Taken: Before Her Very Eyes Read online

  Taken

  Before her very Eyes

  By Wade Faubert

  Copyright © 2012 by Wade Faubert

  All rights reserved. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events is entirely coincidental.

  COVER DESIGNED BY,

  Jessi Nunns

  www.heavenlydayphotos.com

  Table of Content

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Author Information

  Wampus Springs — Mark of the Wolf

  Prologue — Four Years Earlier —

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Prologue

  “What are we doing out here?” Summer sighed, shifting in the front seat and gazing across at Nate’s hardened face. “I know we need to patrol the entire County, but there’s never anything happening out here. Wouldn’t we be more valuable on the city streets?”

  Nate’s blue eyes met her with a knowing look. “We’ll get to those parts of Chatham in due time. But there’s a route that’s been laid out and we’re supposed to follow it.”

  “How can I forget?” Summer rolled her eyes. “You’re so anal. Just because the chief laid out a route doesn’t mean you can’t deviate from it once in a while. Wouldn’t it be nice to spice things up sometimes?”

  “Spiced up, huh.” Nate sighed, raising his left eyebrow. “Somehow I don’t think an old man in the chief’s position would like spice. He strikes me as a heartburn, acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome type of guy.”

  “I’m just saying,” Summer shook her head, “would it kill you to start somewhere different on the route and go backwards once in a while? I’ll bet Stephens and Malroy don’t follow the same route?”

  “I can guarantee they don’t. Hell they spend half their time goofing off behind the old grocery store.”

  “How do you know that?” Summer flipped her blond hair back from her face and leaned closer to Nate, hoping he’d spill the beans.

  “Those stupid asses brag about it every night in the change room. I keep telling them that if they wanna screw around on the job, that’s fine, but not to go spreading it around the station, cause sooner or later the chief is gonna find out and then there’ll be hell to pay.” Nate tapped his finger on the dash. “But you’ll be able to vouch that we followed protocol the way the chief wanted.”

  “And what makes you think he’ll believe a word we say.”

  “Not we.” Nate grinned. “You. He’ll believe you because you’re a woman.”

  Summer felt her cheeks heating up. Nate seldom got to her, but the thought of getting special treatment because of her gender pissed her off. She’d fought long and hard to be treated like an equal all during her training and would never accept anything different now. As far as she was concerned there was no difference between her, Nate, Stephens or Malroy. “That’s a sexist remark.”

  “It sure is, but it’s the truth. He knows those other guys would lie to save their asses, but you’re the only woman on the force. It’s like you’re sacred or something.” Nate gave her a wink and a big grin. “The truth is, when you strut in that briefing room with your hair all done and those brilliant green eyes scouring the room, half the guys can’t stand up for five minutes.”

  “You’re such an ass.” Summer turned and stared out the side window at the crumbling silo in the distance. The early morning sunlight was just beginning to brighten the horizon and the shadows of the farmland were coming into view. “I suppose you can’t control your hormones either?”

  “Oh, I can control them. But if you weren’t already married to Dean, I’d be right there with Stephens and Malroy looking for some action.”

  “I’m sure Dean would be happy to know that all the guys on the force would like to get with me.”

  “Not all the guys. I’m not so sure that new recruit, Jones, would be interested. He seems a little on the skittish side when he’s near you. Could be he’s still a virgin—or gay?”

  “He is not gay.” Summer blew out a deep breath, hoping it’d relieve some of the tension that was building behind her eyes. “He’s just a little shy around me.”

  “So, you wanna bet?”

  Summer turned away, refusing to answer. She watched as car lights sparkled to life in the distance to her right and tried to change the subject. “You hear anything new on that drug bust last week?”

  “Only what they want us to know. It was headed to Dean’s courier company and was slated to be shipped across the country to fake addresses. I’m just glad we were able to intercept it at the transfer yard before it got to his company.”

  Summer arched her left eyebrow. “He had nothing to do with it.”

  “Exactly, and confiscating it offsite just makes it all that much easier to prove.”

  “They don’t think he’s involved with it, do they?”

  “Who the hell knows, but the fact that Gavin Stone is working for your husband doesn’t look good.” Nate followed Summer’s gaze to the speeding car racing down the cross road toward the intersection up ahead.

  “Dean only hired Gavin because his parole officer begged Dean to.”

  “I know, but I still think it was a mistake. You and Gavin have a rocky past. Besides, I don’t trust that guy.”

  “Even though he’s served his debt to society?”

  “Don’t give me that shit. You don’t believe it any more than I do.” Nate hesitated for a moment, then made eye contact with Summer. “Keep this to yourself and don’t breathe a word of it to Dean. The less he knows, the better it’ll be.”

  “What the hell are you talking about? If something’s going down then I want to be part of it. I don’t care if Dean is my husband. I want in.”

  “I heard they’ve got a plain clothed detective. Grimshaw’s his name. He’s tracing the truck and all the merchandise that the meth was crammed inside.”

  “And what do they have?”

  Nate shrugged his shoulders. “Your guess is as good as mine, but let’s hope for the sake of Sabrina and that baby you’re trying to have, Dean comes out clean.”

  Summer remembered how adamant Dean had been about the whole thing. He swore he had nothing to do with the shipment and she had no reason to believe anything to the contrary, but his business has been booming lately and he was finally making a profit. Summer shook her head. It was only a coincidence. Nothing more.

  Nate sighed. “You realize that if you get knocked up, we’re not skipping the route just so you can hit every drive-thru in the city.”

  Summer scoffed. “Don’t tell me I have to get a doctor’s note so you’ll allow me food whenever the baby gets hungry?”

  “That’s not a bad idea,” Nate said, his eyes following the approaching car. “I’m sure the chief will go for it.”

  The car was rac
ing to the intersection ahead, looking to beat them, but little did the driver know he was in for a big surprise if he decided to fly through the stop sign. Nate was waiting, his finger hovering above the switch, hoping the guy runs the stop sign.

  Nate smiled. “I’m betting he’s gonna run it.”

  “I’m betting he doesn’t know we’re cops.”

  “You think?”

  The second the car bounced through the intersection, Nate switched on the roof lights and the countryside was illuminated in a swirl of red and blue, sweeping over the land in a smooth rhythmic arc.

  The blue sedan didn’t slow at all. It continued on, rounding the bend in the road and disappearing from sight behind the cluster of thick trees.

  When Nate slid the cruiser around that same corner, they could only watch as the sedan disappeared around another. Nate pushed the cruiser to its limit, barely holding it on the loose gravel road, determined to catch this guy.

  The cruiser slid around the corner then straightened, but the sedan wasn’t trying to outrun them anymore. It’d struck a second vehicle at the next intersection, sending them both off the road and into the thick brush beside the woods.

  Steam spewed from the front of the sedan’s crumpled hood as the driver opened the door and jumped out, dashing toward the thick woods.

  Nate slammed on the brakes and slid to a stop beside the two tangled vehicles, then flung open the door and gave chase into the dark unknown, cursing the fugitive like always.

  Summer radioed for an ambulance as she raced to the tangled mess. The driver of the van was lying in the long grass beside the vehicle, motionless. His face covered with blood—a lot of blood!

  Summer reached into her pocket and withdrew her gloves. After slipping them on, she knelt down beside and searched for the source of all the blood, but couldn’t find any cuts or gouges. He seemed to be fine. Covered with blood, but fine.

  Pressing her fingers to his neck, she counted the rapid beats of his heart and was about to check his pupils when his eyes snapped open and an evil grin spread across his face. Summer pulled back, letting his head drop to the ground, taken by surprise at his strange reaction. She glanced around, searching for Nate, hoping he’d come back to assist her, when the man’s hands shot up, grabbing her arm.

  There was a sharp pain in her bicep, followed by a burning sensation that raced up her arm toward her shoulder. Summer glanced down at his blood soaked hands and saw the needle sticking out of her shirt sleeve. She couldn’t believe it. He’d stabbed her—and with a dirty needle. And all she was trying to do was save his life.

  Summer’s head was swimming. Her thoughts were melting into each other as her legs began to buckle beneath. Everything was fading away. The flashing red and blue lights were now sickening pulses behind her closed lids. She felt the cold damp ground beneath, and heard the side door of the van slide open. A second later she was flying, soaring through the air until her face came to rest on the hard steel floor of the cargo van.

  She tried to call out for Nate, but no sound would exit her mouth. She could picture him chasing the guy for a mile or more, whatever it took to get his man. The van roared to life and a second later she could feel the vibrations from the tires up through the cold steel floor—then darkness.

  Chapter 1

  Summer Demure sat slouched behind the wheel of the white Volvo, gazing off into the distance down the one-way street. Her unblinking eyes were locked on a single point in the darkness, but her mind was completely blank and she relished the feel of it. The ability to shut down her mind and take a break from the constant barrage of memories was the bliss she’d been searching for.

  She couldn’t believe how drastic her life had changed these last months and knew the feeling of dread, which coursed through every fibre of her body, was going to be the hardest thing to overcome. She thought of Dean and how he’d tried to comfort her, but a shiver—that same shiver she felt every time he touched her—raced through her body, racking her petite frame with uncontrollable muscle spasms.

  It didn’t seem to matter how many sessions she spent with the department psychiatrist, the outcome was always the same. She couldn’t stand the touch of her own husband.

  It devastated Dean when she asked him to move out of the house, and he argued for hours that him leaving wasn’t going to solve her problems. Summer knew this was likely true, but like he’d said, this was her problem and she had to find a way to deal with it.

  The night Dean left, he said he understood what she needed right now, but she could tell from the look in his eyes that he didn’t. Maybe the time apart would do them some good? Maybe after being separated for awhile, she’d overcome her fears and they could once more live as a family, but until then she had to live alone, taking care of Sabrina.

  Her fingers strummed nervously against the worn leather steering wheel. Worn smooth by Dean’s many miles on the road. He loved this car so much that Summer was floored when he insisted she take it. Sure her old car wasn’t reliable, but Dean simply grabbed the keys and drove off, leaving her little choice in the matter. He said he did it for her, but she knew he’d done it for Sabrina.

  “Sabrina,” she muttered, breaking the trance she was in. If it wasn’t for the shared custody, Summer would’ve sold the house and taken off far from here. Far from Chatham. Far from Southern Ontario. Hell, she would’ve trekked halfway across the country just to place some distance between herself and the memories of that brutal night five months ago. But even if she had full custody she couldn’t. At least not for a few more days. Not until that bastard, John Scott—Summer shivered just thinking about what that madman had done—was locked away for a long time. The mere thought of him sent her body into convulsions. Her muscles twitched and trembled as anxiety and fear gripped her heart, squeezing until she surrendered.

  She glanced in the lighted vanity mirror and sighed. Her normally glowing skin had turned pale and sickly. Her face nearly disappeared, hiding behind the veil of white-blond hair. Normally she spent an hour styling it, but lately she couldn’t be bothered. Wash and go was all she could muster. Her physical appearance had changed drastically over the last months, that was, except for her bright green eyes. They reminded her that she was still somewhat in control, no matter how lost she felt these days.

  She flipped the mirror closed and stared out the window. Summer watched as the painted autumn leaves fluttered along the deserted downtown sidewalk, tumbling and twisting, dancing upon their invisible stage. It was Monday morning and the stores were all in darkness. Not a single sign of life could be seen. The only figures on the sidewalks were the bags of trash set out for the early morning pickup. She glanced at the clock and shook her head at the smothering darkness that not only stole away hours of outdoor activities, but also caused her chest to tighten slightly.

  Summer closed her eyes and drew a deep breath.

  “Everything’s all right. I’m all right.” She blew out her breath as she repeated the technique. “Relax. Deep breath. I’m free. Nobody’s gonna hurt me.”

  Slowly Summer opened her eyes. She did feel better. The restriction in her chest was subsiding. After all, this was her home, where she’d grown up and raised her child. This was a safe city. It wasn’t Toronto with its murderous gangs and random drive-by shootings. This was sleepy old Chatham, Ontario. Nothing bad happened here, except… The image of John Scott flashed in her mind and she quickly blocked it out.

  She turned her attention to the large elephant-ear leaf tumbling, end over end down the sidewalk to her left. She watched as the wind quickened its journey toward her. A few drops of rain landed on the window, slowly striving to the bottom. Summer scanned the empty street for a matching tree, but nothing fit. It was all alone. Running—no, escaping the city at night.

  “What is this, a sign?” Summer glanced to the heavens. “Run, while I can?”

  These last few months had been trying. She felt oversensitive, like everything held a secret meaning, a hidden message for
her. Maybe it was just paranoia, but as she watched the leaf make its great run, she could see herself chasing right behind.

  The radio powered off, sending the car into deafening silence. Summer quickly jostled the keys, cranking them back and rejoining the song in play. The green glow of the clock illuminated the car once again. 6:05. He was late.

  When she glanced back to the leaf, she gasped as a hand shot from a garbage pile near the corner of the building. It reached out, snatching the large leaf in mid bounce.

  Summer wrapped her arms tightly around her body, holding the shutters to a minimum. After settling her nerves, she leaned to the window, watching as the dark hand gripped the leaf by the stem, rotating it slowly between its blackened fingers. Side over side it spun, suspended in midair, prevented from continuing on its journey. She swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump which was blocking her throat.

  “That’s… my life.” Summer swallowed again. “Caught… spinning… controlled.”

  She watched as the black fingers manipulated the leaf and wondered why a vagrant was living on this street. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t recall ever seeing a homeless person living on this side of Chatham. Sure there were a few rundown areas in the city where homeless people migrated, but never downtown. The police made sure of it.

  As Summer concentrated on the dirt covered sleeve, she realized that nothing stays the same. Everything changes, and if you refuse to change with it, it’ll destroy you. She only had to look at her trembling hands to know this was true.

  His blackened fingers slowly worked their way up the stem, delicately sliding onto the crisp dry membrane of the leaf, carefully feeling each vein as they thinned toward the tips.

  Maybe he needed help, Summer thought, realizing she needed to change her direction in life. She reached for her purse. Maybe a few dollars for a hot meal?

  After removing a twenty from her wallet, she reached for the door handle, but froze when his dark hand clamped down, crushing the brittle leaf within. Quickly she checked the door lock then returned her attention to the hand. It was kneading, crushing, disintegrating the leaf within. The hand shook. The arm shook. It was as if he was laughing, uncontrollably, as he crumbled the beautiful form.