Page 9 of No Time for Doubt
Phone in hand, she closed her eyes and trusted.Herself.Her skills.Her connection to her client.Opening her eyes, she turned and started walking through the parking lot, keeping her mind and heart open to the next breadcrumb, the next sign that would lead her to Nell.
Her gaze landed on a bright red sedan further down the aisle.Drawn to it, she followed the intuition.
“Nell?Nell!”
Devyn called out, pounded on the trunk, and peered into the windows.Nothing seemed out of place, but sheknewthe car was important.If a cop had been with her, they could’ve run the plates or done some other search.All Devyn had was her gift.And that was more than enough.She circled the car, pleading silently for a sign, for some indication that this was Nell’s vehicle.Or the husband’s.
No.
Mistress.
It was a whisper across her mind.Another vision blurred her view of the parking lot.
She stood slightly apart, watching Nell, her husband, and his mistress arguing at the house.A fight.Raised voices.Nell breaking free of her husband’s hard grip.Running.Only to be caught, trapped.Hauled away.
Devyn circled the car once more, and this time the stickers caught her eye.Several decals marched along the bottom of the rear window for a variety of locations around the city.Membership parking privileges here at the conservatory, as well as museums, the aquarium, even the yacht club that was practically next door.
There was no subtle nudge this time.As soon as she recognized the yacht club logo, she was nearly shoved in that direction.Not unlike Nell, she realized as she broke into a run.She didn’t concern herself with how she’d gain entrance.Unlike the mistress, she wasn’t a member.All she could do was trust her intuition to make a way.
She paused briefly to catch her breath as she approached the yacht club.Being late in the summer season, the club was doing brisk business, even on a weekday morning.Devyn followed along with a group of people heading into the club and out toward the docks.
She’d never been here before, had little more than zero knowledge of boating, but she moved with certainty.The sounds of people, water, boats at rest, and others in motion, faded away.As if she were standing next to Nell, she heard the woman weeping softly.Not by choice.She tried to scream.Couldn’t.Was exhausted from the effort.She fought her restraints to no avail.She was confined, hidden, and growing desperate.
“I’m coming,” Devyn murmured under her breath.
She hurried, her steps as quick as she dared over the wet surface.The breeze caught in her hair and the dock swayed a bit underfoot, but she was following a route as clear and bright as an airport runway on a dark night.Closing in on the goal, the boat glowing as if it were in a spotlight, she grabbed the railing and scrambled board.
“Nell!”
The boat rocked and a faint thumping sounded under the deck.Devyn started forward, looking for the access and then forced herself to call 911 first.
Gripping the railing along the short stairwell, she was abruptly sucked into Daniel Pereda’s stinging temper.The scene played out as if she were a real-time witness.
He was furious with Nell for messing up a good thing.Keeping his voice low, he made violent threats.He shoved her down the stairs, not giving a damn about her safety, then flipped her over and shoved pills down her throat.Satisfied she’d swallowed the drugs, he bound and gagged her and promised she didn’t have long to live.His unspoken intent was clear: he’d come back later, take the boat out, and dump Nell’s body into the lake where she’d never be found.
“Not on my watch, you son of a bitch,” Devyn murmured.Gritting her teeth against the remnants of the vision, she completed the call and reported the situation to the emergency operator.
“Is the woman injured?”the operator asked.He had a warm voice, steady and calm.The image that popped into Devyn’s mind was of a man, mid-thirties, with dark skin and kind eyes.She’d never know for sure, but she appreciated the comforting image amid the stress of the crisis.
“I, um...”Devyn rushed down the steps and into the dimly lit cabin area.“I’m not sure yet.”She hit the speaker button and let the operator know.“You’re on speaker.”
Nell’s eyes, wild with fear, softened with relief when she recognized Devyn.“There’s a gag in her mouth,” she reported.“I don’t see any blood.”She eased the cloth from Nell’s mouth and helped her sit up a bit as she coughed.
“Are you hurt?”
Nell shook her head.“Not really.”She gulped in another breath.“Drugs.”
“The victim took drugs?”the 911 operator queried.
“No,” Devyn clarified.“She was drugged by her assailant.Tied up and hidden down here in the boat,” she added.“Her husband did this.”She gave Nell’s home address.“That’s where it started earlier this morning.”
There was a soft clicking in the background.She assumed the operator was checking her story.“I see the report.I’m notifying the police about this connection.”There was another brief pause.“Are you both safe?”
“We’re together,” Devyn reported.“There doesn’t seem to be an immediate threat.Nell needs medical attention.”
“Help is on the way,” he assured them.“Hang in there.”The operator kept Devyn talking, asking about Nell’s condition and their location, seemingly satisfied that Nell was breathing and they remained alone.“Watch for any shivering,” the operator said.“That could be a sign of shock.”
As if on cue, Nell’s teeth began to chatter.“What do we do for that?”Devyn queried.
