Page 71 of Risk Assessment
He looked at Gabe and then tucked the other gun in his belt. He reached for a stick. He drew out a plan in the dirt. Gabe nodded and handed him an earbud before he broke off to go to his assigned location. Jaxon gave him a nod on the way by and Connor clapped him on the back.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Josh turned away from the window and caught her in his stare. “It’s Josh now. You must never call me that name again. Robert is dead. Just like the rest of his family.”
The hair on the back of Raleigh’s neck stood up. Josh was Robert Quinn. Her whole world turned upside down. She hadn’t thought of Robert Quinn since high school. Snippets of conversation she’d had with Josh came back to her.
He mentioned he’d been in an accident and it had taken him a long time to heal. Was that why she didn’t recognize him? Did he have plastic surgery? Of course back in high school, he’d had braces and his hair was different. Longer than now and darker. He must lighten it. And he’d had glasses. He really was the quintessential geek back then.
Josh seemed like such a nice guy. Funny, charming, all the things that someone would want in a boyfriend or husband. Someone besides her. She just couldn’t get the two men to merge in her mind. Three men really, Robert from high school, the Josh she knew and her stalker. It was all too much.
“I’m sorry, Josh. It was just all that talk of our time together in high school. It was a slip. It won’t happen again.”
“It can’t. We are so close. I will not be cast aside because of your mistake. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, Josh. I understand.” Her chest got tight as she fought for control of her breathing. Josh’s anger was escalating. His knuckles were white on the hand holding the knife.
“I have worked too hard to lose now. When Calvin is elected mayor I will be his deputy mayor. He has no choice but to give it to me. And then with you by my side, we’ll skip right up the ladder. Next it will be the state house. Congress or Senate. Maybe even governor, if this pans out.” He cocked his head toward the window. “You will be the perfect wife. Do you understand? No one will ever laugh at me or look down on me again. I won’t be my father. A failure. With you by my side, I’ll be the success I am meant to be. You will not make mistakes. You will not bring me down. Is that clear?”
Fear froze her vocal cords. She could only nod.
“I said, is that clear?” His face flushed a deep red, and his wild eyes bored holes into her own. His lips were curled into a snarl.
“I-I won—"
Suddenly, Josh whipped around to stare out the window. Then cursing wildly, he hopped up from the chair, and then pulled the old, faded curtains shut. He hobbled across the room toward her.
“Josh, I promise I won’t screw it up for you!”
Josh yanked her to her feet and then went behind her, pulling her hard against him.
“Stop!” she yelled. “You’re hurting me!” She tried to stand, but she was still having issues with her legs.
“Thenyoushould’ve listened. Look!” He turned her toward the window. “That lowlife cop is out there. I can hear sirens. This mess is all your fault!”
Dylan. She almost sagged with relief. Dylan was coming to help her.
Josh increased the pressure on her arms.
She struggled against him, but he was stronger. With her hands tied, she couldn’t get any leverage to hurt him. He spun her to face him.
“You will do as I say, or you will pay. Do you hear me?” Spittle landed on her cheeks as he yelled at her. He started shaking her, his eyes wild.
She’d never seen anything like it.
There was nothing left of the affable, funny guy she knew. He was all manic now. Her teeth were clattering together as he kept shaking her, repeating, “Do you hear me? Do you hear me?”
“I—I—uh –” was all she could manage. He was shaking her too hard for her to speak. Her arms were on fire. He looked out the window again.
“No! No. This is not happening!” Josh screamed. “I will not let this happen!” He turned and started shaking her again. “No! No! No!”
Josh stopped shaking her and turned her around again, pinning her face-first against the wall next to the door. Then he backed up so they were against the back wall of the cabin. Before she could think of a plan, he had a knife pressed to her throat.
Raleigh screamed.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Raleigh! “Did you hear that?” Dylan asked through his earbud.
