Fatal Desire, Teen Edition (13 page)

“So someone doused his coke and then ran him
off the road,” Matt asked.

“Looks that way,” the Sherriff replied. “Know
anyone who would be after your brother?”

Matt filled the Sherriff in on Amber’s case
and the Sherriff promised to keep his eyes open for any leads. Matt
shook the Sherriff’s hand and left the station to go back to the
hospital. He hoped Derek would be awake to talk about what he had
discovered.

♥
Chapter 11
♥

Amber breathed a sigh of relief when Matt
told her Derek would be fine. But to be sure, Amber called the
hospital Matt had mentioned and asked about Derek herself. Assuring
herself he had nothing more than a slight concussion and a few
bruises, Amber ran up the stairs and began to pack her bags. She
would not be responsible for Derek’s death.

Amber grabbed her atlas and decided to stick
to her plan before Derek had tracked her down. With any luck, she
would be well on her way to Washington before Derek and Matt made
it back home.

Amber was so concerned about Derek she didn’t
see the car parked a few houses down from Matt’s. She threw her
bags in her car and pulled out of the drive. Normally so careful,
Amber paid no attention to her surroundings or to the other cars on
the road.

Her tank was already full and she had grabbed
a couple of things from the pantry so she would not have to stop
for awhile. She would continue her route and head down through
Georgia into Florida. She would drive around for several days
before heading back west and then north toward Washington. She felt
sure if she could get far enough away, she could get lost forever.
This time she would have to leave it all behind, including her
friend. She would call Olivia from the road one last time and tell
her goodbye.

Amber drove through the dark for a couple of
hours before beginning to feel tired. Her emotions were strained
and she felt physically sick. She had not had any sleep that night.
But she knew if she could just make it until daylight, she would be
fine. She didn’t want to stop until she had put several hours
between her and Derek. She wouldn’t begin to look for a hotel until
the next evening.

Amber rolled down her window slightly and
cranked up the radio. She sang for the next couple of hours and
breathed a sigh of relief as the sun began to come up. Pulling off
the interstate, Amber gassed up her car and stopped for a real
breakfast and some coffee. She pulled through a drive thru instead
of eating in so she could get back on the road.

Slipping her coffee into a cup holder and
placing her biscuit on the seat beside her, Amber pulled out of the
parking lot. She followed a highway instead of getting back on the
interstate and would take a bite at the red lights. By her
calculations she would hit the Florida line in just a few more
hours.

Ah yes, the little rabbit was on the run
again. He was hoping this would be her reaction. And so scared she
was making it easy for him to follow her. If she kept this up he
would be able to take her easily. Maybe his blond beauty was tired
of the games also. Maybe she wanted him to follow her. He smiled in
anticipation. Yes, she was making it very easy.

Matt and Derek came home to an empty house.
Assuming Amber had gone to work, Derek filled his brother in on
what he had learned. The police had been able to salvage the papers
and folder from his car and Matt took those and looked over
them.

“So, my profile was on target,” Matt
said.

“You know it was, brother,” replied Derek
wincing as he sat on the couch in his brother’s living room.

“I just don’t understand how you let this guy
get the drop on you,” Matt said.

“It must have happened when I was paying the
waitress. I left the table to go to the bathroom and she had
brought a cup for me to pour my drink into. He must have slipped
something in it while I was washing my hands,” Derek said.

“Rookie mistake,” Matt smirked.

Derek winced again. “You don’t have to tell
me twice.”

“The Sherriff said you are lucky to be alive.
Said a couple more feet to the left and your car would have
plummeted about twenty-five feet down,” Matt replied.

Derek whistled low. “He’s right. I am lucky
to be alive.”

“We need to get a lock on this guy now that
you have proof he is Amber’s stalker and the one who tried to kill
you last night,” Matt told him.

“We also need to get to Amber. He may have
went after me for the same reason he did the other’s or he may have
found out that I’m an FBI agent. If so, he will go after Amber next
and we can’t take that chance,” Derek said.

“You’re right but she will be safe while she
is at the hospital. He won’t be stupid enough to try something
there. But just in case, I’ll send a detective to check on her,”
Matt said.

“Thanks,” Derek replied.

Both men checked into their offices and
touched base with their bosses. Derek told Tom about the accident
and the information he had obtained from Professor Genson at the
college. After assuring Tom he was fine, Derek hung up the phone.
Matt hung up about the same time and the brothers talked about the
plan they needed to put into action to lure the maniac out of
hiding.

After another hour of discussion and debating
Matt decided Derek needed to rest. An argument ensued but in the
end Matt won the debate by explaining they would both need their
rest if they were going to catch Amber’s stalker. Amber was safe,
they could rest and be ready for whatever the evening brought them.
Both men walked up to their beds and laid down.

Finally crossing over into Florida, Amber
decided she had enough time between her and Derek to stop and get
lunch. She needed to stretch and get more coffee. Her cell phone
had not rang so she was sure Derek had not found that she was gone
yet. She didn’t know if he had not made it home yet or if he was
home and assumed she was at work. Either way it was buying her more
time. And the more time she had to get away, the less likely her
stalker would try to hurt him again.

Amber saw a sign that promised several fast
food choices at the next exit so she slowed her car and put on her
signal. She was in dire need of a bathroom. She decided to gas up
again even though she wasn’t quite on empty then found a fast food
place that looked clean and appetizing. She quickly used the
bathroom and placed her order.

Finding a booth off to herself, Amber gripped
her coffee and slowly sniffed. She was so tired she debated
stopping for the night right where she was. She shook herself. She
could make it a few more hours then she would sleep straight
through the night.

Amber slowly ate her lunch, drank her coffee,
and stood to throw her trash away. She decided to call Olivia to
let her know what had happened and tell her she would not be
contacting her again for awhile.

Amber dialed Olivia’s number as she walked to
her car. Climbing inside, she heard her friend pick up the
phone.

“Hello,” Olivia answered.

“Hey, Livvy,” Amber said.

“Amber, it’s so good to hear from you. How
are you,” Olivia asked.

“I’m good,” Amber replied. “How are you?” She
wanted to gage Olivia’s mood and state of mind before dropping a
bomb shell on her.

“I’m doing great. I have gone back to work
and I feel so much better. Your visit was just what I needed,
Amber, thank you for coming,” Olivia said.

“I’m so glad you feel better. How’s Patrick,”
asked Amber.

“He’s good,” Olivia replied. “He has left
again to take care of his aunt that has been sick. Sometimes I
wonder if that woman will ever die,” Olivia joked.

“That’s so sweet that he is so devoted to
her,” Amber replied.

“Yes, but I miss him when he is gone.
Sometimes I just need him in bed beside me at night,” said
Olivia.

“I understand. Look, Olivia, I have to tell
you something,” Amber began. She told Olivia about the accident
involving Derek and how she was on the run again. She told her
Derek’s suspicion that her phone may be bugged and said she would
not be calling her again for awhile.

“Amber, do you think that is wise. Derek can
protect you,” Olivia said.

“I thought so too, Livvy, but look what
happened. Anyone is vulnerable as long as we don’t know who this
guy is,” replied Amber.

“I understand, Amber. But I will be worried
about you,” Olivia said.

“I know. I will try to find a way to let you
know I am okay,” Amber replied.

The girls talked a little longer as Amber
drove. It may be the last time she would hear Olivia’s voice and
she wanted to take advantage. Eventually they said their goodbyes.
Amber hung up the phone with tears streaming down her face. She was
going to miss Olivia. She was the only one who had kept her sane
through this whole nightmare.

Amber turned up the radio as she continued
down the interstate. She tried to get the thought of how lonely she
was going to be out of her mind. She laughed as she thought about
the many adventures her and Olivia had gotten themselves into.
Before long, Amber had dried her tears and had only happy thoughts
running through her head as she continued to drive.

Waking from his nap, Derek stumbled down the
stairs to the sound of his brother’s voice on the telephone. He
began looking for some Tylenol for his pounding head when the
tension in Matt’s voice had him walking back to where his brother
sat on the phone.

“What do you mean she’s not at work,” Matt
was saying.

Matt listened to the voice on the other end
of the line, his neck muscles getting tighter.

“Find her,” he snapped ending the call
quickly.

“Find who,” Derek asked quietly.

Matt whirled around to see his brother
standing behind him.

“Amber didn’t show up for her shift at work
today,” Matt told Derek.

“What,” Derek yelled.

“Calm down, I’ve got my best agent on it.
We’re looking for her,” Matt replied.

“What if he already has her,” Derek
asked.

“We will find her, Derek,” Matt assured his
brother.

Derek ran upstairs and searched Amber’s room.
Finding her clothes gone he knew she had left again. If her stalker
had her, she would not have packed her clothes. Derek turned and
saw Matt in the doorway looking at him.

“She ran. She must have heard about the
accident and is trying to get away from him,” Derek said.

“She seemed upset yesterday when she came
home from work. I thought it was because you were not home, but she
tried to call you several times. Do you think something happened at
work that she didn't tell me about,” Matt asked.

“Pull the surveillance at the hospital. We
need to know what we are dealing with,” Derek said as he reached
for his cell phone. Pick up Amber, he silently pleaded. When he got
her voice mail he simply hung up.

Matt drove to the hospital to see if they
could find anything on the security monitors while Derek threw his
close into a bag. They already had an APB out on her vehicle and
Derek had his tracking device. If she hadn’t ditched the car, he
could locate her if he got close enough.

At the hospital the security guards pulled
the tapes from the previous evening and Matt saw a man dressed in
jeans and a pull over walk over to Amber’s car and leave a note on
the windshield. The guard, on Matt’s instructions, fast forwarded
the tape until Amber’s shift was over and he watched as Amber
walked to her car, stop suddenly, then slowly pull the note from
her windshield. He could see the fear on her face and wanted to
kick himself for not noticing her anxiety the evening before. It
was his fault she was on the run again, alone, and in the path of a
monster.

Derek swore his way through Atlanta traffic
trying his best to get to the interstate as quickly as possible.
Matt was having his office triangulate Amber’s cell but Derek was
sure she had headed toward Florida. He just hoped he could reach
her in time. Matt had already called with the information he had
from the hospital surveillance video and he had his team tracking
the whereabouts of the suspect. With any luck, the stalker would
still be at work and nowhere near Amber.

Derek continued to try to reach Amber’s cell
phone. By now he was panicking. He needed to hear her voice, to
know she was alright. He wanted to tell her to turn around. He knew
the identity of her stalker and he would stop him for her. But she
didn’t answer and Derek couldn’t say what he needed to say.

He continued to race down the interstate
dodging traffic and driving as fast as he dared. He knew his
brother was doing everything he could to locate her. He needed to
reach her before it was too late.

♥
Chapter 12
♥

Around sundown Amber couldn’t hold her eyes
open any longer. She needed a good night’s rest before continuing
on. She pulled over to a hotel and booked a room. She grabbed her
overnight bag and locked the car door. Amber didn’t even bother
with supper. She walked into the room, dropped her bag and started
to change into her nightshirt.

Her phone was almost dead from the number of
times Derek had tried to reach her. She refused to talk to him. If
she did, she might turn around and go back. She couldn’t do that.
She wouldn’t take the chance he could be killed. Much like Olivia,
she cared about him too much. If she was really honest with
herself, she had fallen in love with the FBI agent. She couldn’t
take it if something happened to him. It was best she stay far away
until she knew who was stalking her.

Amber plugged her cell phone into the wall,
popped a sleeping pill, and laid down. She wanted oblivion tonight.
She didn’t want to think about Derek, Olivia, or her stalker. She
wanted to sleep and not wake up until morning.