CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
She swallowed hard. "Why won't I like it?"
"Luke told me you don't like guns."
"I don't."
"Then you won't like carrying one. When I found out what happened last night, I decided you should carry my little pistol. What if you need to save yourself, or Luke, if he's hurt? You need to carry a weapon."
She felt relief and dismay at the same time. "I don't know if I can. My hand shakes every time I think of touching one."
"Why? Did you have a bad experience?"
Bethany hesitated. Then taking a deep breath she decided to share the memory that still haunted her dreams. She'd kept it to herself for too long. She licked her lips, and said, "My father was abusive. One day he came in waving a gun, threatening to shoot my mom and me. I was only nine years old. When he got drunk and passed out, still holding the pistol we left and went on the run. I spent years worrying he'd find us and use that gun to kill us."
Ron turned a corner and pulled in front of a building. "Many things are deadly in the wrong hands. He would have hurt innocents. You won't."
"You don't understand. The idea makes me sick. I don't think I can touch it."
"We'll take it slow. I'll show you it's unloaded. Then you'll hold it. Afterwards, I'll load it and you can put it in your purse. It's only for an emergency. Can you do that for Luke?"
She wasn't sure. The terror of seeing her father wave a gun at her stuck in her mind. Yet, Rod was right. She couldn't sit around expecting everyone else to protect her.
"I'll try, but I can't promise," she said.
He looked around carefully before bringing her into the building. She stood with him as he unlocked his door. Rod struck her as the sort of man who wouldn't care about decorating. Once inside his small apartment, her instincts proved right. She studied the scantily furnished living room containing an old plaid couch, end table, and a small wooden table with two chairs.
Returning with the pistol, Rod said, "Watch while I unload it."
He opened the cylinder and emptied the bullets. Holding it up for her to see, he told her, "See nothing in the chamber. You can hold it."
Bethany's heart raced. She felt faint. "I don't know if I can."
"Close your eyes and hold out your hand."
Bethany squeezed her eyes closed and froze. She didn't want to feel the cold metal of a killing instrument against her skin. "I just can't."
"You know there are no bullets. Just touch it."
Trying to block out the terrifying memory of her father, she touched her finger to the dreaded object. She withdrew it as though she'd been burned.
"Okay. That's good enough for now. We'll work more on this later. Put it in your purse."
She shook her head. "I don't have a license to carry."
"It's not loaded. But it should be. That's our next goal. The police may not be on hand when you need them."
Bethany watched him slip it into her purse. She hated having it. Yet, she knew he was right. She'd never been the helpless sort. For that reason, she would overcome her fear.
He drove to her apartment. When they arrived, Mrs. Armenti was sitting on the sofa with a knitting project in her hands. She drew her brows together in a worried expression. "How is Luke? Will he be all right?"
"He will. Fortunately, he has no internal brain swelling from the blow," Bethany said.
Mrs. Armenti's hand flew to her heart. "Thank the blessed Lord. I've been so worried."
Bethany smiled at the elderly widow. "I know. It was a serious injury. He'll probably be in the hospital at least another day."
"In the meantime, our watch program is fully active," Mrs. Armenti assured her. "I'm staying in the apartment with Julie during the daytime. She'll stay with me tonight and you'll be with Mrs. Rossi. Mr. Bertolini and Mr. Donati are on watch at the doors."
"You're going to a lot of trouble for us. Thank you," Bethany said.
"There will be an officer here all night and I'm watching the monitors," Rod said.
"It sounds like we'll be safe. Is Julie in her room?" Bethany asked.
Mrs. Armenti nodded. "The poor dear is worn out from all that's happened. She needed a rest. You look tired too, honey. Why don't you lie down?"
She was tired. The fold-out chair hadn't been a comfortable bed. "Thank you. I'll rest for a little while. If you hear anything from Luke, please let me know."
Rod nodded. "You know I will."
She plodded to her bedroom and set her purse on the dresser. Just knowing the weapon was inside filled her with apprehension. Fortunately, she was too exhausted to fight the urge to sleep. She slumbered deeply for over two hours before a loud noise outside the building woke her.
Striding into the hallway, she wondered if the building had been bombed. Rod stood at the front door holding back the residents. As Bethany approached, he remained planted in the way. "Two cars crashed going through a light. Everyone needs to stay inside in case it was engineered to get us outside. I'll go out and see if anyone is hurt."
Julie wandered out of the apartment."
"Was there an accident?"
"Yes, but we're not going outside to look, since we're the ones someone might want to lure to the scene" Bethany said.
"The police are there. It doesn't look like anyone was seriously hurt," Rod said. "Yet, who's to say the killer didn't rig the lights?"
"I wouldn't have thought of that. It's good Rod is here," Julie said.
"Did you see anyone who looked like the guy Luke described, the guy who killed Jordan?" Bethany asked.
Rod shook his head. "No. There were only the people involved in the wreck and a few unsuspicious onlookers."
"I'm getting paranoid," Bethany said.
Rod raised his brows." You should be. It will keep you alive longer,"
She nodded. "I'm going to call Luke's and see how he's doing. He has his cell phone on the bed."
Back in her apartment, she called him. He answered groggily.
"Did I wake you?"
"It's okay. The drugs make me sleepy."
"How are you doing?"
"The doctor said I can go tomorrow if I keep doing okay. All the scans came back normal.
Bethany felt an overwhelming sense of relief. "I've missed you. Are you sure you're feeling better?"
"I'm positive. I can't wait to be back with you. Has everything been quiet?"
She thought about the wreck. "There was a car accident in front of the building. Rod thought it might be a set-up to get us outside."
"I'm glad he's with you and Julie. He's a good man and his instincts are fine tuned. Still, it's obvious the killer knows where we are. It's not safe to stay there any longer. You're in danger and so are the other tenants. We have to go."
Bethany frowned, wondering what he would suggest. There were a limited number of motels in their small town. It wouldn't be easy to hide.
"I own a cabin near Cook Forest. It's rural. He wouldn't know where to find us. I'll set a perimeter like we have at the apartment. I have a generator for power and a back-up if the first one fails. The cabin's stocked with food."
"So you, Julie, and I would go there?"
"Rod, too, if he wants to help."
"He convinced me to carry a pistol. It's in my purse. I can't make myself touch it, but I do feel better, knowing it's there."
"That's great. I'll probably get out of here in the morning. We'll wait until evening to leave. We have to be sure we're not followed," Luke said.
"I better get packed," Bethany said.
His voice softened from the previous businesslike tone. "I can't wait to see you again. I've missed you."
Her eyes welled with tears. "I've missed you, too. Call when you get released. We'll come get you."
Wistfully, he said, "Thanks. Stay safe."
After they clicked off, she told Rod and Julie the plan.
"I'll drive," Rod said. "I'll drop by my place first and pick up some emergency supplies."
Bethany was relieved he would be with them, too. With Luke still recovering, she didn't want him to have the sole responsibility for setting up the perimeter around the cabin.
Julie sighed deeply. Bethany turned to her. "Are you all right?"
"I hate the idea of more isolation. At least here, we have neighbors and the sounds of the city outside. How long will this continue? I want my life back."
"We all do," Bethany said. "Yet, I want to stay alive until that happens."
Julie wiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't feel sorry for myself."
"He's been in this building. He could have killed Luke. Whether we like it or not, we have to disappear."
Though Julie nodded, Bethany knew she disliked the idea of hiding in the woods. Nonetheless, it was better than being shot at in town.
Luke spent the evening with Rod planning what things they would have to bring for a long-term stay at the cabin. His head ached by the time they'd drawn up a list and he was glad to have Rod doing the leg work of buying fresh batteries and other items to make the grounds secure.
As he lay back to rest his head, he closed his eyes and tried to remember every detail of Bethany's face. She was beautiful and brave and he was proud of her. No doubt she would have tried to save him if she'd been in the basement before he was hit. She might have even used the weapon Rod convinced her to carry.
He dozed with the charming image of Bethany's engaging smile playing in his mind and awoke to the sound of his phone less than an hour later. It was Bethany. He smiled, relishing the opportunity to talk to her.
He'd hardly gotten a word out when she blurted, "They know who he is. The police have a name for Jordan's killer. It's Keith Martin. He's an independent programmer and hangs out in the underground computer sites. A neighbor saw a picture of one of the men on trial for the bank robbery. He identified him as having gone to Martin's apartment."
"So he's under arrest?" Luke asked. The surge of relief made him dizzy.
"No. He wasn't home. They don't know where he's gone."
"Does Julie know him?"
"No. Apparently he was never with Jordan when she was around."
Luke clamped his teeth. This wasn't what he wanted to hear. "If he knows he's been made, he'll be even more eager to get his hands on whatever Jordan had. He'll make a huge effort to get to us before the police find him. We're not waiting for tomorrow. We're getting out of here now."
He knew she would protest. He wasn't surprise when she said, "You haven't been released. You should stay until the doctor clears you."
"I'm fine to ride in a car. I can rest at the cabin. That's all I'm doing here."
"What you want to do goes against my judgment. I also know I can't talk you out of it. When Rod gets back with the supplies, I'll tell him we're coming to get you."
It was two hours before they arrived at his room.
"What did the doctor say about you leaving early?" Bethany asked
"He thought it would be better for me to stay the day. Yet, the scans all looked normal, so he said to take it easy," Luke said.
Bethany shook her head. "That's not going to happen. Once you get to the cabin you'll want to help Rod."
"He doesn't have to help me. I can show you and Julie what to do. Trip wires aren't hard to set."
"Let us do the work. Can you do that, Luke?" Bethany asked.
"Sure. Now, let's get out of here," Luke said. His nerves felt stretched. He wanted to get them to a place more defensible than their apartment.
He rose from the chair and was pleased his previous dizziness had passed. He led them from the room and down the corridor to the elevator. He kept a keen watch for the man he'd seen the day Bethany was attacked. When they reached his car without incident, Rod checked it for bugs. When it was safe, they entered.
Julie sat up front with Rod, leaving the back seat for Bethany and Luke to share. He took her hand. "I missed you." He rubbed his finger along her soft cheek. He could smell the lilac scent of her perfume as she snuggled close.
He used a mirror to help Rod watch the cars around them. Once they got on the highway, it was harder to observe. They turned onto a rural county road and followed it for nearly eight miles. At last at the bottom of a hill Rod pulled onto gravel on the right side of the cabin.
The whispering pines were green against the bright summer sky. Needles atop the gravel crunched under their feet as they trod toward the front porch.
"We made it," Rod said. "We'll be secure here until they find where this scumbag is hiding."
"That's my hope, "Luke said. "Let's go in and form our plans. I have rods to wedge under the door knobs and sticks that keep the windows from opening. We can hole up a long time, if need be."
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
As she climbed the stairs to a front porch that ran the length of the house, Bethany studied the cabin. Two stories of finished redwood made it larger and nicer than she'd expected.
Luke sighed and shook his head. "This was built to be a retreat not a fortress. I have too many windows."
Bethany studied the two long windows that framed the front door. Fortunately, they were cut glass. No one could see through them.
"We can board some of them," Rod said. "If I remember right, the two upstairs bedrooms have one each. Those are entry points we don't need."
"Unless there's a fire," Luke said. "The place is made of wood. We need an emergency exit under the house."
"You mean to cut a hole under the floor boards?" Bethany asked.
Luke nodded. "I have a pier and beam foundation. We'll have enough space to crawl to safety. The escape will open from the inside and not the outside, just in case it's found."
Bethany shivered. She imagined the killer crawling into a room from the dirt below like a scorpion coming out of the sand. Hopefully, Luke and Rod were good enough at security to keep him out.
She glanced at Julie, who surveyed the woods surrounding the cabin. "Do you think he'll find us?" Julie asked.
Shaking his head, Luke said, "The only people who know about this place are my family, Rod, and a couple of folks at work."
"This guy probably has access to computer records. He might learn you own this property and guess we came here," Julie said. "It wouldn't be that hard."
"Then our job is to capture him so this thing can be over." Luke sounded determined.
Bethany hoped Keith Martin was caught long before he discovered where they'd gone.
At the heavy, carved door, Luke said, "Stay back. I don't think our guy is here. Yet as a precaution, Rod and I will check it out."
She shivered as they disappeared, with their guns drawn, into the interior shadows. A few minutes later they returned with an all-clear to go inside.
Bethany paused to look around the living room. The cabin was as simply furnished as his apartment. A comfortable-looking couch with a throw blanket, wooden coffee table and a high bookshelf adorned the living room High windows in the loft let in extra sunlight. Yet all Bethany could think of was whether it would become a death trap.
They brought in the things they'd packed and Bethany and Julie toured the structure. A modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances housed a small oak dining table that sat four. Bethany fell in love with the upstairs bedroom that overlooked the pine forest.
"It's nice here. Peaceful and quiet," she said.
Julie blew her bangs out of her eyes. "It is, but I'm tired of being locked up. I want to go out to eat and to movies. I want to be able to walk outside and go back to work."
Bethany felt a welling of sympathy for her friend. "It has been hard, especially for you."
When she turned from the window, Julie had tears in her eyes. "I don't mean to be a downer. You have Luke here and you're happy. I'm glad for you."
"We'll keep you distracted. It can't be long until the police track Keith down."
"I can't imagine it truly being over," Julie said. "Yet I think you're right. We won't have to do this much longer."
Bethany was pleased to have encouraged Julie to a brighter outlook. She hoped what she'd told her would prove true. Nonetheless, Bethany spent the evening fighting a premonition of calamity. When darkness fell, her sense of unease increased. As they lay in the darkness in twin beds, she looked out the large triangular window overhead and saw stars blinking in the sky. On any ordinary night she would have enjoyed the view. Tonight the sky looked distant and cold. Its vast emptiness made her feel lonely and vulnerable. She closed her eyes and tried to relax. Yet sleep didn't come until the early hours of the morning.
When she awoke, she tried to shake off the ill omen. Yet it lingered. Julie had already risen and left the room. Bethany got up, dressed and combed her blond tresses into waves that fell onto her shoulder. On impulse, she grabbed her purse. The pistol was inside. Though she dreaded touching the weapon, it might be good to have it with her. She shivered as she lifted the cold metal and shoved it into her pocket.
She descended the stairs to the lower level to see Julie peering out the front window. "What are you looking at?" Bethany asked.
Her dark eyes were wide when she glanced at Bethany. Luke saw someone skulking in the trees. He and Rod left to close in behind him. Hopefully, they'll catch Keith and we can send for the police."
Shuddering, Bethany swallowed hard. "They shouldn't have gone out there. One of them could get hurt."
"They know where he is and don't want to lose him. They plan to cut him off before he gets to the house." Julie explained.
Bethany moved beside her and tried to spot either the quarry or the hunters. For several long moments, no one appeared. Then she saw Luke marshaling a tall, dark-haired man toward the house.
"That's him," Bethany stammered. "That's the man Luke described. "Oh...I hope they'll be careful."
She was so intent on her approaching attacker, she didn't notice when Julie backed away from the window. Bethany couldn't take her eyes off the dark-haired man who had stuck her with the needle the day this nightmare began. He was just as Luke had described him, tall and lean. As they neared the house, she shivered at his coal black eyes and sharp features.
Rod and Luke both had guns on him as they escorted him up the steps to the house. Bethany drew back. He was a killer. She didn't want to meet him. Nonetheless, Luke opened the door and entered the room.
Bethany faced them. Her hands felt clammy. Luke gestured to the chair. "Sit down."
Glancing at Bethany, he said, "Meet Keith Martin, killer."
Keith stared at her. "I haven't killed anybody, Julie. However, my hired thug would have killed your boyfriend in the diner if he hadn't refused to die."
"Sit down," Rod growled.
"First you should know I'm wired with explosives. That disk is my retirement."
'What makes it so special?"Luke asked.
"I can do what Julie does."
Bethany wished he would stop calling her Julie and staring at her with that vile expression. "I'm not Julie. No one knows what you're talking about."
He raised unruly black brows. "Not Julie?"
His gaze wandered. "Where is she?"
"You scared her away when they brought you inside. Don't stand and accuse her of having what you want."
He uttered a soft laugh. "Yeah? You're lying. You have it, all right, and have been using it to skim from business accounts at the bank. It's undetected because it's only a little here and there. It adds up to a fortune. I'm willing to die if I can't have it. Living without that kind of money is no life for me. Are all of you willing to die, too?"
"Check him," Luke told Rod.
Rod lifted the man's coat to reveal several plastic explosives strapped to his chest.
Keith grinned. "I've got the trigger taped to my hand. I squeeze and we all die. You don't think I'd let you bring me in without a plan, do you? Julie had to know I was reading her e-mail to her mother about coming to this place. It was obvious she was luring me. Of course, I came prepared. Now, throw your guns on the floor."
The men hesitated.
"Now," Keith shouted. "I'll do this. I'm not afraid to die."
Luke and Rod looked at each other. Bethany read in their glances the belief this man might be crazy enough to do exactly as he said if they didn't comply.
They tossed down their weapons. Bethany winced at the clatter. They were all at the mercy of a mad man. What would happen when they couldn't give him what he wanted?
The cold, deadly look in his eyes chilled Bethany's blood as he said, "No more games, Julie. Bring me the disk."
"I'm not Julie and I don't have it. Jordan had the disk and you killed him."
"I didn't kill him. I couldn't get what I wanted from a dead man."
He cocked his head. "You're really not Julie?"
"No. I'm her roommate."
Julie walked out of the kitchen. "I'm Julie. I have what you want."
As she walked towards him, he smiled. "Ahh. This has all been a trick. And I've won."
She paused in front of him and reached into her pocket. "Here it is."
Before he could react, she withdrew a revolver, aimed high and shot him between the eyes. Bethany gasped, relieved and horrified at the same time. It was finally over. Yet, Julie would have to live with the memory of killing this man.
Before anyone could thank her for saving their lives, she turned the pistol on Luke and Rod. "Don't move. Bethany, get over here with them. You're all about to die in a tragic explosion."
Bethany froze, staring at Julie. "What are you doing?" she whispered.
"You're naïve, my dear. Jordan told me about the disk. He showed me how it worked. However, he wanted to use his malware to get information on the government and uncover Pentagon secrets. I tried to convince him it would be a waste, but he wouldn't listen. I'm using it for more profitable endeavors. I'll build a fortune using it to tap into business accounts."
As shock rippled through Bethany, her knees grew weak. Julie had been hiding behind a mourning facade when she was the one who'd killed Jordan.
"Get over here," Julie repeated. Her voice was cold, her eyes hard.
She added cynically, "You won't know when it blows dear. You'll all already be dead."
"Oh, Julie, not you," she whispered.
"Afraid so."
Frantic to save them, Bethany looked to Luke. She was sure he was waiting for a chance to act. However, since Julie had the only weapon, at the moment, there was nothing he could do.
Bethany moved toward Luke and Rod and the dead man crumpled onto the floor. While Julie's attention was focused on the men, Bethany made a swift move. She drew the gun from her pocket and threw it with all her might.
Startled, Julie ducked to avoid the blow, giving Luke an opening. He lunged for her weapon and wrenched it from her grasp. Frantic, Julie screamed and pummeled at him, frantic to get it back. In less than a heartbeat, Rod clasped her arms to her sides. She fought and cursed to no avail for he had her firmly trapped.
Bethany drew a shuddered breath and bent to relieve sudden dizziness. Luke was beside her in a moment. "You were brilliant."
He lifted her and placed her gently into a chair. As he knelt beside her he brushed her hair off her cheek. "You found a creative way to use a pistol."
The faintness passed and she looked into his tender gaze.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
She smiled back at him. "I am now. I can't believe Julie was behind this. I thought I knew her better than that."
"It surprised me, too. But it's over now. The police are on the way. I called them when we found Keith at the edge of the woods."
Bethany studied Julie, sitting dejectedly on the sofa while Rod covered her with a pistol. She was a murderer and she deserved whatever sentence a jury gave her. She'd pulled them into terrible danger and would have killed them if she could.
When the police arrived, they got a brief statement from each of them before taking Julie to the station. Bethany told Luke, "I guess it's safe to go home now."
"The two people who were after us are no longer threats. I'd say we can all go back to our lives," Luke answered.
Angst settled in Bethany's stomach. "To our lives before or after we met?"
He touched her cheek. "Was there a 'before we met'?"
She smiled at him. "I don't think so."
Rod drove on the ride back to the apartment. Bethany and Luke sat in the back and talked about the future. As they pulled into Luke's parking slot behind the building, he said, "I don't want to spend the future without you. I want us to be together forever. Will you marry me?"
Her eyes teared. "I will, and I'll love you forever."
Leaning over for a kiss, he said, "As I will you."
EPILOGUE:
The next several months brought changes into their lives. Bethany married Luke on Valentine's Day, pledging their love for each other in the church home they been attending together. After a honeymoon in Italy, they settled back into Luke's apartment.
As best she could, Bethany put Julie out of her mind. Convicted of capital murder, she would be spending the rest of her life in prison. The betrayal would have shaken Bethany's trust in all mankind if not for Luke. He was, and would continue to be, her best friend and hero.