Night Waves Read online

  “How did you know where to find me? I only met you once.” She had to ask, although terrified of the answer.

  He sighed. “You have too many questions. Relax, Cali. We’re going to have plenty of time to get to know each other.”

  She ignored his strange comment, distracted by the left turn he made. “You’re going the wrong way. The sheriff’s station is east of here.”

  “We won’t be going there.”

  Her eyes widened. Her pulse raced. She had to get out. Now.

  God, grant me courage...

  She released her seatbelt and attacked the lock on the door, flipping it as fast as she could. She jerked the door handle and shoved the door open. The pavement went by in a blur, and she braced herself for impact. Chad’s hand gripped her arm. Desperation filled her. She pulled against him, ignoring the pain streaking through her flesh.

  He slowed the Jeep to a stop. “Don’t you want to see your friend again, Cali?”

  Shock paralyzed her.

  The strength of the wind ripped the door handle from her grasp, forcing it to open wide. Sharp pain struck her fingers, instantly numbing them and rendering them useless. Rain assaulted her, and wind-blown sand blasted her face, her eyes and ears. Cali turned to shield herself from the onslaught, and came face to face with Chad. He leaned over her, reaching for the door. The lime scent he carried with him sickened her. His large biceps strained against the forces of nature, but he managed to shut the door in one sweeping movement.

  He remained close, leaning across her. The raging storm threatened from the outside, and Chad’s presence threatened from within. The Jeep shifted with a gust of wind, and then rocked back into place. An electrical transformer blew, sending sparks flying into the air. Cali turned just in time to see a thick, black power line disengage and slice through the air like an uncontrolled whip. It landed a few feet from the Jeep, sparking and hissing as it touched the flooded street. Cali instinctively drew away from the door, afraid to touch anything metal in the car.

  Chad remained unaffected by the incident. He inched back, his eyes sliding down the length of her. Assessing. Gauging. But, with no real interest. What his gaze did reveal terrified her. Darkness swelled to the surface, cloaking his once-friendly green eyes with violent intent.

  Given the choice, Cali would rather take her chances outside in the hurricane than remain stuck inside the Jeep with Chad. But, any further escape attempts must be delayed. The downed power line made any immediate attempts potentially deadly. She would have to look for another avenue of escape.

  Chad straightened in his seat. “Now that I have your attention, I know you’ll cooperate.”

  “Where is Serena?”

  “You don’t need to worry about her.”

  “Is she OK? Did you hurt her?”

  “This isn’t about her anymore. It’s about you and me.”

  “What do you want from me?”

  “Serena hasn’t seen my face. None of them have.” He pulled his shoulders back, puffing out his chest as if proud of his accomplishment as he resumed driving.

  “I’ve seen you…” Cali’s words trailed off, and she wished she hadn’t pointed out the fact.

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “W-why?”

  “Because I intend to keep you.” The muscles in his arms flexed as he spun the steering wheel, avoiding another fallen obstacle.

  An intense fear clawed its way up through her chest, tightened it, making it hard to breathe. “Why me?”

  “You’re special.”

  Cali’s stomach dropped and nausea rolled through her. “Nick will find me.”

  Without warning, he grabbed her hair and jerked her toward him. Pain erupted, and she felt as if he had yanked a wad of hair from her scalp. His gaze seared into hers. “Not if he thinks you’re dead.”

  “You won’t get away. He’ll track you down. He’ll hunt you.” She held her eyes steady on his, refusing to give in to the terror.

  His narrowed eyes bore down on her. “You have too much faith in him.”

  Nick’s words rushed back. We have limits. God doesn’t. “You’re wrong. I do trust Nick, but I put my faith in God.”

  “How nice for you. But, you’re in my hands now Cali.” He gave her hair a tug, exemplifying his point.

  She wished Chad would stop using her name. Every time he did, a new wave of shivers ran down her arms. “No. I’m always in God’s hands.”

  “We’ll see if you still think so in a few days.” He released his hold on her hair, putting his hand back on the steering wheel. She inched away, rubbing her scalp in an effort to ease the pain.

  “You left Serena’s necklace in my motel room,” she said. “Why didn’t you take me then?”

  “I needed to prepare for you.”

  “Prepare?”

  “I needed time to get rid of Serena and Marlene first. To make room.”

  Her blood ran cold. “Get rid of?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Where did you take them?”

  “Take a guess. I’m the High Tide Stalker, remember?”

  Cali trembled. “A-are they…alive?”

  “I’m growing tired of your questions.” His gaze narrowed, and his knuckles turned white against the wheel.

  Afraid to provoke him further, she fell into silence.

  A few minutes passed as Chad concentrated on weaving his way through the streets. Cali tried to note the turns, and any other recognizable places. They passed through residential neighborhoods where the wind had battered roofs, pulling shingles free and tearing eaves apart. A few streetlights still glowed several blocks down, but only blackout conditions prevailed in the direction they headed.

  The darkness, combined with the blustery wind and driving rain, made it nearly impossible to make out any street names. She caught a few letters here and there, but nothing that fully described their location. He took so many turns, Cali wondered if he was trying to confuse her.

  She had to tell Nick about Chad before it was too late. Cali’s eyes strayed to her opened purse.

  “I took your cell phone.”

  She jumped, surprised he had noticed her intent. She dug inside her purse. The phone was gone. “When?”

  “When you went into the bathroom to change.” He pulled the thin, silver phone out of his back pocket and tapped it on the steering wheel. “You’ll learn soon that I’m not stupid, Cali.”

  She lunged for the phone. He lifted his arm and used his elbow to shove her back. “This kind of behavior will not be tolerated,” he said as if he had full authority over her.

  “It doesn’t matter. Nick will find me.” Cali believed her words, but prayed it wouldn’t be too late when he did. “He’ll make you pay for what you’ve done.”

  “Enough.” Chad lifted his hand as if to strike her.

  She recoiled, holding up her shaky hands.

  “That’s better. What do you say we give your boyfriend Nick a call? Want to say goodbye?”

  Cali’s pulse increased. If given the chance to speak with him, all she would have to do is say Chad’s name, and Nick would be able to find her. Her hopes rose.

  “On second thought, I think I’ll do the talking,” he said as if he had read her mind. He glanced at her, studying her reaction.

  “You never planned on letting me say a word did you?”

  Chad smirked as he pulled into a driveway in front of a small yellow, wind-battered cottage. He cut the engine, flipped open her phone, and turned it on. When it was ready, he dialed a number.

  Chad clamped his free hand over Cali’s mouth and yanked her head back against his shoulder. His damp, gritty palm felt like wet sandpaper against her skin, and the acrid scent of salty sweat reeked from his body.

  He leaned his head close. So close, she heard Nick’s voice as he answered, “Cali? Where are you?”

  Night Waves

  Night Waves

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Sorry. Cali can’t talk r
ight now.” A man’s voice interrupted Nick’s initial relief. “Then again, I’m not so sorry.”

  Nick recognized the stalker’s voice from when he had called before. Fear clawed through his chest. His heartbeat skipped, and then jumped into overdrive. “Where is she? If you hurt her…”

  “I thought you might like to say bye to your woman. Here she is.”

  Muffled screams tore through the phone. The gut wrenching sound confirmed Nick’s worst fears. The High Tide Stalker had taken Cali.

  “Release her,” Nick demanded. Cold sweat beaded across his brow. He paced across the upper level of his cottage as it creaked and shuddered with the crash of the surf below.

  “You ask for too much. I’ve released Serena and Marlene. I think that’s a fair trade. Don’t you?”

  “Let me talk to her.”

  “Don’t you think you’d better find the other women before the tide does?”

  “I said, let me talk to her,” his sharp words evoked a response from Cali. Another muffled cry came through. “Cali! Stay strong baby. I’ll find you,” he raised his voice, hoping she would hear him.

  A short, jeering laugh taunted Nick. “You’d better find the other women. How would it look if the famed sheriff of Coral Isle let two women drown in order to save another?”

  “Where are they?”

  A shout, followed by cursing pierced Nick’s ears. Cali screamed, and the line went dead.

  “No. Dear God. No,” Nick barely recognized his own, hollow voice as he prayed.

  He shrugged into his rain jacket, simultaneously dialing the station. “Helen, the stalker released two victims. Send Deputies Owen and Castle to the nature preserve. Tell them to be prepared for flooded roads, and tell them not to come back without the women.”

  “What’s your location, Sheriff?”

  He hesitated. “The High Tide Stalker took Cali.”

  Silence filled the airwaves.

  “I’m going to find her.”

  ****

  “You’ll learn to submit.” Chad’s confident statement surrounded Cali as he forced her out of the Jeep. She fought him, knowing if he got her inside the cottage, her chances of escape would severely diminish. He tossed her cell phone into the back of the Jeep and used both arms to throw her over his shoulder.

  Cali beat his back with her fists. She kicked her legs and hit something solid. He groaned and dropped her to the ground. She landed hard. Pain coursed through her as she fought for breath. Chad loomed over her and raised his hand. She twisted and struggled to her feet. He grabbed her shoulder, spinning her around with his harsh grip. She turned her head and sunk her teeth into his hand.

  Cali tasted blood.

  Repulsed, she pulled her teeth from his flesh. He kicked her feet out from under her, causing her to fall. The wind blew debris into her eyes, and she closed them against the pain. He again tossed her over his shoulder in one swift movement. She flailed her arms and legs, trying to knock him off balance. She screamed as loud as she could, but the winds muffled her desperate cries for help.

  “Stop fighting me. You’re no match for my strength,” he said as he carried her the remaining distance to the cottage. He unlocked and opened the door. She latched onto the doorframe, digging her fingers into the wood.

  Her attempts slowed his progress, but didn’t stop him. He tore her hands lose with a violent jerk, and dragged her inside, tossing his keys into a nearby container. When he shut the door, darkness consumed the damp, musty room and instantly awakened her claustrophobia. The smell of rotting food assaulted her senses, and she gagged in reflex. Panic tore through her, renewing her strength to fight. She jerked back and fell off his shoulder and onto the floor, but he had her by the arm in an instant. She yanked and pulled at his grip as she struggled to catch the breath she had lost on impact with the hard floor. A warm trickle of his blood rolled down her skin.

  At least when she had bitten him, she had done some damage.

  He grunted, and then a metallic chink awakened her imagination. What is he doing? At a severe disadvantage in the dark, she had no idea where to turn for help. She groped for a weapon with one arm, while he continued to yank on her other arm. Then a hard, cold band clamped around her wrist. When it clicked closed, she ceased to fight. Chad had managed to handcuff her to something unmovable.

  He stepped away, stumbled and cursed again. A moment later, the flame from a match lit the room. He lit a candle. Then another. By the time he had finished, a dozen candles flickered in a living room and kitchen.

  Large stacks of newspapers littered the brown-carpeted floor. Dust covered the coffee and end tables. Several leftover pizza boxes lay scattered in the kitchen, and food rotted on dirtied dishes on the counter, obviously the source of the putrid smell.

  Cali tugged at her manacled wrist, discovering she was cuffed to the bar that separated the living room from the kitchen.

  Chad looked at his bloody hand. His gaze crept up. “You’ll be sorry you bit me.”

  Alarm surged through her. Searching for a way to avoid his revenge, she asked, “Why? Why did you take them?”

  He rubbed a hand across his jaw, making the stubble rasp beneath his touch. “Let’s see.” He sat on the edge of a futon sofa, which was the only place to sit in the small space. “I took Nancy because she back-talked me. I will not tolerate that.” A satisfied smirk tilted his lips. “She learned her lesson.”

  “The others?”

  “The kid sassed me, too.”

  “I know Serena didn’t. She’s not like that.”

  “No. She’s not. I took her because I could.”

  Cali lifted her eyebrows. “Because you could? That’s the only reason?” She adjusted her arm to ease the burning pain. He had pulled so hard to get her inside, she was afraid a muscle might have torn in her shoulder, or worse.

  He shrugged. “Serena was convenient. An easy target. She wasn’t paying attention to her surroundings, so I chose her. But, I had no need for her after I met you. I saw you talking with Trey, and I knew you were next.”

  Cali swallowed the bile rising in her throat. “Next? Do you ever plan on stopping?”

  “Especially after you called me a coward at the press conference,” he continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “That was a mistake, for you. For me, it was an awakening.”

  “Because you know it’s true?” she dared ask.

  He sat forward. “No. Because I was growing bored with the others, and I didn’t understand why until I saw you. I knew you’d provide a challenge the others didn’t. I’m going to enjoy breaking your spirit. You’ll learn to control your mouth. You’ll learn to obey me. You’ll see.” A glimmer of perversion entered his eyes.

  Cali remembered what Nick had said about the perpetrator needing to take more risks in order to satisfy his growing need for power and control. Discovering how accurate he had been was turning out to be a nightmare.

  “Did you take Serena from the beach?” Somehow, Cali couldn’t imagine Chad carrying her, kicking and screaming from the populated area. “Or did you drug her like you did the other women?”

  He tapped his index finger on his cheek. “You are a curious one aren’t you? I suspected you would be, since you’re a reporter.” He hesitated, and a gloating smile appeared. “I saw Serena on the beach. I followed her back to her cottage. Just like the others. Of course, the sheriff delayed my plans for you. Always hanging around…” he waved a hand in the air with disgust. “Then he took you from the motel. It cost me precious time to locate you. But, the newspaper helped me a great deal with that.” He sighed, long and deep, his shoulders heaving with the effort. “No matter. You’re mine now.”

  A chill of revulsion plagued her, but Cali refused to be sidetracked. “Did you break into their cottages like you did my motel room?”

  “Twice. Once to lace their drinks with GHB, the second to retrieve them after they’d passed out.” He looked pleased with himself.

  “So, you target unsuspecting women who
are alone and take them after they’ve been drugged? You are the worst kind of coward.”

  He rose and stalked toward her. “You’ll learn not to use that word, Cali.” He traced a finger along her chin, his breath hot on her cheek. “Soon enough.”

  She jerked away, moving as far away as her restraints allowed. “Why did you bother to take Marlene if you wanted me next?” she asked, trying to distract him.

  “To lure the sheriff away from you. I would’ve had you last night, if Sheriff Justice hadn’t returned at the wrong time.”