First Love (20 page)

“You know, you’re right. I should not have hit you. From now on, instead of punishing you, I am going to punish Darcie. Just know, you have really pissed me off." I can’t let him do this. I don’t like the girl, but I don't wish her harm because of me. I can't believe I am going to beg him to hit me.

“No, please don't do that. She didn't do anything."

“No. You were right. I love you, and I shouldn’t hit you, but I sure as hell don't love her anymore. And like I told you before, I don't get any real pleasure when I hurt you, but that doesn't mean I don't get pleasure from hurting other women." He laughs, bends down to kiss my cheek, then walks out the door. A few minutes later, I hear the crash of dishes on the floor and Darcie's screams. I cover my head with the pillow and pray that someone will find us.

I
ALWAYS
knew Beau was a little unstable, but I never pictured him as a fucking serial killer. God, I hope Amber is okay. I have driven all over the place looking for any signs of them. Who knows if they are still even in the state? Now, I’m sitting on a damn bar stool. Driving or sitting on the bar stool, that has been my life for the last twenty-four hours. Paul, Marcus, and Angel are watching me like a hawk. Guess they are either waiting for me to go off halfcocked or break down. Hell, I would go if I knew where the son of a bitch is. As for breaking down, I’m just not there yet. Holly has been mothering me. I love her for it, but I just want to be left alone unless someone has info on my girl.

All of this waiting is driving me insane. I feel helpless just sitting here and not doing anything, but what else can I do? We have no idea where else to look. They are looking for both Darcie's car and Beau's truck. They have someone watching their house, the diner where Darcie works, and the construction company that Beau works at. So far, no luck. There are all kinds of hiding places in this area. Some of those places you can't get to by car, foot, or even an old boat. You need an airboat. Sheriff Beasley sits down on the stool next to me. He gives me a sly smile as he pats me on the shoulder. He’s not in his uniform, but his gun is still very visible. This pisses me off. He should be working around the clock looking for Amber. He must be able to read the look on my face, because I can tell he knows exactly what I am thinking.

“Before you get all worked up, boy, hear me out. I am not in uniform because a little birdy told me those no good buddies of Beau's are coming in here for a beer after work. I haven't been able to get any information out of them in my official sheriff capacity up to this point. So, I figured we could try an unofficial tactic here in your bar with a little help from Paul and Angel." By the wicked grin on his face I know exactly what he has in mind. “I figure you are pretty tired of waiting around for news. So, ya ready to get your hands a little dirty?"

"Paul, can you go make sure no one is in the pool room, then close the doors. We are going to need it in a little bit," I ask.

Paul smiles at me then the sheriff and takes care of the pool room. Sheriff Beasley smiles at me knowing I am more than ready to get my hands dirty, and so are the boys. Angel slides up on the stool next to me with a grin from ear to ear. Angel is always up for a fight. Not to mention he has been beating himself up since Amber disappeared. He feels guilty because he was there that day and didn't notice Darcie take her. I don't blame him at all; he couldn't have known, especially when he had a room full of kids to tend to.

The front doors to the bar open and in walk Beau's two sidekicks. Hell, I don't even know their names. Sheriff Beasley isn't wasting any time. He tells Paul and Angel to go grab the boys and get them in the back. Paul and Angel are all over them in seconds. The boys don’t stand a chance. Paul and Angel are like hulks compared to these two. The size difference is actually comical. As we are following them to the back, Sheriff Beasley informs me that the bozo’s names are Rick and Andy. Not that I really care what the hell their names are, but I figure it would better to call them by their real names rather than bozo one and bozo two. As soon as I close the door behind me, Beasley is in Rick's face with his fist twisted in the collar of his shirt so tight the boy is struggling for air.

"What the hell, Sheriff?" Rick spat.

"Today, I’m just plain Beasley. That is an unfortunate thing for the two of you." He shoves Rick so hard into the chair I think it’s going to flip over. I have to control my laughter. I had forgotten what a badass Beasley can be when the need arises. Thank God I’ve never been on his bad side. He isn’t overly muscular, but you can tell he is a strong man, even for his age. He looks pretty damn intimidating when he wants to even though he is about thirty years older than the rest of us.

"You boys have not wanted to help me find Beau. I have only asked for any information regarding a place he could be hiding and I know you boys have such information. Let me also remind you, he is wanted for questioning in three murders and now the kidnapping of his wife and Amber Lewis. I have known Amber since she was a baby, and her granddaddy was my best friend, so this is very personal for me. But, I am also the sheriff so I have a line I can't cross. These guys, however, don’t," he says as he looks between the three of us. “Now … these two here, they love Amber like a sister," Beasley states as he points to Angel and Paul. They both glare at the two scared men sitting in front of them. “They are also the best friends of this man who has been madly in love with Amber since he was in diapers. Which means they will do anything to help him get her back. And I do mean
anything
. Now, I am going to leave the room so that I do not cross any of those lines and let you boys chat."

He turns and faces us, gives us a wink, and walks out to the bar. Yeah, Beasley was never paying for anything in this place again. Paul and Angel start moving forward, closer to Rick and Andy. I am taller than Angel and the same height as Paul, but to have both of them after me would scare me shitless, so I can just imagine what is going through the heads of these little assholes. I am not surprised to see the two boys looking at each other, trying to decide what they should do. As soon as I see Paul's hand tighten into a fist, Andy, the smaller of the two, starts talking.

“Okay, man, he has a cabin out in the glades. The only way to get to it is by airboat. I swear, we haven't seen or heard from him in days. I have no idea if that is where he is at or not." They explain to us exactly how to get to this cabin. Beasley gets on the phone right away, trying to get us an airboat. They know Beau is an asshole, but like the rest of us, they had no idea what he was really capable of. I never realized how badly he was infatuated with Amber. Beasley quickly announces that he has found us an airboat. God, please let her be okay.

A
FTER WHAT
felt like forever, I hear the noise from the kitchen quiet. No matter how tight I held the pillow to my head, it didn't drown out Darcie’s cries, or the loud blows from Beau. I feel sick to my stomach. I should have just kept my damn mouth shut and taken whatever he was going to do to me. I may have saved my own ass, but I ended up sending him right after Darcie instead. I feel so guilty. He has got to be crazy if he thinks I am ever going to willingly love him. I will end up dying in this hell before that ever happens.

I can hear Beau’s loud footsteps coming down the hall. There is also a constant rasp on the floor, like he’s dragging something behind him. Darcie. Please God, let her be okay. The door opens and he drags her across the floor to the other side of the bed. He roughly picks her up and puts her next to me on the bed. I look over at her and wince. It takes everything I have in me not to lash out at the monster standing over her. Keep calm. Bide my time. How could someone do that to another human being? There is so much blood on her face, it’s hard to tell exactly where it’s coming from. Under the blood, her face is swollen and her arms are painted in bruises. Her chest is steadily rising and falling, but she is unconscious.

“Beau, you can't just leave her like this." I give him a pleading look. He had to have loved her at some point to have married her, right?

“I can and will. I’m not wasting any more time on this bitch."

"Please, Beau, I will clean her up and take care of the cuts if you will get me a first aid kit, some water, and a wash cloth."

"I suppose you expect me to untie you, too. Why do you give a fuck about what happens to her anyway?" he spat as he got closer to me. I am starting to get nervous. The last thing I want to do right now is piss him off again. Although, it doesn't seem to take a whole lot to get his temper to flare. I look him in the eyes, pleading with mine, trying to show him that I’m not trying to pull anything, that I truly only want to help Darcie.

“I will let you play nurse for a while. But, Amber, you and I are going to get acquainted later on." He gets right in front of my face, so close that I can feel his breath. “If you can’t play nice this time, there won't be any way to talk me into walking away." With that, he walks out. A few minutes later, he comes back in with a first aid kit, a pot of water, and some towels. He releases my arm and reminds me to behave. After he closes the door, I hear it lock from the outside.