her. For revenge. He’s spent his entire life with subservient women. He probably truly believes he’s superior to all females. How do you think he would’ve felt after learning he’d been outsmarted by one? Probably outraged—and even more determined to show her that she didn’t win. And how best to do that?”

“Kidnap a kid and bring her here,” Raid answered with a grim look on his face.

“Exactly. I know in my bones, the only reason Heather would ever get into a car with him was if he was threatening a child,” Tal said.

“So where would he take them?” Simon asked.

“To where it all started?” Raid guessed.

“I agree,” Tal agreed.

“Shit. There’s nothing out there. The tents have all been removed, the toilet pits filled in, and even the broken-down shells of vehicles have been towed away for scrap,” Simon argued.

“I don’t think he’s planning on staying. He probably just wants to show Heather that she hasn’t beaten him. That he’s still in control. And that camp is the place she fears the most,” Raid reasoned.

Just then, the sound of a car accelerating down the street sounded. Turning, Tal saw Ethan’s Subaru flying down the street toward them. Right behind him was Zeke’s truck and Drew’s Jeep. All three vehicles screeched to a stop and the remaining five members of the SAR team emerged from the vehicles.

“Sitrep,” Ethan barked.

“We think Cypress might’ve taken Heather to his old camp,” Raid summarized. “Duke tracked her to this spot, then her scent disappears.”

“Right,” Ethan said. “Let’s go.”

“Shit. All right. Tal, you’re with me,” Simon said quickly. “Everyone else, stay behind me. The last thing I need is all of you going all spec forces on me.”

Tal didn’t argue, especially since Simon was taking point. But the police chief actually did need them using their special forces training. There wasn’t enough time for him to call his officers off whatever tasks they were doing. Every second counted when it came to Heather’s life being in danger—and it was. No way would Cypress risk staying in Fallport for long.

Tal knew without asking that as soon as they arrived, his friends would go into fight mode. They’d take positions around the camp to make sure Cypress didn’t flee into the woods when everything went down. They were all in professional soldier mode…too much shit had happened to their own women. The thought of evil touching Heather again, after what she’d already been through, was unacceptable.

Every mile they drove toward the abandoned cult grounds felt like an eternity. Tal prayed they were right, otherwise they were wasting a lot of time for nothing. And he couldn’t even think about what might be happening to Heather or it would completely overwhelm him, and he wouldn’t be able to help her when she needed him most.

Hang on, sweetheart. Just a little longer.

* * *

By the time Cypress pulled into the long driveway of The Community, Heather had blocked everything out except the man sitting next to her. She kept her eyes in her lap, as was expected. She didn’t want to give Cypress any reason to suspect she was anything other than what he wanted to see…a subservient, scared, very well-trained female.

“I can’t say the time away from us has been good to you,” Cypress said as he reached the camp, stopping the car. “Look at you…wearing pants, shoes…and you cut your beautiful hair.” He made a tsking noise. “You know none of that is allowed. You’re going to have to be punished. Severely.”

Once, those words would’ve made Heather cringe. She would’ve apologized profusely, done anything necessary in order to lessen her time in the punishment tent. But now, all they did was make her madder.

She swallowed her anger…channeled it. Stared down at the lowered head of the child at her feet. The little girl hadn’t moved. She sat as still as possible, as if trying to be invisible.

Memories of when she’d done the same, out of self-preservation, threatened to throw Heather back into the past. But she brought up a memory of that morning…of sitting on the bed with Talon as they played with Boots. Drinking tea together while they watched TV. Of the adoring expression on his face as she made love to him.

Seeing the man she loved in her mind calmed her further. Made her even more focused.

“You belong to me,” Cypress went on. “You always have and you always will.”

He was wrong. She didn’t belong to him. Not even close.

She was Talon’s…just as he was hers.

“Take off your shoes,” Cypress said as he leaned forward and pulled a knife with a serrated blade out of a holster at the small of his back. “You know you aren’t allowed to wear them.”

Wanting to lash out, scream at him, tell him he was nothing but a pathetic, sick old man who preyed on children, Heather took a deep breath before leaning down to untie her boots. She had to bide her time. At the moment, Cypress had the upper hand with that knife. But she would be ready to make a move when he let down his guard. Her life, her future, and that of the child at her feet, all depended on her making her captor think she was submitting.

Heather wanted to reassure the girl. Wanted to tell her to hang on, that help was coming. But she couldn’t, not if she wanted Cypress to let down his guard.

She removed her shoes and socks and left them on the floor behind the child.

“Get out,” Cypress ordered. “And don’t try anything or I’ll take it out on her,” he warned, gesturing to the girl with the knife.

Bitterness threatened to overcome Heather’s good sense, but she managed to nod and reach for the door handle. She stepped onto the ground and immediately shivered. She’d forgotten how cold it could be, walking around the forest without shoes on her feet. But she controlled her involuntary reaction as best she could. She didn’t want to give Cypress the satisfaction of knowing she was uncomfortable.

She shut the car door, not wanting the girl to hear or see what was going to happen next. Forcing herself to stand still, looking at the ground, Heather saw Cypress’s feet appear in her line of vision. He grabbed her arm tightly, nearly wrenching it out of its socket as he pulled her toward a lone tent in the middle of what used to be a bustling Community.

“Recognize it?” Cypress asked as he hauled her closer. He didn’t give her time to respond, which wasn’t unusual. All the men in The Community tended to answer their own questions…as if the women weren’t capable of thinking for themselves. “It’s the punishment tent. I took it when I left Florida, in anticipation of bringing you home. But plans have changed, thanks to your TV interview,” he spat. “You spent quite a bit of time in this tent, didn’t you? I thought it would be an appropriate place to reacquaint myself with my wife. Then, for old time’s sake, I’ll give you a short punishment session…before I kill you and head out to start my new life with my little future wife.”

This time, it was almost impossible to push the memories aside. The smell of the canvas as they neared threatened to bring Heather to her knees. She hated this tent. Somehow it smelled differently than all the other canvas tents that used to be here. Maybe it was because of the suffering that had taken place inside, she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that there was no way she was letting Cypress tie her down, blindfold, gag, and deafen her while he had sex with her, then beat her with his belt. She wasn’t ready to die. Not when she’d just begun to live.

Cypress flipped back the opening of the tent, and it took every ounce of strength Heather had to calmly step inside. She saw the ropes he’d already prepared to restrain her. There was a single blanket on the ground, obviously where he planned to have sex with her.

Adrenaline coursed through Heather’s veins. She wanted to run. Wanted to lash out. But Cypress was still holding the knife. She had to wait until just the right time. He’d have to put it down in order to tie her up. To have sex with her. The second he did, she’d make her move.

“I’m not surprised you’ve recalled your training so well,” he said with a smirk. “You’re nothing without The Community. You can’t think for yourself, never could. Take off those obscene pants. Now!” he ordered.

The last thing Heather wanted to do was disrobe. But she turned to face him and undid the button on the cargo pants she wore. Then she sat on the blanket, leaned back on her hands and opened her legs. From experience, she knew what Cypress expected of her. This was the position he ordered her into most often when he wanted to exert his husbandly rights. She was still wearing the pants he hated, but she simply couldn’t make herself remove them.

If he wanted them off her, he was going to have to do it himself.

Watching through her lowered lashes, Heather waited anxiously. She wasn’t sure how far this was going to go before he let down his guard. She held her breath as the seconds ticked by…

To her relief, he got on his knees and scooted closer.

“Fine. I’ll take ’em off for you. I’m going to enjoy punishing you for defying me.”

Then it happened.

He put the knife down in the dirt next to him as he reached for the opening of his pants.

Heather didn’t hesitate. She lunged for the knife.

Cypress hadn’t been expecting it, had assumed he was in complete control, like always. Never in his experience had any of the women he’d abused ever fought back.

Gripping the knife firmly, Heather plunged it into his gut, right where she knew it would do the most damage.

She extracted the knife and leaped to her feet, exploding out of the tent and taking her first deep breath since she’d been forced to enter. The whole attack had taken seconds. Now, she immediately turned and waited for Cypress to follow.

And he did, exiting the tent almost immediately. He was stumbling a bit, which made Heather smile.

“Hurts, doesn’t it?” she asked, her chin high, meeting his gaze directly. He’d hate that, which made it feel all the more satisfying.

“Bitch!” he growled. “You’re going to fucking suffer!”

She was ready when he charged, standing her ground for a heartbeat before jerking away…

And plunging the knife into his back as he ran by.

The howl of pain and outrage that escaped Cypress’s mouth wasn’t unlike that of a wounded bear.

Heather felt a little sick, but she couldn’t stop yet. Not until he was down.

Before he could even spin to come after her again, Heather leapt forward and stabbed him on the other side of his lower back, close to his side.

He fell to his knees.

Moving quickly to finish what she’d started, Heather plunged the serrated blade once more into his body, this time into the back of his thigh, ensuring he wouldn’t be able to run…or walk.

As he fell forward into the dirt, screaming in pain and anger, Heather finally took a step back. It felt as if she was watching the scene from high above. She felt detached and unemotional about what she’d just done…except for a small bit of satisfaction. She now had the upper hand. Cypress wouldn’t be able to hurt her, or the little girl who was probably scared out of her mind in the car.

“You bitch!” Cypress spat, glaring at her with hatred.

Heather stared down at him in contempt. “Your words can’t hurt me,” she told him.

“Maybe not, but when I get my hands on you, you’re gonna hurt like you’ve never hurt before,” he seethed.

She laughed. Flat-out laughed. Then shook her head. “You aren’t going to get your hands on me, that girl, or anyone else, ever again. You taught me well, Cypress. I might not have fully embraced life as a Community wife, but I definitely learned how to use a knife to take down my prey.”

Cypress stilled as her words sank in.

“What was it you taught me? Oh, yeah…a gut wound was always preferable because perforating the intestine would spread infection amazingly fast. It would weaken the animal, make them less of a threat. And a kidney shot? Yeah, that would ensure a slow and painful death.

“I remember exactly what you said, Cypress…why kill them quickly? It’s always good to let an animal know who’s in charge, that they’re nothing but fuel for those more powerful and smarter. I always felt it was cruel. Why shoot an animal in the gut when a head shot or through the heart would be quick and painless? Of course, you didn’t give me a gun to hunt with, did you? No, you only allowed me a knife. I learned to be very quick with a blade. Unlike you, when I trapped an animal, I killed it quickly.

“But because I wanted you to know that I listened, I did to you exactly what you taught me.”

“Oh, shit…” Cypress said, slowly rolling to his back. “I need help! Go get help!”

Heather didn’t bother to respond. She’d been very precise with her stabs. Even now, he was bleeding to death inside. She felt no regret.

Turning, she headed for the tent that held such awful memories. Using the bloody knife, she slit the canvas from top to bottom. She tore the tent down and continued to slice the damn thing to ribbons.

It was cathartic. And she also didn’t want to provide Cypress anywhere to take shelter. It was cold, and soon it would be dark. He would freeze if he didn’t bleed to death first.

Cypress alternated between threatening her and begging for help. She ignored him.

He’d stupidly left the keys in the ignition, and she opened the driver’s-side door and sighed. She wanted to drive herself out of there. Ached to do just that. But she had no idea how to drive. Talon had talked about teaching her, but they hadn’t gotten around to it yet.

Even as she stood there, looking into the car and trying to decide what to do, Cypress continued to scream, moan, and threaten both her and the girl. Seeing the child wince, Heather made her decision. She didn’t regret what she’d done to Cypress, but she didn’t feel good about it either. She’d killed a man; even if he wasn’t dead yet, he would be within hours. And the last thing she wanted was this little girl having nightmares about seeing him die.

She pocketed the car keys, then walked around to the passenger side. She sat on the seat and reached for her socks and boots. As she put them back on, she spoke quietly to the girl.

“It’s okay. You’re safe now. You can trust me, and I’m not going to hurt you. We’re going to take a little trip into the forest. But don’t worry, we’re going to a place I know well. Somewhere Cypress will never find us. He wouldn’t be able to follow us anyway, but I don’t like the sound of his voice.

“Talon will come for us. I have no doubt of that. He’ll know where we are. Soon we’ll be home, and I’ll introduce you to my kitten. Her name is Boots. She’s black with white fur around her feet. I know you’re probably cold. I’m sorry. I’ll check the trunk and see if your real clothes are in there.”

Heather knew she was babbling, but she kept up a steady stream of calm, gentle words. When she reached for the girl’s hands, she visibly recoiled.

Heather paused and said, “I won’t hurt you. I’m just going to cut that rope off your hands, then we’ll leave. Okay?”

She waited patiently, rewarded when the girl dipped her chin the tiniest amount.

“Good girl,” Heather praised. “You’re so brave. And strong. I’m proud of you. Hang on just a little longer, and hold very still.” She sliced through the rope holding the girl hostage and quickly removed the excess from around her tiny wrists. “There, that’s better. Do you think you can stand up? Are you hungry? There’s some food where we’re going. We’ll fill our bellies, and when Talon takes us home, we can have something more yummy. You can trust me, I’m not going to hurt you.”

To Heather’s surprise, the little girl lifted her head and stared at her for a beat with beautiful hazel eyes—then reached her arms up.

Her heart soaring with the trust and bravery the child was showing, Heather picked her up. Immediately, the girl’s arms wrapped around her neck in a surprisingly strong grip. Her legs went around her waist and she held on as if she’d never let go.

Putting a hand under her rump, Heather stood, turning so the little girl couldn’t see Cypress lying in the dirt. She opened the trunk and frowned when all that was inside was canvas. Slamming it shut, she refused to think about how close the precious bundle in her arms had come to living a life like Heather had. Cypress’s desire for revenge had been his downfall, and she’d never been so relieved in all her life that he was so predictable. He could’ve disappeared with this precious bundle. Could’ve killed Heather without any warning. But instead, he’d been so sure of his superiority over her that he’d made a fatal mistake.

Heather went back to the passenger door she’d left open and knelt down in front of it. She put the girl on the seat—after very gently breaking her hold—and reached for the sweatshirt she’d pulled over her head this morning, after her shower with Talon. It had been plenty warm earlier when she’d planned a brisk walk to town. Heather would be cold without it, but the little girl needed it more. She wanted to strip off the offensive brown dress Cypress had made her wear, but decided to leave it on.

“Lift your arms, sweetie. Good job. This will make you warmer. Talon will get you some shoes as soon as he can. And warm socks too. There, don’t you feel better now?”

The girl stared at her but didn’t speak.

“It’s okay to talk. I promise. I won’t hurt you. You can talk, and cry, and smile and laugh. The mean man will never touch you again. I swear. What’s your name?”

“Sunset,” the girl whispered.

Heather grimaced. “No, your real name. The one your mommy and daddy call you. The mean man tried to change my name too, but it didn’t work. I’m Heather. Heather Brown.”

The girl didn’t respond, just stared at her with fear in her eyes.

“It’s okay. You can tell me later, when you’re more comfortable. For now, how about we get out of here?”

The girl gave her another small nod, and Heather gathered her into her arms again. And just like before, the child held on as if Heather was the only thing between her and certain death.

She pushed the lock button, then slammed the car door. The sound echoed throughout the trees.

“Where are you going? You can’t leave me here! Come back! Right now! I’m talking to you, Sunset! Get back here. At least leave me the keys! I’m going to freeze if you don’t!”

Heather ignored Cypress’s pleas as she turned and headed for the trees.

* * *

Tal’s eyes were fixated on the road in front of Simon’s car as they raced toward the place where the cult had lived. They didn’t pass any cars, which was both a relief and scary as hell. If Cypress was still in the woods with Heather, he didn’t want to think about what she was going through right that moment. But then again, if they’d passed Cypress fleeing the area, and Heather wasn’t with him, Tal knew it would be because he’d killed the only woman Tal had ever loved.

Pushing away the thought that Heather could be dead, Tal gripped the dashboard as Simon finally pulled into the dirt road that led to the old settlement, barely putting on the brakes as he did so. The car bottomed out in a few potholes, and Tal winced. Simon was probably taking out the entire undercarriage of his car with the way he was driving, but Tal had never been more appreciative.

Dust surrounded the car when Simon finally hit the brakes several yards from the encampment, coming to an abrupt halt. Tal had the door open even before the tires stopped spinning. He couldn’t see through the dust and he coughed as the particles of dirt lodged in his lungs.

Tal heard his friends’ cars coming in fast and hard behind them, but he didn’t wait. He had no plan. No goal other than finding Heather and killing the son-of-a-bitch who’d taken her.

Up ahead in the clearing, Tal saw a four-door white sedan parked right in the entrance to the camp. Just as he’d taken that in, he saw a pile of what looked like shredded canvas on the opposite side of the camp, between some trees.

Then he heard a pitiful moan from somewhere between the canvas and the sedan.

His heart in his throat, Tal quickened his steps.

“Damn it, Talon, wait for me!” Simon ordered from behind.

But Tal wasn’t waiting. If that was Heather moaning, he needed to get to her.

He’d taken several steps into the encampment, the dust in the air from the four newly arrived vehicles following on the wind.

The moan had come from a person, but it wasn’t Heather.

A man lay on his back on the ground in a pool of blood. His face was ashen gray, and he stared blankly at the trees swaying over his head.

“Holy shit!” Ethan exclaimed as he approached.

“Is that Cypress?” Zeke asked.

“I would assume so,” Talon said.

“What happened to him?” Brock asked.

“Any sign of Heather?” Raid asked. He’d left Duke in the car, which the bloodhound wasn’t happy about. Everyone could hear him baying sorrowfully.

“Everyone spread out. See if you can find any signs of her,” Drew ordered.

Simon came up beside Talon, and they stared down at the obviously dying man. It was taking everything within Tal not to reach for Simon’s sidearm and shoot the bastard in the head. He was frozen with indecision. He needed to know Heather was all right, but he also needed to make sure this asshole would never touch his woman ever again.

“Help me,” the man moaned. His head was turned toward them, and he reached a hand out, his fingers opening and closing.

Tal crouched on the balls of his feet, out of the man’s reach, and sneered. “Help you? You’re kidding, right? You raped and abused my woman for years! Who was there to help her? You? Your father? No. No one helped her. As far as I’m concerned, you got exactly what you deserved at Heather’s hands. A slow, painful death. I hope you rot in hell.”

“He doesn’t look good,” Simon said conversationally.

The completely relaxed tone of his voice was so surprising, Tal turned to stare at him.

The chief met his gaze. “You’re probably wondering why I’m not doing something. Calling this in. Getting the ambulance rolling.”

Tal had kind of wondered that, but he merely shrugged.

“After hearing what Heather went through, I’m not too inclined to help him. Besides, it looks like he’s done for…not sure anything can save him now.”

Tal turned his attention back to Cypress, only to see his eyes staring sightlessly at the sky. Simon was right. He was dead already. Good riddance.

He stood and turned his back on the man. He nodded at Simon, renewed respect for the chief filling Tal.

“She’s not here,” Rocky said as he jogged back toward Tal and Simon. “We’ve looked everywhere. The canvas is just that, a ripped-to-shreds tent. There are some footprints, but she isn’t here.”

“The car?” Simon asked.

“Ethan broke in, it’s empty. Nothing in the trunk either.”

“There’s no other footprints,” Zeke said as he approached. “No sign of anyone other than him,” he nodded at the man behind them on the ground, “and Heather.”

“Bare feet around the tent,” Brock said. “But boot prints heading away from the car, toward the trees.”

“I’ll get Duke,” Raid said, heading for the car where he’d left his bloodhound.

“No need,” Tal called out.

All seven men turned to stare at him.

“What do you mean? We need to track her in the forest. She’s probably running scared,” Simon said.

But Tal shook his head. “I know where she’s headed.”

“The cave,” Ethan said.

“Exactly. And she’s got the child with her.”

“There aren’t any other footprints,” Zeke reminded him.

“She’d have carried her. Females weren’t allowed to wear shoes in The Community, so Cypress would’ve taken them from the girl.”

“There was rope on the floor of the passenger seat. It’s been cut with a blade,” Drew said. “The child was probably restrained as Cypress drove.”

“How far is the cave from here? Will it be closer to bring her back this way, or to the trailhead where you were parked when you first found her?” Simon asked.

Tal itched to get going. To get to Heather. “I don’t want her coming back here. I never want her to see this place again,” he said in a low, gruff voice.

“Right, so Rocky and I will go with Tal,” Ethan decided. “Zeke, you and Drew go to the trailhead and start walking, you can meet us on our way back.”

“Brock, if you can stay with me as a witness, I’ll call in what we found here in a bit,” Simon said.

Everyone nodded in approval.

“That leaves me,” Raid said. “I’ll take Duke back to town and rally the troops…otherwise known as your women. They’re going to want to be there for Heather when you bring her home.”

Tal was almost overwhelmed by the support from his friends. When he’d made the decision to get out of the service and move to the United States, he’d had no idea what was in store for him. He figured he’d spend a few years here then go back to the UK. But he’d found the best friends a man could ask for…and the love of his life as well.

Gratitude for his friends made his throat close up and his chest tight, but Tal took a deep breath and turned to the trees. He was so proud of Heather. He didn’t know exactly what happened here, but he could imagine. She’d done what she had to in order to protect herself and the child he was positive was with her. She wasn’t running, wasn’t planning on hiding from him…instead, she was going to the one place she knew with one hundred percent certainty he’d be able to find her…and Cypress couldn’t.

His Heather was smart, and he was the luckiest man in the world.

“Come on, let’s go bring your woman home,” Ethan said, thumping Tal on the back.

Without hesitation, he headed toward his future.