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  “He agreed,” Rick continued, glancing from a small notebook to Phil’s stoic face, “but said to make it 1:00 AM, because he was researching some things. Officer David White was watching Izzy’s house. He got a radio call that his father had been in an accident. That was at 11:15. He told both dispatch and Izzy that, he was going to check it out. That was at 11:26.”

  “White?” Cassie asked. “Gary White’s son was on duty watching her house?”

  “Yes. Officer White’s father told him it was a hit and run. Guy wiped out the entire right side of his truck with a snowplow. Gary said it happened so fast, he didn’t even make out the color of the vehicle.”

  “So you’re thinking the accident was a set-up?” Cassie glanced from Hank back to Rick. “To lure Dave White from his post?”

  “Sounds like it,” Rick said. “Gary was about ten minutes away from Izzy’s place on some back roads by the nature preserve when the accident happened. Nobody saw a thing. Anyway, Phil had fallen asleep not long after he spoke to Izzy. He woke up and saw it was 3:00 AM. He drove to her house, but all the lights were out so he never went to the door. Officer White was out front and he waved to Phil as he went by.”

  Phil made a choking sound and covered his face in his hands.

  Rick paused, and cleared his throat. “Phil felt bad about passing out on her and headed to her house at 6:30 AM. On the way, he realized he had a missed voice message.” He gave Cassie a second to put the pieces together, that this was a message from Izzy.

  She put a hand over her mouth, then moved closer to Hank. “Play it.”

  Rick hit the button.

  Heavy breathing issued from the speaker. Izzy’s whispered voice. “Phil, I think someone’s here. I heard this scratching noise just like with Cassie. But it keeps moving from one side of the house to the other. Maybe I’m just being paranoid, I don’t know. But Officer White just left, his father was in an accident. Can you come over now?” Her voice trembled.

  A whistle pierced the airwaves. “What the fuck?” Her breaths came out in short bursts. “That sounded like it came from the back door. I… oh my God… oh my God! Oh fuck! Phil, the dog I just… the dog’s at my window. His head is massive. I… I’m calling 911.”

  Her voice cut off. Something thumped against the phone, muffling the mic. Glass shattered. Her voice stifled as if the phone fell from her hands.

  “Get the fuck off.” Izzy screamed. She grunted, more glass exploded. Something heavy fell to the floor.

  Her gun? Rick thought.

  Flesh smashed against flesh over and over. A slapping sound. More grunts and groans, impossible to tell if they were male or female.

  A strangling, choking noise started up. A male voice chuckled, interrupted by a blast of air escaping his lungs. “You bitch,” he yelled.

  The sound of something heavy, like a body slowly falling to the floor. Then it went silent, nothing for a few heartbreaking seconds.

  A window opened. A thump as something large landed near the phone. Footsteps muted by the carpet moved closer.

  A voice whispered. “I want you all to know how much fun I’m going to have with her. I think I’ll keep her alive for a few days. Thought up some new things to try out. Don’t be jealous, Cassandra, I’ll be thinking of you most of the time. Hmm, she’s a feisty one, waking up already.”

  “Hold her.”

  The dog’s guttural growl and snap responded to his command.

  Izzy whimpered.

  “Oops, looks like my buddy went a little deep with his teeth on her neck.” A ripping noise sounded. “She’s got some great tits, Phil, now I know why you’ve been banging her for the past three months.” The dial tone sounded loud as the phone cut off.

  The room went quiet for what seemed like hours as everyone fought to control themselves. Cassie choked on tears, seeming to be at war with her emotions. She cleared her throat. “What time did she call him?”

  “11:38, message lasted one minute and five seconds. We found blood in her bedroom. That’s where the attack took place. He got in through an old doggie door at the back of her house. Neighbor thought they saw a dark-colored van come down the road at around 11:30.”

  “Who…” Cassie struggled to keep her voice steady. “Who figured out she was missing?”

  “After hearing the message Phil called Hank and rushed to her house. He looked in the window, saw bloody footprints on the rugs. Broke down the door. Found her room trashed, her lingerie strewn across the room.”

  Cassie narrowed her eyes. “Lingerie?”

  “When Officer White came back to her house at 12:05, he did a full walk around. Saw a light on, and decided to go tell her he was back. He was on his way to the front door when he saw her in the window wearing a nightgown. He went back to his car.”

  “I don’t get it.” Cassie leaned forward. “Did he force her to put on lingerie and stand in the window? We are talking about Izzy here. She’d never allow herself to be forced to do anything.”

  Rick sighed. He wished he had more answers for her. “I don’t know. Maybe she was unconscious and he propped her there so Officer White wouldn’t come and check on her. Or maybe he used the dog to scare her into doing it.”

  Cassie rubbed Snow’s head. “Do you think… do you think she’s still alive?”

  Rick took a swig of his coffee. It tasted cool and bitter in his mouth. How stable was Cassie? Her eyes were puffy, but clear. Getting her hopes up would only hurt her more. The dog lifted its head and whined at him, like she knew what he was thinking about. “She’s probably alive right now.” He paused, trying to calculate how much time their guy would keep her around. It all depended on where he took her. “It’s really hard to say. Twenty four hours tops, I’d think before he tires of her.”

  Cassie’s chin dropped to her chest. Her shoulders quaked with silent sobs.

  Rick wracked his brain for some way to subdue her tears. Nothing made him feel more useless than a woman crying. “Cassie, we’re not giving up yet. We have doubled the amount of officers at the park and scouring the streets, they’re pulling over everyone in dark vans.”

  Cassie placed her elbows on her knees. “That’s not much help unless we know which way he was headed.”

  Sugar coating was definitely not going to help with her. “I think my feelings were accurate about this guy having a house somewhere remote. You’re right though, the problem is it could be anywhere.” Rick checked his own emotions, and took a deep breath. “Wherever he does have her, I worry we won’t find her in time.”

  Phil lurched to his feet, tears and snot running down his face. “I need air.” He yanked open the back door and charged through it, running into a snowdrift. He flipped over it, disappearing onto the other side.

  “Goddamn it.” Hank jumped to his feet. “I’ll meet you back at Izzy’s after I’ve taken him home. Cass, Phil called Sam. I think he’s on his way over.” He patted her hand and headed for the door.

  “You up to going to Izzy’s?” Rick asked her, keeping his voice soft, feeling her out. “I think it would help if you could take a look around. See if anything is out of place. Of course, if you need some time, or you don’t think you can handle being on the case, nobody would fault you.”

  “No.” Cassie rose to her feet and picked up a pair of boots near the back door. “If there’s even the slightest chance we can find her alive, I can’t stay here and do nothing.” She fixed her gaze on him, her chin high. “Nobody is taking me off this case.”

  Was he doing the right thing, bringing her to Izzy’s right now? Maybe she needed more time. She yanked a coat from a hook and shoved her arms into the sleeves. Regardless of her determination, Rick wanted to take her in his arms and carry her far away.

  What was it about her that made his protection instincts kick into full gear? He knew he had to let go, but he couldn’t.

  He reached for her elbow and spun her to him just as she was standing on one foot, pulling on her boot. She stumbled, and fell against his c
hest.

  He wanted to insist she stay home for now, to talk her out of coming, but their eyes met.

  A silent gaze of longing passed between them, erasing his words. She leaned into him, her wet, swollen lips brushed against his.

  His first taste of her was salty from her watery sorrow. Her tongue eased into his mouth. The heat of their kiss rushed through his veins. He wanted nothing more than to throw her against the wall and tear her clothes off. Maybe he could take away her pain, even if only for a moment.

  Her mouth trailed down his throat. Her kisses grew harder, more aggressive. Rick let out a soft moan as her warm hand slid inside his shirt. Her nails raked down his chest. He could feel the beating of her heart as she moved against him.

  She smelled like acres of wildflowers. Lavender and lilies. Rick dropped his hand to the edge of her shirt and ran his fingertips underneath, along her side. He forced his hand to stop moving upward when he felt the delicate lace of her bra.

  He wanted to keep going, wanted to feel what lay underneath the flimsy material. He wanted to run his tongue all over her body, tasting her sweetness.

  She lowered her hand to his belt and he thought his body would explode. The case flashed in his mind; bloody paw prints on the floor of Izzy’s empty house. He tried to shake them, clear his head of the nagging reminder. He couldn’t. This wasn’t the time. He couldn’t do this to her right now.

  Rick pulled his face away from Cassie’s just as her hand slid past the elastic of his briefs. “Cassie, I don’t think this is a good idea.” He fumbled his words as her face dropped. “I – I’m sorry.”

  Her cheeks flushed scarlet and she pulled her hand from inside his pants. She took a step back as Rick buttoned up and closed his belt.

  “You’re right.” She took another step back. “I got carried away. I’m not thinking straight right now.”

  Guilt rushed across her face as she undoubtedly thought about Izzy. Abducted by a madman, possibly being tortured at that very moment. But it would’ve been worse for her if they’d gone through with what they started. Right? Shit, what was he doing?

  “Let’s go,” she said.

  “Wait.” Rick grabbed her before she could scurry away from him.

  She looked down at his hand grasping hers. “Let go of me.” The anger and hurt in her voice made him wince.

  “I do want you,” he said, releasing her. “This just isn’t the time. You’re upset, I don’t want to take advantage of that.”

  Cassie’s hand went back. Rick readied himself in case she wanted to slap him, kick him, punch him, anything to make her feel better.

  Her eyes closed for a moment. She took another step toward the door and glanced at him over her shoulder. “Thank you so very much for being chivalrous. Even though we both know you don’t have a gentlemanly bone in you body. But you’re right. Now is not the time, and I’ll be sure when the time is right, your number is not the one I call. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking. I’d be better off calling a hotline than fucking you.”

  She strode out the door nearly colliding with a tall, blond haired guy on the porch.

  Rick’s body tensed, his hand on his gun.

  She gasped. “Sam.”

  The guy had the decency to look embarrassed. Rick relaxed. This was the Sam who Phil had called on the way over, his high school buddy. Wonderful. There was no way he hadn’t overheard that conversation. Or, at the very least Cassie’s final words.

  “Hey,” Sam murmured. “Um, Phil called me, told me what happened. I’m so sorry. If you need anything, uh… I well, I’ll just be inside. Your dad should be here in an hour or so.”

  Sam kissed her cheek. “Thanks,” she said. “I may not be home till later on tonight.”

  “Figured that.” Sam gave her a sad smile. “But just want you to know we’ll be here when you do.”

  She pulled him against her in an intimate hug. He rubbed her back in slow, caressing circles. She kissed his cheek then walked out toward her car.

  Rick’s heart jumped in his throat. He took a breath, fighting back the pang of jealousy. He held out his hand. “Agent Rick Sanders.”

  Sam stared at him with an intense hatred. The old saying if looks could kill had this man’s face in mind. Sam shoved past him into the house, slamming the door behind him. The warning had been given and understood.

  CHAPTER 18

  Rick pulled down Izzy’s street, guilt gnawing at his insides. He parked behind Cassie’s car and sat for a minute taking in the scene around him. Blue and red police lights reflected off the snow like some twisted Fourth of July fireworks show.

  It seemed every neighbor for miles around had bundled up in scarves and winter coats to see what the fuss was about. A low hum of voices came from a group of five standing across the street.

  The officers were doing their best to keep the onlookers at bay. While a few stood in groups, their arms around each other’s shoulders in consolation, others spoke to the media.

  Rick watched Cassie step from her car and flick a cigarette butt into a nearby snow bank. Her shoulders were slumped and her movements seemed slow and calculated. White flakes of snow gathered in her blonde hair.

  He hung his head, waited ten minutes and left the warmth of his car to follow her. Goddammit. How could he have been so unprofessional? One of the detectives involved in the case had gone missing, and he decides to seduce her distraught partner.

  This was one of those times he felt unqualified to do his job. He pushed the shame and distress to the back of his mind as he neared Cassie. He stopped a few feet behind her, close enough to hear her conversation with the young officer.

  “Officer White,” she said. “You left your post at 11:26 and arrived back at 12:05. Is that correct?”

  “Yes,” White said, his back against the trunk of a tree. “After checking to make sure my dad was all right, I hauled ass back here.” He stared at Izzy’s door.

  “Okay.” Cassie wrote on a small notepad.

  “I know it’s my fault.” White looked at the ground, his eyes glazing over with tears. His body sagged further down the tree. “I shouldn’t have left. That’s why I tried to check on her when I got back. I wasn’t close enough to see her facial expression in the window. I just saw the lacy garment she was wearing, and I felt like a peeping tom.” He stared at his feet. “So I went back to my car.”

  Cassie frowned. “If we have any other questions we’ll be in touch. For now, Dave, just go home.”

  Rick stepped beside Cassie as she lit another cigarette. She took a drag, then held it up. “Like my father always says, nobody likes a quitter. Want one?” She gave him an apologetic smile.

  He accepted it. The smoke filled his lungs, calming some of his frayed nerves. At least she didn’t seem angry with him anymore.

  Cassie tapped her ashes into the snow. “You know, when I asked Dave White about his father’s accident he was really aggressive in defending him. Like maybe he didn’t believe his father’s story. I have to say I’m not buying it either. I mean, how could Gary not have at least seen the color of the truck?”

  Two officers helped Dave White into the back of a car, shut the door and drove away. Cassie was on to something and Rick didn’t think it was just her emotions talking. “I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense to me either. Is Gary in the hospital?”

  “Yeah, they’re just keeping him overnight as a precaution. He hit his head.”

  “Once he’s out, we’ll pay him a visit. Try and get some more answers out of him.”

  They stood behind a snowdrift in the street. The flakes were still a steady down fall, the drifts getting higher, carved by the wind. They stared at Izzy’s porch as they chain smoked cigarettes down to the filter.

  “You ready to head into the house?” Rick asked her.

  Cassie took a deep breath. “Yeah, bring Phil’s phone so we can trace her every move.” She sighed and turned, trudging through the deep snow.

  Rick lagged behind. Their guy
had probably gotten Izzy out the back door soon after Officer White saw her in the window. Rick guessed about half passed twelve. Which meant she’d been missing about nine hours. She could be dead already.

  But, Izzy being the hard ass she was, Rick had the feeling the killer might keep her around longer. It would take time to gain the power and control over her that a sadist craved.

  That could give them more time depending on how far away the killer took her to have his fun. They would need a major dose of Irish luck if they were to find her alive, though the extra hours of torture wouldn’t be so lucky for Izzy.

  CHAPTER 19

  Timmy tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. He couldn’t stop replaying his night. The planning had been difficult at first, but he was able to use his charm and get the information he needed from Peggy at the diner. Once he’d found out Gary White’s son was watching Isabella’s house, everything fell into place.

  The lingerie was a last minute added bonus. He hadn’t planned on giving Isabella the chance to fight back, and thought he’d get out of the house with plenty of time to spare. His laugh reverberated through the van. He wished he could’ve seen the look on Dave White’s face when he saw her in her underwear standing in the window. “Kid probably creamed his pants.”

  A burst of movement rumbled from the back and he grinned. “Almost there. Another five minutes, then we can have a little fun.” Thor’s massive head blocked his vision of her face in the rearview. He could just about make out her bare legs. Duct taped together, soft and shimmering with sweat and blood.

  The image almost had him pulling over on the spot. He restrained himself and looked back at the semi-plowed, desolate road. He needed to drive slowly and pay attention. He wasn’t worried about being pulled over. But getting stuck or hitting a tree would be a problem.

  “You know, it’s a good thing I own a van with a plow. The trick when there’s this much snow is to let the air out of the tires. I only have about twenty pounds of pressure in them right now or we’d never make it. You’re going to love the barn. I cleaned it up just for you.”