gullible. He’d left her huddled against a damp concrete wall in inky darkness, trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey. She was freezing, and her hands and feet were numb from the lack of circulation.
She tried to loosen the ropes that cut into her ankles and wrists, but the more she wriggled, the tighter the ropes became. Now what was she going to do? If only she’d listened to Jill. Time and time again, she’d warned her about her impulsiveness. Tears burned behind Tess’ lids, but she refused to cry. Don’t give in to it , she told herself. Just don’t give in. Her stomach rumbled from hunger. She tried to swallow past the gag. Her mouth and throat were desert dry. How long could she survive without food or water? How long would her bladder hold out in this cold place before she’d wet herself?
Her heart pounded in a panic-driven beat. No, no, stay calm. If she wanted to get out of this she had to keep her head and pay attention. Sounds. Smells. In the darkness, it was all she had.
Earlier she’d heard a foghorn. How long had she been here? Was it day or night? She smelled fish and salty air. That didn’t tell her much. She could be anywhere along the coast.
Vanity and impatience had drawn her into the grasp of a crazy man. In the beginning, he’d been so charming. What did he want from her? Maybe ransom. She hoped that was all he wanted.
Oh no! Ellen had seen her pack a bag and believed she was going away on business. Her heart sank. That meant that no one would even know she was missing. And even if they learned about it, her circuitous route had made her trail impossible to follow.
She’d been duped big time by that slimeball. And all because she was in such a rush to make it big.
Had he left her here to die? The possibility that he might return scared her even more than a slow death.
Chapter Sixteen
As Dane and Jill passed Golden Gate Park, she closed her eyes and prayed— please, Lord, let Tess be safe.
The words on the back of Tess’ picture, the blood-smeared mirror, and boot prints were all left by the serial killer. She was convinced of that now. The same lab techs who had dusted for fingerprints the night before had cast the footprints. Being part of the joint local-federal team, they were well aware of the possible Snuff-Video connection and the urgency.
The maniac had narrowed his scope, coming up close, threatening her sister, now stalking her. He wanted her to cringe in fear. To back down. He had to know she’d risk anything to find her sister.
It wasn’t until Dane pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant that she realized he hadn’t taken her back to her car. “What the devil are we doing here? I don’t have time to eat.” The clock ticking in Jill’s head grew louder, the hands circling on fast-forward.
“If you insist,” Dane said, “we’ll grab something to go. But I think we’ll both do a better job if we take a few minutes to fuel our furnaces. Do you want to land back in the hospital flat on your back?”
Before she could protest further, he was out of the car and had opened her door. She hated to give in. But as she stood, she knew he was right. Her legs almost buckled beneath her. “This’d better be quick.”
Jill was acutely aware of Dane’s firm grip on her arm. He seemed to know she needed steadying. She would have jerked away except the warmth of his fingers pressed into her skin felt so good. And she didn’t want to fall on her face, especially in front of him.
For a moment she allowed herself to fantasize that he was as straightforward and caring as he claimed. But he was as big a fake as this pancake house—this colonial sham of frilly curtains and maple furniture. He wanted his story and was probably only being kind to her to get an inside track.
The hostess seated them across from each other at the only unoccupied table. Waitresses bustled around them, arms loaded with plates of food. Breakfast smells of bacon and freshly baked
She tried to loosen the ropes that cut into her ankles and wrists, but the more she wriggled, the tighter the ropes became. Now what was she going to do? If only she’d listened to Jill. Time and time again, she’d warned her about her impulsiveness. Tears burned behind Tess’ lids, but she refused to cry. Don’t give in to it , she told herself. Just don’t give in. Her stomach rumbled from hunger. She tried to swallow past the gag. Her mouth and throat were desert dry. How long could she survive without food or water? How long would her bladder hold out in this cold place before she’d wet herself?
Her heart pounded in a panic-driven beat. No, no, stay calm. If she wanted to get out of this she had to keep her head and pay attention. Sounds. Smells. In the darkness, it was all she had.
Earlier she’d heard a foghorn. How long had she been here? Was it day or night? She smelled fish and salty air. That didn’t tell her much. She could be anywhere along the coast.
Vanity and impatience had drawn her into the grasp of a crazy man. In the beginning, he’d been so charming. What did he want from her? Maybe ransom. She hoped that was all he wanted.
Oh no! Ellen had seen her pack a bag and believed she was going away on business. Her heart sank. That meant that no one would even know she was missing. And even if they learned about it, her circuitous route had made her trail impossible to follow.
She’d been duped big time by that slimeball. And all because she was in such a rush to make it big.
Had he left her here to die? The possibility that he might return scared her even more than a slow death.
Chapter Sixteen
As Dane and Jill passed Golden Gate Park, she closed her eyes and prayed— please, Lord, let Tess be safe.
The words on the back of Tess’ picture, the blood-smeared mirror, and boot prints were all left by the serial killer. She was convinced of that now. The same lab techs who had dusted for fingerprints the night before had cast the footprints. Being part of the joint local-federal team, they were well aware of the possible Snuff-Video connection and the urgency.
The maniac had narrowed his scope, coming up close, threatening her sister, now stalking her. He wanted her to cringe in fear. To back down. He had to know she’d risk anything to find her sister.
It wasn’t until Dane pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant that she realized he hadn’t taken her back to her car. “What the devil are we doing here? I don’t have time to eat.” The clock ticking in Jill’s head grew louder, the hands circling on fast-forward.
“If you insist,” Dane said, “we’ll grab something to go. But I think we’ll both do a better job if we take a few minutes to fuel our furnaces. Do you want to land back in the hospital flat on your back?”
Before she could protest further, he was out of the car and had opened her door. She hated to give in. But as she stood, she knew he was right. Her legs almost buckled beneath her. “This’d better be quick.”
Jill was acutely aware of Dane’s firm grip on her arm. He seemed to know she needed steadying. She would have jerked away except the warmth of his fingers pressed into her skin felt so good. And she didn’t want to fall on her face, especially in front of him.
For a moment she allowed herself to fantasize that he was as straightforward and caring as he claimed. But he was as big a fake as this pancake house—this colonial sham of frilly curtains and maple furniture. He wanted his story and was probably only being kind to her to get an inside track.
The hostess seated them across from each other at the only unoccupied table. Waitresses bustled around them, arms loaded with plates of food. Breakfast smells of bacon and freshly baked
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