I clenched and unclenched my fists as the chief strode from his car towards me. “Walk, what’s going on?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but the words didn’t want to come. It was like, if I spoke them, then the whole nightmare became true. I cleared my throat and focused on my training. “Taylor’s been kidnapped. A friend that was staying with her, Liam Fairchild, was assaulted. EMTs are in with him now, along with Kelly and Hank.”
Clark gripped my shoulder. “You hanging in there, son?”
“I’m fine, sir. But you know it’s this psycho that’s been terrorizing our town. We have to call in SWAT.”
A look of pity filled Clark’s eyes, and my jaw hardened. “I’ll put SWAT on standby, but we have no clue where to send them even if I do call everyone in.”
I roughly ran a hand through my hair. “Send us into the forest, the same area we know he frequents. It’s at least a place to start.”
“First of all, you’re still riding a desk, you haven’t been cleared for active duty. So, even if this case weren’t a complete conflict of interest, which it is, you’d still be out.”
My teeth ground together as my nails dug into my palms. “You would seriously keep me out of this? That girl that’s missing, most likely in the hands of a fucking psycho murderer? She’s the love of my fucking life!”
The chief drilled a finger into my chest. “That’s exactly why I’m keeping you out of this. Your head isn’t on straight. I promise you, I will work this one myself, and I’ll do you the courtesy of keeping you in the loop.”
Clark’s words gave me zero reassurance. No comfort. The only thing I wanted was Taylor back in my arms. A chance to make things right between us. My chest burned. I needed that chance. And the only way I knew to get it was to work the case myself. No one would be as diligent as I was. No one would give their blood, sweat, tears—and life, if needed—but me.
I shook my head at Clark and headed back inside. I needed to see if Liam had remembered anything before I took off to search on my own. By the time I made it to the kitchen, Liam was strapped to the stretcher. “Walker, tell them I don’t need to go to the hospital. I need to be looking for Taylor. We have to find her.”
I placed a hand on his shoulder. “You got your head cracked open, man. You need to go to the hospital.” I met his still somewhat dazed eyes. “I will do everything I fucking can to bring her back safe.”
Liam nodded, and the action made him wince. “We need to get him to the hospital,” one of the medics said.
“Okay, just give me one second,” I said, pinning the medic with my most intimidating stare. He shrank back, giving a small nod. “Did you remember anything else? Did you see anything? Hear anything? Hell, even smell something?”
Liam’s brows pulled together in a combination of concentration and what I was sure was pain. “He was tall. At least a full head taller than Taylor.”
My chin rested perfectly on the top of Taylor’s head when I hunched, so the guy was probably around my height, maybe a little shorter. “That’s good. Anything else? Hair color?”
“I think he was wearing a hat… Fuck!” Liam smacked the gurney he was lying on. “I can’t even help you ID the guy.”
“You gave me something, and that’s better than nothing.” Liam simply shook his head as if disgusted with himself. “I’ve gotta get outta here. They’re not going to let me work the case the traditional route, so I’m going to color outside the lines a little.”
“Walk—” Hank started to say at my admission.
I held up a hand to stop him. “I won’t be alone, but I can’t have guys in uniform with me either.” Both Hank and Kelly looked pissed and worried, but I didn’t have time to reassure them. “I’ll call if I find anything.”
With those parting words, I took off in a jog, moving out of the house, down the front steps, and towards my car. Just as I was pulling the truck door open, my phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen. Tuck. I hit accept. “Fucking finally. I need your help, man.”
42
Taylor
Cold. Bone-chilling cold. That was the first thing I became aware of. The second was the pounding in my head and an insatiable thirst. I forced my eyelids open. They felt like sandpaper, gritty and harsh against my tender eyes. It took a few moments for them to adjust.
Where the hell was I? I tried to clear my jumbled brain, my eyes roving around the dark space, looking for clues to jog my memory. Dirt floor. Rock walls. My breaths came quicker as the first taste of panic licked at my skin. No true source of light. Just a low-level ambient sort of glow.
I squeezed my eyes shut for a brief moment. I held a hand against my chest and imagined it was Walker’s and that he was again showing me how to slow my breathing. My eyes flew open as memories slammed into me. Walker showing up at the house. Me allowing him to think the wrong thing. My fight with Liam. Liam lying helplessly on the floor. A hand on my mouth. And then—nothing. Just blackness.
I scrambled back in a half-crawl until my back hit the stone wall of what must be a cave. Jagged pieces of rock dug into my skin. My head snapped back and forth in either direction, looking for any sign of movement. Was I alone?
My heart rattled against my ribs as I fought to control my breathing. Passing out wouldn’t get me anywhere. My eyes strained against the darkness. I could make out basic shapes. The curve of the rock surfaces. My gaze stuttered over a lump on the ground. Was that a rock? I studied the shape for several minutes, trying to make it out while attempting to keep my breath even and slow. I had nothing. No idea what it could be.
I licked my dry, cracked lips. I had to see what it was. Slowly, I crawled towards the darker shape, not yet trusting myself to stand, let alone walk. I inched closer, and my breath caught in my throat as I froze mid-shuffle. It was a person. Friend or foe? Friend or foe? What if it was my attacker playing some ghoulish game? Or worse, what if there was another prisoner in this chamber?
I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek, the metallic tang of blood filling my mouth. If someone was hurt, I had to try and help. My arm shook like a leaf as I reached out towards the form. My fingers grasped a flannel-clad shoulder. Nothing. I swallowed hard and gently rolled the person to his or her back.
