Thunder at Dawn Read online

“Shut up, Keene. She wasn’t holding anything back. She didn’t know until tonight—”

  “I didn’t know for sure.” Faith spoke rapidly. “But after this . . .” She dug into her clutch, handed the deputy her cell phone. “Listen to this. Just listen.”

  Keene took the phone, scowling. As Faith replayed the last message, he listened intently. Faith knew every word—she’d listened to the whispered message in shock three times while the doctors worked on Patti.

  “Are you scared yet, bitch? You oughta be. Susan’ll be scared too, after you tell me where to find her. How many have to die before you tell me?”

  Keene’s eyes turned cold and sharp. He replayed the message. “I’m going to need to take this as evidence,” he said in a hard tone. “And I’ll need a description. Who the hell is this guy?”

  Faith swallowed. “He’s a convicted felon from Philadelphia who has repeatedly stalked and assaulted his wife. His name is Hank Bayman.”

  Furiously, Keene pointed toward the glass-enclosed visitors’ lounge as Zach stood tight-lipped beside Faith. “In there—right now. I want to know your connection to Bayman—I want a description, I want to know everything. And you’d better not leave anything out.”

  Several hours later, Faith slumped wearily in her chair as Keene and another deputy finally left the visitors’ lounge, armed with every bit of information about Hank Bayman she had scoured from her brain.

  “What time is it?” she asked Zach in a subdued tone.

  Beside her, he glanced at his watch. “Eleven.”

  Suddenly she remembered the auction. The dinner dance. She stared down at her bloodstained gown. Crimson splashes mottled the soft amber fabric. She’d broken a heel racing up the stairs at Patti’s house. She’d never noticed until now.

  “Oh, God, Zach. Tammie! The auction. The programs—”

  “Don’t worry about it. I called Tammie while Keene was questioning you, gave her the basics, and told her to keep it to herself until the evening ended. I’m sure they managed just fine without the programs.”

  “Thank you.” She shot him a grateful smile.

  “For what?”

  “For . . . being here for me—with me.”

  “I’d say it’s a pleasure, except under the circumstances, it isn’t.” He glanced out into the corridor, toward the room where Patti lay hooked up to monitors and IVs. Bob was in there with her, no doubt holding her hand and saying a lot of prayers.

  “You heard what the doctor said, Faith. The baby’s holding its own. Chances are good it’s going to be fine.”

  “I know.” Her voice quavered. “But she lost so much blood.”

  “Yeah, but by some miracle, no vital organs were hit and neither was the placenta. You got there just in time.”

  He stood up. “There’s nothing more we can do here tonight, Faith. Let me take you home.”

  She knew he was right. Patti was stable now. So was the baby, and Bob was right there with both of them.

  “Okay,” she said. “Just . . . give me a minute.”

  She tiptoed into the hospital room. Bob released Patti’s hand and enclosed her in a bear hug, and she could feel his broad shoulders trembling.

  “Thank God you got there when you did,” he muttered thickly. “You saved her life, Faith.”

  “I wish I’d gotten there sooner.”

  Staring into his gray, somber face and bleak eyes, her heart broke all over again. “Can I get you anything? Do anything?” she asked.

  “Yeah—go home, Faith. Get some rest. And . . .” He glanced over at Patti, hooked up to a dozen tubes and wires. Her usually rosy cheeks were as white as the hospital bedsheets, and her breathing was raspy.

  “Say a prayer, Faith,” he muttered huskily. “Please. For her and the baby.”

  She didn’t remember walking out of the hospital or getting into Zach’s car. She didn’t remember getting back to the Last Trail ranch house. Suddenly she was walking like a zombie into Zach’s bedroom, shivering with a chill that came from within.

  He saw it and lit the fireplace as she fumbled her way out of the ruined amber gown and slipped into the bathroom.

  So much blood. Patti’s blood. She couldn’t wait another instant before washing it off.

  The hot streaming water from the showerhead poured over her. She scrubbed at her skin, wishing she could scrub the memory of Patti bleeding on the floor from her mind as easily.

  When she stepped out at last into the steamy bathroom, Zach was there, holding a huge white terry-cloth bathrobe. Without a word, he wrapped her in it. Then he scooped her up and carried her to his bed.

  “You know you’re spoiling me,” she mumbled as he set her down gently.

  “Only the best for my girl.”

  She was fading fast but the words caught at her. She searched his eyes and stretched out a shaky hand, touching his cheek.

  The night had taken a toll on him as well. His black suit jacket and string tie looked rumpled and there was dark stubble all along his jaw. His eyes were tense and worried . . . worried for her, she realized.

  “Am I?” she asked softly, as exhaustion dragged at her and her defenses seemed to have faded in conjunction with her energy. “Am I your girl?”

  “My one and only. Always.” His tone was firm. He looked so calm, so steady, so reassuring. Zach. He gently took her hand from his face, wrapped his fingers around hers, then brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her palm. “Always have been, always will be.”

  A smile curved her lips and she closed her eyes. She thought she heard him whisper something more. It sounded like my girl.

  Then she dropped like a stone into sleep.

  He laughed to himself up on the mountain. She’d nearly walked in on him tonight while he was stabbing her friend. How exciting was that?

  He had never played a game or fought a battle quite like this one. Nothing else could compare to it.

  He wasn’t sure anymore that he could ever go back to the way things were before . . . or if he even wanted to. This was much too much fun. It filled him, filled every part of him, thrilling him, even in his sleep.

  It suited him more than he ever would have dreamed.

  Of course, he hadn’t been able to finish off her friend. He regretted that. But the effect was nearly the same. And now she was frightened, deliriously frightened.

  He laughed gloriously and zipped the khaki jacket up to his chin. The wind was fucking freezing up here tonight, but he didn’t want to leave the mountain, to go back to that dumpy apartment where he had a bed and a couch and a bathroom. He wanted to stay up here where he belonged—in the open, with the stars and the moon and the wind.

  He felt high here, high above the small, insignificant world—and powerful, like a god. Gods didn’t live in apartments or houses or motels. They lived on mountaintops, amid all the forces of nature.

  He knew autumn was coming to the mountains, he smelled it in the icy tang of the air. But even if it snowed tonight, he wouldn’t care.

  Faith Barclay’s fear would keep him warm.

  It wouldn’t be long now before he turned her fears to pain. Soon he would go to work on her and listen to her scream. Maybe he’d make her scream for hours before he let her tell him what he wanted to hear.

  Only when the moment suited him would he end the game.

  He’d bathe in her blood—and watch her die.

  But first he had one little matter to attend to. A simple matter—for someone who knew what he was doing. A matter of an elementary timer any moron could assemble—and the planting of a modest little bomb.

  Chapter 23

  FAITH WOKE TO BRILLIANT SUNSHINE STREAMING into the bedroom, and Zach sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling on his boots.

  “What time is it?” she mumbled in a voice thick with sleep.

  He glanced over at her with a smile. “Time to rejoin the living, Faith. Almost ten.”

  “Oh, God. Patti.” As the memories of last night flooded back, she shot
up to a sitting position and swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I have to get to the hospital.”

  “I’ll drive you in—as soon as we grab some breakfast. Patti’s fine—she’s stable. I checked at seven and again a half hour ago.”

  “The baby?” Faith asked, one hand at her throat.

  “So far, so good. The doctors are encouraged.”

  Relief nearly made her dizzy. She rushed over to Zach’s dresser and grabbed some of her clothes from the bottom drawer. She’d taken to leaving some things at the Last Trail ranch over the past week.

  “Good thing I left these jeans here. Somehow I don’t think a blood-splattered cocktail dress will work at the hospital today,” she said, catching sight of the gown she’d worn last night, which Zach had draped over a chair.

  “In case I forgot to mention it, that dress looked great on you last night.” He came to her, cradled her face in his hands. “But you know what? You look even better this morning, waking up in my bed.”

  She was suddenly intensely aware that she was still wearing his robe. And nothing underneath.

  Longing filled her as she saw the warmth in his eyes. He kissed her forehead, then his mouth lowered to her lips. A delicious heat swept through her as he gently kissed her.

  “Except for one quick appointment this morning, I’m all yours today, Faith. Whatever you want, whatever you need, that’s what we’ll do. Together.”

  “Does that mean you’re going to be glued to my side?” she asked, brushing her mouth over his again.

  “If that’s what it takes.”

  “To protect me, you mean.” He didn’t answer and she sighed, pulling back and meeting his eyes. “It’s Bayman who ought to be afraid for his life right now. I’m sure my office has already faxed his photo and mug sheet to Keene. The entire sheriff’s department will be hunting for him. I don’t think I need a bodyguard, Zach.”

  “Tough. You’ve got one anyway.”

  As she started to protest, he silenced her with another long, hard kiss. “I lost you once, Barclay—it cost us ten years. This time it could be forever. I’m not willing to take that risk.”

  There was no mistaking the determination in his eyes. Her heart surged with emotions she hadn’t allowed herself to feel for a very long time.

  “We’ll talk about it later,” she said softly. Drawing his head down to her, she kissed him again.

  Roy arrived just as they were finishing breakfast. Neely had extended her visit with her sister at Zach’s request, so they’d had a fast meal of toast and jam and Cocoa Puffs—Dillon’s favorite cereal.

  “Are you all right?” her cousin demanded, barging into the kitchen as soon as Zach opened the back door.

  “Don’t I look all right?” Faith tried for a lighthearted tone, but Roy wasn’t having any of it.

  “Damn it, Faith, word around town is that the guy who killed Candy and attacked Patti last night in her own house is after you. I heard he’s some maniac stalker. And you prosecuted this guy?”

  “Not very successfully,” she muttered, putting the jam back in the fridge. “What did Keene do? Broadcast it to the entire town?”

  “Pretty much. He told Wood and Tammie at the hospital this morning when they showed up with a plant for Patti at eight A.M. Keene was already there—hot to question her and see what she could tell him.”

  “Was she able to give him a description?” Faith turned toward him quickly.

  But Roy shook his head. “Not according to what I heard. Keene hit Bessie’s Diner right after that and Ada and Bessie grilled him. Seems Patti told him the bastard was wearing a mask. Black . . . with slits for the eyes and stuff. She couldn’t see his face at all.”

  Faith and Zach exchanged grim glances.

  “But Keene’s feeling pretty confident anyway. He’s so busy running for Ty’s job already that he’s bragging the case is broken and it’s only a matter of time until he bags his man.”

  “Let’s damn well hope so,” Zach growled.

  Roy glanced at him, then turned back to Faith as she took a last sip of coffee. “I couldn’t reach you on your cell phone, so I drove up to the cabin,” he said slowly. “It was quiet and there was no sign of Ty’s car. Keene told Bessie you left the hospital with Zach last night so . . . I took a chance you might be here.”

  He looked at the two cups of coffee, the two bowls of cereal, with chocolate milk puddled in the bottom of each.

  “Thanks for taking care of her, but I can take it from here,” Roy told Zach evenly. “She’s going to stay with me and Corinne until this is over or until Ty gets back—whichever comes first.”

  “That’s up to Faith, isn’t it?” Zach’s tone was cool.

  “Roy, don’t worry about me—”

  “Damn it, Faith, if anything happened to you, Ty and Adam would personally skin me alive and you know it.” He grimaced. “And Corinne told me I’d better not come home without you. We’re your family, honey. You belong with us.”

  She met his gaze. “Think, Roy. This man—Hank Bayman—has obviously snapped. He’s already a stalker, a wife-beater, a bully of the first order. Now he’s killing people—all to get to me. What if he comes after me when you’re gone—while I’m there with Corinne? I’m not going to put Corinne or your baby in danger—look what he did to Patti.”

  Roy blanched. “I’ll take a few days off—hang out with you and Corinne. Now that the cops know who they’re looking for, they’re bound to catch him soon. And,” he said, his brows drawing together, “if he shows up at my place, I’d be more than happy to take care of him personally. And save the county the cost of a trial.”

  Faith looked him dead in the eye. “I won’t make you a target, Roy—or Corinne either.”

  “Yeah, and what about Zach’s son? Dillon? If that psycho finds out you’re here, he could be in danger—”

  “Dillon’s out of town for a few weeks,” Zach cut in. “He’s with the Graysons at the Grand Canyon.”

  Roy stared at Zach. He was thinking it over. “But we’re family,” he repeated doggedly. “She belongs with us—”

  He stopped abruptly. “Better yet, Faith, why don’t you head back to Philly? Bayman won’t escape the manhunt that’s on for him now. So why do you have to stick around? I have a feeling your so-called relaxing vacation has come to an end anyway.”

  So did Faith. But she wasn’t about to run. If Bayman had found her here, he could find her anywhere, manhunt or no. And maybe that wouldn’t be a bad thing, she thought. If she had to deal with him herself, she was more than capable. And she had plenty of motivation.

  “Look, I’ll call you if I need anything, Roy—that’s a promise. In the meantime, I have to go. I need to get to the hospital and see Patti.”

  In the end, Roy followed them to the hospital. Zach dropped her off at the door, explained that his appointment wouldn’t take long, and told her to wait for him at the hospital. He’d be back within the hour.

  Faith suspected that further arguing about bodyguard duty was a lost cause for now. Besides, until she had a chance to go back to the cabin and get her gun, she didn’t mind having someone watch her back.

  It seemed strange to be uneasy in broad daylight, but she couldn’t help it. It had been daylight yesterday when Bayman broke into Patti’s house. Daylight when he’d cornered her in her bedroom and carved her up with a knife . . .

  Riding up in the elevator, she made up her mind that as soon as she was finished at the hospital, she’d have Zach take her straight back to the cabin for her gun and some more clothes.

  The second floor was crowded with people who’d already heard about Patti. Bessie was there—she told Faith that she’d convinced Bob to go home for a few hours of sleep and a shower, promising to stay with Patti until he returned. Ada Stone and Katy Brent were also there, as was Tammie Morgan. Before Faith could get to Pattie’s door, Tammie took her aside.

  “Don’t ask me how, but I managed to pull off a fantastic evening!” She beamed. “Even wit
hout the programs, and without the two of you there to do your share of the work, I pulled it all off. I just pushed on and no one even missed you and Patti at all.”

  Behind Tammie, Faith saw Ada roll her eyes. She shifted her gaze back to Tammie’s tanned and hollow-cheeked face.

  “Did we meet our goal?” she asked, managing to free her arm of the other woman’s braceleted grasp.

  “Even better—we finished eight thousand dollars over our goal,” Tammie said triumphantly.

  “At least there’s some good news.”

  “Don’t you want to hear about how much the necklace I donated went for? The one I bought in Las Vegas? It was the hit of the night—”

  “Tammie, can it wait? I’m glad the auction went well, but right now, I’m here for Patti.”

  Faith stepped around her and went into the hospital room before Tammie could respond, then held her breath, fearing the other woman would follow. Fortunately, Bessie jumped in and steered her away in time. Faith peered at Patti and approached the bed, her heart twisting painfully.

  Patti was awake, looking pale and weak as a sick kitten, but she smiled tremulously.

  “Bob told me . . . you were the one who . . . saved me.” Her voice was so low, Faith had to bend closer to hear. “You . . . saved the baby too . . . the baby’s going to be all right. It has to be all right,” she whispered, clutching Faith’s hand.

  “Of course it will, sweetie. Your baby’s going to be fine. The worst is over, you just have to rest.” Faith pressed a kiss to Patti’s cheek. “You don’t have to talk now, it’s more important to save your strength.”

  “Deputy Keene was here . . . a little while ago. He needed to question me.”

  Faith knew that already, but now, seeing how weak Patti was, her anger at Keene flared. No wonder Patti looked so wrung out—Keene had probably pressed her for answers. Couldn’t he see how sapped she was?

  She wasn’t about to pester Patti with her own questions—not until she was stronger—but she couldn’t resist one.

  “I know the man who stabbed you wore a mask,” she said softly, “but were you able to give Rick Keene any kind of description?”