Saving Me (Finding You #3) (11 page)

In one last ditch effort as his eyes held mine, I begged, “Please, Jervis. Do what’s right. You’re a good man. I’m not crazy!”

With that I was dragged down the steps and into the SUV. He must have stopped chasing me by foot to go get his vehicle.

By the time I was pushed into the vehicle, I’d lost all hope. There was no strength left in me to fight. If he was going to kill me he might as well get it over with. Dying would be a blessing now. I’d already stared death in the face, not once but twice, and I wasn’t afraid of it. Death was peaceful. There was nothing to fear about the process. I wanted it.

John had won. Finally. As he always did. I’d fought a hard battle but it hadn’t been enough. There was nothing left in me. My chance had gone.

Unable to think any further, black spots gathered before me and then consumed me.

Chapter Eighteen

Kyle

After calling Dad and explaining the situation, to which he’d shown his own distress, I seized Dakota’s cell and sat on a stool in the kitchen to look for any clues.

I didn’t know what that was exactly, but maybe before she’d disappeared, John had called her cell, left a message or text. Anything.

It needed to be charged, but there should be enough power to check any messages. I felt like I was snooping but then I justified looking into her personal calls as paramount.

Scouting through the call log, it pretty much consisted of our calls back and forth to each other. The last one was yesterday morning, telling me she was stuck in traffic and would be late. Nothing out of the ordinary came up. As far as messages went, again nothing that would suggest her psycho ex-husband had been in contact. Well, that was a waste of time. Sitting around doing nothing had me at the end of my tether. No more news from the police since I’d been down to the station. Were they actually doing anything? And what about Mike? Dad had said he was going to do what he could but that didn’t appear to be leading anywhere either. Fuck! This shit was really starting to piss me off. Even patient people could be pushed to their limit.

***

At 2 p.m. my cell rang. I didn’t recognize the number. “Hello? Kyle Rutherford.”

“Hello, Mr. Rutherford. It’s LA County Police. You filed a missing person report yesterday?”

“Yes, that’s right.” I felt a river of fear as I took to my feet. Was this the call that would rock me to the core and end my life as I knew it? Again! I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move.

Don’t say it. Don’t say it.

“We’ve had a positive identification on Ms. Livingston.”

Shit. Shit. Noooo. No. No. No!

It couldn’t be. My world stopped for the second time. I grabbed a fistful of hair as I collapsed onto my knees.

“Mr. Rutherford? Are you still there?”

“Y…y…yes.”

“We’ve had a positive sighting at Big Bear Lake. We believe she was taken there by her ex-husband. He’s rented a cabin there. We’ve got the sheriff from Big Bear County over there already and we’re sending out some backup. Just wanted to give you a heads up.”

My heart re-started and my blood thawed. “So, she’s not dead?”

“No sir. That’s all we can tell you at this stage but we’ll call you when we know more.”

“How? How did you find her?”

“The onsite manager called it in on a hunch. He remembered the woman’s name upon meeting her and we ran it through the system. We got a match.”

Is…is she okay?”

“We’re not at liberty to say, sir, but she was positively identified alive at the time of the call.”

“Thank you.”

“We’ll keep you posted when we get an update.”

The call was disconnected.

Big Bear Lake. My mind was teeming with thoughts. I had to get up there. Nothing else mattered. Dakota needed me. I wouldn’t let her down. It was now 2:05 p.m. If I high-tailed it, I could be there before dark.

Keying in Dad’s cell number, I hoped he was home. It rang a few times before he finally picked up.

“Hello, son. Any news?”

“Hi, Dad. That’s why I’m calling, actually. I’ve just had word that Dakota has been taken to Big Bear Lake by her ex. Something suspicious was called in which has led to an identification. I need to get up there as soon as possible. I was wondering if I could drop Daniel off? He may need to stay a couple of days until I get things sorted.”

“Certainly, son. That’s great news! Did they give you any other information? Has he hurt her?”

“They didn’t say. I swear to God, if he’s harmed her in any way, I’m going to tear his head off!”

“Well, just calm down and think things through before you go storming up there and putting yourself in harm’s way. The guy is armed and dangerous. That much we know. I’m sure the police will handle it just fine.”

“Hmmm. The amount of grief that animal has put her through, he deserves to suffer.” If I got close enough to John I was not going to be able to stand back without taking a swing at the guy. “I’m leaving now and should be at your house soon, depending on traffic. Fill Mom in on what’s happening too. I’m sure she’s just as worried.”

“She’s been in a flap since yesterday morning. She feels a little responsible. She gave Dakota that necklace. If she hadn’t…Dakota…well…you know the rest.”

“Dad, tell Mom to stop blaming herself. That mongrel would have found a way to get to Dakota, regardless. It’s all come to a head now and it has to end. One way or another, he has to be stopped.”

“Just be careful, okay? We don’t want anything to happen to our only son.”

“I will, Dad, I promise. I have to go and throw some things into a bag for Daniel and get to Big Bear Lake before it’s too late.”

Chapter Nineteen

Dakota

I was in a world of pain. Not just physically but mentally. I could feel a big, dark abyss about to swallow me up. I longed for it. The peace of unconsciousness that would steal me away from the disgust I currently resided in. When he’d started licking me with his raspy tongue, every last shred of strength and hope shriveled up. My wretched body just needed to accept what was happening and wait for it to be over, even though to begin with, instinct had me trying to get the monster away by arching my torso and bucking against his weight.

I was shackled to my prison, the only difference being I was in the second bedroom. One without smashed glass and china on the floor.

I couldn’t scream. Couldn’t use my teeth to bite or my hands to punch and scratch. There was nothing to do but pray that darkness would come soon. My sanity was hanging on by a thread as I tried to remember Kyle and Daniel but their faces seemed so far away now. Just a figment of my imagination. Maybe to remember the gentleness that came with both of them would be too horrendously painful. The harsh reality was that I no longer had that calmness and peace anymore. It had been a cruel teasing taste of what my life should have been. This was my reality. The alternative was nothing more than a dream. Something reserved for people more deserving than I, for to have to endure what was being offered to me at present surely meant I wasn’t worthy of more.

The smelly, sweaty brute who was groaning on top of me, trying to turn me on, sucking my soul dry was my fate. Maybe this was my karma for not dying in the plane crash with the other passengers. I was being punished for surviving when everyone else had died. Had I fought too hard to stay alive? Should I have just surrendered myself to the ocean that day? At least John wouldn’t have had any reason to hunt me down.

As I felt John’s rough hands painfully kneading my breasts, I broke. The wall that I had constructed a long time ago to contain my fragile heart crumbled. Emotions I didn’t even know I had buried spewed forth, causing me to shake uncontrollably, my already delicate, splintered rib cage unable to protect a heart that was slowly dying.

If I could shrivel up into a little ball, I would have done so, broken ribs or not. It was the only position that didn’t leave me feeling exposed and vulnerable.

My blood had turned to ice, goose bumps tickling my flesh, adding to the shaking consuming me. I wanted to vomit but feared I would drown in my own fluid. Would it really matter?

The repugnance his touch brought was almost as bad as the groans coming from him as he continued to demean me, rubbing his boxers against my leg like a horny dog. It was too ghastly to bear. I needed out. I called out to the darkness to seize me. Begging. As if answering my request for a reprieve, the room started to spin and darken a moment before my body went slack.

Chapter Twenty

Kyle

I looked at my watch. 3:30 p.m. Not bad considering I’d had to get changed, grab Daniel, and fight Sunday afternoon traffic on the way to La Habra Heights. As I set my GPS and planted my foot, I listened to the woman’s voice inform me that it would take approximately one hour and forty-five minutes to arrive at Big Bear Lake. That was too long. If I was lucky and didn’t get caught for speeding, I’d be there in one hour and fifteen. This sports car was built for speed and hadn’t been put through its paces yet. Well, that was about to change. It was time to see just what the expensive vehicle was made of.

All I could think about was Dakota. What had that scumbag John put her through? I already knew some of the violence that had occurred during their marriage. Dakota had shared some of what went on behind closed doors, although I was certain there was still a lot she hadn’t told me. Things that were just too painful. I could understand that. I wasn’t a violent person but right now I wanted to take that fucker out. My way. One on one. No cops. No weapons. Just him and I.

Pushing my foot harder on the gas pedal, outrage rolled through me. I was so angry at myself for letting her out of my sight in the first place. I shouldn’t have let her go. It was the second time I’d done that when I shouldn’t have. I should have left her at the house and gone for the necklace myself but then again, who’s to say John wouldn’t have devised a plan to take her from the beach house while I was absent? He’d obviously been watching and waiting.

My fingers seized the steering wheel. Just the very thought of him touching her made me feel queasy. Beads of sweat broke out on my forehead, so I switched on the air conditioner.

I was grateful Daniel was safely out of the picture. The last thing he needed was to see Dakota in whatever state she would be found in. Mom and Dad had offered to drive Daniel to and from school to try and keep things as normal as possible, even though things were far from that.

No one would rest until John was either behind bars or dead. I was hoping it would be the latter because only then would I know that Dakota would truly be free.

I was so focused on my thoughts that I didn’t realize the speedometer had clocked 90 mph. It was only when I heard a siren behind me and checked the rear mirror I discovered a police car on my tail.

“Fuck it!” I ran a hand through my hair and signaled left to turn onto the emergency lane at the edge of the highway.

The police car pulled up neatly behind me before an officer stepped out and walked to the driver’s window where he waited for it to be wound down, eyeing the car up.

“Sorry, Officer. I realize I was speeding. I really need to get to Big Bear Lake.” Might as well play the honesty card. Maybe I could talk my way out of it.

“Driver’s license, please?” The officer stood with his hat and sunglasses on, hand outstretched.”

I pulled my wallet out of my jeans back pocket and handed my license to the cop.

“You do realize you were in a 70 mph zone?”

“Yes sir.”

“And you do realize you were doing 90?”

“Not until moments before you pulled me over, sir.”

The officer handed my license back. “Well, is there any good reason you were going so fast or were you just out for a joy ride?” He looked down the length of the car and back. “This is a pretty powerful car you’ve got here.”

“I’m on my way to Big Bear Lake because my fiancé has been kidnapped by her ex-husband. I’ve just got word that she’s been sighted there. I need to get to her as soon as I can.” It sounded crazy, like some script from a movie, not real life.

The officer removed his sunglasses, his eyes narrowed with skepticism. He studied me closely. Finally he spoke. “You look familiar. You on the television?”

“No sir. Movies.”

“Huh. I thought I recognized your face. Just wait here for a minute, Kyle Rutherford. I need to radio this one through.”

When the officer disappeared, I banged my head a few times on the steering wheel in frustration. At this rate I would never get to Dakota.

This weekend had been intensely stressful. Knowing she was in danger and not being able to do a damn thing about it had almost killed me. I’d tried to remain calm for Daniel’s sake but inside I felt like a truck wreck.

Pulling open the glove compartment, I clenched the packet of antacid stashed there and threw one in my mouth to help the burn in my esophagus. It felt like the start of a stomach ulcer.

Looking in my rear mirror, I watched the officer talk into his two-way radio. They were probably running a vehicle check and trying to verify the story.

It was all the truth. He wouldn’t find any dirt on me. No prior speeding tickets or convictions. Clean as a whistle. So what was taking so long?

After what felt like an hour, the officer slowly sauntered over to my open window. “Seems like you were telling the truth. I’ve just been notified about the situation up at Big Bear Lake. I’ve been advised to give you an escort. That way we’ll get you there safely and you won’t have anyone else pulling you over.”

My body wilted with only minor relief. On one hand I was glad of the escort because we would have a clear path all the way, but on the other hand, I was now going to have to stick to the speed the officer saw fit. Either way it would be close to dark when we arrived. “Thank you, Officer. I appreciate it.” I was grateful the cop let the ticket go and walked back to his car with just a nod of his head.

Turning his siren on, he waited for traffic to heed his flashing lights and pull over, giving us a clear path.

I’m coming baby. Hang on, please!