Safe at Home (Warm Springs Trilogy Book 1) Read online

  “At this point other people in the buffet line were starting to abandon their own conversations and stare and then she went after her some more,” Ann added.

  Jenny nodded, making her dangly earrings sparkle in the evening light. “That girl has done nothing but work and keep to herself since she moved here. She doesn’t deserve someone like you speaking to her that way. Not to mention, Susan, I didn’t see you in the search party to find me, but I did see Sam. Maybe you’re the one with the questionable invitation.”

  “What a bitch.” Ann said when Jenny finished.

  “I couldn’t agree more.”

  Spencer ran his hand through his hair. “How long ago did she leave?”

  “Oh, not long.”

  A caterer in a white jacket walked by and Spencer grabbed a glass of champagne off the tray and drained it.

  “Relax, Spencer. Sam’s okay.” Ann placed a gentle hand on his arm.

  “She looked gorgeous. Did you see her shoes? I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.” Jenny let out an exaggerated sigh.

  “Can’t say I noticed the shoes.” Spencer continued to scan the room full of people he’d known his entire life. He wasn’t sure if it would be better if he saw Susan or not. One thing was for sure though, it would be better for Susan if he didn’t.

  “It’s nice to see, isn’t it?” Ann leaned toward Jenny and bent her head near her ear.

  “What?” Jenny raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

  “Spencer in love.”

  Spencer shot Ann an annoyed look, but didn’t counter what she said.

  “I never thought I’d live to see the day.” Jenny added with a grin.

  Spencer grimaced. “Jeez, Jenny what a terrible choice of words.”

  “What, too soon?”

  Spencer shook his head and left them to gossip while he made his rounds. By the time he made it to his truck, his anger hadn’t subsided much, but at least Susan had had the sense to leave the party. Spencer grabbed at his tie with one hand while he skillfully took a turn toward Sam’s house with the other. He took his time to leave the party, making sure he spoke to everyone and giving himself some time to cool down. He didn’t want to make a big deal about what had happened. He knew that was the last thing Sam would want. It had occurred to him to throttle Susan, the rule about not hitting girls be damned, but he decided against it since it was a Christmas party. Jenny’s parents didn’t need that sort of excitement in their home. But, the image of Susan’s feet going up over her head made him smile.

  Once in the driveway, he saw Christmas tree lights through the sheer curtain giving the tree an angelic glow. He sighed, and finally the rest of his anger left him. Coming to this house would always feel like coming home. Even now, without his parents there, he felt it. Sam was his future, the woman he wanted to start his own family with. He loved her more than he realized was possible.

  He nodded to the officer sitting in the patrol car on the street and then walked around to the back door and knocked lightly. Suddenly, all he wanted was to hold her. As soon as the door began to open he pushed it aside and pulled her against him. “Sam,” he murmured into her hair.

  “Well, hello to you too.” They stood exactly where they were, holding each other as their hearts beat to the same rhythm.

  He pulled back and looked at her. “You’re still wearing the dress.” His hands slid down the silky fabric.

  “Yes. I haven’t gotten around to taking it off yet.”

  “I could help you,” he gave her a sly grin. “Are you okay?”

  “Of course,” but she turned and headed to the living room.

  “Sam, don’t worry about what Susan said. No one else does. She’s just a bitter woman with nothing better to do.”

  “Hmm.” Sam sat down on the couch and looked at the tree. The strings of lights were the only light in the room.

  “Sam, look at me.” He took her face between his hands and kissed her. “Let it go.”

  “I’m trying. It’s just that, well, she said what I feared everyone else there was thinking.”

  “No.” His chest tightened seeing her so sad.

  “You don’t know that, Spencer. How could they not? Look what happened to Jenny.”

  “I know what happened to Jenny.” Darkness crept into his tone. “But, she’s fine. You didn’t make that man take her. He has his own mind and he will be caught. Plus, you should’ve heard what happened after Jenny got a hold of Susan.” He leaned back into the cushions and grinned.

  “What do you mean?” She asked, eyes wide.

  “Apparently, Jenny heard the whole thing.”

  “Oh God.” Sam covered her mouth with her hand.

  “Yeah, sounds like Jenny gave her a piece of her mind and then Susan stood open-mouthed and turned red while everyone in the room stared at her. She may still be red in the face.”

  “Wow.” Sam said.

  “Let’s just say Susan won’t be coming back to any more parties at the Fillmore house.”

  “I had no idea.” She sat back with a bewildered expression.

  He reached for her again, this time kissing her with more force. “Now about that dress.”

  “Yes,” she batted her eyelashes at him.

  “You could drive a man crazy wearing things like this.”

  “This old thing?” She giggled and then he covered her mouth with his. Her arms wound around his neck and he breathed her in. Her scent and touch made the rest of the world melt away. Neither one of them cared about the party anymore.

  “Son of a bitch,” Eric screamed within the confines of his latest car. His palms pulsed from repeatedly slamming his hands into the steering wheel, the rage too strong to ignore.

  They found him sooner than he’d expected. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself. At least he’d caught a glimpse of Sam in the woods before he’d fled and he knew she’d seen him too. Apparently, hillbilly cops didn’t have enough to do. Not that it mattered. He was nothing if not flexible.

  He could feel the beginnings of a headache behind his eyes. Rage always left him feeling out of breath and frustrated when there was no outlet. He needed to cause pain, to hurt someone and soon.

  Maybe he could let her watch while he slowly killed the new man in her life. Stupid bastard. Did he not know what she was capable of? Probably thought she was the nice little lady she pretended to be. She had them all fooled.

  He would slap the stupid innocent look right off her face. Or maybe he would cut it off. Give her a sort of permanent frown. He relaxed his hands, leaned his head back against the headrest and let his eyes close. Imagining Sam’s screams, his smile began to return.

  Chapter 33

  One week until Christmas, Sam thought as she went over her checklist. She shipped her parent’s gifts and purchased something for Ann, Jake, Alex, and Jenny. Betsy and Earl were all taken care of, but of course they’d told her not to do anything. They were happy to be having Sunday dinners together again. That just left getting something for Mary and Spencer. With determination, Sam put her keys in her pocket and marched into the first store on her mental list of appropriate places.

  Mary should be fairly easy. What would make her life easier in the store? She was already surrounded with antiques and other beautiful things so, Sam was thinking about getting her something more practical. Maybe a label maker or… just then a thought occurred to her. What if she got her the new software to use to check people out at the store? Just slide a credit card through on top of her iPad and, Voila! She could check customers out faster than using the machine she already had. Feeling proud of herself, Sam headed to find a salesperson to help her.

  The faint glow of a cigarette shown in the dark as Eric cast a glance at the dark sky and exhaled. The early onset of night was an added bonus. But what the hell was taking her so long? He tossed his butt to the ground and leaned back in his seat, his eyes never leaving the store entrance. She’d finally gone somewhere alone and he wasn’t going to let the opportunit
y pass. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t go to her house at any time, but the damn cops were always out that way. They drove by at a different time every day, sometimes several times. The police were a complication he didn’t want or need. He didn’t want to get caught leaving the scene of all the fun. And he didn’t want to have to hurry. He wanted to take his time with Sam.

  The automatic doors opened to the store and a family exited. The mom, dad, and two sons linked arms and laughed at their awkwardness. The youngest boy’s laughter carried across the parking lot to Eric, the memory of Jason slicing through him like an open wound. He placed his hands on the steering wheel and squeezed.

  He’d been planning his reunion with Sam for quite some time and he needed it now. He needed the release like an addict needed their next fix. To feel her terror and see her beg.

  The light in the parking lot changed, becoming brighter as the door to the store opened again. He saw her tug her jacket a little tighter as she balanced a big bag. He could get out of the car and take her right now. It would be so easy, but where was the fun in that? It was time to make sure he was still fresh on her mind. And if she happened to get hurt in the process, so much the better. He started his engine and pulled out behind her. Hopefully, she didn’t have too much more shopping to do. He’d already been following her for half the day and he was sick of it. He rolled his window down part way and spit onto the asphalt.

  The traffic was moving slowly, but all the cars made it easier for him to blend in. When she turned off the highway in the direction of home, his adrenaline began to hum. Now, it was only a matter of getting to the part of the road he’d chosen. It was almost time.

  She was stumped as to what to get Spencer. He was tough. Work had been busy, so she was glad she finally had a day she could leave a little early and drive into LaGrange. It was the closest place with any chain stores. Maybe she would stop and get a coffee on the way home. It was cold out and she was ready to be home. Spencer was supposed to meet her there with dinner.

  At that moment, a car slammed into hers. She jolted and fought the urge to jerk the wheel. What the hell was happening? As soon as the thought went through her head, the car slammed into the back of hers again. Her head snapped back and she began to panic. It was no wreck. It was Eric.

  This part of the road was almost deserted. And, it was so impossibly dark. She didn’t know where she should go. If she went home, she would be trapped there. There was the police station. He hit her again, but this time instead of hitting her car straight on in the back, he hit it to one side making the car swerve out of her control. The tires screeched as she fought against the pull.

  After regaining control an instant before going off the road, Sam pushed the pedal down as far as she dared in the dark. Eric put on a burst of speed as well and tried to come up beside her. There was a truck coming from the opposite direction, forcing Eric back behind her. With an angry blare of the horn, the truck passed, its lights causing Sam to see spots. The turn toward Warm Springs was in sight, if she could just make it to town. The police station wasn’t far down Main Street. “Please, God, let me make it,” she whispered aloud.

  Sam started to cry. She was so close to help, but with the last slam of Eric’s car, her steering had been affected. She fought to keep the car moving straight as it pulled to the right. Tears streamed down her face, making it harder to see the road. The muscles in her shoulders were tight, her knuckles white on the wheel. Like a beacon in a storm, she saw the familiar red-light up ahead.

  With newfound hope, she took a deep breath, glanced both ways and barely slowed down for the turn. Her tires let out a violent screech, but she remained in control of the car. She could still see Eric in the car behind her. Not so much his face because his lights were blinding her in her mirrors, but his silhouette. It was straight out of her nightmares. She could see the shops of Main Street up ahead and the traffic light. She didn’t slow down for this one. She blasted through it and honked her horn wildly. The lights of the police station lit up the night. She couldn’t reach them fast enough.

  Sam slammed on her brakes and jerked the wheel into the handicap parking place in front of the building. She wrenched open her door and ran for the entrance, leaving the door hanging open.

  Eric slowed behind her and rolled his window down. “The next time you see me, Samantha, it will be your last.” He revved the engine and with screaming tires he bolted.

  She heard his words as she passed through the door and stumbled up to the counter, with shaking hands. “I need help, please.”

  Spencer’s heart stopped when he pulled up in front of the police station. The back of Sam’s car was in shambles. Dread surged through him and forced him out of his stupor. He stormed through the door and found Sam sitting with his old friend Nick Holloway. Seeing her relieved some of the pressure in his chest, but when she turned to look at him with red eyes and tension in her shoulders, he had to bite back the oath on his tongue. What he wanted to do was go out and find this asshole, Eric, and squeeze the life out of him.

  Instead, he knelt down in front of Sam and took her hands in his. It made him feel better to touch her. As if the skin to skin contact would somehow let him know she was fine and it had all been a nightmare

  “Officer Holloway.” Spencer nodded without taking his eyes off of Sam.

  “Spencer, I think we’ve taken down all the information we need and I’ve already called a tow truck to come pick up the car.”

  “Appreciate that. So, I can take her home now?” Spencer rose and pulled Sam gently with him.

  Officer Holloway stood up and adjusted his belt higher on his hips. “That’ll be fine. I wanted to let you know we’re going to start parking an officer outside your house. Things seem to be escalating and after what he said to you, we don’t want to take any chances.”

  Spencer’s head snapped in Sam’s direction. “What he said to you?” Sam tensed under his grip.

  “Spencer, not here, okay? I just want to go home.”

  Spencer rubbed a hand down her arm and looked at his friend. “Holloway, don’t worry about sending an officer to Sam’s until tomorrow morning. She’ll be at my place tonight. It’s closer,” he added before Sam could protest.

  He put his arm around her shoulders and escorted her out of the station. The night had become cold and their breath formed white mist in the air. Sam’s came out faster when she saw her car being hooked up to the tow truck that had arrived.

  He could tell by the color draining from her face, that it was the first time she’d seen her car. “Come on, let’s get you home.” Spencer pulled her along, opened the door and waited while she climbed up into his truck. They rode back to his loft in silence. Each lost in their own thoughts. Spencer couldn’t help but glance in Sam’s direction every few seconds, her pale face and taut expression a far cry from the warm, happy woman he’d come to love.

  Once inside his apartment, Spencer began looking for food. He hadn’t expected Sam, so the place was in disrepair and since he’d been eating at her house almost every night during the week, the kitchen was pretty bare as well.

  “Okay, I have a plan.” Spencer said after circling his kitchen twice. “How about I run downstairs and grab something to-go and you can take a hot bath.”

  “That sounds perfect, but don’t stay gone too long, okay?”

  “I’ll be back in ten. You can time me.” He kissed her cheek.

  “Okay sounds good.” Sam offered him a half-smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

  That night after eating subs, Sam laid in Spencer’s arms snuggled under the covers while he massaged her shoulders.

  “Sam?”

  “Um hmm,” she said almost dreamily.

  “If you want, we can leave tomorrow.”

  “What?” Her eyes popped open and she looked up at him, bewildered.

  “We can go wherever you want to go. I’ll go with you. We can pack and be gone before lunch.”

  “Spencer, I don’t know what to sa
y,” she stammered.

  “Say okay and let’s go.”

  “But what about Ann and the baby? Is now really the best time for you to disappear? They’ll think I took you away from them. They’re your family.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Sam. They know this is a possibility. My number one concern is to keep you safe and I thought we were doing okay, until today.” He shook his head in disgust. “The thought that I wasn’t there for you.”

  “Spencer don’t.” She turned and held his face in her hands. “You’re not my keeper. You can’t be with me every second of every day.”

  “Well, if we go away together, I can sure try. I have a little bit of money saved and it wouldn’t be forever. Just long enough for the cops to catch up with him.” She didn’t need to say she wasn’t sure they would, he could see it in her eyes, the doubt, the fear. She was strong, but the worry was always there behind her words like a ghost she couldn’t shed.

  She shivered.

  “Are you cold?” Spencer asked.

  “No, I’m fine.” A long time passed as he gave her time to think. “Okay,” she said finally.

  “Okay?”

  She nodded. “Let’s go.”

  He squeezed her shoulder. “Are you sure?”

  “Not really, but I don’t know what else to do.” Her fingers worked the buttons of his shirt. “And like you said, it’s not forever. We can come back and have a normal life, whatever that is.” She stroked his chest with light fingers, bringing his pulse to life. “I can’t take the risk of him hurting someone else I care about. It’s gone on long enough.” She kissed his chest. “I don’t know another way to stop it from happening again.”

  “Tomorrow then.” Spencer crushed her mouth with his. He didn’t want to think about Eric anymore or how close he’d come to losing her.